Chui Ying Chan (Chinese and History) joined the Student Exchange Programme at CityUHK and studied with Link?ping University in Sweden.

"When deciding my exchange options, I wanted to choose a country far away from Hong Kong to experience a completely different lifestyle and culture. I also took public safety, cost of living, and cultural aspects into consideration. In Sweden there are significant differences in daylight hours between summer and winter. Experiencing such different weather itself already excited me. As Sweden is known for its high-quality and comprehensive education system, I am eager to have the opportunity to experience a completely different academic system and learning atmosphere."

"One of my biggest takeaways from the Student Exchange Programme is that I have become more confident in speaking in front of people. Seminars are very common at Link?ping University, where students are required to express their own opinions and engage in discussions with professors and fellow students. In this kind of study environment, I gradually gained confidence in expressing my opinions in class."

“’Fika’ is an important cultural tradition in Sweden. It means taking a break for coffee with friends or colleagues. It goes beyond just a coffee break and is a unique aspect of Swedish culture that reminds people to take a break from their studies or work and socialize. As an exchange student in Sweden, I experienced fika many times during my stay. Fika can take place anywhere, whether at school or a café. The important aspect of fika is to remind people to relax from the stresses and to build connections with friends. I have made many new friends from all over the world and created numerous precious memories with them during my exchange study."

"I remember having a funny experience building a snowman near our dormitory with one of my Swedish friends on a snowy evening. It was the very first snowman I had ever built. We named the snowman 'Tomas', which is a common name in Sweden. 'Tomas' is for sure the cutest snowman in our eyes!"