PREPARING FOR BEIJING
Have you ever thought about traveling abroad, or even studying abroad? The chance of a lifetime at your doorstep and all you have to do is open the door. In the fall of 2017, I will be opening the door, grabbing my suitcase, and hopping on a 13 hour flight to Beijing, China.
BEFORE THE ADVENTURE STARTS
As I prepare to go abroad to Beijing next semester, I feel a wide array of emotions: excitement, hope, happiness, gratitude, and nervousness. I made the choice to study in The Beijing Center my first semester studying at Loyola University Chicago. The departure day looked very far away that first semester, and now it is two months away. There was a chance, due to my financial situation, studying two majors, or getting cold feet sometimes, that I wouldn’t study in China. So, now it seems a little unbelievable that I have my plane ticket and my classes already scheduled.
CHOOSING CHINA
One day as I am sitting in class, I catch myself thinking about how nice it would be to go back to Europe and study abroad in Greece: frappes by the sea, devouring innumerable gyros, learning about Greek history and mythology, and reminiscing about the laidback European lifestyle I once lived. Soon my thoughts came to life, as I began a conversation with my classmates about travelling the world and cultural immersion. As it turned out, a girl in the group (Maria) was Greek, and soon we were laughing about My Big Fat Greek Wedding and how refusing meat is incomprehensible within the Greek mentality.
CHINA FOR THE WHOLE ACADEMIC YEAR
The idea of studying abroad for me dates back to sophomore year of high school. In Mandarin class, we were watching a series called Wild China, which was an informational video and narration that explored the immense and unique wildlife and nature of China. Before that, I considered college far away and did not give thought to what I wanted to do. After finishing the series, I knew. I had to explore this place, experience the people, and discover its secrets for myself.
UMMAH: ENCOUNTERING MUSLIMS IN CHINA
The first Saturday of March, April pushed at my shoulder, “Addy, wake up! He’s already waiting for us at west gate!”
I sat up, looking down at my jeans. “Do I have time to change my pants?” Back in Chicago, I rarely wear pants, let alone jeans. I brought this sole pair with me thinking they would be a good clothing item to potentially lose to Beijing’s smoggy atmosphere, and how right I was: earlier that day upon climbing machinery in the 798 Arts District, first the right seam followed immediately by the left seam of the inner thigh tore down to the knee. I wore tights underneath, thankfully, but I nonetheless looked quite ridiculous.
YONGHEGONG LAMA TEMPLE
On Saturday, April 15th, I set off with my friends Emily, Wilson, Adah, and Carol for the Yonghegong Lama Temple, one of the largest and best preserved historical sites in Beijing. I had seen the Lama temple (or at least its subway stop) in passing multiple times- it is only three stops away from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) on the Beijing Line 5 Subway- yet I had never had the chance to get off and explore the site.
SPRING BREAK STORIES: GOODBYE CHINA, HELLO JAPAN
My second semester in Beijing has continued to be full of surprises. I am still meeting new people, experiencing new places and foods. It may be too early to say, but I am enjoying my second semester with the TBC program even more than the last. This semester’s TBC students blend together especially well, which is almost too good to be true. This semester I even have two fellow stags, Lauren Jachimcyzk (18’) and Debra Chevalier (18’) to accompany me along this once in a lifetime journey.
SPRING BREAK: TBC STYLE
Spending a semester in Beijing gives our students easy access not only to the wonders of China, but also to other parts of Asia! TBC students recently returned from spring break, and they ventured near and far: all the way from Inner Mongolia to Spain! With spring break overlapping China’s Tomb Sweeping Festival, students spent fourteen days relaxing and travelling, often covering multiple cities. Some students even explored multiple countries! Talking about their experiences vacationing primarily around Asia, students shared with us where they went, what their favorite part of the trip was, and how much their trip cost:
“ABC AT THE EGG,” NYTIMES ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY TBCER
Tucked away in a plush dressing room off a press conference hall at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, we sat nervously in chairs upholstered in China’s trademark red. After a last-minute cancellation; a week of dogged phone-calling, WeChatting, and restrained begging; and a final, wretched wild goose chase around the airplane hangar-sized theatre complex known as the “Egg”, I had finally been granted a brief interview with opera director, Chen Xingyi. To help navigate the murky waters of opera jargon, I had brought along a Chinese friend to help translate when needed.
SECOND SEMESTER IN CHINA!
