AMARIS IN HONG KONG

About 

 

               My undergraduate experience at UC San Diego has been a phenomenal one, but the whole college experience would not have been complete without Study Abroad. Being abroad was such an enriching educational experience where I learned beyond what was taught in the traditional classroom or lecture hall– which is why I highly recommend you study abroad at some point in your life. Being away from home, in a foreign country or an unfamiliar place was educational itself. It provided me with so many useful skills that I could apply to graduate school or job interviews and other endeavors. These included intercultural skills having been immersed in new cultures while visiting several Asian countries. I have a better understanding of what diversity means, and am more open to new ideas and experiences. At the same time, I learned the creative art of adaptability and was able to make do with what resources I had access to. Being self-sufficient and independent will take me far in what I want to do in life. I will be confident in being able to take care of myself in any situation. I speak Cantonese only to my parents, so while I was abroad, I got a chance to hone my Cantonese language skills. Knowing the language was extremely useful in getting around and ordering my favorite dishes. You can totally pick up a new language while you are in a new country!

               I studied abroad at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) fall of 2014, and I can honestly say that it was the best semester of my life. I created this online portfolio to be a resource for students who may be interested in studying abroad specifically in Hong Kong. There are many websites on the Internet that talk about the city, but my site gives you insight on Hong Kong from the perspective of a study abroad student. I think it’s so important that students understand how an education abroad in Hong Kong can be so culturally enriching. It's also probably the best and most affordable time to live in such a lively and fast-paced city.

               The homepage displays my video contest entry, which placed in the UC San Diego Programs Abroad Office Video Contest 2015. It is a five-minute recap video of my entire semester abroad in six different countries in Asia. Under the “Links” tab I’ve provided links that I found quite useful during my stay in Asia. If you are planning on studying in this city, I recommend you do some research on the universities because each one is unique and has a different area of focus. The top three universities are the most attractive to international students, and in the link provided gives an overview of each program. Other links that I’ve provided include information on top attractions, things to do, and eating and drinking in Hong Kong. Being on Study Abroad definitely means you might be traveling a lot too. So I’ve also included resources on finance and banking, and how to find cheap places to stay.

              I’ve put together an oral presentation to share the reasons why I recommend Hong Kong to be your Study Abroad destination. I backed up my statements with research and with my own experiences. Under “Process” I’ve catalogued the process of creating my oral presentation by dissecting the content, explaining the images, design concept, and the drafting and rehearsing of the presentation. This was presented to my fellow classmates, teaching assistants, and professor in my Culture, Art, and Technology (CAT) 125 section and lecture. A video recording of my final oral presentation can be found under “Presentation.” The select few students that presented to the entire lecture, each received an award for demonstrating excellence in public speaking (see image on the right). 

              Lastly, as way to capture the fun memories, struggles, achievements, and everything in between during my semester abroad, I video-blogged my experiences and compiled them to share. There are plenty of videos on Youtube that promote travel to the wonderful city of Hong Kong, but I hope that prospective students take a look at my video-blog series to get an idea of what it’s like to be a student in Hong Kong and at the same time, a traveler in Asia. These were my personal experiences and I hope that they inspire others to take that chance with an education abroad in Hong Kong as well.