Student Testimonials
Name: HUNG Tsun Sing
Host Institution: Calvin College (the United States of America)
Term of Exchange: Term 1, 2017-18
My semester abroad in the United States was an intriguing journey. As a student studying English, I always longed for staying in an English-speaking country, where I could immerse myself totally in my best-loved language. Not only I could practice my English with my native English-speaking friends, but also acquire more in-depth knowledge in linguistics and language-teaching to complement my undergraduate studies at Lingnan.
At the beginning, I was a newcomer unfamiliar with everything in the college and town, and knew nobody at all. The days during the first few weeks were the most challenging to me as I had to handle everything by myself. It was my first time that neither my family nor my friends were in my vicinity. Despite a little struggle and hesitation, I managed to step out of my comfort zone and took the initiatives to befriend other foreign students and staff in the college. After encountering all kinds of challenges along the way, no matter they were expected or not, now I would perceive myself as a tougher and more independent person. Every time when I look back at my semester at Calvin College, I am always surprised by all the attempts I bravely made there.
Besides academic pursuit, I joined a variety of activities to make my exchange semester more fruitful and meaningful. For instance, I participated in a Service-Learning project there which aimed at helping immigrants learn English as a second language (ESL). I never imagined that one day I would teach English in the United States as well as exchange pedagogical ideas with other ESL tutors. I truly found this overseas experience rewarding and useful for my future career.
Student Exchange Programme (SEP) is not merely an academic-related programme or just a graduation requirement for Contemporary English Studies in Lingnan. More importantly, it is one of the best learning experiences that will help us enrich ourselves, explore foreign cultures and, of course, grow and mature fast. Grasp your chance and start your own journey. We would love to hear your own story!