Patricia’s experience report from Binzhou
All in all, I think it’s a real shame that there are so many preconceptions in Germany about
the country, when it’s actually well worth a visit.
Patricia
Visiting lecturer in Binzhou
in the Department of Dentistry
All in all, I think it’s a real shame that there are so many preconceptions in Germany about
the country, when it’s actually well worth a visit.
China is completely different from what I had imagined – I’d got a completely different
impression of the country than I’d expected.
My first impressions of China.
I haven’t had any experience of China or East Asia so far. My only trip to Asia to date was two weeks in Bali (Indonesia). My expectations weren’t high, as I’m a very open-minded person. However, I had expected China to be ‘stricter’ or for the people to be more conservative.
Nevertheless, there was a ‘culture shock’ because I quickly realised that you can do everything digitally – really, EVERYTHING. You can order things and get through your daily life without speaking to a single person, which is quite remarkable.
As for the food, I was worried that there wouldn’t be any vegetarian options and that there wouldn’t be any oat milk either. I was surprised – although the food situation is still a bit of a challenge, there are plenty of cafés, some of which are American-inspired. There’s a Starbucks too, and even McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and KFC have branches in Binzhou. Oat milk is also available as an option in virtually every café. What I really like is that everything is super cheap and very tasty. There are also lots of shops serving delicious milk tea.
As for the supermarket, I have to say I’m really surprised that they have such lovely, tasty fresh fruit there. I particularly like red dragon fruit and jackfruit – you really must give them a go! Unfortunately, though, a lot of it is sweetened – or rather, almost everything has sugar added to it – which I’m not too keen on. After doing some research and asking a few locals, I was still able to find yoghurts without conventional sugar, for example (though they do contain sweeteners). I’m also surprised by the stunning sunsets here in China! The sun shines almost every day, even in winter, and the sky is usually clear and cloudless – it’s truly breathtaking!
As for the people, I’m still quite overwhelmed by the fact that I’m often photographed. I don’t mind it, but it takes some getting used to. By nature, people in China seem to me to be rather more reserved, yet at the same time more respectful towards strangers than in other cultures. Generally speaking, you’re left very much in peace here and aren’t often actively approached when you’re out on your own. However, if you’re friendly and actively ask for help, people will always help you. On the other hand, when I was out and about with other Chinese people, I was approached very often and asked about my nationality and my WeChat contact details – perhaps that was
the icebreaker?
My expectation at university was that the students would be dental students, as I am a dentist. However, it turned out that they were dental technology students – in Germany, dental technology is not a degree course, but
a vocational training programme.
My motivation for the project.
I am a very open-minded person who loves engaging with other cultures and enjoys soaking up the atmosphere of the people and the country. I’m also incredibly passionate about dentistry, as it’s my absolute dream job. I love it when other people take an interest in my field of study, as well as my culture and language, and I’m more than happy to share my knowledge with them. I really enjoy interacting with other cultures and I love learning about the local people and educational practices in return, which is why I decided to take part.
The places I visited whilst I was away.
First of all, I was, of course, in Binzhou, where I was studying, and spent most of my time on the grounds of Binzhou Polytechnic College. The campus is incredibly large, with huge buildings, and there are around 20,000 students across the whole university! There are also plenty of sports facilities on campus, such as football pitches and basketball courts, outdoor table tennis tables, gyms, and badminton and billiards facilities, amongst others. I made friends there very quickly, which is surely down to my open and sociable nature. I went to the canteen every day, always with someone else. There’s even a small selection of vegetarian dishes, such as malatang. You can choose fresh vegetables and they’re cooked to order – I was really surprised by this and I’m very pleased, as in German canteens you’re more used to everything being pre-prepared.
All in all, I had a brilliant evening. The next day, I went to Hopson One – a large shopping centre. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time between my departure for the airport and getting up to visit Fortbilden City; otherwise, I would have visited either that or the Temple of Heaven.
On my second trip to China, I went on to spend a few days in Shanghai. The city is very impressive and there’s so much to discover! For example, you can visit the famous Yu Garden or the beautiful Old Town. It’s also well worth visiting the Bund in the evening, as you get a wonderful view of the breathtaking skyline! There’s no shortage of clubs and bars in Shanghai either. There are even a few vegan and vegetarian restaurants, which I really liked. Everything here is quite affordable too. I was also invited by a Chinese vegan woman to a tea ceremony to chat. It was a fascinating experience. During my weekend in Binzhou, I went for a jog on my own through the city and used Amap to find my way around so I could check out a few lovely spots. I visited Zonghai Love Island and enjoyed some stunning sunsets. I also went shopping and spent quite a bit of time at the Wanda Plaza Mall. There are some great shops there, as well as lots of restaurants. I also went to BigPizza there with some Chinese friends – it’s very popular there. It was fascinating to see all the crazy pizza combinations on offer.
After my stay in Binzhou, I travelled on to Beijing for a few days, as my flight back to Germany was from there. I travelled there by train first. I like how safe everything is in China: the station is like a gate at an airport and there are security checks everywhere, so travelling is really very safe for everyone. What’s more, the trains are never late, there’s no jostling on the platform or on the train, and all the seats face the direction of travel – very comfortable!
In Beijing, I booked myself a cheap hotel via booking.com. The room was very small, but had everything you need. The hosts were very friendly and provided me with free water for my trips. I was also given a cup of tea as a welcome. On the first day, I went on a tour of the Great Wall and the Summer Palace. Both attractions are highly recommended. The Great Wall, in particular, was very impressive. In the evening, I went to a shopping centre in the city and had an ice cream at Dairy Queen (the best ice cream in my opinion!) and also met a Chinese woman who had lived in Denmark for 10 years – she helped me with my order. Afterwards, I went to a club or bar (D-Martini Bar & Lounge Beijing), as I was really keen to visit a Chinese nightclub and I love going out to party; back home, I also enjoy going to nightclubs to dance and socialise. There, I met people from other cultures and also a few Germans, all of whom worked for Audi in Beijing.
My life and work on the ground
Life here is definitely much bigger, more cramped, yet also more sprawling than in Germany. The buildings are very large, and even the middle class often live in large high-rise blocks. It’s a bit of a contradiction in terms: on the one hand, everything is very strictly timed (i.e. there are fixed break times that must be adhered to down to the minute, and being late is generally frowned upon); on the other hand, everyone is constantly glued to their mobile phones. Mobile phones, especially social media, are omnipresent here. Without Alipay and WeChat,
everyday life simply wouldn’t work. You pay for everything with the app, and all communication with students and lecturers also takes place via these apps. Nevertheless, in my opinion, you get the feeling almost everywhere in China – regardless of the job – that people put their heart and soul into what they do, have a positive attitude to work and are always friendly.
My impressions from China.
China is completely different from what I had imagined – I’d got a completely different impression of the country to what I’d expected. What I find particularly striking is that it’s so very different from how the media in Germany portray the country and its people. Everything is presented in the media as being so ‘strange’ and odd. I didn’t get that impression at all. On the contrary – I’m thrilled by the variety in the supermarkets, the street food, the sights in Beijing and Shanghai, and certainly by the friendliness of the people here. Although the Chinese are very discreet and not at all pushy, they’re always more than happy to help as soon as you ask someone for assistance. What’s more, the trains here – unlike those in Germany – are very punctual and very comfortable! Everything is superbly organised; there’s even a security check at every station, so travelling is safe for everyone. I really miss that in Germany. There’s always a sort of strange atmosphere at German stations, which isn’t the case at all here in China. All in all, I think it’s a real shame that there are so many prejudices about the country in Germany, when it’s actually so well worth a visit!
