This fall semester, I was selected to be one of the Johnson Scholars to study abroad at ESC Rennes School of Business in France. Although it was my second time studying abroad, this experience in particular has been eye-opening for me; not only did I get to learn more about the various European culture and history, I also had the opportunity to develop a better global perspective throughout the process.
In just four months, I was able to visit 15 countries and 21 cities in Europe and Africa. Either with new or old friends, or even traveling solo, all these journeys have been absolutely amazing and unforgettable. From spending a night in the airport to skiing for the first time, from meeting up with an old friend in a new place to getting lost in every city, each and every step of these journeys counts towards valuable life lessons. I was able to learn, grow, and even think based on new perspectives to engage with various local and global issues. With close interactions with individuals from various cultural backgrounds, I developed new ways of thinking which I really hope to apply in my career or on the world’s most pressing issues. With more global knowledge and awareness, I will strive to leverage what I know for the betterment of our local community and beyond. This experience overall has been very rewarding and I truly appreciate all the support from my friends, family, and the scholarship donors. Without them, this study abroad experience would not have been possible. When I graduate with these valuable insights and experiences, I hope to use what I have learned to make a difference in people’s lives, the same way that our community has made a difference in mine.
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What an awesome weekend in London! I enjoyed everything from the moment I landed, despite the cold and the terrorist attack 😱 First stop was the British Museum where the Rosetta Stone and many other pieces were displayed and dedicated for human history, art and culture. It was a remarkable experience walking around the museum and learning about history/culture visually through those pieces and artworks from around the world. The entrance to the museum is free, however a donation of £5 is recommended. My friend and I also stopped by the Covent Garden where we saw these beautiful lights and other gorgeous Christmas decorations. Unlike a traditional market, the interior of this market is quite modern in my opinion. There were many retail stores, restaurants, bars, and even some high-end stores like Chanel and Dior. This place is definitely worth a visit if you are a fan of shopping or pretty lights. Seeing the London Eye at night was definitely quite an experience! As it got darker, we walked over to River Thames to see the famous landmark and have a nice walk down the river. Even though it was cold, we couldn't stop ourselves from staying in front of the London Eye and taking thousands of pictures of it. At that time, there was also a festive event called "Winter Wonderland" at Hyde Park, which was not far away from River Thames. Unfortunately, we were not able to go since we didn't have time on this trip, but it seemed very fun from the pictures we saw online! The following day, we visited the other side of London, which was where Borough Market, Tower Bridge, the Walkie Talkie, and The Shard were located. It was a nice walk and I was glad that we were able to see all these places in one day! The Sky Garden, where we initially planned on going to have a bird's eye view of the city, is located inside of the Walkie Talkie building. Since we were on a tight schedule, we also didn't make it to the Sky Garden :( but it's OK because that gave us a reason to come to back London! How can you miss the Warner Bros Studio Tour while at London?? Although it was quite expensive, the experience was a highlight of our trip. I had lots of fun taking pictures in the studio and experienced "flying" on a broom just like what Harry did in the movies! To wrap things up, it was our first time trying butter beer and to my surprise, it actually tasted pretty good. For those of you who never tried it before, I won't spoil it for you so you can hurry up and go try it yourself :)
