Testimonials & Photos: Asia
Hong Kong
Lingnan University
Christina Naguiat '07, Beacon, New York
International Relations Major with Concentration in Asia and Economics
"When I was in Hong Kong, I joined the dance society, called DanSo, and participated in a "Mass Dance" of Hip Hop. It allowed me to bring part of the American culture to the students. It made me feel like I was a part of the campus, and I didn't feel like an outsider."
"You can make friends in all different cultures, even in the cultures that you think are the most extreme, different, or conservative in comparison to your country."
"I really hope others will go to Hong Kong; it's a wonderful place. I would love to go back and visit sometime in the near future."
Nicole Alpert, Columbia, MD and Good Hart, MI
Economics and International Studies Major with Concentrations in Asian and African Studies
"My decision to study in Hong Kong was based on a need to learn more about China in the atmosphere. Obviously going abroad broadens a life, but it broadened my sphere of knowledge, being taught by non-Americans, and using texts that weren't written by Americans, led me to more views within history, and the world's current events. These kind of eye opening opportunities were discovered because I chose to take myself out of a setting and a knowledge that I already had a grasp of."
"I had a great time learning the basics of Putonghua and the development of the characters. The Chinese New Year and many other Festivals are also quite exciting and rich in tradition. The beaches and barbeques as well as the efficient transportation within Hong Kong were lovely. Indeed, Hong Kong easily connects one to the rest of Asia, especially South East Asia and main land China. It is relatively easy and inexpensive to travel."
"The "West" and the "East" thought are not so different after all. I learned that there are many different "logics" in the world, and that true enough to the saying that one's enemy is another's liberator, one's truth is another's conjecture. Many people in the world are close-minded, and it may often take experience firsthand to lose a myopic view, but what also can help is a friendly challenge."
"Making lifelong friends and acquiring new knowledge is always the best of experiences, and that's exactly what you get when you travel abroad."
South Korea
Yonsei University
Meredith Collier '07, Millersville, MD
English Major
I can say with certainty that going abroad for a year to South Korea to study at Yonsei University is the best single thing I’ve done for myself. Not every experience was pleasant, but every experience was personally significant and essential to who I am today. When I left Washington College, I was a shy, quiet young girl. I returned as a confident, outspoken young woman with the determination and ability to make her dreams into reality.
Living in a culture so fundamentally different from my own challenged my preconceived notions of what life is like, and I have come to regard challenge, growth, and positive change as pillars of that which I value in life. Studying in Korea, learning the Korean language, eating Korean food (very cheap and delicious—be sure to try the street food!), celebrating Korean holidays with local families, and making friends from all over the world gave me opportunities for growth that I could never have had otherwise.
I gained a love of travel from my trips all over the Korean peninsula (travel in South Korea is cheap and easy by bus or by plane, and accommodations for student groups large and small are affordable and plenty, and the subway system in Seoul is extremely cheap, clean, and efficient). Over the lengthy winter break, for Christmas I kicked back on the tropical island of Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. Just after New Years, I rode elephants and bamboo rafts in Thailand’s northern Chiang Mai province and spent my nights in mountain village huts. I was also able to visit the indescribable temples of Angkor Wat in Seam Reap, Cambodia, an experience that should be on everyone’s “To Do Before I Die” list.
As an English Literature major with a minor in Philosophy, I was particularly interested in comparing Eastern and Western contributions to these fields. I was able to study Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and both modern and ancient Chinese and Korean literature at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I was also able to join a Korean literature club and participate as a Guest Editor at Yonsei’s English-language magazine, The Yonsei Annals. For Washington College’s newspaper, The Elm, I was able to write weekly column about my travels for both semesters.
But the things learned away from the classroom were far more meaningful. If you go abroad—and I believe that everyone attending Washington College should do so—remember to take chances, go off the beaten path, let life surprise you. The most rewarding experiences were those that took me by surprise, not the ones I planned well in advance. If you can, be sure to go abroad for an entire year. The first semester is fun but often very difficult; by the time the second semester begins, you’re ready to take on the world and drink in all it has to offer.
I will always be grateful to Washington College and the Office of International Programs for this remarkable opportunity. It has opened me to a world of wondrous possibilities.