Anabelle's Blog Entry 3
Living Xi’an has been such an amazing experience, and the difference between living in the city from my daily life Sharon has helped me develop many new skills. To start, I am known for having a very bad sense of direction, but I think I have gotten better at finding my way now, since I have had to walk to many places. Seeing my sister navigate the city so easily encouraged me even more to improve my own navigation skills. I have also learned to become much more cautious crossing the street, and am able to pretty easily now. At the beginning of the trip, I was constantly worried about getting hit, due to how people here do not obey the traffic lights, but now I feel much more comfortable doing so. Additionally, after some practice going to street markets, I can now bargain with much more ease than I was able to at the beginning of the trip. I think I have learned to become more assertive when I want to bargain for something, rather than settling for a price so quickly. I am really proud of learning this new skill, and I wish it would be more useful in the United States.
I also think I improved somewhat in my Chinese speaking skills, but I have definitely noticed that my listening skills have gotten stronger. I am actually surprised how much of my family’s conversation I can understand now, as well as things Chinese people will say to me on a daily basis. My family has also commented on this skill, for they notice me following their conversations and will now try to include me into them at times.
Finally, I throughout this trip, I have pushed myself to be more outgoing as much as I can. I have gotten to know many more people, and I am really happy to have created lasting friendships with them. I also often try to ask different questions about Chinese culture and people’s everyday life. Moreover, I have been very open to trying new things like foods and activities. My main goal has been to experience as much as I can, and have no regrets when I go back to America.
I cannot express how much this trip has, and will impact me forever. This has been the best experience of my life and I so grateful to have had this opportunity. I hope that one day I can return, and I will continue to learn, and visit all of the people I have met on this incredible journey.
Living Xi’an has been such an amazing experience, and the difference between living in the city from my daily life Sharon has helped me develop many new skills. To start, I am known for having a very bad sense of direction, but I think I have gotten better at finding my way now, since I have had to walk to many places. Seeing my sister navigate the city so easily encouraged me even more to improve my own navigation skills. I have also learned to become much more cautious crossing the street, and am able to pretty easily now. At the beginning of the trip, I was constantly worried about getting hit, due to how people here do not obey the traffic lights, but now I feel much more comfortable doing so. Additionally, after some practice going to street markets, I can now bargain with much more ease than I was able to at the beginning of the trip. I think I have learned to become more assertive when I want to bargain for something, rather than settling for a price so quickly. I am really proud of learning this new skill, and I wish it would be more useful in the United States.
I also think I improved somewhat in my Chinese speaking skills, but I have definitely noticed that my listening skills have gotten stronger. I am actually surprised how much of my family’s conversation I can understand now, as well as things Chinese people will say to me on a daily basis. My family has also commented on this skill, for they notice me following their conversations and will now try to include me into them at times.
Finally, I throughout this trip, I have pushed myself to be more outgoing as much as I can. I have gotten to know many more people, and I am really happy to have created lasting friendships with them. I also often try to ask different questions about Chinese culture and people’s everyday life. Moreover, I have been very open to trying new things like foods and activities. My main goal has been to experience as much as I can, and have no regrets when I go back to America.
I cannot express how much this trip has, and will impact me forever. This has been the best experience of my life and I so grateful to have had this opportunity. I hope that one day I can return, and I will continue to learn, and visit all of the people I have met on this incredible journey.
Mackenzie's Blog Entry 3
Personally, as a student learning Chinese, the most challenging thing while in China is understanding what someone else is saying. The other aspects, such as reading, writing, and speaking, are all easier than listening comprehension, which is an important factor for anyone who lives here. Keeping that in mind, I had to work hard and pay very close attention when interacting with anyone speaking Chinese. Although I sometimes needed help, I think that my skills with handling simple tasks, such as ordering food, buying gifts, and asking for WiFi have all improved. Not only that, but when out with some of my non-Chinese speaking friends, I may have needed to speak for the both of us to figure out where we are, where we needed to go, and also maybe assist them with other various tasks.
