“Broaden your horizons- they’re the only ones you’ll ever have”- Jennifer Crusie.
This week, armed with a double entry visa, Heather and I travelled to Guangzhou to visit the Stranmillis students who are studying there. After a reasonably stress free passage through immigration, for me anyway, we boarded our train. I was expecting China to be a completely different world in comparison to Hong Kong. I imagined, rather naively, that it would be surrounded by people working in rice fields, and that it would be the opposite of the busy, cosmopolitan city that is Hong Kong. So naturally, it was a complete surprise for me when the train stopped in the midst of towering skyscrapers and city lights, and consequently when “this stop is Guangzhou East” sounded across our train. This was China.
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| All six of us managed to squeeze onto the back of this motor-taxi. |
My first impressions of the city where we would be spending the next five days, was the stark contrast in hygiene with Hong Kong. I had never really appreciated how clean and litter free the streets of Hong Kong where until I had something to compare it to. Also, it was clear that tourists aren’t as common in Guangzhou as they are in Hong Kong. This was evident from the number of stares which we received, and even from the odd person taking photos or videos of us on their cameras. This was very strange and difficult for me to get my head around, but the Chinese society is very a singular one on an ethnic basis in comparison with other countries, and honestly, I do have to say, that I loved being in the spotlight! I loved how the culture in China hasn’t been diluted like it has in Hong Kong, and it was great to compare in my head how the two places differ and indeed how they are similar.
On Sunday we celebrated Dan and Keith’s 21st birthday. We attended an international church in the morning. The pastor announced at the beginning of the service that, due to the church’s license, Chinese nationals were not allowed to attend. It really struck me just how much I take my faith for granted at home, and how hard it must be for people here to be suppressed to practice their religion over here. After church, the guys’ Chinese friends joined us for a well-deserved massage, and we headed out for dinner with everyone. I was really amazed, and touched, at the kindness of the Chinese people at the meal, as not only did they offer Dan and Keith typical Chinese gifts, but also Heather and I!
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| Heather and I with our new Chinese friend, Kane. |
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| All of the group celebrating Dan and Keith's 21st birthday. |
We joined Jim Nelson, a former Stranmillis student for dinner on a cruise of the Pearl River on Monday evening. It was great to chat with him about his experiences in actually living here, and in being submersed in the culture every day. After the cruise, Jim took us on a walk around the city, through the back streets of Guangzhou. Robert Frost’s famous line “I took the road less travelled by, and that has made all the difference” could not be closer to the truth. Taking the chance to get away from the more concentrated areas where tourists are, and where sometimes it feels like locals put on a show for them, it is great to see what life is really like for the people that live here.
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| The view of Guangzhou from the Pearl River- very similar to Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. |
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| Stranmillis past and present: we met up with Jim for a boat cruise. |
On Tuesday we joined Dan, Dani, Sophie and Keith in a Mandarin class at their university. The class was very interactive, and as the only students in the class, the learning was more tailored to our individual needs, and more time was able to spent on areas which we were struggling most with. Language is a defining part of any culture, and it was great to engage in conversations with each other and to put what we are learning into practice. Unfortunately, the Cantonese class back at HKIEd was cancelled before we arrived, so our Cantonese is very minimal, and rather frustratingly, Heather and I can now speak more Mandarin than Cantonese! The language barrier is far more evident in Guangzhou than here, and Heather and I can get by easily by just speaking English. It still feels however, like we’re missing out on such an important part of the Hong Kong culture by not learning the language.
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| Having a go at Chinese calligraphy. |
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| Chinese calligraphy books: no ink required. |
It was amazing to spend time with the Dan, Dani, Keith and Sophie. The simple fact that we are all studying in Asia, has really brought us together as friends, and we spent our time making memories which we will look back and laugh at when we return home. We plan to see the guys again next month, when they will come and visit us in Hong Kong, which Heather and I are both really looking forward to. The warm, sunny weather has officially arrived, and Heather and I took this opportunity to write our blogs outside today. We managed to find a nice, secluded spot by the outdoor swimming pool, where we can play the ‘Titanic’ soundtrack on as high a volume as we like!
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| All of us having a blast at Guangzhou's theme park. |
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| Drenched! We decided to opt out of wearing rain coats for a water ride at the theme park! |
Ci meng! (Loving life!)
Andrew Scott
