My Memorable Semester in Hong Kong Past Review
By Amanda C (Music/Business Administration, Trinity University) - abroad from 08/26/2013 to 12/20/2013 with
Lingnan University: Hong Kong - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned more about my own culture, how to be more independent, how to be more open-minded. It was definitely worth it.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The grading system was a bit different from Trinity. It was doable, but was a bit difficult to adjust to. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Quick responses and very amiable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Definitely not like Trinity's luxurious dorms, but it was livable and suitable for me and my time in HK. |
| * Food: |
Loved it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because I am Asian, I blended right in. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Driving in HK is the opposite of the US, so be aware of that since it'll take time to adjust to that (at least for me). Always look out for cars when you cross the road, because they won't necessarily stop for you. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Food expenses are not as high as in the US, so it was possible to eat lots of delicious food that didn't cost a lot. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $70-80/week for everyday living, and a bit more if I went on excursions. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan ahead how much you want to spend a week for certain expenses depending on your budget before you go abroad so you don't overspend. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The classes I took at Lingnan were all in English (excluding my Chinese language classes), so I didn't really need to speak Chinese. However, b/c I looked Asian, people automatically spoke with me in Chinese at first. I also took the Mandarin Chinese class and Cantonese class while I was there for personal reasons. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I didn't take any language courses (relating to Chinese) at Trinity before I studied abroad. |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Befriend local students and practice with them! |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | To bring warmer clothes (especially in December for fall semester), to at least know some more Cantonese (especially since I looked Asian, not necessarily though) |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
