- Name
- Claudia
- Study Programme
- BWL
- Semester
- 7th Semester
- Host Institution
- Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU)
- Location
- Suzhou, China
- Period
- September 2023 to February 2024
Funding
Self-funded
What was your main motivation to go abroad?
After I visited a Summer School for three weeks, I wanted to live in another country for a longer period of time. I wanted to make new friends, improve my English and I wanted to visit a country which is not one of the typical travel destinations.
A semester abroad is the best way to live abroad for a longer period of time, as you may not have as much time after your studies.
What were your biggest concerns?
My biggest concern was probably the internet censorship. Internet censorship means you can't access apps like Google, WhatsApp or Instagram without a working VPN. These apps were very important for me to keep in touch with my family and friends. I had problems at the beginning because my VPN wasn't working. However, if it works, you can access your usual apps as normal. The language barrier was also one of my biggest concerns. I knew that English is not spoken by many Chinese people. In fact, almost nobody outside the university could speak English and I couldn't speak any Chinese. The university offers exchange students the opportunity to take a language course in which you learn the most important things. However, I always managed to communicate, whether with Chinese, with the help of a translator or literally with "hands and feet".
Would you recommend a stay abroad? Why?
Definitely! You learn so many new things, not only about a completely new culture, but also about yourself. You also make lots of new friends from different countries. A semester abroad is the best way to live abroad for a longer period of time, as you may not have as much time after your studies.
Fun Fact
In China, nothing works without your phone! You pay with your phone, you order in restaurants with your phone, you have your tickets on your phone, you need your phone to get to the dormitory, ... That's why there are power banks to borrow in most public places.
What did you learn from your stay abroad?
Lots of new experiences, new friends from different countries and my love for China! I also have the feeling that I have become more independent thanks to many new challenges that I had to overcome on my own.
Were your expectations met?
At the beginning, I was a bit disappointed that many Chinese students were too shy to speak English. This made it difficult to make friends with them. However, there are a lot of international students at the university, so it was easy to make friends with them. German students are rare at this University. Therefore, I was able to improve my English a lot! I also learned Chinese, as it's the only way to talk to people outside the university.
Is there anything you would like to highlight about your experience abroad?
China is a super safe country. It's no problem to travel alone. At first, I found it a bit strange that there are surveillance cameras everywhere or that you have to go through a security check when you enter a subway station. After a short time, I realised that this makes you feel very safe.
Impressions of China
