Connecting the Pack

Abdullah Najjar 0:01
All right, everybody. Welcome to another episode of connecting the pack. This is your host, Abdullah Najjar. And in today's episode, I am joined by Xin Yang. Is that correct pronuncation?

Xin Yang 0:14
Yes. Thank you for having me.

Abdullah Najjar 0:16
Okay. Thank you. Yes. So Xin is from China. And he is a student here at NC State University, and he's doing an exchange year. In today's episode, we will try to explore the reasons that drove him, show up here in the United States and pursue an exchange opportunity. And talk a little bit more, talk a little bit about his, his life in France as, as this is his primary

is primary, his primary host country where he is pursuing a business degree. So, Yang, welcome to the studio.

Xin Yang 1:02
Hello, thank you. I'm great to being a part of this record.

Abdullah Najjar 1:07
Absolutely. Yes. So first off, I would love to know more about your, your, your your background, and the reasons that drove you to start pursuing College in France. So you're from China, but you chose to go to Europe to pursue an undergraduate degree. Tell me more about that. How did it happen? What motivated you to do it?

Xin Yang 1:14
So I had 18 years studying experience in China. So I attended the basic public school from kindergarten to high school. And for me, I don't really like it is because the setup like the students goes to school at seven in the morning. And when I was in high school, it's like a leave at 9pm. Because, yeah, we study out there doing homework, to prepare the university exams to enter the university. So there's a lot of pressure and you know, we also have a huge population, but we don't have enough University. So that means a lot of students cannot goes to universities. So this is a huge competition. Wow. So yes, and I do attend that exam. And I've been accepted by a university is called Beijing Architecture University. And the major was computation, computation or compute, computing, computing. And as you know, in China, women are taking like a general education and middle school high school they're so focused on math. I'm really one get rid of it. So I'm starting to think about like, go to like other countries to seeing another opportunity. Because when I was in China, there's there is only going to one university going to accept you. So you will, it will like feel blank, like ranked the university which you want to go and professionally, you will only get one over one offer Yes, only one over Yeah. So I don't really like it so I start to like research on the website, and also my best friend from high school he wanted me to go to France he introduced that those project to me. And when I say friends, I was really interesting. And you know, the Business School in France, is also fantastic. Yeah. And for free. It's not only about teaching is only give you knowledge, they require you to have internships for graduates. And we will also have exchange years in France, we call it mobility, mobility periods and mobility mobility periods is real interesting as and also I want like to travel around the world. Like when I was in France or travel around Europe, when I came to America travel around like America. It's really funny. It it makes my life Miss study life, study, pass, not only study but bring a lot of interest in that's

Abdullah Najjar 1:35
I like that. So you have this passion to not only want to be learning in an institution, be at a university or otherwise but you want to have a an experience even outside of the university. You want to explore and learn about the world. Use that. Yeah, that's I think that's one of your motivations in life to want to explore. That's very nice. Okay, so technically you wanted after after he finished high school in China, you wanted something that is maybe not conventional. I mean, generally, maybe Chinese people would use, pursue. I don't know STEM subjects.

Yes, yes, exactly. And also like, where I got accepted to Beijing architecture University. So I read a living in Beijing for 18 years. I want to try another environment to live in others. That is, yeah.

Wow. So what did your What did you have? What what sort of expectations did you have about living in France? Or pursuing a college degree in France before you went there?

Xin Yang 5:51
Yes. Before I come in France is like before I go into the university, I had never travel abroad. Really? Yes. Yes. So. So the flight from Beijing to friends is my first international flight. Yes. I'm, like, super exciting about it. I expect a lot. But when I arrived, France is not like what I imagine. Oh, so in my textbook, when I was in China, geography, geography book that introduced me like your France is a beautiful, beautiful city. But when I arrived, there is a little bit dirty. I'm sorry. Yeah. But the things are different. Like people are really nice to say hello to everyone you meet and like, I'm getting upstairs and someone's getting downstairs and we'll meet up each other. Just say, bonjour. Oh, wow. Yeah. And yeah, I think this thing is only happening in Europe. Even when I'm in America. Every time when I leave a store, say goodbye to the cashier, they won't say something back to me. But in France, like, is this a daily routine? That tuckerton Wow,

Abdullah Najjar 7:11
this is an interesting one. I didn't. I didn't know about that. I know. I mean, went from, you know, the region. In my, in my country and the region that I live in, we usually enter when we enter the store, we, we greet the person that's, you know, the cashier or the person that's working there. There's always a greeting. But I didn't know that that was. And yeah, sometimes we say goodbye when you're about to leave. But I didn't know that in France, you would you would do that, like there's a greeting involved is

