By Ava Kristy, UC Santa Cruz student studying at Trinity College Dublin
When I left for Trinity in the Fall, I wasn’t really sure what I would occupy my time with. Obviously there were classes, but these took up even less of my time than they did at my home university in California. I knew I should also spend time studying for classes, but honestly how much of that could I be expected to do on exchange in a continent I had seen so little of. Like many other exchange students, I decided the best way to spend my time abroad would be to travel. I decided I would see as much as I could and soak in the culture wherever I went, which is to say I booked plenty of trips with very little in the way of a plan as to what I would do when I got there. No one has ever accused me of being the most organized person. Despite this lack of planning, I knew generally, what I wanted to see: art.
By Daryl Egan, Hilary Term Business School Exchange to the Chinese University of Hong Kong
My name is Daryl Egan and I am a 3rd year Trinity College Dublin Student studying BESS. I am a little over a month into my Hilary Term Business School Exchange to the Chinese University of Hong Kong and it’s safe to say that the time has absolutely flown by! Hong Kong is a truly incredible place and is nowhere like I’ve ever been before. There is the unconventional cocktail of steel skyscrapers, consumerism and an urban feel only comparable to great cities of the world such as New York mixed with the stunning natural beauty of the forests and beaches. The chaos of the neon lit streets and vibrancy of the markets in Mon Kok is a complete juxtaposition to the tranquillity and calm one experiences hiking through the forests or camping on a secluded beach. It is this variety that Hong Kong offers which appeals to me most.
Singapore is an incredible city to live in; super modern, clean, safe, lots of greenery right in the city, good (and cheap) food, great nightlife, friendly locals, great weather and countless travel opportunities. I arrived here a month ago on New Year’s Eve and have definitely fallen in love with the city.
January 7th, 2018: I am moving to Hong Kong tomorrow. I. Am. Moving. To. Hong. Kong. Tomorrow. I am moving to Hong Kong tomorrow. No matter how many times or different ways I say this to myself the reality of my upcoming relocation to the other side of the world tomorrow just won’t sink in. People keep asking me if I’m nervous, and the truth is not really. Perhaps if I could actually believe that this was happening to me then maybe I would be a little nervous. But for now, I am going to enjoy my serene state of mind. All the same, I really should start packing.
I think it’s safe to say that I was completely unaware of what was ahead of me when preparing for my semester in Hong Kong University. Having never been to Asia, the big move seemed like a distant endeavour, something I said I was doing but never really believed myself. Come January, I would be back on the cobblestones of Front Square for my third Hilary term in TCD.
