Hey Everybody!
Things have been fantastic in Shanghai, but definitely staying really busy. I have always heard that study abroad would be a fun trip with more of a focus on having fun then on the studies, but it seems my adventure is the opposite. The school aspect has been pretty manageable with my advanced Chinese class being the most difficult. Dorm life has continued to be really great. My roommate, Arno, takes every available opportunity to teach me about Chinese language and culture. He has even invited me to his hometown in Anhui. It will be an amazing opportunity to spend more time with a Chinese family. During the summer I had spent 3 months with a Northern Chinese family, but it will be interesting to see what living with a family in a more southern Chinese city is like.
My internship has been a pretty cool opportunity, but one of the big struggles is the commute. The commute in Shanghai is not like the commute in any other city. When you are trying to travel around one of the largest and most crowded cities in the world, it has its drawbacks. One of the biggest problems I have is growing up in a western household where personal space and patience are stressed. In the Shanghai subway, both are liabilities. If you aren’t willing to be pressed up against people and then shove them to go out, you won’t be able to go anywhere.
My biggest tip right now for study abroad students is not putting too much on your plate. There needs to be a balance with all your activities. I found out a little too late that a job, an internship on top of classes was a bit too much. School should be the focus but I have learned a lot more from some of the weekend trips that I have taken, than some of classes.
On the flip side of things, one of the best things about study abroad in China is how affordable everything is. $3 will get you a big meal from many restaurants. Shanghai is the most expensive city in China but even then it is not too difficult to find cheap quality things like clothes or bags. The “fake market” is one of the best places to go in order to buy your favorite brands for a fraction of the cost. Although some of the people working there will see that you are foreign and will try to hike up the price, using a little Chinese and shrewd bargaining will be the difference maker.
That’s all right now from Shanghai. I will keep you all updated.
Mike