I have already been in Mostar for 3 months. This is the last week of the first term. I had a lot of fun and made a lot of new friends here. Although I am really bad at socializing, however, I conquered my weakness and decided to step forward out from my comfort zone. I would say Mostar is quite a unique place for me. It makes me more independent and having a good time management when it comes to school days. UWCiM is special for its separated campus and residences. We have three residences which are located in different locations in the city. We are always exploring the city while we walk to school in the morning. People here are intimate and kind when you know how to order coffees and food, or even saying thank you in local when you bought something from the grocery store. It is amazing that I could have this chance to come to Mostar. I have never heard about this country before being accepted by UWC Taiwan. Fellow students and who’s gonna become a firstie in the future, you and your parents might think Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a dangerous, unsecured country. I know the refugee crisis has been smashing around the world recently. But don’t be afraid of visiting or studying in this unique country. UWCiM’s CAS experiences are the most significant thing that you will ever experienced in your life. You will never have the chance to be in touch with refugee camps, or even go on hiking and sailing around Bosnia.

I know many people will come up with many questions when they are going to study abroad for their first time. How do we manage to conquer the cultural differences? How do we deal with culture shock? What do we do when we are homesick? How do we become friends with people from different countries?
Let me answer these questions with some short responses. In my own opinion and experiences, I would not see cultural differences as a problem. I felt like a geek when I first came here. I didn’t interact with any people, I didn’t talk to people, I didn’t even wanna be in touch with most of the teenagers out there. There are students from all over the world. And I do understand that we have to speak English all the time. It might not be a comfortable language for you to communicate to people, or even taking full English courses in class. However, don’t be afraid. You will always find a solution when you have more time alone. For me, I have overcome many difficulties such as start to talk with people, start to go to parties, began my photography amateur career as a school photographer. I started to recognize myself and everyone as a unique individual. We all have our own capacity when it comes to different lifestyles or different behaviors. I usually give myself a lot more time being alone for completing different school tasks and spending time to think about college apps and many other things that I would feel comfortable with.

People who are wiling or are going to study abroad soon. Don’t be afraid when it comes to facing some severe decisions. Always try out new things when you have the chance to do it. If you are interested in coming to Mostar. Be prepared and don’t stress too much about it. And also, discuss with your parents and your friends when it comes to starting a new academic life in an unfamiliar country.

To sum up, I want to show my appreciation of how glad I am and happy to be accepted by UWC Taiwan. I am glad to become a part of the UWC Community. It has already been through 3 months in Mostar. I have experienced a lot. I made many friends, even some local friends as well. It is a unique opportunity for coming to Mostar. I would never regret coming here. I still have so many things and places to explore. I wish you all the best and have nice day.