Go on a Cultural Adventure to the Unknown

In high school, I took a year of Chinese as a total beginner. The teacher was a native Chinese who had never left China before coming to the United States for a year. She was very supportive but also very strict. I always wandered why she seemed to be so strict with the students and, whenever scolding a student, she would relate our mistakes to how they could affect our future if they became a habit. I was able to solve my inquiry when I cane to Beijing. The teachers where supportive but strict about getting homework done correctly, arriving to class early, accepting natural consequences for mistakes and upholding the language pledge at all times. Living in such daily environment did not only improve my Chinese drastically, but also allowed me to make lifelong friendships, increase my resilience to cultural shock and improved my understanding of cultural diversity. These skills and abilities are eternal tools to foster personal and academic success.