Spending the past six months in France has been a serendipity. Heading to a local bakery for freshly baked croissants and baguettes every day, cycling to school in this bike-friendly city, and visiting Sunday markets for fresh oysters have always been a dream for me. Before heading to France, I would have never thought of having classes with people from all around the world and having field trips visiting various French castles, vineyards together. In my free time, I also got to travel around Europe, which allow myself to immerse in different cultures and broaden my horizons. I am really glad that I joined this exchange program, and I enjoyed it a lot.

My exchange experience in Germany was incredible. Immersing myself in its diverse culture and rich historical environment cultivated a global perspective on my learning journey. I had a fruitful time studying at Universität Mannheim, as it enriched my subject knowledge towards English literature, as well as the world history. I especially cherished the friendships I formed with peers from around the world, who exchanged ideas and values with me. I was truly amazed at how different people’s paths and lifestyles could be, which inspired me to reflect on myself. To anyone who is considering going on an exchange, this would be an invaluable opportunity for you to explore the world.

Recalling the memories of how curious I was about the pedagogical features of textbooks, I was very grateful to be able to finally present a research paper about primary English textbooks in Hong Kong at an international conference. In late April 2025, Mr. Ross Ng, previously my English teacher in S2 and a graduate of the ELED programme, and I took part in the CAERDA and AERA conferences. Not only was I able to grab such a valuable opportunity to showcase my interest in textbook design in an international context, but I could also learn a lot about contemporary educational research.

In our study, we looked at the structure of each textbook and then compared the textbooks with the local English curriculum in terms of pedagogical features and subject knowledge. While conducting the document analysis, I learnt the specific items covered in the local curriculum documents and the pedagogical features suggested for school teachers. Knowing these is highly important for successfully implementing school-based instruction as a future English teacher.

I am grateful to the Faculty for providing me with such a fruitful experience by subsidising the conference ticket. This conference allowed me to share our findings about the primary English textbooks, and opened the doors for me to learn more about contemporary educational research

Going on exchange was a fruitful experience for me. I am grateful for the opportunity to study in Singapore for a term and make wonderful memories there. The host university organized an orientation camp for exchange students, providing us with the platform to connect with locals and fellow exchange students from all around the globe. Spending half a year in a new environment is challenging but definitely rewarding. During the exchange period, everyone has their own way to make the most out of it. I have met people who made lots of friends, people who joined different co-curricular activities, people who travelled a lot, people who developed new hobbies, people who enjoyed their me-time, people who found valuable friendship. To me, the exchange experience was a great opportunity to learn to step out of my comfort zone and to think about my priorities and goals in life. I would definitely recommend people who are interested to apply for student exchange programmes.

It is rewarding and enjoyable to have the precious opportunity to study abroad at the University of Seoul. Classes I took in UoS are designated for exchange students and quite different from the other courses for local students. One of the most unforgettable activities in class has to be the cover dance presentation in a sociology class about mass media and popular culture in Korea. Apart from studying, I am lucky enough to make friends from all around the world, thanks to the very interactive learning atmosphere in class. In order to make the best out of the exchange experience and meet more new people, I joined a language exchange group to have more chances to practise my Korean and English. It is such an eye-opening period of time to discuss our cultural differences and thoughts in English and Korean. The exchange experience makes me realise the importance and the power of languages to connect with people and broaden one’s horizon.

The world is SO big – that’s what I have learnt from my exchange. Despite the packed learning schedule of our ELED programme, going for an exchange is undoubtedly a plus for my university life. The Queen’s University offers ample opportunities for me to meet students from all around the world. I get wider insight because people with different backgrounds share a variety of ideas. The professor for my musical course is especially encouraging so I become more confident that I sing and act in front of my class without worrying too much. Apart from academics, I learn to live a life on my own as I get to make a lot of decisions for myself. Of course, I also go to cities nearby during weekends. The world is prettier and bigger than I thought!