Photos by the author
Shanghai, CHINA — It’s already been over a month since I moved here to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming an international student and living in a foreign country.
You know, there’s a saying “Take every chance you get in life, because some things only happen once.”
It’s definitely true. When the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Cebu (special mention to Ms. Ethel Natera) encouraged me to apply for the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (YLS) a few months back, I thought it was such a great opportunity not just for academic growth, but also to experience life as an international student.
Shanghai University of Finance and Economics campus. | Carl Lorenciana
So, after going through the application process and university interviews, I was lucky enough to be admitted as a general scholar for the autumn semester to study Master of Business Administration (MBA) at one of China’s top business schools – Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE).
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To say this is one of the biggest opportunities of my life would be an understatement. From the moment I got the good news through email from my chosen university that I would be living in China as an exchange student, I knew this opportunity is rare.
SUFE campus
Why business?
One of the biggest shifts for me has been diverting my academic journey to something far from where I’ve spent most of my career and what I currently do for CDN Digital as one of its freelance copy editors.
For many years, I’ve worked in the communication and media industry, having studied communication in college. That world was my comfort zone. But now, I’m exploring into business administration, a completely different field, because I wanted to challenge myself and learn something new. Business is something I’ve always been interested in but never had the chance to explore deeply. Although in essence, I’ve spent most of my career then as a full-time economic journalist covering the business beat. So, in a way, this industry isn’t strange to me.
Shanghai is one of Asia’s top financial hubs and is China’s wealthiest city given its economic strength as the country’s business hub. | Carl Lorenciana
This shift has been a huge game changer for me. Studying business is not just about acquiring new skills; it’s about opening up new possibilities for the future. I want to understand how businesses work, how strategies are formed, and how decisions are made in a global context. Shanghai, with its dynamic economy, feels like the perfect place to learn business. This experience is allowing me to grow both academically and culturally, as I learn in school while immersing myself in a completely different way of life in China.
Prior to my study journey here, I’ve traveled to this culturally rich country several times as a tourist. Shanghai has always been one of my favorite Chinese cities, that’s why I chose to study here. I love the vibrancy here, the towering skyscrapers, and it’s being a melting pot of modernity and tradition.
Nanjing Pedestrian Road is a famous tourist spot in Shanghai, known for being one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. It stretches for approximately 6 kilometers, dotted with shopping centers, food stalls, and hotels. | Carl Lorenciana
Living abroad, meeting new friends
But, has moving here been easy to me? No, it wasn’t. I have my share of challenges of adjusting to the life here and dealing with homesickness – missing my family, the familiarity of my hometown Cebu, and even the little comforts like food. I’ve experienced what most Filipinos living and working in different parts of the globe go through.
But, there’s always a silver lining in everything. It’s okay to feel out of place at first because that discomfort is what pushes us to grow. You know, homesickness is a powerful reminder of growth. It gives us the chance to step back and se3e life from a broader perspective. That’s exactly how I see it now. There’s so much more to the world than what we are used to in our everyday lives back home.
Welcome party for international students at Shanghai University of Finance and University. I am the lone student from the Philippines in the fall semester batch. | Carl Lorenciana
Living abroad forces us to step out of our comfort zone, to embrace the unfamiliar, and to find new ways of being comfortable in discomfort. And in doing so, we realize how capable we are of adapting, learning, and growing. Sure, it’s not easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Each day, I’m finding new ways to feel more at home here.
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I’ve met students from different countries as well as Chinese learners, who comprise the majority in the MBA classes I’m attending at SUFE. I’ve become more open-minded in dealing with people from all walks of life.
While there may be language barriers at times, I’ve found the Chinese in particular to be incredibly welcoming and patient. They appreciate any effort you make to understand their culture, and in turn, they are curious about mine. This exchange of cultures is something I didn’t anticipate to be so meaningful, but it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of living here.
I’ve learned to see this as an opportunity to experience things I never would have back home.
Different flags are displayed at the International Cultural Exchange School of SUFE, which oversees international students enrolled at the university.
Growth and learning
One month has passed, I’m filled with gratitude of living here. Being given the chance to study in Shanghai, under such a prestigious scholarship, is something I never imagined would happen to me. Because it’s not just about the education I’m receiving, though that in itself is invaluable. It’s about the growth that comes with living in a new country, embracing a different culture, and learning more about myself in the process.
The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is one of Shanghai’s famous landmarks.
Truth is, living abroad isn’t just about the big moments – the first time you step into a new city or meet people from different backgrounds. It’s about the small, everyday victories: familiarizing the subway despite getting lost sometimes, making conversation in a language you barely know, and discovering what you’re capable of more than you thought.
A beautiful sunset seen from the track oval and soccer field at the SUFE campus while doing my routine jog after the classes.
I’m excited for what the coming months will bring. Shanghai will be my home until the end of the fall semester in early January next year, before China moves into the Spring Festival break, during which the Lunar New Year is celebrated.
If my first month has taught me anything, it’s that this temporary move to Shanghai is going to be transformative in ways I can’t even imagine yet. And that’s what makes it all so worthwhile.
I met with Chinese Consul General in Cebu Zhang Zhen before I left for Shanghai a few weeks ago.