Additionally, while in China, I have been required to be more responsible in handling certain situations. We only have a limited amount of time here, so many of us have been trying to do and experience as many things as possible with our new Chinese classmates, friends, family, and also the other Chinese Exchange students. Making sure that we have enough time to get all our work from Sharon done is not that hard, but also having time to meet up with everyone you have met while having some time to yourself can get pretty tedious sometimes. Being responsible means not only getting our Sharon work out of the way, but also balancing our time and planning events properly. Being positive that we have communicated our plans, what time and where to everyone involved is important, but also confirming that they are notified if we decide to change our plans or go somewhere else is equally important. Anything that involves more than several people, such as paying the bill or planning, requires all participants to be responsible and open minded.
Personally, as a student learning Chinese, the most challenging thing while in China is understanding what someone else is saying. The other aspects, such as reading, writing, and speaking, are all easier than listening comprehension, which is an important factor for anyone who lives here. Keeping that in mind, I had to work hard and pay very close attention when interacting with anyone speaking Chinese. Although I sometimes needed help, I think that my skills with handling simple tasks, such as ordering food, buying gifts, and asking for WiFi have all improved. Not only that, but when out with some of my non-Chinese speaking friends, I may have needed to speak for the both of us to figure out where we are, where we needed to go, and also maybe assist them with other various tasks.
Additionally, while in China, I have been required to be more responsible in handling certain situations. We only have a limited amount of time here, so many of us have been trying to do and experience as many things as possible with our new Chinese classmates, friends, family, and also the other Chinese Exchange students. Making sure that we have enough time to get all our work from Sharon done is not that hard, but also having time to meet up with everyone you have met while having some time to yourself can get pretty tedious sometimes. Being responsible means not only getting our Sharon work out of the way, but also balancing our time and planning events properly. Being positive that we have communicated our plans, what time and where to everyone involved is important, but also confirming that they are notified if we decide to change our plans or go somewhere else is equally important. Anything that involves more than several people, such as paying the bill or planning, requires all participants to be responsible and open minded.
Juliana's Blog Entry 3
This experience has been so surreal. I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the amazing opportunity to come to China and live with a host family for 6 weeks. I learned an endless amount of things that I could never have even expected to learn and grew so much as a person.
First off, because the Chinese culture has some very distinct customs, my mind needed to be open and not judgmental. I admit that it was hard at times to be that way, especially when it came to food. In China, the dishes people eat are very different from American dishes, for example goat’s blood or donkey meat, two foods I have never before tried. It took me some time to get used to the idea of eating those foods, but in the end, I gave them a shot. Neither of them were terrible, but I wouldn’t eat them again, and I’m glad that I tried them.
Additionally, the ideas of people living here can differ a lot from own, especially ones regarding the U.S. government. I personally do not support Trump and see him as a horrible person, which I feel very lucky to have the freedom to express, yet I have met people here who think Trump is amazing. I think it is really good for me to expand my perspective on the thoughts of people around the world and not just in the U.S., or even Sharon since it is a particularly liberal area of America.
Throughout this trip, I have also learned to talk to more people in my everyday life. In buses and supermarkets, streets and the school, I would talk to people and learn about what their interest in the American culture was. It was really fun to speak to people and practice my Chinese skills as well as learn about the people themselves. Conversations were made easy by the similarities we shared: school, music taste, or location. I learned so much about so many people and created dozens of new relationships with people across the world.
Though I came to visit China, I have also gained a lot of perspective on the American culture through this trip. I have had the opportunity to realize the many misconceptions I had about China, which were mainly a result of the way Americans view China and, really, the world views China. A few weeks ago I mentioned some misconceptions I had including strict parents and studious, unsocial children. These, in my experience, have been proven wrong by both my family and the students I have met at the school. This realization caused me to further understand that subjects and ideas spoken of often may not be true at all. I have been taught that stereotypes are unacceptable and damaging but have experienced a limited amount of the truth in this statement through the 16 years I have been alive. So, I have never experienced first-hand how false a stereotype can be as in learning the truth of Chinese culture. It was so great to expand my knowledge and perspective on the world and the people living in it. I have grown so much, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have had this opportunity.
