A Blog on McConnell Center Life

Last week, I ventured out to a Mountain called Mount Hua.   My first source of amusement derives from the fact that my professor shares this same name (though he denies any correlation).   The mountain is famous as a religious site.   Indeed, there are a couple temples atop the mountain and a few prayer chambers carved into the steep sides.   However, I found this site to be touched by modernity in ways that I found somewhat distasteful.   It has become a destination for hikers, both religious and recreational.   So I am inclined to excuse the transport systems and buses put in place to help people arrive at the base of the mountain.   But then, I find cable cars running along either side of the mountain.   There are food stands and gift shops littering the top.   Even Big Brother has found his way atop the mountain in some of the more exclusive sights. I have always fancied myself a bit of an outdoorsman.   Growing ...

Georgiana Sook ('19) One of the biggest things that struck me in China is the negative impact we as humans have on the environment. Although I knew China had problems with air and water pollution, the fact never sunk in until I lived there for a few weeks. It's easy to think about things like environmental sustainability theoretically, but hard to fully grasp the urgency when the consequences don’t immediately affect your life in any way. As someone who (thankfully) doesn't deal with seasonal allergies or asthma, I tend to take my relationship with the atmosphere for granted. Other than occasionally choking on food or holding my breath to avoid a foul smell, I rarely consider the luxury of consistently and easily breathing clean air. My hometown allows me to see the stars more clearly and smell the grass in ways I cannot whilst in Louisville, but compared to China, these differences are insignificant. The air in the cities we visited (Shanghai, Xi...

Claire Gothard ('19) Here in China we have the opportunity to see a variety of architectural wonders from different eras. Shanghai was the exemplar of a modern international city, full of glass and steel structures holding shopping malls and office buildings. Xi’an, the second city in our trip, is full of mid-level buildings in a multitude of styles, colors, and polish. As a friend of mine studying here claimed, Xi’an is an exemplar for integrating traditional with modern features. One of my favorite experiences here was the day we had exploring the City Wall and Muslim Market. I remembered my time in Meknes, Morocco when observing the bustling, bargaining booths along the streets of the market, but the City Wall was the piece that got me thinking. I strolled along the nine-mile protective wall in relative silence that morning. As the only scholar to opt out of biking around, I had an opportunity to observe, reflect, and connect with the space and place. As I lo...