Culture Shock in China By Christina Gee, MMUF Student
I am a second-generation Chinese-American and so studying abroad in Beijing felt like a personal pilgrimage to the home of my parents. Within a day of being in Beijing, after walking around, seeing, breathing, tasting, and hearing the culture around me, I encountered what we call "culture shock." Everything was so unfamiliar! I had ignorantly thought that going to Beijing would be like 'going home,' but I quickly realized this place I assumed would be 'like home' was a different reality altogether. This was the moment I recognized that geography is extremely important and influential in the cultures of the people. While China has a large political identity, the people I met are mainly defined by their geographical identity. My parents are from Canton, located in southern China, whereas Beijing was in the north. My family and I speak the Cantonese dialect, whereas Mandarin (which I was studying) other than being the official language of China is concentrated in the north. Not only was there a linguistic difference which
I was prepared for, but there was also a difference in cuisine. In America, Chinese food, as we haphazardly call it, is actually comprised of, in my opinion, the best dishes from Chinese culture. That means all the great dishes and options I was used to back home, were in actuality two or three dishes specifically from Beijing. I found myself struggling to find food I liked! Northern Chinese cuisine was heavy in oil and spicy pepper. After a long week and an exhausted tongue, I decided to actively take control of my dining experience. I spent spare time studying cuisine vocabulary and restaurant etiquette. I learned specifically how to communicate to servers how I would like my dishes prepared. I became so familiar with the menu that I no longer needed one despite frequenting different restaurants. While it would have been easy to avoid dining out during my entire program, my experience added to my education and my personal growth.
Christina Gee, with host family at a restaurant in Beijing, where they enjoyed Peking Duck, the national dish of China
Blueprints for Success By Vivienne Reynoso, BOP Class of 2017
Going to visit the Architecture firm over the summer really opened my mind to the opportunities I would soon be able to fully take advantage of in the fall at Barnard College. As the representative of the firm flipped through the slides of his PowerPoint, explaining the hard work and success that the company had encountered throughout its time of existence, I saw more than just photos. Beyond the visual explanation, I understood that, here, was a model of the success and comfort that was soon to be mine for the taking. All I needed to do was keep my head straight, and work harder than I ever had ASEP BIANNUAL
before. This trip motivated me; it fascinated me and allowed me to fully focus on the life I could cultivate for myself. The man who worked for the firm explained that he too came from humble beginnings, and his determination and valor took him to great heights – literally and figuratively. The same spirit and perseverance was something I knew I had, and so did the girls who surrounded me. As the presentation came to an end, a new world of hope and purpose had been exposed to us. I cannot express my gratitude for the insight ASEP gave me through such excursions.
Vivienne Reynoso, BOP Class of 2017
9