– My international experience to date is:

I have traveled a fair amount internationally. Technically internationally, I have visited Mexico 8 times for mission trips and have been to Canada. Overseas, I have been to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for a school organized trip, and I have visited South Africa with a layover in Dubai with my family.

– I want to go to China because:

The main reason I want to go to China is because I believe that it is an opportunity that would silly to waste. It isn’t often that you get a chance to travel, let alone go to China; it is a once in a lifetime chance to learn about a new culture and environment. I also want to go to meet the people on the trip, students that I might not normally meet in my daily schedule.

– I think the main professional work differences I will experience will be:

I am walking into this with no international professional experience, so I am unsure of the smaller changes I will see. However, I do believe that the work ethic might be different from that in the states or in Europe. I also think that there will be a difference in how businessmen and professionals act. I think that the way they carry themselves will be to a higher professional standard than the approach in the States.

– I think the main cultural differences I will experience will be:

The main cultural differences are only ideas that I can gather from movies and historical context. I think that the population will be much more uniform than in the United States, where you can walk down a street and see 5 different ethnicities. In addition, I am excited to see how people go about their lives and if there is a difference in what is considered “normal”.

– I think the main political differences I will experience will be:

I have never been to a communist country. I am excited to see how it is different, but am also willing to see how it is like the United States. China obviously will not be to the extreme of North Korea due to its important global position, but will have distinct differences than in the United States. I think I will want to see if the people act differently due to a more strict leadership.

– I think the students I meet in my country will be:

I think that the students I meet in my country will be like students in the United States. They will be diligent and have similar interests (obviously slightly different), with probably a more intense focus on school or their specific talents that could take them far in life. Less focused on choosing their path, but taking the path assigned to them.

– I think the major differences in living conditions will be:

Once again, the differences in living conditions will be solely based on my imagination and what I have seen. With so many people living where we are going, I expect it to be like the living conditions I have seen in Mexico. These consist of shacks and poor conditions without even electricity or water sometimes. Of course, there will always be extravagant apartment buildings and your suburbs, but with a population upwards of 1 billion, I find it hard to believe everyone will have those nice conditions.

– I think the most enjoyable experience I will have during this trip will be:

Personally, I believe that the most enjoyable experience I will have over this trip is getting to know the other students in the Plus 3 program. Traditionally, I have really liked working in groups, and travelling as a team almost always brings a group together. And as someone who really values bonds and friendships, I am excited to see the new relationships I will create.Headshot