David Zheng
Nursing ’27
GRIP: Nursing Research in Dublin
PGS: Tourism, Sustainability, and Local Impact in Indonesia
Contact
Ask Me About…
Student accommodations. This opportunity was one of the various paths I could’ve chosen in terms of housing in the grand city of Dublin. I was stuck between a homestay, which allows me to be culturally immersed with a family that is already well settled in the neighborhoods of Dublin; or living with other students within the city center and exploring on my own.
While the initial move-in was dauting, I do not regret it one bit. From being able to meet people from all around the world to even staying in contact with people from France to this day, it allowed me to be culturally immersed with people who were studying in Dublin but preferred to have a closer accommodation apart from their homes. This experience allowed me to find a community whilst in Dublin, while also being able to strengthen the bonds with my cohort by introducing the people I met within my accommodations to others at Penn. Being in a new environment where most days are gray skies, having this community has definitely helped me overcome many challenges like being homesick and actually being physically ill.
I hope to be able to serve as a mentor and guide to other students who are nervous about going abroad, as someone who was once anxious as a not so well-traveled individual. I hope to bring these positive experiences, while also being able to shine light on some potential challenges some may face, to the forefront to help support students in the best way possible.
My Experience Abroad
At Trinity College Dublin, I was exposed to Nursing research for the very first time. It paved way to a potential career path that I had been interested in, but never delved deep into. Through GRIP, I was provided with much support, as I went through the trials and tribulations of working through a research paper.
Although challenging, I am so excited to have gained the needed skills and tools for my future experience in academic research. I feel thoroughly prepared to take on more research projects in the future, as I learned how to independently work on GRIP projects and collaborate with others as a team. I learned about various research methodologies and broke down various pre-assumed notions I had towards research. While challenging at times, I am glad to have had this experience–forwarding my learning skills by honing them with further research on campus while also being able to bring forth the personal skills I acquired while abroad.
Other Highlights
- Community. This word has changed its definition throughout my time abroad. I always assumed this was just a word that meant people around you, such as your friends, families, teachers, etc… but it is much more than that. Being a part of a cohort has allowed me to truly understand community, and its being able to grow with one another and care for each other. This, in turn, improved my social-emotional intelligence skills, as we helped one another with issues or problem-solving in our research teams. Aside from this, we connected with one another by hosting things such as group dinners.
- Cultural immersion. While at first I was shocked at the differences in how people behave and act, it was truly amazing seeing myself become adapted to the way others live. This has allowed me to become more adaptable and allow me to apply these teachings well beyond my time at Penn.
- Friends. I am still in contact with people that I have met at Trinity College and my Student Accommodation. I am extremely interested in how other systems work, and have been able to allow a cross cultural exchange situation where the people I have met at my student accommodation will visit me in Philadelphia while I visit them in France! Meeting new people and learning new perspectives is definitely a huge highlight of my experience.
