Direct Enrollment at Yunnan Normal University

For my study abroad program I chose to direct enroll at a university in Kunming, China. This means that I went solo and had to navigate the area myself. I found the staff of Yunnan Normal University very helpful and willing to help me with my needs. However, there was only one department that was bilingual. Once I got to the housing office, I had to start using Chinese and it was more difficult - but that is what I wanted. I chose to go to Kunming because I wanted a challenge. Beijing and Shanghai are incredibly international and I didn't want to be tempted to use English too often - but I wanted some opportunity to speak my native language. Kunming was perfect because it was a city of seven million so there was a pretty sizable international community but not overwhelmingly so. Since I went in the summer time, the normal classes were not available but the university was willing to set up a one-to-one language class for me where I practiced Chinese with a professor everyday. This was a great way to practice Chinese because she drilled me on my tones and I really improved. I would recommend a program like this for an adventurous student who is independent and capable of solo navigation. I was able to get independent study credit from my university that worked toward my Photography major by creating a portfolio of images. Check them out at www.meganlendmanphotography.com!