China changed my life

Hi :)

My name is Marc Cowan, I’m currently studying BA (Hons) Business Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University and originally from Manchester. I have loved coming to university and really enjoyed the opportunities it has offered me.

One day however, there was one opportunity which really did stand out.

I received an email around Christmas time mentioning about a study china trip which was for undergraduate university students. I thought I would check it out to see what it was all about.

Little did I know this was really going to change a major part of what I would be doing in the next year.
The trip was the ability to go to china and learn Chinese at a university there, while also being able to have the chance to see many historic and new modern attractions. I decided to apply and fill out the form.
A few months later I was accepted onto the trip. There were over 2000 applicants in over 90 universities around the country and only 100/200 students got the places. So I was really lucky to be able to have been picked for the chance to come on this amazing trip.

Being able to have the chance to go to china was absolutely amazing. I had such an amazing time there and really discovered so much, not only about myself and being independent but to see the culture there and the way people went around there everyday lives.

We learnt Chinese in the mornings and then had most of the afternoons doing our own thing and being able to be independent and explore around china and see everything it had to offer. There were also organized events where we saw even more of china from the country side to the great wall. As well as during the trip I met so many people who were from universities all around the country, so made some great friends who I definitely will be staying in touch with.

After the 3 week study china trip, I also got the chance to go and stay with my uncle in Taiwan as seeing how I was over there; I may as well make the most of it and visit there as well as I was not far away
The entire trip has really opened my eyes to the world and has allowed me to really see what it has to offer and how china has such a major key part within the world today. I decided to keep a blog of everything I did.

So I hope you like it! And here it is!