Traveling internationally is a thought that crosses the minds of a lot of people, but only a few really make it a priority, despite it benefiting mental health, physical health, and promoting personal growth. Earlier this month, fourteen Mandarin students from Metcalf and U-High took advantage of an opportunity presented by Dr. Lin Lin to travel to China over spring break, March 5 – 15. They were able to experience firsthand the culture they had spent time learning about in the classroom.
Students attended a welcome banquet on their first night in Beijing, and followed an itinerary full of exciting activities. They took language and cultural classes at Beijing Language and Culture University, visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and Imperial Gardens. Later in their trip, students traveled to Shenyang, where they visited the Peking Opera and learned about mask painting. They also visited a middle school and participated in activities with the local students. Throughout their trip, students did many crafts native to Chinese culture and gained hands-on experience during STEM labs. To close out the trip, students attended a farewell banquet where they had time to reflect on what they had learned about the culture and education in China.
For one student in particular, it was a special time to embrace the language skills he had obtained over the years and communicate with the locals. Sophomore Tanner Reisinger started taking Mandarin when he was in 7th grade, and is currently in his fourth year toward fluency. “I chose to take Mandarin because I was not able to continue learning Korean on the weekends, so I thought learning Mandarin was a good opportunity for me to learn an East Asian language,” Reisinger explained. “I thought Mandarin would make me stand out later in life as I opted for taking an international business bachelor’s degree at ISU and continuing my Mandarin studies in the East Asian language studies minor at ISU.”
Reisinger was one of two upper-level Mandarin students who went on the trip, and the combination of middle schoolers, high schoolers, and parents created a unique combination of travelers. . “Dr. Lin helped enforce rules and discipline through the trip, and we were able to pull through the trip despite our wide range of ages,” he shared.
During the trip, students visited the Great Wall of China, Liaoning University, went shopping, and ate a lot of good food. “Most of the restaurants we went to had a VIP room just for us to eat without others disturbing us. It was a new experience as I never have gotten treated like that, which was somewhat uncomfortable for me at first,” Reisinger said. “I ate foods such as sweet and sour pork, peking duck, sea urchin, a variety of dumplings and noodles, tang hu lu sweet potato, and a lot of vegetables.” Tang hu lu is a popular Chinese sweet, which is fruit or other foods covered in a thick layer of melted sugar.
Although Reisinger loved every part of the trip, his favorite parts were the Great Wall, Imperial City, the Bell Tower, and the Forbidden City. “[They were] all great events to me. I thought they would just be stories in a book for someone else to do in their lifetime,” he reflected. The four days in Beijing at the China National Convention Center Grand Hotel stood out to him most. “While this may seem like a small thing to someone else, the hotel was right next to the Beijing Olympic which hosted the Olympic games twice,” Reisinger added. 
Traveling to another country and experiencing their way of life not only opens eyes to a whole new world, but can also change previous perspectives. “At times I feel like I have been thinking about China all wrong because of how much the American view of China can flood the mind of people,” Resigner stated. “I felt not only safer but sometimes even happier during my stay in China.”
During the trip, Reisinger wasn’t worried about his safety, or about blowing through his money. Not only was Reisinger able to enjoy his trip, but he also got to make his own opinions about a country and its people. “I got to learn how much easier life is at times. College is so much cheaper in China, plus the travel expense, which makes my hopes of coming back more possible in a way,” Reisinger reflected.
“This trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some who won’t use the language again,” Reisinger said. “[It can] abolish the American stereotypes typically talked about from their mind to give them a new and sometimes better understanding and view of China.” Though true for others, Reisinger is committed to returning to China and reconnecting with more friends.
For anyone planning a trip to China, Reisinger emphasized learning bargaining skills and how safe he felt there. “However, never touch any wildlife as it is not safe to touch due to potential rabies,” Reisinger shared. “Always try new food, even if it is a slimy sea urchin, as it is rude to say no to what is given to you. Most importantly, make new friends, and keep in touch with them online after the trip.”