Hello again!
Lately I’ve been really wanting to talk about my anxieties about study abroad, since they are building up the closer it gets to departure. Don’t get me wrong, I am so excited to leave and go on this journey, and excitement has been my overall attitude throughout this entire process. However, some days that excitement is a little subdued when I think about all my fears and anxieties about this experience.
Of course, there are so many things I worry about going wrong. In regards to just getting there, I’ve never flown by myself, much less flown by myself internationally AND non-direct. My plan is to fly from Phoenix to L.A., and then from there I will probably be flying through Hong Kong or Singapore, and then into Jakarta, Indonesia where my dad is currently working. After staying with him for a few days, he will fly up with me to Macau and get me settled, so I am so thankful he will be there to help me work out any problems I might face when I initially arrive.
Also, I am worried about settling into school life there. I am starting to worry about getting into the classes I want, since the English classes are limited in availability, and there are even fewer classes that transfer back to my university here in the states. Although I have filled out the course request paperwork and it was submitted weeks ago (they enroll for their classes a week before classes start), I still have that fear in the back of my mind.
Another fear is my roommate! I am going to be living with another international student, so they may be American, or they may be European or Asian or South American for all I know. We share the same room, like in a dorm, and knowing how difficult it is to live in that type of situation I do have my concerns about that as well.
And what will I eat?!? I love Chinese food…but I like “Americanized” Chinese food. I know it’s a completely different story when it comes to real Chinese food, and in Macau they have Cantonese cuisine, not Mandarin-style like what we’re used to in the USA. Macau cuisine is Cantonese food mixed with Portuguese food, which tends to be spicy. I don’t do spicy!!! My joke with my friends is that I’ll either eat only rice and get really skinny, or I’ll find the local McDonald’s and get really fat. Haha, we’ll see what happens with that.
Language barriers, like I mentioned in my previous post, are also a concern of mine. I read that 40% of the Macanese population speak English, but that means that a majority do not. Unfortunately, I do not know any Chinese, and that means that could potentially be a problem. What if I’m lost in the city and can’t read the street signs or can’t find someone to give me directions? What if I need help and can’t communicate what I need? My only consolation is that Portuguese is the other official language, and my background with Spanish may help me in translating that.
During my study abroad orientation it was explained to me the “emotional rollercoaster” that most exchange students feel during their semester abroad. At first you feel extremely happy because everything feels so new and exciting, and everyone treats you special because you’re so new to them too. After a few weeks feeling that, the “emotional rollercoaster” model predicts that you fall into a deep depression once the newness wears off for everyone and you begin to feel extreme homesickness. After that, things begin to level off, but before and after coming home you experience the same mood swings again. Being a rather emotional person, I worry sometimes that I may feel it to a larger degree than some, and I just hope I can learn to cope with it.
Most of my fears do not concern actually being in Macau, but being away from home and then coming back after so long. I feel in a way that by taking advantage of this fantastic opportunity to study abroad, I also have to sacrifice certain opportunities at home as well. Already the fact that I am going abroad has interfered with my life now, and it has gotten in the way of a few relationships I have with others.
I also worry about how things will be when I get back. I realize that I can’t expect everything to be the same when I get back, and that it won’t go back to the way things used to be just for me. Also, I know that I am going to be a much different person when I get back, and because of that and being away for so long, I wonder if I’ll be able to adjust to the way things are at home. In a way I feel like I’M the one being left behind, which doesn’t make sense since I’m the one doing the leaving. This is the part that confuses and worries me the most.
It feels at times like I have to drop everything at home to do this, but I just have to keep telling myself it will all be worth it in the end. I just need to remember why I’m doing this and remember that excitement that I feel everyday.
Sincerely,
Kati
P.S. Please subscribe to my blog! I want to know that all my friends are keeping up with me while I'm gone! :)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
My Reasons for Studying Abroad
Hello, everyone! I felt it was important to kick off my blog with the reasons why I'm doing a study abroad semester. Maybe this will give everyone a better understanding as to why I want to go through with this.
When I first decided to study abroad, I did it because it sounded like fun. I was originally only enrolled as a Hotel and Restaurant Management major, at least until my summer freshmen orientation at my school, Northern Arizona University. That’s when they described to me the extended major that the school offered, which was International Hospitality Management.
