CW Chu College The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

Miss Murong Tina LI is a Chinese American exchange student from Brandeis University in Term 1, 2016–17. Mr Tyler HEPLER is an American exchange student from the University of South Carolina in the academic year 2016–17. Let us hear about their experience in Hong Kong from two perspectives.

By LI Murong Tina

At the beginning, I was a little confounded by this familiar and yet exotic environment that Hong Kong had given me. It was how it felt like to be a Chinese American exchange student with zero knowledge of Cantonese. Coming from Boston, Massachusetts that can hit -30 °C in winter, I was also interested to feel how it is like to be in summer whole year round.

I started taking Cantonese lessons. Those lessons helped me get to know more local and other exchange students, and also gave me many opportunities to practice. Learning a local language is really a crucial and efficient way of learning its culture and people, and I was lucky it has helped me build a life-long friendship with my lovely roommate at CW Chu. Warmth is what I would describe this place, and every teacher and staff here had been welcoming and friendly. This place is a home away from home for me.

By joining tables with new people and friends every time at the communal dinner, I had a chance to share my excitements and stresses, and to become a good listener and friend to other fellow students, tasting various Chinese cuisines. Students establish a great bonding with people around and grow as a unit. I was also impressed by the two High Table Dinners, which allowed me to experience formal college-style dinner, something I never have in my home university.

The semester progressed at great speed. I was fortunate to have joined many activities to give myself a break from stressful studies. On the night of the Mid-Autumn festival, one of the biggest traditional festivals for the Chinese, we got a chance to spend the night with floor mates and tasted mooncakes that were a real Chinese delicacy. In November, the College organized a very special visit to the beautiful Tsz Shan Monastery, introducing the concept of mindfulness advocated by Buddhism. Having been a college student in the US for a few years, it was such an amazing experience to be reminded of my Chinese origin in Hong Kong.

By HEPLER Tyler

Studying abroad for me was never a question, but rather a culmination of efforts as a member of the University of South Carolina's International Business and Chinese Enterprise program. I wasn't given much of a choice when it came to location, as Hong Kong was the destination for all members, but while the dominance of the Cantonese language seemed not ideal to my Mandarin studies, the experience has been like no other.

Hong Kong has offered me a great bridge between cultures. While the heat and humidity are often underrated, the city's claim to fame as 'Asia's World City' holds very true. Hong Kong's central location and convenient transportation have allowed me to both experience the local wonders, often taking weekend trips into the city or across the border into the Mainland, and to use longer breaks in my studies to travel to other Asian nations, soaking up the new cultures and adding stamps to my passport.

Here at CUHK, the studies were stressful but rewarding. I found myself experiencing weeks in which the workload was extremely light, and weeks where all of my classes saw fit to pile on the work. Balancing it all took newfound skills, and constant updates of my google calendar, but in the end, it proved incredibly worthwhile. I gained additional work on my Mandarin language skills and took business courses that expanded my understanding of international business and exposed me to new and unique methods of learning.

Closer to home, being a member of CW Chu College has offered me the chance to interact with students from all over the world on a daily basis. Together myself and the other exchange students were able to live and learn, practicing everything from formal dinner skills (I had no idea that Americans cut meat with different etiquette than Europeans and Asians) to mastering board games in the communal areas during a late-night in with locals. While the distance from the main parts of campus was a bit inconvenient, the amenities, staff, and my fellow students mean I wouldn't have traded my time at CW Chu College for any other.

Reflecting on my first semester at CUHK has left me glad that I get to experience another. I cannot wait to return for Term 2. To those who just arrived, I can tell you that the semester is what you make it. You need to be willing to make the effort to accomplish what you want out of your time in Hong Kong, but if you are willing to put forth that effort, I assure you the rewards are well worth it. I cannot believe my time in Hong Kong is half over, and moving forward I intend to make the best use of the time I have left in one of the world's great cities.

I finally made it here. Stepping once again on this land for the ninth time, this was the most different one. Although I came as an exchange student from America, my friends are always curious of why I chose Hong Kong, given my Chinese origin. Indeed, Hong Kong may not be the typical 'exotic' choice for people of my background. However, it was my familiarity with Asian culture that made this experience even more mesmerizing.