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AYC Program Review #3: Superb Experience

AYC is promoted as a selective program for individuals who want to experience China while developing professionally, growing personally, and enhancing future prospects in the U.S. and abroad. In its inaugural year, the program had a lot of hurdles to overcome. Bringing expatriates into China can be a logistical nightmare, and recent tightening of China’s visa regulations made the task even more arduous. Despite these hurdles, my experience with AYC has been superb. This program opened my door to China, and continues to provide the support and unique professional network that makes living and working here the experience of a lifetime.

The mission of AYC is based on a premise that I hold dear; that lasting peace can be achieved through dialogue and exchange. To have been involved with this program in its early stages came with some challenges, but there is little doubt in my mind that AYC will develop into one of the world’s leading Sino-U.S. exchange programs, and I’m excited to witness that transition. I do recommend this program, and would invite others to experience the joys of global citizenship and cultural ambassadorship by joining AYC’s growing ranks of interesting, accomplished alumni from top U.S. institutions. 

- Adam, Shanghai

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AYC Program Review #2: A year in Nanjing

It took me a long time to realize what a stroke of luck it was to be placed in Nanjing. Being placed with 13 other AYCers,  in a large city, with sizable expat population, was key. The strong community I formed here helped me celebrate the good times and weather the bad. That’s not to say there weren’t moments of homesickness and depression, but half price burgers and drinks cures a lot of ills. I came to China to experience something different and for me, different has been the operative word during my time here. Some differences are really cool, all fireworks are cheap and legal, others are more troublesome, your passport is required to book train tickets, but nothing works quite like you think it should. I encourage those who are looking for some excitement to give China a try. I don’t think China is part my professional future but I do speak mandarin better than my friends back home. Your time in China will be hard, but I think the experience is worth the difficulty. How many other chances will you have to drop everything and live halfway across the world for 9 months?

- Andrew Paulson, Nanjing

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