Today was a pretty exciting day for me, since it marked the first time I had ever gone to China! As a student who is intending to major in Chinese, this was a large deal for me. Everything was different for me, starting with entering through Customs and Immigration. I had never had to scan my fingerprints before, and had a tough time making the system take my prints. Maybe my hands were sweaty, I’m not too sure. Anyways, after having gone through the line, I finally caught up with the group and made it to the other side. I had never been quite comfortable with my level of Mandarin, but my ears quickly caught on to the sound I was actually getting more familiar with.
We then went on a couch bus that took us around to many distinct places in Shenzhen, specifically qianhai. It had a very “perfect” kind of feel to it, especially during the tour. It seemed like it was a place that could magically construct a perfect kind of lifestyle for anyone who invested in it. While I thought it definitely had room for a lot of potential, something kind of threw me off about it.
Afterwards, we had lunch with Keileh and Yu laoshi and honestly that was super fun. I loved the noodles, except for the fact that the oils got on my shirt, but besides that, it was a really fun time getting to know a bit more about everyone. After that, we went around to a really packed area where noise was pretty loud. I, however, found the most exciting parts were ordering my bubble tea solely in Mandarin and going over books with Keileh and Yu laoshi guiding us along. That was again, a lot more fun than I anticipated. I got really excited every time I could make a meaning out, or read the full title of a book. I can’t wait to go back and study Mandarin again. But maybe this time I also pick up some Cantonese if offered. I can’t imagine myself not coming back.