Student Sharing: Recipients of Sin Wai Kin Chinese Humanities Exchange Scholarship

Two FH students were awarded the Sin Wai Kin Chinese Humanities Exchange Scholarship 2023/24 and went on an exchange earlier this year:

Emily Chen, BA(Hons) in Linguistics and Translation
(exchange to Trinity College Dublin, Ireland)

I have learned one thing - it takes courage and practice to reach out your hand. But as soon as you’ve reached it out, there will be someone or some opportunities grabbing you in return. And you shouldn’t let go.

I had a deep understanding of the meaning of ‘exchange’ through living in a host family - I brought Chinese tea and taught my host the Chinese way of making tea. I also made her the ultimate "scrambled eggs with tomatoes" (番茄炒蛋), and tangyuan during the Lantern Festival, while telling her the meaning behind our traditions. Meanwhile, she told me stories of her family, and brought me to trips where I learned frightening stories about Northern Ireland from the elderly; she told me how great (and unfair) the welfare system in Ireland is; she taught me how infrastructure works in European countries.

The day before my flight back, I went on a last trip with my friends. On the train we shared our insights on this exchange journey. We found out there were people who did not enjoy the exchange at all. And what they have in common is that they don't look for opportunities to go out and learn. They rather go to pubs and sleep through the day. So this is our summary: How you look at things, and whether you have set the mind to seek for opportunities shapes your experience and personal growth.

I am very thankful towards the donor Sin Wai Kin, for allowing me to explore and enjoy the experience which can never be replaced. I will share my journey with my classmates and professors from Hong Kong, let them see the other side of the world too.

Hung Man Ki, BA(Hons) in Bilingual Interdisciplinary Chinese Studies (exchange to the University of Liverpool, UK)

The University of Liverpool offers a wide range of courses and disciplines for students to choose from, allowing me to integrate my personal academic interests and career development prospects to choose my subject of study, and develop a diverse range of skills. As one of the most renowned universities in the UK, the University of Liverpool has provided me an invaluable learning experience. Compared to Asian education, Western education emphasises exploration and interactive teaching. During my exchange in the UK, I was encouraged to unleash my potential and break away from traditional learning methods through different teaching approaches, which has had an indelible impact on my future learning.

This exchange experience has provided me with many valuable experiences and soft skills. For example, during the exchange, I studied a course called "Understanding Modern Europe", which improved my understanding of important events, trends, and ideas in modern European history, helping me to further understand world history, learn the practical significance of world history, and better understand the current world and its problems. It can be said that this exchange experience has expanded my horizons and background knowledge, and cultivated my cultural awareness. I also believe that it will further benefit me in my future career, guiding me in planning my career and life direction, and allowing me to have a broader perspective to increase my competitiveness in the fiercely competitive workplace. Overall, this exchange experience has enhanced my international competence.

I would like to thank the Dr Sin Wai Kin Chinese Humanities Exchange Scholarship for their donation, which allowed me to have a better experience during this exchange.