Cultural Connections: Learning Opportunity

Typically, students who participate in the exchange program work for one season. This past year one student, Anderson, decided to return for a second-year because he enjoyed it so much, and since he did such an impressive job in his first year, we were able to promote him to a Team Leader upon his return!

His knowledge and experience were incredibly helpful throughout the training of all the new students this year.  He knew the best way to explain procedures and what to say to guests that helped to bridge the language barrier.  This also helped make everyone feel comfortable with asking questions, bringing up suggestions, and a part of the GTP family.

At the end of the summer, we asked Anderson to write a little bit about his experiences here in American:

"Even during 21st century there are still a lot of misunderstandings occurring in different countries due to different culture routines. But GTP Corp which cooperate with culture exchange institution supply opportunities for Chinese students and Americans students to know more about each country even a whole different world!

All things are difficult before they are easy. Facing with a whole different cultures and lifestyles we Chinese students all have a little bit culture shock at very beginning, but all the managers Deb, Nick, Aaron and supervisors Judy and Ethan uses their kindness and patiences to help us go through the first few days difficulties which is really nice of them!

During the internship Chinese and Americans talked a lot about the differences contains in the different culture like for the stereotype of Asians and Americans. For example mention about Asian they all occur that we good at mathematics . Unfortunately, me who is a pure Asian only got 10 out of 150 when I first had my math test in high school. Or we thought all the Americans they have blue eyes, why Chinese like to be white and use parasols and Americans like to be tan, etc. which is a lot fun to talk about different thoughts and lifestyles!

Happy time always flash really fast. 3 month of the internship ended all in a snap. It’s seems like yesterday’s just obtained our uniforms and stared training. Well at last day all the managers showed up and gave a very warmly farewell party they all brought their own foods for us and we took a group pic and end of the day!

For GTP who supply this great opportunity for us to know each other better is a very great Corp! Hope in the future GTP would have more students from various countries and supply more chances for Americans not know to know the worlds better but also lets us to know them better!"

-Qichen Yu (Anderson)