First Week Was Tough
I'll be honest — the first week was rough. The language barrier hit me harder than I expected, and I remember standing in a supermarket in Shanghai completely lost, trying to figure out which bottle was shampoo. But that's exactly why I chose this. I wanted to be pushed out of my comfort zone, and GAC made sure I had support while I figured things out. My placement was with a business consulting firm, and my team was surprisingly patient with me. They'd slow down during meetings, write things out for me, and invite me to lunch even when I could barely keep up with the conversation. By week three, something clicked. I started understanding more, contributing more, and actually enjoying the chaos of it all. My manager even let me lead a small client presentation toward the end, which terrified me but ended up being the highlight of my time there. I left China with more than work experience — I left with a completely different mindset about what I'm capable of.
Photos


































































