Today we took the opportunity of some down time on our bus trip from Kunming to Dali to reflect on our thinking at around the half way mark of the trip. We used the thinking routine, ‘I used to think, now I think’ and reflected on some of the big ideas covered in the CUE program – sustainability, tourism, social values, personal values, helping others, independence, team work, wealth, diversity, culture, identity and government.
I used to think that when we arrived in China there would be a huge language barrier between us and the local people. I thought that it would be extremely difficult to communicate effectively.
Now I realise that China has come far in accepting Western culture and many of the citizens can speak English comfortably. It made shopping and interactions really easy as I could understand what was being said.
– Alec Maccora
I used to think that the air pollution problem in China wasn’t as widespread and serious.
Now I realise the adverse effects human activities have on both the environment and the people who live in it. The smog reduces the visibility of major landmarks and tourist attractions, dampening the overall experience of this great country.
– Aida Cha
I used to think each temple would be unique and completely different from the previous
Now I think they’re all quite similar although with different colours. They are still cool though.
I used to think the people in China would be very busy and maybe slightly rude.
Now I know they are all quite friendly and they like to photobomb tourist’s photos.
– Chloe Chin
I used to think that the people in China lived in a similar class distribution to back home and that only miniscule amount of people would be in poverty because of the large economy.
Now I realise that the majority of people are in the lower classes and there is a large class divide between the upper and lower classes. This class divide was quite evident as we made our way up the east coast, some of the places we visited were quite needlessly expensive and were obviously meant for tourists and rich residents of China. This contrasted places like the Farmers Market who need to work hard for the money they earn and the Home for the Children of the Incarcerated who are in a constant struggle to have enough money to live.
– Michael Terjung
I used to think that Chinese people were closed and introverted as a whole culture.
Now I see that everyone accepts each other and there is always room for foreigners like us. People have opened their homes to us openly which is less common in our own society.
– Shaya Zehtab
I used to think that there were only a few types of Oreos, regular and occasionally chocolate. There would occasionally be the strange interesting variant but that was extremely rare.
Now I see the truth, Oreos come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and flavours. I always knew there were Oreos that weren’t released in Australia, but not to this scale. Wafer, passion fruit, birthday, Mango-orange, Green tea, ice cream and so many more. My eyes have finally been opened after discovering this.
On a more serious note…
I used to think that the pollution in China wouldn’t be that different then what we see in Australia.
Now I think that the pollution is about as bad as some of the statistics may have you believe. It was very easy to notice as soon as we landed in China. The air feels somewhat thicker and harder to breathe, although you do get used to it. On some days its hard to see due to the smog. A few days ago when we went to see the Terracotta Warriors I had no idea that there was a mountain in the distance until someone pointed it out. Many people are stating that air pollution has decreased significantly in recent years, if true I wonder how bad it was then. This is quite different then in Melbourne where the air is significantly clearer.
– Riley Moller
I used to think that a lot of the Chinese population were poor and would take things from others.
Now I have realised that even thought lots of the population is poor that most care about others and share what very little they have as they did in the ancient times of China. I also have realised the importance the place on having very strong relationships with their families.
– Sam Howard
I used to think that Chinese people were just a bit rude and inconsiderate in the way they do certain things.
Now I know that there is a reason. They are like this because there is such a big population in China and that often there have been times in China, particularly when there was economic instability, that there hasn’t been enough for everyone.
– Elizabeth Moskal
I used to think that the air pollution in China was extremely bad and there was no blue sky.
Now I know that the air pollution in China isn’t as bad as what I thought although, it is still a little polluted. It’s hard to see some of the landmarks and tourist attractions at time but overall the air pollution in China hasn’t been as bad as I thought originally.
– Isabella Hall
I use to think that China wasn’t that different to our culture, and that there wasn’t so many areas consumed in poverty.
Now I have seen how there is a lot of poverty in China and their middle class is not as big as Australia’s. I saw this when we went on a bike cart through Hutong. It exposed us to a lower class culture and how they live compared to how we live. Also seeing so many people begging on the street and selling cheap objects was very surprising.
– Hannah Perkin
I used to think that China would have a culture that would not relate well to Australia and thought I wouldn’t be able to identify any customes or traditions we share.
Now I see that even with major differences in the way they live and work we can still be connected through activities such as shopping, watching entertainment, and sharing meals. We also see simalar brands that I did not except to see such as Starbucks and Pizza Hut.
– Callum Ferguson
I used to think that China had terrible air pollution and that it was a serious problem.
Now I think looking outside the window of our bus as we travel to Dali that it isn’t all that bad in the outer regions and that not all people are effected by the issue of air pollution.
– Maddi James
I used to think that Chinese culture wasn’t very influenced by modern day society.
Now I think different parts of China are influenced and directed in different ways. For example, whilst on the Hutong rickshaw ride I noticed that the people we saw live life based on their own traditions and beliefs, however, other parts Beijing show heavy influences from modern societies outside of China.
– Adriana Pinirou
I used to think that all areas of China were similar to each other in culture as I had never been to those places in China.
