My time in Wuhan started when I arrived at the Railway station on the day before the program started. I have been incredibly excited to participate in the AI Robot International Summer School at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology. We were welcomed wholeheartedly by a program volunteer, who was waiting for us with signs. After a short cab ride, we arrived at the campus, and I was immediately shocked by the huge size of the campus. It was really impressing to see!
The next morning, I woke up early for the Opening Ceremony and met all the other students attending the Summer School Program. Everybody was excited to explore the campus and the city.
The academic program was truly exceptional. As a computer science student, I found the lectures incredibly relevant and interesting. One of the most fascinating topics we covered was Robot simulation and programming. The lecture on autonomous driving was also very captivating, showing the future of transportation. As each topic had only 1 lecture slot, it was rather an overview of the topic which I found perfect for students from different fields.
The practical sessions in the second week were a highlight. We began the practical Innovation Training, where we worked in small groups to control robot arms. Programming sequences for the robot to pick up and place objects automatically was my favorite activity of the week. We created the sequence by hand and then ran the automation. Also, in the Innovation Training we learned how to maintain a robot arm, by learning the Structure and Assembly of Industrial Robots. The 6-axis industrial robot seemed intimidating at first and I feared to do something wrong, but with the teacher’s instruction it was easy. The Centre for Practice Innovations is equipped with modern facilities and getting hands-on experience was amazing.
The Chinese culture classes in the afternoon gave an interesting insight about language and culture. Calligraphy and fan painting were my favorite cultural activities while also creating a beautiful and unique souvenir to bring back home. Our teachers gave a brief history background and guided us to make our own. Other activities ranged from Chinese culture to Museum visits.
The only downside on the program was its schedule. Because there was a class in the morning with a 4-hour break between two lectures, we had little free time during the day, as a trip to downtown Wuhan already takes around 1 hour. After class finishes at 5pm, there also is not much time to explore much of the city. I would wish that the break would be a bit shorter to allow students to structure their day a bit more freely.
Outside the university there was a lot to see. Wuhan is a huge city with a lot of activities to offer. No trip to Wuhan would be complete without a visit to the Yellow Crane Tower. The beautiful tower is surrounded by traditional Chinese architecture and was perfect for a visit during sunset. Climbing the tower was exhausting, but so worth it. Having the best view over the Yangtze River was breathtaking and the lightshow after sunset rounded up the experience. It was breathtaking!
I spent my free time exploring Wuhan’s city, street markets and beautiful scenery. The food was incredible. As someone who loves spicy food, every meal was a culinary experience.
Malatang(麻辣烫) has to be one of my favorites that I will be missing at home a lot.
On the weekend, I went outside Wuhan to visit Changsha, a nearby city in the Hunan province. I directly felt how different the city is, despite being not far away from Wuhan. I hiked up the Yuelu Mountain and had an amazing 1-day trip.
The most valuable parts about this experience were the people. My classmates came from many different countries which created an exciting atmosphere with the urge to talk with everybody. It was easy to make new friends and meet other people with the same interest in this program.
Meeting locals from Wuhan also contributed to that and sharing laughter and experiences despite the language barrier made me feel very welcome. A group of 13-year-old boys approached me and were really interested in my origin and asked a lot of questions. We spent around 1 hour just talking and it is one of my favorite memory during my time here.
This summer school program was an unforgettable experience. Despite learning about the future technologies, I also developed a different view and perspective on the daily life in a new culture. I arrived here as stranger and left as former HUST student, who will always feel nostalgic thinking about my time here.
I am truly grateful that I was given the opportunity to attend the program. I hope to return to Wuhan in the future and experience it again. I can recommend everyone thinking about attending the program to just do it. It is so worth it!
