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Hello! My name is Serena Zhang, a student entering my fourth year at º£½ÇÉçÇø completing a joint honors degree in East Asian Studies and Political Science. Contrasting this reflection to my initial letter of intent when applying for the STU Intensive Chinese Language Program is the craziest full-circle feeling, to say the least. In that letter, I had mapped out three key goals: to expand my Chinese cultural knowledge, to learn more about the city of Shantou and its unique characteristics, and to reach a level of Mandarin that allowed me to better communicate with my relatives in China. In response to these: now, my brain and phone are filled with Chinese pop culture and media, and my mannerisms are still imbued with ones that I picked up from the local Chinese students. Now, I could give a TED Talk about everything I found fascinating about the city of Shantou and the Chaoshan region that it lies in- I so sorely miss their meatball soups as if I were a local myself. In addition, I cried when calling my grandparents towards the end of the exchange program, brimming with pride when they told me how much better my Mandarin had gotten and how much easier conversation flowed between us. Suffice to say, completing the STU exchange did more than just simply check off some bucket-list items- it gave me an enriching and fulfilling experience of a lifetime.

Picking through each jam-packed week, it is so hard to pinpoint one outstanding moment that wasn¡¯t equally matched by another incredible memory. Was my highlight the sunset hikes to mountain temples? Bus karaoke? Swimming in the spring water amidst tea fields? Zipping to lunch on electric bikes with my friends? Overall, the true highlight for me was not one single moment, but the glorious feeling hanging in the air of our cohort in the last week of the program. Having gotten so close to each other yet so close to the end, everyone was in a trance-like state of cognitive dissonance where we stretched every moment together all the while refusing to fully face the inevitable closing of the month.

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Being an exchange student at Shantou, even if only for a month, is a fully immersive experience that plunges you headfirst into the endlessly rich culture of the city and overall Chinese lifestyle. Like plunging into a pool however, things are disorienting at first, other people feel so distant, and you enter a different physical state when you go into this exchange program. I started off with some of the worst anxiety levels of my life, with my body constantly battling the intense climate and my brain battling the thought of whether I would ever get close with the other students on the trip. Channeling the proverb ÈëÏçËæË× is the best way I was able get through that initial period. When in Rome, do as the Romans do- when in China, keep powering through and putting yourself out there with the language, food, culture, and people.

Overall, the most succinct piece of wisdom I can pass down from this exhilarating experience is that you cannot go into this program with a purely student mindset, nor a purely tourist mindset. To truly get the most out of everything, you must realize that the scenery and the people are inextricable when it comes to what makes this overall experience so special. Traverse through the beautiful sceneries, take as many photos as possible, enjoy the fresh (albeit insanely humid) coastal air. At the same time, have no reservations in engaging with your fellow students, teachers, and locals. Grasp onto every single precious moment you have with the vibrant people you meet; they are what bring color and life to every encounter.

Excuse the overwrought sentimentality of it all, but I am dead serious when I say the STU Intensive Chinese Language Program was a pivotal experience in my life that I will cherish forever. I hope that any future hopeful applicants do not take for granted the blessings and responsibilities that come with this opportunity. No need to think about these solemn words too deeply for now- go out and experience the program for yourself first! Then come back and see if you agree, or if you think I¡¯m just spouting dramatics :)

Serena ÕÅÒàÄþ