The shadow over my dream

During these few days I have been trying to register to the Sun Yat-Sen University. Trying meaning there are lots of other student doing the same thing and it’s just not possible to do it in one day. I will hopefully have everything ready today afternoon.

Already in high school I dreamed about studying in China. First I thought going to Beijing and considered Beijing Language and Culture University. Then a year ago I finally decided to stay in Guangzhou and do my degree in Sun Yat-Sen University. That dream is coming true right now, but there’s still a shadow over it.

As a Finn the Finnish government gives me student money so I can pay for my tuition and living. But I have used most of it already and they will only continue paying me that money until May 2013. Today I heard that I will start my degree on the second year which mean I’m going to graduate in July 2014.

The problem is that for the third and last year my government isn’t helping me financially. There is only one solution to the problem and that is to work really hard for the following years and be really careful with spending money. Because I’m a student I can’t work officially here in China. My English also might not be good enough to teach it to Chinese students. I do some business in here, but it’s just in the beginning and earning enough money for tuition and living is not too easy.

In some cultures money is considered as a some kind of taboo. Finnish people for example don’t like talking about money, but in China money isn’t private information. I’m probably somewhere in the between and wanted to share this with you, because it’s unfortunately shadowing my excitement to start my degree.