I was in a city called Jinan in China. Jinan is Shandong province’s capital and its center of transportation. A high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai is available, and 50% of the high-speed trains to the south of China departs from Jinan. Also, there are a lot of springs and parks in Jinan city, so sometimes, I went there for exercise or just a walk. Shandong University consists of 8 campuses, 6 of which are in Jinan, one is in Qingdao, and the other is in Weihai. The place I studied in is the university’s main campus where the most students were studying. Transportation was very convenient, and around university, there were a lot of restaurants which sold not only Chinese food, but also Japanese food, Korean food, central Asian food, and Western food. There were various teachers in Shandong University’s international language school. The curriculum was divided by different levels and the teacher in my class helped me improve my Chinese ability by informing me a lot of frequently used expressions. Furthermore, Chinese friends who were students of Shandong university were very kind and we traveled a lot together. The number of holidays in China is similar to Korea, but slightly longer, so I traveled a lot of places: Qingdao, Nanjing, Wenzhou, Shanghai, and Xian using these periods. Also, during these periods, I could use the Chinese language skills I learned in university, so my ability improved. Even now, I stay in contact with friends in China I met at Shandong university. If I have the opportunity, I would definitely go there again.

 The good things of exchange student program
The biggest advantage of the exchange student program is that you can improve your foreign language skills. In fact, many foreign university students have gone to China’s universities and participated in various classes and programs. The second is that you can meet local people and learn about the culture of the country. I could have a variety of cultural experiences in China such as their food culture and socializing culture. The third is that you can make various foreign friends. At Shandong university, friends from many countries such as Russia, Mongolia, Africa, Europe, and the United States are studying together. I met them and communicated with them using English or Chinese so that I could get acquainted with them and have a broader perspective. I also think that it would be a great experience for you to participate in the exchange student program at least once in school, because Gachon University gives you some benefits such as credit exchange and the reduction of the tuition fee.

Kim Jae Ha Dept. Global Business Administration