Liam Bailey- Experience China, Huangshi, China

Experience China, 2023

“An incredible cultural and linguistic experience like no other.”

Memorable moments

Everyone sitting together at dinner was always a good time.

Going out at night to explore or go to the shops. Everything was so different compared to at home and it always presented opportunities to practice our Mandarin.

All the sightseeing we did was memorable, especially the great wall of China and the Buddhist temple.

Cultural differences

Ulster University (Belfast Campus) is more visually aesthetic. However Hubei Normal University has huge grounds and much more greenery.

There were very few other foreigners and the toilets were often not what we are used to. The housing is very different in China; they tend to live in tall apartment blocks. Everything was really cheap and people were very friendly and accommodating.

Challenges during the trip

Not many people apart from our tour guides, volunteers and friends at the University could speak English. So we often had to try and speak Mandarin, which was great for practising. My Mandarin improved a lot because of it.

I enjoyed most of the food, but it is very different from what we have back home in NI. I went out of my comfort zone and tried blood tofu. Which was not so bad, and was similar to what we have such as black pudding.

Jet lag was difficult the first few days of the trip, but after have a couple good nights of rest I felt like I had reset my body clock.

Meeting new people and making friends

Many people were often curious about us and wanted to know where we were from and if we could speak Chinese.

There's one memory I love to think back on; when I was practising for my upcoming performance (Kung Fu for Chinese Bridge Comp in London) in the hotel gym, a Chinese lady was doing her laundry in the laundry room next door and stopped to watch me practice. She clapped her hands and said in Mandarin how it looked good. She then offered me some advice and tips, I could just about understand some of what she was saying. I was happy that with 8 months of Mandarin, I could tell her where I was from and what University I studied at and ask her if she did Kung Fu too, it was a random but great memory for me.

Traveling and experiencing the country

We visited many sites while in Huangshi, Wuhan, Yichang and Beijing. The Great Wall of China is a must see in China, same for the Forbidden City; Visiting Buddhist Temples is a very unique experience and tasting as much of the food as you can.

Advice

Spend time studying the language and local events, customs and some politics to be as prepared as possible. It will be even easier to make friends when you can speak some of the language as its always appreciated by locals, and they will always be helpful and accommodating.