08.10.2017
With my summer here coming to a close, I would like to mention some things that I saw in China that I will not find in the United States:
- women carrying parasols to create their own personal shade from the sun
- men rolling their shirts up to cool down as they walk around
- bold Chinese fashion ranging from platform shoes to colorful and cute styled t-shirts
- authentic Chinese food (maybe with the exception of Chinatown)
- adults and elderly people exercising, doing handstands or tai chi, and dancing in parks
- ginormous shopping centers (the largest I’ve ever seen)
- dogs walking alongside behind their owners without leashes
- electric scooters carrying entire families around (ex. Parents and a child)
- people bargaining at street vendors and in shops
- people playing Chinese chess or other games on the street
In terms of things I cannot easily find in China, churches are less common. Even though the amount of people equals that of Notre Dame Basilica mass attendees, China has a very low number of churchgoers. When I went to mass in China the process was standard. I’m not quite sure how to explain why, but the hymns had more of a Chinese feel to me. Honestly, I did not understand any of the mass because I have only learned secular vocabulary.
Lastly, any type of study abroad makes for a unique immersive language experience that cannot be provided in the United States. The language pledge was key for our progress. The teachers are aware of our vocabulary, grammar, and capabilities; they speak clearly and slowly for us. On the streets of Beijing however, people speak casually at faster speeds and often with accents or slang. In engaging with local Beijingers I felt that my listening comprehension made the biggest improvement. I was more hesitant to speak, for fear of mispronunciation. When people do not understand me I easily become discouraged. But it is in speaking despite my self-consciousness that I improve.