Eric He '23

Studying abroad in Korea allowed me to learn more about who I am. Growing up as a first-generation Chinese American, I always knew I wanted to travel to Asia and more specifically, China. Despite difficulties amidst the COVID-19 pandemic where I could not travel to my mother country, an opportunity for Korea arose and I took it in with open hands. Despite how different the Chinese and Korean cultures are, they share a common heritage. I was able to experience collectivist culture, something I had learned so much about through books and was eager to experience firsthand. I was able to compare the differences to my own culture and learn about which values I appreciate from both cultures. Furthermore, I was able to document my experiences through making over 25 short videos showcasing my life abroad in hopes to inspire other students, especially students of color, to study abroad.  

As a senior at UMass, I am in high spirits to graduate in the Commonwealth Honors College with Latin Honors. I am currently working on a year-long thesis in Community Civic Engagement in which I will be working with my community’s local food pantry to provide an interpretation service for non-English speaking recipients. Upon graduation, I hope to be able to travel to China and learn Mandarin-Chinese. I also plan to continue making short videos in hopes to build community with others aspiring to gain meaningful experiences.