Enriching cultural immersion through sports

It is often thought that the major benefits of studying abroad are academic exposure and cultural exploration. However, there are other upsides too. Lingnan Link spoke with several incoming exchange students who studied at LU in Term 1, 2021-2022, and noticed that they had one thing in common: their participation in sports teams enhanced their cultural immersion and enjoyment during their stay in Hong Kong. Miss Victoria Ehresmann was an incoming exchange student from the University of Bamberg in Germany. Having practised fencing for over 10 years, she was very excited to become a member of the LU Fencing Team during her yearlong exchange in Hong Kong. She devotes herself wholeheartedly to fencing, stating that “I love fencing because on the one hand it is a physically demanding sport, which is intense and fast paced. On the other hand, fencing is a sport that is based on logic, and is often referred to as a physical form of chess, given that it is so strategy driven. A fencer who is ‘in the moment’, particularly during a competition bout, experiences an intensity of focus that is almost unmatched [by that in other sports]. Adrenaline flows, the mind becomes focused and the body responds. Even training has a high level of intensity, with the mind and body focused on one goal.” Victoria was very grateful to find a strong community in the LU Fencing Team, and enjoyed the constant reliable support from her teammates during training and competitions. In December 2021, she represented LU at the 2021 Hong Kong Open Fencing Championships and finished in the top 8 in the Women’s Sabre. She gained invaluable international experience from competing in this event.  Miss Victoria Ehresmann at the 2021 Hong Kong Open Fencing Championships, where she represented LU. The LU Fencing Team.

Mr Renno Brandsma from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, is a dedicated soccer player who has played at both amateur and professional levels for 13 years. His exchange semester did not stop him from making good progress in his technical soccer skills, as he played in the centre-back position in the LU Soccer Team. He recalled the excitement of facing a very strong opposition team in the semi-finals of the 24^th Jackie Chan Challenge Cup Hong Kong Universities Invitation Tournament 2021, and how proud he was that his team won the bronze medal. “Even though we lost [the semi-final match], with the final score being 0-3, the entire team showed great perseverance. We fought for every single ball. With the opposition team having some very tall players, our physicality was pushed to the limit. We did not take it easy on our opponents! I am very proud of all the players and it was our biggest learning experience as a team so far. It’s not the result that's important–it’s what we learned in the process.” Renno was also thankful for the privilege to advance his skills towards technical excellence by playing in a friendly match with the Hong Kong Rangers, who compete in the Hong Kong Premier League.

Mr Renno Brandsma (third from the right back row) and his LU Soccer teammates.

The LU Soccer Team and the Hong Kong Rangers before their friendly match.

Having been a professional jockey since childhood, Mr Pablo Laborde Fernandez from Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Spain, has ridden in numerous countries worldwide, such as Oman, Qatar, and the US, and in around half the countries of Europe. One of the major reasons he chose Hong Kong as his exchange programme destination was to experience the unique horse-racing culture at the Happy Valley and Sha Tin racecourses as an audience member. To maintain his physique during his exchange, he decided to take up a new sport, and joined the LU Taekwondo Team. As a beginner, Pablo attended 6 hours’ training per week, and learned the rules of Taekwondo fast. He appreciated the efforts of his coaches and the captain, who made sure that he was integrated into the team at the beginning and helped him to learn the techniques. With his outgoing personality, he had a lot of fun with all of his Taekwondo teammates, especially during the 3-day intensive training camp. He found that practising Taekwondo was a great way to interact with the local students and immerse himself in the local culture. Pablo rated his overall exchange experience at LU as 10 out of 10, and said that it was worth sacrificing a year of horse racing to study in Hong Kong.

Mr Pablo Laborde Fernandez (first on the right in the back row) and his teammates in the LU Taekwondo Team.

Miss Li Huiran and Miss Ling Huiwen from the Nanguang College of the Communication University of China had their first experience of squash by signing up for the LU Squash Team. Even though they found that the 4 hours of intensive training each week to develop essential skills was a bit tough, they enjoyed working up a sweat with their teammates. They did not speak the same language as the coach but could nevertheless understand the coach’s gestures and the interpretations provided by their teammates. Huiran cherished the sense of belonging to a team and the cohesion with her teammates: “My teammates and I became friends not only in sport but also in life. We shared news of our daily lives as well as knowledge about our studies. Joining the Squash Team has helped me settle into campus life quickly. My training time with my team was an unforgettable part of my exchange!”

The LU Squash Team.

To help students develop their potential and talents in sports, LU recruits approximately 500 students to form over 30 university sports teams every year. These teams participate in various inter-collegiate sports competitions. Incoming exchange students are welcome to apply to the Office of Student Affairs during the recruitment period at the start of the academic year. Upon successful selection, incoming exchange students join their fellow LU students to receive regular team training conducted by professional coaches.