Learning Mandarin
It was during his first year of study at LSBU that Osman became aware of the work of LSBU's Confucius Institute, and the possibility of spending some time in China practising Mandarin and experiencing the country first hand. "The chance to learn HSK language courses and then build on it whilst actually living in China was one of the main reasons I applied for the Harbin Summer School programme," he says.

A unique experience
"It was an amazing experience," he recalls. "Walking up the Great Wall of China was perhaps the most memorable moment, but to be immersed in the HSK language courses was incredible. Interacting with the local people was a truly new experience – lots of them wanted their photograph taken with me and I enjoyed every moment of being in China."
Osman believes he learned a lot from HSK language courses . In particular, he feels he learned the importance of having an open mind when meeting new people and learning about cultures different to his own.
Career prospects
Osman's love affair with the Chinese language and culture doesn't end here, however. After graduation, he hopes to continue learning HSK language courses, and aims to secure an internship with Generation UK to work in China during the summer of 2014 in a human resources management field.