What Our Students Say
Why GDS?
Worldwide Footprints on Exchange
Eye-opening.
Utica University, US, Fall 2022
- @Evie Yeung
The BEST time in my life.
Kyung Hee University, South Korea, Fall 2023
- @Hana Huang
A way to get out of comfort zone.
Ewha Womans University, South Korea, Fall 2022
- @Mavis Ip
It’s a ticket to multidimensional learning from academic to life learning via culture, arts, nature and people.
Goucher gave me an excellent opportunity to learn a new subject - Peace Studies that I never heard before, but it has grown a considerable interest in me. There is another course learning about the detrimental mental health of immigrant women in the US and how it reflects on their living life, as well as the policies related to it. Our group designed a brochure to address the mental health gap for immigrant women by providing different transportation assistance and insurance plans and local mental health support groups to provide this essential information for the local community in Orange County, California. This experience allowed me to talk and interview with local NGOs in the US and apply my interdisciplinary approach to actions to provide tangible products to address the issues.
During my exchange, I joined a research team on social anxiety, using AR to analyze and help participants in public speaking. I learned about the ethics code, APA research writing, literature review, new analysis skills, SPSS and the procedure to conduct research. These valuable skills help me directly when conducting my research for the capstone project now. My research is examining the acculturative stress of international students at Lingnan. I aspire to study further and work as a research assistant after graduation due to my academic experience there.
Besides all the academic experience, I got to participate in cultural exchange with excursion trip around the city and travelled to other cities as well. It comprehends my understanding about US culture besides the on-campus experience. Overall, the Goucher exchange immersed me in academia and research, which inspired me to pursue higher education in the Master's program in the future. It also helped me building more confidence in participating more in classes and pro-active more in seeking for help or opportunities.
Made lots of lifelong friends from different countries.
During my exchange in Aberdeen, I made a lot of lifelong friends. In the beginning, I was quite depressed and homesick because Aberdeen was very different from Hong Kong. My debit card refused to work, and I got COVID the moment I landed. Everything closed at around 6 p.m., and there weren't many entertainments other than going to pubs at night. I missed Asian food a lot and the nightlife in Hong Kong.
However, as time went by, I started to appreciate what Scotland's got to offer. There was free transportation around the entire Scotland for those who are under 21 years old, so I could visit other cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow. Unlike my other Hong Kong exchange friends, I did not travel around Europe, but I have gotten very close with the 8 people who shares a kitchen with me. It felt like home. I also joined the Acapella club and sang a solo during the Christmas show. When I got on the plane, I was filled with tears. I will miss this place, I said to myself.
I gained so much cultural exposure and made self-developments from my trips, and these had all become treasured memories in my life even after I graduated from Lingnan.
I wasn't confident in my English skills and would often lose confidence when speaking to native English speakers. However, studying in Europe helped me step out of my comfort zone. I embraced every opportunity to practice English, whether in class or daily life. Overcoming shyness is crucial when learning a language.
The international environment gave me countless chances to improve through class presentations and daily conversations with friends. I had to become independent in planning my trips, regardless of having a travel partner or not. These practical skills and experiences, such as independence, overcoming language barriers, and problem-solving, couldn't be learned solely from books.
My cultural exposure and learning went beyond surface-level aspects like food and lifestyle; it extended to academics. The exchange program brought together professors and students from diverse backgrounds, each with their unique teaching and learning methods. Interacting with these individuals allowed me to understand different academic approaches, teaching styles, and learning methods. European students, for example, were proactive in presenting their ideas, creating a dynamic and participatory learning environment. Observing their confident and expressive manner of sharing knowledge encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and develop my communication and presentation skills.
During one of my business courses at Aalto, I had the opportunity to visit companies in Finland, which greatly expanded my understanding of different business mindsets outside of Hong Kong. Witnessing how businesses operate in diverse markets firsthand was a pivotal experience.
It will be the most unforgettable happy time of my life. I spent five months here in peace, tranquillity, and carefree, which healed me.
My favourite thing to do every day was to look up at the sky, the clouds are like marshmallow, and I felt so happy every time I could see such a view. I met friends from different places here. We travelled, watched fireworks, had classes and ate together. Thanks to my friends for making such happy memories for me. It's actually hard to recall exactly what I did on a particular day, just that the whole memory was relaxing, happy and healing.
Meanwhile, Kyushu University, as a comprehensive university, had also exposed me to many fields that I have never touched before, such as growing strawberries in an agriculture class, a research class in which a professor shared his experience in Antarctica, and a psychology class in which I learnt different ways to relieve my stress. I am happy to study and live here, and it has become the most unforgettable days of my life!