Xin Yang 7:48
like, because in China, I don't remember I have ever done things like that. Oh, you don't you guys do or eat or like, little bit cold. We don't like talk to talk, too much. Like maybe it's because the huge population, like too much costume or too much people you cannot talk to everyone was like, every day morning when I'm trying to go to school and take the elevator, when it goes to the elevator. There's like 10 people in there. So in France, it's the most situations, there's only one or two people. So it's more easy to make a greetin

Abdullah Najjar 8:23
interesting. So so. So your first travel experience was de France. And now you're starting, you're going to be part of an entirely different educational system, right? Because I'm sure. In China, I mean, like you mentioned, I'm sure it's it's a lot harder, a lot harder, right? It's more intense.

Xin Yang 8:48
I cannot say this, the more harder. This is in the another mode, like free, them to the basic The basic idea is in high school, they just gave you knowledge and learn it. And we will have a test to test it. If you do well in the test. Okay, it's good. If it's not well in the test. That's bad. But yes, as well. We also have a lot of things also in high school like experiment class, like the school will take us travel to other city. They is a funny but I think it's only happened in Beijing, because the city is different. And finally when we are taking the university entrance exams, that score represents all of your work in 18 years. Wow. What you can do is with that score, and the school will choose you. It's not like when I'm applying to university in Europe or American I apply it and they decide if they want me or not. I can I can receive a lot of offer like four, five and in China, you will only have one offer. And it's only depends on the score that you got in the exam. It's not about your personal experience. It's not about you mentality about yourself about unhealthiness is only about study is so I don't like this way because we can only we can not only judge a person about what he got on an exam. Yeah,

Abdullah Najjar 10:29
there's more to that. Yes. Yeah. So that it must have felt liberating to be part of a new system. Alien system, maybe the French system, right? Yeah. So when when you went to France did you have at that point? Did you? Do you have any previous knowledge about French language? Did you know the basics? Or were you just learning on the spot as you go?

Xin Yang 10:57
Um, I only know before. Yes, okay. Even for now, I take a take to French lesson in the university. I should be like, a two level right now. That is a fire of a formerly nice. It's not at all in, in France, but I can do like some basic daily routine talk. Like when I go to the grocery store or ordering in the restaurant, those are okay for me, but talking with the people have interaction? No.

Abdullah Najjar 10:57
But it seems like you know, you, you, you had a you seems like you've had a basic foundation, maybe even more than a basic foundation of English in the in the English language. So it's kind of surprising to me that you chose France, you know, different country, that that's obviously different country, but they don't speak English. And so kind of maybe makes it a little bit harder for you. So it's interesting to know why. Maybe you didn't consider a country and English speaking country. To pursue your undergraduate

Xin Yang 12:21
degree. So one, the point is, you know what I mean, I mentioned that exam, the China university entrance exam. So French university accept that score? You can't use that score to apply a French College School University. Yeah, before like for American elite, you need to take like, SAT. Oh, yeah. And you have to having you high school experience in the American system. And also for UK, you need to take like a level, we're at level eight lessons and taking a level exams. And at that time, I don't have too much time to learn US or UK or Australia, Canada, a teaching systems course. And to validate them and to taking the exam. I have only to time to taking a like English language level standard exam, like IELTS or TOEFL. I only have time to take that. So French only need me to offer them mine English test and the university entrance exam test score to them.

Abdullah Najjar 13:36
Interesting. Okay, that no, that makes more sense then. So, so when you started your journey in France, where where were you based?

Xin Yang 13:50
Oh, I'm based. I was based in Lila is north north of the France next to the Belgium is next to the border? Oh, yeah.

Abdullah Najjar 14:02
Wow. Yeah. So was there a significant international community in that, in that campus that you were in?

Xin Yang 14:11
Um, in the introduction of schema? My school, they say yes, but when I've been there, I found this No.

Abdullah Najjar 14:21
Okay, false advertising.

Xin Yang 14:22
Yeah. But you because you know, it's so close to the Brussels and Paris. So between those two big city, you cannot be a important international city. That's what I say but, but the transportation is convenience is much more convenient. I will say like it's coming in, even in Europe. There is a train you can go to Paris, Paris, even Paris airport, and Brussels and the London and It's like, if you live in there you can. It's not only based in Lila, it's so easy to go to Paris, Brussels and London, and it's only take an hour.

