Being in UIC has been one of the most memorable times in my life. I had the opportunity to join in a lot of activities and clubs on campus like the tug-of-war competition and the rugby team. I was able to experience many new things in college that I didn’t do back at my school. Here is where I met many of my close friends and built relationships that will last longer than my time in UIC. I’m happy that I made the decision to come to UIC and wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else.

Overall I had a wonderful time here, really enjoyed the food and my exchange friends/ group! Wonderful group of people！ Classes were difficult and way too much presentation and group work. But it was all a great learning experience. I got travel little bit but it would been better if exchange students had little more time to travel without being rushed. I definitely got to experience the real academic life style here in China.

UIC changed some of my perceptive toward China and also towards the world in general. Thanks to their nice curriculum and the different speaker during the semester who spoke about things that made me truly believe that each of us can be a motor of development for others and that we all have leadership skills laying inside us and for that my experience in UIC,CHINA is one that I would never forget!

Amazing! IDO did a great job helping us settle down, and helping us get use to life here in China. The activities that IDO held were amazing, and they really helped the exchange students really bond with one another.

Living and studying at UIC was a great experience. Most of people met there were really interested to know about you, about your country and your customs. So it was really a pleasure to share moments with them and discover thanks to them China. The UIC teachers are always available to help and classes were interesting. The school proposes a lot of activities and there is a lot of restaurants to discover the famous Chinese food every day. Finally, speeding all this semester with others exchange students like our group was a really BIG BIG plus.

Overall, my time here in Zhuhai has been pretty amazing. The food here is so much better than what I am used to back home that I am already missing some of the things I had to eat here and I haven’t even left yet! The other classmates and staff here were usually very nice and it was a very easy school to get around even though my level in Chinese isn’t super high. I had a mostly good time here and I can’t wait until I save up enough money to come back someday in the future.

In a sentence, my time in China here at UIC has been life-changing in ways I wasn’t expecting before I came here, and I know that I am glad that I decided to work so hard to prepare to come here.

It is so lucky to come to UIC. In the first place, my choice was not the UIC because it is not familiar in Korea and even the Guangdong province is totally new place for me. However, UIC students have an open mind to welcome international students and we can communicate each other. In outside, it makes me relief to meet UIC people to communicate. Moreover, the air is fantastic to walk out, and finally UIC has good education system for students to be motivated.

It is an interesting experience in my life.

My experience here was fantastic and I’m very sad I couldn’t choose to stay two semesters.

Overall my experience at UIC was warm and welcoming. The students were more than helpful to help me assimilate into the new culture, as were the staff and professors. The facilities and shops on campus were convenient. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the UIC community and will miss it immensely!

It was a surprise to meet the Chinese hospitality...
Great semester and it is not finished for me,

I will travel a lot,

I met many Chinese students who are really kind and helpful,

Everything is okay... we need only a "western" bakery (and cheap)

"It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get." (Maitre Kong / Confucius -551/-479)

Native American in China

With First Nations blood in his veins, Wayne Fiddler wants to help develop his tribal ancestral reserve in Frog Lake after he completes his study and gains some experience. The First Nations are the predominant Aboriginal peoples of Canada south of the Arctic. Wayne was a Canadian born exchange student from the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus in Edmonton.

He first came to Zhuhai as part of a study group to visit UIC and explore other areas of Guangdong during the months of May and June in 2015. It was during this short trip that he fell in love with China and was excited to return. He came back to UIC in February 2016 for an exchange programme. The original time-frame for the exchange was from February until June, and then he discovered that one of his courses didn’t transfer so he needed the three additional credits; therefore he decided to come back for another semester. “It is a new adventure and I was tired of doing the same old thing,” said Wayne.

Adventures in China

Before coming to China, his impression was that the country wasn’t as developed as it is. He feels in some respects it is more advanced than the West as you can use your mobile phone to transfer payments to vendors out on the street, not even the top stores in Canada accept or have this form of payment.

As he is a native English speaker and UIC uses English as the medium he is able to understand everything and talk to all his fellow students. Also the introduction to Chinese culture that UIC offers allows him to better understand the country. “I joined a calligraphy class and also I enjoyed taking part in the Chinese traditional archery called Shedao,” Wayne mentioned.

