Chloe Voong spent her third of four years studying International Legal Studies with a Year Abroad LLB at Kent Law School studying law abroad in Hong Kong, at The University of Hong Kong.
Here are Chloe’s reflections, as she nears the mid point of her final year back in Canterbury …
‘Ever since I joined the University of Kent, I have been dead set on studying in Hong Kong. As an adventurous person, I craved an international learning experience, a broadened mindset, and a new challenge, which I received from studying abroad. So, I must first give my gratitude to the study abroad team and Laura Charleton, who were all helpful in making this process smooth and giving me experiences and connections that I will never forget.
Studying abroad did not feel real until I stepped foot into Hong Kong feeling the hot air on my skin and feeling mesmerised by the nature meets city landscape. Being in Hong Kong meant that it was always so easy to find something to do, find amazing foods to eat, travel around conveniently, find culture everywhere and meet people from all over the world. 
One interesting thing is that there are many public holidays in Hong Kong, which allowed me to delve into the culture and ongoing public celebrations with my friends such as the Mid-Autumn festival wherein I watched the Dragon dance and explored the lantern displays all over Hong Kong. Nonetheless, my favourite things to do here were going to cha chaan tengs for cheap breakfast sets, hiking with friends, island hopping, cycling from Sha Tin to Tai Mei Tuk and chilling at Kowloon Park. Hong Kong was so small, connected and close-knit, that it felt as if I became close friends with the country.
Studying law as an exchange student at the University of Hong Kong was one of a kind and never boring. HKU had a bustling and colourful campus life full of diverse students from all over the world and there were always so many social or educational events going on. Further to this, the law modules that were offered were innovative and centred on international aspects which I valued a lot as someone interested in commercial law. One of the modules I took, called ‘Innovation, Creativity and Ethics for Globalized Legal Practice,’ gave students an unfiltered insight into the legal industry and brought in real-life lawyers from all over the world in almost every lecture to talk about their career journey, which helped me think about the skills that I needed to develop and the next steps to take.
I was even able to take a postgraduate module called ‘Multiculturalism and the Law,’ which involved highly critical and theoretical discussions about the nature of identity, rights, citizenship and the discourse of oppression, violence and conflict to better understand challenges faced by multicultural societies. One of my most special experiences was collaborating with a social enterprise through my ‘LITE Lab: emerging technology’ module where I gained practical legal skills. Needless to say, I learned so much and had the most unique academic experience at HKU. The only thing that I could not easily adapt to was the fact that most classes were 3 hours long.
The convenient location of Hong Kong also meant that it was perfect for me to travel to other countries. Throughout my time, I visited Macau, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan, where I got the privilege to explore different landscapes, cultures, and communities, as well as reconnect with other study-abroad friends. This travelling experience has taught me the beauty and importance of learning about different perspectives, being independent and stepping out of your comfort zone because venturing into a career in law or life, in general, will come with unprecedented challenges.
Although this blog only contains a small fracture of the memories that I made during my time in Hong Kong, I hope my experiences do nothing but absolutely encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and study abroad. No matter where you are, you will find a soul-searching journey- learning so much more about yourself and gaining valuable friendships. For me, it was an opportunity that changed my life positively and I would absolutely do it all over again.’
Laura Charleton, Director of International Legal Studies at Kent Law School, adds that ‘the experience of studying abroad during an undergraduate law degree is an incredibly special one. Not only does it provide the opportunity to study the law of a different jurisdiction, but it also further develops cultural competencies and builds confidence. Chloe’s reflections and fantastic photos give us a real insight into her year in Hong Kong. You can find out more about global education at Kent, including virtual and on campus activities as well as study abroad, here.’
