Student Voices - Megan and Lelesse

Lelesse with a beautiful hand-painted (by a Huaxia student) gift

One of our junior delegation members, Lelesse, is considering a career in medicine. For this reason, she asked if she could visit a Chinese hospital while we are here. Her host mother, a nurse, arranged for a brief hospital tour and here is what Lelesse had to say about the experience:    

There were two noticeble differences between American and Chinese hospitals that I observed during the short time I spent at the Chinese hospital. First, the standards of cleanliness are very different. I wondered if it would take patients longer to recover in a Chinese hospital. Secondly, the Chinese hospital seemed more convenient and accessible than an American Hospital. For example, everything is in one place - the pharmacy was only 10 feet from the doctor's office!

My most significant observation was that the Chinese use and accept both modern Western and traditional Chinese medicine. They are accepting of other countries' methods but they also remain true to their original traditions and beliefs. I am so grateful for this insightful learning experience!!





Megan thanks her sisters at Huaxia during our farewell

 Megan is one of our seniors and an accomplished and excellent speaker of Chinese (despite what she may say). She has been to China in the past so we asked her - How does this experience compare with your other trip to China?

Last summer I had the privilege of coming to China with the organization "Me to We", a Canada-based group which facilitates trips for teens to work in impoverished communities all over the world. That trip was an eye-opening look into the conditions in which so much of China's population lives. However, in a way, we were still in a bubble of English-speakers from similar backgrounds. Before coming on this trip, I could never have imagined what it would be like to be on my own, living in someones home with limited language skills and little concept of what life in Beijing is really like for these Huaxia students. But in a word, it's been amazing. Even though this is my fourth year studying Chinese, I could hardly even come up with "Ni Hao" (hello) upon meeting my host family! It was as though I had forgotten everything and five minutes in the car with my Chinese family was all it took to prove what little Chinese I know! ... This is the first time I've put my Chinese to use and have seen the results of my practice...

Another thing ... I've never had hosts so attentive to me!! I've practically forgotten the sensation of hunger! ... I've been so blown away by the kindness and hospitality of my family - and everyone else I have encountered here! It's been incredible getting to see how a girl my age in a similar school and family lives on the other side of the world. I have some amazing memories to bring home with me !