Contrasting Cultures and Terrains while Trekking in Taiwan,
Hong Kong and Mainland China
Michael Nekrasov | September 28, 2009
Michael Nekrasov at the Longji Rice Terraces in Longsheng, China.
My time in Taiwan has expired, and now I am on the last of my grand adventure. With my internship over, I am now traveling Hong Kong, China, and Japan. I currently write to you from a quiet hostel in a small village in the rural countryside of mainland China. From the patio, I can see the peaks of steep karst mountains jutting out of the rice fields. I am surrounded by little baby chickens and the sound of cicadas that seem to follow me whatever country I am in.
Looking back to my time in Taiwan, I have to admit that I still do not feel like I fully integrated into their culture, but for a 6’3” Caucasian towering over the locals, it would be surprising if I had. Although I do not speak the language, I have learned to read some signs to a useful degree and the streets of neon characters no longer looked so foreign and unattainable as when I arrived. I have definitely integrated in terms of food, though. I am going to miss the cheap and delicious meals at every corner, the rice, dumplings, noodles, soup, endlessly being set out on to the table, the night markets filled with tasty treats and the tea stations on virtually every corner providing tea combinations of every flavor for mere pennies. I think after coming back to the states my stomach is going to have a Taiwan shaped hole in it.
The mountain landscape in Taroko National Park, Taiwan.
Before I left Taiwan, I had a chance to explore yet another distinct region, Taiwan’s grand mountains. Two weeks ago, I met with the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute about setting up possible future collaborations, and they took us to the mountains to see one of their sites. The mountains of Taiwan are tall and pleasantly cool, filled with lush vegetation, waterfalls, wildlife, and sharp peaks. In the winter, these mountains receive snow, and provide an environment drastically different from the dense jungles 3000 meters below them. On a clear day, it is possible to see clear across to the East Coast. Having explored the West Coast, cities, islands and mountains of Taiwan, my only regret remains not getting a chance to visit the East Coast where the geographical separation has led to a lifestyle there more independent from Chinese and Japanese influence.
A clear evening in Hong Kong, as seen from Victoria Peak.
After leaving Taiwan I flew to the mega city of Hong Kong where I met my friend Brian McMahon (another PRIME student and foreign correspondent) to begin the travel portion of my Asian experience. Instantly, I was struck by how different the culture in Hong Kong was from Taiwan. Everything was crowded, busy, and loud, buildings soaring towards the sky. Getting out of the metro, we were swarmed with people offering overpriced replica items, and other scams. Also, shockingly, everything had English translations, and almost everyone spoke English. Compared to Taiwan, it was hard to believe I was in Asia, I felt more like in a western city.
Mainland China so far has been closer to what I expected, although the crowded cities filled with pickpockets and scams, although not unlike many cities in the world, violate the comfort that Taiwan has provided. When people approach me on the streets of China, I am automatically ready to engage in pleasant conversation that are common place in Taiwan, but am time and time again disappointed to find out that it is just a ploy to sell me something.
Nekrasov bamboo rafting the Li River in Guilin, China.
Although culturally different, I am definitely enjoying my travels outside of Taiwan. China is filled with wondrous mountains, rivers and lakes. Where I am currently staying is a haven outside of any major city where the countryside is for the most part rural and filled with rice fields, cows, water buffalos, and stunning scenery. Being thrown between three, soon to be four, drastically different cultures is interesting and refreshing, as it helps me appreciate my experiences in Asia even more.
As I finish my adventures and return home for the start of the next school year, I will look back upon my experiences here. Taiwan has truly “touched my heart” and I hope to return, hopefully one day soon. I will of course stay in contact with all the friends I made, and hope that they will eventually visit me in America. I am also extremely thankful to my hosts abroad, at NMMBA, NCHC, and TFRI who have made my stay unforgettable. I am also, of course, indebted to all of the wonderful people back at UCSD who made the program a reality and have been with us every step of the way.
|
