Manon Sowerby's Year in China

Posted on: 1 July 2020 in Blog posts

We thought we would catch up with final year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Manon Sowerby, to ask her a few questions about her year studying in China.

Hi Manon, can you tell us, how easy was the process to apply for you Year in China? 

Very easy! The University of Liverpool Study Abroad Team ran regular drop-in sessions before the application deadline and were able to answer any questions I had. 

For me, there was only one university to choose from to study abroad at, XJTLU, which made the decision easy.

For courses with a larger number choice the study abroad application requires students to list their preferences in order to ensure they get one of their choices.

That's great! And did you learn any valuable skills on your year abroad? 

My year in China enabled me to develop many skills that have helped me since I returned. 

My communication skills have improved - it was important to be able to effectively convey my thoughts and ideas to other students, university lecturers and the local people I encountered every day because for most of them English was not their first language. 

Studying abroad made me more adaptable and resilient. I adopted the local cultural norms, learned basic Mandarin to ease my daily interactions and rapidly became familiar with everyday things like shopping and transportation, without which I might have felt isolated.

I didn’t just learn about China. While I was away I also visited Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, and adapted quickly to each new country.

Throughout the year I pushed myself out of my comfort zone which improved my confidence and problem-solving skills.

Did you make friends that you still stay in contact with? 

Yes! I made a conscious effort when I first arrived to speak to and mix with the other students on my course – both the international students like me and the Chinese students. I’ve kept in touch with both groups via social media and am hoping to see some of my Chinese friends if they come to Europe to continue their studies.

As well as the people on my course I attended a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs and classes which enabled me to develop friendships with people studying for different degrees.

I now have friends from all over the globe who I would not have met if I hadn’t studied abroad.

What is the best advice you could give someone thinking of studying abroad? 

Just go for it! 

It is an incredible opportunity to develop yourself, meet new people and experience new cultures all whilst you’re studying. The transition between leaving home and settling into a new country and culture isn’t always easy, but it gets better quickly, - you shouldn’t give up at the start!

Find out more about the University Study Abroad programme - www.liverpool.ac.uk/study-abroad/outbound/