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Mastering Chinese Conversation in Shanghai, China's Economic Hub! Review

#It gave me an opportunity to reflect on myself #Passionate Chinese friends and positive motivation #Felt a satisfying improvement in my skills

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    "It definitely seems that four months in China helped improve my skills more than studying in Korea for a year. The time in China also helped me get a clearer sense of what I want to do and how I want to live in the future."

     

    Master conversational Chinese in Shanghai, China''s economic center!

    Participant Son Jeong-hun (26, university student) / 18-week gap year

     

     

    * In this reviewThe photos are not taken by the participant; they are local photos of Shanghai used for illustration.

     

     

     

     

     

    # University classes on Chinese history, figures, and literature that I wasn''t interested in. So I set off for China!

     

     

     

     

     

    I am a university student in the Chinese Language and Culture department. I chose a China-related major because I wanted to run a China-related business in the future.

     

    However,Many university courses were focused on Chinese history, figures, and literature, and such a curriculum did not interest me.I thought Chinese would be necessary later and found it enjoyable, so I studied it consistently, but my skills were poor.

     

     

     

    Feeling disillusioned about my department and anxious about the future, I thought that going to school in this state would clearly be of no help to me.As my friends gradually found their own paths, I thought a lot about what special skills I had, and fearing a continued dull routine, I decided to go to China.

     

    While looking for language programs in China, I discovered the gap year project. Although I wasn''t interested in Chinese history or literature,I was interested in China''s economy and culture, so I decided to go without hesitationI did.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    # Reflecting on myself after seeing Chinese friends who work passionately with dreams

     

     

     

     

     

    I wasn''t worried at all about staying abroad for a long period. In fact, I thought you should spend at least a year to learn a language, so I felt four months would be too short to achieve satisfactory skills.

     

    Still, despite the sudden decision, I felt fortunate that I was able to go on the language study trip.

     

     

     

     

    For pre-departure preparations, I did only what the gap year project coordinator instructed. There weren''t any particular difficulties.Searching for information about the city you''re going to and the country will be very helpful.

     

    Looking up commonly used apps, tourist spots, foods, etc. will make life more rewarding. I didn''t look anything up, so I learned things one by one, and I don''t think that method is bad either — there''s fun in discovering things on your own.

     

     

     

     

    My direct goal in joining the gap year project was to improve my Chinese, and having a clearer view of the future was the main objective. Talking a lot with Chinese friends improved my Chinese, but my outlook on the future became darker.

     

    Seeing younger Chinese people who work passionately with dreams made me feel regretful that I was too complacent. Still, since I was greatly stimulated by them, I think greater change will come to me later.







    # Enjoying Chinese culture with friends was the most valuable experience!



    A typical day in the project: if you have morning classes, you wake up and go to class. If you''ve also signed up for afternoon classes, you attend them until the afternoon. After that, it''s complete free time.

    You can visit famous tourist spots and restaurants you''ve researched, or wander endlessly in the park near where you live and buy Chinese street food. Language study is sufficient during class time.Enjoying the host country''s culture with friends as much as possible will be the most valuable experience.




    In fact, when you go to China you''ll have to handle everything yourself, so I thought there might be difficulties at first. Things to take care of like getting a phone plan, opening a bank account, installing and registering apps are numerous. But once you actually handle these tasks, you start to adapt quickly to the environment in China.

    Also,People in Shanghai (at least those I met) are very kind and try hard to help if you look like a foreigner.I became friendly with the part-time worker at my favorite milk tea shop and received a discount every day when I went. Besides that, I received help from Chinese people in many different ways. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask!






    # More than 70% of the photos I took in China were of food — an opportunity to taste a wide variety of dishes



    By participating in the project, I met friends from various countries. Although it wasn’t an exchange student program so I regret not being able to interact with more people, I met various people such as people from language schools, residents of share houses, friends of acquaintances, and friends who had traveled to China.

    I met and hung out with various friends: the Chinese part-timer who gave me discounts on milk tea; the sister and brother of a university senior who knew many cafes and restaurants; a Chinese friend who loved Chinese food and always bought me 2–3 servings; an American friend who liked spicy food and even ordered Buldak-bokkeum-myeon for us to eat together; an Indonesian who loved Disneyland and went there at least once a week, and so on.




    What stuck with me most was that although I had tried many Chinese dishes before, those experiences were only from a tourist’s perspective.Living in China and eating the foods that Chinese people actually enjoy allowed me to taste a truly wide variety of dishes.

    After returning to Korea and looking through my camera album, more than 70% of the photos taken in China were of food. Even dishes that may seem strange from a Korean perspective can be unforgettable once you try them, so be sure to take a bite.






    # Studying in China for four months helped my skills more than studying for a year in Korea


    When comparing before and after participating in the gap year project, the biggest change was definitely my Chinese.Certainly, four months in China seemed to help improve my skills more than a year of studying in Korea.It was also a project that provided a lot of mental healing, as I had relaxed time away from the stresses of university life.


    My time in China helped me more concretely figure out what I want to do in the future. Also, seeing young people in China made me feel that I should work harder.




    If you are considering a Shanghai language study project in China, I recommend trying many different things. Make sure to try foods you haven''t eaten and experience cultures you haven''t encountered.

