Amisha Patel

My time in Xiamen has certainly been an eye opener, and an experience I will never forget. Although it took a while to adjust to the culture change,  throughout the two weeks I  thoroughly enjoyed learning about Xiamen’s economy and culture, as well as experiencing this first hand through the many trips and visits we had the pleasure of going on. The lectures were both informative and engaging, even though the 9am starts sometimes proved a struggle!

My favourite trip was the visit to Gulang island, a major tourist site in Xiamen, which can only be reached by ferry. The narrow streets were filled with souvenir shops selling a range of goods such as tea, coconut cakes, dried fishes, sweets and varieties of meats. There were also streets filled with numerous pearl shops and it’s fair to say that us girls all indulged in treating ourselves to these gorgeous pieces of jewellery.

 

It was also really nice to talk to the volunteers from Xiamen University and Tan Kah Kee College (TKK) and compare our experiences of university life there and in Southampton. Through this we were able to learn more about the differences in living arrangements and social activities offered there.

Amisha Patel