Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
Reason for Going
I decided when I was a freshman that I wanted to study abroad in order to see the other side of the world and to expand my knowledge of different cultures. I was amazed at the level of knowledge that I acquired while studying in Hong Kong. Throughout my travels I experienced not only the Chinese culture, but also how each Asian culture is different from another.
I really enjoyed my accommodations in Hong Kong because I lived on campus in a dorm with two other Chinese students. One of my roommates was a local citizen from Hong Kong and he spoke Cantonese, the other roommate was from mainland China and he spoke Mandarin. It was a great experience to learn to understand two different Chinese cultures throughout the semester. Most buildings in Hong Kong are space-efficient, and my dorm was no exception. However, it provided a great view of the Tolo Harbor and was close to everything, which made up for the size.
I took four business classes and one culture class while I was studying in Hong Kong. The content and concepts are relatively similar to those at UNCG, but the style of teaching is really different. Depending on the class I would either have one final exam worth 100% or 2 exams or a paper worth 50% each. This format made it much easier for me to travel around and the professors even encouraged students to take trips when possible. I am glad that I took their advice because on my trips I experienced some of the best times on my life.
Traveling in Asia is very cheap, so I was able to travel around quite a bit. I went to Macau, known as the Las Vegas of the east where I learned about their rich Portuguese roots and Chinese influences, while visiting some of the grandest casinos in the world. In Beijing I saw the Forbidden City and trekked 10km across the top of the Great Wall. I was also able to go to Shanghai and experience the hustle and bustle of a foreign metropolis. While in Indonesia I saw wild orangutans, rice fields, beautiful beaches, waterfalls, and foliage. Singapore was a great experience because of its ideal location and proximity to Indonesia and Malaysia. It was also a great base hub for travel and leisure, where I enjoyed everything from the architecture to the food.
As for the future, I plan to take what I have learned from this experience and use it in my jobs and also with school. I am planning on going to the Philippines this summer for a couple of weeks and I also plan on studying abroad in Japan next year. I know that as I gain these experiences and skills, the possibilities for future opportunities are endless. After seeing other parts of the world, I want to travel more and experience everything I can while I have the chance. I would recommend studying abroad to every student because once you have this experience your life will never be the same.