Antonio C. - Nanchang, China - Fall 2013

I landed at night and couldn't see much of anything but while driving to the university, I noticed that many people had scooters and many just walked on the road. As I got into my dorm room I laid everything out and put everything away. After that I wanted to rest after my 20 hour travel. As I woke up the next morning, I looked out and saw my university. The chatter of birds and the language of the Chinese is all I heard from my window. I walked down and stepped into China.
It is a very different country than the United States. Different but yet not so threatening. Yes the language barrier is a big one but the locals here in Nanchang are very helpful and patient as I try to fumble with my translator. If you like Chinese food you have come to the right place! The food here is amazing and so much cheaper than anything Chartwell sells. I really never know what I order because I cannot read Chinese well yet but everything is scrumptious!

On the second day, the university organized a tour of the city and boy is it modern. China is a developing country but with the sky scrapers and lack of pot hole streets, it is very different than Chicago. For starters, the big temple is thousands of years old but yet it is untouched by the city around it. The honks and horns of taxis and cars was lost in this place of solitude and tranquility. After a delicious lunch in the city do we go shopping on the campus store. They have everything!!! from clothes, to school supplies, to a watch store, to a full department store on the second floor, this is the best campus store I have been to! I got all my room necessities for less than 200 yuan ($30)!!
The locals all now know us and are extremely friendly. As I said before, they are patient but they go above and beyond what is required of them at times. A classmate of mine once forgot his money and the vendor let him have the jin bing (a delicious bread that is kind of like pizza bread) for free. The next day he went back and tried to give the vendor extra money but the vendor refused and even chased him to give him the extra money back. The friendly nature of the Chinese people is kind of foreign to me as many people back in the States always want a tip even if they do a little extra.
China has captivated my mind and is growing on me.

 

Michael N. - London, England - Fall 2013

London is an amazing city! I love it! The first couple of days I was a bit nervous because I wasn’t exactly clear where I had to go and what I needed to do.  But everyone is in the same situation as you are, so I saw it as a new experience. I made friends with mostly British people and it has been great. They are really nice people and have showed me around London. In the first week, I’ve toured round Westminster, taking in sights like Big Ben, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, as well as Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Monument, and have had an amazing time! There is so much history and culture here. We’ve rented Bikes for the day and learned the Tube underground network in just a few days. The people are really nice and my friends are awesome. I am still trying to get my classes straightened out and as soon as that happens, I will let you all know about my classes and the course load. I am having a great time; my advice to everyone who is thinking about studying abroad, I say go for it! Its an amazing opportunity and you get to travel around Europe. I am planning to go Paris and Amsterdam very soon. Also, in November I will visit cousins and friends in Barcelona and Madrid. I am having a great time so far. If you have any questions about Queen Mary University of London or about London in general, just let me know and I will try to give you an answer soon.

Alicia W. - Granada, Spain - Fall 2013

Hi everyone!!

I hope you are having fun getting ready to study abroad! I have been in Granada, Spain for the past week and I am already having a blast! The day before I flew here I was crying and crying because I was so nervous to be leaving everything behind and flying to a place where I know nobody, but as soon as I got here, all that fear disappeared. 

One of the coolest things about studying abroad is that as soon as you are with your group of international students, you instantly have a million things to talk about! “Where are you from?” “Why did you choose this program?” “What classes are you taking?” It’s incredible! It is so easy to make good friends, so if you are concerned about any of that, don’t be! The city of Granada is incredible! It is probably the most beautiful place I have ever seen, and I cannot wait to see more. I have already spent more money than I intended so make sure you save save save! And also pack LIGHT! I over packed so much and I already regret it. Who knew how hard it is to roll a heavy suitcase on cobblestone streets! As I said, I have only been here a week so I have plenty more to learn, but if you have any questions I would be happy to answer them as best as I can!!!

Alicia

Feel free to visit Alicia's personal blog for even more insights into her study abroad experience:  pomegranateaventura.blogspot.com