The world is a big place and there are a lot of places to study away from what you might normally consider. Top of the list of places to go has to be China, however. It is simply one of the most interesting, dynamic and different places you’re going to find in this world as somebody raised in a western culture.
And as different cultures allow us to learn new ways of thinking, doing and being, that’s nothing to be sneezed at. Here are some of the best reasons to choose China from all the choices available.
As the world economy changes and ever more gets produced and consumed in Asia, the world’s economic point of gravity is shifting eastwards. By 2025 it will be somewhere in Russia. And after that the shift eastwards will continue till finally it should come to rest somewhere over India or even further east.
And so, by going to study in China you’re going to put yourself where the economic opportunities are going to come knocking. That means that by signing up to study over there you’re not just getting an education. You’re also making sure you’re in a position to take advantage of the economic opportunities out there.
Not only is living cheaper in China, but so are the fees that you’re going to pay for a university there. All in all, your costs are still a great deal lower than in the western world. And that’s not very surprising. After all, students in China only make a fraction of what people in Europe make. And so the universities can’t ask for as much.
That won’t last forever, but if you go study now you’re going to get a world class education for a fraction of what it would be back home. That means you can finish your education without burying yourself under a mountain of debt.
Immersing yourself in another culture where they speak differently, think differently, eat differently and even use different letters is a lot of things, but what it certainly is an adventure. And what better time in our lives to have one of those than when we’re studying? Then we’re still young, we’re still eager and even if it doesn’t work out quite as we’d hoped, we’ve still got plenty of time to change course, make different decisions and possibly even try again.
Later in our lives, when we get the commitments of a job, a family and a life lived, all of that will be far more difficult. So why not embrace the opportunities while we still can?
Sure, the list of best universities is still dominated by western institutions, but it’s shifting. It would probably shift a lot faster if it wasn’t for the fact that most of those lists are still being put together by the very western institutions and those trained by them that make it into the list each year.
The truth is, there is an educational boom going on in in China, with ever mores schools and universities that can compete on the world stage being opened every year. And as the economy continues to grow at breakneck speed, those universities are going to keep opening their doors and join the list of the best universities in China.
That means that for a fraction of what you’re going to pay in the west you’re going to get an education that will soon be seen as rivaling the ones we’ve all heard of.
Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the world and being able to speak it will give you access to one of the biggest and fastest growing markets in the world as well. But as it’s a relatively difficult language for those raised in the Indo-European language group, that means it’s going to be hard to learn it from your couch.
Better, instead to go there and hear it straight from the panda’s mouth, wouldn’t you say? Even better, as you’ll be using the language every day, to go about your daily life as well complete your studies, you aren’t just going to learn how to order beers, but you’ll actually come to grasp the true nuances of a language. And only once you’ve got those will you be able to work in the language down the road.
Do you want to study martial arts? Or are you more interested in learning traditional Chinese medicine? Then that’s available in China! In fact, there are tons of degrees over there that you’re not going to find back home.
Even better, while we might consider some of those things a bit odd and off the wall, over there they’re considered completely normal. This means that you’ll finally no longer be on the fringes in your studies but will be part of the mainstream. You’ll be able to get the help you need, find the people who study it you want and discuss it till the small hours in the many places where the students and practitioners of these ‘alternative’ fields gather.
They always show China as a dragon, or a panda or as many other things when they’re discussing the relationship between the west and the east. The truth, however, is that it what they should really be showing when they show these two places is a young person and an old one. A continent looking forwards and a place looking backwards.
The future lies in Asia and more specifically in China. That’s where all the action is going to be. So if you want to be a part of that, the best thing you can do is to go there and see it for yourself. Ultimately, that will give you the best chances and the best opportunities.
Even better, as you’re still young you’ll have the best chance of being able to adapt. So go study there. It’ll be worth it.
Chris Mercer is a pro writer, developer and founder of Citatior, a powerful academic formatting tool for the students. 7 years ago he studied in Beijing as an exchange student and gained valuable knowledge that helped him to become successful in his field.