For my exchange programme, I attended the University College Dublin, located in Dublin, Ireland. The University itself was campus-based, roughly 20 minutes away from the bustling city of Dublin. In my perspective, it truly provided that great balance between city life and the natural/country of Ireland.

I continued to pursue my major in Biomedical Sciences, whereby 2-3 classes were previously approved for credit transfer from previous cohorts. Such classes helped fulfil my majors' requirements (classes such as Immunology, Cell Biology and Pharmacology). Additionally, I took an elective in food diet and health and a computational class (Python). A considerable benefit of exchange was taking classes I am highly interested in, which I would otherwise find particularly challenging. To avoid difficulties, I strongly recommend that future exchange students map the course beforehand. In my case, for my degree, taking the classes has benefited me in fulfilling my major and supporting minor credits. Moreover, I wanted to learn more about the history of Ireland and its culture, so I enrolled in an Introduction to Irish Culture class.

This Irish class truly sets the tone for what the culture of Ireland is like. Prior to coming to Ireland, I was aware of the history of the conflict between the North and the ‘South’, between the Protestants and the Catholics. This class confirmed this knowledge and allowed me to connect the dots between the significant cultural events and locations in Dublin. This was an in-depth class covering aspects from political rule and multiple uprising events to how sport or music shaped the identity of the Irish.

My first impression of the University was how ‘international’ the campus was. Not only was there a plethora of local Irish students enrolled, but the university truly prides itself in accommodating multiple exchange students and being Ireland's most ‘Global University’. Prior to attending/ arriving in Ireland, there were already multiple events lined up to ‘welcome’ exchange students in the form of webinars, to meeting students at the airport or arranging welcome activities in the first two weeks of the semester.

Especially since being homesick or unfamiliar to a brand-new environment was the most prominent difficulty encountered, being exposed to such events and surrounded by similar students undergoing an exchange semester really comforted me and made the experience much better. Not to mention my on-campus apartment alone only consisted of exchange students staying in the university for a single semester.

Similar to HKU, there are multiple societies and teams involved on campus, which were introduced early in the second week of the semester. I was a member of societies such as the Biological Science Society, Women in STEM, Harry Potter Society and the Food Society. These different clubs would hold different activities throughout the weeks, such as a weekly viewing of a movie, having businesses come in, or even pub quiz nights. Although out of all the clubs that I was involved in, I was primarily engaged with the UCD Rugby Team.

Back in Hong Kong, I was heavily involved in the rugby community. Since Rugby is one of Irelands most prominent sports, and the country was ranked well internationally, I was excited to see what the level of rugby and the community of the sport was like. To say joining this society exceeded my expectations is an understatement. I was able to learn so much about Irish culture, the sport culture and make lifelong friends.

The club itself was divided into two leagues: the club league and the ‘College’ league (comparable to USF). What surprised me the most was the number of players that were involved in the club. Due to the lack of numbers in Hong Kong (roughly 15 people per team), we are only able to host one prominent tournament. However, in Ireland, they can play two games a week, with roughly 70 members. To be surrounded by such a large group of students who enjoy the same sport was indescribable; going through the hardships of the games and seeing each other practically every day of the week provided me with a sense of belonging and a “home away from home”. Not only was it very appealing to play the sport, but it also allowed me to travel around the country to play games in other countries. There was a registration fee of 50 euros, which would secure you a spot on the team with the kit. One of the highlights of my exchange period was being able to travel to Limerick University (the other coast of Ireland) to play in the grand final. Although the result was not favourable, it was memorable to travel with this large group of girls for 3 hours and to celebrate the end of the season altogether.

I would strongly encourage other incoming exchange students to participate in a society or a sport which you are very passionate about. Chances are you will find a large group of people to take you in and make you feel at home.

Other memorable moments of being in Ireland included watching the 2023 Rugby World Cup in an environment where everyone was so passionate and invested in the game. Every pub and restaurant would be packed to watch their home team play in the biggest tournament. Additionally, I was able to be present for Irish cultural events such as the Macnas Parade (Halloween), watch a live Leinster vs Munster Rugby game, and watch River Dances. The University itself also had prominent events such as UCD Christmas, where students would celebrate the semester coming to an end altogether and engage in festivities all around campus.

A large benefit of Ireland is how easy it is to travel from one place to another. I understand that multiple students chose to travel around Europe during this period. However, I found myself able to travel to different countries and take trains to explore Ireland itself. Despite its cold weather and drizzles of rain, it was a very beautiful place to visit, filled to the brim with culture and pride.

It is undeniable that I was able to develop a plethora of skills and lifelong lessons from this experience. I believe I developed more independence and organisational capabilities, improved my communication skills/ social skills, and learnt more about the world (not only from being abroad but by being surrounded by other exchange students). I can confidently say that I completed those four months abroad, learning more about Irish culture, myself, my values, and my relationships with others. It truly was a journey I am so thankful to have embarked on.