In December 2015, I (Dr. LIU Bin) was fortunate to receive funding from the China Scholarship Council for one-year's visit at Illinois State University, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the Midwest. This was not only a spiritual journey but also an academic exchange and an upgrading of the thought. It has painted a thick and colorful stroke to my academic career. Next, I will introduce what I saw, what I thought and what I did from two aspects, namely campus life, learning and research.

(a) Campus life
Illinois State University is a well-known undergraduate four-year public university which was located in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois and was founded in 1857. It is also the first public university in Illinois State. Trees flourish in the campus. The scenery is picturesque.

  A corner of the campus
When first arrived in the United States, it was very important for every visiting scholar to adapt to the local life atmosphere quickly. I had to overcome language barriers. Although I had made great progress in spoken English before going abroad, it was the first time I went abroad to study and there were still some obstacles in communicating with foreign scholars. Therefore, I communicated with local Americans actively, and strived to improve my skills of spoken English. Every Friday I participated in ITT (International Talk Time) activities and on every Saturday night I participated in the volleyball match, during which I met a lot of international students and established a deep friendship. Many American friends started to use WeChat on my recommendation. Some of my American friends will visit China this summer at my invitation.

(b) Learning and Research
In the first semester, I enrolled in the international economics courses instructed by Professor Kevin H. Zhang. I not only learned the latest international economics theory, but also understood different teaching methods. As for research, I mainly engaged in applied research on the global value chains during the year. On October 4, 2016 of local time, I had the honor to give an academic presentation at Illinois State University. The theme of my report was on "The Participation in Global Value Chain and Enterprises Export Quality - Evidence from China". Faculties and students from the Economics Department of Illinois State University attended the seminar.

    Through one-year's study at Illinois State University, I had an updated understanding of American social culture, customs, and life. This experience will have a positive and profound influence on my future work. The trip to Illinois is unforgettable to me. Here I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Tu Xinquan, Dean of CIWTO, and Professor Kevin H. Zhang at the Illinois State University, for their strong support and help during my visit.
Translator: LIU Yu Revisor: LIU Cuicui