away we go!

They say the best way to learn about another culture is to experience it first-hand.

This is something I have found to be very true. At the beginning of this semester China seemed like another planet to me. I knew virtually nothing about the history or the culture. Thanks to the Mojo I have learned more about China on my ten-day trip than I could have learned from any book. This is not to say that the books and the class didn’t help, but something like seeing the Great Wall first hand is an experience that can just not be put into words. I got the opportunity to meet students at a university, ride a boat down the Yangtze River, shop in Beijing, climb the Great Wall, and meet a Tibetan monk. It was an amazing cultural experience that I will probably never have again.

For me the trip started way before the morning of March 4^th. It felt like I was rushing around shopping, packing, getting my visa photo, tracking down my passport for weeks before. I must have made about twenty different checks lists because I was paranoid about forgetting something. But eventually the day came. Friday morning was kind of a daze. I arrived at the airport at 4:00am. I was almost too tired to be excited, It was not until I was actually on the plane, about the leave Burlington International Airport, that the reality set in: I am going to China!

Burlington International Airport just before takeoff

Baggage Claim in Wuhan

The next 20 hours was a crazy blur. We flew from Burlington to Newark, from Newark to Beijing, from Beijing to Wuhan. And then, from the airport in Wuhan, we took a bus to a hotel for one night.

After a 20 hour world wind of travel we finally arrive in Wuhan.

After we reached the hotel our group was escorted on a quick walk around Wuhan.

The next morning we all had breakfast on this street. It was full of street venders selling all sorts of different foods from steamed buns and dumplings to stinky tofu and noodles. Hot dry noodles soon became a favorite among the group.

This Lady made me the best noodles

Hot dry noodles, my first breakfast in Wuhan

The end result

After that the day took off. The first day In Wuhan was one of busiest we had on the trip. From breakfast we went to this temple.

One on the first things I noticed about Wuhan was the smog. Many of my pictures turned out like this one because of all the pollution.

Tibetan monk we met in the temple
sadly this picture is out of focus

One of the things I was most excited about was the food. I was eager to have an authentic Chinese meal.

This guys was a surprise


Everyone

After lunch we went to a museum and saw a musical performance. The musicians played a set of bells that where a replica of a set found in a tomb.

After a long day we were finally taken back to meet our host family, with whom we would be staying for the next few nights. I was paired with a girl named Echo and her family. I was very impressed with how hospitable they were to us. They took us to a French Hibachi restaurant for dinner, where we were served 10 courses, including flaming ice cream for dessert. After that it was time to go home where Echo’s father served tea.