China Today: Colorfully intense and diverse

I have found myself incredibly fascinated by the traffic here in China. There are a number of elements that pique my interest. The first of these is the diversity of the traffic. Here in Hekou, most of the diversity is in the various two-wheeled vehicles people use to travel around. There are very nice, pristine, and personalized mopeds, beat-up dirt bikes, bicycles with carts attached to the back, and all sorts of old mopeds. These vehicles seem to allow you to drive wherever you want, as they weave through the streets and even on the sidewalks. There is no discernible organized parking, and people seem to leave their mopeds—or what have you—wherever they please.

The same general rules seem to apply to cars—there is no specified parking locations, and the cars simply drive through the streets, honking at people and smaller vehicles in their way. These cars have an even larger diversity than the two-wheeled vehicles. I’ve seen all sorts of brands, like BMW, Toyota, even some Fords and Jeeps. They are mingled with small and large vans that appear to be unique to China, and there are a few large cargo trucks that have a militaristic air to them mixed in as well.

I’ve noted no speed limit signs, though it is possible I haven’t recognized them, as they are most likely in Chinese. People walk into the streets wherever they please. In Kunming, I saw a woman standing in the middle of traffic waiting to pass through each lane. On our journey from Kunming to Hekou, I noticed a few vehicles that were sitting idle in the middle of the highway. I can only assume they broke down, and I suppose rather than moving the car off to the side, people just get out and walk away. For all of this chaos, I have not noted any road-rage. Nobody seems angry at anybody else for getting in their way, perhaps because there are no rules to follow and therefore no rules to break. The bustle of the streets sounds exactly New York City, save for the sound of police sirens. If anyone in China ever gets a ticket, I can’t imagine what it would be for.

I have an incredible respect for the Hani people, and everyone who lives like them. Their existence is so simple and natural. The little old women working in the fields and carrying things around on their backs were so solid. Watching them, and the men herd the water buffalo and the pack mules through the village, was like standing at a still point in time.

While the village did posses plenty of modern amenities, the people still worked the land to live, using simply tools and methods, as they would have hundreds of years ago. China, so far, has impressed me with its beautiful coexistence of past and present. It’s not something we see in America, as the present is consumed the past.

First of all, Happy New Year! I never imagined I would fulfill one of my new year’s resolutions, to do more exciting things, on New Years. Anyway, I’ve been really interested in the way all of the people we’ve seen in this country dress. There are the Hani people, of course, who wear those beautifully embroidered traditional clothes. Even the more reserved clothes that are one solid color dot the terraced fields and decaying buildings like ornamentation. However, their clothing is not what I have found the most fascinating.

On our drives, we pass through a lot of small towns or clusters of buildings that are very dirty and rundown. In them, I have noticed a lot of women dressed as if they belonged in New York City. They are often in high heels and fashionable jackets, and honestly look more stylish than I do most of the time (regrettably, I do not have any photos of this). I was talking with a few of my comrades, and they suggested that perhaps the single women do it to attract men. This would make sense, as all of the women I have seen dressed this way are young, while many of the older women are wearing simpler, average clothing.

I’ve seen some really cool graffiti here in China. It’s funny to see people carving the Chinese symbols into trees and stuff like we carve our initials. One type of graffiti I’ve seen a lot of is crayon children’s drawings. This is probably my favorite type of graffiti to see because it’s not something seen in America. I’ve noticed that the children are often running around free-range with each other, up and down the streets with no worries. I even saw a child crossing the street by herself yesterday.

In America, children aren’t really allowed to do that anymore; they’re very sheltered and their parents are always watching them. Although, it is mostly in the small villages that I see the children running around unsupervised, which I imagine is due to the likelihood that everyone knows each other in the smaller villages. This child-like graffiti is evidence of the independence these children have on their little streets. (As a side note, it is entirely possible that I am mistaken, and that these are not children’s scribbles, but the scribbles of someone who is not very skilled at drawing. Either way, the point stands: the children in this country appear to have a lot more freedom in playing than American children)

I continue to be blown away by the intensity and diversity of the colors in this country. I’ve already written about the beautiful colors in the clothing of the Hani people, and the same intensity that exists there exists all over the place. Looking down the street, one is met with bits of striking color. One thing I have noticed is the presence of bright red ribbons tied to different places. I have seen a few tied to tree branches, a couple on the front of a car, and they surround the entire memorial site of the founders of the University in Kunming.

This last piece of information leads me to believe that perhaps the red is symbolic of loss or memory. Perhaps the ribbons in the trees symbolize a location where someone died, and the ribbon on the car is in memory of someone. Since red is also the color of the Chinese flag, it could symbolize some kind of nationality. I’m not able to research any of this on the Internet, so I will have to clarifying my suspicions with someone who knows the culture. For now, however, I find it exciting to speculate the meaning of things based on observing them in context.

When I took anthropology my freshman year, I learned about the affinity that the Chinese have for Christian traditions. The article I read back then was about how they like the have all of the ceremony associated with Christian weddings. They even fly over Americans to act as priests, many of them not being priests themselves. I noticed evidence for this on the flight here, as there was and advertisement that came before the movies of a bride and groom dresses in the tradition white wedding gown and black tuxedo.

