Since last year, because of the attention and importance of China, I have started to learn the Chinese language. I didn’t have any interest in March of last year. While studying Chinese, I usually felt a little bored, but then I suddenly realized that if I studied in China, it would be easier and I would improve a lot. So, I looked around and found an exchange student program by Gachon University. However my Chinese skill was too low, but I prepared hard and finally got the opportunity to study at Zhejiang, Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages in China.
  The reasons why I wanted to study at this university can be condensed into two things. Firstly, it is in a good location. This university is located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. Actually, this region is not a well-known region. However, it is close to some cities like Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Suzhou. Since it is convenient to go to the train station, (it takes about 15 - 20 minutes by bus) it’s good for going on a trip. Secondly, there are helpful and valuable activities for international students. For example, activities like tours, performances, and educational activities. I applied for this university upon consideration of these advantages and because I had lived in China for four months as an international student.
  The curriculum was divided into 5 levels; from Basic 1 to Advanced 1 according to each student’s level test results. It’s really good to take classes with students in the same level. At first, the classes with Chinese teachers seemed quite hard. However, they explained things step by step and pretty easily, so my schoolwork, especially listening and speaking, showed much improvement. Every day, there were assignments like reading and a vocabulary quiz. They made students study diligently. Especially, “making a conversation for a situation” or “speech against the topic”, these issues were helpful for improving speaking. When I used words and sentences that I learned in class during my stay in China, my heart was filled with pride.
  Shaoxing, where I used to live was quite far from city downtown and even around the city there were not many developed areas, but I still consider that place fascinating. There was a lot of water around the city and it is famous for its beautiful scenery. Shaoxing is well-known as a historic and cultural city where you can enjoy flowing water and beautiful sights everywhere. In this way, China still has a lot of historical places here and there, preserving their history. It was a valuable experience for me because I have always been interested in history and culture.
  Chinese people are friendly to Koreans. Of course, not all Chinese people’s way of thinking is similar but many people that I met were so kind and liked Korean people as well. I think it’s because of the power of Korean dramas, entertainers, and songs. So I had plenty of opportunities to communicate with people and make good friends. Despite concerns of the language barrier and cultural differences, I was able to interact with lots of people.
  China has developed greatly. China has made enormous strides in recent years. But many people think that China is not very developed and has big cultural differences. Actually, I felt like that before going to China. But things are different now. You can really learn a lot from the language, culture and customs of daily life in China. If any student has an interest in China or wants to study Chinese well, I strongly recommend that you go to China!

Eun Yu Mi                     Dept. of               Landscape Architecture