Hello, my name is Wei Jie. I’m an international
undergraduate student from Malaysia majoring in Microbiology under the School
of Environmental and Biological Sciences in Rutgers.
This summer, I will be heading to France to participate in
the Microbiology and Culture in Cheese and Wine program! I first heard of the
program during the Fall semester of my junior year from a person who once went
on the program. He called it “the best course in Rutgers ever”. This program
definitely has all the words that sit well with me: microbiology, culture,
cheese, wine, France. I often imagine myself going on the course, thinking that
I would never have the chance to do so as I could never afford it. Until I
heard about the SEBS Summer Scholarship…
As I planned my itinerary, I realized that a flight into UK
is way cheaper than a flight into France. Luck has it that I have a couple of
friends staying in the UK. My travel instinct took charge, and so I’m heading
to Britain a few days before France.
With due honesty, I actually dislike the process of
traveling. Lethargy is a feeling I try to avoid. But still, trading comfort for
the opportunity to experience new things, new sights, and new tastes ultimately
doesn’t sound so bad. At least I’d have more conversation topics with
acquaintances and lot of stories reserved for my grandchildren (if I have any).
UK and France will be the fifth and sixth country
respectively that I would add into my travels. I’ve previously been to
Malaysia, Singapore, China, and the USA. This would also mean that I’ll be
stepping in European soil for the first time. Well, maybe not exactly the first
time since I’ve transited in London-Heathrow Airport on my way to the United States
for the first time, but transits don’t really count right? I’m looking forward
to see how European countries compare with the United States. Also, I’m looking
forward to view some landmarks (images of Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumph, Lourve
Museum, Buckingham Palace, and Stonehenge flash across my mind). Then there’s
food (dying to try escargots out), history, and culture.
Equally on top of my list is to explore Microbiology in a
whole new different way. As a proud Microbiologist, I am really interested to explore
Microbiology in many different ways. I’ve taken classes on microbial ecology,
biochemistry, applied microbiology, and virology. For each different aspect of
Microbiology that I take, I find myself loving the subject more and more.
Through this course in France, I am really looking forward to learn how the
development of Microbiology has been influenced by culture, and to view and
experience how microbiology is involved in our daily lives.
As I write this post, I am actually on flight from Newark
Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow Airport with Louisa (another
fellow traveler, friend, housemate, SEBS Scholarship recipient, and program
participant). Preparations for this trip has been very-very interesting, but
that’s another story to share for another time. :D
Written on:
11:00pm EST, 6/13/2012
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