Katherine Soong
About My Study Abroad Program
Major/Minor: Neuroscience
Program: University College Dublin
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Email: katsoong@unc.edu
Term: Spring 2024
Why did you choose to study abroad and how did you select your program?
Having never left the country much, I wanted to go someplace that was well connected to a lot of other countries, and I wanted somewhere with a lot of history as well. One of my favorite authors is James Joyce, a well-known Dubliner, so it was easy to choose Dublin as my study abroad location.
What did you learn about yourself?
I really embraced living on my own because it was something I had never done before. After moving out of my parents' house into college dorms, I had never had my own kitchen or even my own bedroom before, and I absolutely loved the freedom that came with it. I also learned that I am not as much of a city girl as I thought I was - there's no way I could give up proximity to the ocean or the mountains in favor of a city. I loved being able to choose every morning whether I wanted to go to the beach or the mountains, since they were only a 10 minute bus ride apart.
What is one of your favorite memories from your program?
I woke up on the first day of March and was in total shock to find that it had snowed nearly half a foot overnight! I leapt out of bed and immediately took the train to various parks throughout the city to play in the snow. Later, I learned that Dublin hadn't gotten so much snow in a decade, so it felt really special that it snowed so much while I was there.
What advice do you have for future study abroad students?
Make friends with other exchange students! They know what it's like to be in your exact situation, and you can help each other out with anything from navigating the city to obtaining residence permits. Also make friends with the local students, since a lot of them have lived in Ireland for a while, so they know the city and the country well. Basically, just talk to as many people as you can!
How do you identify?
Student of color
Could you share any experiences where your identity played a role in your time abroad?
I was visiting a friend in Paris over spring break, and we went to one of her favorite Chinese restaurants in the city. The owner wasn't fluent in English or French, but once I started speaking Mandarin to her, her face absolutely lit up and it made me really happy to see her so happy.
Is there any advice you would give to other students who share your identity?
I would say to embrace your background! Being Asian American in Europe is definitely a different experience than in the US, but you never know what kind of people you'll meet because of a shared identity. I was able to connect with many Chinese Europeans during my time abroad, and it was fun to compare our experiences growing up as Chinese American versus Chinese European.
Memories




