Mandarin is the first oral language I have studied. In high school, I took four years of Latin, but we rarely read aloud, as Latin is a dead language and impossibly difficult to converse in (Latin grammar...
Last week I had midterms, which is why I have not posted in awhile. A lot has happened in the past few weeks though (besides midterms), so I'll fill you in on one of the more exciting activities.
April...
Despite what some days may feel like, I am taking other courses in Shanghai besides my Chinese language class! Last week in Chinese Film and Cinema, we watched Wu Yonggong's "The Goddess," which was released...
Today, I joined a fellow CIEE student (Margot) at a coffee shop (Magodo's 520 Coffee) across from ECNU to work on homework together. I've been to lots of coffee shops in Shanghai and they are very similar...
7:30 am: Wake up and review for daily Chinese quiz (~30 new characters)
8:30 am: Eat breakfast with host mom or dad
9:10 am: Leave for school
9:20 am: Catch bus to school or walk to metro if bus...
The adjustment back to Whitman after studying abroad can be difficult for students on multiple levels, because of both the academic and social transition.
Every year Whitman students travel the globe participating in the Off-Campus Studies program, focusing on a wide expanse of topics that suit their interests. For athletes, this can be somewhat of a hassle: They are apart from the sport for half a year and then return to Whitman with the expectations to pick the sport up again immediately. Nonetheless, many Whitman athletes studying abroad are resourceful and find ways to answer this dilemma.
Change is coming to Whitman's Off-Campus Studies program, at least where the class of 2015 is concerned. The new model, which is to be implemented in the 2013 fall semester, will expand the college's list of partner programs and charge Whitman tuition for all offered programs.
