A month-long trip to China allowed 13 of Eastern’s School of Business students to experience a new culture, while learning about China’s businesses.

Marko Grünhagen, Lumpkin distinguished professor of entrepreneurship, said when students graduate it is important that they have global experience.

“We want our students not only to learn about global business in the classroom, but experience it,” Grünhagen said. Going to China is must-have experience for students, he said.

“I would argue that this is one of the most important things we can do for our students before they graduate is expose them to these environments in reality,” Grünhagen said.

The students spent two weeks in Beijing, one week in a small town in the Pearl River Delta and a week at Hong Kong.

The places were picked because they provide contrast between rural and urban and modern and history, he said.

The students took classes with Chinese faculty, as well as doing some sightseeing, he said.

Blair Jones, a junior accounting major, said the seeing the Great Wall of China was one of the best parts of the trip.

“I’ve seen pictures, but it was really cool to see it in person,” Jones said.

Students also learned about some of the different customs. “It’s an eye-opener for the students,” Grünhagen said.

Some of the customs are different from ones in America, Jones said.

“They spit a lot, no matter if they are inside or outside,” Jones said. “It’s kind of gross.”

Also, students had to learn that you cannot openly criticize the government, Grünhagen said.

“We learned a lot about China’s government,” Jones said. “You get a new perspective on the communist party that most American’s don’t have.”

Along with the new knowledge, comes a change in the student’s perspective, Grünhagen said.

“As with any study trip, particularly one this long, students learn to appreciate a foreign culture, it changes students fundamentally,” Grünhagen said. “Students grow up on a trip like this. You can see them change.”

Grünhagen said the students become much more outgoing and less hesitant.

“The students learn how to adapt to new environments,” Grünhagen said.

China was a new environment for Jones. “Just to get out of Charleston and the country was crazy,” said Jones. “It makes you appreciate all the little things in America.”

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812

or [email protected].