China Through a Foreigner

Smog, crowdedness, economics, this is China through my eyes. After visiting, my pupils became even more dilated. I was not only in another country but another social dynamic. I was surrounded by people who were, to me, very similar to each other. For the most part they all had the same traditions, values, and the same language. Then, there was me and my classmates, who had distinctive looks from each other and even more so, them. We had different backgrounds and values. We were all from America, the melting pot country. In China, it appeared to us, it was a collective group of sameness.

I had no idea that Chinese people would look at our group the way they did or do the things they did. It was a shock when they would ask the black people to take pictures with them as “souvenirs” and how their face would light up with glee if we obliged them to do so. It appeared we were the attraction of another country they were visiting. One of my peers embraced the attention and immediately got ready for his photo op when approached. He said he felt like a celebrity. On the other hand, my friend had a different outlook. She had braids in her hair and that was a huge fascination for them. Not only did they get to see a black person up close but they got to see hair different from theirs. Hands were constantly extending like opuses to try to get a feel of one of her long braids. She did not embrace this! Instead, she felt as if she had to watch her back and hide from the people who were impossible to get away from.

Surprisingly, I did not encounter anyone who wanted to touch my hair or take photos with me. I couldn’t explain why every other black person on the trip got attention and I didn’t. Looking back now, trying to implant social dynamics into the situation, maybe it was because my hair was short, opposite to being long, braided, or wildly curly. My skin wasn’t as dark as the others and maybe it was more shocking to see their complexion than mine. Looking from the outside in, it was easy to place myself in the others shoes. When doing so, I found that I saw myself wishing that humanity would not alienate itself from trying to understand society. Every time my friend would get upset, I wished for her to understand where the Chinese were coming from and how isolated their culture was. It was rare for them to have an opportunity to see a difference from their society. So, when the moment presented itself, they were overwhelmed and may have forgotten "politeness." There was still the issue of personal space and respect but only focusing on that problem would not allow us to move forward to reach a resolution and allow us to share in each other’s way of life.

Personally, I would go back to China and experience it all again. I would have a new perspectives and this time it wouldn't be on a school trip meaning more freedom to do as I please. I would bring the same friend as she would know what to expect. Hopefully she wouldn't see them as rude but rather as curious and wanting to venture into something new.

Wallace Bacon, a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Emerson College once said, "humanity should help us learn the otherness of others," I believe, if we’re all a little more open-minded and accepting as a society then maybe we could understand and embrace the cultures of others. This would allow us to see that we aren’t that different from each other, we’re just accentuated with different accessories. It would help us realize differentness arouses curiosity and dialogue in any form satisfies which then allows embracement of the once unknown.

Moon Hill...