2008 China Excursion

During the school year, I made the decision to study abroad in Shanghai and Beijing, China. Although I had the options of Europe and Australia, Asia seemed to be more of a culturally different and life-changing experience. Studying abroad was always something I had an interest in doing because it’s a great opportunity to understand cultures outside your own. It’s also a great way to earn extra college credit by traveling to places you may never be able to see again.

To prepare for China I bought books about what to expect and some basic Mandarin language books. I also registered for a visa to enter the country. This process was a lot harder than I had thought it would be. Everyone in the group was issued their visa except for another girl and I. We found out quickly that China had stopped issuing visas to Americans for the Olympics. However, after my congressman, Joe Knollenberg, wrote a letter to the Chinese Embassy, we were permitted to enter the country.

I was both nervous and excited to leave for China. I knew I would be thrown into a completely different culture, but was excited for the challenge. Only five other students at the University of Dayton shared my enthusiasm, and soon in mid-June we boarded a fourteen-hour flight to Shanghai, China.