Abdullah Najjar 15:09
Wow. Well, that's, that's great. So, so it was, it was a comfortable living. There weren't that many international students, but it was like, it was comfortable. It wasn't. I don't, I don't want to assume but I don't think it was that shocking to you the experience. Or was it?

Xin Yang 15:33
It was like, some things shocked me. Open always happens on some small things. Like the alt Store, like the basically close at like 8pm Oh,

Abdullah Najjar 15:49
okay, that's early.

Xin Yang 15:51
That's this French style. And like, you don't know how when, like, they start to have protest test, and the subway just stopped operating. And the police will block the streets. And sometimes you cannot even walk to your home because the streets are blocked for a protest.

Abdullah Najjar 16:12
What do you do? Do you join the protest?

Xin Yang 16:16
They use like high pressure water gun. Oh. And I just kind of make a detour. Like look more longer.

Abdullah Najjar 16:29
That's inconvenient. Wow. No, that that wouldn't be shocking. Yes. Yeah.

Xin Yang 16:34
And also, the only sale dyed shrimp and fish in the supermarket. Oh, really? Yes. Like because they felt like if you cue a creature with a knife that says to brudal word. Knock humanity. Oh, so like the cube them by electric. So that's why the only sale that shrimp fish that in the supermarket?

Abdullah Najjar 17:02
Are they electrocute them? Oh, interesting. Okay. That these are Yeah, these these would be surprising things. So how many how many years did you spend in Lille

Xin Yang 17:17
two years actually years? Well,

Abdullah Najjar 17:22
which which year was like, the hardest?

Xin Yang 17:32
I will say the first year, like the first year was the 2021. September. Oh, so before I got there. So me and my friend. We are like searching an apartment that we want to rent there. So we'll make a deposit. And that guy just disappeared. So basically, we got spammed our first first rental. So and this already like being August, and the school started in September. So it was very harsh and we don't have too much time. So finally we got a small small room in Lille. Yeah. And that's the like first four miles, no, six month. And after six months like we found another apartment and it moved in the nether status everything goes pretty well. And but in like first few months, this is bad. And also at that time like the my friend, he got a he was ill. Like I don't know how to describe that disorder like he's lung there's air, air in his lungs. So he got to go to surgery. And at that Dec two weeks, my daily routine is like a go to school and go to hospital back to home and that time. It's not hard, but word whatever. Tired.

Abdullah Najjar 18:58
I'm so sorry to hear that is Were there any improvements now when it's

Xin Yang 19:03
not a heavy? It's not a heavy unis. After surgery, everything goes well. That's good. Yeah. But the saints gospel is like, I'm a foreigner. And basically I don't speak French. Yeah, at that point. And basically, the people live in the they don't speak English. They don't speak too much English. And so when you're facing to some problem it's hard to communicate this like I don't know how how to expect that but when you're hard to express yourself. Things goes difficult.

Abdullah Najjar 19:44
Yeah, yes. No, you're right. Yeah, the language barrier will pose will be very, it will be a major problem in times of crises. In difficult situations. It's like man I wish I could speak the language. Yeah. So I'm glad I'm glad you guys managed to, you know, solve the situation to a degree. And so you know, this is these things are Yeah, they're unexpected, like you never know. Yeah. But I'm glad that at least you guys are trying to learn a language because I think that would be important if you're staying there for long haul.

Xin Yang 20:29
I tried and Ken gave up right now. What? Why important things like, it's too hard to have a good grade in French class. I don't want to affect my GPA. Yeah, yeah. Because next year, I'm applying to apply my master degree. Oh. So for now, I won't take more French lessons for now. Maybe I will learn that. There's a beautiful language. And this is a shame on me. If I lived in France for three years, and I cannot speak French. Well,

Abdullah Najjar 21:07
yeah, I get you. So So why? Why did you choose to do? The the US? You, you You are now you've spent two years in France. But now you chose to transition to the US? What? How did that start? What happened? Exactly. So

Xin Yang 21:28
first, I have to say the American is the strongest country in the world right now. I really want to go there. And like, experiences, I want to say that personally. And also, when the last year when I was in France, the language barriers really, really disappointed me. So I want to go a place that I can really interact with the people with the culture. So I felt like maybe American or UK those country were speak English. And I found like, the schema campus is just right on American. So why don't I go there and the trouble around? So well. So So I came to America. Okay,

Abdullah Najjar 22:13
yeah, that's a good one. That's, that's a good reason, a valid reason actually, since you already have the language it's easier to communicate and maybe make make the experience even memorable sense. So did you have any maybe expectations about what life would look like here in the US or you know, if you had certain opinion

