The intense nature of jam-packed schedules for all you 9th-12th graders can make it hard to see beyond your immediate routine. As you run between classes, extracurriculars, and sports, you probably have a limited amount of time to consider the immense value of opportunities like a trip abroad and travel.

My name is Liam Grady and I as I prepare to graduate from Saint Rose in New York this May, I’d like to give you an idea about how my summer immersion trip to Peru changed my perspective, challenged beliefs/possible biases, and just opened my mind to the beauty that is present throughout the world.

We all use our smartphones daily and presumably this will be true if you travel to China as well.  There are some applications on your smartphone that you will use frequently in China, and some that you will discover are actually a necessity.  We get into routines and comfortable with applications’ functions, and I had an initial discomfort of learning a number of new apps, but later discovered their great value.

You want to ensure that you are extra careful when communicating with your hands and your body so you don’t send the wrong message.  There are specific gestures that should be avoided while abroad to show respect to Chinese people and to best connect with them during your time in China.

When you pick up your chopsticks, you join in a cultural custom and you’re responsible for understanding the etiquette behind them.

The Chinese zodiac cycles every 12 years with 12 animals, and every year, a new animal starts the Chinese New Year.