Soon-Ki Lee
Senior, Chinese Language & Culture
Yangzhow University

A lot of people think, ''If I go abroad, I can study languages easily and quickly.'' However, in my opinion, this does not always work out. I think there are two types of people when it comes to learning English. The first type studies English very hard and consistently in Korea. The other type goes to an English speaking country like the USA or Australia, and studies English there without any effort. Who do you think will end up with better language ability? I can't tell. However, I'm sure you already have an opinion.
I have some experience on the subject as I have already studied abroad for a year in China. I saw something interesting there. People who understood the culture and had a more open attitude were able to speak better than those who were not open and did not try to understand the culture.
Language is not the only thing you can learn. There are many valuable experiences to be had living in a foreign country. There is much you can learn about culture, the environment, and people if you take the time. I would like to tell you about one of my experiences. This is a very valuable memory to me, and I still smile when I think about it.
It is hard to believe, but I actually participated in the Olympic Torch Relay! When I went to the Beijing Olympics Torch Relay in Yang Zhou, I got a chance to be one of the torch-bearers. I could feel how much the people were enjoying the Olympics, and at that moment I was at the center of the fever. It was fantastic! I was really excited and enjoyed it a lot. I was able to experience something that most people could never dream of. I heard many people expressing how they felt at that moment and there was a feeling of togetherness that I will never forget.
There are other important lessons to learn about living abroad. There is a Chinese saying that I would really like to introduce to you, "Eat whatever has legs except a desk, Eat whatever has wings except an airplane." I followed this saying faithfully, so I ate many extraordinary things like starfish, scorpions, sparrows, and maggots. It was not easy everytime, but it made me understand Chinese food culture better.
Thanks to my friends from China, Robert from Mozambique and Mary from Belgium I not only learned about Chinese culture, I also got to learn about African and European culture. If you really try there is so much you can learn from living abroad.

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