You may still be in the process of deciding whether the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is the right choice for your career and for your next few years of life. This is a big decision. Partaking in the Hopkins-Nanjing Center doesn’t just mean that you will grow to understand China from an insider perspective through studying international relations in Chinese, but it also means living in China for at least a year. It means immersing yourself in a completely different culture through building new relationships, improving your language skills, traveling around China, and tasting new foods.
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| Picture of Xuanwu Lake I took during one of my walks |
As a student who has gone through the Hopkins-Nanjing Center Certificate program and is finishing the Johns Hopkins SAIS MA, I’d like to share my experiences with you! Nanjing’s historical and relaxed city was my home for a year. I took many walks around Xuanwu Lake and visited the Presidential Palace several times with friends. Over many meals in the cafeteria, these same friends engaged me in interesting discussions on the Chinese education system and media in China. For the first time, I was around students with similar interests in China who had studied Chinese for years. They were just as curious and interested in the Chinese way of doing things as I was. My Hopkins-Nanjing Center friends supported me in my daily life and helped me with some of my goals, such as ideas about career paths to pursue. They even gave me smiles of encouragement from the back row of the class during my most challenging Chinese presentation on China-Southeast Asia relations. You will not only grow in your Chinese speaking abilities and understanding of Chinese politics culture but you’ll also grow in your ability to connect with people of different backgrounds and ideas.
A lot of food options are conveniently located on Shanghai Road just outside the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. Jiaozi, noodles, and hot pot became my main meals and at times, I did miss food from home. When I craved American food, the popular Bluefrog burger restaurant was just a taxi ride away!
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| Some classmates in Ruili, China |
My experience at Johns Hopkins SAIS DC for the second half of the program was a new adventure all together. The bustling and culturally rich city of DC became my new home. I quickly found time to explore the city including the capitol building, monuments, and museums on the National Mall. The academic challenge at Johns Hopkins SAIS has been different from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center because I’ve had to primarily tackle quantitative based courses. If you’re worried about that challenge, do not be afraid. The quantitative classes have helped me better understand all my class readings that are filled with regression models and economic statistics. While I have enjoyed these classes, I have most enjoyed my Chinese language classes and China studies classes. These classes remind me of my time in China and continue to satisfy my curiosity to know more about the Asia-pacific region.
Through this program so far, I have acquired quantitative skills, language skills, and an enhanced ability to navigate between different cultures. My experiences at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and Johns Hopkins SAIS have prepared me to pursue academic and career interests in China-Africa-US relations. I hope my brief explanation of my experiences has helped you see how this program may fit some of your future goals and enhance your life experiences. All the best as you make your decisions to apply to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center!
Sincerely,
Tarela Ousobeni
Written By Tarela Osuobeni Hopkins-Nanjing Center Certificate’ 17, SAIS MA’19