As I have been in China, I have noticed a lot of Christmas decorations. There are Santa Clauses, Christmas trees, even a sign that said "Feliz Navidad." We were told later that the Chinese celebrate a non-religious Christmas that is essentially a time for people to party and have fun. I find it very interesting how they have incorporated an element of our culture into theirs, but have modified it to make it fit into their beliefs.

— Katie Starliper, art studio major #HuskyAbroad

Led by Vera Viditz-Ward, professor of art and art history, and Jing Luo, Ph.D., professor of languages and cultures, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent three weeks in China studying language, culture and photography. The group, hosted by Yunnan Normal University, traveled to Kunming, Hekou, Yuanyuang, Mengzi, Dali, and Lijiang, where they had close contact with a variety of ethnic groups and learned about their lives and cultures.

China Today: An artistic impression

Our first day in China went by quick. After a short welcome we traveled to a city on the border of Vietnam. Hekuo seems to be a city that is mostly based on trade. We walked a long portion of the train tracks connecting Vietnam and the Chinese city of Hekou. The Chinese though seem to grow their food and maximize any land that is available. Making due with small gardens on hillsides or between buildings.

It's hard to tell if they use these plots for subsistence or trade. They don't seem as though they could produce enough of a crop from some of these to sell in trade but it is possible they have a large quantity of these small gardens spread out to produce a sufficient amount. I did observe a man preparing greens that were more than likely self grown but later in the day we visited a farmers market where the same greens could be purchased. If anything the people of this town work very hard to survive whether it be through trade or farming for consumption.

Today we visited an area called Yuanyang to see a minority village of Hani people and the famous terraced fields they grow rice on. As a drawing concentration in art studio I am always intrigued by the art I find in different locations. The art created by the people of the Yuanyang is amazing. The entire area is dependent on the terrace fields and the art represents this. What I found is many representations of the important animals to the people. The most important animal is the water buffalo because of its use in creating the patty fields. The image of the water buffalo finds it way into large and small portions of their statues and depictions.

One particular piece that I found on a large pillar at the top of the fields depicted two water buffalo with a vague human figure between them. This figure has its hands raised as if it is worshipping the water buffalo. With the water buffalo being an essential part of their production I am not surprised it makes so many appearances in their art.

During our time in Yuanyang I found the Hani people's personalities very diverse. One of the things that would happen was if we took a picture of some of the people was that they would ask for money. I understand that it probably becomes a nuisance to have tourists gawking at you and I am happy to spare a few Yuan. Though, there were some more humble people and some that were a little greedy. I don't fault the greedy; they have a harsh life working the patty fields. While standing in their village center I found a lady that just stood to the side with her daughter, in full traditional clothing, and waited patiently. When I saw this I decided to offer a few Yuan so I could take a picture of her daughter.

She graciously accepted and I took the photo. Our guide offered to let me take a picture with her and I did. After the picture I offered the lady few more dollars as a token of gratitude, and she was gracious again. As I did this, another lady came over and reached for my money. I tried to back away but she kept coming and eventually snatched a ten yuan from my hand. That was the point where I put my money away and walked away. Ten Yuan is not very much, only about 1.5 U.S. dollars, so I was not worried about the money. I was just surprised at how greedy the lady was and how polar opposite the first woman was. Outside of this one thing the time in the Hani village was enjoyable.

During our time in Mengzi we had a surprise stop at a fruit market. Our guide decided to purchase a couple things to try, as did Dr. Luo. We tried a Chinese version of grapefruit that I really enjoyed. It was more yellow than our American grapefruit and the interior was a clear yellow-white. Unlike American grapefruit it had a natural sweetness the required no addition of sugar. It made it very delicious. We also tried tamarind, which are a nut like food where you eat the gooey stuff between the shell and the nut. It was super sweet but had a strange after taste I didn't enjoy.

Next was pineapple, I was wary because I don't enjoy pineapple in the states. To my surprise though the pineapple was milder than it is in the states and I enjoyed it. The last on the list was jackfruit. It is a large fruit maybe slightly smaller than a watermelon. Cutting up Jack Fruit seemed like a terribly long process and labor intensive. We waited about twenty minutes until the locals finished. The fruit it self has the strangest texture I have ever tried, muscle like on the outside and soft on the inside. The taste was a strange sweetness as well and was interesting.

We took a walk around a park today that was located in Mengzi. The diversity of conditions in the city astounds me. This park is well maintained and beautiful but if you walk one block from it you find impoverished homes. You see similar things in our cities but our government will condemn a house if it unsuitable for living.

With roofs that looks as though they would leak with the slightest amount of rain and missing windows the buildings are in shambles. They are not quite as bad as what I saw in the rural areas though. Some of the rural ones looked as though they were ruins. Urbanization is great for the economy but I feel as though the older generations suffer in the initial move.

