By the end of my trip in Shanghai, I found that there were three overarching themes that I drew from my stay. Here’s a list of top thing I would tell anyone who wants to study abroad in China, or really anywhere:
1. Be Flexible – There’s a saying that I learned early on this semester in my Chinese language course. It’s rù xiāng suí sú (入乡随俗) which basically translates to “When in Rome…” Finding this in my vocab list, my first thoughts were, “that’s oddly specific??” but I probably say or think this every time I leave my apartment. It’s a good sentiment to keep in mind, especially if you’re going to be abroad for a while. When visiting China, you’re going to notice the little differences in cultures. Did I say little? I meant HUGE differences in culture. And most likely your initial reaction to this will be, “Oh, that’s interesting! How different! Yay culture!” However, a couple weeks in those “interesting” cultural contrasts are going to start getting on your nerves. It’s unfortunate, but unavoidable. And the funny thing about countries is that their cultures are ubiquitous, so unless you plan on boarding yourself up into your apartment until finals week, it’s important to you remind yourself that you are in their environment and they by no means have any obligation to conform their behavior to your norms. You don’t have to partake, but accepting that what is happening around you is SUPPOSED to be happening is an important step in actually enjoying yourself abroad.
2. Eat Local – This one is mostly a reminder to myself, but I’ll include it anyway. I have struggled with the local cuisine. You really don’t know if you like Chinese food until you get here. In Orlando, any restaurant’s claims of authenticity should be taken with a grain of salt. I say this because the food I have eaten here is unlike anything that I have ever consumed in my entire life. I think I like it, but I can’t really tell?? It is hard to find a meal that I myself would characterize as “comfort food” since for me that means western food, which is usually incredibly inauthentic and will never quite meet your expectations, which is… frustrating to say the least. Because of this, your best bet is to find out what the locals eat for comfort food. It’s easier to find good Chinese food in China than it is to find American food good enough to get by with. Save yourself the disappointment, and enjoy it while you can, because like I said before, you’re not going to find the same thing in Orlando.
3. Explore! – Shanghai is one of the biggest city in the world! Here’s a picture of a model of the city found in the city planners office:
The city is literally enormous. You could live your entire life there and still not know every part of it. Everyday can be a new experience.
