Reflection on Exchange 2013

University of Southampton, UK

Furtherance of personal development

This exchange opportunity has provided me greater awareness of my own national identity and at the same time, a more open-minded heart to accept dissension. After studying aboard, I realized how different the learning environment and students’ attitude are compared to Hong Kong students. Their confidence, initiative and passion to learn are what we lack, which I am going to pass to our school. And not surprisingly, I become more independent, self-sufficient and confident in decision-making.

Framing of future career path

Being in the UK and experiencing a different culture and lifestyle has changed my perception of life, and I am more conscious of the whole world now. I feel more certain about my own personality and which profession field is appropriate for myself.

Stepping out from our comfort zone is never an easy task, but once you did, I am sure you can have the brand new, remarkable and provoking experience that you might have never imagined.

Candy Chu

Pure night   
Starry starry sky 
Streetlight sparkles 
Southampton is with you 
Under a dim light   
For philosophy, for poem, for languages 
 
Scroll of history and celebrity step out 
Like the old British opera   
Performed in a splendid theatre 
 
Is it the language of philosophy,   
Or philosophy of language? 
Is it the poem of pastoral,   
Or poem of people? 
The answers stand tidy 
Between the puzzle of knowledge 
In the old red university library   
 
The elder Christian woman 
Sighed for her lost young singing dream 
Winkles climbed her forehead 
Before the Bells of St. Mary’s 
She said time never wait your dream 
 
What is the color of your eyes? 
Green, blue, brown, or black 
A share of Guinness, chips and haggis   
Makes boundary nowhere   
 
The King’s College of green Cambridge 
The Rome footprint in archaic Bath 
The Piccadilly Circus in eyes of London   
The nearest land to Skye in pastoral Scotland 
Feet stop 
Eyes never 

Ciao! UK! 

But we never say goodbye

Lam Chiu, Kenneth

Once in a Lifetime – My Dream Exchange Journey in Southampton

In this exchange journey, I had a lot of unforgettable and unique experiences. First and foremost, in academic field, I have acquired important professional knowledge such as the phonetic system through analyzing the sound wave in terms of frequency, which sharpens my competitive edge.

Apart from the knowledge acquired, I also met many friends from different countries in this multi-cultural learning environment. I really enjoyed the time I spent with them sharing our own culture with each other. For example, I was invited to have dinner with friends who are from France, Korea and Australia and I taught them to make Chinese Dumplings. We all had a great time with each other and I learnt a lot about different countries’ culture from them including language, food and manners, which helps me successfully communicate with others who come from different countries.

Other than the aforesaid experiences, I also actively engaged in different kinds of green activities during the exchange journey. As a core member of the Green Society in PolyU, I kept promoting our green society’s concept and I went to different national parks with my exchange schoolmates for the sake of exploring the natural environment in foreign countries.

Overall, PolyU provided me with an opportunity in a million to explore and know more about the world in both culture and academic field, which broadens my horizon and such an unique and treasurable experience is definitely useful for me to equip myself with better adaptability skills and understanding of different cultures.

Nakita Tang

I miss you already, Southampton

The time I spent in the UK is surely something I will always remember. This was the first time I was away from home for so long. While it seemed rather sad to be away from my family and friends, the sadness disappeared as soon as I got off the plane. I got so excited because the streets in Southampton were covered in snow. This was how I started my life as an exchange student. It was like a challenge to adapt to a new environment within a short period of time. I realized how different it is when it comes to studying there. Students like asking questions in class, which is rare in Hong Kong. They take their studies seriously, but they do not just memorize. Instead, they try to understand. And of course, they do not waste any chance to enjoy the sun when the weather is nice! I think I really appreciate their attitude in studying. They work hard, but they also play hard. I particularly enjoy the English class I had with other exchange students. We were all in a foreign country, which made us have one more things in common than with other local students. We could share our experience with each other, and we could become good friends easily.

Needless to say, another important part of being an exchange student in the UK is travelling to different places. With brilliant friends and beautiful European cities, my 5-month exchange life passed so fast. Now I am back, but I will always miss the days I had in Southampton.

