Following my second year at the Ohio State University, I chose to spend my first 4 weeks of the summer term in Chengdu, China on the Global May China Program. This trip was a combination of study abroad, in which we attend a number of lectures given by various professors and experts, as well as a cultural exchange program in which we were paired up with students from our host university and swapped differences between our cultures as we spent time together.
I chose to do this trip specifically because I wanted to challenge myself to navigate and fully absorb a culture that was so entirely different from my own. I have traveled to a number of countries when I was younger, but I was both comfortable with the guidance of my family there to take care of any cultural or language barriers or hide behind if I felt uncomfortable. What I had hoped to get out of this trip was not only accomplishing these goals but truly transformational. I was able to reach a new level of independence that has allowed me to be more confident in my self to take risks, possibly traveling to a foreign country on my own, as well as taking risks in my ordinary life. Being able to connect with students not only from my university, but from those in at my host university allow me to see how easily and necessary international connections can and should be made between young people. This has increased my hope and rejuvenated my passion for international relations, especially with a specialization in development, having traveled to some very rural areas in China and being given the opportunity to interact with Chinese children that are living in impoverished situations. Also hearing about and actually seeing the tremendous developmental projects China has made in the last few decades was eye opening and furthered my curiosity and interest in economics.
The most transformational aspect of this trip was being given the opportunity to create a dialogue with people our own age from the Chinese culture and more specifically the Yi people culture. We were both in structured settings such as the classroom where we were able to discuss specific topics and have the guidance of our lectures, while also having time for casual discussion when we would explore the city with our partners. I remember having simple discussions about the difference in school styles, social expectations, and home life, as well as more complex conversations about the political environment and the development of the rural areas. Our partners became some of our closest friends, always taking care of our needs and being understanding and patient with the frustrations of a language barrier. It was life changing to have made such a close friend that was different from me in so many ways and in such a short time.
Another very important aspect of this trip that led to my transformation was traveling out into the rural mountain areas of China where we first hand interacted with hundreds of Chinese children that live in impoverished conditions. It was eye opening to enter one of their classrooms and have 60 pairs of eyes staring back at you, cheering and gushing excitement simply because we were there. It was surprising to hear that for many we were the first foreigners they had seen in years. These kids were extremely respectful and grateful, standing up for every question they asked and thanking us any moment they got. Not only were they polite, but it was obvious to see how dedicated and intelligent these kids were, with stacks of textbooks piling their desks, as well as the long hours they spend at school. Working with such incredible people and seeing first hand a place of development has continued to peak my interest in this subject.
Another transformational moment for me during this trip was creating friendships of a lifetime with my fellow students from Ohio State. These 9 others became my closest friends, my support system and my mental release the second we stepped off the plane in China. There was no turning back at this point and this trip was a tremendous jump for me emotionally because it was such a foreign place and I would be away from all my comforts, my family, my friends, my culture!I instantly connected the most with my roommate and our room became our sanctuary to decompress at the end of the day. It was incredible to go out into the city and roam around all day, overwhelmed by the sites, the language, the people, and come back to my room with my roommate and swap stories we had about the day and what our thoughts were on our experiences. This made my trip so much more fulfilling as I was able to not only absorb what I was seeing and feeling but digest and take in what others were getting from the trip.
Overall this trip transformed me into a more independent and confident person, with a rejuvenated interest in my areas of study. This is incredibly important to me as I head back to the final two years of academic career at Ohio State ready to tackle not only my normal curriculum but looking for ways to strive for my post graduate goal. I feel I have the ability to travel to another country and really immerse myself in the culture, and having had this experience I can learn from some of my mistakes and be a more experienced traveler when I want to spend time in a developing country. I feel more confident that I have the right mindset and skills to work abroad, communicate, and connect with people that may have very little in common with me, which is going to be essential when attempting to work with people that are living situations much less fortunate than my own and have grown up in a culture radically different from my own.