The first time travelling away from your family to a country half way across the world is extremely terrifying for any individual. Even if you have gotten used to living in a different area than your relatives for college or work, travelling across the world to a country which does not speak English is a concept that would displease many. But for the brave hearted travelling to China does not have to be as dramatic as you believe. It is very true however that during your first month as an expatriate you will experience times of homesickness and moments which can be overwhelming. However if you persist you will be to first cope, then adjust, and then flourish within this exotic culture. In order to help with the transition, it is recommended that you join a study abroad program. Below are 4 good tips, whether you plan to only be in the country for a semester or whether you have signed on for several years, to use in order to help you through the first few moments.

1) Study Abroad Progam
One great aspect of using study abroad programs to study in China(www.glchinese.com) is because from day one you will be introduced to people exactly like you. Students whom have just arrived to China will be placed together and go on excursions which will not only allow your body to adjust quicker to the new environment, it will also create a safe comfortable environment were new friendships can be made even before your class semester begins. It is amazing how in a place so different how a simple sharing of culture can make friends out of people who are polar opposites.

2) Get Familiar with your local surrounding
Getting to know your surrounding area is the next step in allowing yourself to adjust. Identify the restaurants you would like to try, located the local stores and convenient shops. If you plan on taking the bus to school become familiar with the bus routes. When you join a study abroad program you will be accompanied during your tour of your local surrounds. All accommodation will be close to you place of study, and most of the stores will be in walking distance.
 
3) Make a Fantastic Western Meal
This one can be a challenge for many, however filling your home with similar smells of the foods within you home country really can produce a cosy feeling. This however will probably take a couple tries to pull off, especially as you are still getting accustomed to the Chinese kitchen you have and the limited ingredients you might find. If needs be prepare a cook book before travelling to China. This will allow you to learn the dishes you are most familiar with.
 
4) Find a place you fill comfortable with
During your study in China most time will be spend in class or at home. What is however very important is that you identify a third place you feel comfortable at. This can be café, pub, bar, mall, or a study abroad program lounge. It doesn’t have to be fancy or even foreigner-friendly, although the latter might be the thing that ultimately helps you feel at home in the beginning. Whatever place you choice, it must be a place which will allow you relax when you start to feel overwhelmed.
 
When you go to study abroad in China, you may have spent all your time before the course starts preparing for your lessons and the academic work you are going to do. Whilst this is obviously important, there is another aspect of preparation that needs to be taken into account. For many people, moving to China can be a shock to the system at first, because it is after all a different cultural environment than you might be used to in Europe or North America. Preparing for culture shock doesn’t mean you won’t find some things strange, but it does mean that you can reduce the adjustment period. Here are some hints and tips on how to prepare yourself for the inevitable culture shock, and some of the things that you might encounter.

Whether you decide to study in Beijing or a much smaller city, you may find the first shock you experience is the food. It is very likely you have eaten Chinese food before, but much of the Chinese food in China is pretty different to what you might be used to. Bones are generally left in most meat dishes, and a wider variety of meats and offal are eaten. There are also flavours that you might not have come across before, including bitter melons, preserved bamboo, and mouth-numbing majiao pepper. Although there will be things you don’t want to eat, if you take the time to try new foods and perhaps spend some time in Asian supermarkets before you leave to see what is available, you will be more familiar with the food. You will soon find some great new foods to eat, and will wonder how you did without these great Chinese dishes all your life!

Personal hygiene standards and practices in China can be quite different to what you might be used to, and this is often something you don’t really get taught in your Chinese language lessons. The first time you use a squat toilet will probably be as daunting as the first few Mandarin lessons you have, but you will soon get used to it. Also, even though there are efforts to stop it, spitting on the street is still very common, even in big cities. If you are particularly fastidious about germs and hygiene, then you might want to take a hand sanitizer with you when you are out.

If you are studying in Shanghai or one of the other big cities, then you may be shocked at the crowds that fill the city, particularly in rush hour. Add to this the fact that queuing in an orderly fashion isn’t a cultural norm in most parts of China, and these crowds can be very difficult to navigate. The best way to prepare here is just to practice being patient, and try going with the flow.

Culture shock can be an issue when you study abroad in China, but as long as you take the time to know what you are going to face, then you will quickly adapt and start really enjoying your time studying in China.
 
A similar question is raised by most religious foreign students who plan to study abroad in China. When they arrive well they be able to continue the practice of their own religion?
Beijing with its vast history stretching over 5,000 years has seen the presence of many diverse religions including Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, and Confucianism. Surprising to most westerns, it also has seen a presence of Christianity.
 
