Overcoming cultural barriers and adapting to a new environment.
Aruzhan Olzhabay | Kazakhstan | Year 1 Student | Social and Public Policy
Adjusting to a New World
Getting accepted to a university abroad and moving away from my family and friends was more challenging than I had imagined. During the application period, I did not fully realize how difficult it would be to adjust to a completely new environment or how much I would miss those close to me. At the very beginning, everything felt new and unfamiliar: people, local culture, different cuisine, weather, etc. I had to build my own routine and living habits from scratch, which was sometimes confusing and emotionally draining.
Sports, Sights, and Social Growth
What has helped me during this adaptation process are talking to people, going for walks, and trying different types of activities and sports. Being in Hong Kong for two months, I have had the opportunity to explore some mesmerizing sights here and in Shenzhen, as well as regularly practise dragon boat, swimming, running and tennis. Moreover, I experienced hiking for the first time, going through the Dragon’s Back trail in Shek O Country Park. After the hike, I went to the nearby beach and enjoyed plenty of stunning views, creating warm memories with my friends.
Building Connections Beyond the Classroom
Additionally, Lingnan University itself also provides many extracurricular opportunities for students, including ambassadorship and peer counselling programs. As a global and cultural ambassador, I got to know many local and international people and engaged in fruitful conversations.
Within these programs, I attend various workshops organized for ambassadors to share their cultures and build meaningful connections. One of them was a masala workshop where I worked with different spices, learned about each one, and discovered how some cultures implement them in their cuisine.
Sharing Traditions, Shaping Perspectives
At the end of October, we also celebrated Cultural Day on campus, where students represented their own countries and cultures by organizing booths, cooking traditional meals and performing national dances and songs. As international students from Kazakhstan, we performed our national dance, “Kamazhai”, cooked baursaks (a traditional fried dough pastry), and created a photo zone with national elements.
Lingnan’s commitment to promoting cultural exchange and holistic development is evident through its wide range of extracurricular activities, workshops, and ambassador programs. These opportunities have not only allowed me to share my own culture, but also to learn from others and build meaningful relationships. They also have made me feel more connected to the community and deepened my understanding of different traditions. Although the transition to studying abroad has been challenging, these experiences have helped me grow both personally and culturally.
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Last updated: September 3, 2026