Cindy Bao, a Literatures of the World major with a minor in Chinese Studies, is studying at Peking University where she is taking courses in Chinese Literature. To prepare for her time at Peking University, she spent the summer in Beijing Normal University’s intense Mandarin course for American students. Cindy had her first experience of living in China through participation in the Legends of the Silk Road program in 2008. Through spending a full year immersed in Chinese culture, she hopes “to restore my disappearing connection to my cultural heritage” as well as find and secure her identity and “gain the understanding, wisdom and grace of the culture of my motherhood.” On her first morning in Beijing, Cindy discovered small eateries and bought thirty dumplings; on the second day, a group of EAP students got lost and were happy to end up in “hutongs,” or traditional residential areas.