This year at HCX, we have set up a Study Abroad Blog, where some of our girls will be telling us all about their adventures from across the world. So watch out for their latest posts every week!
Alice McAnulty:
Hellooooo, my name is Alice McAnulty, 3rd year History and French student on my year abroad in Paris! I have been here for almost two weeks now, have almost finished my first proper week of work after a weeks “training” and I can already tell you that I love this job (working for Agent Secret, a fashion recruitment agency) and I love this city! Having been to Paris a few times, I knew this is where I wanted to be for my year abroad as it’s so lively, so beautiful and of course I aim to become completely fluent in French! The only downside so far: I have only just found somewhere to live (a beautiful apartment with a lovely flatmate) after a week in a hotel and almost a week at my boyfriend’s, thanks to the generosity of his landlady! Finally on the 7th of September I can stop living out of my suitcase! Next step: finding a second internship so I can actually qualify for this year and for my Erasmus grant! Just when I thought I could relax…
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Alice Calder:
Hello, I’m Alice and I am currently on my year abroad studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS in the united States of America. I have been here for just over three weeks and am currently loving every minute of it. A lot of people have asked me ‘Why America?’ and ‘Why Mississippi?’ in particular and I have found it difficult to give an answer that I’m happy with. Even when choosing universities, being able to study abroad with my course was a big deciding factor, as I’ve always known that I would like to do a year abroad somewhere as I love to travel. The US has always appealed to me and the chance to live and study in the deep South seemed like something a little bit different and exciting and everyone who’d been highly recommended it. It hasn’t dissappointed so far and I’m having an absolutely amazing time… Whilst I’m here I really want to get involved in the American college life but also do some travelling around the South and hopefully around the rest of the states as well. Hopefully I shall have lots to write about as I discover more of what it’s like to live in the U.S.A. Southern Miss To The Top!
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Flora Bell:
Hi my name is Flora, I study Spanish and film studies at Exeter University. For my third year I am doing an internship at Hello! magazine in Madrid. I am really excited about living in a capital city and meeting new people; however, I am not looking forward to starting work at 9 am every morning!
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Eleanor Pike:
An English girl from Exeter studying Law in the country of mountains, maple syrup and snow, Canada. Eleanor is one of Exeter University’s Travel Blog writers as she takes a year out to discover what the other side of the Atlantic has to offer. In between studying and writing for Her Campus, she’ll be hiking, skiiing, canoeing and hitting up Ottawa’s dancefloors.
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Kate Wheeler:
I’m Kate and I am an Irish third year student, currently studying Italian and Psychology (random combination I know). For the next 12 months, I will be immersing myself in all aspects of the insane, yet incredible, Italian way of life. For the first six months, I will be studying in the University of Bologna in Forli, which is a student filled town just an hour outside of central Bologna. Hopefully these months will improve my Italian sufficiently enough to endure the six months that are to follow. In March I will begin an internship with Georgio Armani in the town of Modena. I cannot wait to get going and start what hopes to be an amazing year in Italia!
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Leo McNab:
My name is Leo, I’m in my third year at Exeter studying Spanish with TESOL. This September, instead of enjoying the delights Freshers Week has to offer, I will be moving to Vigo, a large city in Galicia, in the North West of Spain. There I will work as an English Language Assistant in a secondary school, organized through the British Council. The things I’m most looking forward to are putting my teaching experience into practice and meeting lots of new and interesting people. As well as discovering what Vigo has to offer, I wish to visit many different parts of Spain and nearby Portugal.
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Laura Hill:
Hi everyone my name is Laura Hill, I am 20 and I am a third year student studying Business and Management. Currently I am doing my year abroad in Hong Kong and have just come to the end of my second week here! Originally I am from Brighton where I live with my parents and twin brother. Already so many people have asked me, ‘Why Hong Kong?’… Because it’s the future of business and mainly because its so close to mainland China, Thailand and Cambodia. And mainly because at the end of this year I will be able to say that I have lived in Hong Kong for a year. Something most people wont be able to say!
I can’t believe that I have only been here two weeks and so much has happened already. Student life here is very different compared to back in Exeter – nothing really compares to good old Arena! However it’s just as amazing and I have had such great nights here meeting the most eclectic bunch of people. Life so far here has been pretty easy to settle into; I was lucky enough to have accommodation sorted for me, although they failed to warn me that there would be no bedding, so when I arrived I had to endeavour on a trek just to find a sheet and a pillow. I feel like I am getting more settled in and attempting to find my way round here is rather amusing!
I cannot wait to start exploring more and getting the chance to see more of HK. Already I have completed a 4 hour hike to see the Big Buddha here in Hong Kong, and not many people will get the chance to say that they spent their 21st birthday in Hong Kong. I am really looking forward to sharing this experience with as many people as I can!