Ji, Chunni

Chunni Ji

Why did you choose to study abroad and how did you select your program?
I really value diversity and cultural communication. Studying abroad not only gives me a chance to experience college lives in other culture, but also offers me an opportunity to communicate with people all over the world. I choose program based on my major and their location. Korea University summer campus offers many great psyc courses, and National University of Singapore has top life science programs in the world. In addition, staying in Singapore allows me to travel around in the southern Asian region. Moreover, South Korea and Singapore have really good food, which I also really like.

What did you learn about yourself?
Staying in Singapore allows me to deepen the understanding of my Chinese identity. Many of my friends there are Singaporeans, but they identify themselves as descendants of Chinese and are really open to talk about and learn about Chinese culture with me. Moreover, both English and Mandarin are somewhat different in Singapore. Knowing the difference inspires my interest in linguistics and helps to understand the two languages I am using.

What is one of your favorite memories from your program?
In spring, Singapore opened the Jewel Changi Airport, which was the best airport in the world, containing the world's tallest indoor waterfall surrounded by indoor forest. My friends and I took an hour MRT to the airport and prepared our final exams there.

What advice do you have for future study abroad students?
It is best to have and keep friendships with the local.

Would you do it again?
Yes.

How were your classes abroad different than if you would have taken them at UNC?
My personal experience is that Singapore holds much harder exams and more strict grading standards, while UNC has higher workload and requires students to keep learning throughout the whole semester.

How do you identify?
Student of color

Memories