Written by Paola Sigüenza (George Washington College), Scholar Correspondent for CET Shanghai, Fall 2025
As my semester in Shanghai involves an finish and my appreciation for steamed buns turns into stronger, I noticed that selecting CET Shanghai was probably the greatest selections I’ve made in faculty. Each time I name my associates who’re debating whether or not to review overseas or not, I inform them about how these 5 months had been stuffed with friendships, adventures, new information, handcrafts, and exploring new cultures. Similar to I instructed my good friend David over the cellphone, I’d additionally wish to share with you the principle the explanation why I selected CET Shanghai, but additionally, why I’d advocate it to anybody planning to review overseas!
To Examine Effectively (好好学习）
When wanting into overseas applications, I centered so much on teachers. My primary objectives had been to enhance my Chinese language language ability and study the way in which the Chinese language economic system works (Econ main proper right here!). I used to be very stunned by the standard of training we had been getting each class. Each Chinese language language unit has been centered on studying one thing helpful in our each day life or related to Chinese language trendy tradition.
Now, I’m able to focus on about immigration points, training programs, AI, and even some TikTok traits. Even when in Shanghai lots of people communicate English, I all the time attempt to communicate with locals in Chinese language (they’re tremendous supportive of a foreigner studying their language!). Now, I’ve an album in my digicam roll full of images with ayis (aunties) and children who had been tremendous stunned that we spoke some Chinese language.
Examine in China, Understanding China (学习中国, 理解中国)
What additionally stunned me was how seamlessly my different lessons related with one another. For instance, one theme that saved showing was involution (内卷): how younger folks make investments monumental money and time into training solely to face intense job competitors. With the lessons I selected, I’ve studied it from the political, economical angle, and even visited quite a lot of workplaces in Shanghai.
Some confirmed the basic involution mindset, whereas others contrasted it with stress-free, worker-centered environments. Including to that, subsequent weekend we’re visiting the most important faux market in Shanghai! In Economics class we discovered in regards to the totally different revolutions China has had because the Seventies, however it is a means to have a look at them via the bodily merchandise these markets provide.
Roommates Turn out to be Household (室友就是家人)
In addition to the educational side which I used to prioritize when deciding whether or not to review overseas, I found different issues that actually made CET stand out from different applications. Considered one of them is the roommate system it affords. Each CET scholar is paired with a neighborhood Chinese language roomie (which could be very uncommon in China as a consequence of authorities rules), nonetheless, as a result of it has been confirmed to be very profitable with CET, we’re one of many few applications providing that stage of immersion.
My roommate, Yifei, grew to become one of many highlights of my whole semester. Whether or not we had been going out for dinner, exploring the town, or having lengthy late-night conversations, she made Shanghai really feel like residence. CET supposedly matches you based mostly on comparable dwelling habits, however truthfully, I feel they used magic. One way or the other, we each have 5–6-year-old brothers, love rock music, and share ENFJ personalities. I can’t stress how grateful I’m for her, who helped me get my checking account arrange through the first week, defined cultural particulars that I’d have fully misunderstood, listened to me each time I felt misplaced, and made positive I used to be making probably the most out of my time in Shanghai.
Eat, Be Comfortable, Take pleasure in Life (吃喝玩乐)
One other factor I fell in love with was merely dwelling in Shanghai. Every thing right here is unbelievably handy: the metro, cell funds, ordering meals, biking across the metropolis, all of it makes each day life simpler and smoother than within the U.S. I’m a giant café-hopper, so each week I attempted going to new spots, however Shanghai has so many who even after a whole semester, I’ve not completed visiting all of the areas in my listing.
Past cafés, the town’s nightlife, occasions and weekend traditions additionally grew to become an enormous a part of our routine. For Halloween, many people dressed up and went dancing; others visited amusement parks or traveled to close by cities. On any common Friday night time, you possibly can sing karaoke at KTV, seize late-night avenue meals, and even get pleasure from a 24-hour therapeutic massage (a Shanghai basic!).
And the FOOD… one of many best blessings of dwelling right here. You’ll find each regional delicacies in China: Shanghai dishes which are candy and delicate, Dongbei meals with big parts and plenty of bread and meat, Shandong delicacies with recent elements and daring flavors. Each week was a brand new culinary journey.
China is Enormous, and I Need to See It (中国很大, 我想去看看)
Evidently, I additionally had numerous alternatives to journey inside China this semester. As I talked about in my earlier weblog, the CET Shanghai Touring Seminar to Guizhou was one of many main highlights of my expertise. Past that weekend, we additionally had Golden Week, a nationwide vacation in early October when colleges and companies shut for a full week, giving thousands and thousands of individuals the prospect to journey or reunite with household. Each CET scholar made their very own journey plans, but even then we acquired a lot help from the CET workers and our native roommates.
For Golden Week, I made a decision to go to Harbin and Inside Mongolia: two locations very removed from Shanghai and locations I truthfully knew little or no about. However Grace and Riro, two of my Chinese language associates whose hometowns are there, grew to become our unofficial journey guides. Even when they didn’t include us, they helped us select vacationer spots, eating places, neighborhoods to remain in, and even the perfect methods to maneuver round every metropolis. The journey went extremely easily, and so they even known as us alongside the week to ensure we had been secure and having fun with ourselves. That sense of group actually made me really feel taken look after. Now, I’m the one sharing Harbin and Inside Mongolia suggestions with different CET associates planning journeys of their very own.
See You Later, Shanghai! (再见上海)
Deep inside me, I used to be all the time questioning myself whether or not I want to reside in China in some unspecified time in the future in my life. Dwelling in Shanghai confirmed me a model of life I didn’t know I used to be lacking: one the place I really feel secure strolling wherever, the place recent meals is a part of on a regular basis routines, the place public areas really feel alive, and the place group kinds so shortly even in a metropolis of 26 million folks.
I can confidently say I’ll return right here at some point, however I’m additionally extremely excited to return residence and share all my Shanghai tales with the folks I like. I actually want extra college students had the prospect to review overseas and make these sorts of life-changing selections for themselves.
If you’re debating whether or not to do it or not…think about this your signal. Take the leap. Discover a brand new tradition, problem your self, acquire reminiscences you’ll speak about for years, and possibly, similar to me, you’ll discover a place you need to come again to sooner or later. Shanghai is ready for you!
