I'm Minty, an undergraduate at ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ majoring in East Asian Studies and minoring in History. My primary focus within East Asian Studies has always been China, with its beautiful language and vast history. Therefore, this opportunity to finally visit China and receive an intensive language education in Mandarin alongside the chance to fully immerse myself in the local culture was one that I seized wholeheartedly.
My main objective for the month was to improve the standard of my Chinese language skills, and I have definitely achieved this (I like to think), but I have also come away from this trip with so much new knowledge and experiences in a range of different aspects. We were learning from the moment we woke up, practising chopstick skills at breakfast, to the moment we went to bed, with C-Dramas playing in the background.
The itinerary laid out for us was just incredible. Every weekend was a chance to explore an entirely different place, with the inevitably different food, people, and local customs that came with the change in scenery. I constantly felt awed by the kindness and eagerness of everyone we came into contact with to share their language, culture, and even keyrings! This environment made me feel confident communicating and encouraged me to ask questions. This trip was an unmatched experience, with never-ending opportunities to ask questions and learn more and more!
The organised cultural activities for us also unearthed new layers of China's incredible myriad of cultural traditions and historical practices. Two weeks after the trip, I still remember new things to share with my family!
Having had such a wholesome, fulfilling and educational month, it isn't easy to pick out a few highlights, but the trips to Karaoke are definitely contenders; just seeing us all sharing our Western and Chinese music whilst having such a happy time was very special. However, our final day in Shantou was one to remember, as it was a chance to reflect upon our incredible time over the previous month. All of the friends we made came and spent the evening at our hotel, and photoshoots were had, presents and notes were exchanged, and tears may have been shed… Upon returning to our respective home countries, we have all actively stayed in touch (which helps to maintain our Chinese practice!)
A considerable challenge I faced was feeling self-conscious about my language skills upon arrival at Shantou. I was aware of my language weaknesses and felt scared to put myself out there due to a fear of judgement or ridicule. Still, I quickly realised that I would only be able to get the most out of the experience if I put all that fear aside and threw myself into activities and opportunities to use my language. Inevitably, there were moments of complete language barriers, but I grew to view them as a lighthearted chance to push on through and find another way to be understood!
This would be my suggestion for any future participant: Don't let uncertainty or fear stop you from having the best time ever or even prevent you from applying in the first place. It is crucial to take advantage of all the experiences and opportunities that you can. Don't let yourselves fall into the trap of sticking solely with the safety of your fellow English-speaking ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ friends. Instead, go with them to meet people, practice your Chinese speaking, and exchange cultural experiences with the Shantou students. We all have many things to learn from each other beyond the apparent wish to improve our Chinese and English speaking skills. There are so many beautiful friendships to be made within the ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ group and the Shantou University group!