What Fear Feels Like
On the last day of my study abroad program my language teacher teasingly asked us if we had to summarize our program experience in 3 words what would they be. We jokingly came up with the answer “Shuo zhong wen” (speak Chinese). As I mentioned in my last blog post, there truly is no where else in world I’ve been to that is as unique and enthralling as Shanghai. At the same time, there is no other place in the world that has challenged me more as a traveler or as a global citizen. From living in China I have become more determined to understand diverse cultures and to be involved in promoting better global relations. I witnessed the power of language and how communication creates a bridge between cultures, making me more inspired than ever to study foreign languages. I learned what fear feels like when you move to a brand new country knowing nobody else. And I also discovered how much you can open yourself up to when you accept new challenges. Overall, my professional goals have shifted to me now envisioning myself working in a role that connects between the United States and China. Specifically, I would love to attend law school in the future and concentrate in International Law. From studying abroad in Shanghai and embarking on this 4 year journey of studying Mandarin I have pushed myself further than I ever imagined. Studying Mandarin has been nothing short of hard and has really proved to me what we’re capable of doing with determination. Being able to practice Mandarin in Shanghai has been the greatest chapter in my language journey and has taught me what learning experiences we open ourselves to when we learn how to speak with people from other backgrounds. To this day my favorite experience has probably been being able to travel to the country-side of Sichuan with some of my classmates to help rebuild houses damaged by a recent earthquake. This experience really exemplified how much we can learn about a country talking to people and families from different regions. If I had to give advice to a future participant it would be to come with an open-mind and a willingness to try something different. Studying abroad in Shanghai was a once-in-a-lifetime experiment but if I had the chance to study abroad again I’d love to try Hong Kong.
