Would you let your junior college student study abroad in Shanghai or Hong Kong next year?

[Anonymous]

Yes 100%, I'd be proud of their growth

[Anonymous]

I lived in Shanghai for a few years, am Asian, speak some Mandarin. It is a fantastic city and very safe crime-wise. However the country can change rules very suddenly and implement instantly. I don't think right now is a good time to go. I certainly wouldn't send a child who wasn't an absolute rule follower/drugs/drinking. Speaking the language is mostly helpful but it also opens questions like do you have Chinese ancestry and if so why do you live in America. Many remaining expats have the funds and connections to leave the country quickly if something goes south (to Taiwan or somewhere close).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Are you American? European? That article was from 2024 and said covid was a reason for a big drop- makes sense- and that both countries wanted to encourage more students. Not sure if you meant it to be encouraging.

Dc is interested in a specific program through his school in HK, but Shanghai is preferable to HK bc it’s more Chinese. .. for some people, going to HK is not really going to China. He understands many people speak Cantonese in HK not mandarin (thanks for the snark though!). Although isn’t mandarin much more common in HK now, especially among younger people? As far as written form, dc first learned Taiwanese mandarin (8 years of it) eg, traditional- so hopefully he’s retained some. But again, I think Shanghai would be the preference.

Do you like Shanghai?

You simply don’t go to HK to speak or learn Mandarin. There is heavy anti-mainland/Mandarin sentiment in HK, including among young people. Many won’t even respond if you speak in Mandarin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Are you American? European? That article was from 2024 and said covid was a reason for a big drop- makes sense- and that both countries wanted to encourage more students. Not sure if you meant it to be encouraging.

Dc is interested in a specific program through his school in HK, but Shanghai is preferable to HK bc it’s more Chinese. .. for some people, going to HK is not really going to China. He understands many people speak Cantonese in HK not mandarin (thanks for the snark though!). Although isn’t mandarin much more common in HK now, especially among younger people? As far as written form, dc first learned Taiwanese mandarin (8 years of it) eg, traditional- so hopefully he’s retained some. But again, I think Shanghai would be the preference.

Do you like Shanghai?

Mandarin is more common but Cantonese is roughly 90%. It wasn’t snark… my daughter is learning Mandarin and it is treated as a foreign language. (Complete with study trips to Taiwan or the mainland.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve lived internationally and raised our kids at international schools. Been to both Shanghai and Hong Kong pre covid era. I told my kids they could study abroad anywhere except China and Hong Kong.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the child half Chinese? Any way China can claim they are Chinese ciitizens?

Good question but no. A DNA test would probably show some Chinese ancestry but limited. Due to happenstance, he learned mandarin from an early age though- started around 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Are you American? European? That article was from 2024 and said covid was a reason for a big drop- makes sense- and that both countries wanted to encourage more students. Not sure if you meant it to be encouraging.

Dc is interested in a specific program through his school in HK, but Shanghai is preferable to HK bc it’s more Chinese. .. for some people, going to HK is not really going to China. He understands many people speak Cantonese in HK not mandarin (thanks for the snark though!). Although isn’t mandarin much more common in HK now, especially among younger people? As far as written form, dc first learned Taiwanese mandarin (8 years of it) eg, traditional- so hopefully he’s retained some. But again, I think Shanghai would be the preference.

Do you like Shanghai?

You simply don’t go to HK to speak or learn Mandarin. There is heavy anti-mainland/Mandarin sentiment in HK, including among young people. Many won’t even respond if you speak in Mandarin.

You’re a jerk so why don’t you take a break now, ok? Maybe you missed my post or your reading comp is poor. Dc knows mandarin already. He is going for a specific program, not to learn Chinese, although obviously it would be ideal if he go could use his mandarin at times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in Shanghai for a few years, am Asian, speak some Mandarin. It is a fantastic city and very safe crime-wise. However the country can change rules very suddenly and implement instantly. I don't think right now is a good time to go. I certainly wouldn't send a child who wasn't an absolute rule follower/drugs/drinking. Speaking the language is mostly helpful but it also opens questions like do you have Chinese ancestry and if so why do you live in America. Many remaining expats have the funds and connections to leave the country quickly if something goes south (to Taiwan or somewhere close).

