YIU Chi Hao BEng (Hons) Aviation Engineering Year 4 student shares his exchange experience in the UK
Country: United Kingdom
Host Institution: University of Surrey
"This overseas learning experience was absolutely amazing and fruitful. It was my first time fully immersed myself in an English environment. It was difficult for me to understand the speech from professors and local people, as I am not familiar with the British accent and vocabulary. I got used to the British communication style and wordings soon afterward by actively speaking to others and learn modestly from my colleagues. Through this learning journey, I adapted to the new environment and vastly improved my English proficiency.
Moreover, I equipped myself with much new knowledge. The final year courses I took were complicated and challenging, as there was a vast knowledge gap. I did not relax and undisciplined as an overseas exchange student, yet I worked very hard in all courses. I attended all the lectures/online classes throughout the entire learning experience and made an effort to revise the learning materials independently. I gained valuable personal growth in many ways. It shaped me into a highly competent teenager.
My future career plan is to work in the aircraft maintenance sector, a management job in an airline, or any related civil aviation industry position. By studying in the UK, one of the leading countries in the aviation industry, I received many career advice from my colleagues. Besides, I had enrolled in a subject called “material selection in mechanical design”. It was sensationally exciting and useful to my capstone final-year project. It provided me many insights on material science and practical skills in screening suitable material for manufacturing a product.
I also obtained inspiration to work in a foreign country. The welfare and work-life balance lifestyle are specifically attractive to me, like the British people strive for excellence while maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle. They are also well educated, polite and extraordinary in social etiquette and norm. It impressed me a lot, and I definitely have to learn from them. Furthermore, the British food, architecture, clothing, and regional accents had amazed me on this trip."