During the exchange period, I studied in the Economics Department. We discussed most economic issues in class from a European perspective. As a result, my knowledge about the European political economy, European demographic economics and European economic integration was expanded beyond my original horizons. For example, in the class of Demographic Economics, we discussed the migration of refugees in Europe. The huge number of refugees from Muslim-majority countries like Syria has become an issue the Europeans cannot turn a blind eye to. And it has been affecting the European demographic structure as well as its economic development.

Besides studying Economics, I wanted to improve my French. Although I had been learning French on and off for two years, I realised that I could barely utter a word in French due to lack of practice. I still remembered the first day I arrived in Paris, trying to communicate in English with the railway conductor, but getting the response of 'Sorry I don't speak English'. At that moment, I decided that I would learn to speak French as fluently as I speak English. The university provides French courses for foreign students at every level, in order that we could be better integrated into this French-speaking environment. It was a very good opportunity to practise French. Since every student spoke a different mother tongue, we had no choice but to communicate and express ourselves in French no matter how different our levels were. By communicating with other exchange students, I also got to know more about the cultures of their home countries which were also very interesting (especially the cultures of European countries). At the same time, I used an application named HelloTalk to make friends with French people who wanted to learn and practise Chinese, so that we could do language exchanges and both could make progress. Thanks to this application, I made a friend whose name is Sarah. She studies Chinese and wants to teach French in China. She helped me a lot in spoken French. We hung out like normal friends every weekend, having meals together and catching up with each other. At first, it was hard to express everything we wanted to say due to language barriers, but after a hard period, things went smoother and we became genuine friends who shared everything with each other. One of my professors used to tell us that language is a tool. Once we have mastered it, a new world would be open to us. This is so true to me today. As I gradually grasped the language, I started to make lovely French friends; read French news reports which describe things from a different angle and get used to the typical French lifestyle, which is completely opposite to that in Hong Kong.

The French are known for their relaxed pace of life. There was a funny story told by my friend from Hong Kong. He asked his French friend what she would do the next day. The lady answered that she planned to go to the bank. 'And afterwards?' asked my friend. Then the French lady looked at him with confusion, replying, 'I don't understand what you mean…' To my friend, 'going to the bank' was something to be done during the lunch break. But to the French, this could be her full-day schedule. The French prefer single-tasking and enjoy slow living. Each day they get only one small task done. I believe it is in their so-called 'artisan spirit'. It is exactly this artisan spirit which created great artists like Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Auguste Rodin and left us with the breathtaking art pieces.

One would never feel bored in Paris. There are always countless museums and galleries to visit. One of my favourites is the Petit Palais. I love to sit in front of the impressionist painting Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect by Monet, to appreciate its detailed and marvellous effects. In the afternoon of spring and summer, the cafe inside the Petit Palais, situated just next to the beautiful garden, would be fully occupied, especially the tables outdoors. People like to order a cup of tea or coffee, together with some exquisite desserts, and catch up with some old friends while enjoying the beautiful view of cherry blossoms in the garden. With the view and the breeze, how would one still be bothered with anything else in life?

During the second semester of my exchange, with great improvement in my French, I found a part-time job as a salesperson in a boutique of Longchamp, the famous French brand professionalising in leather goods, serving customers from different countries, for example, France, China and the US. Language skills were highly demanded. Also, I was trained to be more attentive, careful and passionate. This work experience allowed me to get more insight into the fashion and the luxury industry, which is the field I aim to study in after finishing my bachelor's degree. It also helped to subsidise my expenses on exchange. At the same time, I applied for and got admitted by one of the top business schools in France—HEC Paris—for two weeks of their summer programme in June 2018. The programme I studied was luxury management, which is an industry originated and developed in France. I expected that I could be equipped with more professional knowledge and get to know more friends who share the same interest and passion.

Like many other exchange students, I took advantage of the exchange period to travel around Europe. I visited some cities in Germany (Stuttgart and Frankfurt), Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice, etc.), Belgium (Brussels) and The Netherlands. My favourite city in Italy is Florence because it has so many handicraft stores and the best gelato in the world! While travelling, I learnt to make travel plans, which used to cause me headaches. I made a lot of friends and I became more independent and confident. At the end of my exchange, I even took my parents to travel around Europe!

I did not regret the time spent in France during my one-year exchange. It was a life-changing experience for me like that shared by one of my seniors. I would definitely encourage younger students to plan and go on exchange during their university studies as the experience would for sure be more rewarding than what they have expected.

Academic Exchange at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (Ms YAU Man Yi, Year 3, Professional Accountancy)

Ms YAU Man Yi, took part in a College exchange programme to Trinity College Dublin in Ireland during Term 1, 2017–18.

Please refer to the Chinese version of this page for her sharing.