By Almudena R., Loyola University Chicago, TBC Fall 2017 Student
*Scroll down to read in Spanish*
Living with a Chinese roommate
As we approach our month mark of living in Beijing, there are many things I’m grateful for that TBC has provided to make the experience of studying in another country comfortable.
What I’m most thankful for is the opportunity to live with a Chinese roommate, a student chosen by TBC to be our support and guide throughout our semester here. My roommate, April, has been and is the greatest help I have in China and is an amazing friend who supports me in every aspect of my life here. From telling me I’m going to do great before a test and hearing me talk endlessly about my worries, to showing me where the best restaurants and salons are.
By giving us the opportunity to live with a Chinese student attending Universtiy of International Business and Economics, we are more immersed in the culture and have an easier time adapting to living in another country. Due to the age connection, the Chinese roommates are able to understand us better and guide us through college life in Beijing. And they didn’t just take care of us by taking us to dinner and supermarkets the first week of classes either. They are still supporting us every day in the smallest things like helping us figure out how to other take-out food and bigger things like taking us to visit different neighborhoods, like the Lama Temple, around Beijing.
I know my study abroad experience wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t live with April. Additionally, TBC has done a great job of pairing us up with roommates that have similar habits as us, giving us very comfortable and friendly living situations. One of my favorite parts of the day is before going to bed, when April and I both turn off the lights at the same time and take out our Kindles to read, putting them down later at the same time.
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Viviendo con una compañera china
Tengo muchas cosas por la que estar agradecida. Mi programa, The Beijing Center, está haciendo que mi experiencia en Beijing sea muy cómoda e interesante. Lo que más agradezco es tener la oportunidad de vivir con una compañera de cuarto china, una estudiante escogida por TBC para ser my apoyo y guia durante mi semestre aquí. My compañera, April, está siendo la mejor ayuda que tengo en China y es una amiga increíble que me apoyo en todos los aspectos de mi vida. Desde animarme antes de un examen a escucharme hablar infinitamente sobre mis problemas y enseñarme donde están los mejores restaurantes.
Al darnos la oportunidad de vivir con un compañero chino que va a University of International Business and Economics, estamos más inmersos en la cultura y es más fácil adaptarse a vivir en un país desconocido. Debido a la conexión de edad, los compañeros de cuarto chinos nos entienden perfectamente y nos guian por la vida universitaria en Beijing. Y no sólo nos cuidan llevándonos a cenar y a supermercados la primera semana de clase. Nos siguen apoyando cada día en las cosas pequeñas como ayudarnos a pedir comida y cosas grandes como visitar distintos barrios de Beijing, como el Templo Lama.
Sé que mi experiencia estudiando aquí no sería la misma si no viviera por April. Además, TBC ha hecho un muy buen trabajo emparejándonos con compañeros de cuarto que se parezcan a nosotros, creando un ambiente my cómodo y bueno. Tanto nos parecemos April y yo que todas las noches, cuando apagamos las luces a la misma vez, las dos sacamos nuestros Kindles y nos ponemos a leer, luego yéndonos a dormir a la misma vez sin querer.
The past few weekends have been some of the most exciting of the entire semester, full of trips to the zoo, mountain hikes, ancient parks, and more! Our first trip out of many was a visit to the Beijing Zoo. I had mentioned earlier in the semester that I wanted to see some pandas, since I was in China after all, and our TBC friend Andy made it happen.
Spending a whole semester in Beijing, I knew I had to make the trip down south and check out Shanghai, and the city certainly lived up to the expectations. Everyone describes Shanghai as this super futuristic metropolis, and after spending a weekend there I understand why it has this reputation.