Galen's Story - NSLI-Youth Mandarin Group Program - United States  

For more on the NSLI-Youth group's experience in China, click here.

My Life in Shanghai: An Experience of a Lifetime!

I knew before leaving the U.S. for China, that everything for the rest of that summer was going to be an adventure. I wasn’t sure what shape or form my adventure would take, but I was ready for the ride. Upon arriving, I met my host family. Not only did I have language difficulties integrating into my family, but there were also cultural differences and standards that both sides had to adjust to. However, these challenges did nothing but make us become closer as a real family. When it came time for me to leave and head back to America, I was so sad that I wouldn’t be coming home anymore to them, the people who took me in as part of their everyday lives without so much as a second thought.

During my time in Shanghai I had the opportunity to take intensive Mandarin Chinese language classes at Tonji Secondary School affiliated with Tongji University. These classes were arranged specifically for American high school students to learn as much Chinese as possible in the short six week allotted time frame of our stay. Intensive is the only way to describe them! They may have been difficult, but I know that they benefitted me more than I could have ever anticipated. The disparities between Western and Eastern teaching styles really opened my eyes to a whole other way of thinking and learning that I wouldn’t have experienced back home. Again, when it came time for me leave, I felt sad that I wouldn’t be attending classes anymore. The teachers put so much time and effort into making sure our experience was a good one, and that really moved me and my classmates.

Outside of school and family life, there was free time to explore the city! No matter what you did, where you went, you were sure to find something special and intriguing. Even if it was as simple as walking to the local bakery to get a unique Chinese-style pastry, it would leave a lasting impression. Other fun things that we all did together was go sing karaoke, go out to eat, go shopping, and bargain for goods, just like the locals. But perhaps one of the most worthwhile things I participated in was going to work as a volunteer for Xubo’s affiliated CereCare Wellness Center for Children. This care center was home to young Chinese children with mental handicaps who needed extra care and special education. A group of four of us went one afternoon after school to teach these children English. I was floored when we first asked them a few questions in Chinese about how to say some English words, and they could already respond in English to us. I couldn’t imagine trying to teach an American child of that age Chinese! These children were something special. It was so rewarding to watch them pick up the new words we had taught them so quickly, to see their enthusiastic faces as they called out the correct answers one after another after another.

Through my experience in China, I can say that I came back, not a different person, but definitely a more knowledgeable and skilled one. I can’t emphasize enough how fortunate I am to have had such a wonderful opportunity. No matter how short or long the stay, a journey to China is an experience that you will never forget.

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