BRONSON IN CHENGDU

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Chengdu is the perfect blend between industriality and nature, new and old. This city has something to offer to everyone wether you enjoy shopping, hiking, or sightseeing. The blend of these aspects make Chengdu an amazing city; because of this, I would recommend that people visit sometime.

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China has been amazing, and if I could make the choice to stay longer I would. The culture here is so diverse and I feel so lucky to have experienced it firsthand. However, all good things must come to an end. In about 2 weeks Oliver will be arriving in Phoenix; some of the things I'm most excited to show him are the museums, food, and downtown. He has never been to America and says he is very excited. He is somewhat nervous about the heat and becoming tan though; I'm sure he'll adjust...

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The past 2 days have been really difficult; I'm not ready to say goodbye to my classmates and family. Seeing them upset upon my departure has brought me to tears. Who would've imagined that people you've only known for 3 weeks could have that sort of effect on you. Chengdu has become my second home; I have made so many relationships here that I feel obliged to come back. Upon leaving school the rest of the cohort, their counterparts, and I went to KTV, which is the Chinese version of Karaoke. It was very enjoyable and made my day so much better. One of my best experiences while abroad has to be while we were hiking Mt. Qingcheng. The shrines there display the immense amount of culture China has and the scenery is breath-taking. Now as I sit on the plane I feel joy rather than sorrow because I know I will return one day.

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So this happened...

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When we first tried fencing last week, I found it to be very frustrating. I couldn’t seem to get the gestures right, and it was exhausting. However, today I improved, and we even got to participate in a couple matches. At first it feels strange because your thrusting a metal stick violently towards your friends, but once you get past that it’s very enjoyable. I think I would definitely enjoy trying fencing again sometime!

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Bailuwan Ecological Wetland Park

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While abroad I have tried many different types of food. One thing I really enjoy about the food here is that almost all of it is spicy. The fruit here is great as well; I have tried many different varieties that I'm not sure we have in America. Among the strangest things I have eaten here include a century egg and marinated rabbit head. My first meal during my stay in Chengdu was jiao zi, which I have to say is among my favorites. It is made by mixing minced pork with egg and various other seasonings including ginger, green onion, soy sauce, and pepper. After having wrapped the mixture in the dumpling skins, they are steamed and served with a mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, and vinegar.

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Oliver's family consists of him and his mother and father; all of which are very kind and generous. Because of the language barrier we have learned to communicate through gestures and a translation app. What I've heard about Chinese children in America is mostly true, as Oliver does very little chores. This is largely due to the fact that Chinese people believe that the sole responsibility of teens should be to study. Many of the household chores are shared by Oliver's parents while his mother does most of the cooking. Asides from that there are also some cultural aspects as to how the home is run that differ. For one, houses are much smaller here; I am yet to see a house that is as large as the average American home. They take off their shoes at the door and slurp their food, which is not common in America. Overall the way family functions here seems to be vastly different from how it works in America, and I believe both have great aspects to their structure and customs.

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The Dujiangyan Irrigation System was was built during the time of the Zhou Dynasty by the Qin state. It was built as means of irrigation and flood prevention and is still used for those purposes to this day.

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Today we hiked Mount Qingcheng. Usually I don't care for hiking in Arizona as it is too hot and the scenery is rather plain. Hiking up this mountain however was very enjoyable. Every few minutes or so you would happen upon a Taoist shrine. The architecture and tradition was beautiful; I have never seen anything quite like this in America. After having reached the top, I mimicked my host mothers actions as she paid respects to a large wooden figure so that I may immerse myself in the culture. If I were to return to Chengdu later on in my life, I would definitely visit once again.

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My classmates, Dong and Yu Yu