University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), Italy

Bess Mok

People I N S P I R E People

There are always 3 standard answers for exchange expectations when candidates are being interviewed, competing for a chance to go on exchange, they are: 1) broadening the horizon; 2) making new friends and 3) experiencing foreign culture. Though these answers sound dull to interviewers, I still think these 3 responses reflect my exchange life. For broadening horizon, I grabbed every chance during my exchange period to explore my host country – Italy as well as the European continent it belongs to, in which I have visited 10 cities in Italy and more than 8 countries. As for making new friends, thanks to a passionate and nice former PolyU exchange student from our host university, who introduced us (the 2 other exchange students and I) to her Italian friends, our social networks have extended to Italy and I also made some new friends during my trip around Europe! Finally, it is a normal thing to experience foreign culture when you are staying in the host country for nearly half a year. For example, I didn’t use to drink coffee at all before going to Italy as I disliked the bitterness of it. Yet, after trying new coffees in Italy (Italian coffees are espresso shots) with different toppings, I am in love with this drink and I have learnt how to appreciate it! So, after all, going on exchange is a pretty good experience to achieve all the things I mentioned and is also a challenge to yourself since you have to tackle things independently in the foreign countries! Step out of your comfort zone and get prepared for some cultural shocks!

Irene Sze

Best Experience in Life!

“Ciao!” which means “hello” is the first Italian word I learnt in Italy. It is also the first word to say to develop a friendly relationship with Italians. Living in Modena, a northern city in Italy for about five months, my Italian language no doubt improved a lot. But my exchange experience is much more abundant than the language enrichment.

I was asked so frequently why I came to Italy to learn English. It appeared to be a weird choice to many people. The opportunity to study in Italy was a great one for me as a language student to experience the vitality of English as a language for international communication. Communicating with the Italians and people from other cultures is never ever as easy as I imaged. On most occasions simple English worked better than fancy and difficult language structures. The essence of intercultural communication is the attempt to reach out. This is also what I have learnt in a useful course in University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

The Italian teaching and learning style are different from that of Hong Kong. Lecture notes were mostly not provided and teachers would not share them online. That’s why we students had to pay attention in class and tried to jot down every single useful point in the lecture. I was at first surprised but later thought that this was a good way for learning as we recorded what we learnt in lesson. The learning experience is very useful to me.

This exchange experience is one of the best experiences I have had in my life this far. Learning is never confined to a book or to a place only. The world is always waiting for everyone to explore!

University of Jaen, Spain

Berry Lee

Once in a lifetime

Do you know what is paella? Have you ever ridden a camel?

Unlike travelling around the world, studying abroad does give me a totally different experience. Thanks to the support from the English Department and my Spanish teacher Renia, I was offered the chance to live another life in a small but spectacular city in Spain – Jaen.

What amazes me is not the knowledge learnt from the university, but the philosophy of living with foreigners and the incredible experience of visiting the desert. It is no doubt that acquiring the local language is very important for exchange students. However, what really matters is how to experience the local culture and enrich your life experience. By having the exchange in Spain, not only have I made different foreign friends and explored their cultures as well as their values towards life, but also have visited a place that I have never been to – Morocco (near to southern Spain).

I have to admit that I am a timid girl who has not been a great fan of adventures. Notwithstanding, the trip to the desert with other exchange students inspired me about what life is. After riding a camel and watching the broad starry sky in the desert, I realize that happiness is easy and simple. You could never imagine how nature could make a mark in your brain. For me, this is a memorable trip in my life. Making friends from different countries can broaden your horizon and you would gain much from them. I enjoy the good times having lessons with the Spanish people (most of them are very passionate and friendly!) as well as partying with them. If you have the chance to live another life, do not miss the chance!

Tiffany Guo

My Life in Spain

“!Vive como una espanola!” (Live like a Spanish girl!) I say it to myself every day. Compared to Hong Kong, the lifestyle in Spain is a totally different one. Even Spanish people themselves will claim that their lifestyle sometimes is an over-relaxing one: a noon break from 2pm to 5pm for a big family lunch, a nap and a cup of cafe with friends, and even more relaxing time during the night. I was a little astonished when I jump into this, but after 6 months, I have to admit: jamon, cheese, olive oil, tinto (a kind of drink mixed with wine and lemon soda), are real treasures.

The academic life is abundant with fun. I felt an everlasting passion from poetry and drama class. University of Jaen has a modern language centre, they offered intensive and extensive language course before and during the semester. Therefore, Spanish learning also becomes a big part of my academic life. From level A1 to A2 and then to B1, thanks to the course, I can gradually communicate with local people in Spanish. At a higher stage of learning, I could have a better understanding about the charm of the language. Maybe it is because only when a language comes to the tip of your tongue, you can feel how beautiful it is. And as a linguistic major student, I have to say, it really helps to connect with other Latin root languages. This is just amazing.