During his first trip to UIC, he took classes in Calligraphy, Politics, Environmental Studies, and basic Mandarin language.

Wayne was attracted to UIC as it is a new environment, and he liked the diverse range of teachers plus class sizes are similar to what he is used to back in Canada.

Speaking of the differences between university life in Canada and that in China, Wayne said, “The biggest difference is the dormitory rules, because in Canada we are not restricted by a curfew.” Plus the dormitories in China are divided up by gender and the students hand-dry their clothes after washing, while in Canada the dormitories are mixed and the students use a tumble dryer to dry clothes. If Chinese students are going overseas Wayne would like to warn them that their clothes may shrink when using this type of dryer.

What he discovered when he came to China is that many Chinese don’t know about First Nations people, including the most educated people. First Nations Aboriginals are like Chinese in that they believe the best way to develop a business is to create a relationship (guanxi). The way they treat the elderly members of the family is very similar. Chinese eat every part of the animal just like the First Nations aboriginals.

In Canada, Wayne had never travelled by train but in China he has experienced train travel. He mentions how the trains in China have triple bunk beds and is frequently used by locals to get around China. Also the Chinese take instant noodles with them on their travels and therefore he notice a lot of hot water on tap being offered, which you would not see in Canada.

Wayne’s favourite activity in UIC is Shedao (Chinese archery), which he says has helped to calm him down and taught him to be patient as he used to be frustrated when he first started.

Wayne mentions that he feels UIC gives him the best introduction to Chinese culture as he is an active member in several clubs as well as taking part in trips around China.

First Nations ancestry and the reserve

Wayne is of First Nations descent. His father is a First Nations Aboriginal, and his mother is of European ancestry.

Frog Lake reserve has a reserve population of approximately 1,500 residing on-reserve as of 2013. Wayne lived on the reserve from grade 1 to grade 4 in school and he was one of the only “white kids” on the reserve.

Wayne with a traditionally-dressed First Nations performer.

The benefits of having First Nations blood are that you receive special grants from the government as well as being tax exempt if you work on the reserve. Theoretically, if a First Nations person owned just 1% of a business, located on the reservation, then the business as a whole should not be taxed. The reserve does not offer many jobs and Wayne would like to change this. “I would like to help change the reserve by starting off by building and opening stores that provide the ‘basic needs’ such as a supermarket, a hair salon, and other small businesses so that the money that comes into the reserve and stays in the reserve, while also providing jobs.”

Then he would like to try and attract foreign investment, especially from Chinese. He believes that Chinese could take advantage of the reserve by building a factory on the land and allowing First Nations to have shared ownership to enable the free taxation ruling.

Wayne obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and Economics. As of February 2017 he started to work at UIC as an intern to assist the teachers in the English Learning Centre.

My UIC Family

(Chinese and International Business with a focus on Marketing double major)Since the moment i arrived in China, I’ve met so many caring people.  The first person who I met coming to China this time was a longtime friend from camp and college, Karen (Lai Haiwen), who graduated from UIC.  She was super excited to help me set up my life here and had nothing but nice things to say about UIC. After living here for a semester, I see why.

First off, the people here, especially my roommate, Ding Ling, and my ‘family’ from Enactus have all been so welcoming, supportive and have become my best friends here, so much so that I wish I had another year here!

Besides friends, what keeps me here is the outstanding campus.  I really appreciate all the people who work hard to keep this place clean and running everyday with this many college students.  The facilities all look very nice, computers and screens, air conditioning and nice furniture in every room is a big plus.  The food at Greenwood (Da Jia Le), the OK and Narnia all really make it a livable place.  The dorms are conveniently close to the food and shopping places and I like whoever designed that.

This took some time to figure out, all of the wonderful things that UIC has to offer, but I found my calling with Enactus (though everyone knows this group as SIFE still.)  I highly encourage anyone wanting to connect with businesses, meet professionals, and have a fun time presenting with fellow UICers to join.  This is the group that kept me busy during this semester.  Staying up late to help them with the script, translating, and bringing lots of ideas together into a comprehensive 17 minute speech was definitely a challenge, but doable.  Our team made through the regional competition in Hong Kong and onto the national competition in Beijing where we placed in the top 16.  I’m very honored to have been with UIC Enactus this year and to make it that far in the competition.

