Upcoming Summer in Asia take 2!

Though the majority of my summer will be spent in Houston, I'm excited for the two weeks I'll be in Asia. Unfortunately, my trip won't include Chengdu, but will include parts of Asia that I *still* have not been to yet--HK, Taiwan, and Korea! The final leg of my trip will be to Japan, which I have been to once before with my family for a few days; however, I wouldn't count it as a 'genuine' visit in the sense that we were tourists that stuck out like a sore thumb (more by action than by appearance, as there were a few comical occasions when we were mistaken as Japanese). What makes this trip different is that for each place I'm visiting, it'll be with at least one person who's from the area. I think this makes all the difference in terms of how authentic of an experience you'll have, and what better time than right after senior year? All told, there will be about seven of us traveling together, and I suppose this'll be a test of how independent we really are in terms of handling logistics. Luckily--booking tickets have been done, thanks to frequent flier mileage and a few online travel search engines including Flight Network. For the best deal on flights between Asian countries, I looked for flights provided by airlines from the respective countries. However, tempting as it was to pick the cheapest LCC (Low Cost Carrier) airline, some had reviews so bad I decided to stick with the more expensive but certainly more secure option. We're now currently relying on Airbnb to find housing, and soon we'll figure out what attractions we'll be going to! I'm looking forward the people, the places, the sights, the cuisine, the culture...and hopefully will get to share some here later on!

Final Reflections

Consider your pre-trip training (UNIV 305/306, other relevant course work or service), service immersion experience in country, and your post-trip training (UNIV 307 and other relevant course work or service. How would you define this style of learning, what are the benefits to this pedagogy, what philosophy of learning have you established based on your experience?

It’s crazy to think that this semester is almost over, and that this much time has passed since my summer in China. Nevertheless, the experiences are still just as near to me as before. Since returning, there is a part of me that is yearning to continue to build my connection with the culture as well as with sustainability. Next semester, I will be taking Chinese medical terminology, which will be relevant to my future aspirations in the medical field. I also hope to find opportunities for future learning experiences in China and elsewhere and abroad. As for sustainability, I’m excited to see the progress on campus with respect to sustainability—from the reducing food waste campaign to the recent formation of the Rice Urban Agriculture organization. I'm also looking forward to interning at the Rice Farmers Market.

This entire experience, starting from UNIV 305/306 to concluding with UNIV 307 after the service trip, has been phenomenal. I think experiential learning, not to mention extended service abroad, is highly beneficial. I appreciate the class beforehand to prepare not only logistically but also ‘academically’ and mentally through the journals and independent study paper. Framing discussions in the context of sustainable service definitely made me more conscious and actively aware during my service trip. This style of learning was more than just preparing beforehand, but also going in with an open-mind and willingness to learn more. This latter aspect is crucial, as it is at the core of experiential learning, and entails the recognition that there is much more to learn and discover than what is presented to you in media, news or otherwise. These insights can really only be gained through experience—by being there, immersed and engaged with the community and environment. For example, reading over resources related to CURA (Chengdu Urban Rivers Association, the organization I volunteered with) as well as the CURA website, I was intrigued by how few full-time staff members they had—only 7. However, nothing I read beforehand could have conveyed how inclusive, warm, and passionate the staff was, not to mention how capable they were of accomplishing many projects with the help of a strong and international network of volunteers. The trip itself taught me not only about the culture and social issue I was working with, but also about myself. In the process of developing and implementing a health survey, I became more aware of how I worked with others, my communication—both my strengths and weaknesses. I also gained tangible skills, including learning to be on time.

Going forward from this experience, my philosophy of learning has essentially broadened in terms of both academic and geographic horizons. Prior to volunteering with CURA, my experience with environmental sustainability was relatively limited. Nevertheless, I got to learn ‘along the way,’ and soon enough even had the opportunity to convey what I learned to others new to the eco-infrastructure model at the local Anlong Village. With respect to the geographic ‘boundaries’ I am eager to continue learning in the future through experiences abroad, though also keeping perspective on all that can be gained locally, given the diversity here in Houston. This experience has given me confidence in myself to continue to challenge myself in the future by seeking experiences beyond the everyday while also showing me how you can bring this experiences back locally, be it sharing one-on-one with those you know or through what you do. At the same time, it will also serve as a reminder of the importance of education and preparation beforehand, reflection throughout, and the necessity of sustainability as well. This has been a valuable philosophy, and I intend to apply it often in the future. 

