Program and Location:

Fall, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR of China

Major/Minor:

Art studies major with a concentration in visual art

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I chose to study abroad because I wanted a chance to live in the city where my mom grew up and also connect more with my culture.

How did you pick your program?

Though I did primarily choose to go to Hong Kong because that is where my mom is from, I also had a few other reasons. I wanted to improve my skill in speaking Cantonese and live in a place where there were a lot of opportunities for art. I also was very interested in how it would be like living in a completely different culture.

What is something you learned about yourself? How are you different? How are you the same? Or, what did you realize about your own culture by living in another one?

One thing I learned is that I am able to make it through difficult things. Going to Hong Kong was a big deal for me and I really struggled with homesickness and missing my family and being alone in a completely different environment. I think being in a big city, with a lot of people around constantly helped me a lot with my social anxiety and anxiety in general and I am a lot less self conscious in public. I still really enjoy being at home, in Hong Kong everything is really small, especially the dorms so I would have to leave so I could not lose my mind in there. Everything is so much faster in Hong Kong as well, compared to the US. We have a lot more leisure time and more space to relax.

What advice would you give to another student?

I would recommend having a strong support system, either family or friends you can talk to. And also research your school and the place you are going to be living and creating a list of things you want to do or go to because keeping busy really helps with homesickness.

How were your classes abroad different than if you would have taken them at NC State? Did you take any field trips or do anything outside of the traditional classroom?

A lot of the classes were definitely easier in a way compared to NC State. The grading is not as hard so for example if you have a 70 in the class that would count as a B or B minus. The class culture is also really different. Most people aren’t paying as much attention as you would expect. But the school itself provided a lot of opportunities to do stuff outside of your classes, whether it was lectures by different professors, field trips, or events hosted by the university themselves.

Would you do it again?

I would do it again.