Introduction: Who I Am & Why I Chose to Study Abroad in China
Hi there! My name is Abzal Iskakov, and I’m a senior at Denison studying Economics and Global Commerce. Last semester I chose to study abroad in Shanghai, China, where I had one of the best experiences of my life. As someone who had never visited China before, studying abroad in Shanghai was full of fun and cultural immersion.
I participated in the CIEE China in a Global Context program, which lasted from late February to early June. I chose China because I’ve been studying Chinese at Denison and wanted to explore Chinese culture. In my program, students could live with a Chinese host family or live in the dorms. At first, I was scared to go to China and even considered opting out of the program because I wasn’t fluent in Chinese. Although I took Chinese classes at Denison, I still felt nervous. But I decided to go anyway, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
First Days in Shanghai & Cultural Differences
The first day I arrived in Shanghai, everything was so different from what I had back home in Kazakhstan and in the U.S. During the first few days, I didn’t know how to order food, so I would just point at dishes or use Google Translate to tell the ladies at the counter what I wanted to eat.
Another thing that stood out to me was how obsessed Chinese people are with milk tea. You’ll see hundreds of milk tea/bubble tea shops in Shanghai. We even had three milk shops on our university campus.
Classes, Technology & Daily Life in China
The program itself was really good. Chinese classes were taught by master’s students, and they were excellent. We had classes four times a week for two hours each. I was also amazed by how technologically advanced China is. You can use your phone for literally everything: shopping, paying at restaurants, taking the subway, and more. I was surprised by how developed their delivery service was too. You see hundreds of delivery drivers everywhere in Shanghai, and it’s incredible how efficiently they work and make a living. Another thing that caught my attention was how many people ride electric bikes instead of driving cars. Unlike America, where many people drive cars, people in China use public transportation to go around the city.
Food, Travel & Favorite Memories
The food in China was amazing! When I was visiting Beijing, I had the chance to try Beijing duck with my friends. In addition to the Beijing duck, I also had a taste of authentic Sichuan hot pot(spoiler: it was very spicy!!!).
My favorite memory in China was traveling to different cities. I had the chance to visit Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Jiangxi Province, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, and Zhangjiajie. Traveling in China is so easy. For example, you can get from Shanghai to Nanjing in just one hour on a high-speed train.
Final Reflections & Encouragement
I truly enjoyed my study abroad semester in China, and I encourage everyone to go there. It might sound scary to travel to China, but the country is very welcoming to foreigners. My friends and I all had a great time and were warmly welcomed by Chinese people. Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to learn more about my study abroad experience in China! :))
