Followup projects

As a recipient of multiple awards it is required for me to do follow up projects. At first I thought this was going to be a headache but by the time I got home it seemed so logical to share my experiences.

Here I am with the other Global Travel Club leaders at a tabling event at University of Washington Tacoma

 This is my final report to the Gilman expressing how becoming a Gilman scholar has helped me and how I feel I have helped others through the experiences I have had.

While reviewing my original follow-up project essay I was excited to see my enthusiasm for spreading information to such a broad array of people about my overseas experience, I am happy to report that even know…nearly six months after my return that enthusiasm hasn’t waned.  I wrote of being involved in many different school activities and wanting to participate in as many school engagement opportunities as possible and even about a long term goal for when I graduated and became a teacher (which went beyond a possible 6 month deadline set by the Gilman program) of teaching youth about the excitement of traveling outside of the US and the amazing opportunities studying abroad can offer as a means of teaching diversity tolerance, language and maturity.

I am happy to report that I feel I have successfully accomplished all of these goals with the exception of having my own teaching classroom (like I stated in the original proposal and in the above paragraph) this is long term goal that I will try to accomplish once I have graduated, but currently I am still pursuing my BA and won’t be graduating until June 2016. But, even with this I have done my best to keep the “spirit” of the original “long term” goals in my mind and my actions even as a normal volunteer for my children’s elementary school.

What I have done since I completed my study abroad in China summer 2015 is participated in numerous events at my university to not only promote study abroad, but the amazing opportunities receiving such a prestigious award as the Gilman has benefited me. I became a transfer student peer advisor for my school and at every event we held I would get on a stage and talk to students about study abroad (always saying I was a Gilman Scholar and that I only was able to study abroad because of the scholarship). I am even working on a Buzzfeed for my university to help promote the significance of traveling, scholarships and study abroad and how it can impact an individual’s university and professional careers (this has not been formally release by my university but if the Gilman is interested I would be more than happy to forward a link when it is completed). I have participated in tabling events with one of my school clubs called Global Travel Club, where I pass out pamphlets and brochures about the Gilman Scholarship and discuss with students the importance of traveling and experiencing different cultures. I have been involved in multiple discussionary panels hosted by my universities Fellowship Advisor  including a “Build Your Own Potential” and “Meet a Gilman Scholar.” I became a Global Leader through the (Former Senator) Slade Gorton Mentorship program where I have used my first-hand knowledge of being in China to talk about the important environmental and trade issues the US and China struggle with. As a mother of two elementary aged children I am able to even get involved in my long term goals even though I am not a teacher yet. I have been able to talk to multiple classrooms of children about my trip to China, I frequently mention that I received the Gilman scholarship (of course to first graders that doesn’t really mean much) and that because of it I was able to go to China and study for school. I have found with the really young children I mostly emphasize getting to travel and that if you are afraid a lack of money could keep you from traveling to look into different organizations because a lot of time there are people willing to help you travel for school to help make you a better person.

I also have a blog that I completed of my study abroad experience highlighting different places and events I really enjoyed, it also includes my thoughts about studying abroad, how my trip has affected my life since my return and a post about a second China trip I took in December 2015 with the remaining money I didn’t spend from the China 2015 summer study abroad!

I would like to say that even though my study abroad is over, and I have completed my original follow on project requirements I have no intention of stopping my promotion of studying abroad or of the Gilman Scholarship and what it did for me. Whether I become a teacher or not I will always advocate for others to have amazing opportunities like what I had. Studying abroad in China was life altering, it helped me gain a deeper appreciation for Asian Culture, experiencing things outside of my “comfort zone”, international friendships, different job possibilities and helping me breaking the personal stigma I had about other cultures specifically in Asia. Being a Gilman scholar has given me a voice that I didn’t know I had. I am so thankful for all the opportunities I have been able to benefit from by being a Gilman Scholar, thank you thank you so much. I will continue for as long as I have a voice to promote study abroad and the Gilman Scholarship opportunities.

A SECOND China Trip!

