Human's of Portsmouth - Ritah's Story

When I first moved to the UK, a former boss gave me some advice that stayed with me: “One of the easiest ways to settle into a new place is to embrace its culture and way of life.” 

Over time I realised that there is a difference between learning to belong somewhere new and feeling as though you have to leave parts of yourself behind.

I am Ugandan, with Bantu heritage, but my roots stretch across different parts of the country. One of the things I am proudest to share about my culture is our love of dance. It is woven into so much of our lives. For me, it is more than a performance or a way to entertain people. It carries identity, memory and meaning. Dance allows us to share stories, celebrate where we come from and connect with people who might have grown up somewhere completely different.

I did not know how important that connection would become when I first considered moving to Portsmouth.

My journey began at an education fair in Uganda, where several universities had stands. Portsmouth stood out for a simple reason. The person I spoke to did not have an answer to one of my questions, but instead of brushing it aside, he promised to find out and get back to me. About a week later, he did.

It might seem like a small thing, but it mattered. He had taken my question seriously, and that made me feel that I would be welcomed and supported at the University. I went away and did some research of my own, including looking up the weather. I read that Portsmouth was one of the warmer parts of the UK. Coming from Uganda, right on the equator, I thought that sounded ideal. Of course, I arrived, experienced the Portsmouth wind and quickly discovered that the British definition of “warm” was rather different from mine.

I came to Portsmouth to get a MSc in Film and Television, but gradually found myself drawn into life beyond my studies, one opportunity at a time.

Looking back, I think that is what made my university experience so meaningful. I slowly discovered that university could offer me much more than a qualification. It could be a place to build friendships, explore my interests, share my culture and find a community of my own.

My first step into that wider experience came when a friend invited me to a handball session. I had never played before, but I gave it a go and found that I really enjoyed it. I was proud of what we achieved, but what stayed with me most was the people I met. The team gave me friendships and a sense of belonging that made Portsmouth feel more like home.That feeling encouraged me to keep saying yes to things I might not otherwise have tried.

The Students’ Union became a big part of that journey. In 2023/24, I became President of Afro-Fusion Society, a role that allowed me to bring together my love of dance and my pride in my heritage. One experience that has stayed with me was working with Mary Rose Academy, where we used dance to explore heritage and identity with children with special educational needs. 

Our work with the society, including our time at Mary Rose Academy, later contributed to me receiving a Change Maker Award. I was grateful for the recognition, but the experiences behind it mattered more than the award itself. They showed me how much can come from sharing what you love and being open to where it might lead.

My involvement with the Union also gave me opportunities to explore parts of myself beyond dance. Through Pure FM, I took part in studio sessions and interviews, developing my interest in audio production and helping inspire me to start my own podcast. As a student representative for CCI, I attended Student Council and worked alongside other postgraduate representatives. Each experience introduced me to a different way of contributing to university life, whether through creativity, representation or helping others feel connected.

Even the ordinary moments mattered. The Union became somewhere I could study, meet people and spend time between other commitments. As an international student, having practical facilities, such as somewhere to heat my food, made a difference to my everyday life. Belonging is not always built through big events or life-changing moments. Sometimes it grows through the familiar places you return to, the people you see regularly and the small things that make a new place feel easier to navigate.

Moving to the UK also changed how I understood my own identity. Growing up in Uganda, I knew who I was, but here I became much more conscious of how other people might perceive me because of my race. My Blackness stood out in ways it had not before, and some of those experiences affected me more deeply than I initially realised.

I had grown up believing that you should be strong, keep going and avoid showing weakness. For a long time, I thought strength meant pushing through difficult experiences without letting them affect you. I began to understand that it can also mean acknowledging when something has hurt, talking about it and asking for support. 

It also made me recognise the importance of speaking up. Some of the experiences I raised contributed to wider conversations and changes within the University. 

I think that is one of the reasons why community is so important. We often talk about belonging as though it is simply a feeling, but it is also about what happens when people make space for you, listen to you and take your experiences seriously. It is about knowing that you do not have to navigate everything alone.

If I could offer advice to someone arriving at university, I would tell them not to put too much pressure on themselves to have everything figured out. Leave room for the unexpected. Go to the session your friend invites you to. Try the society that interests you, even if you do not know anyone there. Speak to someone when things feel difficult. You do not have to do everything, and you do not have to become a completely different person to find your place.

When I think back to the advice I received before moving to the UK, I understand it differently now. Embracing a new place does not mean leaving your own culture behind. For me, it has meant finding ways to share it, connecting with people whose experiences differ from mine and discovering that the things I brought with me could become the very things that helped me build community.