TBC invites leading scholars, thinkers and experts to address an eclectic range of topics related to China in an one-hour format as part of TBC’s Lecture Series. On Wednesday, March 14, 2018, Dr. Francis T. Hannafey S.J. gave a lecture on Pu’er tea to students.
After only being in Beijing 3 weeks, it was time for the Yunnan excursion. I wasn’t too familiar with Beijing yet, so how was I supposed to adjust to different villages and cities where locals speak their local dialects?! Nonetheless, I was excited for the upcoming challenges and experiences. The Yunnan excursion is a two week trip planned by The Beijing Center every Spring semester around Chinese New Year break. The itinerary is packed and filled from start to finish! We were on a tight schedule to visit and learn about a few of the 56 minority groups in China. We were in Yunnan to learn, explore, and make friends we’d never forget.
Learning Chinese before coming to China would seem somewhat like a good idea, right? Well it would help you initially when coming to China. However, I, myself didn’t learn any Chinese before arriving this past semester.
I did perfectly fine, well sort of.
Studying abroad is an opportunity that I believe will help to strengthen and build a foundation for my future endeavors. I would like to become an international pop culture writer/editor and content creator. My Haitian heritage has influenced my interest in learning and reporting about countries and cultures abroad. It has helped me redefine social norms and beauty standards for myself by challenging me to appreciate a culture other than Western culture.
Initially, this study abroad experience was meant for traveling and growth as a person of my own volition. As soon as I arrived in China, I started fulfilling these goals. It wasn’t until coming to China that I began to write my own journals to remember the time I spent here and reflect. This form of self-reflection was quite encouraging in allowing myself to make way for change and growth. Even though I came to China without much knowledge of both its language and culture, I hoped to erase the ignorance within myself and learn even more about the 5000-year-old Chinese culture.
In partnership with Le Moyne College, TBC’s short-term programs division hosted a successful 3-week online + in-class Finance Course this past January in Beijing. The course, Modern Security Analysis – FIN 467 instructed by Fernando Diz, Ph.D, taught students about value investing, business valuation, corporate finance, security analysis, and how to develop a successful investing approach. Included in the course were business site visits and cultural trips. Special thanks to Deloitte and MiCai for hosting this year’s group! If you’re interested in learning more about the program, click here.
Prior to Spring 2018’s arrival, TBC upgraded its classrooms with new smart interactive white boards. See the before and after photos below.
Not many people are born having a best friend and soulmate, but I was. Everything I do in my life, I always think about how I always have someone to count on and someone to do anything I want with. Whether I am in school, traveling, having a meal, or just sitting at home reading or watching tv, I always have the option of being alone or having company, a choice not many people have many times. Being in a foreign country is already scary and unpredictable, to begin with, but being alone without knowing anyone, makes it that much harder. Fortunately, my experience is never as scary and hard as many others’ because I have my sister, Verica.
A couple weeks ago, The Beijing Center worked with its host university, the University of International Business and Economics, to give us the opportunity to volunteer teach first year students about culture shock – giving these students a free, supplementary class to help them practice their English listening and speaking with native speakers. Without giving it much thought I took it, along with two students in my cohort. I signed up thinking about how I could transmit my own experience with culture shock in a way that students from the culture I’m still learning about could understand.
A group of 12 administrators and study abroad advisors from TBC partner universities in the U.S. and Colombia made the trip to Beijing for a one-week visit. With lectures, discussions, and cultural and internship site visits arranged by TBC’s ChinaContact, the participants were able to learn more about TBC and life in China. They also were able to interact directly with their university’s students currently here.