“Ni Hao Me Neu” were a few of the first words I heard as I stepped off the13 hour flight into the -10 degree weather in Beijing, China. Meaning hello pretty lady in English, it was at that moment I realized the next two weeks of my life were going to be fun, challenging, educational, and most importantly… unforgettable.
This January I had traveled to China for the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO) which is a unique program through the National FFA Organization that gives students the opportunity to explore global agriculture through experiences that demonstrate agricultural practices and cultural traditions of other countries. As a member of the 2008-2009 Texas FFA State Officer Team, I was selected as one of 46 students from across the United State to take part in the ILSSO. I was also the first officer from Texas to have ever taken part in the ILSSO, just another reason why I was so excited.
It is very possible that I might need an entire book to be able to share all of my wonderful experiences with you; therefore I did my best to select a few of the highlights and I hope you enjoy…
To start off our time abroad, we began in the very large city of Beijing where the population is approximately 17 million people. Here we were able to try every type of food from cats & dogs, to crickets & snake at the night food market. We also got to do things like visit The Forbidden City, view the Water Cube & the Birds Nest (home of the 2008 Olympic Games), tour many farms and various sites of agriculture, and even buy real pearls & jade at their famous factories. We also visited a beef market here that supplied 70% of all beef to the Beijing markets. I do not exaggerate at all when I tell you that we witnessed meet being sold directly out of the back of someone’s van after being chopped up on the ground outside. The food conditions are nothing short of unsanitary. I think I can speak for all 46 participants when I mention that we also spent one of our best days in Beijing when we got to climb the Great Wall of China! Personally, this was one of the most challenging tasks I have ever been faced with. It is a long way to the top and the steps are extremely steep. With that said, I truly felt that I had accomplished something great when I along with several others mastered the “world’s largest stair stepper,” by climbing to the highest point of the Wall. Of course it was challenging, but it was also very rewarding seeing that it’s not very often you have the opportunity to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
We only thought the smog was bad in Beijing until we had been to Xian and Suzhou. These areas were more rural farming communities and much smaller than Beijing. The smog was so terrible that every day is a “foggy” day and the local citizens wear surgical masks to prevent themselves from breathing in such dangerous air. One of the most humbling experiences for our group took place in Xian when we visited what the government considered to be one of the most advanced farming communities around. I was very surprised to see what appeared to be dug out pits, with clay walls, and covered with straw tops. Even considering the given situation, it was still hard to fathom the fact that the farmers at this local village make 5,500 Yuan annually… this equals about $900 U.S. dollars.
Our last stop of the trip was to the even larger populated city of Shanghai with more than 19 million people. Until approximately one week before our visit, Shanghai was home to the tallest building in the world. Here, we had the chance to view the beautiful city skyline, along with the now 2nd tallest building in the world, learn and witness the entire silk making process, visit a traditional Chinese market, and even do a little shopping while being chased by the PERSISTANT “salesmen.”
Whether you think of China as being very clean and up to date with the latest technology like I did prior to the trip, or just the opposite of that and you think of a poor and dirty, undeveloped country, I can assure you that I never pictured China to be the way it is. It was an extreme culture shock being able to witness first-hand the effects of a communist government in the highly over-populated cities such as these.
When January 15th rolled around and I finally stepped back onto American soil, it was very apparent that my life had been impacted for the better. Never again will I take for granted small and ordinary things like central heating and indoor plumbing. American agriculture has taken a whole new meaning on my life, and the United States Department of Agriculture is something I will forever be thankful of. I was very humbled by this experience, I learned a tremendous amount, and I met some incredible individuals. There is absolutely no better way to sum up my experience in China than simply being unforgettable. After this trip, it has become my strong hope that everyone would have the opportunity to experience life in a foreign country at some point. I would also like to thank my parents and my Agriculture Science Instructor Mrs. Laurah Williams for supporting me along this journey and allowing me such a wonderful and unique opportunity.
Be Blessed,
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