Week One: The Beginning

I did it! I have officially completed one week of my study abroad trip!

The first couple of days were hectic, I didn’t ever have a moment to soak it all in. On Saturday, I stepped off the plane, grabbed my luggage and rode in a taxi to the university with no problems. Once I got dropped off, it began to pour, and I realized that I had no idea where to go. I knew I was close because the gates on each side of the road had signs with “Shanghai University.” Luckily, I ran into a group of students and one of the directors who pointed me in the right direction.

I stepped into the office soaking wet, and my heart beating because a group of students all turned to look at me. I smiled and exchanged a few hellos with some of the people. After several minutes I had introduced myself to most of the students. After I checked in at the office, a small group of us walked to a huge mall and supermarket just a few minutes off campus to buy dorm essentials. During this time, I met my roommate Monica and began to familiarize myself with the group.

That night, I had a couple of hours to settle into my double dorm room. The room is quite nice with two beds on one side of the wall and the closets and desks on the other side. I share the bathroom, sinks, and microwave and fridge with about five other dorm mates. So far, the set-up has been running smoothly. It is an adjustment going back to that shared living space, but I will get used to it.

Sunday was reserved for orientation. I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed at 7:00 AM and regrouped for a campus tour and an informational presentation. Shanghai University is a beautiful medium-sized campus located in Old Town Shanghai just a few metro stops from the heart of the city. I am surrounded by lovely greenery and rustic buildings. We then proceeded to a group lunch where I was able to try some new foods like jellyfish dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Sadly, it wasn’t my favorite, so I had chicken, rice, potato salad, eggs and onions and many other dishes. After lunch, I got my first Chinese SIM card and metro card. I am excited to try taking rapid transport here.

As I spent more and more time walking outside, I instantly noticed how much more humid the air is. Most of the Chinese locals putt around on motorbikes, regular bikes, or cars. You have to be more mindful while cruising the streets because cars and motorbikes will happily cut you off.

Monday I started class. I take Chinese on Monday, Wednesday, Fridays, Entrepreneurship in a Global Market on Mondays, Chinese History on Tuesdays, and Finance on Thursdays. Classes are taught in English and are structured similarly to courses in the United States. So far, my professors seem very intellectually insightful, and I am looking forward to getting back into my study groove.

On Saturday, we all went on a Shanghai city tour. Our first stop was the Urban Planning museum that showed many exhibits of how the city of Shanghai came to be. We then went to the Yuyuan Garden, an exquisite and beautiful garden in the northeast part of Old City Shanghai. The garden was like a maze and a giant-sized jungle gym combined. The architecture was crafted with such detail; you could see some animal and character etchings on the rooftops. There were also many walkways across the pond that held many different types of koi fish.

Our next stop was a sweeping waterfront viewpoint that looked out at the city and the famous Bund building. I approached the railing of the dock and instantly felt a cool breeze upon my face. It wasn’t quite like any cityscape I had ever seen, but it was different, and I liked it.

Finally, we ended our tour at the French Concession, specifically a small little market called Tianzifang. I loved this market because the roads were made of brick, the walkway was skinny with shops just a quick jump away from each other making the atmosphere very intimate and cozy. It began to rain, and only one of the girls in our group brought an umbrella, so we ended up running from shop to shop laughing and enjoying the evening.

Yesterday, Sunday, I took the metro station with two friends to Xinyang Market located inside the metro. It was quite overwhelming but contained many types of shops from fake designer purses and belts to smartwatches and authentic souvenirs. I bought two things: a small electric fan for the humid and sunny days and a fake Gucci belt. Both times I was able to practice my Chinese and bargaining skills. I could get used to bargaining! We then went to the Science & Technology museum right outside the station which was similar to OMSI in Oregon. It had many exhibits from an animal kingdom to a human and health exhibit. We wrapped up the night by eating dinner at a nice bar called YOLO Bar in the heart of the city.

Which now brings us to the present, Monday afternoon, as I am writing this now. I just finished my Chinese class, and I now have a short break until my next class. All I can say so far is how proud of myself I am for having the courage to study abroad in China, a place that is so vastly different from the United States. I knew that this would be a challenge for me, but I am starting to see why people take risks. I am excited to see what China has in store for me next!