Wassan Nasreddin, Grade 12
UWC Li Po Chun
“I want to travel the world, what an unrealistic dream to have,” said one of my friends a couple of years ago, commenting on what someone wrote after we were asked to anonymously share our dreams and wishes in class. Now, I understand why she said that, and then, I even partly agreed!. Traveling the world may not be as glamorous or easy as it seems in a blogger’s video, especially with a Syrian passport. However, and although I wasn’t the one who shared that dream, I knew that staying in one place all my life would never be fulfilling enough and that I had to find a way to go abroad and explore the vast world. To my surprise, this opportunity arrived earlier than I had anticipated, and I found myself going places that I never even imagined I would visit.
Three months after arriving at my school in Hong Kong, our winter break was about to begin, and many of the international students were to be staying with host families. About three weeks prior to the holiday, I was told that I would be staying with my friend’s family- and that we’d be going to China for two weeks.
Our break started, it was mid-December, and it was time to go. We packed our things, and we headed from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, where we boarded a plane that would then take us to our first destination. A few hours later, we finally arrived in Mangshi, a small, beautiful city in the province of Yunnan. Mangshi was not exactly a tourist city, but I loved the time I spent there. Upon staying there for a few days, I was realizing the importance of escaping the hustle of big cities every now and then. We stayed at a lovely guesthouse, owned by a nice Dutch family who had lived in China for many years.
On one cold yet, sunny day during our stay there, our host took us to Ruili, a nearby city on the border between China and Myanmar. While I loved visiting the city’s waterfalls and enjoyed trying the special, extra-sweet Burmese milk tea in a local café, the most significant experience for me, and the reason I would encourage anyone to visit Ruili was that I had the chance to meet a family from the Deang ethnic minority, one of the many that inhabit the city.
The first thing to catch my attention was the fact that they still wore their traditional clothes: the women wore black shirts and skirts, and the men wore blue shirts and trousers, and although different in color, both were adorned with an array of colorful decorations. We were given a tour of their beautiful village, during which I saw the largest tree trunk I’ve ever seen and tried sugar cane for the first time in my life! Following that, we came back to their house and enjoyed a fascinating local meal which they prepared themselves. Although we did not speak the same language, nor did we spend a lot of time with them, I was amazed by their kindness and generosity. After the sun had set, it was time for us to head back to the guest house. We said our goodbyes, and I left with a feeling of awe and gratefulness for having had the opportunity to meet such wonderful people and learn about their culture.
After visiting Mangshi, our time in Yunnan was still not over, and we went to a couple more places. Our third and last destination was Dali, a city that I would absolutely recommend to others and would consider visiting one day again! In Dali, you would see mountains and beautiful cherry blossoms surrounding you wherever you go. My favorite bit was the old town, where you could try delicious rose cakes, discover phenomenal souvenirs in small shops, and enjoy the tasty street food. I particularly relished walking around the town at night, when every part of it would be brightly lit, and music streaming out from singers in cozy bars could be heard.
The time I spent in Yunnan was magical. I had some wonderful experiences and made amazing memories that I will always cherish. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to see cultures that are different from mine and witness the beauty of our world. So, whenever it is safe to travel freely again, and you find yourself looking for a place to go, I hope that you will consider visiting Yunnan.
Three months after arriving at my school in Hong Kong, our winter break was about to begin, and many of the international students were to be staying with host families. About three weeks prior to the holiday, I was told that I would be staying with my friend’s family- and that we’d be going to China for two weeks.
Our break started, it was mid-December, and it was time to go. We packed our things, and we headed from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, where we boarded a plane that would then take us to our first destination. A few hours later, we finally arrived in Mangshi, a small, beautiful city in the province of Yunnan. Mangshi was not exactly a tourist city, but I loved the time I spent there. Upon staying there for a few days, I was realizing the importance of escaping the hustle of big cities every now and then. We stayed at a lovely guesthouse, owned by a nice Dutch family who had lived in China for many years.
On one cold yet, sunny day during our stay there, our host took us to Ruili, a nearby city on the border between China and Myanmar. While I loved visiting the city’s waterfalls and enjoyed trying the special, extra-sweet Burmese milk tea in a local café, the most significant experience for me, and the reason I would encourage anyone to visit Ruili was that I had the chance to meet a family from the Deang ethnic minority, one of the many that inhabit the city.
The first thing to catch my attention was the fact that they still wore their traditional clothes: the women wore black shirts and skirts, and the men wore blue shirts and trousers, and although different in color, both were adorned with an array of colorful decorations. We were given a tour of their beautiful village, during which I saw the largest tree trunk I’ve ever seen and tried sugar cane for the first time in my life! Following that, we came back to their house and enjoyed a fascinating local meal which they prepared themselves. Although we did not speak the same language, nor did we spend a lot of time with them, I was amazed by their kindness and generosity. After the sun had set, it was time for us to head back to the guest house. We said our goodbyes, and I left with a feeling of awe and gratefulness for having had the opportunity to meet such wonderful people and learn about their culture.
After visiting Mangshi, our time in Yunnan was still not over, and we went to a couple more places. Our third and last destination was Dali, a city that I would absolutely recommend to others and would consider visiting one day again! In Dali, you would see mountains and beautiful cherry blossoms surrounding you wherever you go. My favorite bit was the old town, where you could try delicious rose cakes, discover phenomenal souvenirs in small shops, and enjoy the tasty street food. I particularly relished walking around the town at night, when every part of it would be brightly lit, and music streaming out from singers in cozy bars could be heard.
The time I spent in Yunnan was magical. I had some wonderful experiences and made amazing memories that I will always cherish. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to see cultures that are different from mine and witness the beauty of our world. So, whenever it is safe to travel freely again, and you find yourself looking for a place to go, I hope that you will consider visiting Yunnan.
www.unitedworldwide.co