In Mengzi there is former railway station that was established by the French. No longer functioning it stands as a historical location. The station itself is not what intrigued me most, it was more the way the electrical wiring was openly visible. The States we tend to hide our wiring in boxes to keep them from being exposed and dangerous. The wires at the former French railway station were completely exposed and could have been a potential hazard. This wiring is from a different era where safety guidelines were less strict. I am curious if the lines are still hot or were shutdown when the station was shutdown. The tracks themselves looked as though they were still used, so there may be some electricity running.

— Jesse Hockman, art studio major #HuskyAbroad

Led by Vera Viditz-Ward, professor of art and art history, and Jing Luo, Ph.D., professor of languages and cultures, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent three weeks in China studying language, culture and photography. The group, hosted by Yunnan Normal University, traveled to Kunming, Hekou, Yuanyuang, Mengzi, Dali, and Lijiang, where they had close contact with a variety of ethnic groups and learned about their lives and cultures.

China Today: A wondrous place

I enjoyed the short walk through town and getting my first glimpse at a real Chinese city. The breakfast we had was delicious, but a little bit too much food for what I’m accustomed to eating in the morning.

I was glad that I waited to withdrawal money until we got to Kunming, because using the ATM was quick and painless. The welcome banquet was a wonderful experience! I loved how everyone sat together at one big table and all of the food was easily accessible just by spinning the lazy-susan. And the variety of flavors, colors, and smells were all wonderful. I was proud of myself that I tried a little bit of every dish, and I enjoyed almost every one. The grasshopper wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, and the seasoning on it helped. I’m amazed at how much food is always provided for us, and even though it seems like I eat a lot there always more leftover. It pains me that the food would go to waste, but maybe they use it for their livestock or to fertilize their crops?

The bus ride to Hekou was a definite change of scenery. Although I couldn’t keep my eyes open for the entire trip, because of the jetlag, I still enjoyed every bit that I did see. It’s so interesting to me how they farm, irrigate, and create their lifestyle. For such a hilly and mountainous country they really are effective and efficient at what they do. They cut in to the side of the mountain and form these perfect and seamless rows of crops and vegetation. It makes for a lovely photograph, but I can imagine the hard work it must be to keep up with something like that and harvest all that they can.

On the bus ride to Hekou we learned a little bit about the customs and the way of the trade that happens everyday at the Vietnam border. We were able to see the incredibly long line of trucks and civilians that walked across with their goods to sell and trade in China. It’s amazing how their system works, and I admire their patience to do that every single day!

It was here in Hekou that I started noticing many different textures and patterns in their architecture as well as in nature. As we walked along the old railway station, and learned some of the history, I became more and more fascinated by the way time had altered and changed the environment. I liked taking really close up pictures of the different textures and patterns so it’s seen out of context and can be viewed as just lines and colors.

But I also found it very interesting, and quite overwhelming when I was told that each of those railway ties representing someone that died. Just thinking of the labor put into building a railroad is one thing, but then having that significant meaning behind each of those wooden ties…I stood there in a moment of silence and awe.And even though I have photographs of it, it’s not the same as being in the presence of something that impressive.

The Border Trade Market and the local farmers market gave me great opportunities for close ups of vibrant colors and the variety of textures found in their products. I saw lots and lots of different fruits and vegetables that were unfamiliar to me, but I love the whole experience of learning about their culture.

The Yuanyang terraced fields are an amazing sight and beautiful to look at. I can’t imagine the labor that was put into building these terraces. They seem to go on for miles and miles! The curvy lines and repetition of these fields makes it almost look like they were formed by nature instead of man. But after seeing all the women carrying huge bundles of branches, stones, etc. on their back I know that these were indeed made by the people of the mountain.

I found it really interesting that even though these people are all working towards the same goal and maintaining the terraces, the mountain is made up of many different types of ethnic groups. We spent the most time in the Hani and Yi villages, which is close to the top of the mountain. When we were in these villages and taking pictures we soon realized that taking their pictures was not for free and they expected some money. Even though some people might think they’re being greedy, I think it’s smart on their part. They become accustomed to tourists coming through their villages and taking their pictures, so they figured out a way to make money from it. Though it is possible to be sneaky about and get a quick snapshot of their beautiful handmade ethic clothing when they’re not looking.

We got to do a little shopping, and of course I bought some little trinkets as gifts for family back home. I’m always a sucker for handmade quality crafts, and they made some beautiful things. Everything there is handmade, even the roads that wind along the terraces. I have a huge respect for these people and the way they live. It’s not an easy life, but I’ve noticed that not one of those village people were overweight. They remain in great shape because of all the exercise they get building their village and maintaining the fields. We traveled further up the mountain to get more of a birds-eye-view of the fields, and to watch the sunset. The view was breathtaking, and an amazing experience that every photographer should have.

Yuanyang is indeed a wondrous place.

Today we saw more of the terraced fields of Yuanyang, but in a different location. We went to the Douyishu scenic spot where they have an international art and communication center building, including a restaurant and some history about the terraces. The shape of the building and the observation decks below have a great resemblance to the shapes of the terrace fields.

Although today was a little foggy and we couldn’t see much reflection on water it was still a beautiful sight. After taking a couple more photos I had to remind myself that not everything can be captured within a square frame, so I just stood there and admired everything trying to retain it in my memory forever.

