NEWS & EVENTS

Have you decided to study abroad in China and are making plans on how to make the most of your semesters abroad? Are you excited but at the same time nervous about your upcoming new life in a country and culture that is perhaps completely different from your own? Do you want to build international friendships and connections during your time abroad but are afraid that it may prove difficult? A great answer to all these questions you are probably having right now is actually quite simple – you should choose to live with a Chinese roommate.

Can you briefly introduce yourself?

My name is Veronica Lewis (Roni). I grew up in D.C., but my university is in Denver, Regis University. I’m an East Asian Studies major with a concentration in Mandarin, and a community food systems/ farming minor.

I’ve never considered myself as a religious person. Since I was little, I remember not wanting to go to the synagogue or any Sabbath dinner with my family. Even though I come from a traditional Jewish family, I always felt that faith was a gift I didn’t get. Nevertheless, Judaism has always meant a lot to me because it’s a part of my identity as a person, it defines who I am, and it gives me a sense of belonging. That is why, in Colombia -where I live- I’ve joined different groups that have allowed me to play important roles in service of the Jewish community such as being a counselor for Jewish summer camps and teaching Zionism to children.

Every year, Loyola University Chicago’s Ricci Scholarship gives a handful of students the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the celebrated Jesuit scholar Matteo Ricci, and study in the cities of Rome, Italy and Beijing, China. After spending their sophomore year crafting a detailed proposal for independent research of their choosing, the Scholars spend one semester at Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center and the next at the Beijing Center for Chinese Studies, conducting fieldwork for a comparative research project to be finalized during their senior year back in Chicago.

Do you want to go to Tokyo, Japan? Are you on a budget? Do you think it’s going to be too expensive? No worries, you can stay within your budget without losing an arm and a leg. I too am constantly on a budget. Luckily, that did not stop me from visiting Toyko, Japan during my spring break.

Travel has been easy to come by since my arrival in China. Beijing has allowed me to get around not only other parts of China but also around Asia. I took my opportunity to plan a trip to Thailand for my spring break this year… I had other options such as Laos, Australia, Tokyo and Seoul among others but ultimately I went with Thailand.