Why did you decide to study at CSU?
After I finished undergraduate in China, I wanted to study abroad in North America and I think CSU fits me well. My undergraduate major was rangeland science and I love hiking and skiing. I knew Colorado was a beautiful place years before I came from John Denver’s popular song “Rocky Mountain High”.
Tell us about your military involvement at CSU.
I was born in a military family and I am obsessed with anything about armed forces. This semester I am taking one of the military courses provided by the ROTC program and have classes with U.S. Army and Air Force cadets. We have PT (physical training) from 6-7 a.m. on Mon., Wed. and Fri. throughout the semester. This course also has a lab section, which focuses on fieldcraft and provides a great opportunity to experience field training of U.S. armed forces.
What are your career goals?
I wanted to work as a National Park Ranger, because of my major and my love for nature, but I am frustrated because international students are not able to get employed by the federal sector. I figured working in the U.S. might not be a great idea rather than returning China because I believe that there would be more opportunities in this fast developing country and second, I love China. Before going back home I will need to practice what I have learned at CSU, so I currently have been searching for jobs in the U.S.
What do you want people to know about your home country?
China is a country of cultural diversity but in a quite different way with the United States. In China, remarkable differences in custom, accent, food, etc., can be found through the west and east, from the north to the south. In China, the accents of different regions can be so different that people cannot even understand each other from time to time. So that is why we have a “national accent”, the Mandarin. Another example, not all Chinese people feed on rice. For people from the north, especially Northwestern China just like myself, people feed more on bread, which is made from wheat rather than rice.
What has been your favorite memory at CSU, so far?
It must be the unforgettable experience of last year’s “Learn to Ski” event organized by the Office of International Programs. That was the first time I went to a genuine Colorado ski field. At that event, I learned snowboarding, which I have never tried before. I made quite a few new friends on that day. I really appreciate everything that the OIP staff has done for us, they are very nice people and have been doing great jobs for international students!