LAM SHU HIM - University of BONN
Academic gain
In this exchange year in Germany, I dedicated a lot of times on studying languages to develop my language capabilities. Before coming to Germany, I have already learnt German for two years and was certified B2 level. However, speaking and listening has always been my weakest parts, and I know that the only way to improve them is the study in Germany and utilize the language in classes as well as in daily lives. In the University of Bonn, all undergraduate courses are taught in German, which enables me to practice my German on a daily basis. It was very challenging at the beginning since I have never studied Biology in German before, and I had to learn all the biological terms all over again. From writing lab reports and protocols to discussing complex biological concepts with classmates, I had to do everything in German. Yet, looking back at it now, I am very glad to have stepped out of my comfort zone, since I found my German to have drastically improved in this exchange year. Besides German, I also spent a considerable amount of time in Spanish. I have always aspired to work as a Biologist in the Amazon river, and in order to achieve my dream, not only will I have to be experienced in doing research, but I will also have to have a good command in Spanish, since Spanish is widely spoken in South America. During this exchange year, I had the opportunity to take 2 Spanish courses of C1 level with a strong focus on academic Spanish, in which I had to write academic journals and essays in Spanish on a weekly basis. I also got to spend my semester break in Mexico to visit my friends and practice my Spanish.
Apart from languages, I have also gained a lot of research experiences in Biology. In the first semester, I was offered a position in the Fish Cognition Lab of the Biology Department in the University of Bonn as an intern, in which I worked with a PhD student to study the neurology of African cichlids for 5 months. It was my first time to work in a laboratory in Germany, and I really enjoyed the experience. In the second semester, I got the opportunity to spend two weeks in the Alfred-Wegener-Institut in the German island of Sylt as a visiting student to work on a meiofauna distribution in the mudflats of Sylt under the guidance of professors from the University of Bonn and University of Bielefeld. It was my first time to design and implement a research project on my own, and despite the many difficulties that my lab partner and I encountered, I acquired a lot of practical skills which will be extremely useful for my Biology Final Year Project in CUHK this coming academic year.
Personal development
The University of Bonn is a highly international and culturally diverse university. I got to meet students from all around the globe, pursuing their dreams in this University, and some of the people that I met here in Germany have had a huge influence on me. At the beginning of the semester, I met three law students of the University of Oxford who coincidentally are on their exchange year in the University of Bonn. It did not take long for us to become good friends, and we have been spending a lot of times together during our exchange year. One thing they inspired me a lot is their passion to their studies. They are outgoing and adventurous. They are knowledgeable and care about the world. Most importantly, they know very clearly what they want to achieve. These are all qualities that prestigious universities like Oxford are looking for. I remembered that one time we had a conversation about the stances of some conversative German political parties on abortion, and that was the first time that I truly understood what it is like to be passionate about what you are studying, because they really want to make a difference to the world with the knowledge they have. They want to use law to deconstruct the patriarchic legacy that is still rooted in the society. There was another time when we were talking about the differences between our home universities. Knowing that I study Biology, they introduced me to their friends in Oxford who are studying biology and biomedical science. I had the chance to discuss with them the intrinsic differences between the Biology courses in CUHK and Oxford, through which I realized that in order to be a good biology student, having solid knowledge is not enough. What’s also important is the ability to raise arguments and defend your stand. They even sent me some of their exam papers and templates of the top scorers in Oxford for me to improve my argumentation skills in the biological field.
Apart from connecting with students from other universities, this exchange year has given me a valuable opportunity to re-connect with my old friends . Back in 2019, I joined a language enhancement programme offered by Chung Chi College in the University of Waterloo in Canada, where I met some of my best friends from Mexico. Despite long distances, we still managed to keep in touch for the last three years. Thanks to the long semester break, I got to visit Mexico in March to visit them, and we created invaluable memories in this trip. I also reunited with other friends in Stuttgart and Barcelona thanks to this exchange programme. I have also grown to be more independent. It is my first time to live abroad and alone. Before this exchange programme, I never realized how much my parents have helped me in the past before. It is never easy to find time to do grocery hauls and laundries while there are multiple deadlines ahead of you. I have grown to be more thankful to my parents than ever, and I truly admire every single student who studies abroad.
