First Day of Classes/Exploring (Getting Lost) Shanghai February 12, 2009
Posted by acc73 in : Uncategorized , trackbackFirst day of classes at Shanghai felt like the old school days when I went to my first day of elementary school. I felt the need to take a dozen pictures during my first day of class and had all the same feelings before arriving in class. How was my teacher going to be? How was not taking a college class at Cornell going to be? Did I put on deoderant, I hope so because I don’t want to be known as that smelly guy.
Classes at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is similar to any college level course. For my international marketing class, and managing Chinese enterprise class they were the simple lecture teachers, general midterm, final paper,and class discussions. However, there was one big difference. Each class was 3 hours, Yes I said it correctly, 3 hours. Back at Cornell I could barely endure staying awake at 11am during my Biology class and here I was in China taking a 3 hour course at 8am. The three hour classes are definitely an adjustment I have to undertake, but I don’t think I will ever be prepared. Along with the business courses, we have to take the language intensive Chinese class with it also being 3 hours broken down like this: First hour Grammar Review,Second Hour Drill 1 with Speaking, and Third Hour Drill 2 with practicing reading characters. Our Chinese teachers is extremely patient with us students and tries to give us English explanations for some of our questions. I am on the second level of our Chinese language classes which goes up to 5 so I am right around beginning intermediate. We have two teachers in our class and they have two completely different styles. Our first teacher is our grammar teacher and she speaks extremely slow so we can actually understand, our second teacher speaks as if we are native Chinese. We are provided with the best of both worlds.
Along with learning in the classroom, we learn Chinese everyday exploring Shanghai. Today we went to the Bund which is the major building area of Shanghai with all the major skyscrapers. We actually had the chance to go inside to the top of Jinmao building this huge building with a beautiful building. The best part was my interaction with one of the locals.
Apparently, native Chinese don’t get many opportunities to interact with Black people and they take advantage of any opportunity they can get. There was this Chinese guy who asked me if I could take a picture with his kid. I was like ok because I like feeling like a celebrity. Long story short the kid starts crying because apparently he is afraid of black people and then proceeds to punch his father in the groin area for the next 10 minutes which is hilarious. That was another strange situation in Shanghai.
After walking around we went back to the university after going the wrong way down the subway line. It was a very fun time as I continued to sing some old American songs while riding the subway.Another day, another bunch of stories to tell while studying abroad.
The view of Shanghai from Jinamo skyscraper!
This was the dad who wanted a picture with me and the child shying away from the camera!
Comments»
Glad your enjoying yourself…howd you manage to still look sketchy in pictures all the way in china? I’d be scared too
Alex Cain! you are so far away from california, it is ridiculous. i hope youre having an awesome time.
try not to scare too many little kids.
Hi Alex,
It is so fun reading your blog, especially your description about life in Shanghai, I wish I can be like you,have a chance travel to another country to experience difference education and get into their culture.