By Zitlalith Cortes ’20
Pritzker students went on a trip this summer to China to experience a new type of lifestyle and learn from the Chinese culture.
As sophomore Jancarlos Berrios explained his experience, he stated, “Going to China made an impact on me because it was different from how I live in Chicago.” Berrios had a hard time adjusting to the lifestyle in China because of how different it was. “My experience in China was outstanding. I got to know how their culture is and eat their delicious food,” Berrios stated.
Mike Guzman, a senior , was also a part of this trip and did not have any idea of the outcome of this trip. Guzman stated, “I didn’t have a mindset on what to expect.” Guzman had no idea of all the interesting things he was going to experience over there. One of the many incredible things he saw was that most of the people in China were on bikes.
Going to China was a new experience for many. Being away from home was a problem for students, but they managed to enjoy the days while it lasted. The students who went to China saw many things that they wouldn’t have otherwise seen.
Another person who went to China was Katie Curtin, the Journalism teacher, who really enjoyed going to China. Curtin stated, “I think the Great Wall of China was my favorite. I feel like that’s a little bit of cliche to say, but it’s such an iconic landmark that getting it to see in person was incredible.” Curtin explained how most of the times they would leave the hotel around 9 a.m. and return at 8:30 p.m.
Also regarding favorite experiences, Berrios stated: “My favorite experience of the trip was seeing a Kung Fu show about a little boy, and him in the process of becoming a man.”
Guzman, in other words, mentioned that some of the places they went were the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. He learned a lot about the Chinese culture through these sites. Guzman also stated what it felt like being a tourist in China, “There were people who didn’t live in Beijing. They took pictures of the tourist. They took pictures like they were paparazzi, and I thought that was interesting because to me seeing a tourist is not a big deal, but to them, it is because they probably live in a small town.”
Another of the many interesting things was the type of food that Chinese people eat. The students who went to China ate different types of food that they never imagined eating, such as scorpions. Also, the type of clothes Chinese people use are very different because their favorite brand or most brands used is Abercrombie & Fitch.
A problem students faced was the language barrier; understanding Chinese language was hard because the students do not speak Chinese.
The people who went to China explained how it was a great experience. Students also noticed the different type of lifestyles between China and Chicago. There were also many touristic places in which they visited and were amazed on how distinct it was from Chicago.
Here is a video of Ms. Curtin trying a scorpion in China
