Timothy Wong

I studied abroad in London. Beyond just the taking the time to see all the historical sites in the UK, I used London as a springboard towards the broader Europe. So far, I have gotten to visit Madrid, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Florence already (with plans to go to Krakow, Copenhagen, Rome, Berlin, and Paris in the coming weeks). It sounds very stereotypical but it has been a life-changing experience. Getting to meet new people, try different foods, and deeply engage with foreign cultures has been such an amazing privilege. I have not just gotten to learn more about the world, but how I want to exist in it.

Something that surprised me about this experience was how accessible everything was. There were a lot more resources than I could have ever anticipated. Furthermore, the generosity of the people I have encountered while I’m here has been astounding. When I was in Italy, a woman saw me speaking (embarrassingly) poor Italian at a restaurant, she spoke to the waiters, we all started having a chat and sharing bread together, she reframed my presence as an opportunity to help them practice English. Afterwards, she directed me towards a store her friend owned where I bought a coat with an incredibly generous discount. Things like that I would never expect to see but won’t soon forget.

For my thesis on Media censorships and broadcast standards, I now have metric for comparison based on the Channel 4 and BBC content I have seen. I received an abroad grant which has allowed me to cover grocery and travel costs to truly make the most of this incredible experience.

I have gotten to get a better understanding of foreign media tastes and distribution structures. Helping me build a stronger base for the work I want to do post-grad. Moreover, I am set to have lunch with individuals from the London WME office (the same company I have been interviewing for summer positions in New York), so I now can say that I have international connections. Which is both amazing and still hard to wrap my head around.