I first met my American roommate on an ordinary day in a cold winter. Since we were still strangers , we just kept silent and smiled, and I remember it was a little awkward. Four months later, as winter had gone and spring came with roses in full bloom, our relationship blossomed similarly. We became best friends, joyfully sharing everything that happened with one another.
Before meeting my roommate, I was nervous. I feared my poor English would lead to misunderstandings or that cultural differences would cause conflicts. Fortunately, my roommate, the beautiful and wonderful Meili, had spoken Chinese with her grandma since she was little, so she could chat with me in Chinese without any trouble. We often stayed up late talking about everything: from soap operas and music to cultural differences and social phenomena . I am amazed at how the differences and similarities between our cultures shape our social identities and lifestyles.
Through our daily interactions, I realized that the theories I learned in my cross-cultural curriculum came to life in the smallest details. However, our interactions went beyond that. I was astounded by her ability to smoothly and quickly shift between her two mother tongues, English and Chinese, and to gradually understand her occasional distress with her cultural identity. These are things that cannot be taught by a teacher but must be experienced personally. Interestingly, we also learned from each other the least teachable things: she taught me American slang, and I shared Chinese internet phrases with her, such as “苟富贵，勿相忘,” which means “when you become rich, don’t forget me.” That’s also what I want to tell her, lol!
Thanks to Meili and the other students’ warm welcome, I didn’t just engage in one-on-one conversations with my roommate; I became an indispensable part of their group. They introduced their hometowns to me, taught me how to play their favorite board games, and asked my about my favorite English songs and singers. When interacting with teachers or other students, they usually used English, but when I was around, they instinctively tried to share their daily lives and conversations with me in Chinese. I think that’s the meaning of my role as a Chinese roommate: helping them step out of their linguistic comfort zone and use Chinese more in their daily lives .
Since we are both second-language learners of each other’s mother tongue, we are keen to explore each other’s language and culture. We always act like examiners, asking questions about special words and cultural phenomena. For example, my roommate once asked me about the Chinese word “湿热” that a doctor had mentioned to her. This is a common term in Chinese medicine, and Meili was curious about its meaning, so she asked me for help. Additionally, when visiting museums, they would ask me about cultural relics not explained in English, eager to learn about their history and origin. This made me realize how limited my own knowledge of my culture is, which is quite embarrassing. I promise to make every effort to learn more so that I can easily explain the marvelous aspects of Chinese culture to my friends the next time we meet!
During our interactions over the past several months, what astonished me the most was their attitude toward life. They place great emphasis on balancing study and entertainment and are always eager to explore new things. This is quite different from the typical approach in China. When I occasionally mentioned the numerous classes I’ve taken and the long hours I spent studying in the library, they were totally shocked and exclaimed, “That’s so incredible!” W hen I told them about the intense competition for postgraduate and civil service exams in China, and how students tend to study extremely hard every day for almost six months, you can imagine the surprised look on their faces.
Luckily, I really enjoyed trying new experiences and had a relatively flexible schedule this semester, enabling me to join their exploration of China. I accompanied them on an excursion to Yunnan and also traveled to Xining, Chengdu, and Chongqing independently. Acting as their guide, I introduced them to local cuisine and steered clear of overcrowded tourist spots, allowing them to experience the authentic scenery. To my surprise, they said that I provided them with a different perspective than they were accustomed to by acting like a real Chinese.
Reflecting on my daily interactions with them, I’ve learned many different aspects of American culture that aren’t introduced in textbooks, and I’ve also deepened my understanding of Chinese culture through their unique perspectives. I’m grateful for the opportunity to engage in their lives as a Chinese roommate—it’s been a process of mutual learning. While I taught them about Chinese language and culture, I was deeply influenced by their passionate vitality. This exchange has been the most precious treasure I’ve gained in my life so far. I want to extend my special thanks to TBC for giving me this valuable opportunity to be a Chinese roommate in the Study Abroad Program. I look forward to applying again next semester, anticipating new friends and new adventures! 😉
By UIBE student Livia Li
The Beijing Center (TBC) is always pleased to welcome our friends from Escuela de Administración en Negocios para Graduados – Perú (School in Business Administration for Graduates – ESAN).
Athanasius Kircher was a renowned Jesuit scholar of the 17th century, he was called the “Renaissance man” and is often described as an enigmatic intellectual, due to his wide range of interests in subjects like linguistics, geology, music, etc. He is also credited as the founder of Egyptology, although later on, most of his translations needed to be corrected.
Although I have already spent a couple months in Beijing, I know there was still much more to see and explore, so I spent the National Day break trying see as many new places in the city as I could. National Day is celebrated on October 1 every year, and it is a celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
September continued to be an exciting month, and on the same week of the Mid-Autumn Festival I got the chance to visit one of the most visited attractions in the world- the Forbidden City. I went on a Saturday with a group of students from The Beijing Center.