I chose to do the MA Asian and International Studies course because it seemed like an adventure. I initially thought that I was limited in my options because of my lack of foreign languages, so was looking in the UK and a few places in Europe which taught in English. But when I saw that I could study in China, in English, I decided to go for it. Having it be split-campus seemed like a good first step to studying abroad; if I hated the food I'd only have to put up with it for a couple of months, while still getting a taste for living in another country.
Because the campus is run by Nottingham University, I'm still getting the same quality of education as you would in the UK. In fact, for this course being based in China means that a lot of the professors here are really experts in their subjects, being passionate enough to live in Asia while researching it. It's also a good way to get more specific in your own studies; I've decided to focus on the Chinese-Japanese relationship due to being here, and it means that doing field research is a lot more feasible than flying halfway across the world to visit a library.
The location also has its benefits for travelling in general; there are lots of things to do in the area and in Ningbo itself. Shanghai in particular is a favourite for weekends away, and internal flights in China can be pretty cheap to anywhere if you plan ahead. So far we've done every other weekend away, and plan to travel more extensively after exams are over, to make the most of being here.
Living here is also a good opportunity to find out more about Chinese culture. They run Mandarin classes, you can have a Chinese 'buddy' to help show you the ropes, and we've had things like calligraphy classes and tea-ceremonies organised by the societies here. I was also impressed by the amount and variety of international students here; initially I thought it would only be students from the UK and Malaysia campuses, but there are people from all over who study here full time. It makes for a great social side to things too, and living in halls again is an interesting experience after such a long time.
So I'm very happy I've chosen to come here; the people, the place, and even the weather have been treating me well so far. My only regret is not learning more Mandarin before I came here, as it would be nice to know what you're ordering in a restaurant.
Gabriel Leatham
Posted on Thursday 19th May 2016