<p>I'm studying abroad in Beijing, China for the entire academic year, and my flight leaves on August 24th. I've studied Chinese for two years, and continuing my studies in China has always been something that I've wanted to do. However, I can't help feeling a little anxious with my flight quickly approaching. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to say goodbye to my parents, friends, and boyfriend. And I know my languages skills are not going to be up to par after a summer left idle (I've had a very intensive internship with Monsanto in a different state this summer). Any advice from study abroad veterans?</p>
<p>Wow sounds fun.have a great time. It’ll be hard at first but you can push through 
good luck</p>
<p>Sent from my HTC HD2 using CC App</p>
<p>I won’t be spending a semester abroad for at least another year but I just got back from Beijing and had a ton of fun :). Enjoy!!!</p>
<p>Try getting a tutor for a couple of weeks if you think your Chinese is a little rusty. It will definitely help ease the transition. If the boyfriend is worth it, he will still be there when you get back. You’ll have a great time!</p>
<p>Have fun! It will truly be an experience you won’t forget.</p>
<p>Wow, I hope you have an amazing time over there! Good luck with your studies as well.</p>
<p>Hi
If any of you are back or somehow able to answer my questions, please do.
What was your experience like? What was the hardest thing?
What did you bring that you found useful or useless? Any serious problems, illness, accidents?</p>
<p>Happytummy - I’m currently in Beijing on a year-long study abroad trip (much like the OP), so I’d be happy to answer your questions. I’m just about halfway done; I’ll be coming back home in June/July.</p>
<p>My experience so far has been amazing and life-changing. It sounds cliche, but it’s completely true. I have never felt more alive and informed in my life, and I have connected with so many people and made so many friendships in such a short time. My language skills have improved exponentially, just through being forced to speak Chinese everyday with native speakers. (I can rave on and on about the benefits of studying here, but I feel I should stop here for now and answer your other questions.)</p>
<p>The hardest thing, I think, will be leaving here in 4 months; I mean this, honestly and truly. I haven’t been homesick at all the past 6 months, and I don’t really miss a lot of things from America. There are small things, though, that can be a little bothersome at times. The internet censorship can be a bit frustrating at times - not so much the blocking of Facebook (I don’t really miss it), but rather the blocking of Blogspot & Wordpress. That wouldn’t seem like much of an issue, but so many sites are Wordpress based so the censoring here renders makes all of those sites inaccessible. It can be a little crippling.</p>
<p>I definitely overpacked clothes. Pack what you KNOW you will wear, not what you THINK you will wear. The most useful thing I packed, though, was my thick winter coat. The winters in Beijing are really, REALLY cold. Reading the forecasts, it doesn’t sound too bad, but the air is dry and there is a lot of wind sometimes, making it feel 10 to 15 degrees colder than the weather report reads. You don’t have to buy a super-expensive jacket - mine is amazing, and I bought it for just $40 in the middle of summer - but make sure it is very warm, because you will freeze without it. Also make sure you have gloves and a scarf (but you can buy those here for very cheap). </p>
<p>I haven’t had any serious health problems, and I haven’t even been that careful. I’ve been eating street food and been perfectly fine. Obviously, you have to use common sense when eating street food - if it looks unclean, it probably is - but a lot of it is really quite good (and dirt cheap). I only got food poisoning once, and it wasn’t even from street food - it was just from eating pizza at a school party. You should be able to avoid poisoning, but in the worst case you’ll probably just get it once and get over it. It’s not too bad. I went to the hospital for a night, took meds as an outpatient for 3 days, and I was all good.</p>
<p>I think that’s all your questions - if you have any more, don’t be afraid to send me a PM. It’s fun talking about my experiences here and if I can help encourage someone to come study here in China, I’m all for it. :)</p>
<p>bunnywins:
Enjoyed to read your post!
which university you attend? How about the cost? did you get scholarship or pay by yourself?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Thanks bunnywins.
Sorry it’s being awhile.
Are you back yet?
I had only short, but really really great time in Beijing. I will study Chinese harder, want to go back and travel all other places.</p>