Meet Ashley Ung (she/her)

Program and Location:

Summer, University of Surrey; Guildford, UK

Major/Minor:

Business Administration in IT with an Economics minor

Why did you choose to study abroad?

To explore a different place with different people and perspectives that make up this community and getting a better understanding of that country and other countries without seeing it through a video or a textbook.

What did you learn about yourself?

This was my first time living alone and away from my family. As a result, I learned a lot about handling situations, reacting to problems, and communicating better with others in a challenging setting.

What was one of your favorite parts of your program?

My favorite part was living, seeing, making lifelong friends from so many different countries and creating that bond. And it was being able to take so many trips with these new friends and companions and exploring new places together and creating those memories.

Were you surprised by anything during your time abroad?

I was surprised by how nice and welcoming the people and countries were. Now, I always assumed people would be indifferent to Americans and not like that we’re there in their country. But I only received the opposite; everyone was welcoming and wanted to converse with us. The country also made it easy for visitors to understand how their country worked and made it easy to explore their city with as little struggle as possible.

In what ways did your identity have an impact on your experience abroad?

I thought that I would be one of the few students of color, but I was pleasantly surprised and happy to see that more than half of the exchange students were students of color and it helped make sharing experiences and understanding each other a little easier. But it also helped in making conversation with other students to share what we think and how we grew up can differ from what their culture and upbringing is like.

Is there any advice you would give to other students who share your identity?

Don’t feel left out or have those negative thoughts that you may look different from everybody and have the negative feelings of isolation. It’s not how people see you and they genuinely want to know you.

Where did you find support to navigate any challenges you faced abroad?

Most of my support came from my older sister. She also studied abroad but she was always close by with a quick text or video call to get some help and advice for how to handle some of the challenges I faced abroad.

What advice do you have to future study abroad students?

If you’re a quieter and shy person like me, I would say to try breaking out of that shell and being more outgoing than you think. Everyone is new, everyone is by themselves, and the best way to acclimate to your new home is to talk to people. Talk, hang out, and get to know each other because a whole semester, or however long you’re with these new friends, will never be enough once you start getting close to the time people say farewell. So, be more outgoing and grow to make the most of your time there.

Would you do it again?

A million times over. Without question.