By JW

March 25, 2017 A Day of Cultural Exchange

By JW

Saturdays can be spent in many different ways—in bed, in bars, in the library, in the classroom, or in idleness, to name a few. But if you come to join us on the East Lake Greenway, it will certainly be a different kind of Saturday—a day of genuine cultural exchange.

March 25, 2017, Wuhan. After the rain kept on drizzling for nearly a fortnight, it’s finally a clear day in Wuhan. With the sun shining in the blue sky, there is breeze floating about in the fresh air above the limpid water of the East Lake and through the trees alongside the Greenway.

In this first outdoor event held by Special Focus (English version), 30 expats and Chinese/ English learners have come to make friends with each other and share their cultures.

On a plot of green grass by the lakeside, youngsters from China, Pakistan, Kenya, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries sat or stood in a circle and introduced themselves in Chinese or English, many of them meeting for the first time.

Some sang songs in different languages, and some showed off their talents. One student could even solve a Rubik’s Cube in seconds. We hear beautiful melodies without knowing the titles or understanding the lyrics, but this apparent lack of understanding doesn’t matter—what really matters is that we opened up to each other and experienced the ultimate gift: turning strangers into friends.

After the initial meeting on the greenway, we went to the dining hall at the Hubei Daily Group. We had a feast of delicious Chinese cuisine while discovering everyone’s different lives in the same city. It was the first experience some of us had tasting bullfrogs (and yes, the dish was unexpectedly tasty). We were also surprised that we were all neighbors, without knowing each other. The consensus was that next time, we will have an ‘international kitchen’ so that each of us can have a taste of everyone else’s nation’s typical dishes.

After lunch, we walked to the teahouse. It was an eye-opener that all of us would have regretted if we had passed up the opportunity. The lady in red, our tea performer, gracefully displayed the basic steps of the Chinese tea ceremony and gave us an unforgettable experience.

With the fragrance of the burning joss stick and the sound of tranquil music in the air, our spirits were quieted down so that we could experience the essence of the different types of tea. The knowledge we gained first-hand was much more impressive than what we may have learned on TV or from a book.

It was a day that we shall never regret—a truly rewarding Saturday. It was a day when we got to learn more of the Chinese culture, as well as other ways of life from around the world.