Life in Someone Else's Shoes

As an international teacher, my main goal (other than teaching and making valuable connections with students and other teachers, of course) was travelling. Coming to China was my first time ever in Asia. Crazy, right? And as a Canadian, there are some big differences between Canada and China. Not just the landscapes, but the technology, mannerisms, holidays, and the number of people! But that’s not what this post is about.

This blog is about my first ever trip within China for Chinese New Year. A trip I definitely look back on very fondly.

It all started when a friend of a friend invited me to come back to her hometown for Chinese New Year. I had met her once, which I guess was enough for her to vet me as someone appropriate to bring home to her parents. I obviously made sure to ask if she was serious multiple times because, if so, no take backsies.

Now picture this. I’d met this girl maybe twice before meeting her family. I knew her family didn’t speak English. Everyone has different traditions, even within the same culture, but outside of that, I had no idea what their traditions looked like. I was excited to find out but wanted to be sure not to offend anyone.

So, I took a seven-hour high-speed train, got picked up by her family, got some street food, and got set up in my hotel. I met her mum (sweetest woman on the planet). She welcomed me with a hug. She spoke very little English, but with both of us trying our best, we got by okay.

My trip was great. I ate foods I didn’t even know were an option (pig’s feet, pigeon, turtle eggs, goose, etc.). I learned a Chinese card game, went to karaoke, went to two wedding receptions, had a full body massage, and more.

My favourite part was going to my friend’s uncle’s home for dinner. I couldn’t speak much, but I tried to take everything in. You’d be surprised how much you can pick up based on body language and context. By the end of the dinner, the host said (in Chinese, which had to be translated for me) that he had never had a foreigner as a guest before. He said that he was pleased to have me in his home, that I would be welcome to come back, and that he was honoured to meet me. Can you believe that? He was saying this as if I wasn’t honoured to have been welcomed by people who didn’t know me at all! Remember, this was the uncle of a friend of a friend who was a friend. Not an exaggeration. I was even invited to the friend of a friend of a friend’s wedding!

My trip eventually came to an end, and I went to the airport to catch a flight, only to realise I had booked the wrong day. I had work the next day, it was Chinese New Year, so literally everything was booked. Heads up, spaces fill up as soon as bookings open, so be ready if you want a plane or train ticket.

I was not ready, obviously, and had booked the wrong date. So what to do? Luckily, my friend (I owed her big time for this one) had a solution for everything and got me a rideshare. Driving from Jingzhou to Shenzhen. Estimated journey time: twenty-four hours (sixteen hours without traffic, but eight hours in traffic). With a stranger driving, and a stranger family (a dad, a three-year-old son, and a grandmother). The flights were fully booked for the next three days, so I was out of options.

Until the next morning. We drove straight through the night, stopped at a petrol station for some breakfast, and the car park was packed. The motorway was in gridlock for two hours before we could leave the petrol station. I didn’t believe it would be eight hours straight of traffic until I got home around eight pm.

So, to recap the drive:

• Spent twenty-four hours barely speaking because no one spoke English in the car.

• The three-year-old called me "jie jie" the whole drive, which means "big sister", so that was adorable.

• Got to try some new snacks because the grandmother kept handing me random foods, and I couldn’t say no.

• Got to see some beautiful Chinese landscapes.

• Learned a very important lesson about booking around big holidays in China. Canada’s population is so much smaller, so it’s rarely an issue. China is different. Don’t be stupid next time.

Anyway, I loved my trip. Would I recommend Jingzhou to a friend? I mean, I guess. But it wasn’t the city I loved. It was seeing a glimpse of my friend’s life, seeing a glimpse of another culture, and being welcomed with open arms by strangers who were just happy to meet someone new. Someone different, just like I was with them.

So my recommendation? If a friend invites you to their hometown, say yes. Be open to trying new things, and experience life outside of your comfort zone. Life is much more exciting that way. And at the very least, you will have a story for your mum to laugh at later. Which is exactly what mine did.