I was fortunate to win not only the Gilman Scholarship but the Go! scholarship for my summer 2015 study abroad. I am so appreciative of all the support I received from both organizations as well as my university staff to help make everything happen for me. However, when I finally got home I felt empty and depressed about leaving China. I wanted so badly to continue my adventures because not only did I feel I hadn't gotten to see everything China had to offer but I had made some deep connections with new friends that I didn't want to end. About a month after return I chose to spend my left over scholarship money on another ticket to China, but this time for a winter vacation!

 

We went to Tanzhe Temple, Beijing one day.

Since all my friends and I are all college students this was the ideal place to have prayer requests and have incense burned for good studying and grades. Tanzhe temple is the oldest temple complex in the Beijing area. It was exciting because we actually got to talk to real Buddhist Monks while we were there. The temple complex is a sprawling multi-layered location with lots of viewing areas and lots of ancient history to discover and explore.

Over looking the Tanzhe Temple was another temple, it was said to be the location the architect for the Forbidden City told the Emperor where the city should be.

Here is the monk/architect who decided the Forbidden City location

And from the top of the mountain where the statue stands you can just barely see the Forbidden City and Beijing through the heavy pollution

One night we went to the Solana mall in Beijing to enjoy the "Festival of Lights"

The Forbidden City as viewed from Jingshan Park

The pollution was exceptionally high this day as you can clearly see behind us, we only took our breathing masks off just to take this picture.

An artist rendition of a Transformer at the 798 Art District

A giant concrete shark hanging next to the street in the 798 Art area



Some art was on display outside of the buildings at the 798, this was a 3 dimensional train coming out of the building

But, then when you can finally draw your eyes away from the mini Terra Cotta warriors and rotate 180 degrees you come face to face with REAL Terra Cotta Warriors! (at the Chinese National Museum) Magnificent!!!

 

Chang knows how to spoil me...a hidden passion of mine is also being a numismatist! The Chinese National Museum had a special display while I was their this trip consisting of ancient coins, I was in heaven!

Hot pot adventures, can you guess what that is she's about to add to the pot?
Its duck intestines! Not bad tasting but a bit chewy

The adventures of eating in China! I have learned (through a lot of trial and error) that you need to bite just hard enough to sink your teeth into the fish enough to get a good hold and then slide the meat off in the direction of the bones. This may seem logical but if you are not used to it, it can be a bit tricky. But, if you do it right you can enjoy the fish bone free! 

 The meal pictured above was quite delicious however, even my Chinese friends became a little unnerved after watching these fish move around without their heads for about 20 minutes. I finally moved the bowl off of the table so they could all relax and then began to film. The good news is we know the food was fresh!

wriggling fish bodies video!!!

Many of the meals I enjoyed during my winter trip were done hotpot style. I only had the pleasure of eating this way once over the summer but this trip nearly every meal was cooked this way. Even though my friends never said it I believe it is because it was so cold not only at night but during the day and this was a wonderful way to relax and get warm.

An evening stroll (in freezing weather) along the promenade at the Olympic Stadium, Beijing

While on our promenade stroll we saw lots of entertaining people. But the funnest (I thought) were these women who were jump roping. They even had a routine they would do and were showing the crowd how to do different moves. Considering I have the dance coordination of Elaine from the tv show "Seinfeld"  jumping rope like these women was simply out of the question, but they were enjoyable to watch none the less. Also it was freaking freezing I don't know how they were staying warm enough to move...yes I know they are jumping rope but it was absolutely freezing!

 Jumpropers outside of the Olympic Stadium

jumpropers outside of the Beijing Olympic Stadium video 2



Chinese museum of Science and Technology, Beijing

One day we went to the Science and Technology museum in Beijing which is very near the Olympic "Birds nest" Stadium. Amongst many things we got to see were real dinosaur bones! This was a first for me and a huge highlight of my trip! Unfortunately, they only had a few dinosaurs I was told I would have to travel south close to where my friends hometown was to see a larger dinosaur display...that will be on the next trip for sure! Another highlight of the museum was the IMAX theater. It was a 4D theater (or so I was told). It was a very unique screen in that it was actually the underneath side of the entire dome of the theater. I tried to get a picture of it but it was just too big for my phone to take a logical angle of. Something I found interesting was going to a movie in China about America, another experience I would strongly suggest. Its interesting to see how other cultures view us and how we are portrayed in their films.