To get away from the cold in Rennes, my friends and I decided to take a short trip to Portugal. In just 3 days, we visited Lisbon, Portugal's coastal capital city, and Porto, a northwest city known for its port wine exports. Even though it was a short journey, I learned a lot about the history, art, and food culture of Portugal. One of our first stops was the São Jorge Castle, which is in Alfama, one of the oldest districts of Lisbon. From the castle, we were able to see the whole city in a bird's eye view. Since we got there a bit late in the day, we were actually debating if we should go in (admission was closing in 10 minutes when we got there!). Eventually we used our ISIC card (student card) to get a discount and we were able to see the sunset and got some beautiful pictures together. Even though it wasn't as big as I thought, the castle is definitely worth a visit! With just 5 euros, we were able to explore and walk around the entire castle. It took us close to 2 hours and it got really dark when we finished, so we took a tuk tuk to the city center. One small tip here: you can always try to bargain with the tuk tuk drivers. We paid around 15 euros for 6 people, which is cheaper than an one-way tram ride to the city center! It was a very fun experience as it was my first time riding in a tuk tuk, and our driver made it even more memorable with intentional relentless driving and sharp turns. We also visited the MAAT, also known as the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. The structure of this museum itself is an art piece and I really liked the building's architecture. Compared to the museums that I have been to so far in Europe, MAAT definitely has one of the most impressive exteriors and displays. Highly recommend if you are visiting Lisbon! For dinner in Lisbon, we went to the Time Out Market for some local food. I chose the Arroz de Bacalhau (rice with codfish), which tasted absolutely amazing! Because of the way that it was prepared, the taste and texture of codfish blended very well with the rice. After dinner, we also got Pastel de nata for dessert, which looked quite similar to Chinese egg tarts but to my surprise, tasted very different! Even though we only had one day in Porto, we were able to visit lots of places with a free city tour. Our tour guide brought us to multiple churches and we ended up at a popular viewpoint where we were able to see the whole city. We also went to the Dom Luis bridge and took a lots of awesome pictures there (including the one above^!).
Obrigada for an awesome weekend, Portugal! It's midterm season!? At this time last year, I would be spending hours trying to study for an accounting midterm. But, things are a little different here in ESC Rennes School of Business! With the classes that I am taking, I don't have any midterms but got 4 presentations and 3 papers all due within 3 weeks. As crazy as it sounds, it is actually quite manageable with good time management and communication skills (all these are team projects). Here's a sample of the syllabus where everything about the group project is outlined: Typically, this is all the instructions that students will get for group projects, which is worth 40% of the final grade for most of my classes. These instructions above are for one of the fun classes I am taking here at ESC, it's called "Managing Culture Diversity" and I would highly recommend it to any of my friends. I also had lots of fun doing this particular group project with my teammates (who are very responsible and cooperative, kudos to them - we did an awesome job!). Through this assignment, I got to learn so many things about doing business in France and Australia, which I think would be extremely useful to know in this globalized business world. On the other hand, there are also some relatively ambiguous (to me, at least) instructions for group projects. I think this one below is a good example: This assignment task is for my "Financial Markets and Portfolio Management" class, and as you can see, we have options on how to do our project. This is new to me as most of the group projects in Shidler are usually assigned with detailed instructions, either from the syllabus or the professor. However, I think this is a very good learning experience because we simply cannot expect clear, detailed instructions every time in life and our career, sometimes it is about how we interpret the situation and how we come up with creative solutions to overcome these challenges.
Overall, my experience here in ESC has been positive and I really appreciate the opportunity of being able to study aboard in Europe. I am also thankful for all the people I have met and worked with in and outside of school, as I think these are some very valuable experiences. Láthatatlan Kiállítás (Invisible Exhibition)
