“If there is a magical time-machine with “reset" on it, I would do it all over again in a heart-beat"
Doris Ngai
I don’t even know whether murks is even a word, but I keep hearing Murky waters, and plus that word rhymes really well with perks, so I thought to myself, why not, I should just give it a go and find a phrase that the reader “i.e you in this case" can remember so vividly.
On the 14th of January 2019, I flew over to Boston Logan Airport to start my second semester study abroad. Looking back at it, I would say it was probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. Just so this would not be a long-winded article, I have decided to write in bullet points.
Perks:
- You learn at new culture and see how the education system works in a different country. Honestly, I think I would have done ten times better if I could return to Umass and re-do my exams and probably have gotten a 4.0 GPA if I worked harder and smarter. I got really confused as to how the gpa system worked and spend too much time partying and having fun.
- The new friends you meet and the potential significant other *wink wink. I met Ryan during my time in Umass Amherst and I think he is honestly the biggest blessing in my life and I want to make the most out of our time together in HK before he has to return to the US to collect his bags and head to California.
- The amazing professors you meet during your time abroad and the new way of learning, participating and discussion that really forces your shy-self outside of your comfort zone and it is really going to improve and help you in the long-run, at least for me, it helped me gain stamina and confidence in a lot of things I am doing in my life
- Character-building
- Travel around; for instance, I went to Washington DC, Miami Flora, Orlando, New York City and all the good stuff when I was abroad. Life’s so good
- The clear, good ol’ American accent
- The drunken nights, and the memories you will never forget
Merks:
- Fomo; as defined on google dictionary as (Anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media.)
- Missing out on cheap and comfortable accommodation
- Feeling lonely, lost and cold on a winter’s day (especially when its always -20 degrees in the states)
- The annoying transportation ( I was lucky enough for Ryan to have a car to be able to drive me around)
- The culture shock, and the few individuals who are slightly pc and rude at times