Driving back to the hotel we got in a couple traffic jams, because the roads are so narrow and there aren’t any traffic laws. Many people drive mopeds or bikes, so they’re easier to navigate through the smaller roads and around any cars that can’t get through. Considering the size of our bus I’m amazed at how well the drive has gotten through such tight situations. Sometimes there would only be inches on either side of the bus, but we have a great driver and he certainly knows what he’s doing! After finally making it through all the tiny villages and down the mountain we walked around the town we were staying in to see some of their shops, and they had music playing for the New Year. It was pretty crowded, but soon we left and were onto our next destination – Mengzi.

On the way to Mengzi we stopped at a farmers market where they had stand after stand of fruit! I love fruit and we haven’t had much on the trip so far, so this was very exciting for me. We got to try their version of grapefruit, which was delicious, and a lot less tart and sour than ours back home. It was also twice as big and more yellow than pink. We also tried tameron, and jackfruit. They were both very good. The tameron reminded me of a fig because of it’s stickiness, and the jackfruit seemed like a combination of flavors of banana and pineapple. I love both so this was a great new find for me. Arriving in Mengzi we had our New Years dinner and the food seemed never ending, but it was all delicious of course! Mr. Li gave a lovely toast, and it was a nice relaxing dinner.

Mengzi is known for it’s old French buildings and railway station from when the French went into Yunnan in early 20th Century. We visited Bisezhai, which was the former French railway station. The government maintains these buildings so people can visit and learn about what happened in their history, and there were plenty of Chinese people there visiting for the day just like we were.

Everyday I learn a little bit more about segments of China’s history and it’s very interesting to me, because their country is so much older than ours so they have a lot more to tell. Its fascinating how they have developed their culture and customs throughout their history, and they seem very proud to be a part of that culture. Even the stationmaster, which is now a retired old man, of the old French railway has worked there for over 15 years and he still sits there.

Next we moved on to the Honghe Minority Museum, which was very appealing with it’s displays and artwork, but I wish I could’ve understood more of what was written on the walls about each picture. I would’ve enjoyed that experience more I think, but it was still nice to walk through. Lunch was a whole experience in itself! We had the traditional “cross bridge” noodles. Each person got two tiers of plates that were filled with little dishes of different meats and vegetables, one bowl of noodles, and one huge bowl of steaming hot broth.

The story goes that the wife of a scholar sent his lunch over to him, but by the time it reached where he was studying all of the food was cold. She then came up with a way to keep everything hot and fresh by sending the broth over too. So that’s what we had to do to eat our lunch. First we added the quail eggs, raw meat, already cooked meat, vegetables, and the noodles were added last to this hot hot broth. After a couple minutes everything was cooked through and ready to eat.

It was very interesting, very tasty, but a little too much food for me. I ate what I could but it didn’t even look like I made a dent! The Nanhu District was more of the old French government buildings, but we couldn’t go in some of them because they were being remodeled, or were no longer there. Here was where we got to see the house of the scholar and the infamous bridge that the “cross and bridge” noodles came from. I especially loved all the traditional Chinese architecture we got to see.

This morning was our first class of the trip. A couple of us presented our articles about China that Dr. Luo gave us. I also presented today. My articles were interesting to me because they were about the shift in fashion trends throughout the decades, the increase of infrastructure, and developing roadways, the norms and expectations of family life in the city vs. the country, and the different festivals they celebrate throughout the year. Each of them were short articles and only covered the basics of each topic, but at some point when I have time and definite WiFi I would like to research these topics more.

After class we were allowed free time, which was wonderful, because everyday since the beginning of the trip every minute has basically been planned for us. Now that we’re in more of a city environment there are more things to do such as shopping and trying different restaurants. I’m not gonna lie that I’m happy about being in the city for once. Usually I’m more of a country girl because of all the fresh air and open space, but after eating rice and noodles every day for every meal I have grown a little tired of it and was looking for some different food. In the city they have more options, and offer some international foods. Last night for dinner we went to a French restaurant, and today for lunch we tried the Australian place.

Both were delicious, and more of the types of food I’m used to back home. It was a nice change of scenery.

During our free time I did some walking around town and noticed murals on some of the walls. They depicted scenes or characters from some popular western animated movies. I thought this was interesting, because you often hear that China doesn’t concern itself with the rest of the world, and tries not to let it influence their culture. With how much the government tries to control and keep out, it’s inevitable that some things slip through the cracks.

— Brett Guldin, art studio major #HuskyAbroad

Led by Vera Viditz-Ward, professor of art and art history, and Jing Luo, Ph.D., professor of languages and cultures, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent three weeks in China studying language, culture and photography. The group, hosted by Yunnan Normal University, traveled to Kunming, Hekou, Yuanyuang, Mengzi, Dali, and Lijiang, where they had close contact with a variety of ethnic groups and learned about their lives and cultures.