This experience has been so surreal. I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the amazing opportunity to come to China and live with a host family for 6 weeks. I learned an endless amount of things that I could never have even expected to learn and grew so much as a person.
First off, because the Chinese culture has some very distinct customs, my mind needed to be open and not judgmental. I admit that it was hard at times to be that way, especially when it came to food. In China, the dishes people eat are very different from American dishes, for example goat’s blood or donkey meat, two foods I have never before tried. It took me some time to get used to the idea of eating those foods, but in the end, I gave them a shot. Neither of them were terrible, but I wouldn’t eat them again, and I’m glad that I tried them.
Additionally, the ideas of people living here can differ a lot from own, especially ones regarding the U.S. government. I personally do not support Trump and see him as a horrible person, which I feel very lucky to have the freedom to express, yet I have met people here who think Trump is amazing. I think it is really good for me to expand my perspective on the thoughts of people around the world and not just in the U.S., or even Sharon since it is a particularly liberal area of America.
Throughout this trip, I have also learned to talk to more people in my everyday life. In buses and supermarkets, streets and the school, I would talk to people and learn about what their interest in the American culture was. It was really fun to speak to people and practice my Chinese skills as well as learn about the people themselves. Conversations were made easy by the similarities we shared: school, music taste, or location. I learned so much about so many people and created dozens of new relationships with people across the world.
Though I came to visit China, I have also gained a lot of perspective on the American culture through this trip. I have had the opportunity to realize the many misconceptions I had about China, which were mainly a result of the way Americans view China and, really, the world views China. A few weeks ago I mentioned some misconceptions I had including strict parents and studious, unsocial children. These, in my experience, have been proven wrong by both my family and the students I have met at the school. This realization caused me to further understand that subjects and ideas spoken of often may not be true at all. I have been taught that stereotypes are unacceptable and damaging but have experienced a limited amount of the truth in this statement through the 16 years I have been alive. So, I have never experienced first-hand how false a stereotype can be as in learning the truth of Chinese culture. It was so great to expand my knowledge and perspective on the world and the people living in it. I have grown so much, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have had this opportunity.
George's Blog Entry 3
Engaging in personnel challenges are very difficult, but this trip was a group effort, and the only challenge that an individual has to make, that has any type of difficulty at all, is the decision of the right balance of words that they will use in order to say a farewell to this beautiful country along with the new friends that the individual might have inquired throughout his or her stay. One might think that the decision coming here would be a mental challenge in and of its self, but when you get to China with those people that you barely know and you realize that everyone has that same jubilant smile on their face as they lay eyes on the new world, the thought of whether the choice to come on this trip turns into a regret for those who wanted to go, and a luxury for those who did go. There will be some issues that will be encountered on the trip, but all in all this trip doesn’t feel like a challenge the longer you stay. You will get to know the students and teachers who learn your language, and even then, you will have a special connection between the teachers that don’t speak English, or the students who aren’t good at Chinese. If you are one of the lucky few who takes Chinese as a foreign language then you will have a small connection to the people who can’t speak English at all. There will be many people that will ask you where you are from and how old you are. The expectation of whether you will become a fluent Chinese speaker while on this trip is very1 dependent on your prior knowledge and how invested one is in the language. The biggest regret I have in my life at this moment is not taking a second language as seriously as I should have. For anyone that does take a second language, I strongly encourage you to learn that language with all your heart. When you meet someone, who does speak the language that you have been learning and have a conversation with that individual, then you will feel a special connection as well as pride in your decision in learning the language. When you travel to a location where people only use that language that you barely know when you feel all the more wanting to learn the language to its full intent. Having the knowledge of two languages is something to yearn for as you open the possibilities to connecting to a more diverse culture. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn, or study a different language, because who you meet after you learn the language to its full content is a new chapter in your life.