The southern part of Spain, Andalucia, is famous for its friendly, passionate and generous local people. It is also a unique area of Europe which mixes cultures from Africa and Arablic cultures. It is a land full of wonders. There are exotic and charming places like Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, Malaga, Cadiz… You will see that Spain is so much more than just Madrid and Barcelona. During this half year, I traveled over 15 cities in Spain. Each of them has unique characteristics and I was so impressed by the beauty. I also accomplished a personal wish, “El Camino de Santiago”, a pilgrimage route to the cathedral of Santiago in northeastern Spain. After five days’, over 100 kilometers’ hiking and walking, I finally reached the destination. This is the most meaningful trip I have ever made.

All in all, if you wish to experience a whole new lifestyle and culture, and also learn a new language, choose Spain!

Susanna Yuen

3B – Exchange in Spain
Hola!

Time flies. It is so hard to believe that half year is gone. This half a year is the most fruitful time I have ever had and contributed to turning me into a more independent and better person.

Jaen, located in the Southern of Spain, is a very small city where you can spend a day to visit all places through. However, I am glad to have lived in this small yet simple city where people are always easy-going and willing to help.

I still remember the first day when I arrived in Jaen. I was welcomed by my buddy from school who helped me to arrange apartment and get familiar with the city and school life.

I still remember the first day when I arrived in Jaen. I was welcomed by my buddy from school who helped me to arrange apartment and get familiar with the city and school life.

In the school, the learning atmosphere is absolutely different. People there are most active in expressing their opinion, which makes learning become more interactive. Classmates there are more helpful and eager to share their thoughts which allow me to get adapted easily. Later on, after meeting some friends in the orientation day, we used to invite each other to the apartment to cook and share our own countries dishes and spend time together, chatting about fashion, festivals, travel, study, family to career, anything you can think of. These conversations are not merely a chat, but a share of cultural difference which inspired me a lot.

After all, exchange is not merely a chance to study aboard, but a chance to understand people from other side of the world, as well as yourself better. Just be careful, be open-minded, then you will be a better ‘you’.

Hasta luego Espana!

University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Phyllis Cheng

YOLO – You Only Live Once

I still remember the moment I said goodbye to my family at the airport, on my way to Denmark. Time flies and I’m back to my favorite land again – Hong Kong. If you ask me what I’ve learnt most during my exchange, definitely FIXING BIKES, DISCOVERING YOURSELF and SOCIALIZING. No kidding, truth is you can’t survive in Denmark without knowing your bike well.

I still remember the days I didn’t have a bike and I had to walk 5 kilometers to meet my friends. It made me stronger though, physically and mentally, but the desire to get a bike was even stronger. As I wish, I got my bike after a month in Denmark. The fact that I could only afford a second-hand bike means that I had to endure the malfunction of my bike and using three times more effort to ride it made me stronger than some of the boys I knew there. But with my bike, I could ride to school easily; I could meet up with my friends at night, in the snow or under the sun. It was nice being able to socialize with others and get to know some of my closest friends that we know our friendship would last forever, even though we are in some distant lands now.

Being on exchange is all about being yourself, learning to choose what you want to learn most and meeting people. After all, this is your experience and nobody could intervene with what you want to get out of at the end. I have definitely grown ‘older and wiser’ with the experience I had in Denmark – academically as well as personally. I don't think I would ever have the same opportunity for something so young and fresh. I hold no regrets in my exchange – YOLO (You only live once)!

Alison Cheung

When in Denmark…

Lego the toy, Carlsberg the beer and Andersen the author are three of the things from Europe that I have no doubt you have already heard of. They are actually all Danish! I went abroad in Odense, Denmark for six months during the student exchange at University of Southern Denmark. Living far away from home, on the other side of the planet, has impacted me in ways that will stick with me for the rest of my life. Since being in Denmark, I have come out of my shell. In other words, I have become much less shy and much more confident in communicating with people in English. I have also become more independent and out-going, which I didn’t necessarily do before my exchange.

Danish culture, food, language and lifestyle have really found a place in my heart. I got to see and feel firsthand what Denmark really is like. The Danes are so fun-loving and laid-back. They are famous for their cycling culture, which I find one of the best parts of my exchange experience. There are bike paths all around the city, and we always get around on a bicycle. From gaining international exposure to meeting new friends from around the globe, this programme has been a life-changing experience for me. At the end of the day, I just can’t stress the importance of studying abroad and traveling around!

Jessie Lam

THE HAPPIEST COUNTRY ON EARTH

I love Denmark, and one will just simply fall in love with this country gradually. When I first arrived in Denmark, I was bewildered by the expressionless faces of Danes, and I asked myself “is this really the happiest country in the world?” However, don’t be startled. Soon you will find that they are just trying to hide their overwhelming passion because they can be very helpful, friendly and energetic (especially in parties!) that one may ask “can anyone find other people who can be more hyperactive than Danes?”