Ever since we were little, we were told not to take things for granted in our lives -- but do we really know what that means and practice that mindset everyday? When you are driving through rush-hour traffic or working late hours, do you still appreciate every aspect of your life? Some won't. But we simply should not take the privilege to drive, ability to work and provide for ourselves & family... all these little things for granted, because some people never got the chance to learn how to drive, own a car, or even have the ability to be employed and work for themselves. Imagine losing your sight and seeing nothing but complete darkness, it feels lonely, scary, and helpless. Would being stuck in traffic or working late hours still be the biggest problems in your life? So, take some time everyday to truly appreciate and say thanks to the little things that we think we may be entitled to, including your health & five senses, friends & family, ability to learn and grow, as well as every opportunity to rise and fall because that's what makes life meaningful and beautiful. 82 hours, 5 cities, 2 countries through train, plane, taxi, bus, and boat! As crazy as it sounds, my friend and I had an awesome weekend in Italy and the smallest country in the world -- Vatican City! We had lots of fun traveling from city to city and can't get enough of Italy's pizza, pasta and gelato. Our trip started in Milan, then Venice, Florence, Pisa, and finished up in Rome in just 4 days. Due to our tight schedule, we couldn't spend a lot of time in Milan, but the Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) was hands down the most gorgeous church I have seen thus far. The size of the building and details of the exterior were absolutely stunning and no doubt it is the most famous landmark in the city. We also had our first slice of pizza and gelato in Milan, which was tasted amazing and we definitely would go back again for the food. Our next stop was Venice, which was a calm and peaceful city with very good vibes. It was a very interesting experience as it was my first time traveling in a city through boat. And surprisingly, we found out that these boats usually work at night as well so we didn't have any problems traveling at night to see the gorgeous city. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral) was also a highlight of our trip. The cathedral was so big that we had to use a fisheye lens to capture its beauty. The picture above was just one short side of the cathedral; even with our fisheye lens, we couldn't even capture the long side of the building. What was our highlight of Pisa? The Leaning Tower of Pisa, of course! Ever since I was little, I always dreamed of visiting the tower before it collapses. I first heard of this place in my science class at elementary school and thought it would be pretty cool to see it in person. Unfortunately, we were able to climb up the tower since we forgot to purchase entrance tickets online in advance. However, we also heard that there is an option to purchase a ticket at the spot, but you won't guarantee a spot a go in on the same day. Finally, we finished our trip in Rome. We visited lots of famous landmarks of Rome and my friend next to me even danced in front of the Colosseum. As someone who can't dance, I really admire his courage and all the time he dedicated into his passion. The picture above was taken at the Spanish Steps, where a short clip in Roman Holiday (Audrey Hepburn + Gregory Peck) was filmed.
YES, YES, YES!! My friends and I travelled to Germany last week and we went to the world-famous OKTOBERFEST!! We had a blast at the festival and I was so amazed at how well the Germen has kept this awesome tradition since 1810. Although it was freezing cold, we managed to walk around different tents and tried various German street food like the Currywurst. We even got on some rides and almost ran out of breath while screaming our lungs out! Later that weekend, I also went to Berlin to see the city's famous landmarks. The train ride wasn't too bad as it only took me four hours to get there, and it didn't take me long to find my hostel as the public transportation station in Berlin was awesome. In just one and a half day in Berlin, I got to see so many different yet absolutely gorgeous landmarks. The Victory Column was the first I saw and even it was raining at the time, it didn't stop the tourists to visit and have a photo! I also stopped by the Berlin Cathedral on Sunday morning. From what I saw from the outside, this church is huge and it would probably take a few hours to explore the inside. Since I was running out of time, I wished I can take a tour inside the cathedral next time I come to Germany because I was already amazed at all the details on the exterior. My visit to the Memorial to the Murdered Jewish was breathtaking, as the history behind it is so heavy. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit the underground area for more information on the memorial due to poor timing. However, I think being able to see and feel the sorrow of so many Jewish people was quite an experience and I even researched more about the place after I got back to Rennes. Surprisingly, there was another festival going on in Berlin by the Brandenburg gate. Not only tourists, even locals came out to this festival and everyone was having a great time. There were even some mini stages in the festival and I saw some DJs and groups performing for the public for free.
