Ahead of their arrival in Beijing to study Chinese at Peking University, we asked The World of Chineses incoming US interns to send us their thoughts on what they expect to encounter upon arriving in Chinas capital. As they accumulate impressions and experiences, well update their stories on our website, complete with insight into the classroom and tips for prospective foreign students thinking of following in their footsteps.

I have never been to a foreign country, much less studied in one, so I think that studying abroad in Beijing will be full of firsts. It will be the first time Im on a plane for longer than three hours, the first time I will be in a country where the native language isnt English and the first time I wont be in the same country as my parents.

Some may be wary of all of these major changes, but I chose to study in Beijing because I was looking for a challenge. That being said, I think this semester will be substantially more difficult than a semester at my home university. Looking at my schedule, Ive noticed the classes are much longer than usual. At home, classes are usually only a little over an hour, but the classes I will be taking at Peking University are closer to three hours. Considering I can barely sit still long enough for a regular-length movie, I think this will take some getting used to. Another skill I will have to master is navigating the schools vast campus, which is significantly larger than the one Im used to. That means theres much more space for me to get lost in.

Not only do I have to worry about the differences on-campus, but also I will have to cope with the new surroundings off-campus. However, I dont think Ill mind honing my off-campus skills too much. I love shopping more than anyone else I know, but somehow Ill have to manage to tear myself away from Wangfujing (王府井), one of the most famous shopping streets, to go to class. Not to mention the food! All of the Chinese foreign exchange Rachel Naquin is from New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a junior currently enrolled at American University in Washington, D.C., majoring in International Studies and minoring in Mandarin.

students at my university would always tell me that authentic Chinese food is nothing like Americanized Chinese food. I cant wait to try genuine Chinese dishes like kaoya (烤鸭, roast duck) and huoguo (火锅, hot pot).

Another topic we discussed in Chinese class was Chinese holidays. Im fortunate enough to be studying in Beijing for the Mid-Autumn Festival(中秋节 Zh4ngqi$ Ji9) and the National Day (国庆节Gu5Q#ng Ji9). I am so interested to see how Chinese festivals compare to our American festivals at home. However, Im sure the feelings of celebration will be the same. I think these festivals will give me a first-hand experience of Chinese culture. I cant wait to eat mooncakes (月饼 yu-bing) and watch the magnificent fireworks displays.

While I think studying abroad in Beijing will definitely present some challenges, I think my time spent in China learning about the culture and customs will be nothing short of enchanting.