Moreover, family is the first priority of Danish people. When needing to choose between family and work, they would go for family without thinking, so it is not difficult to see parents taking their kids to the park or walking with their pets , or having a picnic in the park even on weekdays. No wonder Denmark is the happiest country as they can spend much more quality time with their loved ones.

Studying in SDU was also an interesting experience. Danish students are very enthusiastic in class. They love asking questions and interacting with teachers so the atmosphere in class is very nice. Workload is not heavy in every class, and many of them just require you to hand in a paper at the end of the semester. It sounds very easy and relaxing, but it is also a challenge because you need to discipline yourself to keep up with everything.

I remember reading the reflections written by previous exchange students, last year, and I was wondering if I would feel the same and gain as much as they did during their exchange. Now I have come back and I can tell that it is more amazing and adventurous to really explore different things during exchange than reading others’ reflections so don’t hesitate and grab your chance!

Howard Lo

Studying for one semester at the Syddansk Universitet (University of Southern Denmark), Odense is a great opportunity to broaden my horizon and learn more about Scandinavian culture on day-to-day basis. Learning is not limited to academic study but also on daily practice. Things that sound easy in Hong Kong such as grocery shopping, paying rent, or even how to open a door may not be as easy as you may think in Denmark. Lifestyle and cultural differences are best learnt by living in that particular culture instead of learning from any reference books or the Internet. Exchange provides an opportunity for me to experience what Hong Kong cannot.

Language barrier is certainly another concern during the exchange period because Danish is one of the most difficult languages in the world. As you could hardly find a book for learning Danish in Hong Kong, I had to ask for help whenever there were problems related to Danish language and this has improved my self-confidence in dealing with strangers. I must say thanks to all those kind-hearted Danish who helped me so generously.

Also, I have experienced not only the cultural differences between Denmark and Hong Kong but also between countries all over the world. My flatmates come from different continents so we joked that we have formed a United Nations in our small flat. This is one of the experiences you cannot gain in Hong Kong. I have learnt to be more independent and at the same time I have also learnt how to live with different kinds of people.

In short, this exchange experience is so unforgettable and I learnt a lot in cultural differences which is beneficial in pursuing my future career.

Lulea University of Technology, Sweden

Enishi Lung

A freezing but warm semester

Being an exchange student in Sweden has been a magnificent experience in my life. Sweden is a relaxing and peaceful country where snow is everywhere in winter. Unlike Hong Kong, there are fewer people and enough space, making it a good place for outdoor events.

In the four months, I participated in various winter activities such as cross-country skiing and dog sledding. In order to know more about Sweden, I took some Swedish courses. I was delighted that I could use some basic Swedish to talk to people. At school, although the workload was less heavy than that in Hong Kong, more self-discipline was required since there were many preparations at home.

Not only did I understand more about Swedish culture during my stay, but I also met other exchange students from other parts of the world and we shared the stories from our home countries. Living away from Hong Kong helped me to be more independent. Without my family help, I had to prepare my meals, do the washing up and other household chores every day on my own.

I strongly recommend you to apply for the exchange studies because it is a golden opportunity to widen your horizons and understand more about yourself. If you know that you are going to study aboard for a semester, congratulations and I hope you will have a great time and do not forget to actively take part in activities.

Sham Yik Wan

My six months in Another World

My exchange experience in Lulea, Sweden was inspiring. It is no doubt that new friends have been made and horizons have been broadened in these six months. Most importantly, I was given the chance to live in a totally different city and experience it as a local.

Lulea is pretty much another world compared to Hong Kong in terms of environment, weather, lifestyle and so much more. It is a small city in the northern part of Sweden. In winter, temperature easily goes under -20°C. Snow piles up like small hills everywhere, which makes walking difficult. Most buses are available twice an hour only so I always have to check the bus schedule. All rubbish needs to be divided according to the nine categories and thrown into the right bins! In the first few weeks I was confused and always grumbled about these cultural differences. It was tough at the beginning, but once I started to learn how to enjoy and embrace them, I actually find it not so difficult. By asking when I don't know what are the "usual" ways and watching what local people do, I could slowly adapt to their habits and way of living.

The exchange program allowed me to become a more independent person because I could not rely on my family as I usually do. It also made me more patient and able to enjoy the surroundings. During the process of learning the Swedish lifestyle, I understood that it is important not to presume "changes" are rough. Only if you try hard to accept it you can learn from it. The experience I had during these six months were priceless.

Yau Siu Ho

Having this chance to study abroad for five months is really a valuable experience for me and definitely one of the most unforgettable memories in my life. Although the destination for my exchange study is not the most popular one, but this magnificent place really surprises me a lot.

