China was an awesome experience. It was so interesting to be in a country with such a rich and storied history. Its crazy to think about how young America really is compared to these other places. I started my China trip in Shanghai, where we shopped in the underground markets. That was a crazy experience. There were people and shops everywhere and the alleyways were filled with screaming and bartering. It was so fun. Funny enough in one of the stores, my friends and I got to talking with an older couple from Australia, and the husband had gone to Indiana University and played on the IU Soccer team. It truly is a small world. From Shanghai, I flew to Chengdu. There, we went to the Chengdu Panda research and breeding center. Seeing the pandas up close and personal was so incredible. Did you know that all of the pandas in the world are owned by China? Pretty cool. The red panda exhibit was unforgettable. The red pandas came right up to us, playing and barking with each other, and even allowed us to pet them! In Chengdu, we also went to the local Sichuan Opera house. The show included things like Shadow puppets, face changing masks and fire blowing. It was interesting how my group was able to follow the show even though none of it had been in English. It was incredible to see how music and art transcends throughout cultures. We also got to try the traditional Sichuan Hot Pot dinner. I went with the “local favorite” spicy broth that they placed in front of me on a heater until it boiled, then I was able to dip different meats and vegetables in the broth until they cooked. It was a lot of work, but ended up being delicious.

From Chengdu, we flew to Beijing. In Beijing we visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall. It was so humbling to think about how much must have gone into building these great structures so long ago. When we were in Tiananmen Square, my group had the opportunity to speak to my tour guide about the events that took place there. Our guide knew very little about the demonstrations that happened in the Square and simply said that Tank Man, whose fate has been highly debated throughout the world, was “taken away”. Also, when questioned about the country’s views towards Mao Zedong, she informed the group “He is a hero to every single person in China.” Thinking about the way media and the government can control a society’s views on issues really made me realize how important journalists and reporters are to the way countries and the people within them function, learn, and grow. I feel lucky to have the freedoms I have become accustomed to growing up in America. This visit to China solidified my yearning to work in media as I join the workforce. Photos and Videos are a direct window into the lives of others. I feel that by sharing photos and videos across cultures, we can build a world that is more understanding and more tolerant of each other’s similarities and differences. I would also like to mention here that some students in my group were extremely intolerant to the cultural differences of the Chinese people. I urge everyone to try to understand that while certain things may be different from what you are accustomed to, that does not make them lesser. It is not right to call things “Gross” or to refer to an entire culture of people as “Disgusting” “dirty” or “stupid” based on one thing you saw while in that country. I was appalled by the way some people spoke towards the Chinese culture and I feel sorry for them that they cannot grasp or appreciate cultural differences. It was disheartening, but I cannot let those types of comments ruin the experiences I am having on my Semester at Sea. I will stick to what I know is right and continue to immerse myself as much as I can in each culture we visit.

Next stop, Vietnam!

Red Lanterns in celebration of the Chinese New Year in Chengdu China.

A Giant Panda hanging out in Chengdu, China.

A Red Panda eating a mango in Chengdu, China.

A stray pup looking up at me at the Great Wall of China.