Exchange Diary (CityU Students): Ted Cheng @ Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan (from CityU) Feb 20, 2012

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Ted Cheng @ Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan (from CityU) Feb 20, 2012 - Feb 24,2012

February 20, 2012 ( Monday )

I attend one of the courses and try to choose the suitable subject today. Mandarin is the medium in teaching in SYSU. I think I need to spend some time to familiar with it as the . The learning atmosphere and working style in class are different from Hong Kong's.

I spent six hours to come to SYSU on Saturday. My first impression id SYSU is the school is HUGE!! I walked about one hour to go to the Information Management Department’s building. Unluckily, there was not any staff in the office. I waited about half an hour and there was still no people came back. Therefore, I wondering do I need to the whole day here?? where should I stay tonight?? Then I went to search for help. I walked along the building and I found that there is not any people work on Saturday and Sunday!! However the offer letter stated that I should come to do the registration on 18th( Saturday ) or 19th ( Sunday )!!

Luckily, I met the secretory of our department when I walked along the department. Therefore, I asked for her help and she told me that she came back because she needed to do some special things, if not she will not be here. I felt so LUCKY that I can solve the problem now !

I got 3 local roommates in SYSU. They are nice. In SYSU, we need to use to buy food, take shower or assess internet. As the office was not open today, I cannot get the card right now. So that, my roommates helped me to pay for the bills first.

February 21, 2012 ( Tuesday )

I went to buy a bike today. SYSU is such a big university. I need to spend lots of time in walking around school. Now, I can ride rather than walk. :). It can help me to save time.

Today I have received the subject list from my department in SYSU; it is totally different from the university website because the website has not update for a few years. I think that it is very strange. When I am in Hong Kong, I always rely on blackboard and check the course list from the university website. I even don't know where can I find the hard copy of my course list in CityU. But now, I need to rely on the hard copy and I cannot believe the information from SYSU website as it will not be updated ="=.

Now, I need to send email to my program leader in CityU and ask the course approval.

February 22, 2012 ( Wednesday )

I am happy today is that I received the approval of course list from program leader today. After that, I went to register the student IC card in SYSU. That means I can use my own student card to buy lunch, dinner and internet services.

I think the different between Hong Kong and Mainland students is that they come from different cities in Mainland China. They will exchange different experience after their semester break. They will share what they have done in the holiday. And they feel very happy to join together. I also feel glad that I just like one of their members.

February 23,2012 ( Thursday )

I go to library today. The library is big!! The library is about 6th floor and it is much bigger than what we have in City U. I have borrowed some books which are about my own major.

Today is my friend's birthday.Therefore,we have dinner with him outside SYSU. We have about ten people having dinner together and it only cost about three hundred dollars. It is very cheap.

Moreover, there is a side story that many students and lecturers asked me that which University I come from. And I was so surprised that many of them know which one is City University of Hong Kong. I feel that I am not far from Hong Kong and I proud of I can be one of the students who are in the exchange program.

February 24, 2012 ( Friday )

Today I do not have any classes, so I wake up late. After I woke up and have my breakfast in my room, I started cleaning up my place. It is because my roommates are very concentrating at the clean and comfortable room. I feel surprise that they will always clean up by themselves such as our bathroom and toilet. After that, I have gone out and do shopping. At night, I chat with my friends and play cards with them. Although some of them know Cantonese, I will still try to use Mandarin to communicate with them. I feel that my Mandarin have been improved.

In this week, my feeling is very complicated. I feel lonely because I do not have any experience in living without my family and my friends are not besides me. But now I will very treasure this experience. Not everyone can have such a good experience like mine. And now I have lots of local students to help me and be friend. They teach me many things and we really have some exchange.

Labels: 2011/2012 Semester B