The first month and Mid-Autumn festival
On 3rd September I boarded my flight to Beijing (北京), something I’d been anticipating for so long and the time had finally come. It felt very surreal to be leaving family, friends and home to go on a year abroad to study Mandarin at Tianjin Normal University. Saying goodbye to my loved ones was very difficult but I knew I was embarking on the trip of a lifetime so as much as it was sad to say goodbye, I was excited to start a new chapter. We had two flights to Beijing, our first being Edinburgh to Heathrow and our second Heathrow to Beijing. In total it took around twelve hours to get there. We landed at 9AM in Beijing airport where we had the task of finding our luggage and way out the airport. The last leg of our journey was a three hour bus ride to Tianjin (天津).
After arriving I didn't feel like I was in China(中国), it was very surreal after talking about it for so long and preparing everything to go, it was finally happening and we had arrived. The first few days consisted of us exploring the city and finding things like supermarkets, places to eat and working out how to use the subways. Life is very different in China, but I've fallen in love with the city. Everyone is very talkative even though I don't know what they're saying it’s comforting to know they want to engage in conversation, especially in a city that can seem so intimidating with its high-rise towers and busy streets.
On 8th September we were invited to the main campus for a showcase to celebrate the university’s 60 year anniversary. There were many dances and singing acts and it was visually stunning with their intricate costumes and dances. I did however find the music a little too soothing and accidentally had a fifteen minute nap. The showcase was very special and I really enjoyed watching it.
This month has gone very fast as we've had so much to do but also feels like a long time ago I said bye to my family. This month we've had to set up banks (which I've only just managed to do), get medical checks and sort our residence permit which allows us to stay in the country till the end of July 2019. This was all quite stressful as it’s difficult to communicate as very few people speak basic English but it was an adventure and we always made a good day out of it.
The food in China is amazing. Coming out here I was worried about eating as I can be fussy at home but I've found I've loved everything I've had and it’s so cheap which makes you love it a little bit more. For a big meal you can get it as cheap as 10 yuan which is around £1! My favourite food so far has been jianbing, a traditional Chinese street food. It’s usually consumed for breakfast but I usually have it for lunch or dinner as it’s so filling.
On Friday 21st September our school gave us the afternoon off University and threw a ceremony to celebrate the mid-autumn festival (中秋节). There were songs, dances, games and we even showed them a bit of Scottish dancing! They let us try on their traditional outfits and we made lots of new friends. During Mid-Autumn festival they eat a lot of mooncakes. This is a very important part of the festival as it holds so much meaning and is given to friends and family. I received one from my gym as well as a free water bottle! I’ve really enjoyed most of the mooncakes I tried, just a few weren't to my taste.
So far I'm really enjoying Tianjin (天津) and adapting well to life here. There have been a few hiccups on the way but it wouldn't be an adventure without them. It’s begun to feel like home more and more everyday and I can’t wait to see what the next few months bring.
Jodie Murray 朱迪