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Published: January 11th 2011
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Bananas!
好吃! Or simply...yummy! ...and so I guess for those of you who are interested (which would probably only be my mom), I'm taking an intensive language course (that starts at 9:30 Monday through Thursday), Buddhism and Culture (3:30 on Thursday) and an 8-week Sichuan cuisine course (12:30 on Friday). Soon, I'll have three-day weekends to travel!
We toured the school I'll be going to, Minzu Daxue (or Southwest University for Nationalities), a school that was built for the needs of minority students. Because ninety-three percent of the Chinese population is Han, languages and customs of the other fifty-five groups could only easily be met by such universities.
That's precisely
why I decided to study here. It's
perfect for meeting
my needs and interests. And, of course, being an anthropology student, it's only natural to study here.
Chris, a student in USAC who also lived in Chengdu for about two years, is a good contact. He pretty much knows the ropes of where things are, who to call, what to see, and numerous things of Chengdu culture. Apparently, the three largest minority groups in the Sichuan province are Tibetans, Yi (who are actually six different groups, but the government unfortunately grouped them
into one), and Qiang. Of course, there are many more...as China has fifty-five minority groups, and fifty-three groups claim Sichuan as their home.
Anyway, back to Minzu Daxue...the campus is very beautiful. Small, but homey. And there are many places students can hang out. The university has places for laundry, showering, mail, working out...it's wonderful. I'm perhaps in agreement with many when I say Sichuan University is breath-taking when compared to Minzu Daxue; however, I still find it gorgeous. Because everywhere in Chengdu is gorgeous. No, wait...everywhere in
China is gorgeous.
After the tour, we toured Chengdu on a bus. We even stopped for a little bit to walk through Kuan Zhai Xiang Zi, an old-style street filled with food vendors, little shops, stalls, and various services: from messaging your feet to cleaning out your ears!
I also already connected with everyone in the USAC group, but particularly those who are more mature and culture-wise--who have been to places and are serious about learning the culture hands-on. Jonathon, who has been to Tibet, China and many other places, is a note-worthy member, because he is so passionate about different peoples and lifestyles like I am. And, he's
fluent in Chinese and Spanish, to boot. Mandi and Anise are going to Tibet with me...and even though my roommates are only into shopping, I'm going to Thailand with them during a break!
For dinner today, my roommates and I picked random things on a menu, with the limited Chinese that I know (as of now). I did pretty good...we ended up getting really good chicken, and beef with
numbing pepper! It's definately a different kind of "spicy" food that Americans are accustomed to. Your
tongue and lips actually feel numb. No wonder Chengdu is so famous for their food...it's delicious!
Well, my friend Madi and I are going to explore the city, once we're done with tomorrow's classes. I'm so excited to finally get back into the habit of learning Chinese...I just don't want school to start quite yet!
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