Going on exchange certainly enriches our knowledge and enhances our interpersonal skills. While the precious teaching experiences offered by the ELED programme have equipped us with practical teaching techniques, exchange opportunities further help us become a well-rounded individual.

If you ask someone who has been to an exchange programme, one of the biggest benefits they would tell you will be ‘meeting different people’. It is indeed true that you will have loads of opportunities to meet not only local people but also people from all over the world. That being said, I believe that the greatest gift from an exchange programme is self-exploration. All in all, I am so glad that I have made the decision to come and enjoyed my exchange with no regrets.

My year at UCL has thus far been the most memorable milestone in my life. Attending lectures given by renowned linguists such as Professor Ad Neeleman, I have learnt so much about languages and language acquisition. Interacting with my students and also classmates from diverse cultures raised my intercultural awareness, and opened my eyes to different education systems and ongoing global educational trends. All these have better equipped me to be an all-round English teacher in the future.

Apart from the diverse courses offered, I also value very much the support from the ELED community along the way. I can still recall how the reflective posts and constructive comments on the online Teaching Portfolio from classmates and mentors walked me through the teacher practicum.

The transferable skills attained have allowed me to get myself involved with work beyond the classroom setting. From project management to academic guidance and counselling on higher education, the skillset gained from my training is as expandable as it is pragmatic in positions I have held at different schools, and at multilateral and non-profit organizations.

Along the journey, I was invigorated by the bonhomous locals, genuine cross-cultural friendships, and exceptional academia, which enabled me to return home with heightened multi-cultural sensitivity, increased gratitude to my surroundings, and a renewed self-identity. Even now, I still regard the decision to go for a one-year exchange in Canada as one of my best life choices.