There are palm trees all alongside the roads. Cacti decorate the mountains. The sun is shining bright and I know I am now in California.

In January 2016, I started my Global Undergraduate Exchange Program at CSUSM. In my home country of China, I am a senior, and while deciding to experience my last semester overseas is tough, it is worthwhile. When I first started at this university, I had mixed feelings: curiosity, fear, excitement and homesickness. What would be waiting for me in the next five months?

Now I have the answer; it’s been a surprise! I am surprised by the academic style, my scholarship partners and the passion of the beautiful people of California.

My academic experiences here have been great. I decided to take Music and Culture in the United States, Introduction to Dance, Global Studies and Convergent Journalism.

In my music class, we enjoyed concerts every week. We heard and discussed various musical genres which I have never listened to before. In my dance class, I was so thrilled to move and reconnect with my body; when I was very young I quit dancing because I thought I was not good at it. I never imagined I would fall in love with it, but so I have.

In my global studies class, I encountered the typical style of American education. Students were divided into groups and placed in different positions with each member having his/her own role. I was amazed at the amount of independence students are granted in this education system. Being able to choose our own groups and having to make commitments to the other students was totally new to me.

Because my major is Journalism, my convergent journalism class means a lot to me. This class is correlated with the student newspaper, The Cougar Chronicle. In class, we not only learn journalism theories and laws, but we critique the paper, which is a lot of fun. The setting in which students can analyze each others work is something I look forward to sharing with my classmates and professors back at my home university.

Besides academics, I like to do community service. Although people can volunteer to do community service in China, the things I have done here are more interesting. On Cesar Chavez Day, I went to a school farm to do gardening. Though the sunshine was extremely strong and the work was hard, at the end of the day when I tasted the strawberries from the farm, I thought the work had been worth it. When you do community service you are there to give and to serve, and in return you gain a sense of happiness and achievement.

I always tell my friends that CSUSM has helped me to discover myself, to make me into a new me. I tried so many things, like Indian dancing and reading the Bible, that I might never have tried if I had not come here.

Five months seems long, but I can’t believe how quickly my exchange experience has come to an end. I will never regret my decision to come here for a semester. While other Chinese seniors just enjoyed extra leisure time, I tried something new and precious.

The words I say most here are “I love you.” I say this the most because the friends I have made here, my campus advisor Brooke and the most amazing lady I have ever met, Ruth, has taught me to love people. Being loved is the happiest feeling in the world.

Though I have less than two weeks left here, the memories will be long lasting and I will always consider this American adventure my best graduation gift.