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Ok, so even though this is my second blog entry I will introduce the blog in this entry.
The main reason I'm writing the blog is because I have to do blog entries for uni and I'm using this as practice. But it's also a good way to share my experiences as I go and helps me process the experience so I gain more.
The sort of blog entry that I need to write for my uni course will be more than just a diary entry of what I did; it should explore the experience I had in greater depth. So I will try to do that and I require your help to know when I'm only giving facts or when I'm just sounding a bit pretentious.
So wish me luck!
Onto my second blog entry.
Although I just said I will write more than just a diary entry I will give a little dot point summary of what I did for my own reference. But then I will do the actual 'blog' entry and try to keep it to about 200 words as per my uni assignments.
Day 1 and 2
-arrived in Beijing, luggage got lost in transit
-made my way to hotel, met tour group
-had Peking Duck for introductory dinner with group
-next morning went to Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City
-visited Huiling Center for people with mental disabilities
-visited night market for dinner
-went to acrobatic show
The key aspect, our tour leader Dragon told us, of having a really excellent experience on your is not having the right shoes or having the best weather or going to all the most famous places but instead the key to having the best time on tour is having a harmonious tour group.
When there are unpleasant things don't dwell on them. Mention the positive. If you have a disagreement with someone else on tour or a native then act in a way that saves face and avoid conflict. Follow the rules of the country, both legal and cultural.
Harmony is a theme evident in almost all aspects of Chinese culture. It is symbolically represent in many architectural features, not to mention the layout of the architectural features themselves. The belief of the importance of harmony helps explain the unquestioning obedience to the Emperor in the past, and similar obedience to the Party in modern China. Already I have seen many examples of the importance of harmony and I suspect I will see many more.
Luckily everyone in our group (8 people plus 1 tour leader) is very friendly and easy to get along with so I doubt there will be many problems, if any. Unless I keep running a couple of minutes late to everything.
There have been a few moments where I've encountered a bit of culture shock. Mostly traffic. It's not unsafe if you stay close to the locals but pedestrians in Beijing make Brisbane J-walkers look like amateurs. People smoke wherever they want, even inside restaurants sitting next to no-smoking signs. And I imagine by the end of this trip our group will have a special bond relating to Chinese public toilets. You weren't there man, you weren't there.
But on the whole, with the help of Dragon, with the support of each other and with a bit of common sense I believe our stay in China will be one which incorporates the Chinese cultural importance of harmony as a key to a happy life.
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