Engaging in personnel challenges are very difficult, but this trip was a group effort, and the only challenge that an individual has to make, that has any type of difficulty at all, is the decision of the right balance of words that they will use in order to say a farewell to this beautiful country along with the new friends that the individual might have inquired throughout his or her stay. One might think that the decision coming here would be a mental challenge in and of its self, but when you get to China with those people that you barely know and you realize that everyone has that same jubilant smile on their face as they lay eyes on the new world, the thought of whether the choice to come on this trip turns into a regret for those who wanted to go, and a luxury for those who did go. There will be some issues that will be encountered on the trip, but all in all this trip doesn’t feel like a challenge the longer you stay. You will get to know the students and teachers who learn your language, and even then, you will have a special connection between the teachers that don’t speak English, or the students who aren’t good at Chinese. If you are one of the lucky few who takes Chinese as a foreign language then you will have a small connection to the people who can’t speak English at all. There will be many people that will ask you where you are from and how old you are. The expectation of whether you will become a fluent Chinese speaker while on this trip is very1 dependent on your prior knowledge and how invested one is in the language. The biggest regret I have in my life at this moment is not taking a second language as seriously as I should have. For anyone that does take a second language, I strongly encourage you to learn that language with all your heart. When you meet someone, who does speak the language that you have been learning and have a conversation with that individual, then you will feel a special connection as well as pride in your decision in learning the language. When you travel to a location where people only use that language that you barely know when you feel all the more wanting to learn the language to its full intent. Having the knowledge of two languages is something to yearn for as you open the possibilities to connecting to a more diverse culture. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn, or study a different language, because who you meet after you learn the language to its full content is a new chapter in your life.
Eric's Blog Entry 3
Throughout this trip, I think that I have grown tremendously in many ways. I know that I have learned to be less shy when meeting new people, use more Chinese, adapt to new environments. All of these have been fueled by me participating in this Exchange Program and I will be forever grateful. These will be utilized in the future for whatever I may encounter and I hope that I can further improve on them. I am very appreciative for what has come out of this trip and the friends that I will forever remember. I will also cherish all the memories that I have made and especially all the new friends that I have gotten to know through this trip. I am definitely never going to forget this experience and the many many wonderful things that have occurred as a result.
I have met more new people that I have ever met before, leaving me to have to engage and start conversations with them. In return, I have learned to be assertive and most importantly less shy. With meeting new people, I had to come up with things to talk about besides a simple introduction and as time went on, I slowly got better and better at it. I began to have more meaningful and in depth conversations with new people which allowed me to come out of my shell of interacting with people I didn’t know. Some of these people I talked with, I still continue to talk to on a daily basis and hopefully still will once I leave China. What made it easier to talk with these people is that, it seemed like they genuinely cared about any and everything you said, even if it wasn’t too interesting. Meeting new people also exposes you to criticism in many ways, and I feel as though I grew in shielding any that came my way. In the end, experiences that I went through allowed me to further expand on certain traits that I will continue to improve on.
As we are in China, we are forced to speak their language as it really is the only way to communicate. Being that my daily Chinese vocabulary is expansive enough to have conversation and express what I want or need, it was quite easy for me to communicate with the people here. In the U.S. I don’t speak Chinese as much, that is I can use English to talk with my family and friends. So, having to use Chinese to actually get something or ask a question allowed me to speak is more than I usually do. I think along with me having to speak more, it also strengthened my ability to respond quickly and use new words that I have learned. Most times, at the supermarket, bakeries, food stands, or clothing stores, I had to use Chinese to talk about prices and whether or not there was anything on sale or any deals. On little trips outside of the school with the exchange students, I often had to communicate with people that we met on our adventures. Overall, using Chinese was required when talking to my Chinese friends, host family, and others. I definitely think that I improved my Chinese speaking in many ways and I’m glad that it came out of this experience.