    It seems many Koreans hold negative views about China. They have prejudices that China’s development is still slow and the environment is poor, using labels like "underdeveloped country" or "Made in China." When I told Koreans who had only known China through the media about the various living conditions and cultures I experienced there, they were all surprised. The media doesn’t necessarily tell you how much China has developed.


    Go see, hear, and experience it yourself. It might be an important opportunity to broaden your perspective.






    # My personal gap-year tips



    (Pickup)
    There were no problems. I arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport by plane on my own, took the pickup driver’s van to the apartment, a real estate agent came to show me the room, I unpacked, and talked with my roommate.


    (Language)
    It’s important to study many words, but it’s even more important to learn and acquire the language that locals actually use. Expressions or words learned as direct translations in Korea can be used completely differently in real situations.If your expression is awkward or incorrect, people around you will correct or adjust it, and I think it’s important to get used to saying the corrected expression.


    One thing I regret is that I didn’t pay attention to the various phrases seen on the streets. I think learning language used in everyday life is the biggest benefit of a study abroad experience.


    Generally, all communication was in Chinese, but note that some foreigners used English in daily life outside of class.


    (Accommodation)
    At first I stayed in a share house arranged by the organization, but dissatisfied with the location or price, I found my own place and moved. There were many difficulties, but I think it was a good experience. Since you’re abroad, try various things.


    (Meals)
    It’s true Chinese food suited my taste, but I think looking for Korean food while abroad is one of the ways to waste both time and money. Of course it might have been better if I had cooked for myself, but Chinese food is so diverse that I tried to eat as much Chinese food as possible during the four months, so I cooked for myself only a few times.

    Shanghai attracts foreigners from many countries, so you can enjoy tastes from many nations. For Southeast Asian and Western cuisines, there are places that bring the authentic local flavors, so I was able to enjoy a variety of world tastes.


    (Preparations)
    In China, unless it’s a personalized item you personally need (medicine, tools essential to you), it’s fine to buy it there directly. You can buy a wide variety of goods cheaply and conveniently.

    For disposables and similar items, rather than preparing them in Korea, it’s better to get them after arriving in China — it’s also a good way to become familiar with the local area.If you really think you need them, I recommend bringing only a small amount for 2–3 days.

    In Shanghai’s case, as a big city there are certainly many foreigners and I think public safety is good. Therefore, I don’t think it’s strictly necessary to buy insurance.


    (Travel)
    A bar called Shanghai Brewley about a 6-minute walk from Shanxinanlu (陕西南路) subway station.
    Every Tuesday they have buy-one-get-one-free burgers. You can taste the real flavor of American-style handmade burgers.
    And if you like sweet beer, try the Peach Weizen.

    The underground passage connecting the two department stores at Jing''an Temple (静安寺 / Jingansi) subway station.
    You can try a very wide variety of Chinese desserts (Western-style desserts). They’re expensive but the taste is guaranteed.





    My gap year was


    Experience★★★★★
    Even as a Chinese-studies major, I experienced a variety of Chinese culture, flavors, and ideas that I didn’t know. I think many Koreans have strange stereotypes about China. They bring up “Made in China” and recall China’s image from 10–20 years ago, failing to recognize how fast China has developed. I want to recommend it to them — I hope they get to experience how much China has progressed.


    Learning★★★★★
    If you are willing to work hard, you can definitely learn a lot. I didn’t even diligently attend academy classes and skipped many lessons, but simply living in China was very helpful. About four months of local life brought noticeable changes in language ability.


    Environment★★★☆☆
    Compared to before, since the Chinese government is paying much more attention, Shanghai’s environment has improved greatly. You can often encounter cleaners inside department stores and on the streets. But still, if you’re sensitive about cleanliness, it’s true that Korea is the cleanest.


    Safety★★★★☆
    I think Shanghai is now relatively safe. Since many foreigners come to Shanghai, people seem very friendly to foreigners. I did see a Chinese man bother a Korean girl I met in China, but I think she was just unfortunate...

    However, unlike in the past, you don’t have to worry about pickpocketing, items being taken stealthily, sudden confrontations, or being overcharged. I haven’t had such experiences, but if you encounter unpleasant people, I recommend handling it tactfully rather than retaliating.

    Not only in China but when going abroad, I think as an outsider you should avoid situations that could cause problems as much as possible, within reason.


    Leisure★★★★☆
    If you’re very interested, Shanghai has a variety of tourist attractions; if not, it’s similar to Seoul. But I’m still curious about how Chinese young people live and spend their free time. I think the answer is to meet various people and try diverse activities.





Why This Project

What makes this project special

#Expression & Languages#Self-Esteem & Confidence#Career & Direction#Rapid Chinese Language Improvement#Preparing for Jobs in China#Global Talent#Building Chinese Language Skills#Understanding China#Best Cities#Networking in China#Enjoy Learning#Level-based Learning Courses#China Travel#Increased Self-esteem#Time for Myself#Level Up Everyday Conversational Skills#Travel and Study Together#Preparing to Enter the Chinese Market#Comfortable

Take just one brave step.
GapYear will take care of the rest.

Korea GapYear Certification
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Master Chinese Conversation in Shanghai, China's Economic Hub!

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