Beijing, from flashy Western to traditional Chinese in 5 minutes
By Emile Hallo | Delegate NAHSS 2018, Beijing
After months in which excitement for and longing for the big trip alternated, at the end of June the time had finally come for the trip to China to begin. In the preparatory process we had learned a lot about traditional Chinese business culture and Chinese history and how the country differs in almost everything from what we are used to in the Netherlands. However, upon arrival in Beijing it took us a few days to penetrate this unique Chinese culture. At first glance, Beijing is considerably westernized. The Chinese in 2018 gets his coffee at Starbucks, drives a BMW or Ford and listens to Kanye West. However, the added value of the NAHSS is strongly evident, because it gives you the opportunity to really penetrate into Chinese society and all its idiosyncrasies.
Exploring Beijing dressed formally in 40 degrees, that is also the NAHSS
Do as the locals do, take a refreshing dip in Qianhai lake, in the middle of Beijing
The above-mentioned opportunity was offered to me, among other things, through participation in the Summer School. I personally took two courses at Peking University, taught by Chinese teachers, who gave me a good idea of how traditional China can sometimes be. What I remember most about the culture course I took is the fact that when it came to marriages in China, one of my NAHSS friends explained that in the Netherlands people also live together and have children without being married. Our teacher could not and did not want to understand what exactly was being said and out of sheer desperation ended the lesson a little early. In the other course, about traditional Chinese identity, it emerged that many Chinese do not blame Mao for the famines in the countryside, because he would never have wanted it that way. This is something that you don't really think about, but which has an enormous influence on the image of Mao and the party and its policies over the years.
My consultancy project, a study into air pollution for the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, also gave me a unique insight into the business culture of China. We had made an appointment with a Chinese researcher to discuss our project with him and were already quite tense. When we were greeted upon arrival by the CEO and CFO of a Chinese multi-million company that does soil research, our tension rose to a boiling point. The guys from the company came to learn from us, which at 21 years old is quite an impressive thing. However, at the end of the meeting we were thanked very kindly and all parties had benefited from it. A big boost for us.
The highlight of the trip, camping on and spending a day trekking over the Great Wall of China
Because the NAHSS program offers a lot of time to explore on our own, we were also able to discover traditional China through trips to small mountain villages, Inner Mongolia, a deserted stretch of the Great Wall of China and searches for hutongs in Beijing. Although they increasingly have to make way for large 'shopping malls', these hutongs are still there and have retained their traditional character. The NAHSS gives students the opportunity to get to know China in many different ways and has really made me enthusiastic about this fascinating country.
If you have become enthusiastic and still have questions, you can always send an email to emile_97@hotmail.com.