“Hi, I’m Sunena Kharbanda, working as a ‘Technology Associate’ at Goldman Sachs and an Ex-student of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). I initiated my journey for Hong Kong quite accidentally while I was preparing for JEE Mains. HKUST was introduced to me by someone in my coaching and whimsy; I decided to apply for a BEng in Computer Science which is for four years duration. The application process was pretty simple, and my marks of class 10th, 11th and 12th were considered. My parents and especially my father were not very convinced initially to send me abroad for further studies and till the last day he had a ‘why’ on his face, but I always gave back a smile and said I’m just a five-hour flight away from you. My deep desire to study abroad and to make a better living for myself got me to Hong Kong.
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While planning my education abroad, tuition fee again was another challenge as I belonged to a middle-class family. But by God’s grace, I scored a scholarship of 50,000 HKD with my admission offer letter and also received a ‘Huawei Maitree Scholarship’ for 10,000 USD per year (Its renewal every year is based on specific GPA requirements). The most significant credit for this goes to my mother, who has been a regular newspaper reader, information provider and also, my constant source of inspiration. She has motivated me throughout my journey to do better in life and become an even better human being.
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Survival in Hong Kong for an Indian Student is not too difficult, especially if you’re planning to study in HKUST. There are three reasons for the same. First, the medium of instruction is primarily in English, secondly to my amusement, food has never been a problem. You have ample of Indian food joints available in and around and thirdly, before the commencement of your program the university provides you at least 15 days to adapt to a new environment and also, allots international students with a mentor’s group who take you around the city tour and guide you the basic things like how to open a bank account, etc. These 15 days are known as ‘Orientation period’, and they act as a catalyst for students to settle and adapt to the new changes. Also, Hong Kong is a small yet well-connected country. So, travelling is not a problem. They have road signs in English, but one is most likely to face an issue with finding the right kind of accommodation as the country is densely populated.
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I was too scared like any other student to travel alone, manage everything from, food, studies and finances all by myself. It was a colossal task initially as in an Indian family you are highly dependent on your parents for menial tasks. Also, my entire family had their doubts about sending a girl all alone to a foreign land, but I made sure I made them proud. I believe it’s equally difficult for a male or a female to make a career anywhere in the world. It purely depends on one’s hard work and dedication. I believe behind every girl’s success; some parents trust her instead of society, relatives and friends! My parents have never differentiated between their son and daughter, and I believe if all parents start doing that we will see a lot more girls in the STEM industry making their dreams come true, outperforming males in any industry.
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It’s been almost eight years in this country, and I am amazed at the potential it has to offer. If you’re from a Commerce background and are interested in the finance industry, Hong Kong is the place for you. It has Asia’s headquarters for many financial companies, and it holds even a better potential to grow in the future. The average salaries are enough for you to manage all your expenses and still save an ample amount to cover any of your travelling expenses. I didn’t know when Hong Kong became a home. I miss my parents and sometimes also feel pressured to return to India and settle. As a woman, I believe it takes double the convincing for Indian parents, but it is all worth it. I dare all the women to dream big and work hard to turn your dreams into reality. Be fiercely bold, powerful, a bread maker as well as a winner”.
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Team MOWE, on the 75th Anniversary year of United Nations, takes a pledge to promote Gender Equality and Women Empowerment on the lines of Sustainable Development Goal Number Five: To promote Gender Equality and empower all women and girls.
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