Wudaokou Watch: “Within Two Years, Beijing Has Opened My Mind to New Opportunities”

Welcome to Wudaokou Watch, where we profile a different Beijing-based student from abroad each week to hear about their life in China's capital. You can read the whole series here.

My name is Gabriel Juneau, and I am from Canada.

I came to Beijing to do my IMBA at one of the best Chinese universities, Renmin University, while also learning the Chinese language. China has always fascinated me because of the local cuisine, Shaolin Kung Fu which I have practiced since I was 15 years old and, most importantly, the amazing opportunities that are available, especially in the hospitality industry.

The differences between here and my country are innumerable. Chinese culture, food, hierarchies, and local habits all depart drastically from what I'm used to back home. But overall it was really easy to adapt. I enjoy immersing myself in a new culture, even if I'm not used to it. As a former restaurant manager, I was particularly interested in Chinese eating and drinking etiquette, which is completely different from that of the west. I found people here are also closer to their families and the notion of hierarchy in the workplace is also unlike anything I'd ever seen.

The biggest challenge was mainly the language at the beginning, as I was not able to speak Chinese at all. However, this had a positive effect as it pushed and motivated me to undertake the necessary actions to resolve that. I passed HSK 6 in one and a half years and can now communicate in decent Mandarin after 2 years in Beijing.

I don’t feel homesick. Coming to Beijing was my choice, and I still keep in touch with people that matter to me in Canada.

I am a big fan of Chinese food in general, more than Canadian food in fact! I also like that this is a vibrant city, that it is diverse, and has a good nightlife and many professional events as well.

My most memorable Beijing experience is camping on the Great Wall. I camped there after five hours of hiking in the dark, with one of my best friends from Canada and six other friends. These are the memories I will always treasure.

Being in Beijing allowed me to unlock many professional opportunities in China and even in Dubai. My studies here are coming to an end, but before long, I want to start an international hotels and resorts company. Coming here and learning Chinese is a step that I planned many years ago, and it will help me achieve my goals. It also allowed me to meet a lot of amazing people from all over the globe with whom I will stay in touch.

Living in China positively impacted my life and career in every aspect. I became much more of a people person during my time here. My two year stay here has also opened my mind to new opportunities that I would not have thought of if I had stayed in Canada.

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Photos: courtesy of Gabriel Juneau