Stephany in China, Winter 2011 - Post 1

As my departure date for China approaches, I feel increasingly anxious – although not necessarily in a negative way. I’ve never been abroad before and going to the opposite side of the world is a pretty exciting first time experience. I can’t wait to see experience the different culture, see the sights, and have the chance to be independent and explore on my own (even though it is only for a two week time period).

I feel slightly overwhelmed as I’m constantly bombarded by my peers with suggested places to visit and things to try. I also feel as if there is so much left to prepare, but I haven’t gotten started or really know where to start. I’m not sure what I should pack to wear, what I’ll really need, or what sort of research I should do to help the trip run smoothly. Fortunately my schedule for the upcoming week is rather empty so I can start assembling my list of “must see” and “must do” in Shanghai and Beijing.

I’m most looking forward to having the opportunity to interact with the people and observe the difference in culture and lifestyle. I feel going abroad will give me invaluable insight into just how varied and different places outside of the United States are. Having never traveled outside of North America, I believe that my perception of life and interpretation of normalcy is rather skewed. I’m sure this experience will broaden my mindset and allow me to be more open-minded and accepting of the unfamiliar.

I am probably most worried about getting sick while I’m abroad. I would love the opportunity to try the food from the street vendors, as I hear it’s all amazing, but I’m worried that my stomach simply won’t be able to handle something new. My father is convinced that I’ll get sick just from the restaurant foods since I’ve never been exposed to the germs and don’t have a strong stomach. I’m worried that getting sick would ruin the trip and experience, so hopefully it won’t be an issue.

My worries certainly do not outweigh my excitement – I am thrilled I’m finally going to be able to visit China. I’m excited to have the chance to put my Mandarin skills to the test and see if I’m able to successfully communicate with native speakers outside of my family members. I am also very excited to see the historic landmarks and many other awesome sights in Shanghai and Beijing. It all feels somewhat surreal and it hasn’t really sunk in that I will be going abroad in approximately a week. I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.