It is unlikely for a student to study abroad for a semester in Beijing, China but I had the opportunity to study for a year. China is a complete different world; I had to step out of my comfort zone and take on more responsibilities than I thought I had too. Not only was the culture different but there was also a language boundary that I had to overcome. I have been taking Chinese for seven years before attending The Beijing Center so before going to China I had the confidence t
hat could get myself around and be able to order food but I was wrong. I’ve realized that learning in the classrooms and actually being in China is completely different. I froze every time someone spoke to me in Chinese during my first month but afterwards hearing other people speak, I started to catch on. After 8 months being in China, my listening and speaking have gotten a lot better. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel all over China from the most western to the southern part. I got to see many rural villages where heating and hot water is not a daily life nicety. As being an International Business major, I took my challenges and experiences in China as something I can grow and learn from. After studying in China, I know International Business is what I want to do. And I know for a fact that I will be going back to China.
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