China Today: A happy community

Arriving in China was definitely a culture shock. But even more shocking was the amounts of food they gave us. Usually we wake up and grab something quick in America to munch on before a day of work. Then, we eat a quick sandwich for lunch and hope for a home cooked dinner once we arrive back at the house. But every meal here is a “home cooked dinner”. We woke up Dec. 29 and walked one minute down the street to a little Asian diner. Breakfast was a big, and I mean BIG, bowl of who knows what. It was amazing! From that point on every meal was huge. Every meat you can imagine mixed with vegetables, rice, noodles, etc. Putting it lightly, we were treated very well upon arrival in China.

I was in complete awe when I saw the amount of labor women did. In America we all basically go to school and find a decent paying job. Nothing too hard and definitely nothing that forces us to work all day. Yes, some may say their work is hard. But I’m talking labor, sweat, pain, survival.

You do that? These people work their butts off. The men seem to be out in the fields or working with construction. The women are carrying sticks on their backs from one place to another. They don’t just watch babysit. The babies are being carried along with them while the kids go off and play alone. So it’s not just staying at home and cooking. These women are carrying all types of heavy materials to the men. Personally, it looks to me like the women do more work than they should but that’s my personal opinion.

The Chinese community is incredible. They still use electronics like Americans, but they don’t let that come between them in terms of communication. They’re always outside with one another. You see a lot of the men playing cards on the side of the street. Or they just hang out together smoking. Almost every time they eat it’s with a group. In America we barely even make time to eat one meal with our family. Playing cards? I’m pretty sure most Americans would prefer sitting in a circle looking at their phones, facebook, twitter, etc. Chinese don’t have this and I can see a happier community because of it.

I want to take every kid back with me to America. They are too cute! The only sad part was seeing the kids beg in the poor areas of China. It’s unbelievable how young they are, and they come up to you asking for money. Even worse, the parents use them to get money! I saw multiple mothers dress up their kids in fancy traditional clothes when they noticed tourists coming. We would take pictures and they would have us pay. I admit I gave a few kids some cash, because it’s impossible to say no to their adorable faces. When the kids weren’t with their mothers they would roam around alone. We passed so many kids walking along the street as we traveled to different cities. It’s different to see since in America we keep a close watch on our kids in public even when they just go out to play.

Many of the different cities we visited had markets along the street. Some were just fruit markets. Now the huge difference in China is that we couldn’t eat certain fruit like strawberries, grapes, and apples. We could eat bananas, oranges, and cantaloupe.

Why? The fruits without peels could get you very sick because of their water. So we had to be careful. Luckily, we had our awesome professors and tour guide to buy us a bunch of Chinese fruit to try that they knew was safe. My favorite was the jack fruit. It was huge! It tasted like every fruit I have ever tried combined into a smoothie. Not lying! If you ever come across a jack fruit, get it. The colors in Chinese clothing blew me away. As an art major, I love all the colors of the rainbow together. The people of china sure know how to use the colors to create beautiful clothing.

The best part is they handmade ALL the clothes and accessories. Practically everything they sewed. We would see them sitting outside their shops working on a fancy design for their next product to sell. Some parts of their outfit represent what village they are from. So we could just look at what they wore to understand where they were from. It is all simply amazing. Of course I bought a few hand sewn accessories with every color imaginable sewn in. I had too. I don’t know many good sewers in America, not like this.

— Jennifer Felegi, art studio major #HuskyAbroad

Led by Vera Viditz-Ward, professor of art and art history, and Jing Luo, Ph.D., professor of languages and cultures, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent three weeks in China studying language, culture and photography. The group, hosted by Yunnan Normal University, traveled to Kunming, Hekou, Yuanyuang, Mengzi, Dali, and Lijiang, where they had close contact with a variety of ethnic groups and learned about their lives and cultures.

China Today: A beautiful view

Visiting the Chinese markets was a really wonderful and amazing experience. The people selling goods display their colorful items and have them layered on tables, hung from hooks, and even lay them on mats on the ground. They bargain and fan you closer so they can show you all that they have to offer. The air is full of wonderful smells consisting of spices, meats, and fruits. The most exciting experience I had was walking into this area that was covered in cabanas and seeing this middle aged woman holding these ducks in her hand just completely hacking away at the featherless meat. She was quite delighted to see Jenn’s and I’s horrified reactions. As we inched closer her smile got bigger and she swung her meat cleaver like she wanted to cut straight through the table. I politely asked if I could capture a picture of this hilarious moment and she obliged.

Southern China landscape is extremely beautiful and the vegetation varies from tropical plants to pine trees and everything in between. There are great planes that go for miles and then huge mountains that get hidden in the clouds. The color of the Earth ranges from light browns dirt to blood red clays and huge rocks stick out of the ground like shark teeth. It’s just a completely beautiful country that’s nothing like anything I’ve seen in the states. The rivers and lakes switch between and algae greens and mud browns. Even in the winter everything is still green and lush. I really love that the mountains aren’t just a bare rock, there’s plenty of vegetation on and surrounding them. There are an endless amount of crops and fields for planting rice, tea, bananas and other plants.

America has many tasty fruits but I’ve got to say China’s fruit takes the cake. You can see how directly the fruit goes from the tree to the stands. It’s a really wonderful system of selling where you can always get the freshest fruit available for next to nothing price wise. The fruits sold at these markets were unbelievably colorful and delicious. I tried fruits I had never eaten before like Jackfruit and then I had familiar fruits such as pineapple and yet it seemed so much sweeter and more delicious than any other pineapple I had eaten before.

