Step by Step
When I missed my connecting flight to South Korea three weeks ago, I thought it was a sign from the universe that leaving home wasn’t the best idea. I struggled to find peace while I hastily shouldered my heavy duffel…
UT Education Abroad Blog
Inspiring Longhorns to Explore the World
UT Education Abroad Blog
Inspiring Longhorns to Explore the World
Category College of Liberal Arts
Unfamiliarity Unexpectedly Breeds Connections
As an undergraduate student in my third year, studying linguistics and Chinese, I chose to attend National Taiwan University (NTU) to learn more about my family’s cultural heritage and to master the Chinese language. My early childhood in Gongguan, “公館,”…
Shifting Expectations
Part of me has always known that I wanted a different study abroad experience than most people. I wanted to integrate completely into a society that was so different from my life back home in Texas. That’s why I originally…
Birthday in Bristol
For my very first blog post, I’ve decided to share my experience in Bristol, ringing in both the new year and the 20th year of my life. Embarking on a journey across the pond already feels like a massive change;…
Finding Stability Amidst Change
Before I left for Dublin, I had more fears than I could count. I’d tell anyone who would listen that I was sure I’d be deported, kicked out of school, or get lost on my first day. Surprisingly, I wasn’t…
Familiar but Distinct
As a Chinese international student at UT Austin, I am familiar with how studying abroad feels. I can’t recall exactly how I felt when I arrived at the airport wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pushing two large suitcases out of…
Comfort Zones, Making Friends
As someone who is a special brand of an extrovert-presenting introvert, I had anxiety just thinking about how long I would be away from my family and friends with no guarantee of a social life while I was abroad. My…
New Year, New City, New Me
On the first day of this year, I hopped on a plane (actually, three planes) to come to Hong Kong. My fervent packing the night before had been interrupted by New York’s, then New Orleans’ ball drop to ring in…
A Semester to Remember
With just a week left in my semester exchange program at University College London, I am already starting to reminisce about my time here in the United Kingdom. In London, I’ve studied under some of Europe’s most esteemed academics and…