I Have a Host Family!
Hey all! I finally know where I’m going in the giant land that is China: Harbin! It’s a large city in Heilongjiang, the northernmost province in China. According to Wikipedia, Harbin is known as the “Oriental Moscow” for its Russian influence and architecture. The food is also supposed to have a Russian influence, with a specialty in bread and sausages. The average temperature in Harbin during the winter is a w
hopping -16°C (3°F) and 21°C (70°F) in the summer. It’s rated one of the most beautiful cities in China, which I don’t doubt at all. From the pictures and GoogleEarth I’ve seen, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
I’ll admit it, as soon as I found out where Harbin is I was like “Wait…what?” I mean, I’m from California. I’m dreadfully uncomfortable in 50°F, and my ideal summer day easily breaks 100 before noon. When I was asked, I said I wanted to be in the South for this very reason. I wasn’t really angry or upset, but I thought “C’mon, I didn’t ask for Beijing or Shanghai; it was a simple request!” Now that I’ve looked into the city though, I’m so sure it’ll be a great place for me. That seems to be a prevailing theme in my exchange experience; at first I’m skeptical and sort of forced in one direction, only find that it really is the best fit for me. I remember when I was told to go to China, I couldn’t imagine me being there of all the places, now I can’t imagine going anywhere else. So that’s that’s the lesson in this one, kids; have control of your experiences, but don’t bite and scratch too hard if you don’t get the exact specifications of your way. Chances may be that you’re getting exactly what you want, a few months before you realize you want it. I guess I should be thankful that I have people who know me better than I know myself for this sort of thing.
Anyway, back to Harbin. I’m in love! It’s, as I’ve mentioned, close to Russia. I’ve always loved Russia as a country, and it’s so cool that I’ll be able to experience the beauty of Russian architecture while I’m in China. I haven’t found a picture of my specific school yet, but the Harbin public schools are extraordinary. They’re like something out of a modern art museum, some even have courtyards and statues and fountains! *Gush* Compared to the *ahem* lacking architecture of Chico, it’s quite a nice change. It’s cold, yes, but it’s not as if I haven’t lived in the cold before. I’ll survive. So all in all, I’m really happy with my placement.
Ooh! Once again, I’ve gotten side-tracked and completely forgot to talk about the main thing I came to report! As the title says, I have a host family! I’m going to be living with the Chens. My hostfather, Chen Fangbin (like most Asian languages, Chinese place the family name first) is a teacher, while my hostmom, Wang Wei (women keep their family names after marrying) is a doctor. They have a daughter my age named Dianhong, though she’ll be in America during my stay. (If she decides to blog, maybe I’ll ask her to link it here.) I don’t know much more as of yet, but I’ve emailed Mr. Chen a few times, and he seems very nice. As always, I’ll update this page as soon as I receive more information.
Anyway, as of today I have 1 month and 4 weeks until I board my plane to China. I’ll post between now and then, most likely later on when discussing preparation and my goodbyes. *Sniffle* Until then!
Oooh, *psst* There’s a webring of other exchangers as well. So be sure to check them out!
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