A Whole New World

I couldn't get train tickets from Chengdu to Kunming like I had wanted. I contacted some of my Chinese friends and was invited to return to my friend Bei's home, so my traveling is looking a lot different than it did a few days ago.

I flew from Chengdu to Xi'an on Sunday. Flying in China, for me, is not preferable. Because China is so diverse, it is shocking to step off an airplane into what seems like another world. By train, I can watch the countryside change and I have a day or two to get used to the differences in the regions.

In fact, staying in Chengdu made me truly realize how diverse China is. Some example are the food, the spoken language, and the habits and customs of the people. When I first came to China, I liked the food, but it was so different that I didn't want to eat much. When I arrived in Sichuan, it was the same. The food is so different from the Lanzhou food I am used to that I didn't have much of an appetite for the first few days, even though the food was delicious. The spoken language in Chengdu was difficult to get used to as well. For instance, the "sh" sound is pronounced more like a simple "s" which caused much confusion for me. And, in Chengdu, the people are more relaxed and laid back. They are more wealthy than in Lanzhou, their city is more western, and they are more concerned with safety and sanitation. The differences between the provinces are enormous, and traveling is very eye-opening and educating.

As for Xi'An, I not only have been here before, but it is fairly similar to Lanzhou. It feels more like home! Going to Bei's home will be like home as well; when I first came to China, I stayed with Bei and her familiy. At that time, I was unable to verbally communicate with them. Now that I can speak Chinese, I will be able to truly express to them how grateful I am for their kindness to me.