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Describe a meal you enjoyed eating outside your home.
You should say:
what the meal was
where you ate it
who you were with
and explain why you enjoyed this meal.

One of the most enjoyable meals I’ve had outside my home was during a short trip I took to Hanoi, Vietnam last year. I had the chance to try ‘nem rán’, which are traditional Vietnamese spring rolls.

I had spent the whole afternoon walking around the Old Quarter, and by evening, I was craving something warm and satisfying. A local friend of mine recommended a small family-run restaurant near the lake, so I went with her to try it.

The spring rolls were absolutely delicious. They were made with minced chicken, glass noodles, mushrooms and finely chopped vegetables all wrapped in rice paper and then deep-fried until crispy. They were served with a small bowl of tangy sauce made from fish sauce, garlic and chili. We also had them with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs like mint, and lettuce to wrap everything up.

What made the experience really memorable was the contrast in textures and flavours—the crunch of the roll, the softness of the noodles, and the freshness of the herbs all came together amazingly well. It felt light but filling. I also enjoyed it because my Vietnamese friend was with me to explain the ingredients that went into the dish.

Even now, when I think of Hanoi, the taste of those spring rolls is one of the first things that comes to mind.

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Describe a time when you learned something from a mistake.
You should say:
what the mistake was
when it happened
how you realised it was a mistake
and explain what you learned from it.

One mistake that really stuck with me happened during a football match I played in high school. I was the captain of our school team, and we had made it to the regional finals. The pressure was high, and I let it affect the way I approached the match.

Early in the second half, we were one goal behind. I made a snap decision to push further up the field to try to even out the score. In doing so, I left our defence completely exposed. The opposing team quickly took advantage of the gap and scored another goal. They then held the lead for the rest of the game, and we ended up losing 2-0.

After the match, I felt devastated—not just because we lost, but because I knew my decision had let the team down. The coach pulled me aside afterwards to remind me of the importance of trusting the game plan rather than trying to fix things on my own.

That experience taught me a lot about discipline and teamwork. I realised that leadership isn’t about trying to do everything yourself. It’s about staying composed, listening to your teammates and coach, and making decisions that benefit the team.

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Describe a time you were very busy.
You should say:
when it was
why you were so busy
what you had to do
and explain how you felt about being that busy.

One particularly busy time in my life was about six months ago. I had a major work deadline that coincided with my final exams at university. It was a two-week period in December when everything seemed to pile up at once, and I felt like I barely had time to sleep.

At work, I was part of a small team developing an urgent feature for a client’s web application. We had to code, test and deploy within a matter of weeks. On top of that, I was in my final semester of a computer science degree, and I had two major project submissions and three final exams looming.

To manage everything, I created a detailed daily schedule and stuck to it religiously. I would attend lectures in the morning, work remotely as a developer during the afternoon and then study late into the night. I even used breaks in my workday to revise for my exams or debug our project’s code. It was honestly exhausting!

Although it was challenging—both mentally and physically—I learned a lot about time management and staying focused under pressure. When the client project went live without any issues and I passed all my exams with high marks, I felt incredibly proud!

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Describe a technology or gadget that you find fascinating.
You should say:
what the technology or gadget is
how you first learned about it
what you use it for
and explain why you find it fascinating.

One piece of technology that I find absolutely fascinating is the smartwatch. Specifically, I use an Apple Watch, but I believe most smartwatches these days offer similar features.

I first learned about smartwatches a few years ago when a friend of mine showed me his new watch during a coffee meetup. I remember being amazed at how he was able to receive messages, track his steps, and even monitor his heart rate—all from his wrist.

I primarily use my smartwatch to keep track of my daily fitness goals. It records how many steps I take, how many calories I burn, and it even reminds me to stand up and move around if I’ve been sitting for too long. Additionally, I use it to quickly check notifications without having to constantly reach for my phone.

What I find most fascinating about this gadget is how it seamlessly combines health, communication and convenience into one compact device. The fact that it can even detect if I’ve fallen or measure my blood oxygen levels is truly remarkable. I believe wearable technology like this will play an increasingly important role in how we manage our health in the future.

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Describe a photo of yourself that you like.
You should say:
-when it was taken
-who took it
-what you were doing in the photo
and explain why you like this photo.

One of my favourite photos of myself was taken about three years ago, during a hiking trip in a mountainous region of my home country. It was taken by a friend of mine from university, who is really into photography.

In the photo, I’m standing on the edge of a rocky cliff overlooking a stunning blue lake with snow-capped mountains in the distance. I’m wearing a windbreaker and a backpack, and I remember that exact moment because the wind was so strong, it almost knocked me off balance. I was laughing, and my friend managed to capture that natural, candid expression. The lighting was perfect too, as the sun was starting to set and filled the sky with orange and pink hues.

I love this photo because it reminds me of a moment when I felt truly alive. I felt far from the stress of my daily life. I also feel it captures who I really am: someone who enjoys exploring new places and finding beauty in the outdoors. Every time I look at it, I find a sense of peace and freedom.

For me, this photo is more than just a picture — it’s a snapshot of a memory I’ll always cherish.

