Wilson Exchange To Beijing Number 4
As soon as I landed, the fourteen hour plane ride became immediately inconsequential. For me, Beijing, and indeed the whole of China, had always been sort of a pleasant abstraction, something out of the travel videos Mrs. Zhong would sometimes show us on Fridays. But to physically be there with my feet in the Beijing Airport...the feeling is nearly indescribable. However, as my two week exchange wore on, that feeling manifested itself more clearly. And as I read over and hear of my fellow classmates experiences, I now believe that I can express that feeling in words. It is awe. Sheer, inexplicable, awe.

My First Bike Ride 
Our first stop after the airport was the school, where our host families met us with open arms. It seems a bit early in my narrative to talk about one of my most memorable experiences, but this one most certainly deserves mention. Every day of my exchange, my host brother and I would bike to school together. The trip was short, but jam-packed with other commuters and the general bustle of a city with 20 million people in it. But that first ride home from the school, through neon lit night of utterly unfamiliar, I truly believe I will remember forever. Of course, I made that Bike Ride many times during that stay, but none quite as breathtaking as the first.

Family Life 

While staying with my host family, I was very quickly acclimated to life in an urban, let alone an urban Beijing, apartment. By the end of the trip I am proud to say that I did figure out how to use the personalized water heater! My host family was absolutely incredible. My host mother was an amazing cook as well as one of the sweetest women I have ever known. The family I stayed with also had a little girl, affectionately called 'momo.' She often loaded my desk with cookies while I was at school, and then got somewhat upset when I was unable to eat them all. On the far right you can see Xiao Di, my host brother. We bonded together in class and at home, and I certainly can't wait to see which American university he decides to go to!

In The Classroom, Abroad
William and I were both in the international school, which meant that the students we were studying with all took an AP curriculum centered around preparation for schooling in America. However, despite what the tittle may imply, these students were all Chinese, living in Beijing. It was truly an experience to be able to see the American education system from an external perspective. As I am going through my own college admissions process, I find myself thinking constantly about Beijing Number 4's approach to college admissions and how it is different and similar from my own. While at Beijing Number 4, William and I had a wonderful opportunity to bond with some of our teachers there, which added an entirely different dimension to the trip, as we were exposed to some truly international citizens. For example, our teachers origins ranged from India to Bulgaria to New York City to rural Georgia. It was truly an eclectic learning experience.


Sightseeing in Beijing
I think the most interesting aspect about sightseeing in the city, was the way the cities past culture seemed to interlock within itself. For example, I learned a great deal about ancient Chinese color symbolism from visiting the Princes Palace and then the Forbidden City. Also, Bejing's historic Hutongs (old roads), taught me a great deal about ancient Chinese class division. In addition, the Hutongs were a great place to find delicious and bizarre (not always mutually exclusive!) foods. I was able to sight-see alone, just with my host brother, or with my entire host family, which was definitely a lot of fun.

Thank You So Much! 
I can't truly say enough about how profoundly this experience has effected my personal and global outlook. Now as I am looking forward, I definitely plan on continuing my study of the Chinese language and culture. Beijing gave me an incredible window into understanding the incredible amount of people we have on this planet, and how I fit into the global scheme. In the future, I look towards expanding myself not only as a student of Chinese, but also as a global citizen. I feel this trip truly gave me this inspiration. I can not thank you enough for the grant that enabled me to embark on such an experience. I mean this in the most literal sense, it was awesome.