My American Study Abroad Experience: A Unique Journey

——Wei Xiaolan

The wonderful and fulfilling time always slips away unnoticed. Six months of studying in America has become a warm memory engraved in my heart.
I am very grateful for this invaluable learning experience. There are many people to thank, but my deepest gratitude goes to President Shou and my family, who have always supported me. I am grateful for every minute of this experience. I feel very lucky. This study abroad was full of surprises and moved me. I met many teachers, classmates, and even strangers who cared for and helped me. I sincerely thank you for your help; I also especially thank the company leaders for their support and trust, allowing me to complete this study happily and with focus. During my six-month study abroad in the United States, facing a new and unfamiliar environment and a new starting point, I learned to think more, to forge ahead bravely, and gained lifelong experiences.
1. University of California, Los Angeles—A New Beginning
With various dreams and curiosity, I came to the famous "City of Angels," Los Angeles. Everything before me was fresh, prosperous, and vibrant. During my studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), I lived with a kind 95-year-old German grandmother. The warm and quiet old house gave me a sense of time standing still. For the first time living with foreigners, I had no discomfort except for the food. After graduation, although I frequently used and wrote English technical documents in my work, I had hardly spoken English for many years, and my quiet personality made communication very difficult during my first month. Fortunately, I met very good teachers, my landlady, and many good friends from Turkey, Japan, and Arab countries, which allowed me to quickly integrate into this unfamiliar environment.
During my time at UCLA, I mainly studied academic and cultural English. The lively atmosphere on campus, the clear blue sky, and the energetic smiles made me forget my initial nervousness. The teachers here mainly guided students with an open mind, encouraging us to discuss with each other and go beyond the classroom to different museums and different neighborhoods to gain a deeper understanding of the local culture and art. Many students were very lively and enthusiastic, and loved to express themselves. During the process of studying and communicating with them, my oral expression ability improved greatly, and I also learned about the customs and cultures of different countries, gaining warm friendships.
2. University of Washington—A Uniquely Beautiful School
Considering the needs of my future work, I chose to study advanced writing, grammar, and spoken English at the University of Washington (UW) for the last three months. The poetic UW is located in the heart of Seattle, the highest technology capital in the United States. The campus is shady and quiet. Sitting on the lawn of the Gothic-style library, it is as if I am in a paradise. The courses I chose at UW were designed for students who were about to enter master's or doctoral programs, mainly focusing on improving English reading, writing, and oral communication. The teaching style at UW was very different from that at UCLA. During class, the teachers would not provide detailed explanations but encourage students to develop according to their own interests, choose their favorite topics, and learn enthusiastically under the guidance of their interests. My classmates were highly proficient in English and very enthusiastic, but due to cultural differences and pronunciation issues, communication was still difficult at first. Through continuous learning, I gradually developed the habit of independent learning and actively communicating with others. Slowly, I felt my horizons broadening, I made friends from different countries, and I gained a deeper understanding of the cultures and ways of thinking of different countries.
What I wasn't used to was that it rained constantly in Seattle in winter, and the weather was very cold. Perhaps due to the weather, I suffered from back pain many times. My credit card was also skimmed while eating in Chinatown. Despite this, I am still glad that I ultimately chose to come to this green city full of high-tech culture. I especially thank the teachers and classmates at UW, the landlord of my share house, and Sister Hou and the company leaders who were also concerned about my studies in the United States. All of this helped me through the most difficult times.
There was a lot of homework at UW, and many exams. The high-intensity coursework and exams quickly improved my reading and writing abilities. During my studies, I demonstrated the serious, persistent, and dedicated spirit of a Hansheng person, and tried to do some creative writing and speeches. The teachers liked my creativity very much, and I ultimately achieved excellent results and special performance, earning the recognition of four teachers in grammar, writing, speaking, and reading, and was awarded the "Outstanding Student Award".
3. Experiencing American Humanities and Culture
When it comes to America, people may immediately think of it as a modern country with a fast pace of life and work, and cold interpersonal relationships. Although there have been occasional shootings, I have experienced a warmer atmosphere in America. Every day when walking on campus, people walking towards you will always smile at you, whether they know you or not; going to the homes of teachers and neighbors, surprisingly, there are many family photos on the walls, and the happy group photos reveal the American family concept; the bus drivers who always greet you enthusiastically and the cars that patiently wait for you to cross the road; when I saw similar scenes again and again, I seemed to see the most precious and kindest corner in the hearts of Americans, and the interaction between people became simpler. Although there are many homeless people on the streets, there is more respect for them.
During the holidays, I went to the ETL laboratory to witness the CMP-level large-scale combustion test; I participated in the Las Vegas Communication Exhibition with colleagues from the international business department; and I also visited many breathtaking national parks in the surrounding area. Different cities, different cultures, and different scenery gave me many shocking and moving experiences, making my life experience richer and fuller. These experiences may not immediately bring obvious benefits to my daily work, but perhaps when I face foreign clients or handle foreign-related work in the future, I will make decisions that are more beneficial to the company because of this experience.
Although the coursework in the US was not always directly applicable to my cable engineering profession and daily work, such as the specialized terminology frequently used on the job, which was only partially covered in the curriculum. However, this experience further solidified my English skills, improving my spoken communication and writing abilities. In my free time, I also researched many international standards for new optoelectronic cable products, hoping to better apply what I've learned in my future work.
My studies and life in the US have concluded. Looking back at my journey, the truly memorable moments, the experiences I persevered through, are the ones that represent true growth and impact. I sincerely thank Mr. Shou and the company leadership for giving me this invaluable life experience. Regardless of whether my initial expectations were fully met, I gained sincerity, friendship, and confidence. Returning to the Hansheng family, to the work I love, I am more confident and will approach every task with professionalism and humility, continually innovating and striving for improvement, finding joy in progress, and repaying the company for its investment and expectations.