Xin Yang 22:39
like before I before I go abroad, when I was in China, I have a big expectation about American Europe. But I was live in Beijing. This metropole is a huge city. Yeah. So but the city that I live in abroad is Lille and Raleigh, which are not a big city. So it's kind of like from a urban city, back to a rural place. But I can ask you that. Because Lille and Raleigh, still big city is a fantastic city. But when it comes, there's the like, things are different, like in American cities are big, or huge. Yeah, a car is mandatory. Really need a car. But when I was in Europe, like the public transportation is so convenient. You don't need a car. It's not mentary. And after I arrive American gives this this is what I wanted. Like, I will say that because I traveled to like New York can the Los Angeles Yeah, I found that I still like prefer Raleigh most Oh, those are those that are to be too expensive. And the thing that I didn't get in touch with too much local person, but they get in touch with a lot of like, international students also have come from China. The people live in New York, like those international think they're too superficial. They live in the fancy city and like they're not living for themselves. And think they can like like showing them showing others they're having a good life there. And it's like, snot we didn't get in touch deeply is hard to get close with them. But yours. I have to say like New York and LA are fantastic city and the travel ban there is a really good interest for living for living in the place. I think Raleigh is better than those two plays.

Abdullah Najjar 22:40
That's an interesting project. Active mean? I think yeah, a lot of individuals tend to live a lifestyle that's always actively seeking validation, and they're not living for themselves. They're living for others. You know, it's not whatever it is that they're posting, or it's just it's not real sense, right? But it's, uh, you know, it's interesting perspectivec that you, share with me about people that you met over there. What? What did you did you? So I'm sure you notice something different about the Chinese people that you met here? Right? It was it? I mean, easier to make those deep connections with Chinese folks that you've met here? Are there a lot of them? What can you tell me about? Yeah,

Xin Yang 25:31
there are a lot of them. Like, even like a lot of my middle school classmate. They are in American right now. Oh, yeah. They a lot of people in Beijing they choose to studying abroad. Interest. Yeah. Like the even the parents notice that the domestic education isn't the best in the world. And, like in China, the children is the the most important point in the family. So the Parents always want to offer the best education to their children's. Yeah. So that's why like a lot of my classmates they were in America only European UK right now. So yes, it's easy to make contact with the answer, because we were like a good friend. And I can't like join them, join them party, met them friends, so it's easier to make communication with them and contact with them.

Abdullah Najjar 26:46
Yeah. So when you say you're doing a year here in the US, and then you would do a year in France? My last year offerings senior year in France. And then he said there are plans for a master's degree? Yes. Yeah. So is that something you want to pursue here?

Xin Yang 27:06
If yes, Raleigh is a good option. I would like like, I would like to try to apply like UNC and Duke and NC State. And the one things like American is good, but it's too far away for my home. It does take like 14,16 hours if the flight to there. And the flight hours do so less, there isn't there isn't too much flight and almost no need to translate. So every time when we are trying to make a international flight is take like two days. I don't like it to. And so I'm trying to like get it got a master's degree in UK, which is English, that English country and also is abroad. And also they have a great project. They're

Abdullah Najjar 28:05
interesting. So we're close to wrapping things up here. Yang. So I'd love to maybe ask you a final question that you know, somehow summarizes your journey so far in one word. So what would you think? Maybe this word could be you can maybe use your native language you can use Chinese describe it, but is there one word that you can use to describe your journey so far?

Or is that a difficult question?

Xin Yang 28:38
Okay, I need to think about one word about my journey. This like this like a rebron myself? Reborn reborn as though like rebirth? Like yes, rebirth is a rebirth like because everything is new to me. And also my personal perspective, like change a lot during the starting abroad. And people the environment that changed me a lot. Yeah, I was like a candidate bipolar not to really bipolar because I was just like, so easy to get angry. But lived in France really changed me. Things are so slow. The same to be angry. Living Oh my Yes. Wait, we got got, like, got similar with the Canada. Living style. Yeah, like I got like, in there, I got my inner peace in France, maybe. So like that. It's like it's like a rebirth. Yeah, because I really changed a lot during the years to spend in eastern or western country. It's yeah and

Abdullah Najjar 30:01
I appreciate that perspective and I appreciate you sharing how your life you know your life journey in the past couple of years thank you for joining me

Xin Yang 30:13
and thank you for having me

Abdullah Najjar 30:14
absolutely

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