China Paper #1: No Knows Goes

View from the Washington coast.

Image taken by me.

It is amazing to me how little I have experienced of the world in my 20 years here. Sure, I’ve traveled up and down the East Coast going to concerts, visited family in Washington state and Arizona, and been on short trips to Puerto Rico, Canada, and the British Virgin Islands, but all in all, I have not experienced much of the world that is different from the town in Connecticut where I grew up and Burlington, where I have lived for the last two and a half years.

I have also not especially tried to learn about other places and cultures vicariously, whether through reading or watching documentaries. This being said, I absolutely do not have a lack of curiosity, but maybe a lack of necessity for that information. This is an excuse that is quickly becoming insufficient as the weeks dwindle down until our class’ trip to eastern China.

Tibetan monks at a monastery.
Image courtesy of the BBC

I do not know much about China, although I did briefly learn about recent Chinese history in my study of Tibet last semester. In this exploration, I learned a lot about Tibetan Buddhism and the ways of the Tibetans both before and after the Chinese invasion there in 1951. Upon doing this research, I was horrified to learn of the religious oppression and mass destruction that took place there, especially when I learned that China is now working to exploit the wealth of untapped resources that Tibet holds.




This is not all that China is, however, and since the beginning of my China classes this semester, I have begun to realize the incredible culture and history that this huge country possesses.

Photo of the Great Wall in China.

Image courtesy of Daily Mail.

So, in regard to what I know about China and what I want to learn about China, the answers are not enough and as much as possible, respectively. Specifically, however, I look forward to being thrown into their culture and having the opportunity to speak with Chinese citizens about their lives and opinions about China and about the U.S. I also wish that it were possible to open speak about controversial events and issues with Chinese citizens, like Tiananmen Square, Tibet, and human rights and freedoms in China. However, I will happily settle with a chance to visit and explore China for the 8 days that we are there.