Greetings from Singapore.
Singapore is the place of my ‘extended layover’, and incidentally where I live, before I continue on to my final destination, Beijing.
My name is Jason Klanderman, I’m a sophomore triple majoring in International Politics, History, Global and International Studies, with a minor in Chinese. Over the summer I spent a month in Beijing studying mandarin intensively at the Beijing Language and Culture University and lived with a Chinese homestay. This whet my appetite to go back and see more of Beijing and China.

There are a few things I would like to share in this introductory post.
First, with any student currently studying abroad in Beijing, get ready for a cold winter. China is currently experiencing the coldest winter in the last 28 years. So bundle up! Second, and this is the case for anyone who goes to China, if you want to warm up and grab some grub, in my experience, the smaller and dingier the restaurant, the better the food. I had lunch almost every day in this hole-in-the-wall dumpling place, I paid less than a dollar for a basket of fresh dumplings, and they were the best I’d ever had. Third, whether you know a lot of Chinese, or just a few words, use them every chance you get. The local people find it very interesting when you speak Chinese, instantly they will warm up to you.

Furthermore, I am very excited to meet everyone in my program, to meet my new home stay family, and to see what classes are like. I also can’t wait to explore the university, and the surrounding areas. I have only one thing left to say.

Beijing here I come!

Location: Singapore, Singapore