Third year ‘BSc Economics and Politics with Study Abroad‘ student, Benny, reflects on the time he’s spent this year at the Chinese University of Hong Kong…
All too soon I will be seeing Hong Kong only in memories. I envision myself sitting in the Arts and Social Science library sipping a coffee thinking about how quickly it all flew by.
When I first applied for Economics and Politics with a Year Abroad, I didn’t give much attention to the ‘abroad’ segment of my study. Having not done a gap year, I viewed it mainly as a chance to extend my degree and eke out another year before facing the world of grad jobs and council tax. It was an add-on I didn’t give much thought to. Now I can easily tout it as one of the best decisions of my life.
When it came to choosing which universities abroad to apply to, I only stuck to one criteria – to get as far away as possible. I had a ticket to anywhere in the world and it felt a waste to stay in Europe. As a part of the application process, we were able to list five choices of university for our year abroad. In the end the Chinese University of Hong Kong was my second choice, beaten only by Yonsei University, Seoul. However, Hong Kong may as well have been my first given how much I’ve enjoyed it here.
I first set foot in Hong Kong on the 26th August after a simple, if long, visa process, made easier by detailed instructions from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and not having to relinquish my passport. It is hard now to think back to how unfamiliar it was at first. People who I now suspect will remain lifelong friends were strangers and the city, in which I currently feel at home, felt so alien and confusing.
As it turns out, the first thing which cemented my absolute faith in taking a year abroad was travelling. The accommodation at my university is exceptionally cheap – being subsidised! This has allowed me to exploit the (relatively) cheap flights within Asia and take myself from having never visited the Asian continent to experiencing some of the greatest sights it has to offer.
That said, three-hour lectures and nine to ten modules in a year left a lump in my throat at first, but I can say workload has been a pleasant surprise – it has been surprisingly easy to adapt to. The one thing that did take more time to adjust to was the 8:30am start of some lectures, a feature of teaching which made me extremely thankful for the ample amount of coffee available around campus.
Even my initial anxieties surrounding whether I would be able to fit in and make friends proved unnecessary. There is an incredible level of community between those on exchange and it is amazing how quickly friendships form. Everyone starts out on the same page – being pretty much alone – which is what makes it so easy to come together. WhatsApp groups are flooded by people wishing to go on hikes, visit landmarks, or go out. Between this, accommodation, and courses there is no shortage of people to meet.
Then again, language and cultural barriers mean international students can become quite divorced from the local student population. However, I have found that while it may mean friendships can be slower to develop it does not mean that they won’t happen!
I have had an exceptionally positive experience, one which I can’t guarantee for anyone else. I can only attest to how Hong Kong has changed my life. This is one of those rare “once in a lifetime experiences” that you can truly only experience once, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who thinks they may even slightly benefit from such an experience.
Learn more:
- Learn more about studying abroad as part of a degree at Bristol
- See all our undergraduate economics degrees, including those with ‘study abroad’ options