With a population of nearly 20 million, Beijing awed our group with its population. Viewing such a sprawling metropolis instilled in us the truth of Chinese growth and modernization. After all, Beijing included all the hallmark traits of development—large scale public transportation, infrastructure, and investment—many of which surpassed even American equivalents. However, industrialization often created indistinguishable areas void of uniqueness. Chinese styles crept into architecture, fashion, etc., but their roles were subservient to the traits of modernization. In Beijing, nowhere could we find a location wholly Chinese. This failure resulted, in part, thanks to our inability to observe the countryside.
Xi'an provided us with the closest glimpse of a homey, unique China. Its extensive museums, collection of gardens, and aura of an ancient capital, made it distinctively Chinese. Among the world of goods and services that China fakes, Xi'an's originality proved refreshing.
Though, I look forward to the re-convening of class and discussions with international students, I will miss the personality of Xi'an. Perhaps most of all, I will desire the personal space found in Xi'an's gardens, ponds, and parks. In a country of nearly 1.4 billion and with a group of ten McConnell scholars, I often long for personal space.
-Blake