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Three Lessons I Learned as an American Living in China
Understanding the different phases of culture shock helped me process my emotions.
I arrived in Beijing in August 2015, confident I knew all about Chinese culture. I spoke intermediate-level Mandarin and took four Chinese politics classes to complete my East Asia area concentration for my undergrad degree. And earlier that year, I even spent a semester monitoring the Chinese Communist Party’s treatment of religious groups while interning for the US Department of State.
But I didn’t prepare myself for the…crappier…aspects of life in China. Like having to pay a fee to use a public restroom and then having no toilet paper in the stall. I had to call for a friend outside the bathroom to lend me a piece of tissue. After that experience, which occurred during my second-week in-country, I always carried a roll of TP and small bills with me.
This incident not only highlighted for me the learning curves that come with living outside your home country for the first time but also the necessity of switching your mindset to adapt to local customs in a different culture.
If you are thinking about studying abroad or taking a job overseas, DO IT! It can be scary at first, but I hope to convince you below that the pros of expat life far…