This past weekend, my friends and I took a getaway trip to Paris for three days! We planned this trip very last minute but I was glad that everyone pulled through because it was such a fun trip! In just three days, we visited lots of landmarks and tourist spots as well as one of the most popular boba places that was originated from Taiwan. One of the most well-known spots we visited was the Eiffel Tower! We planned the day so that we would arrive at the Eiffel Tower around sunset time. The view was amazing and we took lots of photos in front of it. What amazed me the most was that the Eiffel Tower had its own little light show every so often throughout the night. In addition to the yellow light people see on the Internet, the Eiffel Tower would light up and shine with many small white star-like lights for a very short period of time, almost like those small decoration lights on a Christmas tree! I think we first saw it around 9:00PM and we were able to see it twice before we leave. It was a truly magical experience and the highlight of our trip! We also went to the world-famous Lourve Museum for half a day, but it surely wasn't enough because the museum was HUGE! There were so many different art drawing and sculptures in the museum that I wished we could stay for a little longer. However, we made use of time and got to see some of the most famous art pieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus of Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace. Surprisingly, even though the line to see Mona Lisa was very long, it moved very quickly and we didn't wait too long in the queue. Thanks to our friend who did lots of research about Paris before coming here, we simply showed the museum staffs our student card (ISIC) and got to see Mona Lisa for free. With his help, we were able to save lots of money in such an expensive city to live in! He even did a very simple comparison on the bottled water that the Carrefour sells, and he found out that the price of bottled water in Paris is 4x as high as the one in Rennes! We finished off the trip with boba from The Alley! For all of you boba fans, this is definitely one of the best boba I have tried and I would for sure go back before I leave Europe. The one I got in the picture was their most popular drink -- Brown Sugar Milk with Boba. It was very good and smooth so I would definitely recommend getting this if you have the chance to go to The Alley.
Our trip was a success and I had a WONDERFUL time in Paris! Thankfully, none of our stuff got pickpocketed since we were looking out for each other. It was an awesome trip and I can't wait to go on more weekend trip with friends! It has been an exciting and fun week with all the events that our school planned for us! I'm finally getting settled in after one week and starting to get used to the new environment. Our school schedule for the semester is also finally released on our student portal, as well as some other important information that could be helpful for later on. School - Schedule of ClassesAlthough students are allowed to sign up for classes during the summer around June/July, the school schedule gets released about one week before classes start. For some students, this may be something new to get used to since in the US, schedule gets confirmed well in advance before the following semester starts. Being one of the US students, I was actually a little anxious about my schedule and worried about not getting the class I need/want. However, with the help from Rikki and the partner school's administration, I was able to get all the classes and credits that need to be transferred back to UH Manoa. The school's registration process is very different from the one at UH. Instead of allowing students to see the time of class sessions, information like that only gets released one week before classes start, which may gives students less flexibility in terms of choosing classes based on day of the week and time of the day. However, the school's administration is very helpful when students need help with adding/dropping classes during orientation week. Emmanuelle is very professional and patient with students' questions and processed my drop class request fairly quickly. With her help, I was able to complete my registration process within an hour. Since the European credit system is different than the one we have in the US, make sure you pay attention to the credit transfer sheet on our Shidler website when signing up for classes. Also keep in mind that not all classes will be offered according to the initial program sheet provided by ESC, so be sure to have Plan B's in mind if the classes you really wanted are not offered for that semester. If you need any additional help, feel free to reach out to Rikki, ESC administration, or even myself! Accommodation - Where I'm Staying I am currently staying in Appart'City, which is located less than 10 minutes away from the school by walking. I chose this location for convenience since I will not need to take public transportations and commute to school. This apartment comes with a kitchen, my own restroom, heater, mini refrigerator, and WiFi. Although the room is not super spacious, it got everything I will ever need; especially the WiFi that is included, which I think is very useful so that I don't need to stay in a library all day to just do my homework or stay connected to internet. With that, I am very satisfied with my accommodation and I am glad I was able to make the right choice. The school's housing registration is completed online and partnered with a third-party platform called Studapart that is similar to Airbnb. Students were advised to make an account on Studapart and start contacting various owners for a room in Rennes in late June or early July. I was not able to make my account immediately when I received the email since I was on a trip around that time, but there were still lots of accommodation choices available when I look into it one week after. This probably means most students do not book their accommodation right away due to various reasons such as pending visa or funding. However, I think getting this done as soon as possible is very important in terms of getting the type of accommodation you want. Some people have very strong preferences for where they would like to live for the next few months, so be sure to be quick and grab the accommodation once you found one that you like! Also, a trick to use here is not to limit yourself to one or a few options! From what I heard, a lot of the student actually inquired more than 5 accommodations just to hear back from 1!! So think of this as scholarship applications, and make inquires as much as you can, then your chance of getting the accommodation you want would be relatively higher. Orientation - Well'Come Team The Well'Come team is a group of ESC students who volunteered to help ease the transition for international students. These students help with picking up students from the train station or airport and dropping them off at their accommodation (FOR FREE), planning orientation week events, and reaching out to those who need help! They are super helpful and willing to answer whatever questions international students have for them.