Fellowship Application

Since the Loewenstern--I have definitely been considering what to do this upcoming summer. I had also contemplated whether or not to take a gap year, spurring my interest in the Watson Fellowship. Below is my essay, as well as a preliminary project proposal. Ultimately, I did not go forward with my application, but have since sought other summer opportunities to learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which I gained interest in while in China. I plan to apply to the Sichuan Provincial Scholarship to study TCM at the Chengdu University of TCM this summer. However, the application does not require any essays. 

Fellowship essay:

When explaining my love of cooking to others, my mother always said it was because foodies make the best chefs. I would simply laugh in agreement. From a young age, I was no stranger to the kitchen; in a household that among other things emphasized home cooking and healthy eating, the kitchen was a hub of activity before meals. At the time, I was always lifting the lids off the bubbling pots to peer inside and sneak a whiff. As I grew older, I graduated from being the occasional test-taster to a dishwasher and helper, and finally a full-fledged cook. I learned to balance flavors, colors, and textures to create meals that looked and tasted good. Most of all, I made sure that the meals were good in terms of nutrition. When it came to cooking, my personal mantra was ‘delicious and nutritious.’ Through cooking, I discovered a world of possibility.

As my culinary ability grew, so did my passion for medicine, inspired by my visits to my pediatrician as a child. Despite the painful vaccines and my subsequent bouts of crying, I remembered the sympathy and kindness of my physician as she directed my attention to the shiny new Looney Tunes Band-Aids covering my ‘boo-boos.’ I knew then that I wanted to one day care for and comfort others as my pediatrician had for me. Though naïve, this aspiration remained even as the frequency of visits to my pediatrician waned, matured by my shadowing experience. While I witnessed the easy rapport the pediatric cardiologist established with his patients and their parents, I also became acquainted with the complexities he faced, such as balancing quality of care with affordable costs for an uninsured patient. These challenges did not daunt me, but rather have heightened my passion for medicine.

This summer while in China volunteering with a NGO as a Loewenstern Fellow, I developed a morning routine of reading news from my NPR app while riding the subway to work. One morning, my entire outlook was transformed by a single headline: ‘A Dose Of Culinary Medicine Sends Med Students To The Kitchen.’ Perhaps just an interesting news flash to some, this was earth-shattering to me, as it was my first time learning of a direct junction between my two greatest passions, medicine and cooking. Up until then, I had never seriously considered the integration of cooking and medicine, only joking with friends and family that I would open a bakery if medical school did not work out. Now, my two worlds were colliding, but in the best way possible.

According to the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, culinary medicine ‘is the utilization of a unique combination of nutrition and culinary knowledge to assist patients in achieving and maintaining optimal health.’ Looking back, I had already unknowingly touched on various aspects of culinary medicine. My sophomore year, I became the food representative of my residential college Jones, responsible for serving as a liaison between the servery and the students. However, conversations with my fellow Jonesians soon revealed a lack of cooking experience, a major hindrance for those soon to be moving off campus, and off the meal plan. Seeing a chance to improve the situation through my position, I hosted a salad-making and tasting study break. Selecting an array of easily-prepared vegetarian- and omnivore-friendly salads, I hoped the event would help dispel the notion that cooking was hard. With a number of helping hands making the salads, and many more helping mouths eating them, the event was a success.

Not one to be complacent, I sought ways to broaden the scope of my efforts to all of Rice campus and perhaps even beyond. After being introduced to public health through my Global Health Technologies minor, I was eager to see how it fit in the context of medicine. This is what motivated me to co-lead a new Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip to an urban farm in Fifth Ward, a prominent food desert in Houston with only one full-service grocery store in the entire five square mile area. Upon becoming aware of the jarring disparity between Rice, the fourth healthiest college, and the city to which it belonged, Houston--once dubbed “America’s Fattest City”--I was determined to explore the issue of food sustainability and food accessibility with fellow Rice students while also giving back to the Houston community through service. For me, the trip highlighted the complexities of addressing an individual’s, and by extension a community’s, lifestyle choices. When we offered to pick a salad mix for a lady who came by looking for something to eat, she merely said dismissively ‘I don’t eat salad.’ However, the produce became much more readily accepted by the community members when the leafy greens became the toppings for pizzas made fresh on the farm. These moments made me realize that availability does not equal accessibility. In my mind, this is where culinary medicine fits in.  While dietary habits are only one component of the many health determinants of wellbeing, it is still an important one. Rather than simply telling a patient to eat more fruits and vegetables, a physician should be able to personalize this advice to help the patient achieve it.