Although the weather in Yunnan was warmer and the air cleaner, I was more than excited to be back in Beijing. Beijing and I have quite a special connection; feeling like home since I stepped off the plane. Last semester I made myself at home on the campus of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE对外经济贸易大学) in the International Student dorm. Even though I would be taking new classes with a new group of students, I decided to switch it up for the spring semester and move off campus.
YUNNAN PROVINCE & CHINESE NEW YEAR – ALIYAH (’18)
As my winter break came to a sudden halt, I waited and watched as the newest group of TBC students arrived on campus. I was excited and nervous to meet the incoming class of spring semester 2017 students. Although I had already been in Beijing for the past 6 months and felt extremely comfortable with the language, culture, surroundings and my own daily routine, I began to feel like a newbie again. Fresh off the 15 hour flight from America, were 27 new faces that I had never met before. It was a strangely paradoxical feeling to have the confidence of a veteran student and the awkward butterflies of a Beijing newcomer.
WINTER IN CHINA
This Winter Break, I decided not to return home to the States. I believed that leaving China would not only disrupt my progress in Chinese, but returning home to my loved ones, would make leaving again for the second time that much more difficult. Instead, I used my break to travel within China and Beijing. In Beijing I explored the mystical Llama Temple 雍和宫(YongHeGong), the historical Tiannamen Square 天安东门(TianAnDongMen) and the infamous Forbidden City故宫(GuGong), again for the second time.
NATIONAL HOLIDAY国庆节(GUO MING JIE)
In China there is a national Holiday called the Golden Week (国庆节). It is a week long period and the most traveled time in China. Native Chinese either return to their home towns if they are away, travel out of the country, or enjoy a week of solace. I decided to travel out of China. Coming to China was my first time leaving the United States so I was super excited to expand my horizons. Coincidentally, this semester I have 10 Fairfield friends studying abroad in Europe, 7 of them in Italy. Because I am studying in China for two semesters and will not be returning home for Christmas, I decided to visit my friends in Florence, Italy.
YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN LOVE, WHEN THE HARDEST THING TO SAY IS…GOODBYE
The answer to everyone’s question: how was China?
The perfect answer is a 20 second elevator speech. It must break all barriers and sum up the experience in more than just “it was great” but it cannot wind on for too long so that people lose interest. The perfect answer provides more insight into China, but doesn’t seem to unreal that many think China is untouchable. The perfect answer … doesn’t exist.
SCHOOL IN CHINA!
I am studying abroad through The Beijing Center (TBC). TBC is housed on the campus of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). According to local Chinese students, UIBE is ranked about 4 or 5 of the top 10 Universities in China. The university provides schooling for about 20,000 students, not including undergraduate and PhD students. This was a massive change for me, seeing that Fairfield only has 5,000 undergraduates. Although larger in student population, the campus is smaller.
#BLESSED
Thanksgiving, regardless of whether you’re back in the States or not, is still a time to appreciate all the wonderful things that surround you in life. I haven’t really missed home too much until this holiday when all my friends and family were together and I was halfway across the world, but in reality, it just made me appreciate them even more. We got to have a Thanksgiving potluck here at TBC, where we got to all bring in dishes and eat some turkey and mac and cheese and pie … yum.
WHERE ARE THEY FROM? THEY REALLY LIKE VEGETABLES.
My friends and I really have a knack for planning trips less than 24 hours before we want to leave. But hey, they sometime seem to all workout. This weekend, we decided to visit Qingdao, a city on the coast of China, and located in the Shandong province.
BEIJING HERE, BEIJING THERE
This weekend me and my friend, Victoria, decided to hit up a couple spots in Beijing on our to-do list! We first visited the Lama Temple where we saw beautiful architecture and so much culture. Although we’ve visited many temples now, this one stood out because we saw many Chinese people praying and lighting incense which is something we hadn’t really seen at any other temples.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
The photo you see on the top was taken during the very beginning of our tenure at TBC. Everyone from our group came from different backgrounds, upbringings, and lifestyles. I am happy to say that I have established at least some sort of relationship with every single person. That brings me to the photo on the bottom. It was taken at Lina’s birthday party, one of my closest friends, here in China and back in Chicago. It is crazy to think of all of the memories we created from the first to our present pictures here in China.
XIAO LONG BAO – THE HUTONG CENTER
Again, TBC staff has given us an amazing opportunity to gain cultural awareness through weekend activities. For this opportunity I was able to attend my first ever cooking class at a place called The Hutong. The cutest little gem inside the huge maze of old Beijing. I went with Sebastian, a fellow TBC student to make a special soup dumpling that is popular to eat in southern China.