Journey to the East

Thanks to Phoenix Sister Cities I was able to travel back to Chengdu for a second time to play with my mariachi in the Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival. While I was there I was able to visit an area of interest that I had not gotten the chance to visit previously my first time around, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

This system showcased one of the ways in which Chengdu keeps itself sustainable. The system helped keep the area from the floods it had struggled with in the past and redirects all the water to the dry plains of Chengdu. This is the most different example of sustainability that Chengdu has over Phoenix as the desert biome does not allow for the wetland conditions that Chengdu has, for the most part.

Other than that, Chengdu and Phoenix are similar in the way that they recycle. I saw just as much trash and recycling bins in Chengdu as I do in Pheonix. There are some differences though. Some stations will have separate bins for bottles, paper, and waste, while others simply ask for waste and recyclables.

Chengdu is a beautiful city. It is just as thriving and lively as Phoenix but offers so much more with its appreciation of its ancient history. Anyone looking to visit an exotic city that combines its ancient culture and traditions with modern day life should look no further than this amazing city. Living in the city was truly a life-changing experience and I highly encourage everyone to come and visit. Although be warned, the Chinese roads are not for the faint of heart.

And now for a quick promo:

China. What a beautiful country. It’s the perfect destination for that immersive vacation you have been planning for ages now. But with a country so big and so rich in culture, where should you visit?

           The answer is obvious. Come to Chengdu! Want to go shopping? The World Center is the biggest building in the world with a giant shopping mall inside. You can also go for a more cultural approach and visit Wide and Narrow Alley: a beautiful shopping alley full of shops and built in the style of ancient Chinese architecture

           Are you a nature lover? Come and visit the Panda Center: a research center dedicated to Chengdu’s signature attraction, the giant panda. You could also take a road trip up to the Tiantai mountains and visit one of China’s most famous waterfalls.

           Looking to try the local cuisine? Visit a hot pot restaurant and try out the Sichuan Province’s signature spice.

Corn Ice Cream??

Orange juice vending machines!

and as it is translated, a popular summer dessert called Chinese Powder Snow

Without a doubt, my favorite day of the entire trip was the day we went to the Tiantai Mountains to stay in my father’s hotel. The day started with one of the toughest hikes I had ever faced. We hiked all the way up the stairs in the mountains to see a famous waterfall- the Taizhou Shiliang Waterfall. The way up the hike was so humid and steep, but the scenery was so beautiful I just had to keep going. Once we finally reached the waterfall I felt like it had been worth all the effort.

Then we went back to my father’s hotel and taught our counterparts- Jack, Jay, and Lucy- how to play BS. They were nervous at first but after the first game, they caught on and started playing well. This was one of my favorite memories. It was the first time all of us had really started bonding with each other. All of us were at ease, drinking tea, and having fun. Even though it was just a game of cards, I know it’ll be a cherished memory for years to come.

After the card game, we had a giant dinner full of all our favorite dishes and I even got to try Chinese barbeque. After finishing dinner, the six of us went out hiking down the road. On the way back, it was pitch black. We kept walking until we turned on our lights and found out a cat had actually started following us. After almost getting back home, the cat ran off and accidentally jumped off a bridge. Fortunately, it landed on its feet and we were able to rescue him the next day.

After the scare with the cat, we went back to the hotel and sang karaoke for a good two hours. After we sang all our hearts out, we all went into Jay and Salman’s room and played Mario Kart for the rest of the night.

My host family and I get along well. They can only speak a little bit of English, so our interactions are slow and sometimes end in laughter, thankfully Jack has me covered as he can speak better English than they can. My grandfather makes us breakfast every morning and my mom makes us dinner every night. My father has work in the city, so he is only around for days at a time, but whenever he is around he also makes our meals. We always eat dinner together. It is a very funny experience. In China the grandparents or parents are persistent in making sure you eat, so my mother fills my plate every time she sees me eat all my food. I have to eat defensively and tell her no so that she stops giving me food. This is another custom in China and it reminds me of my Mexican grandparents and their never-ending desire to feed me.

The food here is amazing. 