I got to attend a real Chinese opera!

 Another must for anyone in China is going to the opera, I have to say just like in the US some shows are worth seeing and others are not. I am glad that I attended one and can see how with a bit more flare it could probably be pretty entertaining...unfortunately this particular opera was seriously lacking on all flare. But, I am still glad I got to attend. Just be aware that not all Chinese operas are made equal.

I have had a lot of people ask me how I manage to do so well in China while barely speaking the language. Am I uncomfortable with the language barrier? Sure a bit, it can be a little frustrating if I let it bother me. But, I have learned to adapt. I have Google translate on my phone which has gotten me out of a number of uncomfortable situations. And I have learned to be creative. The next two picture show one of my coping methods.



Part of the menu at Mann coffee

If a restaurant, or in this case a coffee shop, has a menu with both English and Mandarin I will take a picture (if I cant get close enough to the menu to point) and then enlarge the picture then pointing to what I want. This technique has gotten me a LOT of coffee and noodle bowls in China.

Enlarged image of the above menu so I can point to something specific to buy



 Of course now I am in Mandarin language class at my state side university...and I can muddle my way through simple phrases and introductions which will help in future visits to China. I am also becoming more confident with character identification too.



I promised one of my Chinese friends last time I was in China that I would eat this. What you are looking at is half of a fish head, brains and in the chopsticks an eyeball. all of which I ate (except for the bones but I made sure to thoroughly suck on those to get all the awesome flavor out of it). It is a common belief in China that one needs to consume a fish's brain and eyes to become smarter. One of my professors over the summer was obsessive about eating fish eyes and brains at any meal he could (and coincidentally [or not]) he is one of the smartest people I have ever met.
So, not only did I make a promise to my friend that I would eat this I figured because I am writing my Senior Thesis this quarter it couldn't hurt. Just so you know...the eye was a bit chewy, but overall not bad I will definitely eat this again.

I knew that when I first went to China I would have to step outside of my comfort zone on more than one occasion. That's part of traveling abroad...experiencing things outside of your realm. Eating Chinese cuisine was challenging at first, but became easier when I didn't allow myself to set the same mental boundaries I had been raised to think food should have. East Asian food is MUCH different than American/European food. To truly understand a culture though you have to break past those restrictive thoughts and eat what and how the locals eat. Once you get past the mental aspects it is much easier to settle into a comfortable meal with friends and what you are eating becomes unimportant.

Now that my second journey to China is over and I am comfortably sitting at my kitchen table writing this entry I have to say I rather miss the unique flavors I had in China. I actually find the food I eat in the US now...boring. Maybe its the entertainment factor of "what AM I eating?" or the challenge of using chopsticks but dining in China I find much more enjoyable!

My second trip to China only lasted one week, (in my opinion) it was way to short of a time to be in a foreign country. But, it did temporarily satisfy my desires for Chinese cuisine, my friends company and Chinese culture for a few months. I am already thinking of when I will be able to return. I graduate in June 2016 and will be looking for an "adult" job finally. I am really hoping that I will find a job where I either travel to China on a regular basis or get to live there permanently. I am currently looking for jobs that will allow this sort of freedom and I am doing everything in my power to make my resume as appealing for a job that would provide this sort of life for me. I honestly think this is going to be the only way I will be able to deal with my desire to enjoy China at all the levels I wish to know it.
LOCATIONS VISITED

