“I didn’t exactly envision making eight friends in China, but doing so was, without a doubt, my proudest accomplishment.”
Jacob Kiflu ’29, Harvard Summer School 2026 Participant
October 19, 2026
When I envisioned myself studying abroad, I imagined being somewhere completely unfamiliar, where the language and culture were completely new. China fulfilled this vision, and as an emerging global superpower, the destination stood out even more. I reasoned that developing a holistic understanding of China would be beneficial to my conceptualization of the world today. I also held more selfish desires. I sought solitude to deconstruct the habits that I languished in during my first year at Harvard. I also sought the opportunity to create art and sharpen my senses through my camera.
I immediately felt my otherness as soon as my soles met the rubber flooring at Shanghai Pudong Airport. A tall, slender, Black man will inevitably capture the attention of others when less than 0.1% of the population shares his racial makeup. Despite my initial wariness, people emphatically welcomed me to China, shared gifts with me, and engaged in open dialogue about politics, culture, economics, and family—oftentimes via Google Translate. The two-way fascination between the people I encountered and me provided an empirical grounding for my understanding of China that was further nurtured through my classes.
In “China in the World Economy, 1800 to the Present,” I learned how China developed into the nation it is today. I engaged with various sources of information that forced me to assess both the victories and failures of China’s rapid development. Pairing that academic scaffolding with my own cultural immersion pushed me to reconsider my America-centric worldview, one that asserted the United States as the world’s arbiter and model.
In many ways, my initial goals and expectations were fulfilled. In other ways, they were subverted. I didn’t exactly find the solitude I desired. Spending time with my classmates ended up taking much more time than I expected. Yet through companionship, I grew tremendously. My classmates pushed me to try new foods, seek out new experiences, go to the gym, and travel within China. They also constantly supported my art, complimenting my photos and encouraging me to keep creating. I didn’t exactly envision making eight friends in China, but doing so was, without a doubt, my proudest accomplishment.
To learn more about the Harvard Summer School Program in Shanghai, click here.