Adjusting

I'm sure if you'd ask any other intern they would all have encountered the same experience.. Adjusting to your new life in China can be quite daunting at first, especially if you've just coming straight out of living with your parents, having them make dinner for you, do your laundry, make your bed, and even bring snacks out to you while you're watching television. So removing all of these luxuries from your life, and then combining it with a whole new culture that you need to adapt to is quite a challenging task, however the rewards you receive from undertaking such a task, such an adventure, is worth so much more! You gain independence, an open mind, communication skills, as well as the foundations for life long learning and cultural awareness. I wouldn't have traded this internship for anything in the world! I undertook a home stay with a Chinese family, and even though I could speak Mandarin it was very challenging trying to make sense of Sichuanese, the local dialect here in my part of China. I learnt so much from them, as they did from me. Going to school everyday gave me an insight into Chinese education, and how the youth's outlook on life is. To be completely honest I felt like quitting the program at one point, however after consulting with TTC staff I thought I'd give it another think through, and within the next two weeks everything changed for me. I had a completely different outlook on it all, it is such an amazing experience and I would have truly regretted having left the program. I would definitely recommend this program for anyone who is not only thinking about being a teacher, but looking for an adventure, to learn a new language and experience a new culture, and to create a very memorable moment in your life through TTC!