Beijing study abroad trip transformsGabriel Sattayapiwat '09Math major, Asian American studies minorGabriel Sattiyapiwat ’09 chose to study in China to improve his Mandarin language skills. He did that—and returned feeling like a changed person. At the Beijing Center, he studied Mandarin intensively. He was able to take occasional breaks from his classes: He toured the Silk Road in Western China and visited tropical Guilin, in the southern part of the country. Sattiyapiwat cites a change in his perspectives from the unfamiliar living conditions. The bustle of people and activity in Beijing was a big contrast to the quiet of Santa Clara’s Mission campus. And he had a lot less personal space. Sattiyapiwat says at first it was a struggle to acclimatize. “I came back to America with a set of different eyes,” he says. “I’m more outspoken, open-minded, and independent.”
Read about more SCU student experiences. |
 |
