Today I’m exactly half a year in China. It’s the longest time I’ve been away from home. And in what kind of country! It’s a different world on this side of the world that’s for sure. After half a year I thought of writing some kind of evaluation about the last half year. First I tought of writing something about China or Chinese people. But when I was on the train towards Wuhu, I had to think about how many different opinions foreigners have about this country, and how many different experiences other foreigners have over here. The last couple of weeks I heard so many stories and opinions about China and the Chinese from other travelers, and they were all so different. Fellow travelers said that Chinese people are so friendly, rude, racist, conservative, curious, disinterested, helpful, funny, stupid, intelligent, uneducated, poor, rich, etc. I found the viewpoints so different that it’s almost like they all went to different countries. The only thing which everyone agreed to was that China is so big.
For me that might be the only thing which is undeniable. This country is just so big with so many people, that it’s possible to have so many different experiences over here. In half a year I had a lot of different experiences over here. I’ve met a lot of very friendly Chinese people, but of course there are also unfriendly people. They can be pretty rude, especially around train and bus stations and they usually spit without any shame, although in Beijing I only saw it a few times and I also know Chinese people who find this behavior very uncivilized. After half a year I’m not really sure what to think of China and the Chinese. This country has just too many different faces, as a figure of speech, though for China it’s true literally as well.
Yesterday morning I arrived back “home” in Wuhu. The place changed quite a bit since I left two months ago, things are changing very fast in China. Despite the changes it feels very familiar to be back again. Maybe it’s just that I know where I am and that I can go to places without looking at maps or thinking which way I should go. Or maybe after almost 4 months this place has become my home in China, although I wouldn’t really call it home cause it’s still so different than where I’m from. I have to admit that I’m getting used to the way things are around here, though off course I still miss my real home now and then, but not enough to make me go back yet.
The last half year past very fast, so fast that I can still perfectly remember the last day and night I was in Holland. Of course I also remember the first two weeks I had in China, when I just arrived, when everything was still new. When going for diner was still a complete surprise. Yesterday when I walked through the underground tunnel of the train station I had a déjà vu of the first time I walked through that tunnel at 5 in the morning, when I started my teaching job here, hoping that there would be someone from the school to pick me up outside the station. The teaching period was very interesting and it was nice to get to know this city in more detail. Very different than the travelling I just did, cause I saw a lot more places in China, but the idea I have about all those places is not very detailed to say the least. Well I enjoyed both periods and that’s the most important. Overall it has been a great adventure so far.
A little bit less than 2 weeks traveling left, before I finally go and search for a new home in Xiamen, where I will be studying very soon. Monday I’ll get my new visa and then Tuesday I’ll leave to Shanghai. After enjoying Hong Kong I’m curious how the economic metropolis of the mainland is going to be.
For me that might be the only thing which is undeniable. This country is just so big with so many people, that it’s possible to have so many different experiences over here. In half a year I had a lot of different experiences over here. I’ve met a lot of very friendly Chinese people, but of course there are also unfriendly people. They can be pretty rude, especially around train and bus stations and they usually spit without any shame, although in Beijing I only saw it a few times and I also know Chinese people who find this behavior very uncivilized. After half a year I’m not really sure what to think of China and the Chinese. This country has just too many different faces, as a figure of speech, though for China it’s true literally as well.
Yesterday morning I arrived back “home” in Wuhu. The place changed quite a bit since I left two months ago, things are changing very fast in China. Despite the changes it feels very familiar to be back again. Maybe it’s just that I know where I am and that I can go to places without looking at maps or thinking which way I should go. Or maybe after almost 4 months this place has become my home in China, although I wouldn’t really call it home cause it’s still so different than where I’m from. I have to admit that I’m getting used to the way things are around here, though off course I still miss my real home now and then, but not enough to make me go back yet.
The last half year past very fast, so fast that I can still perfectly remember the last day and night I was in Holland. Of course I also remember the first two weeks I had in China, when I just arrived, when everything was still new. When going for diner was still a complete surprise. Yesterday when I walked through the underground tunnel of the train station I had a déjà vu of the first time I walked through that tunnel at 5 in the morning, when I started my teaching job here, hoping that there would be someone from the school to pick me up outside the station. The teaching period was very interesting and it was nice to get to know this city in more detail. Very different than the travelling I just did, cause I saw a lot more places in China, but the idea I have about all those places is not very detailed to say the least. Well I enjoyed both periods and that’s the most important. Overall it has been a great adventure so far.
A little bit less than 2 weeks traveling left, before I finally go and search for a new home in Xiamen, where I will be studying very soon. Monday I’ll get my new visa and then Tuesday I’ll leave to Shanghai. After enjoying Hong Kong I’m curious how the economic metropolis of the mainland is going to be.
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