10 months after arriving in China, I think it is interesting to take stock, to give advice to those who want to live this kind of experience. The following post is dedicated to generalize about student life in China. I would do another article on specific learning Chinese and the method and another on the environment at the university.The views expressed are solely that of course me! Maybe they have some different experiences, please share them!
Why go to China?
There are many reasons when the "expats". are asked
-Experience of another culture. We go out of the West, we see something else. Scenery guaranteed (living environment, writing, thinking, cooking ...). You can immerse yourself in the culture and rich and exciting Chinese civilization (History, opera, theater, calligraphy, tai chi chuan, kung fu, ...).
-L'apprentissage Chinese accelerated speed as long as you have the Chinese friends
-The China this incredible business opportunities. This is where it moves, this is where it should be. The country is developing at a very fast speed, everything changes very quickly. It is a country starts, we built something without stopping. Learning Chinese can be useful for doing business.
-China is great. It allows you to make beautiful trips. Tropical beaches of Hainan in the extreme south to Harbin Ice Palace near the Russian border. Distance Beijing-Sanya (Hainan) is the equivalent of Paris-Moscow. In some provinces, such as Yunnan, Tibet or Xinjiang, one has the impression of being in another country (language, facies, landscapes, everything is different). Imperial Palace in Beijing skyscrapers in Shanghai or Hong Kong, you will take full eyes.
-China it's cheap. Restaurant every day (xiaochi about 80 cents per person, restaurant class: 2-3 euros). The taxi is extremely cheap. Clothing, shoes not worth much. Vein for good quality products in the markets polo = 3 euros, 8 euros sweater, shoe: less than 10 euros). 75 min Foot Massage: 3 euros. You will certainly get a nice collection of DVD at the end of the year (between 50 cents and 1 euro for false unity, about 3 true). Same for music and books.
There are many reasons when the "expats". are asked
-Experience of another culture. We go out of the West, we see something else. Scenery guaranteed (living environment, writing, thinking, cooking ...). You can immerse yourself in the culture and rich and exciting Chinese civilization (History, opera, theater, calligraphy, tai chi chuan, kung fu, ...).
-L'apprentissage Chinese accelerated speed as long as you have the Chinese friends
-The China this incredible business opportunities. This is where it moves, this is where it should be. The country is developing at a very fast speed, everything changes very quickly. It is a country starts, we built something without stopping. Learning Chinese can be useful for doing business.
-China is great. It allows you to make beautiful trips. Tropical beaches of Hainan in the extreme south to Harbin Ice Palace near the Russian border. Distance Beijing-Sanya (Hainan) is the equivalent of Paris-Moscow. In some provinces, such as Yunnan, Tibet or Xinjiang, one has the impression of being in another country (language, facies, landscapes, everything is different). Imperial Palace in Beijing skyscrapers in Shanghai or Hong Kong, you will take full eyes.
-China it's cheap. Restaurant every day (xiaochi about 80 cents per person, restaurant class: 2-3 euros). The taxi is extremely cheap. Clothing, shoes not worth much. Vein for good quality products in the markets polo = 3 euros, 8 euros sweater, shoe: less than 10 euros). 75 min Foot Massage: 3 euros. You will certainly get a nice collection of DVD at the end of the year (between 50 cents and 1 euro for false unity, about 3 true). Same for music and books.
I think a year from China is a great experience, if you have good coping skills. It comes back with something extra. It teaches perspective and open. For me, there is no culture shock if you go in North America or Europe.You may feel a little taken aback by some of the details, but overall, the environment is almost the same as in France. When I went worked three months in the US, it seemed that Americans were quite different from the French, but the adjustment difficulties are nothing compared to that found in China. If you overcome it, then you get the most and you come back with a very rewarding experience.
Warning:I think it's important to realize what is happening on site. A majority of Western students say they have suffered in China and have preferred to go elsewhere. A shot of blues from time to time, this is normal. But it often takes quite dramatic proportions .. A Beiwai, there is a kind of games at the moment, to the one who will go faster in France and it saddens me.
Think about it twice before you go!
China it is still the third world. It is an environment in which you are not accustomed. It will in time, I hope.Streets and dilapidated roads, hygiene, coughing, poverty, these are things that need to be prepared. The Chinese are rather polite in private relations, however in situations where they do not know anyone, they are fairly harsh. It will push you to the subway exit without saying sorry. Queues to the Chinese, it's funny too ...
The Chinese do not speak English. It is imperative to talk (good) Chinese to get by.
You will arrive and be the spectator of a world beyond you. It goes fast, you do not understand how it works (cultural barrier, but especially language). After you have the choice. You overcome the barrier, Bossant your Chinese, with lots of Asian friends, and you integrate into the Chinese world. Or you look at the thing from the outside, you build a Western group of friends with whom you can speak English, and you stay because "it feels good" to be similar between.
Many crack fairly quickly after few months because of the isolation. You can not "avoid" China forever. I'm not saying we should absolutely avoid Western China, but if you came to speak English with American or Spanish may be a Erasmus year in Europe, you might have been preferable.
