CUSEF Blog

Shaniece Criss from Harvard Kennedy School: “Since I come from a U.S. perspective, it was so helpful to hear from government officials so that I could understand more about the one-party system. It broadened my view on how the government functions and cares for its people. I also better understood how individual-based society versus a community-based society address the same issues in different ways. It was so helpful to gain a better understanding about these perspectives.” Read More

Adnane Meziane from Harvard Kennedy School: “Prior to coming to China for the first time, I had learned a lot about the country through several readings. Nevertheless, the media that I consume on a daily basis in the United States had instilled some negative connotations in me, including about China’s aggressions in the region, China’s oppression, China’s pollution… As a result, the trip to China was a welcome fact-finding trip that would allow me to see for myself whether the depiction that some media makes was a reality or a fiction. What I found was astonishing and rather positive. Read More

Daniel Cnossen from Harvard Kennedy School: Although I cannot claim to fully understand China from a 10-day travel experience in which an enormous amount of the country was not seen, I can now say with confidence that I understand the country much better than before, and that Americans should be aware of these biases inherent in our media’s reporting. I think that the dialogue between American students and Chinese was very important. On these occasions, we were able to field questions from Chinese scholars. This implicitly provided insight into what Chinese think of America, and their misperceptions, based on the lines of questioning. Just like American students have misperceptions of the Chinese government and of life in general in China, so do many Chinese fail to understand American politics. Read More

Calvin Thach from Laney College, Peralta Community College District: “Throughout the trip, my fellow delegates and I also had the chance to meet so many remarkable people. Our hosts from the China-United States Exchange foundation provided us with great professors, campuses, and lectures. The local students graciously gave up their time and hosted events, games, and performances. Our tour guides made us laugh, made us smile, and most notably…made us miss the China experience. It felt surreal to attend school in China. This new environment made me more engaged in my learning. Back in the states, I would get bored of learning, because everything always felt the same. However, this simple twist in environment was enough to spark my curiosity. Everything was new. The campus, the lectures, the professors, and the experience. Sure…I had an itinerary to follow, but it did not prepare me for the new friendships, the new styles of teaching, or the new selections at the dining... Read More