From Shanghai With Love [Study Ablog]

This blog post was written by sophomore Prakriti Luthra, a peer advisor studying economics and political science. See her full bio here.

This summer, I spent two amazing weeks studying abroad in Shanghai, China. I know that when most people think about studying abroad, two weeks isn’t the time period that comes to mind and that the program I participated in is quite unique. I went to Shanghai through the GW Short-Term Abroad program to take an international economics class. Not only did I get three credits out of the way, but I also got to experience one of the most diverse, beautiful cities in the world at the same time!
Shanghai boasts a bustling financial district, with futuristic buildings and one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, the World Financial Tower. It has one of the best metro systems I have ever seen and definitely beats taking the red line in DC! At the same time, our class saw intricate ancient gardens, dragon boat races, and the infamous Bund area. I also got to try a lot of new foods, like jellyfish (which was actually not too bad, surprisingly) and I also refused to try some foods, like duck tongue (a decision I do not regret at all).

While I could have easily taken the same class back in DC, what I learned in a classroom was enhanced ten fold by physically exploring the city and seeing what I learned in real life. For instance, we visited neighboring cities like Shoujo, which is not as developed as Shanghai. It was interesting to see the stark contrast between the two different areas and how differently people lived. Guest speakers like the prior CEO of Coach China came to tell our class about their experiences with owning a business in the country and their lifestyles. I learned so much just from short interactions with the locals living in the city that a textbook could never teach me on it’s own.
GW short term abroad is a great option for those of you who don’t have time to devote a whole semester (like many overwhelmed honors students!!) but still want to explore a new country while simultaneously taking a class. Those two weeks, while short, were the highlight of my summer and I will remember them long after I graduate from GW. I 100% recommend GW Short Term Abroad and I hope I can participate in one again in the future!