Office of Strategic Partnerships

I also wanted to tell you a little bit about my experiences since I came home from my Study Abroad Program at Sias International University in Summer 2006. You were right when you said that after going to China I would have friends from around the world. I still email friends I made while there. But, the best thing is that I now have two Chinese students living right here in my home. My husband and I decided to help two young men that I met when I was there. They came here on November 30, 2006, and they are now enrolled at WSU. One is taking 12 hours of college classes and the other is going to intensive language classes M-F 8:30-3:00. I am amazed at how much English he has learned since the day I first met him at Sias. They are both gentle, fun-loving gentlemen and they have been so much fun to have around. They do a lot of cooking (since I don't know how to cook Chinese) and so we get to try each other's food. It's been really fun showing my part of the world to them. It has made me look at my life and my country in a whole new way. I hope that one day I will be able to travel back to China to meet their families and be able to see how they live in China.

I wanted to thank you all for your support of me in helping me go to China to study abroad. It was an experience that has changed my life. I would love to go back some day.

--Sharon Harrison, Newton, Kansas