Overcoming my past perceptions of China

I had so many questions before applying. Would I make friends? Would the classes be too difficult? What would my daily life look like and would I like it? I went into the exchange to Qingdao very nervous, expecting to get weird looks on the street. Now, I am trying to figure out a way to come back after I graduate for an internship.

From the first week, I met friends who shared my curiosity and passions—people who loved late-night study sessions, café exploring, and spontaneous weekend trips to take the train to surrounding cities in the province or even some flights to cities like Chengdu, Xi'an, and Guangzhou.

The staff at XMandarin Chinese Language School in Qingdao always checked on me to make sure I was comfortable. I met some other Japanese people who helped me navigate homesickness and find some restaurants that served my comfort foods. Even though some of the staff at XMandarin spoke Japanese, and if I really needed to be able to communicate in Japanese they would, they always spoke Chinese or English and that really helped me improve.

Through the weekend events I was able to make friends and I left Qingdao feeling braver, more independent, and surrounded by friends I know I’ll have for life. If you’re considering studying abroad, I genuinely recommend this program.