Is writing about a transformative international experience trite even if it is well-written?
Not if it is well written… but is asking to be trite, so be careful.
Does a trip abroad to Beijing and a commitment to improving Mandarin language skills carry more weight as a unique topic than some of the more typical study-abroad experiences?
How is this any different from a study abroad experience?
well, I would say there’s a difference between studying in China versus Western Europe where you most likely were speaking english the whole time. I’ve never been to either, but I know that the people that “studied” abroad in western europe did very little learning and way too much partying. With that reputation, I would be wary of someone that wrote about their experiences there
Shi hao de.