China Series: The Tip of the Iceberg

The last several weeks consisted of different experiences gained while visiting the country of China. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to visit, knowing that I had only experienced the tip of the iceberg regarding the ancient culture. In fact, I recently spent time with a couple of citizens of China and they taught me even more about their culture, including the educational system.

There are numerous things to be said. Every picture (and there are hundreds of pictures), every moment was ripe with opportunities to share in this series. Notwithstanding, I am going to end with a few of the experiences that intrigued me the most.

I discussed in my first post, Land of Contradictions, how I and several others with certain physical characteristics tended to be focused on quite extensively – meaning we were constantly photographed, videoed, and – at times – had our skin and hair touched…with or without our permission. Nevertheless, parents warmed my heart when they asked us to take pictures with their children. Some children welcomed the opportunity with open arms, while others were hesitant. I often accommodated their requests as it provided the opportunity for both the children, families and I to experience something new.

Parents often asked to have pictures taken with their children. Some children were eager to have their picture taken, while others were unsure about the experience.

The crowds were amazingly huge in areas. As a person who values personal space, I was challenged in the closeness we often encountered – particularly at tourist locations or riding the metro; how was it possible for so many people to fit into one space? For instance, when riding the metro in Hong Kong, people continued to load onto the train even though it was crowded – by my American standards. However, just when I thought that surely no one else was going to enter the train – that they’d wait for the next one – I was proven wrong. We, at one point, were so crammed in the train that we were barely able to move. Personal space? What personal space? It was a place and time when we had to keep our thoughts in check, because it was the perfect opportunity to let our imaginations run wild thinking about the “What if’s.” The crowds were unnerving at times, although it was everyday life there.

Great Wall of China. Notice the crowd in the background.

Health and wellness appeared to be high priorities. It was a regular occurrence to see people of all ages gathered together in a park doing morning, or afternoon, or evening exercises. The city of Tianjin had a huge track near where we were staying. The track was surrounded by shops, restaurants, etc., and – in the evening – had hundreds of people walking or running to get their evening exercise. It was most likely the same in the mornings.

Last, the sheer beauty of the people, the culture, the architecture and landscapes only solidified my appreciation for the traditions and customs of China; I look forward to returning one day to see more than the tip of the iceberg. That’s what traveling is often about…expanding one’s mind and worldview to experience different cultures. There are times when the travel may involve a trip to a far-off land, or simply walking across the street or visiting a nearby town or neighborhood we have never visited before – simply to understand the differences that uniquely make us the same.