Janessa Fox - Shanghai

In May 2015, I, along with ten other students from the Paul J. Hill School of Business, had the truly remarkable experience of studying for a month in China at the Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce (SLUC). Chinese Language and Culture, International Finance and International Business Negotiation were the three courses we took, for which we received credit towards our business degrees.

The knowledge we gained from these courses is very relevant and will serve us well in the future. However, the greatest benefit from this trip is the understanding and appreciation we gained of the Chinese people and culture. Major differences we experienced were the food, the priority cars have over pedestrians, and the sense of being a distinct minority in a new country.

We loved engaging with the Chinese students, whether it was in conversation, karaoke, or a game of soccer. They were extremely welcoming, and wanted to interact with us to practice their English and learn about Canadian culture. On the odd occasion that we went out to experience the nightlife in China, we were treated like royalty. The biggest highlight was our weekend trip to Beijing, coordinated by the SLUC. We went to the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium, and some amazing temples and gardens.

The Hill School of Business and the U of R deserve a tremendous amount of credit for their initiative and support in creating such a wonderful learning experience. I hope these types of experiences will continue, and I strongly encourage students to participate in these amazing study opportunities.