China Trip
China Trip
Where: Shanghai and Suzhou
When: Fall break (6 days)
Price: 1850 CHF
Interested in learning more about China? Take the 3-credit course “Doing Business in/with China” or just join the study trip. Experience the Middle Kingdom by visiting Shanghai and Suzhou. This six-day study trip will help you explore opportunities and challenges of doing business in China, as seen through the experiences of executives from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries. Get ready for a unique learning experience and deep insights into China’s fascinating economy and its prospects for the future. The fee for this trip includes your accomodation, transportation, and all activities. A Chinese visa is required so make the decision as soon as possible!
photos by Sixiao Li
A Journey Back Home
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all Webster study abroad students were sent home early. This shows my last day in Geneva and my trip home after being away for a year and a half.
Roommate or Alone?
When presented with the question of whether or not one wishes to live alone or with others, the answers were practically unanimous. Some people enjoy having their own room to themselves, but most prefer to live with others. There are 10 people who answered the survey on the topic of “Do you prefer having a roommate or to have the room all to yourself?”
The chart below shows the result of their answers:
Almost all of them thought that it’s better to have someone to live with, except for one. People who prefer having a roommate say it is better for the same reason—there is someone to talk to. However, this reason is only limited to people outside their family. “I shared a room with my brother, and we just hate each other.”—Maya. Most people enjoy sharing a room with others, but all agree that they need their own private space. The ideal living style is to have a common area like a living room or a kitchen and a private bedroom.
Although there are benefits of having a roommate, there are people who prefer having a room to themselves. Quinn May is one of those who says, “I can meet my friends in class or on campus, but when I’m back I just want to have my own space.” Not to live with someone does not mean that they don’t like meeting people, they just need a quiet space and spend some time alone. “I am glad to have friends over, but I don’t want to deal with other people’s mess living together. I don’t need someone to talk to 24/7.”—Quinn May.
There is no right answer for the question, everyone has their own preference. Here’s a video with some of the interviewees:
The Shadows Along The Journey
I left home when I was 18, hoping for adventures but also having the fear of growing up—growing up to be independent, growing up to make decisions. To be away from home for five years, I thought everything would be fine, and it would be an amazing journey of my life, but in reality, being on my own beat me down.
Loneliness and discrimination filled my life, all I had left was silence. I have trouble sleeping every night; when I look into the darkness it is as if the darkness is my only company. I find reasons not to pick up phone calls from home, because I do not want my parents to find out that things are not going well. For a year, I had nothing to be happy about, and I have forgotten the last time I truly smiled.
As the day goes by, negativity never ends. I tried really hard to change my circumstances, I made plans for the rest of my academic years and made the decision to study abroad and graduate in advance. I am still afraid that this nightmare will repeat, but I still chose to go for it. It is another lonely journey, but there is more to be grateful for.
“As time goes by and when you look back, everything will be fine,”—I wrote this a year ago in my diary. After a year, I am thankful for the changes I made. Those shadows that almost buried me were left behind when I decide to take a step forward. It’s ok not to be ok, but never to stay in the same spot. I am still walking on the path of finding myself, with every step I value who I am. There might be bigger challenges in the future, but all the sadness and the bruises will trace the beauty of my journey.