There are always places you visit that you never quite forget and the Terrace Fields took the breath right out of me. You can see these beautiful man made fields go on for miles and then just disappear in the fog of the mountains. Sometimes the sun peaks through the clouds and gives the water a beautiful golden shimmer. The ground is dug out using hoes except for a ridge at the edge to hold the water in so it can nourish the ground for upcoming crops. These sections of water and Earth seem to just go on for forever eventually looking like steep steps of water that just flow into each other. I am one of those people who are completely obsessed with ramen noodles and I’ll never be able to look at them the same way again. I have eaten at a decent amount of Chinese restaurants and tasted delicious noodles but the famous Crossing Bridge Noodles are by far the best noodles I’ve ever tasted. To my surprise we start out the meal with a plate full of ingredients.

A few examples are quail eggs, a variety of meats, veggies, and plenty of spices. Each plate had seven ingredients for us to later put in our scorching hot broth. All of the ingredients get dumped into the hot broth and then the noodles go in last. I couldn’t believe how delicious this dish was, it was absolutely wonderful. There was no way I could’ve eaten it all but if I could’ve trust me when I say if I could have, I would have.

Our visit to the Lake in Mengzi was extremely peaceful and relaxing. The lake is surrounded by parks, food stands, and a small amusement park. It was a beautiful sunny day and delicious smells filled the air drifting away from the food stands selling savory meats and candied fruits. Beautiful gazeebos decorated in the traditional colors and Chinese style are placed in the shade with trees surrounding them. Big yellow duck-shaped boats are rented out and couples paddle out to enjoy the gorgeous day. We also got some great shots of a beautiful building sitting on the edge of the lake that was decorated and had a great view of the surrounding city.

— Jessica Brown, art studio major #HuskyAbroad

Led by Vera Viditz-Ward, professor of art and art history, and Jing Luo, Ph.D., professor of languages and cultures, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent three weeks in China studying language, culture and photography. The group, hosted by Yunnan Normal University, traveled to Kunming, Hekou, Yuanyuang, Mengzi, Dali, and Lijiang, where they had close contact with a variety of ethnic groups and learned about their lives and cultures.

China Today: A photographic journey

On my first day in Hekou China, I noticed that there were a lot of stray animals roaming around. While I know that in many European countries animals tend to roam free, I did not realize it would be the same in China. So to me, this was a surprise.

At home, seeing a stray is very uncommon because as soon as they are spotted, they are taken to the pound. We seem to have a very different concept of animals in America than the people of China do. We spay and neuter our animals as well as get them routine vet care. While some of the animals I saw seemed relatively healthy externally, there were a few that it was obvious they were not in the best of shape, and I doubt any are taken for vet care. Another interesting thing that I noted was that every female dog I came across had visible signs of nursing either currently or recently, so the reason for the overpopulation of strays I was noticing throughout the day was apparent.

Seeing all sorts of animals on the street really intrigued me and peaked my interest into shooting on this overcast day. I was still suffering from a bit of jet lag and was very worn out, but animal shots are my favorite to capture and I really enjoyed seeing all of the creatures Hekou had to offer me.

While there were many dogs, I also came across cats, roosters, hens, and I noticed a herd of ten water buffalo on the other side of the river. The roosters were captivating to me. I am not a bird person whatsoever, but the coloring of the roosters was too incredible to not capture.

While some of the dogs seemed to be particularly friendly, the cats did not. They stayed to themselves and had their ears straight out to the sides, a clear sign of unhappiness in a feline. From a photography standpoint, I really enjoyed seeing how comfortable all of the animals were in their surroundings. The cats, for example, hung around some visually interesting architecture.

After seeing so many stray and homeless animals, it was a shock to me to come across two dogs, each having different owners, that were actually leashed and wearing some sort of outfit. After seeing the disconnect many seem to have here to their animals here in Hekou, I was surprised to see some very “American” behavior when it came to dressing up dogs. I feel like this lack of animal obsession was one of the first ways I truly realized how different this culture is from my own, where each pet is pampered and treated as family. I got a sense that most dogs, if “owned” are around to provide protection, and in doing so they are very loyal, but there are very little house pets as we would be used to seeing back in the United States.

Another thing that I noticed about these animals is that they were either very friendly or very timid. Of course, there was not petting allowed due to the lack of veterinary care and the risks that come along with that, but there were a few dogs that came right up to me and there were others that stayed back and kept their distance. I would believe that this has to do with the lack of socialization between the people and dogs here. These distinctions in the animals’ personalities did allow me to capture different types of photographs though, and for that I was very enthusiastic and grateful for.

One of the most fun parts of my day in Hekou was seeing so many people who were very interested in me getting pictures of them. Although there is a language barrier, I have never met a group of people so willing and excited to have me take a picture of them. I am really enjoying that aspect of being in China because I really enjoy portraiture of all kinds. This woman was walking along the pathway of the railway picking plants to bring home. I could not believe how this woman, who had never met us before, would be so accepting of having her photo taken while also inviting all 14 of us back to her home.