It is completely possible to practice as well as attend Church if you are a Christian living or partaking in a study abroad in China course. In fact, scattered around Beijing one can find numerous churches which give many a piece of home transplanted into an unfamiliar city. Some of these churches were built over a hundred years ago and represents the wests past foreign influence on China.
 
What usually surprises many Christian westerners and those who study abroad in China, China has in fact an estimated ten million followers of the religion, and since an amendment in government in 1982 which allows for the free practice of religion, that number has been steadily growing. This numbers have since attended these Christian built churches and have fallen in line with western Christian customs. Therefore these worship centres not only serve as a place of worship, they also represent a fascinating glimpse into the long history of Christianity in China and its accompanying influence.
 
China’s first introduction to Christianity came in the seventh century when the Nestorians presented themselves to the imperial court at Xi'an and were allowed to establish a monastery there. It was here that the religion was embraced by both the Chinese people and the imperial court. The following years proved to be “rocky” for the religion as emperors such as Kang Xi who in 1721 banned Catholicism as he saw it as a foreign religion and thus wanted to rid of it from the empire. During the Ming dynasty however, many people welcomed the missionaries and began a cultural exchange with Europe. Eventually these Missionaries were granted land in such cities as Beijing where they were allowed to build churches. As you study abroad in China some of churches made available to you have roots back to this early beginning.
 
As the imperial court of China and western powers vied for power however, these granted lands and churches often turned into scenes of destruction.  The most destructive moment for Christian Churches, especially within Beijing, came about at the turn of the 19 century when the Boxer Rebellion took rise. Most of the churches still seen to today were rebuilt from the destruction caused at the beginning of the 20th century.
 
With the rise of the Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution came the halt of Christianity and other religions within China. Religion during this period was prohibited as it was seen as a dividing element of society. Different religions would not mingle with other religions. So for the next coming decades all churches were gutted and used as storehouse or left vacant. As you study abroad in China, you will have an opportunity to understand more about why religion within the nation was banned.
 
With China’s reforms of opening up, religion has again been able to enter the country. Christian churches are again in use and attract millions of people across China. 
 
So for the Christians who wish to come to China to study abroad in China, they do not need to fear about restrictions of practice. They can freely travel to and fro to their place of worship and continue their life styles of religion while in China.
 
The art of insulting – Many study Chinese in China students just beginning their Chinese language studies often find themselves able to throw out a few “bad words” before they can put together a decent greetings introduction. This may not be a Chinese phenomenon as it seems with languages all around the world some of the first words learnt tend to be not so pleasing to the ear.

Chinese insults, like everywhere else, are no different. Many of the insults, especially the cruder ones, are obvious once you know a few words, but as you develop your language skills further you will notice cultural differences on what is viewed as offensive and what is not. These difference of perspective is something you will experience first-hand when you Study Chinese in China.

Words that are benign in one language can send someone aback when translated to their mother language. A good example – In the west if you come across a new acquaintance who “off the bat” calls you fat or overweight, not only would you be “dump spelled”, you would most likely follow up with “an excuse me?” then from this point walk away embarrassed, humiliated, and insulted to the bone, or extend an argument; slap; punch or and what not. In China however, its completely different. A women or man faced with this accusation may just pat their bellies and agree that they'd like to drop a few pounds

Likewise, to call your loved one a “pig” in English most likely will “not take you very far.” If you don’t’ believe, try affectionately calling your love one a pig and see where it gets you. As a study Chinese in China student, you will however commonly come across loving Chinese couples calling their partner nicknames such as “pig.”Why? Because it is viewed as a cute, intimate way to express feelings

Furthermore, in southern China where Cantonese is commonly spoken, study Chinese in China students will often hear people tell other to “eat sh*t” or “go die.” In English these two words sound strong and definitely would not “go down too well.” In areas such as Hong Kong and Shen Zhen however, it’s perfectly acceptable to tell a friend to “eat sh*t.” Why? One theory, the Cantonese way of saying “eat sh*t” sounds very similar to the English world “sexy.” Therefore it comes across as a cross language play on words

Ultimately, as a study Chinese in China student you will more than likely come across some of these few “bad words.” But it is also important to know where to draw the line as all visitors know that lines are drawn somewhere in the sand. This will come naturally throw continued socializing and learning. Remember this though, in China if you call a Chinese person's baby ugly, the mother will most likely forgive you, however if you tell her that her Chinese food is not good …then you have crossed that line.

When you study Chinese in China not only will you be learning one of the most important languages of the future, you will also be learning about cultural differences and tolerance.

