- My STEP project entailed me spending two months in Shanghai, China, studying Mandarin through an OSU approved program. I took 6 credit hours worth of language courses and completed a 3 credit hour public health elective. On various occasions I traveled independently to cities neighboring Shanghai.
- Traveling to Shanghai was a dynamic social experience and certainly impacted my perspective on how people live within cultures different from mine. Most of the people I interacted with were welcoming and excited about the fact that I was attempting to learn their native language which made me more comfortable living in a foreign country. Having to independently navigate the city and take trips outside of Shanghai allowed me to improve my self-confidence and trust my judgement as well as my ability to develop relationships with strangers in different places. Although the friendships I made were short-lived, it was fascinating to learn about different peoples’ backstories and to find some common interests by overcoming the language barrier between cultures.
One day after taking my MCAT I boarded a plane to Shanghai, leaving my exhausted from test-taking and headed into a completely different environment. Adjusting to living in China during the first week was definitely the most difficult part of the trip, especially since I was missing my family and friends from back home. After learning to embrace the opportunity to improve my Mandarin skills by socializing in a foriegn country, I quickly adapted to the new situation and became more comfortable. During classes I worked diligently with the teachers to learn various grammar patterns and make sure my tones were being pronounced properly during my interactions with strangers I was constantly using my new language skills.
I traveled to Nanjing alone during my fourth weekend and stayed in a youth hostel for a couple nights. During this experience I was able to make friends with Chinese college students staying in the housing complex as well as with people around the city as I went sight-seeing. There were instances in the hostel where groups of us would be teaching one another different card games, talking about our family and life back home, and helping each other practice English/Mandarin. During another weekend I traveled to Xi’An for four days, once again staying in a youth-hostel. Throughout this trip, I happened to meet a handful of foreigners, including a few people from the United States, that shared their story on how they came to set up their lives in China. One of my days were spent hiking to the top of Mt. Hua, which was a physically exhausting endeavor but serene view from the top made it well worth the trip.
Whether I was going to bars or exploring museums, I was constantly learning more about Chinese culture while improving upon my ability to effectively speak Mandarin. I was constantly approached by strangers that were eager to ask questions about where I come from and why I’m living in China, which I was more than happy to answer to. There were also countless conversations I had with different taxi/uber drivers that left a great impression on me and led to me feeling welcomed in a foreign country.
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This change is significant for personal reasons because I feel much more comfortable traveling abroad and embracing a culture entirely different from my own. I’ve learned that even in foreign countries it’s incredibly easy to find a common ground with strangers, as we all (human beings) share many of the same basic strivings towards social and personal well-being. My ability to speak in Mandarin improved significantly, so I’ll hopefully continue to expand on my knowledge and possibly use it when interacting with international students. I’ve also developed a great appreciation for the time that I’m able to spend back home with family. Becoming grounded within a community that I can make positive contributions to and will reciprocate by providing me with a sense of purpose and belonging is also something that I’ve learned to deeply value. My experience cultivated a newfound appreciation for foreign cultures as well as a strong sentiment towards the communities I’m apart of back home.