For me personally, I’m here at UIC because I’m accomplishing my international business major which requires one to study abroad and do an internship.  One of the first days here, I met Gifford Searls who took me on as one of his interns.  This semester, he’s been a wonderful mentor and I’ve learned more about networking, event planning and life in general.  I sincerely appreciate everything he’s done for me and other students.  He shows he really cares about every student and their future.  I really wish this year didn’t have to end.  But this experience has really made me think about my future plans.  You may see me around here again!

My experience at UIC in China

During my time in China, I have learned a lot of Chinese both in Putonghua and Cantonese. I have met a number of new friends from around the world expanding my horizon. What I like about UIC is the WPE course. I took the course called Emotional Intelligence where I got to learn Taichi, meditation and how to be in control of my emotion. It is different from a normal PE course that I have had before as the main focus of this course is your state of mind. Tachi is also very fun and interesting as I have only heard about Tachi in the Chinese textbook. Another memorable experience for me is the UICC club. I joined this club at the beginning of the term and we went out to a small school in Tangjia area to teach children English. I have always wanted to be a teacher so this experience was so amazing. I was afraid that our language barrier would be a problem for the children to learn English, but it was not. I found out that the more I taught them the more I am confident to speak Chinese. I have found out that teachers play such an important role for children’s motivation in studying.  I have realised that adaptation to different cultures helps people to open their hearts and minds. The most important tool to understand one’s culture is empathy. I have seen and encountered with many unexpected situations which those difficulties helped me to become a stronger and a better person.

Since I grow up in Hong Kong, I am not really surprised when I just arrived China. For example, I understand the Chinese language and the Chinese characters. However, I found many things are different from Hong Kong and my host institution in Japan when the days passed. In the following, I am going to writing about the feeling and the experiences during the study aboard period.

First, the technology in China is very amazing. For instance, I can order the food and the transportation tickets through Wechat, Alipay or other applications on my phone. Also, no matter the chain stores or the small local stores, I can pay with Wechat Pay and Alipay. I can go shopping without bringing my wallet.

Second, the teaching methods which UIC and ICLA are different. For example, UIC focus on students’ cooperation skills, ICLA makes their students to independent. I had total 5 group projects need to complete throughout the semester, but I was just taking 6 courses. Moreover, the final examination of each course in UIC occupies a huge percentage of the final grade, which makes the student have too much pressure and forget the joy of studying. I think other parts such as the assignments and the class participation should be counted more.

Third, I want to talk about the administration of UIC. I am so appreciating UIC arranges a shuttle bus for picking up and dropping down student between Tang Jia Station and UIC new campus. However, the bus schedule and the place of getting on the bus changed a few times. Since I needed to catch the train in Tang Jia Station, I was perplexed when I waited for the bus for 20 minutes before knowing the bus would not arrive in the afternoon. Also, I wanted to change the courses when I arrived UIC during the add-drop period. I had submitted the add-drop form to the Administration Office, but they needed us to attend the courses which I was planning to drop until the adding courses are successfully added in. Due to this reason, I had missed classes for almost a week. Moreover, I think UIC should calculate the time of the contrasting works. Although I used to the contrasting environment after 2 months, I felt so unwell and sick of the environment. However, I believe everything in UIC will be better after the contrasting works. Nevertheless, the efficiency of the office is so well. When I had questions about my studying plan and life in China, the office gave me support and answer quickly. It really made me felt better.

To sum up, even though everything in UIC has some problems right now, I believe they are temporary. Since UIC is still developing, UIC will become a well and good liberal arts school in the future.

