Hi everyone, I'm excited to be taking off in just a couple of days. For this next trip, the International Academic Program office has asked me to write some blog posts for them. To make life a little easier, I will add these posts to my previous blog. The content and style of these posts will be slightly modified, but I also hope to write some more personal posts that will also be added here. Anyway, below is my introduction post, which hopefully explains some of my rationale for choosing to go away for a year.
Hello everyone! I am just three
days away from the longest flight of my life, and I couldn’t be more excited.
My name is Abby, and I will be spending my senior year as an exchange student
at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology studying Genetics and
East Asian Studies, and will be working at the US Consulate in Chengdu, China
for the summer. I’m incredibly excited to be able to share these experiences
with you, and hopefully inspire a few people to branch out and go abroad!
But, before I get into the details
of each program, let me explain how I got here. Last year after returning from
the summer History and Modern Development program, and after I got over my
ridiculous jet lag and a mild cold, I began madly researching ways to get back
to China. Although I wanted to study abroad again, I did have some serious challenges.
After consulting (several) advisors, reading my DARS approximately a billion
times, and many late nights staring at the IAP website, I came up with a short
list of absolute requirements:
I’ve spent the past three years struggling
to learn Mandarin. It has been wonderful, but if I want to be able to use the
language in a professional setting, I need to continue my studies. Although
Hong Kong natives primarily speak Cantonese, almost everyone also speaks
Mandarin. Additionally, HKUST offers a variety of Mandarin courses and language
exchange programs.
Biology courses (in English)
I am, first and foremost, a Genetics
major. I will be returning to UW for a semester to complete my capstone, but I
also need to fulfill additional biology elective credits. Fortunately, HKUST is
a world-class institution, and offers a variety of interesting and challenging
biology courses, all taught in English.
Although I hope to absorb more
Chinese history and culture simply by being immersed in the culture, I really
enjoy having courses to structure my learning. HKUST has a variety of courses
that fulfill this requirement. Additionally, they offer a variety of courses
focused on Hong Kong history, which is distinct and interesting.
Tuition near UW-Madison prices
By definition, an exchange program has the same tuition as UW Madison.
By definition, an exchange program has the same tuition as UW Madison.
In addition to blogging (which I
hope you all enjoy and find informative), I will also be participating in the
Classroom Connections program, which matches a UW student who is studying
abroad with a local classroom. I am partnered with a class of 11th
and 12th graders from Oregon, WI who will be traveling to China at
the end of the school year. I hope to help them understand Chinese history and
culture, and get them excited for their upcoming trip and all future trips.
This is the major reason I applied
to the State Department summer internship program. Last summer, I developed an interest in
China-US relations, sustainable agriculture, and international development. Although
I don’t officially know what my exact duties will be at the consulate, I am
confident that my supervisor will include these passions into my project, and
help me connect to others who may help me in the future.
And so, after months of planning, I am just days away from
what promises to be the biggest adventure of my life. It is impossible to
describe the exact mixture of anxiety, excitement, bewilderment, and absolute
joy that is rumbling through my mind. Hopefully, the next time you hear from
me, I will be happily settled into my apartment in Chengdu.
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