 
China is a country becoming increasingly successful for attracting oversea students attending its increasingly prestigious universities. As students plan out the next stage in their lives many turn to study abroad in china programs that offer the experience, safety, fun, and knowledge that allow students to travel to China with a peace of mind. One of those study abroad programs come from Global Language, a company established in 2006 and has catered to hundreds of students ever since. Included within the package deals are excursion trips. Below is a list of places where past students have been taken to in order enjoy and soak up more of what China has to offer:

Beijing
All study abroad in China packages emphasis and recommend the city of Beijing. Beijing is the political and cultural hub of China and is one of the best places to learn Mandarin Chinese. The city is rich in cultural relic preservations. The world-famous Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the People's Heroes Monument, Ming Tombs, the North Sea, the Great Wall, and much more, have all been places where students have had the opportunity to personally visit.
Nanjing
Nanjing is one of the world’s oldest cities with over 2,400 years of existence. Due to its old history, the city of Nanjing has a large number of cultural relics. The Confucius Temple, Stone town, the ruins of the National Palace Museum, Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum, the Ming tombs of the Southern Dynasties and much more has been experienced by those who partake in the Study Abroad in China course.
Hangzhou
Human beings appeared in Hangzhou Plain as early as 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. For this reason Hangzhou is referred to the cradle of China civilization and is one of the seven ancient historical cities within the world. Its beautiful scenery and historical sites have attracted many tourists from around the world, including Global Language students.
Xi`an
Xi`an is a city which has played many important rules within Chinese history. The city was once the capital of Zhou, Qin, Han and other 11 dynasties. There are a large number of well-known historical sites such as the Wild Goose Pagoda, drum tower, Han Chang'an, Daming Palace ruins in Tang, Ming tower, and so on. One of the more popular places within the city for students who partake in the study abroad in China program is the cities wall where bikes can be rented.
Luoyang
Luoyang is another city which has served as the county’s capital. The most well-known Relic in the city is the southern Longmen Grottoes. The White Horse Temple is also very popular and represents China's first Buddhist temple. There are also Wei Old City ruins, the Sui and Tang Dynasties Old City ruins, the Western Zhou Dynasty City, Kwan Lin, as well as a large number of ancient tombs.

When students choose to study abroad in China wth companies like Global Language, they receive quality education, comfortable living, appropriate insurance, as well as can experience trips of a life time to some of the world’s most culturally significant cities.

 
In recent years the number of foreign students who have decided to study in China has exploded. In major cities of Beijing and Shanghai it is common to see oversea foreign student communities mingling around the universities studying, partying, and in general enjoying their personal educational experience here in China. As this number continues to grow, these oversea students have started to spill over in the less well-known cities of Qingdao, Dalian, Kunming, etc. Why has China in recent years been so successful in attracting oversea students? The answer to this question is actually quite simple:

Rapid Development
China has over the past 30 years experienced an average year on year 10% grow. This grow pattern for this length of time is almost unheard of. The country today is developing at a speed faster than any other in the western world. When students study in China, they are living within an environment that practically changes every day. This newly found confidence and energy within Chinese society gives oversea students a feeling of excitement and opportunity.

Job Opportunities
The old theory implies - where there is growth, there is opportunity. This concept is certainly true in China. Students who have learnt Chinese during their study in China with Global Language (www.glchinese.com) find themselves in a market that is willing to spend and grow. Today there are a lot of Chinese cities which can provide you with job positions that you would not be able to get in the west. Furthermore, as the standard of living increases students whom are able to provide the needs and desires of the Chinese market can gain vast sums of profits.

Affordable Goods
When you study in China you will be able to lead a comfortable life without the need of earning lots of money. Food and utilities are still much cheaper than the west. Rent, although increasing, is still keep at a reasonable level. In terms of goods and clothing, all of this can be found at bargain prices within the city you live int. Luxury good can also now be found as well.
 
Great Food
With China being as vast territory cultural diverse, every region offers its own distinctive food. From the Sichuan cuisine to the cuisine of minority nationality in the Southwest, there will be an infinite variety. Within the larger cities, restaurants boasting all type of Chinese food from different regions can be easily found. When you study in China don’t be surprised if you put on some pounds.

Wonderful Scenery
China is very rich with natural beauty and historical artifacts. When you study in China there are numerous things for you to visit. The romantic Sanya, mysterious Tibet, historic Beijing, dazzling Shanghai, peaceful Guilin, and many more places are all in your reach.
 
Meeting People From Around the World
When you study in China be prepared to meet people from around the world. Global Language handles students from North American, Europe, South American, Africa, Australia, as well as other parts of Asia all gather together in China to achieve one purpose – learning Chinese. During your experience you will not only open your eyes to China, but to many other countries around the globe.