My name is Janejira Sakullelarasmi from Mahidol University International College, Thailand. I had been in Zhuhai, China for 4 months as an exchange student at UIC. I have learned many new things from this journey since i first arrived. I had faced many unexpected situations in Zhuhai, i was a little bit upset at the beginning but everyone in UIC, especially my roommate, helps me go through from these situation. China is a huge country and full of wonderful cultures. However, since it is still less developed country same as my home country, i can realise how fast the government try to develop these countries with a great number of people as UIC wants to develop itself to a world-class standard. Since i could not be in UIC when it will be well constructed, i think it will be a very gorgeous and useful campus. I really like gymnasium at UIC, particularly fitness room and swimming pool. My most favourite classes are WPEO classes. I think it is such a great idea of school to have this kind of class at UIC. For voluntary service class, it reminds students that it is important to help each other to reduce conflict and increase sustainability within a society. For Wilderness Survival class, it improve student’s life and team skills because it is impossible that i can survive in the wilderness without my classmates. Zhuhai is a beautiful city because people can see the sea even they are on the mountain and vice versa. Chinese food is delicious, but it is quite oily and salt so I often cook with my Thai friend at the dormitory. Thank to UIC dormitory which has a space and other facilities for students, i have a chance to cook and let my Chinese friends try Thai food as well. I have grown up a lots from being an exchange student in UIC. I have met many nice friends, dormitory staffess, and UIC staffes. My only goal of studying abroad in China was successful which my Chinese level could be improved. I did not have so much time to travel around Zhuhai and other cities near by like Guangzhou and Foshan., so i am sure that  if i have an opportunity, i will visit Zhuhai again.

I wanted to study in China to learn more about this huge country about which I didn’t know anything. I really enjoy the contrasts between traditionnal and modern, old and new, cities and nature. And the food is great and cheap ! UIC has a modern campus which enable us to study in a serious  environment. Living in dorms is convenient because our roomates are great helpers to do everything in China !

Environment in UIC helps me to focus on studying. I can easily ask questions to teachers and TA which helps me keep having interest on courses. One of my favorite parts in uic life is to study with cheap and delicious fruits from supermarket. Even though I am not still good at ordering and buying food, I feel grateful that people in uic are all kind and willing to help me.

Before I come to china, I was worried about many things such as safety, language, cultural difference, foods and so on. However, now, at the end of semester, I realized that that worries were just worries. I really enjoyed life in China and UIC. During the semester, I tried hard to go travel around China as many as possible. So I have been many places in China; Macau, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Shenzhen and of course Zhuhai! I experienced Chinese culture and tried many delicious foods. It was nice. Almost every time I went to travel with Chinese friends and they introduced many good friends in other universities. I was very happy to meet many good Chinese friends and I really appreciate for their kindness. The most important reason why I’m satisfied with life in UIC is that I can meet many good friends in UIC. At the beginning, everything was unfamiliar and hard for me. But every time many friends helped me to adapt the life in China so that I can enjoy the life here. We made many good memories during this semester. I’m so sad to say good bye to them soon and I really want to stay for one more semester if it is possible. I will miss my friends and UIC.

In many ways, taking a chance or making a big change in your life is a huge leap of faith. Not many people like to make that leap because of the common fear of the unknown, or the reluctance of leaving the comforts of the daily routine. In my case, I made a long journey to make that leap of faith, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever partaken.

Studying in UIC has vastly improved my ability to adapt, my language skills, my confidence in living on my own, and my academic prowess. If you are reading this, I presume you want to have new experiences, or ways to create big and better changes in your life. If you’re deciding on where to go to achieve those goals, I promise you that UIC will provide you with the once in a lifetime opportunity to accomplish them.
As I have come from a difficult life where I was usually alone, the students and staff at UIC have welcomed me into their community with a sense of warm kindness I was initially not used to. For that, I cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for this campus, community, and culture I have come to love. Achieving my goals at UIC would not have been possible without the staff at IDO, the teachers and the numerous beautiful friends I have made during my one semester.

Although my stay at the college was a bit short, I do intend to return to UIC as an intern in the future. So, I ask you as the reader, what are you waiting for? Nothing is impossible, unless we make it so. Big changes can only happen if we make it for ourselves. Take this leap of faith, and I know it will improve your life in ways that you cannot imagine.

Always remember, comfort does not help your life go where you want or need it to be. Comfort only helps your life stay still, going nowhere.

I am delighted to study with the outstanding students from all over China at the beautiful UIC campus. Even after finishing the exchange student program, I will never forget the wonderful sky of Zhuhai and the memories we had together during a semester at UIC.

The atmosphere here compared to the states is a lot more peaceful and relaxing. The students are very nice and welcoming. What I enjoy most here is the variety of fruit they have.