Chinese food in America was always one of my favorites, so I knew I was in for a treat when I would be going straight to the horse’s mouth. Sichuan cuisine is also very spicy. I have never had a meal so spicy in my life, but I still enjoyed it. The spice is more of a sudden build up than a giant hit to your tongue, which I like a lot. They have a signature spicy meal here called the “hot pot” which my peers told me was a must-try in Chengdu. After eating it, I can say they were absolutely right.

I have tried many different things out of the ordinary here in China. I have tried eggplant, duck, tofu, chicken liver, chicken heart, lotus, dragon fruit, and lychee. It has all been delicious. 

I am also amazed at how cheap the noodles we eat for breakfast are. You get a hefty bowl of noodles for about 7 yuan, which is equivalent to about 1 US dollar.

Upon asking Jack what he thought about American food, he told me it was very rich. He is right. The food here in China is more about quantity and quality, as the chopsticks force you to eat slow. Still, I cannot wait to have him try American cuisine, specifically the Arizona-style Mexican food. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to Mexican spice.

Oh and also, Chinese KFC has a combination of fried chicken and pizza called the “cheetza”. We have officially been out-Americaned

I am well into my stay here in Qionglai, but I noticed many cultural differences as early as the first day I got here. Here are some I found very interesting.

1.     Chinese Dining procedure: To start, the food is all in bowls and is put in the middle to share. You have a bowl of rice and chopsticks to your led and the rest is yours for the picking. I really enjoyed this way of dining, it gives you a taste of everything and reminds me of the way we sometimes eat back in America. As soon as I started having my first dinner with my family I could hear everything. The Chinese slurp their food. Back in America, my mom would have killed me for eating like this, but I had read up on this custom beforehand and knew in China it shows that one is enjoying their food. I did not mind the noise and liked the idea of slurping so much that I tried joining in (although I stopped soon after so that I would not pick up the habit and drive my mom in America crazy). The Chinese also spit their bones on the table. It was a little weird to get used to, but after seeing how many bones there are in Chinese food, I realized spitting was a necessity.

2       The kids in China have little to no chores. I noticed this a little while into my stay. Jack and I would get home and hang out for a bit, but afterward, he would go to his room and complete his homework, while his grandfather cleaned the apartment. Coming from a Hispanic family, this was a very big change for me, as having to clean the house was a common occurrence in my home. I do understand why the Chinese have this custom though. With how important they consider school to be, the students need all the time they can to do their homework and study up for class

3       Chinese students are very independent. Since they must live without their parents for so long, the students do not rely as much on their family, yet their connection with them is just as strong. Most of the students’ ambitions are to go to college and get a good job to supply for their family.

Hey there! The name’s Jason. I am:

1. a lover of jigsaw puzzles

2. a huge nerd and lover of all things Nintendo 

3. and a mariachi in training!

I have been selected to be a youth ambassador for the program Phoenix Sister Cities and will have the amazing opportunity of traveling to Chengdu, China later this summer. I have yet to get in contact with my counterpart (who I am very excited to meet) but am still eager to travel to the other side of the world and get a new perspective on life. 

I have only been to Mexico before with my little sister and am very excited to see how different and how similar people in a whole nother part of the world live. 

I am a big fan of the culinary arts and am looking most forward to trying out some authentic Chinese food. Also, taking a look at one of Chengdu’s more popular attractions, the Chengdu Panda Base, will probably be pretty cool as well. 

I am really not looking forward to the 14-hour flight from San Fransisco to Chengdu... Yikes. Thankfully my schoolwork will help keep me from losing my mind while I’m flying to Chengdu. Another thing I am very wary of is the humidity in Chengdu. I’ve been built to withstand the burning inferno known as Phoenix, but the fact that its incredibly dry over here is what helps me survive. Chengdu is a pretty cool place considering their highest temperatures during the summer are in the high eighties, but that 90% humidity is what is going to be the end of me. I’m sure I’ll make it through, but I get the feeling it will be one of my greatest challenges during my stay.

That’s it for now. I have only two weeks until my departure and I cannot wait for this life-changing event to come. 

See ya around!