In the summer of 2007, Eileen was looking to do “something different.” Eileen Rush is an ESTU undergraduate student majoring in Communication and also serves as Executive Editor of the East Tennessean. She found that something different by participating in the ETSU China Study Abroad program offered through the Honors College.

As Eileen was thinking about following her passion of traveling abroad and the opportunity came as she pursued a story for the East Tennessean student newspaper. Eileen was interviewing Dr. Chen (Chairperson, ETSU Political Science Department) and Dr. Antkiewicz (Professor, ETSU History Department), who are faculty members assigned to the Summer China Study Abroad course. During her interview, she learned that the professors were recruiting students to take part in the two-month summer course in China. She immediately took action by seeking advisement from Ms. Maria Costa, Director of the ETSU International Programs and Services Office. Next, Eileen applied for an ETSU Study Abroad scholarship to support her participation in the China program. When asked why she was attracted to the China Study Abroad experience, Eileen stated,” …aside from an opportunity to travel abroad for the summer, it was an excellent opportunity to further my goals for a career in journalism.” Eileen also felt that, as a Journalism student, this adventure abroad might open doors to future job opportunities, like being a Beijing correspondent for an American newspaper.

Eileen’s study abroad program consisted of one month of classes in Chinese culture and history, followed by a second month of language instruction in Mandarin Chinese at North China Institute of Technology in Beijing. The classes were all in the morning so she had all her afternoons free. And she definitely took advantage of them. Eileen notes that study abroad in a country that is so dramatically different from the United States takes a sense of humor, a sense of adventure, and a mind open to new possibilities. As she puts it, sometimes “…things mess up … and you find yourself lost in translation.”

One of Eileen’s favorite adventures in China was when she and three friends took a weekend trip to Inner Mongolia, north of the Great Wall. Inner Mongolia is contained within China but represents a distinct region with a rich history and culture. She and her friend were warmly received by the local Mongolians and they stayed out on the grassland, in a yurt, a type of circular tent which houses an entire family. Dinner was served and they feasted on boiled mutton (without seasoning) and green onions dipped in a sauce made from mutton blood. As a beverage, they had something Eileen never thought she would ever drink---horse milk wine. The family she stayed with makes their living preparing this alcoholic beverage made from fermented horse milk. Their herd of horses ranges free out on the grassland; fencing them isn’t needed because “the pastures are so huge, the horses never go far from the water.”

During her time abroad, Eileen faced some challenges. She reports it was a bit difficult being a white Westerner, especially American, because people appeared to have some preconceived ideas about Americans. A taxi driver told her he was learning English so that he could tell Americans not to take off their clothes during the Olympics. Apparently, Eileen jokingly recalls, he had been watching too much of “Girls Gone Wild.”

As for planning and financing her study abroad experience, Eileen found it difficult at the beginning to organize and get all the information together, but she stayed on her task and made sure she was on schedule, especially applying for her visa. She advises students who plan to study abroad in the future who don’t already have a passport to get one NOW. Even if you are undecided about traveling abroad, a passport is a vital document for any American to have.

Eileen encourages other students to pursue study abroad experiences and advises that students should branch out, have adventures and do more than just go to school in another country. “I would go to school during the week, and on the weekend I would take a backpack and just go somewhere. I think those were the best times during my stay in China.” Further, she offers the following advice to students who may be hesitant about going abroad:

“Do a lot of research on where you’re going to study abroad, what kind of culture you want to immerse yourself in and brush up on the language. It is very useful. I speak Chinese so I didn’t have a lot of trouble. I’ve taken a semester of Chinese at ETSU and I learned a lot while I was there. Now I speak it pretty well. So if you’re going to a place where there’s a different language try to learn it. If you’re really scared about going abroad, you can go to England, Scotland or France. They are wonderful countries as well.”

Welcome home, Eileen! We’re glad you went and glad you returned to ETSU!