This place is Sweden, one of the three countries in the Scandinavia area with Denmark and Norway in the northern Europe. The more busy and developed area in Sweden is down to the south, around Stockholm. The place I went for exchange, however, was located in the north, a small coast city called Lulea in the Norrbotten county. Since it is located just several kilometers away from the Arctic Circle and it was January when I arrived, the temperature there was about -25 degree Celsius when I stepped out of the airport, which was super cold and freezing! Also due to the short daylight time in winter, it was dark like mid-night at 3pm! Everything there in winter was of course covered with snow, but the scenery was still great. Sometimes when the sky is clear at night, the beautiful and stunning aurora light can also be viewed and that was simply one of the most amazing natural scenery I have ever seen.

Most of the Swedish people in the North are very nice and helpful to foreign people like us, and they can speak good English, therefore it is not a big problem to communicate. Of course it would be a friendly gesture towards them if you can use some Swedish words like saying Hej! (“Hey!” In a friendly way) to greet them or saying Tack sa mycket! ( Thank you very much!) when they offer you some help!

The university I attended there is called Lulea University of Technology (LTU), the size of the university is not as big as PolyU but it has a complete different atmosphere. There, buildings are only 3 floor high at most, and you can find a lot of area that students can seat on the grass to chat with friends, have a little picnic and even enjoy a sunbath! (Of course only in summer!) The university offered us some basic Swedish courses and it was quite fun to learn Swedish, which was different from English but similar to German. We also had the chance to learn more about Scandinavian literature, such as history, famous tales and famous authors, for instance, Hans Kristian Andersen from Denmark.

The Student Union in the university has a Reception Committee for the exchange students. It offers assistance when needed and organize different activities for us to blend in. I really appreciated everything they did because they were very committed to providing the best experience for our stay in Lulea, for example we had a welcoming dinner at the start and Farewell dinner at the end, different short trips to some nearby tourist spot and some Fika (Swedish tea-break) meetings for us to know other exchange students more. These activities allowed me to make many new friends from different nations and cultural background. Luckily, I knew a French student and I had the chance to visit his home for a few days in the west of France, which is a superb experience!

I lived in an apartment shared with four different students from Belgium, Scotland, U.S and the south of Sweden. Everybody was very nice and helpful to each other and we soon became friends to chat, have meals or even party together. I learnt a lot more about their culture during my stay and this surely has enhanced my cultural knowledge. During these months, I also improved my English, as it was the only language I could use to communicate with others and that became a very good practice to me.

There are so many good memories I had in Sweden, and I am sure whichever countries you choose to go, you will also have your own unique and amazing experience.

The University of California, United States

Cheung Lai Ki, Candy

Step out a bit to explore the world

In the last semester, I was very pleased that I could have the opportunities to join the outbound exchange to UCSB to study for a quarter, which I would say was the most unforgettable period during my university life. Not only did I broaden my horizons, but also I have a better understanding about myself and I have changed.

One of the most valuable things for this journey was that I was placed in a learning environment which was quite different from PolyU. I appreciate this as this could encourage me to review my methods of learning and studying. Also I could learn from the local students so that I could improve. I believe this is a good example that a new environment can be a good catalyst, in this case, for my study, and I enjoyed that a lot.

Certainly, other than the enriching my academic eyesight, personal growth is another thing that I cherish a lot. In the beginning of the trip, I did not have many friends to go with me. I know it is an opportunity for me to make friends in a foreign region. Thanks to this opportunity, I learnt to be more open to different kinds of activities and people. I learnt to make friends actively and share with others. This has definitely trained and enhanced my interpersonal skills. I am confident to say that because of this, I became more self-confident and cheerful. Also, when I listen to people of different backgrounds sharing their stories with me, I feel like I was exploring different parts of the world and I feel how awesome the world is.

If I were given a choice again to decide whether I would join the exchange, my answer would definitely be ‘YES’. I would proudly say that it is an experience that could not be replaced by any other things.

Kansai Gaidai University, Japan

Josephine Wong

Whether you are a great fan of Japanese culture or not, you will not regret exchanging to Japan! I enjoyed my semester in Kansai Gaidai University very much. It is no doubt one of the best choices I have ever made. Just imagine that you were staying in a lively and friendly neighborhood with interesting people from different countries which are really awesome! I experienced a lot of culture shocks living with my new friends, such as their eating and living habits. It was a pleasant learning experience. What is more? My English and Japanese proficiency have improved a lot and I barely used Cantonese while I was in Japan. Exchanging to Japan is definitely fruitful. ‘Once in a life time’ will not be too exaggerated if I need to pick a phrase to round my experience up.