Op. This is good perspective, thank you. His school is running these partner programs. Do you think that would add a layer of protection? He’s a rule follower and careful and not interested in politics but still he’s a 19 yo, will be 20 if he goes. Taiwan seems safer but the programs there aren’t as compelling. He does have some remote Chinese ancestry, but his name is not Chinese. He has his heart set on Shanghai but aside from the school program, we only have one friend contact there who is Taiwanese

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. Are you American? European? That article was from 2024 and said covid was a reason for a big drop- makes sense- and that both countries wanted to encourage more students. Not sure if you meant it to be encouraging.

Dc is interested in a specific program through his school in HK, but Shanghai is preferable to HK bc it’s more Chinese. .. for some people, going to HK is not really going to China. He understands many people speak Cantonese in HK not mandarin (thanks for the snark though!). Although isn’t mandarin much more common in HK now, especially among younger people? As far as written form, dc first learned Taiwanese mandarin (8 years of it) eg, traditional- so hopefully he’s retained some. But again, I think Shanghai would be the preference.

Do you like Shanghai?

Mandarin is more common but Cantonese is roughly 90%. It wasn’t snark… my daughter is learning Mandarin and it is treated as a foreign language. (Complete with study trips to Taiwan or the mainland.)

Got it, thank you. But to clarify, he’s not there to study language per se.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why or why not? Anyone with any direct experience?

This is a repost from the political board. I should have posted in here initially.

My dc is American but is half Asian (looks more Asian than white if that makes a difference) speaks some mandarin and his university has several programs in China, including at a top school in Shanghai that dc is very interested in attending. But not sure it’s safe. Taiwan might be a better option but he’s not as interested in the partner program there. Dc is not into politics, and has never voted although he did register Dem last year.

I was interested to see the Canadian travel advisory for the US. Made the US sound terribly unsafe!

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-states

We are Brazilian currently living in São Paulo and my son was accepted to Brown and NYU and also a couple of European schools. Given the recent US Gov view on foreign students, we have the same issues that you Americans do when worrying about your kids going abroad.

We adivsed him to forgo those offers and accept one of the UK/EU offers. He is now deciding between LSE, St Andrews and Bocconi.

That’s interesting to hear. As an American who knows kids at both those schools, and I attended one of them, my instinct is to say you’re just being paranoid. These schools are both safe. But I can also see how you’d feel that way, and that travel advisory certainly paints a dim view of the US!

I get it. But yes, we are paranoid. My cousin was denied entry last week and put on flight back to Brazil. Mind you, this is a Brazilian MD with a PhD from Stanford who was invited to present at a conference in the US and yet, someone at CBP didnt like him and denied him entry. He has presented at conferences in the US 5 times a year for the last 20 years….never had an issue….until now. So yes, we are little paranoid.

That’s awful. I’m sorry and embarrassed for the US

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Canadian Travel Advisory for Canadians entering the USA is thorough & well done. Excellent advice with good resource information.

Whether or not I would let a college student study abroad in Shanghai or Hong Kong next year would depend upon the then current political climate and would also depend upon the school and housing involved.

Yes, it is. It does make the US sound like a bit of a hell hole though, doesn’t it?

No, not to me. Everything sounds reasonable. Important to understand that pot is illegal under federal law in the US. Nothing in the travel advisory would deter me from traveling from Canada to the US if I were a citizen of Canada.

Advice would have been no different if Biden was president.

We have people who pick pocket in the US. Homes get broken into sometimes. Don’t hike alone. Get travel insurance.


Nothing earth shattering.

Did you actually read it?

Mass shootings
Many citizens have guns
Petty crime
Home break ins
Violent crime
Gang activity
Terrorism!

Plus drug overdoses and homeless

If I didn’t know the US, I wouldn’t want to visit!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. We have a kid abroad right now and all the hype about danger and tourists being targeted is not happening. They have traveled to so many different places every weekend staying in all sorts of accommodations and have had no problems.

Where are they traveling?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd allow it. In mainland China, Shanghai is the easiest place for foreigners. There's always a strong community of expats and students. And Hong Kong is even easier. China is not going to hold American students hostage, but I'd be mindful of the news and be prepared to leave at short notice should things change. Whatever study program this is exists with the cooperation of the Chinese government. I think common sense will be fine. China is endlessly interesting. I'd take the opportunity. China always takes the long view. Trump is just a passing distraction.

China isn’t Russia

[Anonymous]

No. If things go south, all Americans in Chinese controlled areas would be in a very bad situation.

[Anonymous]

I would. As long as you avoid politics, your student is safer there than in the US with its crime and school shootings.