Living Abroad

Ms Holly learned to be independent.

Living in England for two years while doing my masterʼs degree taught me how to take care of myself. I was especially worried about my cooking skills. My brother shared this concern and he even googled the locations of all the supermarkets and restaurants near my dormitory to make sure that I wouldnʼt starve to death on my first day! It turns out that I am quite capable of making something edible, and the pride that I felt when tasting my first dish is a feeling that I will treasure forever.

Ms Liliana learned through like-minded people and following her passion.

I have lived in a few other countries, but my most exciting (and nerdy!) experience abroad was spending three months over the summer in Rome. Learning under a famous Latin expert, students from all over the world came to Rome to spend six hours a day, six days a week learning Latin. It was a difficult but rewarding experience! The experience taught me that living abroad is a fantastic way to forge new friendships. It also helps you grow the courage to be yourself and follow your true passion, even if it means spending the summer studying!

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Mr Rob learned about cultural differences in Europe.

I lived in Brussels for five months while working as a research assistant in the Medical Service of the European Commission. Brussels is the capital city of Belgium as well as the capital of the European Union. Living there was a great way to gain insight into how the European government operates. During my time in the city, I met people from all over Europe, and it was interesting to realise that even if the countries are right next to each other, they can be very different.

Mr Matthew learned about traditions and friendship.

I studied at the University of St Andrews in Scotland for five years. There are many fun traditions that students enjoy there every year. One of these is The May Dip, which involves jumping into the freezing cold water of the North Sea. The world's biggest arts festival, the Fringe, originated in Edinburgh and is held there annually. Not only did I experience the traditions and culture of Scotland, but I was able to create meaningful connections and happy memories with people from all around the world.

Ms Yamon learned about care and compassion.

I studied in the US for about six months. During this time, I was overwhelmed by the kindness and friendliness shown by my professors. They were always willing to provide the support and encouragement that I needed to adjust to living in a foreign country. I got to celebrate one of the biggest American holidays, Thanksgiving, with my professorʼs family. I even spent Christmas ice-skating (and falling!) on an ice rink. My experience in the US made me mindful of how we should treat others with compassion and kindness, regardless of where they are from.

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宓煒頤老師學會了走出舒適圈，享受 每個生命階段堅持過後的回甘。

收到北大的錄取通知書後，我的 心情經常忐忑不安，想著要離開生活 了十八年的香港便覺不捨。但我還是 不願只在舒適圈裏踱步，於是抱持著 讓自己成長的期盼，踏上訪京求學之 路。 在北京的四年，處處充滿挑戰： 體育課的八百米長跑、讓我飽受文化衝擊的鹹豆腐花，還有每節 課隨機抽問同學翻譯文言篇章的環節…… 生活裏總不會只有甜，也會有苦澀來調和，但苦澀終將昇華 成回甘。從不做運動的我後來投入健身，鹹豆腐花竟也成為早起 的盼望，閱讀文言文雖不容易，我卻也能明白和喜愛《史記》和 《漢書》波譎雲詭的燦爛筆法。 克服困難並無捷徑，只能憑藉堅持。平淡的日常有驚喜的瞬 間，付出的努力也會成為生命中的收穫。我們應該珍惜生命裏的 每一個階段，留住每一個珍貴的瞬間。

陳諾霖老師學會了以開放的姿態接受不同的文化衝擊。

獨自一人到陌生的國家，在陌生的語言環境中，認識一大群陌生人，適應陌生 的文化及生活。留學所能給你最美好的，便是這種「陌生感」：離開舒適圈，以開 放的姿態接受不同的世界觀及文化衝擊。 明尼阿波利斯（US, Minneapolis）是一個多樣化、很有文化氣質的城市。留學 一年間，每天與來自不同地方的同學，有挪威、法國、貝魯特、美國的，一起討 論語言、宗教、關係、戰爭……你會發現這世界每個人面對的現實有多不同： 在挪威，中學畢業後，他們會先旅遊或工作，直至找到興趣才入讀大學；貝魯 特的同學曾在家中看見鄰居在戰火中死去；美國室友熱情地帶著我跑派對，在 美國大選後哭了一整晚…… 雙向的分享和好奇，讓我在每一段異國相遇中，都有新的啟發。新觀點帶來 新思想，寫作如此，學習如此，人生也如此。