Being able to understand Chinese was a huge advantage for me to study abroad at UIC, so my experience at UIC was great. Everyone was very helpful when I first arrived on campus, and I made a lot of new friends back here. Also we went to a lot of different places during break time for example, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and more come when we have time. I will miss them very much when I have to go back to America. If there is an opportunity for me to come back to China, I would definitely choose to come again because there is nothing that I don't like about being here.

The last month and a half has been wonderful. I had the opportunity to travel in China, eat a lot of good food and make new friends. Studying aboard at UIC is one of the best part of my college career.

When coming to China, I was worried about my ability to fluently speak Chinese. Coming to UIC gave me the opportunity to live and study in an environment great for learning Chinese through socialization, but without having to worry about the difficulty of Chinese language in the classroom. It was the perfect combination of both worlds. I also loved the new facilities and many restaurants and canteens on campus. The villages around campus were incredibly fun to hang out with all of my new friends. Additionally, any time I felt the need to get off campus, the shuttle bus was my saving grace. It went to the bus station and from there, you could hop on any bus you like into the city for only one kuai.

Being able to study here, at UIC has been one of the greatest decision that I made. I was
able to travel and study at the same time, which was really cool. I had been to Hong Kong,
Macau, Guangzhou, and more to come when there is time. I was able to experience many great
things during my stay at UIC from the people and culture. I love the food and culture here. I
meet great friends over here and they treat me so nice and was really helpful. I have the greatest
time here and I will definitely come back to China again.

When I first arrived in China, my roommate greeted me at the Zhuhai Port with a giant hug. I was excited to finally meet her, and also pleased to meet fellow international students upon arrival. While I experienced initial culture shock, I eventually adjusted to student life in China. As a student of international relations, I gained cross-cultural perspectives and collaborations in my courses. Through being immersed in the Chinese language and culture, I improved my Chinese language skills and increased my understanding of Chinese society. I also traveled within China and Asia, which enabled me to witness the vast diversities in each place in regards to food, language, and political systems. Overall, interacting with global citizens at UIC prepared me to contribute unique insights on China in graduate school and my future career.

Even though studying aboard can be rough sometimes, UIC has made my time abroad a good experience. The facilities of UIC are modern and convenient, which makes it a great place to study. During the past few weeks I was able to travel to other places in China, had very good food and was able to make many new friends.

Traveling overseas to a whole new country, where I did not understand the language at all, made me VERY nervous and scared. This was a first time for everything! The first week was a little rough for me. However, as I got to meet my roommate, the other foreigners and also the students on campus, it has made me feel more comfortable being here. I really enjoy the food here in Zhuhai! It’s amazing! Especially the prices. I can try a lot of things! I also enjoy the beautiful flowers.

This photo was taken by my friend, Praew, whom I met during my study here at UIC. Being able to come to UIC gave me the opportunity to make new friends, to learn and practice new languages, and to really rediscover myself. UIC is a school that is located away from the big city, and is surround by gorgeous mountain views and colorful sunsets, which create a sense of tranquility every day. The staff here are nice and the culture is rich, especially after getting to know everyone. Before coming to UIC, I really thought a semester would be enough but after attending the club fairs, seeing what UIC has to offer, and meeting some people here, especially the 阿姨 (aunty) and 叔叔 (uncles), I wish I could have stayed longer. Coming to UIC, Zhuhai was worth the opportunity.

Although studies can sometimes be difficult, the UIC has made my stay abroad a good experience. The infrastructures of UIC are very practical and allowed me to integrate as much as possible. Thanks to my roommate, I managed to manage the practical things that for my phone, to have internet of help me choose my trains to cross China. Thanks UIC to have an internship with my school in France. I enjoyed a lot in China.

My name is Sieun Lim and I’m from Korea. I am currently studying in UIC as a freshman. It’s been a memorable year so far with all of my Chinese friends and other foreign friends. As a foreign student, I think UIC is one of the best places to study Chinese culture and the language. UIC offers Chinese class for international students and all international students are absolutely welcomed by all the UIC Chinese students. I personally gained special memories and friendships this year and I am very grateful that I got a chance to study in UIC.

