Student Stories

Owen Peterson spent winter break at the National Taipei University of Education as a beginning Mandarin learner. 

All of these experiences have allowed me to develop skills such as critical thinking, perseverance, patience, and adaptability.

I knew Hong Kong was diverse but I never really had a chance to experience its inclusive culture until this study abroad internship.

After reflecting on the past two months, I realize that the endless possibilities and opportunities were what I enjoyed most about studying abroad.

I now have the confidence to go back to China next year for a longer, more intensive stay, and I hope to be able to take courses in history or other subjects alongside native Chinese students.

I fell in love with Shanghai during my three weeks there. Shanghai is such an amazing city. I like the Shanghai Center, which is the second tallest building in the world.

Traveling outside of the country for the first time in my life and having it being in China while studying abroad is one of the best experiences I have ever encountered in my life.

I loved the opportunity to explore Hong Kong — to see the nearly endless skyscrapers, hike the mountains, and enjoy the sea view from campus.

This trip gave me so many insights into how different people are planning for the future in such tumultuous times. 

Through in-depth conversions with my local roommate and coworkers I came to understand that the things we have in common vastly outnumber our differences.

Our economy is becoming more and more global and I hope to work in jobs that have global footprints, as well as make close friends from countries all over the world. 

I truly enjoyed learning more about a culture that was different than my own and seeing another part of the world that was previously outside of my comfort zone. 

During my experience abroad, I really enjoyed getting to know students from Hong Kong and around the world.

What I enjoyed most about my study abroad experience was the amount of independence I was able to have and how everywhere I went I was able to practice my Chinese language skills.

What I enjoyed most about my experience was receiving formal language training in tandem with professional experience.
 

One of the topics I spent a lot of time researching this summer was the Chinese societal concept of "left-over women."

I had the opportunity to learn about Chinese culture as well as the importance of the Olympics on the culture of the country.

I firmly believe that spending a semester in China was the best decision of my college experience thus far, and I would not exchange that time for anything.

Being immersed in Asian culture has taught me so much, including the importance of staying humble, carrying a strong work ethic, and preserving my roots.

I took the skills I learned abroad and applied them to my job search after graduating. I received multiple job offers and ended up accepting a position as a congressional staffer for the U.S. Senate

My eleven months in Chengdu, China were amazing. I had the best time of my life and coming back home was very difficult. 

Spending my summer studying in China has completely changed how I think about my world. My way of thinking is much broader and I am able to think from the Chinese perspective rather than just my own. 

Meeting people from around the world really helped me understand cultural differences and how people connect.

Graduate student Xiangjun had the opportunity to return to his alma mater, Beijing's Tsinghua University, to study the Chinese electronic products market as part of a Carlson Global Institute program.