Moving from China to Ireland - My Journey to University of Galway

Hello, Gaby here! I was born and raised in the beautiful province of Guangxi, China. After I graduated from College, I stayed in Shenzhen for more than five years. Shenzhen is known for its technological companies like Huawei, Xiaomi, Baidu, Tencent and so on. At that time, I was working in this industry, particularly in the digital marketing field. I was in charge of brand promotion and digital marketing communications. I enjoyed this area of business and wanted to further improve my knowledge and skills, particularly in the area of content creation.

I decided to seize the opportunity and study abroad at University of Galway. I am currently pursuing the MSc Digital Marketing. I must admit that when I arrived in Galway last September, I was immediately fascinated by its beauty. As a blogger, the spectacular views and scenery make Galway the perfect study destination! In my opinion, Galway is one of the most attractive and intriguing jewels of the West of Ireland. It marks the halfway point on the Wild Atlantic Way. The city is picturesque and at the same time, full of life, culture, and artistry. I like the ambience and nature here in Galway. It’s so peaceful! Galway is also a thriving and cosmopolitan city centre with lots of colourful shop facades and an offbeat café bar culture.

Irish Culture vs. Chinese Culture- What I have learned

The lifestyle in Galway is generally far from what I was used to in China. The biggest differences lie in people’s eating patterns. Chinese people are fascinated with hot spicy foods. We typically make our food ourselves and like to cook at home. Part of our cuisines are extremely spicy, using a lot of pepper, chilli, garlic, and pixian bean chilli paste to garnish and add extra flavours in our cuisines. Stir-fried vegetables are considered a local Chinese food. There is actually a famous Chinese restaurant which is located in the heart of Galway named Xian. Actually, Xian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in China! Xian dishes are famous with their spicy, pungent, hot flavour and red colour. Another popular Chinese food is called Hot Pot and this is always the first choice when dining together with friends. I have noticed that Irish people prefer mild foods, such as pasta, bread, and potatoes. It’s much more influenced by the Western world.

I have learned so much about Irish cuisine since being here. The Irish food and cooking methods are steeped in history and heritage, drawing on the wealth of ingredients available from the sea, the land, the moors and pastureland. Furthermore, meat, milk and bread are the staple foods in Western countries, such as Ireland. Their meals usually consist of soup, bread and butter. Another staple food here is potatoes. To Westerners, potatoes are as important as rice to the Chinese!

My Personal Growth

I have grown into a person I never thought I would be since moving to Galway! Due to the many cultural differences, I have learned to become more open-minded. Lifestyle differences, such as language barriers and weather changes, have made me more adaptable and positive. I have a more positive outlook on life since moving to Ireland. I have embraced a completely different culture to my own. In China, the weather is stable and moderate, which is a complete contrast to the weather here in Galway. It changes all the time!

Moreover, since Irish local foods are explicitly different to Chinese cuisines, I have learned to try some Irish dishes and incorporate them into my own version of dishes and cuisines. In fact, I can proudly say that I have learned to cook chicken wings in many different ways! Finally, I love the personalities of Irish people. They radiate positivity and tend to see the bright side of things. I have quickly integrated into the local life here. I like to buy fresh flowers from the market and try new Irish local products too.

In addition, I have become more independent and learned some practical skills, such as hair styling, room decorating and budgeting. I have become a more adventurous person and like to try new activities here.

My Top Tips for Moving to Galway for Future Chinese Students

For those of you who plan to study here in Galway, this is my advice based on my own experiences so far.

• Take initiative and try new things.
• Despite the potential language barrier, don’t hesitate to ask for help here. Everyone has been so friendly to me.
• Embrace the sustainable lifestyle Galway has to offer.
• Try to improve your language skills by making English-speaking friends.
• You could work part-time to fully embrace the culture and experience.

As of now, I am in the last months of my MSc Digital Marketing course. I have learned so much about content creation and digital trends. I believe that my course will bring me many career opportunities once I return to the corporate world.