I arrived one rainy day approximately thirteen months ago in the bustling metropolis known as Shanghai, China. To be honest, everything felt like a nightmare upon arrival: the pace of the city, even from within the airport surpassed the daily campus life to which I had become accustomed. I scanned the airport signs, thankfully in English, and made my way to the taxi stands. By the time I am safely in a taxi and on my way to the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, I was exhausted and ready to relax, but then, the cab driver suddenly asked me a question, “where exactly is this particular campus of SUFE? What landmarks are close by?” To a native, this question would be a piece-of-cake; as a nervous Asian-foreigner, I dreaded demonstrating any uncertainty. I could not shake the anxiety and distrust of everyone just yet. I spun an elaborate tale of how I had just transferred schools, so I was unsure of the exact location as well. Thankfully, I arrived without further issues and day one ended.
Throughout my time in China, I never forgot the tidbits of knowledge on China and Chinese culture I had brought with me from the States, but I came to realize the enormous difference from experiencing second-hand and experiencing first-hand the reality of China. Often, we, as foreigners, associate “altered” versions of the truth with cultures, but the subtleties that enrich the significance of culture are often missed. For example, dumplings, fish, and liquor embody extra meaning during Chinese New Year’s. Dumplings represent wealth (extrapolated from the similarities in the shape to ancient silver and gold ingots); fish symbolize surplus (the Chinese words for fish and surplus are the same pronounced); and, liquor denote longevity (also because of the similarities in tone for liquor and longevity). Not only that, “Chinese food” in the States cannot all be found in China; in fact, if any dishes are found, the likelihood that the discovery occurred by coincidence rather than traditional recipes. These differences are not life-changing pieces of information, but they provide us with better understandings and appreciation of the customs of Chinese life and mindset. Admittedly, these little bits of cultural insight will not change bring about immediate change in the world, but, for the individual, increasing one’s understanding of another culture connects him to a global community. I often find myself proclaiming myself as belonging to more than one nation; my culture and my identity surpasses the restrictions of one country, and I can live freely and independently in the world. A large portion of this confidence comes from my study abroad experience, without which, I would likely be more reserved and limited in my abilities and knowledge.However great my own journey, I had one luxury that not everyone can afford: time. I went abroad as a sophomore, and this step-ahead gave me the time to plan out my remaining college years accordingly. Thus, I also wanted to address any concerns juniors maintain to facilitate the decision process for study abroad.
Junior year can be one of the busiest periods for college students; everyone is finishing up the bulk of their college education junior year and preparing for life after graduation. Internships become the center of dinner conversations and interviews begin to consume any free time. If one had a choice, he would escape from this stress, but, often, as a junior, this luxury does not exist. With the Alliance for Global Education, students can have the best of both worlds. The Alliance offers internships for their International Business in Shanghai program and they also help to place their students into suitable positions. I know a great deal of people who will use their international internship experience with the Alliance as a speaking point in interviews. The ability to excel in a professional setting in a foreign country demonstrates more than just academic talent, but also an array of social skills, such as adaptability, professionalism, and communication.
I doubt I have to mention this second factor, but for clarity’s sake, I will: language. People often claim that the best way to learn a language is to live there. Having tested this theory myself, I can testify to its validity. I began my journey in China with intermediate skills but unable to open my mouth for fear of miscommunicating my thoughts. By the time I returned to the States, I felt much more comfortable speaking Chinese than English; in fact, now when I meet Chinese students on campus, we proceed to use only Chinese rather than English.
The remaining advantage I will discuss today relates to culture and mindset. I have always been independent, but independence in China matured and taught me much more. I opened my eyes and expanded my horizons to accept the differences in culture and communication methods. I learned to adjust my previous knowledge with the new insights I had to share interesting perspectives on academic subjects and in social situations. The world grows increasingly interconnected every day; thus, the more we can extrapolate from our own experiences and apply them to the changing situations, the better we will be as global citizens. The people who are often the most intriguing and garner the most respect tend to be the ones who have had the most experiences and stories to share. I returned to the States one step closer to becoming that person because of my amazing study abroad experience. I shared my own enjoyment of the program with my peers and encouraged them to study abroad as well. And now, I hope my audience will consider doing the same. The journey is worth it.