Now I think that the individual provinces in China each have a different culture. For example in Beijing there was the Beijing Opera which was exclusive to Beijng only and in Xian we watched the dancing show which was only native to Xian. This clearly shows that each different place in China is home to a different culture.
– Daniel Zhou
I used to think that the people in China would keep to themselves and rarely interact with the many tourists that visit.
Now I think that the Chinese people are very friendly. Whenever we go to a new place the people there always warmly greet us. Many people also want to take pictures with or of us, which I find quite funny.
– Synnoeve Undhjem
I used to think that the large population of China would be quite noticeable, especially in the larger cities such as Beijing or Xi’an.
Now I realise that the large amount of Chinese people is not as recognisable as they are very dispersed throughout the country. Personally I would consider the amount of people in Beijing similar to the amount in Melbourne aside from the traffic (however that is just my opinion).
– Josh Seddon
I used to think that China and the Chinese culture was very strict and still very deeply effected by the communist regime.
Now I think that China is substantially more relaxed than I anticipated. The current dictatorship takes exceptional care for government workers, healthcare, insurance, housing, security etc. The traffic in most cases is fairly congested but this can be expected with 1.4 billion people. There are people begging on the street including some limbless people. China has exceptional healthcare for government workers and I believe the Government must invest more into reducing poverty and giving those in need the healthcare they need.
– Arie Gershon
I used to think that China was a strange place and that Chinese people would be rude to the tourists visiting China.
Now i think it is a calm place where everyone is polite and kind. They are fascinated by us and many of the people wanted to take pictures with us. I found this very funny.
– Paul Bourke
I used to think that China was crowded, over-populated, had lots of pollution and horrible traffic.
Now I think China is fascinating with its rich history and culture diversity. Sitting in the bus looking out the window you really notice how different it is compared to Australia. The architecture, engineering and lifestyle is very strange to what I’m used to. Honestly I think that this trip is one of the best experiences in my life so far I am always interested in seeing history and China has plenty of it! The Great walk of China, Terrorcotta Warriors and museums really interest me. China is very similar to Russia so I am loving this place.
– Timofey Alexandrov
Before I went on the Big Experience, I used to think that China was a country that was over populated and polluted beyond compare.
Now I think that China has realised its mistakes and are doing the best they can to get rid of those mistakes. Right now I can see blue sky which is suppose to be something that has zero chance of occurring in China. This proves that despite everything they have been through China is a country that is going through massive change so they can become a more self sustaining country than they have been.
– Matthew Rassias
I used to think that China was just an overpopulated country with air that is worse than smoking.
Now that I have experienced the city and learnt some of the history, I feel that the country is very rich in culture. I have also found that the Chinese are much less exposed to the social world, as their internet is very restricted. I think that if they actually became more exposed to social networking sites, their society would change immensely, and people would start thinking more critically and questioning more aspects of their society’s norms. I also found out that lots of people smoke which makes me really annoyed because their country is already incredibly polluted.
– Rebecca Forest-Gabbe
I used to think that China consisted mainly of only a few major cities and that the rest of the country was largely unpopulated.
I now know that there are many cities with populations exceeding that of ones in Australia. Cities that are considered small or of less significance are often even more populated than Melbourne. Even though there is a large amount of people in China it is also not as busy as I expected. Although the streets and roads and noticeably a little crowded, it is nothing compared to what one would imagine, having a 1.4 billion population.
– Bridget Armitage
I used to think that China was just another country following the stereotypical example set by westerners. With a population of over 1.35 billion they have large cities with populations in the millions and mass amounts of pollution.
Now I know that in many ways the Chinese people have rejected the western ways and choose to follow their own beliefs and traditions. In doing so it is exciting for them to see people from other countries and they love asking for photos. I also found out that their people have a mix of wealthy people and those in poverty. It is a confronting thought to learn that there are some people without limbs and money. I have also found their pollution worse than I thought. Today would be the first sunny day we’ve seen since we arrived. Normally we can see easily in Melbourne but here the sky is often covered by smog.
– Zac Gordon
I used to think that in Chinese cities that it was very technologically advanced and quite secure.
Now I know that the living standards are quite low for many of the Chinese people. The streets have a lot less police and soldiers than I was expecting. The news made it look like there are tones of soldiers on the streets and that China is much more strict than it actually is.
– Hamish Rhodes
I used to think that there was going to be sunshine in Beijing.
Now I know there is not always sunshine in the big cities of China. When we arrived in Beijing there was a thick layer of smoke, smog and Pollution.
– Nikolas Aisimoudis
I used to think that the living standards of the Chinese people was really good and a lot of people lived in residences that were of a high standard.
I now know that it is very hard for Chinese people to get a high level of accomodation in the big cities. It takes ¥10 Million to afford a small shack-like house in Bejing City.
– Finlay Hendricks
I used to think that Beijing was an absolute gridlock of cars and buses and that no one could get anywhere in a reasonable time.
Now I know that whilst there is a large amount of traffic, it seemingly is well funnelled and there have yet been no extreme delays.
