In the beginning 

Looking back, I can’t really pinpoint the exact moment my interest in China began. When I was young, I adored Mulan, enjoyed visits to Chicago’s Chinatown, and loved wearing the light pink cheongsam my mom bought while she was in Nanning (南宁市). At the start of my freshman year of high school, I started learning Mandarin. Initially, I chose to learn Chinese as a way to connect with my heritage. However, as my language studies continued, my interest in China expanded to include Chinese culture and history. In high school, I became a voracious reader of any China-related book. River Town by Peter Hessler, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, and Wild Swans by Jung Chang quickly became my favorites. While there was not a specific event or person that sparked my interest in China, as I grew up, my fascination with China grew as well. 

In the days leading up to my first day of classes at St. Olaf College, I remember feeling so nervous for Chinese class. Am I in over my head? Will I make any friends? Where should I sit? What will happen to me if this class is too challenging? I should’ve reviewed over the summer. I remember walking into our Tomson Hall classroom thinking, oh my gosh, I’m so unprepared. However, within the first few sessions, all my feelings of worry and doubt dissipated- thanks to the kindness and sense of humor of my professors and classmates.

Real and Imagined Places 

Following a positive freshman year, I decided to enroll in the Asian Conversations program as a way to further explore my interest in China. On the first day of class, Quimby Sensei and Shih Laoshi asked us to answer the question, “What is Asia?” On the surface, the answer seemed fairly obvious. On every globe and world map, the continent of Asia is clearly identified and outlined. A simple answer to a simple question, done. 

If only it were that easy. 

Through my coursework at St. Olaf and experiences in Asia, my definition of “Asia” has evolved and expanded drastically. While Asia is composed of a series of landmasses and borders, I’ve come to learn that it can also be seen as much more. To me, Asia encompasses a series of connections between people, culture, history, values, and other shared experiences. In Asian Conversations, during the mapping unit, we discussed the idea of an “imagined place.” Prior to Asian Con, I had never thought of Asia as an “imagined place.” However, nowadays, it’s one of my favorite ways to think about Asia because it takes into account how our own perceptions and values shape the way we see and experience Asia. 

Place, Perceptions, and Identity 

During the fall of my junior year, I was given the amazing opportunity to study abroad at East China Normal University, 华东师范大学 in Shanghai. While I had been to Shanghai before through Asian Con, the idea of spending the entire semester abroad seemed both exhilarating and scary at the same time. Some of reasons why I wanted to study abroad was to improve my Chinese skills, gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, and connect with local students. I still remember those first few days of arriving. I remember feeling amazed that I was actually in Shanghai. At ECNU, I lived on the first floor of the International Students’ Dormitory No. 1 (留学生公寓1号楼) with a fourth year student from India. Each weekday, I had class from 8:30 am to 11:45 am. My class consisted of a mixture of students studying abroad for the semester like me, long-term exchange students, and recent university graduates. In my class, we had students from every continent except South America. I was one of only two Americans in the class. One of my favorite parts of class was being able to not only learn about Chinese culture, but also hear about non-Americans’ experiences on China.

The teaching style of the ECNU teachers was very different from the teaching style I was used to at St. Olaf. I remember it was very teacher-focused, with the teacher speaking for the majority of class time and students talking only when called on. To improve our listening and speaking skills, my teacher would have us give 3-5 minute impromptu monologues in front of the class. After each monologue, my teacher would call on another student in the class to summarize what the student who presented said. That exercise made me so nervous! I remember, at the beginning of the semester, my spoken Chinese was not fluid at all. However, the end of the semester, I actually grew to like the exercise. Being able to push myself outside my comfort zone was very rewarding and I enjoyed the challenge. 

When I was not in Chinese class, I was exploring and experiencing Shanghai. That fall, I became an expert at navigating the Shanghai metro system, using Baidu maps, and dodging mopeds. Places such as the French Concessions, West Nanjing Road, and Cheng Feng Park became some of my favorites. Being from the Chicagoland area, I thought I knew big cities. Boy was I wrong! I fell in love with the energy of the city, the food, and the people I met. While in Shanghai, one thing I began to notice was the role identity was playing in shaping my Shanghai and study abroad experience. 

In retrospect, I think my identity as Chinese American definitely had an impact on the way people treated me. As a Chinese American, I was able to easily slip into a crowd and blend in. While my non-Chinese-looking friends were often stopped by shopkeepers asking if they were interested in a handbag or a pair of knock-off Nikes, I was usually ignored. Prior to Term in China, I never really had the ability to “blend in.” I felt so powerful and empowered. However, the downside was that many locals assumed my Chinese skills were as good as their’s. 

I remember, one time, Julianne and I decided to eat at the Global Harbor McDonald’s. At this McDonald’s, there were several larger tables for more community-style eating. While we were eating, we heard snippets of a conversation between a Chinese grandmother and her grandson. While I didn’t understand the entire conversation, I later learned that the grandmother was actually talking about Julianne and I to her grandson. She said that, if he continues to learn English, then his English would be as good as mine. At first I thought it was pretty funny. However, after that exchange, I began to think more about the impact my Asian American identity could have on my Shanghai experience and locals' perceptions of me. 

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Campus happenings 

Until my senior year, the aspects of China I was most familiar with was mostly within the field of politics and history. This past fall, I decided to expand my perspective of China by enrolling in Shih Laoshi’s Chinese Literature course. In high school, my teacher made us memorize the four classics, Dreams of the Red Chamber, Water Margin, Journey to the West, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. However, past the name of those four novels, my Chinese literature knowledge base was pretty much non-existent. During the course of the semester, I learned about the role of big and small traditions, manuscript culture, and antithetical couplets. We discussed not only Confucius, but also other major literary figures such as Sima Qian and Tao Yuanming. While I am definitely far from being an expert on Chinese literature, I enjoyed the course a lot because it exposed me to a different side of Chinese culture that I was largely unfamiliar with.

Outside of class, I am involved in Asian Studies in Action (ASIA), an informal discussion group dedicated to all things Asian studies. Similar to my Chinese literature course, my experiences in ASIA have also helped expand my knowledge and understanding of China. Some of the past topics we have discussed include the US-China trade war, the Hong Kong protests, and meritocracy within the Chinese Communist Party. What I love about ASIA is that I can not only learn more about China, but I can also connect with students just as interested in Asia as I am. 

A new chapter 

I do plan to apply my Asian studies knowledge and Chinese language skills in the future! After graduation, I hope to join the Peace Corps as an English Teacher in Asia (possibly in Mongolia). While I am unsure of exactly what my career path will be, I do know that I want it to be China-related. 

To close, I am extremely grateful to the Asian studies and Chinese departments and my classmates for creating such a supportive, enthusiastic, and thoughtful learning environment. I feel incredibly lucky and fortunate to be part of such a special community.