Written by Natalie Chen (Washington University in St. Louis), Student Correspondent for CET Shanghai, Spring 2024
Due to CET Shanghai’s mid-February start date—a result of Chinese New Year celebrations—I felt like I had more time than most of my peers to think about the upcoming semester. Many of my friends from college had left for their study abroad programs in early January, and my friends returning to WashU had begun their semesters around the same time as well. Some people were reporting having a fantastic time, others were struggling to adjust, and many were experiencing a mix of both positive and negative emotions.
Although I enjoyed my prolonged break at home, it also gave me the opportunity to form high expectations, contemplate various doubts, and prematurely compare my experience to other people based on what I heard over text or saw on Instagram. Will I have as much fun as friend “X” studying abroad in Milan? Or will I take a while to adjust like friend “Y” in Copenhagen? Some people told me they were sure I would have an easy transition, given the comforting fact that some of my WashU friends were studying abroad in Shanghai with me, but I was still apprehensive.
Having a few good friends does make a large difference, but I basically didn’t know anything about my randomly-assigned local roommate. I wasn’t sure what the other CET students would be like, whether I would enjoy the classes or not, and what challenges I would face being in China. Although I am Chinese/Taiwanese, I have never been to Asia. My grandparents are the immigrants in my family, so most of my relatives live in the States. For all I knew, I might not even like Shanghai or China.
Today is only day 8, and I normally try to be somewhat of a realist, but I am having the best time of my life—and it’s not even because classes haven’t started yet, or because there have been no challenges. I arrived last Friday evening, and Saturday and Sunday we had orientation all day from 7am to 5pm before classes began Monday. We’ve had substantial homework every night, a Chinese test on Friday, and I went into my internship for 15 hours total this week (where I already messed up an assignment because of translation issues). It has been the opposite of a slow transition. I haven’t even had much time to explore the city quite yet, and I am loving every second.
To start off, I was lucky enough to connect with my roommate right off the bat. My friends have pointed out that we have the same laugh. From the second she picked me up from the airport, she had been nothing but gracious and helpful. She’s practically fluent in English, but we mostly speak Mandarin because I asked her if she could help me work on my Chinese. We just went and dyed our hair together. She’s already comfortable enough to joke with me and the other CET students, and we’re planning on binging her favorite show, Grey’s Anatomy, together while eating ordered-in hot pot.
Connecting with my roommate was one of my greatest hopes before arriving in Shanghai, but what I didn’t expect was to connect so well with some of the other Chinese local roommates. My language skills are pretty rough, but that hasn’t inhibited my relationships. I already have inside jokes with some of them—one of them jokingly tells me he hates me every time he sees me—and feel comfortable texting them over WeChat about their daily plans.
Aside from the wonderful people—and I didn’t even touch on the new CET student friends I’ve made—I am completely in awe of this city and country (from what I’ve seen of it!). The food is beyond incredible, even in the cafeteria. It’s cheap, and I don’t miss American food whatsoever, even though it is accessible here if I eventually get a craving. The metro is so convenient and easy to use, and even when I got lost on it once this week, I was having a great time. There’s beautiful malls with all sorts of stores and bustling food stalls. When the city lights up at night, it’s more breathtaking than any skyline in the States. And the one time I’ve been able to leave the city, when the program went on a hike a couple hours outside of Shanghai, it felt like stepping into another world. Some of the plants were covered in ice from the morning snow, and there were giant stalks of bamboo everywhere. I’ve included pictures, but trust me when I say they pale in comparison to the in-person experience. Everything I’ve written pales in comparison to the in-person experience.
I’m aware that more challenges will probably arise throughout my semester and that I’m still running on some initial adrenaline and excitement. Still, I have a feeling I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now. This city and these people have so much to offer, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.