I was born in 1997 in the small town of Fujian, China. At the age of three, my family and I traveled to Guilin, Guangxi. I don’t have any memory of this trip until I saw the photos when I grew older. I had a few more chances to travel to different provinces in China. I went to Hangzhou, Zhejiang in middle school. But I did not have any traveling abroad experience before 18 years old.
The biggest decision I have ever made in my life is studying abroad. At the age of 18, I took the airplane flew to the United States. Here came my first experience of living far away from parents; speaking a foreign language, and studying abroad. When I looked back to the decision I made five years ago, I still can feel how brave I was. I met people from different countries while I was taking ELS classes. I started to think about cultural differences.
I had a few chances to travel inside of the US. I had been to Niagara Falls, Washington DC, and North Carolina. I always enjoy what traveling brings me. The people I met, the scenery I saw, and the story I heard are the memories I want to keep for my life.
It reminds me of a quote in the movie “Forrest Gump”, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” I have never thought that I would study abroad. Even though I have gone through some difficulties, such as homesickness, and language barrier, the most exciting part is that I have gained insight.