“I had lots of fun sightseeing with my host family. I love my school and the teachers. The students are really nice and the Chinese cultural classes are fun- I made my first Opera mask! When my host father gets off from work, he would just drive me around the city so I would experience the real China; my host mom also taught me how to cook Chinese food so when I go back to my hometown, I will make some Chinese food for my family. You know what? I just love China...”

                  --Daniel

“I joint the program around June 2009 as an au pair in China and I'd say about the program:A really interesting experience that can help to understand a new culture, to learn a language and most important thing:
to open your mind and brake colour bar.".”--Brigitta

       

Read more testimonials for HHSCenter on goabroad.com

 

I could not find any word to describe these two weeks, time is passing so fast.

I would say I am lucky to have found kind people who have welcomed me and made me feel at home.

I knew that the beginning is always the most difficult part. But my host family made that part easier to overcome.

In these two weeks I visited many places: I saw Wangfujing with little opened shops, selling typical Chinese souvenirs, in front of high new buildings; I saw “the temple of Heaven” that reminds me all the past dynasty I had studied; I saw “the temple of the Sun” with its circular platform, I went to “Yawahu Park”; I went to “the Great Wall”…

But the most interesting things were right there on the street: normal Chinese people living their life.

 

An important thing in life is food so, given that I love Chinese food, and I think that you can also taste a different culture from its cuisine. Yiqiang (my host-father) taught me some Chinese dishes, it was really interesting looking and I learn different way of cooking the same ingredient and I would say that at the beginning I did not really like it but now I love to try any Chinese dishes.

 

So at the end I think it is just a matter of time and habit. I may always compare everything with my Italian culture but that does not mean I cannot appreciate Chinese culture.

 

Now I have many Chinese friends and, even though I am hard studying Chinese, most of the times I still speak English with them. But I think it is important to stay with Chinese people, it always helps me to understand better what surrounds me.I will keep on practicing my Chineseand I hope day by day I may understand more Chinese culture.