Rich culture, exotic foods & beautiful scenery are among the things China can boast of. It is always a privilege to experience another culture and I can confidently say the Chinese culture is among one of the most unique ones out there.
I have had the privilege to study in China for the past 4 years. It has honestly been a mixture of emotions like most experiences usually are, some good some frustrating.
I can’t talk about China without talking about the food. As a foodie, it is no surprise I have fallen in love with Chinese dishes.
From the rich flavor in their foods, to the spices, down to the variety of teas they indulge in, I can simply say I love it all.
However there are certain foods I am still unaccustomed to such as black tofu and live sea food.
I found myself in China with the purpose of furthering my education. I always loved the quality of education as well as the studious nature of most Chinese and as such my decision to pursue my university studies in China. Whiles some argue about the quality of education in China, I do think it is good with the only limitation being inadequate teacher student communication due to language barrier as students are from all walks of life around the globe whiles local teachers express themselves better in Chinese as opposed to English that most expatriates speak. Often this can lead to some degree of frustration on the teacher’s part, as they sometimes cannot explain content adequately. On a whole, I think China has been an amazing place for me to study.
Culture! Culture! Culture! China is brimming with culture. China has a rich history, beautiful scenery and an amazing language.
There are a lot of beautiful cities and towns in China, each with its own distinct culture and history, similar to our own homeland Ghana. In the city where I was studying, Jingzhou, we have an amazing statue of the Chinese God of war, Guan Yu, which is one of the largest bronze statues in the world. Among this amazing tourist site are other beautiful sceneries and tourist sites such as the daunting glass bridge in Zhangjiajie, the Terracotta army found in the Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Park, the beautiful Ice castle in Harbin, and the famed Great Wall of China, which is one of the 7 Wonders of the modern world. I recommend visiting at least one of these places if you ever have the opportunity to visit China.
The language is another thing I absolutely love about China. Complex though their language may appear, the Chinese language is actually quite easy once you get the basics down. I especially love the written characters. Contrary to popular opinion, I find the characters easier to learn than the spoken Chinese. The tones tend to give me a hard time. China truly has a beautiful culture.
Like most situations, there are good and challenging aspects to everything. Amidst the beauty and fun in China, there are also a number of challenging issues I, as well as most foreigners, particularly people of color, have to deal with, the predominant one being racism and discrimination. As is evident in a lot of parts of the world, people of color tend to face the most discrimination, and the same holds in China. This is not to say that this is the norm or directive from the Chinese government or leaders. Some Chinese sadly tend to discriminate and be racist towards foreigners. Some do not want to offer their services to foreigners, particularly people of color. As I have stated, this isn’t the norm, but these actions tend to tarnish the name of the Chinese people. Racism and discrimination continues to be a major problem in the world, and this is the major problem foreign students tend to face when they step in foreign land. Some students may not have experienced these challenges, and I really hope they never do because it is not a pleasant feeling, but I must say that has sadly been my experience on a number of occasions.
It probably seems like I have been gushing, but allow me one last time to just mention another aspect of China I absolutely love, and that’ll be the healthy lifestyle. One of the many things I learnt from my mum is the habit of drinking tea. This was enhanced upon my stepping in China. Name whatever kind of tea you want and I can bet you will find it in China. From jasmine tea, to oolong tea, to green tea, Chinese drink all kinds of tea. Coupled with their healthy meals and meal times as well as healthy habits such as constant forms of exercise, the average Chinese lifestyle is quite healthy. I have absolutely fallen in love with this and I’m sure this is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life, because after all isn’t being healthy always a goal for everyone.
Sino-Ghanaian relations refer to the current and historical relationship between the Republic of Ghana and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As this year marks 60 years of the Diplomatic Relations with China, it is important we acknowledge the strong and beneficial bond established due to the Sino- Ghana relations. Over the years, this relationship has been shaky and encountered a lot of issues. It is my opinion however, that we shouldn’t hold on to these issues and disregard China as well as the Chinese. From my experience, the Chinese as a whole are lovely people. There are a number of issues that one may face in China, but China is a lovely place and it will be beautiful to see the constant flourishing of the Sino- Ghana relations. We are both lovely nations and we both have a lot we could learn from each other. I have loved my stay in China and if you’re looking for a place full of culture and a rich history as well as amazing and exotic food, I highly recommend you visit China.
Daniella Kafui
Medical Intern