The extended major has all the same requirements as the Hotel and Restaurant Management degree; however, it is much more intensive academically and focuses on international coursework. An additional two semesters of a foreign language is required for the extended degree, coming to a total of two years study of a foreign language. On top of that, there are additional business and hospitality courses that are requirements for the extended major, including International Economics, International Marketing, and International Management, to name a few.
The final requirement for the International Hospitality Management degree is a semester of study abroad. This was the selling point for me to enroll in the extended major, although the idea of more challenging coursework was also very appealing. But I made that choice on a whim, and didn’t give as much careful consideration as the decision probably deserved. However, things worked out well in the end, and since I made that choice I have never regretted it.
But the further I get into this study abroad process, and the closer my departure date gets, the more I realize how much I really will gain from this experience.
I couldn’t have picked a more perfect place to go! The Macau Institute for Tourism Studies seemed like a good choice for me when I first made the decision to go to China. This decision was another choice made too quickly without much thought, but again I do not regret it. My only thought process was (a) that it was the most interesting place I could find, and (b) the classes were taught in English. Bam, I’m sold.
However, the more I learn about Macau, the more excited I become. Macau is a tourism-oriented city with lots of large casinos, which seems like the perfect setting for hospitality studies. I also really like the program at the Institute for Tourism Studies, and sometimes I wish our Hotel and Restaurant Management program at Northern Arizona University was designed more like theirs. It will be good for me to spend a semester doing only hospitality coursework, and I think it will be fun to immerse myself in my major and focus solely on that. It will also be easier to focus on tourism studies while in a foreign country rather than try to balance my business, music, language, and elective classes at once like I usually do.
I’m very glad that my study abroad experience will be educational academically. As silly as it seems, I never gave much thought to the academic side of study abroad, and I was always more focused on the travel side of things. But while in China I do need to keep in mind that I am there for school, not for fun, and that education needs to be my number one priority.
One of the more selfish reasons why I want to study abroad is to make myself a more marketable individual for when I apply for a job in the future. For one, China is becoming the next big player in business, and having that experience in China will be very appealing to potential employers. I also expect to pick up on at least some Chinese while I’m there, which will make for a resume that stands out from the rest.
A hope I have while abroad is to learn better communication skills. I expect the language barrier to be an issue, even if English is quite common in Macau. By learning techniques to become a better communicator overall, I think that will help me not only in my professional life, but in my personal life as well.
These are all very good aspirations and goals for me to work toward while abroad in China, and I think that they justify going through this experience rather well. However, my primary goal while abroad is achieving a sense of individualism. By forcing myself to step out of my comfort zone, my hope is to become more independent. I feel like I have never been able to be completely independent and that I often have to rely on other people, since I don’t always feel confident that I can do it myself. While my college experience so far has helped me improve on that, I feel that my study abroad experience will take me to that level of individualism that I ultimately want to reach.
All of these goals are things I’ve discovered AFTER making the decision to go abroad. While it is true that I entered into this process rather hastily and without much forethought, I also think it ended up for the best. While I am usually a very logical person who overthinks everything, this decision was made very spontaneously. In the end, though, I’m glad I let go and decided to put myself out there.
Well, there you have it, the reasons why I want to go abroad! Hopefully this gives everyone a better understanding of why I’m doing this.
Sincerely,
Kati
When I first decided to study abroad, I did it because it sounded like fun. I was originally only enrolled as a Hotel and Restaurant Management major, at least until my summer freshmen orientation at my school, Northern Arizona University. That’s when they described to me the extended major that the school offered, which was International Hospitality Management.
The extended major has all the same requirements as the Hotel and Restaurant Management degree; however, it is much more intensive academically and focuses on international coursework. An additional two semesters of a foreign language is required for the extended degree, coming to a total of two years study of a foreign language. On top of that, there are additional business and hospitality courses that are requirements for the extended major, including International Economics, International Marketing, and International Management, to name a few.