After reading and re-reading the NPR article, I eagerly researched available opportunities to study culinary medicine alongside the standard medical curriculum. Unfortunately, such training is sparse; as mentioned in the article, only about a fourth of US medical schools offer the 25 hours of nutrition training recommended by the National Academy of Science, much less a culinary medicine program. Although initially disappointing, the situation was ultimately an opportunity. Over a spicy dinner of hotpot with a staff member of the Rice Center for Civic Leadership and my Loewenstern peers, the conversation turned to the Watson Fellowship as she told us about it. Immediately interested, I began pondering what I would spend a year doing. Now, everything fell into place. As a Watson Fellow, I could not only learn culinary medicine, but also compare and contrast practices among different communities and countries. I also look forward to being able to share this with my fellow medical students, just as I already share my culinary skills with others. Through the Watson, I can finally integrate my two passions in order to better serve others. My mother says foodies make the best chefs, but perhaps they make the best physicians as well.   

Project proposal:

I have the Loewenstern Fellowship to thank for even envisioning this as an extension of my abroad experience. During my time in China, conversations would regularly touch upon the various dishes on the table and their respective ingredients—how they were well-suited for the time of year, or for a specific condition. These snippets of wisdom were not new to me, as I had heard them growing up. While I did not always believe everything I was told, there were some I deemed to have merit. Nevertheless, I have yet to probe the scientific basis of these claims. While in Anlong village, I was fascinated by the large, full-color posters in almost every household designating beneficial and detrimental food pairings, each with a brief justification. I would like to learn about this in a more structured setting by taking a 3 month course at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I would then take a step back out of the medicinal focus of food and go to France for 3 months to understand the cuisine there. I think there is much to be learned from a culture that maintains its traditional roots and fresh ingredients, a contrast from the American cuisine—which has no one ‘staple diet’ but is quite literally a global melting pot. More than just learning skills in the kitchen, I hope to also better understand the sociocultural structures that are inherent to France’s cuisine. For example, while in France with my family on vacation, I remember being especially impressed by the availability of fresh produce, which were extensions to ordinary corner stores. I hope to be able to identify concepts that can be applied to the States as well. I would then spend the next 3 months in India to continue the journey of culinary medicine. I would then study at the Kerala Ayurveda Academy to learn Ayurvedic cooking and understand the concept of food as medicine through this field. For my last 3 months, I would like to round out the experience with nutrition courses at the University of Surrey under the Department of Nutritional Sciences.  

Interviews--feedback and reflection

Community member: Mark Takefman

I was fortunate to get the chance to catch up with Mark over Skype. He was the leader of the Shui Tian Ping Village health survey project that I worked on over the summer, not to mention a good friend as well. When I first asked whether he would be willing to offer an evaluation of me over email, he made the valid point that his ability to do so was limited given that he had only known me for a summer. Nevertheless, he was more than willing to offer feedback based on my time with CURA. During our Skype call, I asked fairly straightforward questions about what changes he saw in me during the summer, and my strengths and weaknesses. He joked that the only change he saw from me was my change of clothes. Overall, he noted that I had an open, extroverted personality and was willing to take initiative but also able to work well with others. He liked that I wasn’t afraid to ‘put myself out there’ and had the confidence to use self-deprecating humor. He did also comment on my being a foodie of sorts—with a suggestion that I share what I buy more (though I would contest that this was a misperception when I saved some items I had purchased for my host family). His other suggestions included continuing to build and develop my leadership, as there’s always more to be learned, not to mention the value of working alongside different people. Despite his kind words, I brought up some instances when I thought I had been quite subpar—i.e. some communication mishaps that left him in the dark. I thanked him for how forgiving he had been in those moments, and how I had learned from them. His reply was that the mishaps were not entirely my fault, but were also due to the situation as well. Towards the end of the interview, I got to see some of the other CURA members as they arrived in the office, which was such a joy. I am definitely looking forward to visiting again in the future.