Another thing I noticed about these people is that even though they are all working, they were so willing to stop what they were doing for a moment and let us photograph them. I found their pleasant attitude to be very admirable.

Everywhere we went we were hearing hello’s and receiving smiles. If I take anything away from this trip, I want it to be that these people, some the poorest of poor, can live with great attitudes and that is something to really try to emulate back in the states where everyone is too busy to stop and enjoy the things that they do have. After only one day, I can already tell that this is a very welcoming and very hardworking group of people. This man was doing what seemed like very hard labor; moving those large rocks could not have been an easy task. But, even though he was doing this work, he was more than willing to stop and smile for a brief moment to allow us to get some shots of him.

I cannot get over how beautiful the scenery in Hekou was. The colors were so vivid and full of life, just like the people. The landscape was full of visual interest. Just in these photograph alone there are buildings, rock, dirt, greenery, and water. I have never seen so many beautiful things in just one space.

On our way to breakfast, there were many people in the streets preparing food. This woman stood out to me. She was working very hard, but took the time to let our tour guide know what food she was handling. I found her to be such a beautiful person, even though it seems as though she was one of the less fortunate in terms of money in this city. Those people, I feel, were the most kind hearted and welcoming that we dealt with. The difference in the people between here and in America is astounding and it is so refreshing to see. Although we have such a language barrier, I feel very comfortable around these people. I loved the smiles and the waves. I was surprised by how many take the time to know some English. More of these people than I expected were able to say hello. I was very impressed by this because I know that in our country, most people do not take the time to do this for any foreigners.

After a long bus ride up the huge mountain filled with curving roads, we made it to our first destination. With a little bit of hiking, we made it to Quing Ku. This little folk village was filled with people who, to me, were very different from the ones we saw in Hekou in both appearance and personality. These were people who were of a much darker skin tone because of their very hard daily labor outdoors farming in the reservoirs. These people also were very smart and apparently learned at a young age that tourists want to get photographs and that for that to happen, the tourists must pay. I appreciate their understanding, but it also made it difficult. A lot of them seemed greedy and would not only take two or three yuan.

One woman was given twenty yuan and still wanted more. I understand and respect that they need to survive, but for us on a photography tour of China it was a little disheartening because that is not exactly how I want to spend my money while I am here. Although the people were like this though, I was able to get a few good shots in the folk village.

One other thing I noticed right away was how all of the women were doing the work. The men were always sitting around either talking, smoking, or playing cards. It seemed very unfair to me, but I do understand that it is the tradition of this new world I am in. Another thing I noticed which I did not think was fair was that the parents, seeing that there were American tourists in the village, dressed their children up in traditional clothing knowing we would want to take pictures and then asking us for money after. I was able to come across a little girl who seemed very interested in me. She loved getting her picture taken and loved it more when I would show her. I noticed that after I stopped taking photos she started to hang on me a little. Her mother, seemed okay with the photographs and did not as for compensation, which is why I was taking shots. It was only when an older woman came over that they started asking, They were relentless. It was an interesting experience though and I was happy to see a different side to the people. They were still as friendly as those in Kunming and Hekou, but these people knew that we could provide some of their livelihood and they were not afraid to ask for it.

After touring the folk village and doing a little shopping, we went to Tiger Mouth to watch the sunset. While there, I realized that I was staring at one of the most beautiful places I will ever see in my life. I felt so lucky to be on this trip as I took in the absolutely breathtaking scenery. I wished that the sunset could have been a little bolder, but there was some dense cloud coverage so the light reflections off the water were not as strong as they could have been. However, I did notice a change in the coloring of some of the reservoirs.

While the view from all the way up top was incredible, I found my favorite part of the day was making the trek down the 300 stairs to see it from that lower angle. While both positions were panoramic, I really enjoyed the lowest level off to the left hand side. Even though what we were looking at was the same concept as what we saw earlier on in the day, it was magnified ten fold.

There were so many more of the reservoirs that were so much closer together, and looking at them from so high up versus being right on top of them made all the difference in my opinion. I thought they were beautiful straight on, but could not have imagined I would have seen such a beautiful sight just by being high up on a mountain overlooking them. I really enjoyed the ones with red in them. The reds and the greens looked so beautiful together. The colors were really just spectacular. I could not have imagined a better way to end the day. I wish we could have gone back to see the sunrise, because maybe then the cloud cover would not have been so dense and the reds could have truly come out on the water. Although we did not get that opportunity, I was happy with what we saw the evening before.

The Bisezhai railway station, built by the French Government in 1910, became a major way to export goods such as copper, phosphate, tin, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. I found it to be a very interesting environment and also very different from the railway station we encountered in Hekou. Instead of all of the greenery surrounding the Old Railway Station in Hekou, the Bisezhai railway station in Mengzi was much more of a barren and abandoned environment.

I enjoyed how the train tracks were one meter wide. I really like the wider rails versus the thinner ones. The railway also allowed for easy transport for the people from country to country and city to city, so I found this fascinating as I really like when innovation occurs.