The final requirement for the International Hospitality Management degree is a semester of study abroad. This was the selling point for me to enroll in the extended major, although the idea of more challenging coursework was also very appealing. But I made that choice on a whim, and didn’t give as much careful consideration as the decision probably deserved. However, things worked out well in the end, and since I made that choice I have never regretted it.
But the further I get into this study abroad process, and the closer my departure date gets, the more I realize how much I really will gain from this experience.
I couldn’t have picked a more perfect place to go! The Macau Institute for Tourism Studies seemed like a good choice for me when I first made the decision to go to China. This decision was another choice made too quickly without much thought, but again I do not regret it. My only thought process was (a) that it was the most interesting place I could find, and (b) the classes were taught in English. Bam, I’m sold.
However, the more I learn about Macau, the more excited I become. Macau is a tourism-oriented city with lots of large casinos, which seems like the perfect setting for hospitality studies. I also really like the program at the Institute for Tourism Studies, and sometimes I wish our Hotel and Restaurant Management program at Northern Arizona University was designed more like theirs. It will be good for me to spend a semester doing only hospitality coursework, and I think it will be fun to immerse myself in my major and focus solely on that. It will also be easier to focus on tourism studies while in a foreign country rather than try to balance my business, music, language, and elective classes at once like I usually do.
I’m very glad that my study abroad experience will be educational academically. As silly as it seems, I never gave much thought to the academic side of study abroad, and I was always more focused on the travel side of things. But while in China I do need to keep in mind that I am there for school, not for fun, and that education needs to be my number one priority.
One of the more selfish reasons why I want to study abroad is to make myself a more marketable individual for when I apply for a job in the future. For one, China is becoming the next big player in business, and having that experience in China will be very appealing to potential employers. I also expect to pick up on at least some Chinese while I’m there, which will make for a resume that stands out from the rest.
A hope I have while abroad is to learn better communication skills. I expect the language barrier to be an issue, even if English is quite common in Macau. By learning techniques to become a better communicator overall, I think that will help me not only in my professional life, but in my personal life as well.
These are all very good aspirations and goals for me to work toward while abroad in China, and I think that they justify going through this experience rather well. However, my primary goal while abroad is achieving a sense of individualism. By forcing myself to step out of my comfort zone, my hope is to become more independent. I feel like I have never been able to be completely independent and that I often have to rely on other people, since I don’t always feel confident that I can do it myself. While my college experience so far has helped me improve on that, I feel that my study abroad experience will take me to that level of individualism that I ultimately want to reach.
All of these goals are things I’ve discovered AFTER making the decision to go abroad. While it is true that I entered into this process rather hastily and without much forethought, I also think it ended up for the best. While I am usually a very logical person who overthinks everything, this decision was made very spontaneously. In the end, though, I’m glad I let go and decided to put myself out there.
Well, there you have it, the reasons why I want to go abroad! Hopefully this gives everyone a better understanding of why I’m doing this.
Sincerely,
Kati
Monday, December 28, 2009
An Overview of Macau
I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on Macau lately. Obviously, it’s important to know as much about the place one is traveling to and living in. Here’s what I’ve found:
Macau is a very unique place, since it is a “Special Administrative Region” (SAR) of China. That means that while the Chinese national government has control of Macau’s defense and foreign affairs, Macau itself is quite politically independent. However, the movement toward democracy is slow, and only a small portion of its political representatives are elected by the people; the rest are appointed by government officials in other parts of China, like Hong Kong.
This interesting political position is due to Macau’s political past. In 1999, the city of Macau was officially handed over to China from Portugal. Before that, Portugal had ruled Macau for four centuries. In this deal, China agreed to allow Macau to be relatively independent politically until the year 2049.
It’s been ten years since Macau was handed back to China, and already the city is making a name for itself as the Las Vegas of the Orient. The city has transformed itself from a seedy, crime-ridden town to a glitzy entertainment city. Foreign investors, like Steve Wynn, have built lavish casino hotels in Macau that mirror those in Las Vegas. Macau is the only place on Chinese soil that allows gambling, which draws much tourism to its large casinos, and in fact, Macau currently earns more revenue from their casinos than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined.