Family member: Mother

While I was in Chengdu over the summer, my family actually came to visit me for a few days as a part of the ‘vacation time’ they had set aside from the rest of the two weeks they had to visit family. Perhaps it was then that my mother observed how well-versed I was in Chengdu eats. She remarked that I was even more of a foodie since my fellowship and that my Chinese proficiency had certainly improved. Aside from the more surface level qualities, my mother was quick to also list that I was more positive, mature, open-minded, independent and better with communication. Although she didn’t give as many specific examples for each as I would have liked (so I could agree/disagree with her from a more objective view), I trust her judgment.

Faculty member: Dr. Qilin Li

She is currently out of office; I will be meeting with her next week after she has returned.  During our meeting, I intend to share about my experiences and learn how that might relate to hers. I would also like to ask what suggestions she might have for me in terms of incorporating this experience into my future career trajectory. This summer, I would like to do some sort of internship before medical school, and would appreciate insights she might have.

Self-evaluation/reflection

This assignment was quite interesting, and I appreciate the chance it gave me to actively seek feedback from others and see my experience in another light. Overall, I would say there were no big ‘surprises’ with respect to the feedback, though perhaps the lack of surprises was actually a surprise to me. I was expecting to be made aware of my blind spots and had prepared accordingly, reflecting over the shortcomings I was aware of in anticipation. Ultimately, I was told mostly good things; nevertheless, I still learned a lot from these conversations. Mark’s comment on my openness and initiative as something different from other volunteers he’d worked got me thinking that it could be something beyond my own personality, but rather is reflective of the social background I come from. Both my personal experiences as well as the environment at Rice as a whole have made taking initiative almost second nature to me. On the other hand, students my age in China may not have been immersed in a similar academic/extracurricular environment that places emphasis on the same set of core values. Along these lines, I feel very grateful to have worked with CURA and with such an awesome project leader that really made it a point to let me take initiative with the project. I imagine it could have been possible for me to have worked in a different setting that was not conducive towards individual initiative. A theoretical interview from someone in this setting might have resulted in an entirely different evaluation of the same qualities I exhibit. This points out that others’ evaluations are not necessarily absolute; just because your skill set didn’t match one endeavor does not mean it is no longer suitable for any.

            Prior to my meeting with Mark, I thought about potential shortcomings he might address. To me, I thought my communication could have been stronger, as there had been times when my failure to communicate left him in the dark about group plans. When I brought this up, Mark, being the graciously forgiving person he is, was quick to say those events had been more due to circumstance than to my character. Nevertheless, having the chance to reflect about it was spurred in anticipation of the meeting, and is something I am more conscious about now as a result.

            As for my mother’s feedback, I could definitely agree with most of my mother’s ‘superficial’ observations. My Chinese did improve, as did my repertoire of Chengdu eats. But beyond the superficial, it was interesting to learn which changes or characteristics stood out to her the most. My mother felt that the trip made me more open-minded, which I had not consciously thought about. Prior to the trip, my mother had mentioned from time to time how stubborn I could be. She also made the point that this was not a desirable trait of a leader or of a team member. I kept her advice in mind and definitely strove to improve. Perhaps the inherent open-mindedness I had going into the fellowship towards a new environment carried over into my ‘regular’ personality. It was certainly encouraging to hear from her that I had made progress.  

A reflection on reflections: Themes and Gaps

Meeting with some fellow Loewenstern's last week was insightful as we found common themes and gaps reflected in each of our blogs. I also enjoyed getting the chance to hear more about each person's experience beyond what was written in their blogs. We all agreed that the blog was certainly not all encompassing, and lacked details--the day-to-day. For me this includes the seemingly trivial aspects of my environment that I'd internalized as the norm, as well as the personal. Nevertheless, this didn't mean that I didn't reflect on  these components any less--I did, just in my own personal journal. When talking with the other LW fellows, we also agreed that the envelope prompts were not conducive towards sharing the personal, but rather focused more on the academic, the growth from service. When abroad, growth occurs through a myriad of other channels, such as daily communication, cultural experiences, etc. 
Additionally, while related to service, I didn't include much about the people I worked with on a daily basis in the CURA office. I think this was primarily out of respect for them and not posting about them on a public domain without their knowledge. But I will say they are some of the most incredible people I have had the honor of knowing and the privilege of working with. They've supported me but have also given me the space to learn and grow. They've graciously forgiven me when I was late or was the culprit of a miscommunication. They've also been such great role models at showing me through action how to truly engage a community, how to raise awareness, how to be organized, even how to make a few dishes. Though not included in the context of this blog, they're definitely near to me. One more topic left out of this blog would be the bad that I've seen or heard in China, again out of respect for the country, not to mention the fact that I am only one perspective. Publicizing it may make it a generalization to others who read it, which wouldn't accurately reflect the country or society. 

