Why I Miss China
我为什么怀念中国
By Amirah Ahmad 潘鑫 注
I miss China.
Last summer, I visited China for 6 weeks for an internship at Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP) . I wrote articles on a weekly basis, lived in a hutong, immersed myself in the local culture, and made everlasting friendships with the people who allowed me to enjoy my trip to China as much as I did.
I was flipping through pictures of my trip the other day, and I was surprised at how many colleagues and locals I had befriended. Stumbling upon a picture of my colleagues in the technical department, I tested myself by trying to name them by the names I had appointed them since I couldn’t accurately pronounce their name in Chinese. I distinctly remember the day I gave them an easy “American” name, as I drew upon the meaning of the Chinese name and their personality for inspiration. Some names were Cake, Trumpet , and Dragon. They were silly, but they stuck .
Not only Beijing, but I also miss Inner Mongolia. The grasslands were breathtaking; the landscape was so serene. One of the pictures I found from my archives was a couple of people on horses, nonchalantly passing us as they trotted down a gravel pathway. Another one of the pictures was a picture of my family with a local family who ran a store with various Mongolian foods and clothing accessories . The picture shows us embracing one another as if we’ve known each for years. We had only known each for 5 minutes!
China is an immense nation. Each province, each region, each town, each neighborhood encapsulate a different part of China that I admire. Take Beijing, China for example. In all of its modernity, it also possesses remnants of old-age Chinese practices. A five-minute walk from the mall, you’ll run into a group of old men playing checkers as they smoke cigars and chat until nightfall. Just a couple miles away from an international corporation lays remnants of a historic, ancient Buddhist temple .
Sick of the city?
Travel to Inner Mongolia to experience the wonders of the Mongols. I distinctly remember the day a native, from the small town we were visiting in Inner Mongolia, took my horse’s saddle as he started to gallop with his own horse. The wind was so liberating as both of our horses pounded the Inner Mongolian ground. Just a couple hours later, I feasted on fresh lamb and I couldn’t help but thinking that I was interacting with and eating a meal provided by the ancestors of Genghis Khan.
There is so much the land offers. You can meet intellectuals or simple vendors of the local fruit and vegetable stand. You can visit the city but also draw back and absorb the serene landscape.
It’s been over a year since I’ve visited, but hopefully I return in the near future to re-experience the wonders as well as adventure and explore new things.
Until next time, China.