Due to it’s past under Portuguese rule, Macau has an interesting cultural blend of Portuguese and Chinese traditions. Much of Macau’s classic architecture is Portuguese, yet many Chinese temples and other traditional structures still are prominent. Macau also has a unique culinary culture, with many popular dishes using an interesting blend of both cultures, such as the spicy Galinha à Africana, or African chicken. As for religion, there are many Catholic churches in Macau, and every Easter a procession of red-cloaked men carry a statue of Jesus with the cross through the city. However, a large majority of Macau’s population are Buddhist, and many Chinese Buddhist temples can be found throughout Macau.
The Macau Special Administrative Region is made up of two islands on the southern coast of China, while the city of Macau itself sits on a peninsula across the water from Hong Kong. Manmade bridges connect the peninsula to Taipa, the first island. Off of Taipa is the Macau Airport, and the runway actually sits out in the ocean, while bridges connect the airport to Taipa. South of Taipa sits Coloane, which is connected by bridge to Taipa. The school I am going to, Macau Institute for Tourism Studies, is on the peninsula of Macau.
Personally, I find Macau’s history and culture quite interesting, but because it is so diverse and unique I have a hard time picturing it. I see so many photos online that show its glitzy casinos and a bustling Las Vegas-like setting, but I also see other pictures that show calm, open plazas with quaint Portuguese arquitecture. And I’ve even seen a few pictures that show crowded, dirty streets with shabby apartments, and then I see beautiful parks with Chinese temples and altars.
I suppose, like any city, it has many different sides to it, like the tourist destinations as well as the unkept urban areas. However, it seems so diverse that I have difficulty imagining the city as a whole. When I try to picture myself there, I can’t because I’m not sure which setting I will be in. I suppose that uncertainty makes this journey even more interesting and adventurous!
Sincerely,
Kati
P.S. Check out Macau marks a decade of Chinese rule. This was where I learned a lot of my knowledge about Macau.
Macau is a very unique place, since it is a “Special Administrative Region” (SAR) of China. That means that while the Chinese national government has control of Macau’s defense and foreign affairs, Macau itself is quite politically independent. However, the movement toward democracy is slow, and only a small portion of its political representatives are elected by the people; the rest are appointed by government officials in other parts of China, like Hong Kong.
This interesting political position is due to Macau’s political past. In 1999, the city of Macau was officially handed over to China from Portugal. Before that, Portugal had ruled Macau for four centuries. In this deal, China agreed to allow Macau to be relatively independent politically until the year 2049.
It’s been ten years since Macau was handed back to China, and already the city is making a name for itself as the Las Vegas of the Orient. The city has transformed itself from a seedy, crime-ridden town to a glitzy entertainment city. Foreign investors, like Steve Wynn, have built lavish casino hotels in Macau that mirror those in Las Vegas. Macau is the only place on Chinese soil that allows gambling, which draws much tourism to its large casinos, and in fact, Macau currently earns more revenue from their casinos than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined.
Due to it’s past under Portuguese rule, Macau has an interesting cultural blend of Portuguese and Chinese traditions. Much of Macau’s classic architecture is Portuguese, yet many Chinese temples and other traditional structures still are prominent. Macau also has a unique culinary culture, with many popular dishes using an interesting blend of both cultures, such as the spicy Galinha à Africana, or African chicken. As for religion, there are many Catholic churches in Macau, and every Easter a procession of red-cloaked men carry a statue of Jesus with the cross through the city. However, a large majority of Macau’s population are Buddhist, and many Chinese Buddhist temples can be found throughout Macau.
The Macau Special Administrative Region is made up of two islands on the southern coast of China, while the city of Macau itself sits on a peninsula across the water from Hong Kong. Manmade bridges connect the peninsula to Taipa, the first island. Off of Taipa is the Macau Airport, and the runway actually sits out in the ocean, while bridges connect the airport to Taipa. South of Taipa sits Coloane, which is connected by bridge to Taipa. The school I am going to, Macau Institute for Tourism Studies, is on the peninsula of Macau.
