Study Abroad: My Experience as an Exchange Student in China

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page;"- Saint AugustineStudying abroad is an opportunity to grow and test one's limits. In the interest of encouraging other students to pursue international education I would like to share my experiences and the general bits of wisdom I gained along the way. I was inspired by and chose to study abroad due to my interest in foreign languages. In my life I have always had an unwavering dream. My dream was about equality, diversity and understanding. I grew up in a small town where everyone knew each other and everybody held some kind of prejudice. While people judged others I tended to wonder about cultural differences with intrigue. This led to my interest in foreign languages and culture. I always knew that I wanted to travel and study in Asia. I believe that in order for our society to work efficiently we must understand each other, embrace our differences, and learn from one another. My journey was only truly able to begin because of my parents' encouragement, their struggles and morals. They taught me to always be sincere, treat everyone equally, be responsible for my actions, and, most importantly, that perseverance is the key to my success.During my undergraduate career, I have gained friends from all over the world, learning something new about culture and language every day. I began studying Chinese my first semester. At first it was difficult but after studying a specific language for a while I developed a new way of thinking. During my second semester of college, my roommate was from Turkey. We both shared the same love for cultural understanding. As a result we tried to expand our cultural awareness to everyone in our dorm by hanging a different word on our door every day. After studying Chinese for two years, I decided it was time to study abroad. The main reason for studying abroad, from my perspective, was to improve my language skills through immersion.Making the Dream Come TrueGetting Prepared for the JourneyThe following is a list of fundamental matters that must be handled before going abroad:* Apply for and receive passport and visa* Obtain abroad address give to family, friends, and advisor* Visit a physician for checkup and receive any necessary immunizations* Consult with bank (debit cards, abroad ATM fees, and travelers checks)* Research and purchase travel insurance* Read safe travel guidelines* Research the customs of intended destinationScholarships and Resources for Studying AbroadWhen I applied to study abroad, initially expressing my worry about funds, my study abroad advisor recommended that I apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The scholarship was named after a retired congressman from New York. The mission of this program is to "diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go." Today I am proud to say that I am a recipient of the Gilman Scholarship. The funds I was awarded paid for all of my expenses while I was in China, not only the living expenses but also my traveling expenses. Today there are endless resources available for students from any background to pursue their education desires. My advice to all students is to be above excuses, dare to travel, make your aspirations come true, and inspire others. After I had solved my financial worries, the next step was to prepare for my planned journey ahead.Packing"Don't forget to pack your courage for your journey to greatness." -David WeinbaumThe hardest part of studying abroad is not deciding which country to travel to, it is the horrible task of deciding what you need to bring. For all students I recommend making a list, waiting for two weeks then cutting all the items suggested to half. After weeks of considerations I believe that the essentials items for all study abroad destinations are: basic medicine, essential electronics (laptop, iPod, camera), power converter for all electronics, travel documents, and travel toiletries. …