Study Abroad Stories
MY STUDY ABROAD STORIES
As an international Owls at Temple University, I am already considered “studying abroad” in the US. But, I still want to challenge myself to be open-minded with diverse cultures and have a strong will to thrive in different business environments.
Summer 2019
2 weeks in Shanghai and Jinhua, China
This past summer, I was one of 17 students that got accepted to participate in Temple Confucius Institute Summer Program in China! The program ran from late May to early June, and it consisted of two main parts: one week of travel in eastern China to the cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Jinhua, and one week of learning Chinese language and culture at Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU).
As a fascinated international business learner, I had a chance to look at Chinese economy in a micro view. I got to experience the public operational systems in China as well as observe how Chinese people are going cash free during their daily transactions. I also got to talk to some Chinese friends and ask them about Chinese educational systems, religions, business culture, and technological development.
During the trip, we also immersed ourselves in Chinese culture and cuisine. I learned how to make Jiaozi – Chinese dumpling, write my name in Chinese calligraphy, learn some basic moves of Taichi – Chinese traditional martial art, and play ping pong with newly made Chinese friends at ZJNU! Overall, this two-week trip is a fantastic and one-of-a-kind experience for me to become more educated with foreign cultures, increase my EQ, and be more empathy and understanding towards people coming from different backgrounds.
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Summer 2018
8 weeks in Dublin, Ireland
Summer 2018, I chose University College of Dublin (UCD) in Ireland as my next destination. I was the only international student at Temple to get selected in this program, among other 85 American students from various universities in the States. During my time there, I took two tremendously interesting courses, Business & Global Development and Ireland’s Business Environment. I learned about the impact of EU on Ireland’s cross-border trade policies and investment strategies. I researched business development and market in African countries and penned a report on the how tech startups can help improve women education and close the gender gap in Nigeria.
I tried Irish soda bread, learned Irish traditional dance, and participated in Coasteering, an extreme sport that allows people to explore the natural landscapes of Ireland while climbing mountains, swimming, and cliff-jumping.
Prior to the journey, I was selected as the sole international student vlogger for Temple’s Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses. I worked as an influencer to raise the awareness among the international student body at Temple, as well as encourage other students to study abroad. I got featured on social media platforms of Temple Honors, Temple Global, and UCD Quinn School of Business.
You can check out my blog posts at Nhi Nguyen – Storytellers website and my vlogs at TempleUAbroad Youtube.
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Summer 2017
10 weeks in Tokyo, Japan
I decided to study abroad with Temple at its Japan campus. I chose Japan as I wanted to study how Japan could overcome its hardship and rebuild its country from scratch to an innovative and successful economy like it is today within a short period of time.
As a receiver of Temple’s Full Presidential Scholarship, I got the opportunity to use its Stipend for study abroad. Prior to my trip, I also received the scholarship from Temple Japan due to my high academic performance and my exceptional involvement in organizations at Fox.
I have significantly improved my verbal and written communications skills. I took Japanese course and got a chance to practice my language skill on a day-to-day basis.
Per my personal achievements, I successfully climbed Mt. Fuji and got a seal from the shrine at the top of the mountain in my Goshuin, a notebook made for collecting stamps and calligraphy writing of Japanese shrines and temples!
After my trip, I decided to apply and became the Study Abroad Ambassador in order to give back and help students who share the same interests.