In the beginning, I would like to thanks Jinan University, who give me this chance to learn and get more education and life experience, either in my MBA in Jinan University or in France.

France is known for its art, cuisine, and fashion. To a more intellectual set, it is also a haven for pure sciences for your business education. While it is right to attach all things creative and beautiful to French and good experience to learn more in my study of MBA.  

I had been studying in France for one semester as an exchange student from Jinan University and it has been quite a ride. Between learning to live away from China with people I’ve only just really met, to traveling around and meeting someone new every day, the action never seems to stop. Each day is a new journey of learning and living in France. There had been emotional ups and downs and a new understanding of culture shock, but through it all, it had been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.

Each day was a new day of both confusion and greater understanding. One of the obvious sources of this being French even for a short time. Living in France and not speaking French had been a struggle, especially in the beginning. There are always moments when I don’t understand what people are saying to me and they don’t understand what I’ve said to them. With this, there are many moments of blank faces of confusion from both them and me. This experience also happened when I speak with people in Chinese, and could be quite funny to be on the other side for once.

One of these times was at a meal with friends. They wanted me to explain something that I didn’t have the ability to explain in French. One of the people there spoke English and asked me to explain in English. I started to explain the story (trying to keep a slow pace), but after a few seconds of talking, everyone went quiet and had absolutely blank faces. Then seconds later, everyone began to laugh. Forgetting myself, in the middle of telling the story I had sped up, and no one could understand what I had said. This exact thing happens to me every day but in French, and the fact that other people were at the same place if I spoke English was humbling and gave me a little hope to keep trying each day to speak and understand French as best I can.

There are also many things I had enjoyed my time there. My friends were incredibly nice, they show me a lot of places every day. Also meeting other exchange students and French students have been exciting. Literally every day at school I meet and speak to someone new. There had so much to learn there. Being in France was one of the most beautiful things that occurred in my life.

Besides, I visited several countries to learn about their cultures, such as Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Germany, and since it was a cold winter in Europe, I decided to go to one of the Caribbean islands that were enjoying a sunny climate to escape the cold weather of Europe.  

By Abady

Mobility to EDC Paris, France