My name is Alea and I am a degree-seeking student from the USA. I chose UIC for the opportunity it presented to study Chinese language and culture. Thus far, UIC has been a very beneficial and memorable experience. I have made several great friends, and love my Chinese roommate who has been very supportive in helping me adjust to life as a UICer. I enjoyed several of my classes and met faculty and students from around the globe. UIC has really given me a unique perspective and, as a foreigner studying in China, has opened my eyes to the numerous possibilities that an opportunity such as this presents.

Major in Government and International Relations

While I am staying UIC, I could broaden my perspectives and I will learn more. I could meet unforgettable friends and enjoyed school life. It must be more and more enjoyable. Thx UIC!

Major in Government and International Relations

Studying at UIC has helped me cultivate an international perspective, giving me exposure to the modern world and wholistic, relevant education through well-developed courses and capable staff from all over China and the world, including a lovely and caring international development office!

Major in Culture, Creative Management

Major in Computer Science Technology

In UIC have many kinds of advantage for me. I can learn Chinese and English together. And I can get many chances to meet international friends. While interacting with international students I can get to know various experience and enjoyment. At the end thank you to UIC for giving me these kinds of valuable experience.

Major in Media Arts and Design

UIC is a place full of great oportunities. With a diverse staff and plenty more diverse activities to partake in. Here at UIC there's more than just classes and lectures, there's a welcoming environment where there's a chance to grow as a person every day.

Major in Government and International Relations

UIC is a great place to be a student because it makes me feel included and welcomed right away. Not only are the staff and faculty very helpful, the students are friendly to a new face like mine. I also have great opportunities to explore new ideas and practice old hobbies and skills with the resources at UIC. It is awesome to have UIC to support and guide me at this important time of my life.

Major in E-Business

UIC has a wonderful study environment. I feel very comfortable once I step into this university. The students and teachers are very friendly as they helped me when I have some problems. I am looking forward to develop my personal skilld and my hobbies here. I am really grateful that I chose the right place to pursue my studies.

Major in Acct

Hello I am BOGYEONG SUH. I am international student from Korea. and  I am year 2 student. Actually I still can not believe I'm already in year 2 because UIC's time really files. but UIC can do many things. I have met a lot of people and gained more good experience in UIC. I could make many friends more easily because my major have many people. So I could do many cultural exchanges. And I have to use Chinese in everyday life, I could learn Chinese naturally. Also, activities for hobbies of many students at school have become a reason that makes life interesting.

Major in CTV

"Hi, my name is Victoria. I've been an exchange student in UIC for 2 years now, and 2 more to go! I've always enjoyed many opportunities that UIC gives me to meet new people and try new things, including learning other languages as well as learning Chinese. It is a great experience to be a student here in UIC, i will never regret getting in here."

Major in Computer Science Technology

My name is Dong Won Min. I am degree seeking student in UIC from South Korea.

If someone ask me what is the strongest advantage of this university, I will answer it is language! Before I came to this university, I was not interested in learning English at all and my confidence about English was very low. Since I entered in this university, I had to deal with everything in English and Chinese. After time goes on, I realized that doing presentation in English is not a big deal to me anymore. Therefore, I highly recommend you if you want to learn English or improve your confidence in English, you can come to UIC and get what you want at here!.

Major in GAD

Hello! My name is Yu Kyung Jeon. I am a degree-seeking student from South Korea.

At UIC, I am enjoying various experiences. I met a lot of friends, learned and shared different cultures between me and friends. And the biggest advantage I think is that we can learn the language by learning English as well as Chinese. I am looking forward to life at UIC in the future!

An unforgettable experience

Hello, my name is Mathilde, I am in 3rd year at EDHEC in the North of France. I really enjoyed my stay at UIC, which was my first choice. I was really happy to be able to discover a culture different from mine, to experience cultural shock, to see something I had never seen before (my exchange being my first visit to Asia). I have traveled all over China to see these different facets, to learn more about myself. Students, faculty, and IDO members have been very welcoming to us and have helped us to make the most of this unique experience. This semester helped me to be more mature and will forever be etched in my mind.

Coming to uic was a great decision to get to know Chinese people and the Chinese culture. Uic is very helpful and welcoming. I will recommend uic to my friends.