Being put into a foreign country with a completely different family is definitely a new environment that I had to adjust and adapt to. I was very nervous prior to meeting my host family and learning to have a routine, as I did in Sharon. Slowly, but surely I think I adapted to the school and family life. Something that I really had to adjust to was, coming home from school at 6:30, opposed to 2:40. I now had to eat dinner right after I got home and then manage to finish my school work along with bonding with my host family. I was used to having a few hours after school to finish my homework and then having dinner, but it was much different here. In Sharon, I also did have a lot of downtime to do whatever, whether it be playing phone games or watching YouTube. I certainly did not have time for this here in China, not that I missed it too much. Having other more family members in the house is also a difference that I hadn’t experienced before. I didn’t have as much privacy as I did before, but I did have a lot more than I expected. I also had to be more mindful of them and try not to disrupt them in anyway as my host brother and sister had a lot of homework. My host family had a cat that can be a little mean sometimes and I had to make sure it didn’t come in my room to destroy anything. This wasn’t too much of an issue as it wasn’t too interested in me or coming into my room, but having a pet in the house at all times was for sure a big difference. I think that although there was a lot of differences, I eventually found solutions and ways to go around this issue.
I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and amazing one in a lifetime experience. I am very overly filled with joy to have gone through this and learned as well as overcome many new obstacles. I’m glad that I have made relationships with my fellow exchange students and also the new friends in China as well. With everything that has come out of this amazing trip, I have most importantly learned to be independent. Now, I have the knowledge about new things I may encounter, and living somewhat by myself and without depending too much on others. I am excited to see our host siblings and other China Exchange students when they come to Sharon in the fall!
Throughout this trip, I think that I have grown tremendously in many ways. I know that I have learned to be less shy when meeting new people, use more Chinese, adapt to new environments. All of these have been fueled by me participating in this Exchange Program and I will be forever grateful. These will be utilized in the future for whatever I may encounter and I hope that I can further improve on them. I am very appreciative for what has come out of this trip and the friends that I will forever remember. I will also cherish all the memories that I have made and especially all the new friends that I have gotten to know through this trip. I am definitely never going to forget this experience and the many many wonderful things that have occurred as a result.
I have met more new people that I have ever met before, leaving me to have to engage and start conversations with them. In return, I have learned to be assertive and most importantly less shy. With meeting new people, I had to come up with things to talk about besides a simple introduction and as time went on, I slowly got better and better at it. I began to have more meaningful and in depth conversations with new people which allowed me to come out of my shell of interacting with people I didn’t know. Some of these people I talked with, I still continue to talk to on a daily basis and hopefully still will once I leave China. What made it easier to talk with these people is that, it seemed like they genuinely cared about any and everything you said, even if it wasn’t too interesting. Meeting new people also exposes you to criticism in many ways, and I feel as though I grew in shielding any that came my way. In the end, experiences that I went through allowed me to further expand on certain traits that I will continue to improve on.
As we are in China, we are forced to speak their language as it really is the only way to communicate. Being that my daily Chinese vocabulary is expansive enough to have conversation and express what I want or need, it was quite easy for me to communicate with the people here. In the U.S. I don’t speak Chinese as much, that is I can use English to talk with my family and friends. So, having to use Chinese to actually get something or ask a question allowed me to speak is more than I usually do. I think along with me having to speak more, it also strengthened my ability to respond quickly and use new words that I have learned. Most times, at the supermarket, bakeries, food stands, or clothing stores, I had to use Chinese to talk about prices and whether or not there was anything on sale or any deals. On little trips outside of the school with the exchange students, I often had to communicate with people that we met on our adventures. Overall, using Chinese was required when talking to my Chinese friends, host family, and others. I definitely think that I improved my Chinese speaking in many ways and I’m glad that it came out of this experience.
