Senior 2014 - Majoring in Exercise Biology; Minoring in Chinese
I fell in love with China during my travels in the summer of 2010, just before starting my freshman year as an undergraduate at UC Davis. The scenery captured my imagination, and the differences between life in China and America provoked my curiosity about Chinese culture. Inspired to learn more, I decided to enroll in the entry-level Mandarin language class. I quickly found out for myself exactly how difficult it is to learn Chinese when your family speaks English at home. The vast differences between Chinese and English can create many challenges for language students. Teachers in the UC Davis Chinese Department understand students’ struggles and address them in the lesson plan. With the help of my wonderful teachers, I’ve been able to overcome some of my personal challenges while studying Chinese and take advantage of study abroad opportunities in Beijing. The Chinese program at UC Davis has been a huge part of my college experience, and I’ll always be grateful for the time I’ve spent learning Chinese and exploring China.