1. My international experience to date is:
I have very little international experience to date. When I was younger, I visited Niagara Falls, Canada, but
I hardly count that trip as a true international experience. Because I was so close to my home country, the culture
in that area was very similar to my own. I felt as if I were still in America for the duration of my trip.
2. I want to go to China because:
I want to go to China because it is a completely different culture and business environment than in America. Because
I have had such little international experience, I want to experience a culture extremely different than my own. China
is also rapidly becoming a business center and understanding of Chinese culture will be very important for a future
professional such as myself.
3. I think the main professional work differences I will experience will be:
In America, many smaller business environments are often laid-back. I feel as if this will not be the case in China.
China prides itself on its new role as a professional business environment and therefore takes its professionalism
very seriously. I expect to see and extremely high level of professionalism among all aspects of business in China.
4. I think the main cultural differences I will experience will be:
From what I have learned about Chinese culture to date, it appears that family and tradition are the two most important
aspects of Chinese culture. In America, the family is becoming less of a cohesive unit. I expect to see a lot more
respect for family in China.I also would hope to see a fusion between traditional Chinese values and the modern
aspect of Chinese history.
5. I think the main political differences I will experience will be:
Americans are very outspoken when it comes to politicians and whether or not we like these said politicians. I believe
that in China this will not be the case. To be outspoken about a relative dislike of the government is certainly frowned
upon, and in China the political system is much more centralized.
6. I think the students in China will be:
Because China exudes an attitude of professionalism, I believe students there will be much more focused on their studies
than their American counterparts. I believe that all Chinese students strive to be the best among their peers because
the job market in China is extremely competitive due to the growing professional environment.
7. I predict I will be surprised to find:
I believe I will be surprised to find how daily life in China is very different, but also shares some similarities.
At this point, Chinese culture sounds extremely different to me, but I believe that more similarities between Chinese
and American culture exist than I think. Discovering these similarities will surprise me the most.
8. I think the major differences in living conditions will be:
Since Beijing is such a large city, the main difference will be the size of living space due to the massive amounts
of people that live there. In America, we take large homes for granted, but space is at a premium in Beijing. I believe
the conditions will be small but comfortable.
(optional)9. Anything else you want to say:
I am extremely excited for all of the experiences this trip will offer, not just for the business aspect, but for the
historical and cultural aspect as well.