Being put into a foreign country with a completely different family is definitely a new environment that I had to adjust and adapt to. I was very nervous prior to meeting my host family and learning to have a routine, as I did in Sharon. Slowly, but surely I think I adapted to the school and family life. Something that I really had to adjust to was, coming home from school at 6:30, opposed to 2:40. I now had to eat dinner right after I got home and then manage to finish my school work along with bonding with my host family. I was used to having a few hours after school to finish my homework and then having dinner, but it was much different here. In Sharon, I also did have a lot of downtime to do whatever, whether it be playing phone games or watching YouTube. I certainly did not have time for this here in China, not that I missed it too much. Having other more family members in the house is also a difference that I hadn’t experienced before. I didn’t have as much privacy as I did before, but I did have a lot more than I expected. I also had to be more mindful of them and try not to disrupt them in anyway as my host brother and sister had a lot of homework. My host family had a cat that can be a little mean sometimes and I had to make sure it didn’t come in my room to destroy anything. This wasn’t too much of an issue as it wasn’t too interested in me or coming into my room, but having a pet in the house at all times was for sure a big difference. I think that although there was a lot of differences, I eventually found solutions and ways to go around this issue.
I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and amazing one in a lifetime experience. I am very overly filled with joy to have gone through this and learned as well as overcome many new obstacles. I’m glad that I have made relationships with my fellow exchange students and also the new friends in China as well. With everything that has come out of this amazing trip, I have most importantly learned to be independent. Now, I have the knowledge about new things I may encounter, and living somewhat by myself and without depending too much on others. I am excited to see our host siblings and other China Exchange students when they come to Sharon in the fall!
Sydney's Blog Entry 3
From this amazing experience I think I have grown in many ways and realized many different things about myself and others around me on this trip. The trip has given me experience in being away from my family and living much more independently which I am happy I could get, because beforehand I was a bit scared I would be homesick and not able to function very well without my family. I am happy to know that I can be away from them because now I know that I can do things like this trip in the future, which I am really interested in doing with my life. I also learned how to live with strangers who I had never met before and to coexist in their lifestyle schedules. I think that is an important skill to attain in life, which I got from both my host family and with the other American students. I think the main thing that I have learned is how hard it is to say good bye. For one thing I will miss my amazing day to day schedule here and I will be sad to leave it behind. But of course most of all I will miss the relationships I have made here, and knowing that I will never again be with most of these people really breaks my heart. It’s really shown me how small we all are compared to the world, it doesn’t matter who you have met we will all forget eachother ): I will miss everyone here so much and this trip has helped me to grow as an individual in my knowledge of the world and it’s people.
From this amazing experience I think I have grown in many ways and realized many different things about myself and others around me on this trip. The trip has given me experience in being away from my family and living much more independently which I am happy I could get, because beforehand I was a bit scared I would be homesick and not able to function very well without my family. I am happy to know that I can be away from them because now I know that I can do things like this trip in the future, which I am really interested in doing with my life. I also learned how to live with strangers who I had never met before and to coexist in their lifestyle schedules. I think that is an important skill to attain in life, which I got from both my host family and with the other American students. I think the main thing that I have learned is how hard it is to say good bye. For one thing I will miss my amazing day to day schedule here and I will be sad to leave it behind. But of course most of all I will miss the relationships I have made here, and knowing that I will never again be with most of these people really breaks my heart. It’s really shown me how small we all are compared to the world, it doesn’t matter who you have met we will all forget eachother ): I will miss everyone here so much and this trip has helped me to grow as an individual in my knowledge of the world and it’s people.
Sam's Blog Entry 3
This trip has changed me so much and it has changed me for the better. When I was first planning on going to china I was extremely nervous because I have never been away for so long without my family. The idea of sometimes going out by myself scared me because I don't speak Chinese so I thought I would not be able to around and get what I needed done. I was also afraid, because I'm a vegetarian, that I would eat something that wasn't right. But when I got here I had so many people around me to help me and be able to get me where I needed to go. My host family and friends are able to constantly help me and make sure I am comfortable. This trip has opened my eyes and helped me see the good in China and helped me destroy the stereotypes that I heard and believed in America. This trip has also helped me open my eyes to the Chinese culture. Living with a host family has helped me take a glance into what they eat, how they ‘survive’, how they work, and how they interact with each other as a family. When I go back to Sharon, I want to tell people about my experience and how I’ve grown and lived on my own for six weeks. I want to show people that they are missing out on an amazing experience. Brining awareness to trips like this will change people’s lives’ for the better and they get to experience things they never could if, for example, they went with just family. Being here with friends and making memories is one of the most amazing things I’ve done on this trip and I hope in the future I can come back and be able to see more and experience more in China!
