An American in Beijing
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(From Time, April 4, 2008)An American in BeijingBy Lauren konopacz[1].Each year, thousands of U.S, students chooses to spend a semester abroad in all sorts ofplaces, from England to Spain to India. After spending a semester at a university in Beijing, The Globalist’s Lauren Konopacz explores the myriad benefits of studying abroad -particularly in China.[2].In the 2005-2006 academic years, the most recent period for which data are available,223,534 U.S. students studied abroad. The number equals only 1% of enrolled U.S. students.Of that 1%, only 9.3% chose to study abroad in Asia. That means that just 20,788 U. S.Students went abroad to the Asian region.[3].In other words, the number of U.S. students who spent time in Asia during that academicyear couldn't even sell out a Red Sox game. Fenway Park -one of the smallest ballparks in the United States-has a capacity of 36,108. Taking that point further, only about 6,000 students chose to in China.[4].They could not even sell out a Portland Sea Dog's game--- the Red Sox' minor league team.Of all my friend, only the ones who I know through Chinese classes went to China, and the eight of us couldn't even fill a dugout.So why did they go[5]. There are a number of reasons to study abroad. In fact , according to the AmericanCouncil on Education , 79% of the U.S. population agrees that students ought to study abroad , in contrast to the fact that only 1% go .[6]. Many students who go abroad have the goal of learning a language. There is no better wayto improve language skills than by being immersed in a language other than your own. Studying abroad also offers students an opportunity to travel, to expand one's worldview, to enhance the value of a college degree - and to make international connections.[7].Studying abroad can have excellent benefits for future employing opportunities byproviding students with international skills and experiences. Connections made while abroad could easily lead to future opportunities.⏹Uncle Sam wants YOU to go abroad[8].Even the U.S. senate recognizes the importance of a study abroad experience to futureemployment. Senate Resolution 308, passed on November 11, 2005, lists several reasons why such an experience is important for both the student and for the United States as a whole.[9].Several of these points address the fact that “federal agencies, educational institution andcorporations in the United States are suffering from a shortage of professional with international knowledge and foreign skills.⏹Understanding self[10].Perhaps most importantly, study abroad offers a chance to understand another culture, andto better understand your own culture. Resolution 308 agrees that study abroad programs “empower students to bett er understand themselves and others through a comparison of cultural values and ways of life.”[11].Much of what people consider to be “self " is simply a set of benefits and assumptions aboutlife that are the products of factors such as social group , economic class , family background and national culture . Foreign experience allows students to recognize these assumptions in both their host culture and their own.[12].A side from a foreign cultural experience, students are able to re-examine the assumptions oftheir own lives and the assumptions of the societies they belong to.⏹So why Asia?[13].A sia has played a huge role in shaping U.S. history and foreign policy. Korea, Vietnam, theWorld Wars — even the Spanish-American war was concerned with U.S. presence in Asia.The U.S. Open Door policy was officially introduced as far back as 1899, and unofficially introduced with Commodore Perry’s visits to Japan in 1853.[14].D espite extensive U.S.-Asian involvement, the educational system in the United States isheavily U.S.-European focused. Throughout my education prior to college, I took several courses on U.S. and European history, but only one course on Asia — and that was a high school elective.[15].A sia continues to affect the United States. Three of the six world regions listed as tradepartners on the United States Trade Representative’s website are in Asia (North, South and South East Asia). Two of the top five import and export partners of the United States are located in Asia.⏹Why China matters[16].C hina receives 5.3% of U.S. exports and contributes 15.9% of its total imports, placing it inthat top five in both categories (the other Asia nation in that top five is Japan). Twenty-one percent of China’s exports go to the United States, making it China’s top export partner. T he nation has a relatively steady average yearly GDP growth of 10-11%. Thus, there are clear economic reasons to understand China.[17].T hough 69% of U.S. students are able to find China on a map, only 18% are aware thatMandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world (74% think it is English), and 50% think that the Chinese population is only twice that of the United States (when it is really four times that).[18].S o while the average American student is aware of China’s geographical presence, they arenot quite as aware of its cultural presence. This is grossly unfair. China has a population of1.3 billion and 5,000 years of uninterrupted history. Both of these numbers dwarf their U.S.counterparts. There is a clear need to raise cultural awareness of China in the United States.[19].W hy did I become one of the 6,000 students who go to China?[20].L ike most of those 6,000 students, I made my decision based on any combination of thereasons listed above. One of my majors is Asian Studies. I chose to pursue a degree in that field because it is so incredibly underrepresented, but still so important. In high school, I had the opportunity to take a history course on Asia. The fact that I knew so little about it both appalled and intrigued me. It was so refreshing to go beyond the boundaries of U.S. and European history.⏹Practical interests[21].W hen I arrived at college, I was told that the Asian Studies degree required — quite rightly— study of an Asian language. I chose Chinese — hard though it may be — because of the economic and cultural factors I previously mentioned. Given China’s growing economic importance and global predominance, learning Mandarin was simply practical. Plus, my interest in the region made it appealing.[22].A s a university student, I knew I would go abroad, and as a student of the Chinese language,I knew I would go to China.[23].I am definitely part of the 79% of the U.S. population who feels emphatically that the studyabroad experience is unequaled. Globalization has rendered today’s world absolutely in need of people with cultural experience other than their own.⏹Travel and language[24].I also had a desire to travel and a great curiosity about new places, and, like most students,new ideas. As a Chinese student, China was an easy choice. I was thrilled about the chance to apply the skills I had spent so much time and energy cultivating.[25].I also knew that immersing myself in Chinese could only improve my language level. Finally,being in a foreign country whose language I could speak, gave me so many opportunities to learn about the culture directly from the people who lived there.Making textbooks a reality[26].M y study abroad experience really served to bring my classroom experience to life.Everything that I had learned and read about was right there for me to physically experience.[27].J ust as an art history student must forgo their textbook to go to the museum in order to bestexperience a work of art, a student of culture or language must forgo their textbook to go abroad in order to best experience that culture or language.[28]. F or me, China both reinforced things I had already learned and taught me new things, whileat the same time it inspired new interests and curiosities. I am confident that any student willing to push his or her boundaries and go somewhere new will have a similar experience.美国人在北京劳伦。
