No matter how excited the new students are on their first day in Shenzhen, the arrival day can be difficult and stressful. However, many international students kept positive spirits and were ready to make the most of their studies in China. Oren Giladi, a PHBS exchange student from Israel, is like many other exchange students— he has big hopes even if he is staying a short time. Oren explained his motivation for coming to China, “I want to study in China because I want to see the opportunities for my career with China related to the relations between Israel and China, especially in the sector of finance and innovation. I think that PHBS will be a good open door to the Chinese market and to the Chinese culture. My first impression of Shenzhen is that it is a very authentic especially in terms of language, and no one speaks English. This is a major challenge not only for me but I think for every foreigner. I think it is positive, not negative because when you come to China you have to adapt yourself to the culture. I like it because this forces you to study Chinese and this forces you to get inside the Chinese culture and to adapt yourself and to open your mind.”

PHBS students started their orientation with a tour of University Town all the way to Pingshan Village. It was a classic hot and humid day in Shenzhen, so the new arrivals learned the local strategies for coping with the heat, like carrying a small handheld fan or taking an umbrella for the sun. The tour was followed by campus life information session and a cultural integration session.