A final reflection
This time last year I was getting ready to leave for my year in China and I can honestly say nothing could have fully prepared me for the year I have just experienced. I am not even sure what word to use to explain it myself. I have been home for one month now.
"How was China Ana?" is a question everybody has been asking me since returning.
"It was great, thank you!"
This is what I've been saying...but the truth is China wasn't great. It was so much more than that. It was incredible in every way, it was an adventure, it was crazy, it was hard and even sometimes scary...but it was everything I could have hoped for and more. An experience that I will cherish forever.
Before moving to China last year I did not know any of the other scholars and had never visited China before so everything was new and everything seemed so unfamiliar to me which I found incredibly difficult to get to grips with at first, but sooner or later the other scholars became my family and Tianjin became my home.
It wasn't easy moving to the other side of the world with a group of 21 other Scots and suddenly having to live together, everyone had their ups and downs but we got through everything together and I honestly couldn't have asked for a better group of people to spend my time in China with. It was also amazing to make friends with so many international people, it's such a unique and special experience that I will remember forever.
Hard work pays off. Learning Chinese isn't easy so throughout my time in China a lot of days were spent working hard to try and improve my language skills. I really enjoyed the classes at the University, although I didn't think I would miss waking up at half seven and rushing to class, I miss it all now.
The great thing about living in China while learning Chinese is that studying doesn't have to be sitting behind a desk for hours; going out and talking to Chinese people, meeting Chinese friends helped me so much.
Passing HSK4 at the end of the scholarship is something I don't think I would have done without the help from my Chinese friends in Tianjin, they were amazing!
For next year’s scholars who are about to leave for China, personally I don't think any amount of hints and tips can really explain what China will be like for you, if I can give you any advice it would be face everyday with a smile even when it seems hard because you really are about to have the experience of a life time and before you know it you will be back in Scotland wishing you could do it all over again.
加油 Best of Luck!
