First Impressions of Beijing

After a seven-hour flight delay and an entire day of hanging out in airport I have arrived in Beijing, with my first week being a whirlwind to say the least. After being immersed into Chinese culture I finally feel that I am getting used to it here. The energy and fast paced environment of Beijing make it an exciting place to be. It mixes together both a modern urban city with China’s cultural heritage creating a thriving mixture of different ways of life. It feels like there is everything in Beijing.

 

My favorite area in Beijing so far is the area right behind where we are staying in the 798 district, the art district. It is full of (usually)free Chinese art galleries and hipster type shops that make it fun to walk around and explore. I find myself wandering around at the art when I have nothing else to do or am too tired to explore the rest of Beijing. What I also like about China is how willing the locals are to help foreigners. Whenever my fellow interns and I are struggle to find where to go or to order at a restaurant or to ask a question people are generally patient and usually someone is willing to translate if they know English.

My internship will be in the hutongs of Beijing or the more traditional area. I am excited that I get to see this part of Beijing almost every day because it feels more of what I expected Beijing to be like because the area is not as influenced by Western culture. I love to people-watch during lunch and see the locals working and going about their day. My overall first impression of the city of Beijing is that it beautifully shows the rich culture and heritage of China while also showing modernization. As I acclimate to Chinese culture and lifestyle I am excited to learn more about the city the country and the people.

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