Studying Abroad

I just recently got back from studying abroad in China and it was AWESOME. Not only was it a great experience but I also received credits and it counted as a capstone course for my Entrepreneurship Certificate. The purpose of the trip was to visit companies and attend lectures in order to experience how the Chinese do business while also learning about the culture. We first went to Beijing for 8 days then flew to Hong Kong and stayed there for 7 days. In Beijing we stayed at Tsinghua University, which is a very prestigious university in China. During our stay in Beijing, we attended lectures from the university professors on Chinese culture, communicating and dealing with Chinese people, foreign policy, and even took a few lessons in speaking Chinese. Some of the companies we visited include Baker and Daniel Law Firm, Cummins, and the American Chamber of Commerce. The program also included tours of historical sites in Beijing such as the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall. During our down time, we were able to do things such as play sports with the Chinese students, visit the Silk Market, and experience the amazing Chinese night life.

During our time in Hong Kong, we stayed at the YMCA Hotel, which is right in the middle of the city. We visited Dunwell Enviro- Tech, Invest Hong Kong, and the US Consulate General as well as attended a seminar on doing business in Hong Kong and China. All of the meetings that we attended while in Hong Kong were very interesting because Hong Kong is such a diverse city. We also got to take a tour, which included seeing the Victorian Peak, which over looks all of Hong Kong, Bird Street, and the beautiful Repulse Bay area. The program also allowed for us to take a dinner cruise around the Hong Kong harbor so that we could view the city lit up at night. During our free day, a bunch of us took a ferry to Macau for the day. Macau is a small country about 45 minutes away from Hong Kong that’s very similar to Las Vegas in the way that it is famous for its vast amount of casinos. That was a very fun day as well. After a week in Hong Kong, we packed up and flew 14 hours back to the United States.

All in all, studying abroad in China was one of the best decisions of my life. My time in China flew by, and I would go back again in a heartbeat. It’s an experience that I was able to take so much away from and that I will never forget. I would Highly recommend studying abroad anywhere before graduation, you will not regret it. Definitely the highlight of my summer!

--- Sam Shaner