This trip has changed me so much and it has changed me for the better. When I was first planning on going to china I was extremely nervous because I have never been away for so long without my family. The idea of sometimes going out by myself scared me because I don't speak Chinese so I thought I would not be able to around and get what I needed done. I was also afraid, because I'm a vegetarian, that I would eat something that wasn't right. But when I got here I had so many people around me to help me and be able to get me where I needed to go. My host family and friends are able to constantly help me and make sure I am comfortable. This trip has opened my eyes and helped me see the good in China and helped me destroy the stereotypes that I heard and believed in America. This trip has also helped me open my eyes to the Chinese culture. Living with a host family has helped me take a glance into what they eat, how they ‘survive’, how they work, and how they interact with each other as a family. When I go back to Sharon, I want to tell people about my experience and how I’ve grown and lived on my own for six weeks. I want to show people that they are missing out on an amazing experience. Brining awareness to trips like this will change people’s lives’ for the better and they get to experience things they never could if, for example, they went with just family. Being here with friends and making memories is one of the most amazing things I’ve done on this trip and I hope in the future I can come back and be able to see more and experience more in China!
Xylah's Blog Entry 3
Throughout this trip, I have grown in so many ways during the past month living in Xi’an with my family. When we first arrived at the school, I was very nervous walking through my class room doors with my host sister since everybody was staring at me. As my sister and I got ourselves settled in our seats, they were all still staring at me, but then they all walked up to me. They were so excited to meet me as I was to meet them! In general, I tend to be a ‘shy’ person around new people, but it was actually a lot easier to be myself and more open in the school. When I go to my sisters classes in the morning, I would usually just read or do my homework, but during the last few days of my time there, I was engaging in English class with the students and teacher! They would be reading an article in class, and the English teacher would ask for me to read a few paragraphs for her sometimes. Even if they are answering questions, the teacher would call on me to answer them for her. During the weekends, my sister likes to hangout with her classmates, so we made a plan to go to the amusement park. I was also a little worried because I was not sure whether her classmates spoke any English or not, but it did not matter since we had such an amazing time! They would try to have all of the conversations in English, which was super funny since they would speak the strangest words. This trip has really brought out my confidence during this once in a lifetime experience. Once we come back to America, I hope to continue to be more outgoing to everyone and accepting, as the kids here has showed to me!
Throughout this trip, I have grown in so many ways during the past month living in Xi’an with my family. When we first arrived at the school, I was very nervous walking through my class room doors with my host sister since everybody was staring at me. As my sister and I got ourselves settled in our seats, they were all still staring at me, but then they all walked up to me. They were so excited to meet me as I was to meet them! In general, I tend to be a ‘shy’ person around new people, but it was actually a lot easier to be myself and more open in the school. When I go to my sisters classes in the morning, I would usually just read or do my homework, but during the last few days of my time there, I was engaging in English class with the students and teacher! They would be reading an article in class, and the English teacher would ask for me to read a few paragraphs for her sometimes. Even if they are answering questions, the teacher would call on me to answer them for her. During the weekends, my sister likes to hangout with her classmates, so we made a plan to go to the amusement park. I was also a little worried because I was not sure whether her classmates spoke any English or not, but it did not matter since we had such an amazing time! They would try to have all of the conversations in English, which was super funny since they would speak the strangest words. This trip has really brought out my confidence during this once in a lifetime experience. Once we come back to America, I hope to continue to be more outgoing to everyone and accepting, as the kids here has showed to me!