Feedback from outbound exchange students

My exchange experience at McGill University has been nothing short of transformative. The challenging computer science courses taught me the value of perseverance and determination, while the cultural immersion enriched my understanding of the world around me. Furthermore, adapting to the extreme Canadian weather helped me grow as a person, teaching me to embrace new experiences and overcome obstacles. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to study at McGill University, and I will carry these invaluable lessons with me as I continue my academic and professional journey.

The stay in France was eye-opening. There are more business opportunity to develop than in Hong Kong. The course I had during the programme required us to develop an application or system that could both feasible to develop and able to earn money that people would invest. During the brainstorm period, I thought about the city plan and the current trend of technological development of France and the whole Europe. I found that saving energy is a huge topic in Europe because people started to use less energy for saving the planet and to save money.
I observe that every places in the Europe are actively improving their service and reducing workload of worker by investing and leveraging technology. They develop and adapt to new technology faster than Hong Kong and they are more willing to invest in building smart city.

My semester abroad at Eotvos Lorand University provided a balanced blend of academic and cultural exploration. The courses I undertook deepened my understanding in various subjects, while my travels to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Istanbul, and Hamburg enriched my understanding of different cultures and broadened my horizons. This experience has shaped my academic and personal growth, equipping me with valuable skills and memories that will continue to inspire and guide me in my future pursuits. I want to thank City University of Hong Kong for providing its students with such amazing opportunity to grow.

The most precious moment throughout the exchange was meeting people with different backgrounds in the program. There was a total of 35 students participating in this program, and they were from other countries. It was an excellent opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone and communicate with them, as I was not good at taking the initiative to communicate with others. Despite the challenge, I am grateful to have such a chance to make new friends and create great memories with them.

Nearly every moment I spent during the exchange programme is as equally and preciously memorable as any other life events I will cherish for the rest of my life. I would not hesitate to conclude that this was a fruitful 5-month overseas learning journey from which I am incredibly grateful for having experienced and gained a lot as I have learnt about the cultures of the country, city, and school.

The classroom learning gave me the hugest shock as it was distinctly different from what I had been used to at home. Each and every one of us was actively engaging via active interactions with the professors and other classmates on matters regarding abstract concepts from lecture notes and supplemental topics that extended beyond the course scope.

In addition to immersing in the Finnish culture, I have experienced the way of study in Aalto University which puts more emphasis on independent learning. There were no lecture notes in several courses but only study materials and assignments. It required us to study the resources on our own and complete the exercises within the deadlines. If we had any questions regarding the course or exercise, there was a study forum for discussion. This way of study made me take the initiatives to study and I discovered that I had learnt a lot more than attending lectures.

I perceive this exchange programme as a wonderful chance to experience different things around the world which was beneficial to my study. In addition, this was a unique opportunity to meet new people, expand my contact network from around the world and sharpen my interpersonal and social skills.

It was such a fantastic experience to be an exchange student at the University of Southern Denmark for one semester. I am grateful that I could still attend face-to-face lessons amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It was challenging, and I have learnt so many things and grown significantly in such a short time. This is my first time joining an exchange programme overseas, and I could not be more thankful for this opportunity. The language was not complex, but it was still a challenge at the beginning that everything was in English or Danish. Thankfully, the professors and students were friendly and helpful, and I could catch up on the lessons and enjoyed school life early on.

The best part of the exchange is making new friends from other countries and traveling a lot. I have made friends from Greece, Spain, Singapore, Ireland, Italy and Croatia with whom I would not have met if I hadn’t gone on exchange.

People in Canada are full of passion for life and love helping each other. They say thank you to the bus driver for every bus trip, and smile to passers-by even though they do not know each other. I appreciate the human touch here in Canada.

What I have learnt most is not academic knowledge, but the western culture, the learning attitude, self- management and independence. I am very thankful for this exchange experience.

During Thanksgiving, I was invited by a friend to their home for the Thanksgiving dinner. We enjoyed the turkey, and played some games together with his family. I truly experienced America’s most distinctive culture. It was an unforgettable experience.

School work here is tough. Students are very hard-working and competitive. They study the assigned pages before lessons, listen attentively in class and do not hesitate to raise questions and share their ideas. Their hardworking and enthusiastic attitudes are something we should learn from.

Travelling has made me feel how little we are. I have lived in Hong Kong for twenty years and just realized that there are lots of beautiful places awaiting us to discover and explore.

It's the people you meet that make travel a rich and vibrant experience. They shape our memories more than the places.

I have made friends with people from diverse cultures. We have shared our different backgrounds through thousands of talks, games and cooking nights.

The most valuable thing I have learnt is to reflect on ourselves. We should appreciate and learn from the good sides of other countries; however, things in foreign countries are not always better. I have learnt to appreciate the upsides of Hong Kong.

I'm glad that I had the chance to share Hong Kong culture with foreigners. It made me realize how much I love the place I grow up and live. I am proud as a Hongkonger.

Participating in the exchange and placement program is one of the most valuable experiences in my university life. It gave me a chance to absorb the excellence of a different education environment, as well as experience a real software development process applied by a multinational information technology enterprise. It has also greatly broadened my horizon and improved my communication skills. All the experiences I gained make me ready to take on new challenges on both my academic studies and professional career in the future.

The experience was really fantastic after I got used to foreign food, local transport and public facilities etc.. I felt elegance, humanity and kindness from my host family couple. They taught me how to think wisely which I never learnt from my parents, and shared hundreds of years of family secrets with me. The experience has changed the way I think about the world and people. I started to believe in some kinds of mutual feelings, communications and connections between diverse people; what's more, it's pretty easy for me to communicate with western people now as it almost becomes one of my intuitions after this half-year experience.

I experienced a totally different lifestyle and academic environment. I tried to get out of my comfort zone by chatting with others. They were very nice and willing to share their opinions. After six months, I felt more confident in speaking English and was able to understand different accents. During my free time, I travelled around Europe. The journey was so memorable. I won't forget anything.
You may dream to have an exchange experience. Dreams won't come true unless you strive for them. There are lots of architecture, cultures, and adventures waiting for you to explore.