Kavan Kamboz - Shanghai

*Photos courtesy of K. Kamboz

The entire experience was just phenomenal. 30 million people living in one city is like a different world. There was something like 200,000 people on our street alone, and about seven or eight universities on the one street. Living in Shanghai was amazing, and the people were awesome. We would go for a walk, and it seemed like we would get stopped once a block so people could take pictures with us, because they just never see people from other places. We (Canadians) are just such a rare sight to them, and they’re so nice; the people there really are awesome.

I really enjoyed the classes, and they were very flexible. We learned a lot, but it wasn’t like taking normal classes. It was more of a personal learning experience. Our three classes were Chinese (Mandarin), International Business and Finance, but learning about their culture was definitely the most interesting. They want you to explore Shanghai, see downtown and actually experience their country rather than sitting in a classroom. The way they conduct business over there is completely different, and I definitely appreciate the fact that I was able to learn about China firsthand. It was amazing to learn their customs and to truly appreciate their way of life.

China is such a beautiful country, and we got to see a lot, including the Great Wall of China, Olympic Park, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven. My favourite was our weekend trip to Beijing. There wasn’t even a smog warning when we were there, which is rare and really lucky. It was the first time I’ve been on a Bullet Train too, and floating along the tracks at 300 km/h is quite a sensation. We also got to see the city skyline at night, which is really beautiful. It’s a sight I’ll never forget.

The entire experience was absolutely incredible, and the country was just plain beautiful. I can’t even begin to describe it, and I was really surprised at just how different it was from Canada. It was so cheap too, especially considering the $1000 scholarship we got. It cost me about $3000, but I got two classes out of it and we were in China for a month. It was definitely cheaper than rent, living and going to school in Regina.

People should be doing this for the experience though. It’s totally different from any other experience you could ever have, because you just experience everything so differently on a Study Tour. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. Living in another city for 30 days was an unbelievable opportunity.

*Photos courtesy of Kavan Kamboz