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Sustainability

Thanks to Phoenix Sister Cities I was able to travel back to Chengdu for a second time to play with my mariachi in the Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival. While I was there I was able to visit an area of interest that I had not gotten the chance to visit previously my first time around, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

This system showcased one of the ways in which Chengdu keeps itself sustainable. The system helped keep the area from the floods it had struggled with in the past and redirects all the water to the dry plains of Chengdu. This is the most different example of sustainability that Chengdu has over Phoenix as the desert biome does not allow for the wetland conditions that Chengdu has, for the most part.

Other than that, Chengdu and Phoenix are similar in the way that they recycle. I saw just as much trash and recycling bins in Chengdu as I do in Pheonix. There are some differences though. Some stations will have separate bins for bottles, paper, and waste, while others simply ask for waste and recyclables.

Chengdu even has its own recycling plant, just like Phoenix. While I was not able to visit, the GoChengdoo plant is the largest recycling plant in all of Southwest China. Neat, right?

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Salina // June 2018

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Giulia coming to Phoenix

Giulia is going to arrive in Phoenix in exactly a week, and my friends and I couldn't be more excited. Before leaving Catania, I asked Giulia to take me to a supermarket so I can buy pasta (I traveled back home with 1 kilo of pasta, which I had to remove from my checked bag to carry on because it was over weight). We decided that we were going to cook (well, I was she said she would wash the dishes) pasta alla norma for my friends back home. I cannot wait to introduce her to my friends and take her to my favorite coffee shops for “American” coffee. Giulia has never traveled to the US before; she told me that she’s excited for the Santa Monica trip because it’s an iconic spot where many American movies are filmed (*cough cough* the kissing booth). Giulia is a little worried about the heat but I assured her that we would beat it with epic pool parties.

Us in Ortigia

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6/23/2018

Cats of Salina

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Reflections

I write this post as Nic, Lauren and I wait at the JFK airport in New York for our final flight back home to Phoenix. I was initially going to write this blog post on the prompt of “what was your best/worst day abroad?” but quite honestly that is hard for me to choose. Each day in Catania was so special for me in different ways, I could not pick just one memory. The only negative thing that happened on this trip was me getting a gnarly sunburn and that was after a day of absolute bliss spent at the sea. This trip flashed before my eyes, and it’s hard to believe that it’s already over. I am so thankful for this experience abroad, words cannot describe what I felt in Catania. I was able to try and see so many new things as well as meet wonderful people ( like my darling host family). Unquestionably, Catania is my second home and I know that I will return again in the future. Presently, I look forward to our counterparts coming to Phoenix next week and to meeting everyone else in the program. I know that July is going to be a blast.

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What You Should Know about Chengdu

Chengdu is a beautiful city. It is just as thriving and lively as Phoenix but offers so much more with its appreciation of its ancient history. Anyone looking to visit an exotic city that combines its ancient culture and traditions with modern day life should look no further than this amazing city. Living in the city was truly a life-changing experience and I highly encourage everyone to come and visit. Although be warned, the Chinese roads are not for the faint of heart.

And now for a quick promo:

China. What a beautiful country. It’s the perfect destination for that immersive vacation you have been planning for ages now. But with a country so big and so rich in culture, where should you visit?

The answer is obvious. Come to Chengdu! Want to go shopping? The World Center is the biggest building in the world with a giant shopping mall inside. You can also go for a more cultural approach and visit Wide and Narrow Alley: a beautiful shopping alley full of shops and built in the style of ancient Chinese architecture

Are you a nature lover? Come and visit the Panda Center: a research center dedicated to Chengdu’s signature attraction, the giant panda. You could also take a road trip up to the Tiantai mountains and visit one of China’s most famous waterfalls.