Personally, I find Macau’s history and culture quite interesting, but because it is so diverse and unique I have a hard time picturing it. I see so many photos online that show its glitzy casinos and a bustling Las Vegas-like setting, but I also see other pictures that show calm, open plazas with quaint Portuguese arquitecture. And I’ve even seen a few pictures that show crowded, dirty streets with shabby apartments, and then I see beautiful parks with Chinese temples and altars.
I suppose, like any city, it has many different sides to it, like the tourist destinations as well as the unkept urban areas. However, it seems so diverse that I have difficulty imagining the city as a whole. When I try to picture myself there, I can’t because I’m not sure which setting I will be in. I suppose that uncertainty makes this journey even more interesting and adventurous!
Sincerely,
Kati
P.S. Check out Macau marks a decade of Chinese rule. This was where I learned a lot of my knowledge about Macau.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Ni Hao
Hello! This is my first official blog posting about my study abroad semester in Macau, China. There are a number of reasons why I’m choosing to keep an online blog throughout this experience.
1. I want to have an account of my experiences as they happen to me while abroad. When this is all over, I would like to have a way to look back and remember my life in China.
2. I want my friends and family back at home to be able to keep up with my life and experiences while abroad. Hopefully they will be able to have an idea of what I am going through, which will make coming home a much smoother transition.
3. This fulfills a few academic requirements at my college, Northern Arizona University. One, I must do a project to receive my Global Opportunities Scholarship through the NAU Center for International Education. The project I chose to do was to keep a blog. Also, I must keep a journal to receive honors credit through the NAU Honors Program, and this is my way to fulfill that requirement as well. However, I have been planning to keep a blog of my study abroad experience long before I was aware of these requirements, so this blog is something I want to do, not something I have to do.
4. By making this blog accessible to the public, I would like other students to understand what study abroad is all about. Upon my return I plan to take on a proactive role within the NAU Center for International Education, the NAU School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, and in the NAU Honors Program to encourage other students to study abroad as well.
I’ve started keeping this blog now because I feel it is just as important to record my pre-departure experience as it is while I’m abroad and when I return. Already I have had to do so many orientation sessions, paperwork, and essays just to prepare for my departure. Although I feel a bit burned out at this point from the hassle of putting everything together, I keep reminding myself that it is all worth it in the end. I am truly looking forward to this experience, and I know that it is a very rare opportunity that I may never get again.
I hope my friends and family will keep up with my blog, and not only read it but comment as well! Let me know what your opinion is of my experiences, or at least do it to check in on me while I’m so far from home. :)
Looking forward to the future,
Kati
P.S. For those of you who do not know, “ni hao” means “hello” or “greetings” in Chinese.
1. I want to have an account of my experiences as they happen to me while abroad. When this is all over, I would like to have a way to look back and remember my life in China.
2. I want my friends and family back at home to be able to keep up with my life and experiences while abroad. Hopefully they will be able to have an idea of what I am going through, which will make coming home a much smoother transition.
3. This fulfills a few academic requirements at my college, Northern Arizona University. One, I must do a project to receive my Global Opportunities Scholarship through the NAU Center for International Education. The project I chose to do was to keep a blog. Also, I must keep a journal to receive honors credit through the NAU Honors Program, and this is my way to fulfill that requirement as well. However, I have been planning to keep a blog of my study abroad experience long before I was aware of these requirements, so this blog is something I want to do, not something I have to do.
4. By making this blog accessible to the public, I would like other students to understand what study abroad is all about. Upon my return I plan to take on a proactive role within the NAU Center for International Education, the NAU School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, and in the NAU Honors Program to encourage other students to study abroad as well.
I’ve started keeping this blog now because I feel it is just as important to record my pre-departure experience as it is while I’m abroad and when I return. Already I have had to do so many orientation sessions, paperwork, and essays just to prepare for my departure. Although I feel a bit burned out at this point from the hassle of putting everything together, I keep reminding myself that it is all worth it in the end. I am truly looking forward to this experience, and I know that it is a very rare opportunity that I may never get again.
I hope my friends and family will keep up with my blog, and not only read it but comment as well! Let me know what your opinion is of my experiences, or at least do it to check in on me while I’m so far from home. :)
Looking forward to the future,
Kati
P.S. For those of you who do not know, “ni hao” means “hello” or “greetings” in Chinese.
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