We began our last day like every other day…relaxing with a delicious breakfast. But as the day progressed, I could tell it was going to be a day to remember.
Ben, Alyssa, and I were joined at breakfast by Jacqueline – a young vibrant girl who weaved through the buffet and tables on her Sophia the First light-up scooter. Jacqueline, being an incredible hostess, made several trips to the buffet to ensure we never ran out of pastries and yogurt. She used English to communicate with us, but was more than willing to teach us a few Chinese words as well. Jacqueline’s cheerful and loving goodbye reflected the warmth of the people in Suzhou – a perfect send off.
Once on the train, our interaction with the locals continued. A family sat beside me and the father and I struck up a conversation. He discussed his embarrassment of mistakes he had made when he first used English in America. Because of this embarrassment, he wanted his daughter to begin learning English early. Helen, the daughter, was intensely studying her English on her mother’s phone for several minutes. But as I was typing, Helen began peeking over my shoulder to see the words on the page. When I turned my screen towards her, she became embarrassed. The father said she was trying to read what I had written to find English words she knew. I turned the screen more so she could point towards the words she knew. When she became more comfortable, she proudly recited her numbers and letters. After helping her with her English, she happily helped me with Chinese. As she was teaching me, I realized that this cultural exchange was about more than learning languages. We were connected on our shared love of learning and our ability to find similarities amongst so many differences.
Today were my first conversations with locals outside of the school and tourist settings. From these interactions, I found people to be warm, welcoming, curious, as well as patient. I felt a sincere invitation from the locals crossed my path. Even though we are touring the area and arriving with many questions and curiosities, the locals also have questions of their own. Sharing our passion for cultural learning and languages with one another has enriched my continuously growing love of this country. I’m looking forward to the next leg of the trip: Beijing.
I’m not sure when I’ll be back again, but I hope it’s soon.