As we prepare to celebrate the release of Dr. Pat McAloon’s book Studying In China: A Practical Handbook for Students with a book signing and discussion on August 24, 2014, we reflect on the many reasons why study abroad in China is a great choice to begin with. Here are some of the biggest:

-Sustained authentic immersion. An authentic language environment is the single most important factor dictating how quickly one learns a foreign language. In China, such an environment is constant and everywhere. Every experience, no matter how extraordinary or mundane, is a learning opportunity. Class is just the beginning—the real learning happens once you’re outside of the classroom.

-Widely available support. Many schools, private companies, governments and non-profits in both the United States and China are seeing the importance of increasing the number of Americans with first-hand knowledge of Chinese language and culture. In 2009, President Obama launched the 100,000 Strong Initiative, which aims to send 100,000 American students to China. Other organizations, such as the Confucius Institute and many more, remain dedicated to supporting American students interested in making the trip to China.

-The time to go for maximum authenticity is now. With each passing day, globalization makes China’s big cities a little more international and a little less traditional. For more immersive experiences, skip Beijing and Shanghai for a regional city like Columbus’ Chinese sister city Hefei in Anhui Province.

-Perspective and Introspection. You will gain first-hand knowledge of China, but arguably learn more about yourself. Find out how fascinatingly similar and different Americans are to a people from the other side of the world. Living in a new culture puts fundamental truths about our shared humanity in fresh contrast.