Dream of Study Abroad

I remember when I was 14, I heard about students exchange programme. In the advertisement, Hong Kong students who joined this exchange programme would study oversea, mostly US or UK, for 1 year. That was my first time to know about things like study abroad. I was very excited and put this fantastic idea in front of my mum and dad, asked them if they could supported me. I didn't have much concept on money at that time, and my dad and mum just rejected me by simply answered me, " it is impossible, we have no money."

At at time, I was very unhappy for quite a long time. I didn't expect unaffordable would be the reason of objection.

Time went by, I completed my higher diploma studies, started working for a few years. I saved some money and went traveling. I am a super shy and passive girl. Everyone says so. However, with God and His grace, He took away my fear and let me travel alone twice in Europe. I always wonder, may be God knows I didn't complete my dream of being an exchange student, so instead, He gave me opportunity to travel alone twice.

Those traveling experiences somehow change me. And it is just like a seed planted in my heart. I always want to go back. During the trip, I met many people, some of them were not locals, they studied, stayed and worked there. It is kinda special in my mind, as in Hong Kong 99% of people will not stay and work abroad! May be we only know to make money. We don't know how to feel our lives. And I really admired those people I met that they were not afraid of uncertainty, they were just doing what they thought were right and meaningful.

After I back to Hong Kong for few months. I started to search for information about working oversea. In Hong Kong, we have holiday working visa (up to 1 year) to several countries like: Taiwan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Ireland, UK and Canada. I have more interest in going to western countries. So I started looking up information for working in those countries, especially Germany.

Well, why Germany? I think it is because she is a big, strong and safe, and non-English speaking European countries and I think I can have more fantastic experience if I can stay there 1 year. Moreover, I guess there won't be too many Hong Kong people choose Germany as she is not an English speaking country! So, easier to get a visa ^^~

In August, I borrowed a book from library. This book is written by a group of Chinese students who studied in Germany. In the book they talked about how they chose universities, their (very difficult) lives in Germany and their working experience in Germany. I found that Germany had very prefect education system. Also,their government encourage high educational level throughout their nation by having very low or even zero tuition fee. Suddenly, I feel in my heart, a hope is flashing, something that I've almost forgotten for 10 years.



"May be...I can try to study and work in Germany..?"