The sounds of the Spring Festival have ended, and the second part of my gap year is off to a fast start.
Here are the highlights since my last post.
School: School resumed the last Friday in February. I decided it would be better and more challenging to skip a level, so this term I am in year two, level one (In other words, I am no longer in beginning Chinese! Yippee!!).
I really like my new class. The main teacher (we have a main teacher and two graduate students) is, in the words of another student, lihai (formidable). Instead of vocabulary quizzes at the end of a lesson like my last class, quizzes are on the first day. Knowing the vocab up front will help us move faster and make things clearer. Also, she gives us the plans for each chapter in advance, so we always know what to expect. I am hopeful my Chinese will improve greatly over the next three months!
In addition to a great teacher, my classmates represent countries from every corner of the globe, including Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Vietnam, the United States, the Ukraine, Korea, Japan, Argentina, Mongolia, and a country in Africa (I don’t know the names of the countries in Africa in Chinese, so naturally, I couldn’t understand which country…). With so many different nationalities, class discussions are very interesting!
Internships: Over the last few months, I’ve been seeking an internship to see firsthand what it’s like working in an international company. Last term was great fun with countless CIEE activities, but this term I am eager for something that will help bring focus to the next part of my life.
With help from family guanxi (i.e., connections), this term I will be interning for both Nike and Hershey! I began my education studying in two kindergartens—Hucrest and St. Joseph’s—so why not begin my career the same!
At Nike, I will be working with the new Campus Representative Program. Modeled after similar programs in the U.S., this program will create Nike Running Clubs on university campuses throughout China. The program is just beginning, and Nike is presently selecting target universities. By mid-April, ten universities throughout China should have a Nike Running Club.
My role in the project is still vague. Thus far, I’ve helped edit a power point presentation introducing the program, and currently, I am researching universities in 15 major Chinese cities. I’m excited to be part of such an awesome project!
At Hershey, I am conducting market audits at various supermarkets where Hershey products are sold. There is a cool program on a cell phone that allows me to input my data and see the data from the last check (each store is checked two to five times a week). I will input information regarding price, amount and type of stock, and type of displays.
On Tuesday, I went into the office for my training. Not only did I learn about the cell phone program, but I also learned about the 52 products of Hershey China. Hershey China is composed of two branches, Hershey and Kisses. Kisses sell best while bars face stiff competition. Recently, Special Dark has become popular as a niche product. Also interesting to note is that most sales come from chocolate gift boxes rather than individual-sized chocolate because the Chinese view chocolate as a gift rather than an everyday snack.
I think I am in trouble: This project will increase my chocolate consumption more than the Nike project will increase my running!
Shanghai Literary Festival: Every March, Shanghai holds a three-week literary festival that brings authors from around the world to Shanghai. Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to hear Junot Diaz, the author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. I had read his book in December and really it enjoyed it, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear Diaz.
His presentation included numerous insights into the book, but even more importantly, many lessons concerning writing and life. Within five minutes, he had raised a key question: Why does one read?
I’ve never really thought about this question; I read because I like it… That’s a pathetic answer. He maintains that people read to actively participate in a story, but not just any story, rather a story that will ultimately lead to confusion.
Besides keeping in mind why people read, authors must also determine their audiences. He believes authors should write to a very narrow group since specificity makes an author important.
Even more helpful, though, was the life advice he gave: As you grow up, live your dream, not someone else’s.
I am currently living my dream. I am living in China studying Mandarin, something I’ve dreamed of for years. Once this year is over, however, I am not sure of my dream. I know I love to travel, but that’s about it. I am excited to explore other areas and slowly understand what it is I want to do with my life.
I must always remember, though, to do what I love and not live to fulfill the expectations of others!
Haiti Benefit Concert: In a country where humanitarian aid is not at the forefront of daily life and organizing gatherings requires government permits, I was ecstatic to read of a concert to benefit Haiti! I gathered my CIEE classmates, and on Friday night, after Italian food, we headed to the concert. Not surprisingly, the crowd was comprised of mainly foreigners, though there were a few Chinese.
Six bands, a mix of international and Chinese, performed. We skipped five out of the six bands, however, since the sound that came from the performance hall to the café outside where we were seated talking was not to our liking. We only watched the Lions of Puxi, a big name mainland reggae band. I especially enjoyed their song “Wo Shi Laowai” (“I am a Foreigner”). Between the catchy lyrics and beat, by the end of the song, I was singing along!
I have many exciting things planned for the next week including another trip to the literary festival and a Backstreet Boys concert! To complete the excitement, I am meeting my dad and aunt in Beijing next weekend!
Cheers!