One thing I was very happy to see today, which was pointed out to me by Mr. Nixon, our tour guide, was that the old rail master was sitting beside the rails. I found out he was the rail master of this station for sixteen years (1970-1986) and even though he is now retired, he still comes to sit.

This just really put a lot into perspective for me in terms of how this culture works and how dedicated they remain to their jobs. Even though this man has not been rail master for 29 years, there he sat looking content as ever. I could not believe that at first. But seeing how hard these people work on a daily basis, I could see why he was so attached to this place. It was a beautiful sunny day and I am sure he just felt bliss sitting there watching everyone visit the place he was rail master over for so many years.

Coming to China, I expected to see a lot of pagodas. Everything I have ever seen on China either featured dragons or pagodas, so I was surprised that that was not the case. But today, we finally saw some. They were so beautiful and more than I ever could have expected. Pictures do not do them justice. I could not believe the intricate detailing that is on them and the colors are so vivid and beautiful. I also really appreciate the shaping of them based on an architectural standpoint. I love interesting and unique looking buildings and pagodas definitely fit that. Seeing some of the lower class buildings from the bus and then seeing these amazing architectural feats shocked me because it was like day and night. I felt like I had gone from one world to another in a short forty minute bus ride. I think my favorite thing about them is the pointed edges and the detailing that can be seen if you were to stand underneath and look up towards the roof. The colors also really stand out to me because I am drawn to bright colors. I loved that these pagodas were built around the South lake because I just believe it enhanced their beauty as the sunlight bounced off of the water and reflected highlights and created shadows.

Today while in Bisezhai on the bus going to the railway station I noticed something that made me second guess what I was seeing. I noticed almost every dog I saw out the window was wearing a collar. I did not think too much of it as we continued on our way, but then once we got the the French gardens and I noticed a pet shop it clicked. This area of China seemed to have a bit of a different view on their animals, especially dogs.

Upon going into the pet shop, myself, Vicky, and Natalie came upon puppies as well as older dogs for sale. The shop also had harnesses, leashes, and dog houses. This to me was so different than the experiences I had in Hekou and Yuanyang when it came to animals. In those cities, dogs roamed free and nobody really bothered with them. But on the bus I noticed the dogs had collars and I even saw a young boy rubbing the stomach of a dog and playing around with it.

This type of interaction felt right at home for me as this is how we treat our pets. The biggest thing that shocked me though was that they had a pet store. I really thought that people just found dogs on the street and maybe fed them to lure them to their homes or out to the fields with them. I had no idea that they could be bought. While these dogs were not in the absolute best of conditions, they still seemed better off than those just freely roaming the streets. This pet store find was a gem for me though as I learned a new thing about China. I came here not even knowing if animals would be roaming and now I am able to see that some roam freely and some come from shops; it all just depends on what city you are in it seems. Of course being in there made me want to take them all home with me, but it was the surprise of the day for me and I am happy I noticed the pet store so that I could be educated on the fact that this country does indeed sell dogs in stores. If I did not find this place, I would still be thinking that people just found a dog they wanted from the street and brought it home.

One thing I noticed upon my arrival in China that I thought was odd was the amount of clothing I was seeing hanging outside to dry. To me, this seemed odd for several reasons. First, I am not used to seeing people hang their clothing outside to dry, second, it seemed rather counter productive to hang clothes out to dry when the air is filled with dirt and smog, and third, I wondered why, if the Chinese make our clothing dryers back at home, they do not have the dryers here?

I assumed it is a money thing, but was not positive. I know that now that we are back in Kunming we were told of a laundry facility underneath our hotel that does laundry and dries and irons them for you if you desire. Of course, it is for a fee, but that is when I first heard or saw any talk of a dryer.

Although I find it to be odd, I actually really like to look at the clothing here. It is interesting to see the variety that people hang. In Hekou, I really only noticed typical clothing, but on our second day back in Kunming where the sun was shining and the weather was warm, I noticed the workers uniform seen above, normal clothing, and undergarments for the first time. While I still find it to be odd that they make dryers and do not really use them, it seems to resonate with other things I have noticed that they make but do not use. Although China is a superpower and the leading manufacturer of basically everything that we use in American society, they seem to me, to be somewhat behind in terms of what they have. I would think it is because they cannot afford to own these things themselves, but the concept just seems very foreign to me.

Regardless of the reasonings behind why they do not have the modern luxuries that they make, I love looking at the clothing hanging and I think each line of clothing has its own story. Village clothing is very different from the clothing we see in the city, and it has been different places and been on people doing different tasks. So I really like seeing it, it is just that it seems so weird to me to hang them.

— Angela McCavera, art history major #HuskyAbroad

Led by Vera Viditz-Ward, professor of art and art history, and Jing Luo, Ph.D., professor of languages and cultures, a group of Bloomsburg University students spent three weeks in China studying language, culture and photography. The group, hosted by Yunnan Normal University, traveled to Kunming, Hekou, Yuanyuang, Mengzi, Dali, and Lijiang, where they had close contact with a variety of ethnic groups and learned about their lives and cultures.