What WE Have to Say

Adjusting to life in China has been an adventure to say the least. Not being able to communicate effectively with the locals and being thrown into a radically different environment was a shock when we first arrived, but after two months of learning the tips and tricks on how to flourish here, I couldn’t be more grateful for my experiences. International travel unlocks something deep within you, it teaches you how to be independent on a scale you never before though imaginable, but also teaches you the importance of collaboration. Any task, no matter the difficulty, is easier when tackled with a team, be it ordering food at a street vendor or climbing up the hills in the tea fields. Finding my footing here was a struggle at first, but once I learned I could rely on the people around me, I’ve been able to unleash the full potential of the trip and break free from my normal bubble I live in.

I’m glad that I was able to get a good schedule going pretty quickly after we arrived in Hangzhou and it helped immensely with adjusting to life here. Working Monday to Friday in the lab has been immersive, interesting and educational. Being able to have hands on work and be included to help with an ongoing research project has made this trip so worthwhile. There are many duties I help with at the lab as my project is about studying the denitrification of wastewater based on the fluidized bed reactor design. I’ve helped create synthetic wastewater, set up the reactor and done six different determinations to test if the reactor is doing what is hypothesized. On the weekends we’ve been lucky enough to travel all around China and explore some amazing sights. One of my favourite places I’ve been so far is the Kubuqi desert in Inner Mongolia. I got to ride camels, motorcycles and slide down the sand dunes. My favourite part of this trip however are the connections I’ve made with the people around me.

Journaling has kept me sane this entire trip and without my black Moleskine I don’t know if I would have adapted as well as I have. Every time I have some time to myself I use it to write about my day, about what I’m thinking about or what I have planned. I’ve been able to work through my thoughts more effectively and better come to a conclusion about how to better the situation I’m in after careful reflection. I’ve always enjoyed writing as a catharsis for myself but doing it on such a regular schedule gave me an effective release during stressful times and will be something I try to incorporate into my daily life at home. Here is an excerpt of my journal from an entry last week that I’d like to share.

“July 7^th, 2017. Usually I have a plan when I write one of my entries but today I just have some time to myself and feel like writing. Writing about the future, about the past and about right now. Right now, I’m living in the future, I’m yearning to be reunited with my favourite people and love and appreciate everything I have waiting for me when I will return home. It’s easy to forget about what you have right now when you have something to look forward to. But looking back, what an incredible journey this has been so far. I’ve been immersed in a radically different culture, seen cities and sights I’ve only ever dreamed of and been able to work and interact with people in the industry I’ve wanted to be in since I was a boy; and lived to tell the tale (so far!). I can’t get over how this place is changing me. I’m becoming more self aware, pushing my limits and my priorities are shifting into what I truly care about. It’s truly amazing the amount you can learn about yourself when you reflect on your past self from a lens on the other side of the planet. I feel empowered and independent and I can’t wait to take this new Jake home and see how my friends and family react to the new and improved me. It’s not the experiences where you can ride a camel or stand in the worlds second tallest tower (Shanghai Tower) that change you. Those are the memories we share with our friends and tick off our bucket list, but it’s the connections we make in the 10-hour bus ride to the desert, how we fill our free time and interact with the locals that show our character and allow us to reflect on ourselves. From the start I’ve approached this trip as a turning point in my life. I’ve always seen this experience as a way to reflect and change for the better, two months into this crazy journey I can say for a fact that I’m different than I was before I left. I’m thinking clearer and a new fire has been lit inside me to constantly work towards bettering myself. I am eternally grateful for all the people who were able to make this trip happen and I can’t wait to find out what my last month in China has in store. Travelling is a crazy thing, but I think I’ve been able to take advantage of every opportunity I’ve had here to better myself. I recommend to anyone who can travel or study aboard to take that opportunity without hesitation. It’s worth it. Always and Forever, Jake Girling.”

Jake Girling