Host city and family

It was a three hour plane ride to Anshan from Shanghai. At the airport many people were amazed to see an African-American one woman commented on my nose and hair. Here my hair is coolest thing ever. My host family is very kind and friendly. They feed a lot, always telling to eat more and more. My city is not very urban but you can tell from all the construction that it is growing very quickly. I don't think it will look the same at the end of the adventures in China. School is amazing and I am incredibly popular everyone wants to eat lunch with me and wants to help with my Chinese. I can only understand about half of what my teachers are telling me but it is okay. I will just keep studying. I can tell from school and home that there is a strong investment in cleanliness and being helpful. I will get involved in more clubs at my school and to get to know more people. I want to explore what my school has to offer. I was told that my school is oldest and best school in Anshan so I know that there is a lot to do. My Chinese classes are great, I never had a language class where my teacher doesn’t speak English.

AFS Orientation

I have arrived in China safely and I am greatly excited. I met many people from all around at the AFS orientation in Shanghai. It was amazing to meet people literally from every continent of the world (except for Antarctica). Something the really amazed me was meeting a person my age from Bolivia, who is directly effected by the conflict. He told me that he even faced a blockade getting to airport in Bolivia and that he had to walk 3 km to get inside the airport. He gave much insight into what is like for normal Bolivian. I loved the orientation and meeting people from different cultures.

In China

I am well in China and I love Shanghai. I city is large bustling with action even at 3:00 AM. I know because I can here it from my room. Today I will meet my host family In Anshan China and very excited to start my first step towards fluency in Chinese. Everyone wish me luck, this is a big leap.

Final OneWorld Now! Goodbyes

Philmon on his last day in the office, and in America, before departing on his year-long trip to China with AFS.

Two Days till I leave

I leave to China in two days for entire year and I am really excited. I have been looking forward to this day for about four months... or maybe my whole life. Senior year abroad is going great because of all the new challenges that I am going to face. When in China I will set goals for myself and I will achieve before I return. This will probably be the most life changing experience I will ever have.

Philmon Prepares

Philmon Haile is about to embark on a brilliant journey: spending his senior year of high school studying in China. This is added to the fact that he spent his junior year as a page in Washington, D.C. All of his friends and supporters and OneWorld Now! wish him all the best and are already expectantly awaiting news of his travels and experiences.

--OWN!