For orientation week, they also planned lots of events for us so that we can meet other international students within the university. I have participated in some of their events and met people from Peru, Indonesia, Turkey, Taiwan, US - Iowa, United Arab Emirates, Finland, Sweden, and many others! Their events are organized in a way that students can enjoy the day with the opportunity to make friends in a foreign country. After 18 hours of traveling, I have finally arrived in Rennes, France! This was one of the longest flights times I have travelled by myself and it was a very interesting yet memorable experience. Throughout that time and rest of the study abroad period, I got/will get to be truly independent and I am very excited to see what the future holds! Little did I know, Rennes also prepared some surprises for me! I think the following three are the most interesting so I am sharing them with you: Surprise #1. Booked the wrong train ticket from Paris to Rennes Prior to my departure, I booked my train ticket from Paris to Rennes online (thinking that since it might be too last minute or a hassle to buy it at the train station after I land). However, I did not pay close attention to the station names when I booked my ticket, so I did not double check them to make sure the departure station is the Paris airport and the destination station is the Rennes station. Well, thankfully I got my destination station right -- but not my departure station. After asking three strangers for help, one French couple told me that I needed to take a train, then transfer to a subway, to get to my departure train station since it was not the one at the airport. The couple also walked me through step-by step on how to get to the train station in Paris, and left me with their number in case I get lost. I was so touched by the couple's random act of kindness because I know they have also travelled for a long time from their honeymoon. It was a very early Sunday morning (~6:00am) and I really appreciate their patience and help. Without them, I would probably not be able to make it to my train. Surprise #2. No cash in Euros for public restrooms Did you know that France charge money for using public restrooms? Me neither! After I landed in Paris and rushed to the train station, I got on my train 2 minutes before its departure. I was so glad that I was able to make it and got to Rennes around 10:00am, no issues with delays or anything at all. However, as I was waiting for the school's Well'Come team to pick me up from the train station, I needed to use the restroom. Not long after, I found the restroom and saw a lady in front of the restroom taking money from people entering. At first, I thought the lady was a beggar so I tried to walk in without giving her money, but she stopped me and then I realized the sign behind her that says "0.80 Euros". That is the exact moment I remember what I forgot to do before I leave for France -- EXCHANGE MONEY!! I even walked around the train station to see if there were restrooms in restaurant, but all the staffs and employees pointed me to the same public restroom that charges money. Thankfully, one of the Well'Come team members came to rescue me and lent me 0.80 euros so that I could use the restroom. Surprise #3. Everything is closed on Sundays! After chatting with the Well'Come team members, I found out a very interesting "tradition" about Rennes -- everything is closed on Sundays, generally. Coming from US and having the prior experience of traveling to other countries before, I was very skeptical of what they told me at first, so I decided to check it out myself after I settled in. Soon after the Well'Come team dropped me off, I connected to my apartment's WiFi to check if there are any restaurants open. Just like what I was told, everything in walkable distance was closed. Since I was starving, I did not give up so I decided to check if there are any Ubers available to take me to grab a bite. And that was the first time in my life I see "No cars available" on Uber. Eventually, I found a McDonald's that is open 24hrs down the block. So for that day, I had my breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same McDonald's. I thought these are very interesting learning experiences because I clearly did not do enough research about the city. This is a very valuable lesson learned and I will always keep this in mind when I travel in the future -- no matter how many places you have been, always be well-prepared for the new adventures await! |