Hi it’s me. Literally one week ago I boarded a plane to China and since then I’ve been going nonstop. Currently, I’m sitting in the middle of Tibet, 5 days into our 13 day trip to follow the Silk Road route.
I am currently sitting here wondering what I am about to do with my life. In just over a week I will be on a 13 hour flight to spend the next 4 months of my life in the vast country of China. Don’t mind the fact that there are over 1.381 billion people living there or that the entire country is covered in vast and diverse landscape or the fact that China has the largest economy in the world. Or, alluding to the title of this blog, that I literally don’t know how to use chopsticks and the chances of me finding a fork in China are slim, yet alone if I were to find some I would be hard core judged.
Constructed from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD by successive Chinese Empires, the Great Wall begins in the east of China at Shanhaiguan in Hebei province and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu province in western China. With a total length of more than 20,000 kilometers, this military defense is considered one of the wonders of the world. Parts of the wall that are less intact are still being rediscovered today. When I was a little girl watching the classic Disney movie “Mulan” I never thought I would make it to the historical landmark where the opening scene takes place.
When I received the housing questionnaire to apply for what housing I wanted for the next year of my life in Beijing, I immediately checked that I wanted a Chinese roommate. What a great opportunity to practice my language skills and learn about Chinese culture, I thought to myself as I considered the pros and cons of my choice despite the fact that my mind was made up.
Why CHINA?!” That was a question I got asked quite often before my year abroad. It is a question the Dean of Students asked me on the first day of orientation. It is also a question that I never really had a satisfying answer for. I hadn’t spent my youth dreaming of climbing the Great Wall, nor had I had a burning passion for studying Mandarin. Heck, pandas aren’t even my favorite animals. The question was usually followed up with polite enthusiasm and worry about my well being.
Although to the best of my knowledge none of this year’s Ricci class has any actual ancestors buried in China, we did visit something of an honorary ancestor: Matteo Ricci. Over the last year we’ve traced his life, voyaging from Rome to Beijing, seeking fame, fortune and adventure (or at least successful research projects). Thus, it was fitting that we should pay our respects at his grave in Beijing over the Tomb Sweeping Day (清明节, Qingming Jie) weekend.
For many years now, I have been building up a bucket list. Learn Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Gaelic, Portuguese, etc. Go to every Disney Park in the world. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Eat at restaurant in France that has three Michelin Stars. The list keeps growing with each passing day and I wonder if I will ever complete it; however, just recently, I checked a big one off that list on my trip to Xi’An (西安): I saw Emperor Qin’s Terra Cotta Army (秦陵兵马俑).
“The way of looking at the world can be so different, and there isn’t one right way. There is a beauty in the other, and there is a beauty in the Chinese way of approaching life.” – Jim Caime
Although I’d always considered myself a city person, coming to Beijing was my first encounter with a public transportation system of this size. Minneapolis has a fairly decent bus system and recently added a new line to the light rail, but compared to the double decker buses and sprawling subway system of Beijing, Minneapolis seems incredibly small.
2016 is the year of the monkey and London held quite a celebration for this Chinese New Year. People of all ages and backgrounds were in attendance and it was exciting to experience the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia. With events being held in Trafalgar Square and nearby China Town there was an abundance of things to see and do, as people rang in the new year.