When in China, do not be afraid to speak out and make friends! There are many times when the people of the Chinese culture may come off as a little rude or standoff-ish. The reality behind that is that they are really shy. They may not speak very good English or may not speak English at all and they may not want to be embarrassed. It will be totally up to you whether conversation happens or not. Once you reach out to them, you wont regret it. Aside from the Chinese students, you will also meet dozens of other international students from all over the world that will be so willing to greet you, introduce you to their friends and even invite you out for fun activities. Many of the international friends that we’ve made don’t speak much English, so many of them will use their native tongue and we will guess around what they want to say. It is amazing how much fun you can have with a group of people who are different from you in almost every way possible. I feel this is a huge door opener for many people from smaller towns which have very low diversity. My hometown is very diverse, therefore diversity is something i am accustomed to. I feel as though being introduced to new cultures and having the opportunity to comprehend their ways of life is one of the most important things you could learn while studying abroad. Within the past month, with all the new people I’ve met, i can almost guarantee many of them i will keep in contact with them far after this chapter of my life is complete. Be willing to try new foods, go new places, make new friends and open up your mind. Life is about adventure. Life is about living your dreams. Make your experience the best that you can and share every bit of knowledge you gain with everyone around you. The key to universal compromise is cultural comprehension. Be prepared to share your smile with the world : ) #JustGoWithIt