Lauren’s Experience in Hong Kong, China

Lauren Boyle

Lauren studied in China on the Hong Kong, China: Architectural Engineering, Dept A E Program during the Summer of 2015.

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

There are certain things you can’t learn in a classroom. Professors can show you pictures in class, you can try food, but you cannot fully understand the culture and differences until you fully immerse yourself into that culture and country.

If you could go abroad again, what would you do differently?

I saved a lot of spending money before I left – would recommend. If I went again, I would take more advantage of the experiences. There were plenty of times I would pick a cheaper option or skip out on something that’s a once in a lifetime experience because I was worried about money. I ended up not spending nearly as much as I thought I would, which isn’t bad, but there are a few things I wish I would have just done rather than worry. Let me tell you, if you have to think about it, it’s probably worth every penny.

Lauren Boyle spotlight 2What was it about your program specifically that fit your personal goals over other programs?

This program is run through my major, so I had a professor from Penn State that I have worked with before, and eleven other students I had at the time been in classes with for three years. I was able to take classes related to my major and similar topics. I am studying mechanical systems for buildings, and China and Hong Kong house some of the world’s tallest buildings and more efficient buildings. I also had the chance to go behind the scenes of many other architectural feats as well including the Great Wall and historical locations in Beijing.

How have you used the skills you learned abroad now that you are back; either in job searching, or in other activities?

I think the best skill I learned was to laugh at myself a little bit. Just because I don’t know something is not because I’m dumb, I may just need to ask the right question. We spent a lot of time with Chinese students and they helped us with everything from how to read menus at a restaurant to hold our chopsticks. They might have laughed at us struggling, but we were laughing at ourselves too which made it a great experience. I am definitely bringing that back to my life here. I have learned that I need to ask questions sometimes, and that maybe it isn’t the question I’m asking, but how I am communicating my question. Knowing only three words in Mandarin, communication was hard, but the experience taught me to communicate with people using more of body language.

What experiences did you have while studying abroad that you feel you could not have had if you had stayed at Penn State?

The Amazing Race: Hong Kong, visiting the top of some of the tallest buildings in the world, getting a behind the scenes tour of a casino, swimming in the Pacific, taking a river cruise, walking around the outside of a building 233m up in the air, presenting at a competition as the only team not from the nation, climb the great wall, hike to the peak of Mount Victoria, see live dragon dancing and kung fu, the list could go on and on for days

What advice would you give to outbound study abroad students to help them make the most out of their study abroad experiences?

Focus on each day one at a time. Take in every experience offered to you and try new things even if they scare you. Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to. Try a new food first, then ask what it was, and never the other way around. Keep a blog, you’ll forget all of those little things that made you smile along the way.

Lauren Boyle spotlight 1

Share an experience where you interacted with someone in your host culture in a way that taught you something.

My first taste at the new culture, this is a story I will never forget. My professor dropped me and my 11 friends at our new home for the next 10 days, a hotel. He was at another building, so after we checked in, we were alone. When my roommate and I got to our room, we realized our lights were not working. I took the next step of going down to the lobby to ask for help to fix them not fully realizing I was in China, not the States. I specifically remember getting to the front desk, looking at the four hosts, and suddenly realizing I could not speak English with them and that I had to find another mean of communication. As soon as I realized that, I laughed at how long it took me to realize this, and they all laughed back waiting to see what the blond-hair, blue-eyed girl that stood out like a sore thumb in China would do. I had to think quick on my feet and charades with them until they understood. Fortunately, they sent someone with me to my room, and I was able to show them my issue, and it was fixed immediately. This was when I first realized that this experience was going to be very different, and I was going to have to learn to communicate effectively without words. I also learned that laughing at myself for a second made the situation that much easier instead of being scared or nervous. The world is so big, and there are so many people with different backgrounds, languages, and cultures. From the girl who barely left the east coast before traveling to the other side of the world, I think this little interaction played a huge role in learning just how big the world is.

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