Katie Shek

Katie participated on the Hong Kong: Chinese University of Hong Kong Exchange Program during Spring 2015.

If you could give only one reason, why would you suggest other students study abroad?

Studying abroad gave me an experience like no other. I was able to travel to other countries close by, made many new friends I still continue to keep in touch with, and also got to experience more of the culture I wouldn’t be able to see if I decided not to go take this opportunity.

What was it about your program specifically that fit your personal goals over other programs?

This program (Hospitality Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong) was an opportunity for me to see the culture of Hong Kong. I was able to have a glimpse of what it was like living in the beautiful city of where my parents grew up in. I was also able to improve on my Cantonese language, where I could speak with my relatives there and people I met along the way. The food there is definitely a major factor that I miss.

What did you learn, or what experiences did you have while studying abroad that you feel you could not have learned/experienced if you had stayed at Penn State?

First, I learned a lot through meeting other students in my class. The classes in Hong Kong are a lot more competitive and since most of the students knew how to study efficiently, I was taken aback by that. However, I did learn how to study a lot better than I usually did if I stayed at Penn State. I also learned how to speak more of my Cantonese language, and I was thankful because I could now speak better with my parents and relatives. Other experiences that I had while studying abroad were traveling to Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. Taking a Cruise Line Management class at Chinese University allowed me to board a cruise with my class for free and that was one of my favorite memories. Going to study abroad by myself allowed me to find more of my strengths and weaknesses because there was a lot of time to myself, and I definitely think none of these would have been possible if I decided to stay at Penn State.