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Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.
You should say:
where it was
when you went there
what you saw
and explain how you felt about being in that colourful place.

One place that truly amazed me with its colour was Ihwa Mural Village located in my home city, Seoul. I visited it last autumn with a friend who was visiting from overseas.

Ihwa Mural Village is a small neighbourhood on a hillside that was transformed into a vibrant public art space. Artists were invited to paint murals and create installations to revitalise the area, and now it’s full of life and colour. As my friend and I walked through the narrow alleyways, we saw walls covered in paintings of flowers, animals and abstract patterns. Even the staircases had artwork—one staircase had a beautiful painting of koi fish that looked like they were swimming up the steps.

What made the place even more special was how the art blended with the everyday lives of the residents. Flower pots, painted mailboxes and colourful signs made it feel like the entire village was part of an open-air gallery.

Being there made me feel cheerful and inspired. It was the kind of place that sparks your imagination and lifts your mood. It reminded me that colour and creativity can really change the way we experience a place.

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Describe a time when you saw something very unusual or surprising. You should say:

what it was
where you saw it
who was with you
and explain why it was so unusual or surprising.

One of the most unusual things I’ve ever seen happened when I was in Japan a couple of years ago. I was visiting a small town called Nara, which is famous for its ancient temples and friendly wild deer that roam freely in the city. What surprised me was something the deer did that was completely unexpected.

In one of the parks, my friends and I saw a deer walk up to a vending machine and wait in front of it patiently. A moment later a local man walked over and actually bought the deer a snack from the machine! The vending machine, oddly enough, sold little packs of deer crackers, and the deer seemed to know exactly how the whole system worked.

I was completely fascinated. I had seen smart animals before, like parrots mimicking speech, but this level of awareness in a wild animal was something else. The deer behaved almost like a polite citizen, waiting its turn like it had done it a hundred times.

To this day, that moment has stayed with me — not just because it was unusual, but because it was so oddly civilised for a wild animal.

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Describe a situation when you had to change your opinion about something or someone.
You should say:
What the original opinion was
Why you held that opinion
What made you change it
And explain what you learned from the change

One situation when I had to completely change my opinion was regarding a colleague of mine named Jeff. When I first started working at a previous job, I thought he was quite cold and unapproachable. He rarely smiled and didn’t really make an effort to chat with anyone on the team. Because of that, I assumed he was arrogant or simply not interested in building any sort of relationship with his colleagues.

I think I formed that impression partly because of how he carried himself—very serious, very focused. Also, some of my teammates seemed to hold a similar opinion, which probably influenced my thinking more than I realised at the time.

However, everything changed when Jeff and I were assigned to work together on a fairly demanding project. From the very beginning, Jeff was incredibly helpful and surprisingly down-to-earth once we started talking more. He had a dry sense of humour and a very calm way of handling pressure. I soon discovered that he was just naturally introverted and a bit reserved in group settings. In fact, he later mentioned that he’d always struggled with social anxiety, which explained a lot of his earlier behaviour.

That experience really made me reflect on how easily we can misjudge others. By the end of the project, we’d built a solid working relationship and even became friends outside of work.

This experience reminded me not to jump to conclusions and to always give people the benefit of the doubt.

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Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision quickly.
You should say:
What the situation was
What decision you made
Why it was difficult
And explain what you learned from the experience.

Well, one time that really stands out was when I was travelling abroad and missed a connecting flight due to a delay. I was in Frankfurt Airport, and my flight to Dublin was cancelled because of heavy fog. I had less than 10 minutes to decide whether to wait overnight for the next available flight or book a last-minute train and ferry route through France and the UK to get home.

The decision I made was to take the overland route. It involved multiple transfers: a train to Paris, then to London, and finally a ferry across to Ireland.

It was difficult for several reasons. First, it was expensive and required navigating different transport systems in countries where I didn’t speak the language fluently. I also had no time to think because seats were quickly selling out. And to make matters even more stressful, I had committed to a job interview in Dublin the next morning!

In the end, the journey took almost 24 hours, but I made it in time for the interview. What I learned from this experience is that sometimes trusting your instincts and acting decisively is better than waiting for the perfect option!

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Describe a place and time you would revisit in your life if you could time travel.
You should say:
Where you would go
What time period it is
What you would do there
And explain why you chose that particular place and time

If I had the chance to time travel, I would go back to my first year at university, which was about a decade ago. The university campus was located in a student-friendly city, and for me, that period was a perfect mix of excitement and freedom.

I would return to that time not to change anything, but to relive it with greater awareness and appreciation. Back then, everything felt so fast-paced — lectures, assignments, new friendships — and I didn’t always take the time to enjoy the moment. If I could revisit that time, I would sit in on my old classes and spend more time with the friends I’ve since lost touch with.

I think I’d also take more photos, journal more and worry less about grades. I’d also spend more time talking to my professors and possibly getting more directly involved in the research they were carrying out at that time.

I chose this time and place because it marked a turning point in my life. It was when I started becoming independent and shaping the path I’m on now. In many ways, going back wouldn’t just be a nostalgic trip — it would be a chance to reconnect with the foundation of who I’ve become.