IT should not be confused travel and study for a year in China. Of course you can enjoy the many holiday for travel, but most is not. Much of the time you spend in your destination city. A Year in China is long! Must achieve before starting an academic year lasts 11 months. If you're looking to travel to China, take your backpack and do something during the summer three months of French holiday at the university.
Those who like China, they are integrated. I think it's hard to enjoy this year if you do not not have a prior appeal to the Asian culture.
Do not come to China just because your economics teacher told you this is that it had to go. The language of business is English. Chinese if you master it is a huge advantage, of course. But before negotiating a contract in Mandarin, it will have made great efforts. aUtiliser Chinese professionally it takes to get started. We can work a difficult language (to us Westerners) written and spoken that if you like it, if you have Chinese friends and we are very interested in the culture. So, I think in advance the reasons I go to China, we must remember that most of the cultural attraction and learning Chinese. If it's not something that interests you, then a summer trip to China, or a language course of 2-3 months in the summer in a Chinese university, sufficient to meet your needs. Remember that a year is a long time. The language course is boring in general (though in Chinese, is a bit better). But hey, when you pass 18 hours per week to do the grammar, vocabulary and dictations, it quickly becomes daunting. You have to work to be able to speak correctly, but it is boring, and you have to find the motivation. Doing an internship in China can be a good option for those not wanting to invest in learning the language (just take some evening classes). Place one to "suffer" is obviously wasting his time. Where is the "plus" on a resume when after a year of study in China, it is difficult to read a Chinese text level CP? (This relates to a large majority of students, it must know). Conclusion I may have been a bit negative on this post, even though I have spent an unforgettable and extremely rich year in China. I especially want to prevent that from happening too often what we see in China, disappointments. If you feel close to the challenge, go for it!Learn to speak Chinese, make friends, integrate you! With motivation, we can overcome the culture shock. This year allowed me to see something else, to live incredible experiences. In addition to travel, I especially will remember the outputs with the Chinese at the bar, karaoke or canned. I really had a great time with them and it made this really special year.
Think about it twice before you go!
China it is still the third world. It is an environment in which you are not accustomed. It will in time, I hope.Streets and dilapidated roads, hygiene, coughing, poverty, these are things that need to be prepared. The Chinese are rather polite in private relations, however in situations where they do not know anyone, they are fairly harsh. It will push you to the subway exit without saying sorry. Queues to the Chinese, it's funny too ...
The Chinese do not speak English. It is imperative to talk (good) Chinese to get by.
You will arrive and be the spectator of a world beyond you. It goes fast, you do not understand how it works (cultural barrier, but especially language). After you have the choice. You overcome the barrier, Bossant your Chinese, with lots of Asian friends, and you integrate into the Chinese world. Or you look at the thing from the outside, you build a Western group of friends with whom you can speak English, and you stay because "it feels good" to be similar between.
Many crack fairly quickly after few months because of the isolation. You can not "avoid" China forever. I'm not saying we should absolutely avoid Western China, but if you came to speak English with American or Spanish may be a Erasmus year in Europe, you might have been preferable.
IT should not be confused travel and study for a year in China. Of course you can enjoy the many holiday for travel, but most is not. Much of the time you spend in your destination city. A Year in China is long! Must achieve before starting an academic year lasts 11 months. If you're looking to travel to China, take your backpack and do something during the summer three months of French holiday at the university.
Those who like China, they are integrated. I think it's hard to enjoy this year if you do not not have a prior appeal to the Asian culture.
Do not come to China just because your economics teacher told you this is that it had to go. The language of business is English. Chinese if you master it is a huge advantage, of course. But before negotiating a contract in Mandarin, it will have made great efforts. aUtiliser Chinese professionally it takes to get started. We can work a difficult language (to us Westerners) written and spoken that if you like it, if you have Chinese friends and we are very interested in the culture. So, I think in advance the reasons I go to China, we must remember that most of the cultural attraction and learning Chinese. If it's not something that interests you, then a summer trip to China, or a language course of 2-3 months in the summer in a Chinese university, sufficient to meet your needs. Remember that a year is a long time. The language course is boring in general (though in Chinese, is a bit better). But hey, when you pass 18 hours per week to do the grammar, vocabulary and dictations, it quickly becomes daunting. You have to work to be able to speak correctly, but it is boring, and you have to find the motivation. Doing an internship in China can be a good option for those not wanting to invest in learning the language (just take some evening classes). Place one to "suffer" is obviously wasting his time. Where is the "plus" on a resume when after a year of study in China, it is difficult to read a Chinese text level CP? (This relates to a large majority of students, it must know). Conclusion I may have been a bit negative on this post, even though I have spent an unforgettable and extremely rich year in China. I especially want to prevent that from happening too often what we see in China, disappointments. If you feel close to the challenge, go for it!Learn to speak Chinese, make friends, integrate you! With motivation, we can overcome the culture shock. This year allowed me to see something else, to live incredible experiences. In addition to travel, I especially will remember the outputs with the Chinese at the bar, karaoke or canned. I really had a great time with them and it made this really special year.
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