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In my absence, I offer the following advice: Be open-minded and take advantage of every opportunity you can while there. This past summer I was able to really immerse myself in the Chinese culture by being open-minded. Open-minded for me was about trying new things. I didn't necessarily have to enjoy the different foods or all of the places we visited, but I went to all of the sites we visited and at least tried some foods I wasn't familiar with before - such as deep-fried bees! The majority of my memories come from me taking advantage of our non-class days and traveling the city. That bit of spontaneity - wanting to be adventurous, visiting sites on my own and taking advantage of every opportunity offered - made my trip. What you put in to the trip will be what you get out of it!
Junior McConnell Scholars - plan early and start practicing your Chinese!
A. Jenkins
McConnell Scholar, Class of 2012