china-science-and-technology-museum

tanzhe-temple

Chinese National Museum

Beijing Olympic Stadium

798 Art District Beijing

Shopping Solana Festival of Lights

Jingshan Park Beijing



Cuandixia 爨底下

On my last full day in China I had the opportunity to go with my Mandarin laoshi (teacher), to a destination of her choosing.  During my month in China we became quick friends through our shared love of Chinese history, hiking and humor. She had heard about a little village on the outskirts of Beijing and wanted to explore the area for some time. None of her other friends were as dedicated to historical wanderings as she was, unfortunately, but, when we decided to have an adventure she knew she finally had a travel partner. Since neither of us had access to private transportation we had to take public transport. We left at 5:30 am on our journey, it took us 5 hours to reach Cuandixia, sometimes spelled Chuandixia, using subway (to the end of line 11 Pingguoyuan Station), bus 929 (to the end of the line going west) and finally a 20 minute taxi ride to reach the ancient city. We wandered around the beautiful country mountain trails/roads for hours (approximately 6-7 miles we figured, maybe more...we didn't care) enjoying all the natural beauty and cleaner air. It was the most peaceful experience I had while in China.

We visited 3 small villages on our journey (all by foot of course) and even had our lunch in a small inn at the highest village. It was nothing special, just a simple family's outdoor table in their courtyard. We drank the local tea and ate as the local peasants ate from food grown on their own farms. Our meal consisted of fresh apricots, a thin pancake (similar to a crepe), filled with spicy vegetables (thinly sliced onion, potatoes, and peppers), and a thin omelette with some spice and green onions in it. Basically, you took a crepe and piled as much of the potatoes and eggs on it as you could and ate it like a burrito. It was delicious! After our lunch we decided to finally explore the villages.

The town was named a National Village Architectural site and has been able to stay a living breathing museum because of it despite the dwindling population. The village consists of 500 homes which approximately 70 families still reside in, all with the family name of Han (meaning they are all related). The village is known for its courtyard house nestled together at times the structures appear to be clinging to the sides of the mountain. The village originated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) flourishing as a respectable inn community for traveler going to Beijing from Shanxi Province. During the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) the village continued to thrive on inn hospitality for weary travelers and trade from the local farming and mining communities. One translation of the name cuan referred to the word kitchen. The landowner at the time had wanted the village to have a warm appealing name so travelers would feel as though they were being invited into the village.

Another reason for the villages significance has to do with the random graffiti marring these ancient walls which were defaced during the Cultural Revolution. The original graffiti is some of the only remaining throughout all of China supporting Chairman Mao.

the village safely nestled between the mountains

houses clinging to the side of the mountain

tightly packed houses and their famous courtyards

A window with the word lucky written on it from the last New Years festival

a view of the terraced farming style sitting within the mountain pass

corn hung on the local landowners house to bring a bountiful harvest

Graffiti from the cultural revolution, this one says something about how wonderful Chairman Mao is

Me :-)

A staircase leading to a shrine and an inn

a cool grain grinding stone and more of the cultural revolution graffiti in the background

an inn with an outdoor dining facility

overlooking the mountain

Us again in front of building built into a rock face

an old door...I just liked how it looked

this was a farm on the road above the first village

a local farm, these were everywhere!

to get to one of the villages we had to walk through this crevasse in the mountain

a walkway between houses

a waterway where we watched locals fishing

This wall is an original from the Ming Dynasty. It is directly in front of the main families doorway. It is meant to keep good fortune within and bad from entering

The main local families family heirlooms dating from the Qing Dynasty

clothes from the Qing Dynasty

A birds eye view of the main village

warm pear and fungus soup :-)

After spending the day exploring we decided to head back to the Haidian District in Beijing where we both live. 5 hours later (on public transport again) after more conversation and a couple episodes of a Chinese drama (zhenhuanzhaun, "Empresses in the Palace") that we had on an iPad, we finally get to have a late dinner before saying our final farewells. A wonderful day, I don't want my time in China to end.

Location Information
Address: about 100 km W of Beijing,
Cuanbai scenic spot in Zhaitang Town
Mentougou district, Beijing, China 102309

travelchinaguide.com LINK
visitbeijing.com.cn LINK 
 www.china.org.cn LINK