Written by: Danielle Rateau

This past July, I was presented with an incredible opportunity – my uncle, Matthew, and my cousin, Madison, were traveling to China to volunteer at a children’s camp, and they wanted me to join them! I had previously lived and taught English in Spain, so they knew I would be able to come up with various games and activities that would allow the kids to learn English in a fun and interactive way. The trip would last ten days – one week at the camp in Nanjing and three days sightseeing in Beijing…I didn’t think twice about accepting their offer and I was thrilled with the opportunity to discover China’s culture and food first hand!

We left on the evening of July 17th and arrived in Nanjing 2 days later, worn out from the long flight but eager to push past our jet lag and start exploring. After meeting Jay and Joyce, two Chinese students who would be our “guides” (and translators) for

the week, we went to lunch…and my first experience with true Chinese food did not disappoint! There were so many amazing vegetarian dishes made with yam, pumpkin, broccoli, cucumber, seaweed…the list goes on. Everything was fresh and healthy, and there were tons of options. We ordered a multitude of dishes to be shared amongst the entire group, which is common practice in China, and although I don’t eat it, fish and duck is very popular…my uncle even ate a fish eye! Desserts included fried bananas and green tea yam cakes that Jay called ‘mo chas’, which were sprinkled in toasted sesame seeds. Overall, it was one of the most unique and tasty meals I’d had in a long time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our time after lunch was spent shopping, exploring the area around our hotel, planning for the camp, and finally, having more food. Suffice it to say that by the time we went to bed that night, I was exhausted, but so excited for the coming week!

I wish I could give a detailed account of every day that followed, but this would become a very long post. Instead, I’m going to break it down and tell you about what I consider to be the most important/defining aspects of my trip: the children’s camp, the food, and (of course) all the amazing sights!

The Children’s Camp

The children’s camp was, without a doubt, the most rewarding part of our trip. Every day we started with an opening song and dance, and the kids were hilarious. I think we really freaked them out at first, but by the end of the week, they had really gotten into it!

The rest of the day was split into four different activities: music, story-time, crafts, and English. The kids themselves were also broken into groups based on age: 4 to 6 (so adorable!), 7 to 10, and 11 to 14 year olds. For many of them, we were probably the first non-Chinese people they had ever seen. Nanjing is not a diverse city, and I only saw a handful of foreign people the entire time I was there. As a result, some of the kids were pretty shy on the first day, but they opened up quickly! The young ones sang to us in Chinese, and we spent time with the older group discussing questions they had about American culture. It was eye-opening to talk about how different our lives are, and I was amazed at some of the questions they asked. One girl even asked me if dowry payments are given to the bride’s family in the United States!

 

I very quickly recognized some cultural differences while doing different activities with the kids. At one point, I asked them to sit on the floor so we could play Duck Duck Goose…they looked at me like I was insane, but they ended up loving the game! That was one of my favorite aspects of the camp – introducing different things to the kids that they had never before experienced, but that they really enjoyed. I loved hearing them sing the different songs we had taught them, and seeing them get excited when we agreed to let them play Musical Chairs “just one more time”.

 

By the end of the week, the kids were posing for pictures, asking to take selfies with us, and even kissing us on the cheek. On the final day, the youngest group lined up and gave us each a “blessing”. My favorite was from a cute little boy with a mohawk, who wished me “even more beauty and health”…so sweet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would have loved to have had a few more weeks teaching and getting to know all the kids. One week was not even close to enough, but I’m so glad I was able to spend that brief amount of time with them. They definitely weren’t the only ones who learned something that week, and I’m so grateful for everything they taught me. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to go back, and maybe even see some of them again…hey, a girl can dream!

The Differences in China’s Culture and Food

Steamed dumplings, spicy grilled eggplant, fried green beans, cucumber salad…these are just some of the amazing dishes I tried in China. The Chinese diet is a dream for vegans and vegetarians, let me tell you. There were so many different types of vegetables available at restaurants…I’ve never had so many different options!

One of the coolest aspects of Chinese dining is that you order a bunch of different dishes and share them; we probably ordered more than twenty different items at some of our dinners! All the dishes are placed on a revolving tray, so everyone can get what they want without having to constantly pass the plates and bowls around the table…pretty convenient!

 

I noticed that a typical Chinese breakfast is a lot different than what we’re used to in the States. It can be anything from rice porridge to various bean, noodle, and vegetable dishes…you won’t find cereal or pancakes on a Chinese breakfast bar!

Another cultural difference – the Chinese don’t order cold water with their meals, no matter how hot it is outside! They always ask for either warm water or tea, and some restaurants don’t even offer regular water!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most interesting things I saw (but didn’t try) was a “Hojicha Earl Grey Jelly Frappuccino” from Starbucks…they seriously love their tea! Another uniquedish I didn’t eat: duck tongues. They’re considered a delicacy…yuck!

During our time in China, there were a few restaurants we visited that really stood out to me. One was a “health food” restaurant with food like “super colorful thick toast” and “odd tofu”, plus some really incredible desserts. Another was a Chinese “hot pot” restaurant, where you are given water/broth, raw meat and/or vegetables, and noodles. The broth is placed on a burner in front of your seat, and you cook all the ingredients yourself. It was actually pretty fun! After everything has cooked, you place it into a dish and mix in the sauce (I ordered peanut sauce). It was amazing!

Overall, I was extremely happy with all of the food I had in China. They’re definitely a lot more health conscious than we are in the US, which was also apparent based on how few overweight people I saw during my time there. I have to say, I wish restaurants in the States offered that many plant-based dishes…my life would be a lot easier!

 

 

 

 

Watch for part two of Danielle’s cultural exploration of China where she shares the amazing and historic sights she visited.