Odhran Winters- Experience China, Huangshi, China
Written by Odhran Winters, Law LLB (Hons), Experience China, 2023.
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Written by Odhran Winters, Law LLB (Hons), Experience China, 2023.
“Not getting bogged down in ‘what ifs’ and convincing myself to just do it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”
China is full of surprises at every turn, every city in every province has its own story to tell and no two days were the same.
As someone who loves their food, the opportunity to visit esteemed restaurants every day to sample their huge range of unique food was a marvellous experience.
Our hosts at Hubei Normal University (HBNU) were the most hospitable I have ever met. Over the course of a week, the staff and students at HNBU worked tirelessly to demonstrate a wide breadth of Chinese culture. We participated in a number of traditional activities such as Tai Chi, calligraphy and culture and language classes during our time there.
One of the most immediate differences you will encounter is different rules of social interaction. In the UK, emphasis is placed on personal space and social boundaries. This does not exist to the same extent in China. A common practise of seeming friendly in China is to get physically close to the person you are talking to show that you are invested in what they are saying.
It is important to note that Chinese culture is deeply ingrained with the notions of respect, dignity and honour. There is more discreteness and subtlety in conversation. For example, direct forms of rejection such as by simply saying ‘no’ to someone’s suggestion is perceived as impolite or rude.
Through our culture and language classes, we learned much more about the culture such as table tennis being the national sport or white being the colour for bereavement.
Most challenges are usually no different to travelling to any other country. The most difficult to overcome is the language barrier, particularly the unique writing system despite us studying the language prior to travelling. Thankfully, staff and students from HBNU did their utmost to assist us with any concerns we had, guided us through the country and translated any interactions that we had with strangers.
Jet lag is an unavoidable problem that will take a few days to overcome but we were too preoccupied with how much we were enjoying ourselves to notice the tiredness.
It is common for locals, even if they do not speak English and use translators; to say 'welcome to China'! The amount of times strangers will ask you for selfies left me so taken aback as I had never felt like a celebrity before!
In Huangshi, after completing a culture class, we were led to a large room where students were waiting for us. They cheered as we entered and entertained us with music and dance. We were able to talk to them afterwards, especially when enjoying the scenery of the university grounds. I still talk to all of the friends I made in China through WeChat and hope to continue to do so for the rest of my life (my peers would not want to admit that tears were shed when parting with the student volunteers and staff from HBNU).
Research the culture and learn common phrases and basic concepts like asking for directions in the host country’s language if English is not commonly spoken.
Having a support network of students from the local area will ensure that your experience is a lot smoother as they can teach you many of the local customs and significantly reduce the frustration of the inevitable trial-and-error process of becoming adjusted to living in a different culture.
It is also essential but easily forgettable to research if common social media apps like Discord and Facebook work in the host country so ensure your family and friends know how to contact you. Remember to tell your mobile network provider that you are moving away for a while to obtain the best data plan and tell your bank so they will not freeze or cancel your card when you use it abroad.