Regarding overall themes, reflection itself was an obvious one, in addition to communication, connections, environmentalism, sustainable service, cultural identity and exchange, learning, cuisine and discovery. While this blog didn't encompass all of my personal experiences, it did still provide a structure to capture one aspect of my personal growth. In volunteering with CURA and helping to develop and implement the health survey, I learned more about myself. The new environment shed light on both my strengths and weaknesses and the prompts facilitated my reflection of them. Also common to the entries are themes specific to my service, environmentalism. My ISP was focused specifically on it. Additional information I learned prior to the trip and during my time in China then funneled into my entries, such as the first trip out to Anlong village shortly after my arrival. Paired with this theme are the themes of discovery and learning, as prior to my fellowship, I knew relatively little about environmentalism but was eager to learn more. The theme of learning also carried over to the social environment I was immersed in upon arriving in Chengdu, such as plaza-dancing. The theme of connections emerged as a reflection of Chinese society, where connections are key even in the workplace. As mentioned in another post--the social media conduit WeChat is commonly favored over email. Business deals depend on connections at least as much as merit, if not more so (note: this is more a generalization, thus the lack of a source citation). 

Organization Information: Chengdu Urban Rivers Association

Name: Chengdu Urban Rivers Association (CURA)

Mission: Chengdu Urban Rivers Association (CURA) is a non-profit NGO dedicated to promoting the natural, recreational, and cultural values of rivers, particularly the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Founded in June 2003, CURA provides a unified voice representing environmental values on issues such as river conservation, environmental protection, development of environmental awareness, and promotion of sustainable development in urban and rural areas.

Background: CURA is comprised of 7 staff members including former experts and researchers with the Chengdu Fu-nan River Restoration Project, started in 1992. Volunteers include both local and international students as well as citizens and professionals. CURA works with universities and other NGOs on water environment and pollution research, government departments to influence policy, and Chengdu public in conducting environmental education.

Past/Current Projects:

Anlong Village Sustainable Development Demonstration Project:
Since 2005, this project has worked with 165 farmer household to reduce agricultural and household non-point pollutions into the Zouma River in Chengdu.

River Health Scoring Project:
Between 2007 and 2010, CURA organized around 200 citizens to participate into Baitiao River and Fu River health scoring action to raise citizens’ awareness and knowledge about the rivers.

River Tour Project:
Between 2009 and 2010, CURA organized over 200 Chengdu citizens to join in ten tours of visiting rivers in Chengdu. The investigative reports pointed out illegal emissions and were sent to city mayor who responded appropriately.

Projects I participated in while at CURA:

Shui Tian Ping Village Public Health and Environmental Survey:

Funded by a National Geographic grant, this project focused on the Shui Tian Ping village and its residents. The village has 3 unregulated factories (1 brick and 2 iron-processing) which serve as both a source of income and significant pollution. Thus, the project entailed surveying the residents to understand their perspective on their environment with respect to their health. An environmental survey of the air, water, and soil quality was also done. 

Health Lectures at Shui Tian Ping Village:

As a way of introducing ourselves to the residents and building trust with them, CURA hosted two health lectures for the residents based on their voiced interests. One was about making 'vinegar' and its broad range of household uses as well as its sustainability while the other was about diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Educational tours of Anlong Village:

As a model village of eco-infrastructure, CURA strives to educate others and promote environmental awareness through Anlong Village. This is done by giving tours and hosting groups in Anlong as well as organizing events in the village, such as monthly bike rides from Chengdu to Anlong. 

How CURA is achieving its mission:

As evident from the above projects (which are really just a few of the many things CURA has done/is doing), CURA is very active. I was very impressed by how closely CURA works with the local residents to bring about change. For example, the installation of eco-infrastructure in Anlong was a true partnership between CURA and each individual farmer. Going to with Dong, a CURA staff member to the village, every resident there knows him and always asks after how he's doing, extending invitations for him to come visit them. I admire this 'down-to-earth' approach and how effective it has been. While some projects may not have a large impact on improving river conservation as a whole (i.e. one village with a handful of organic farmers will not significantly reduce the agricultural pollutants in local rivers), CURA is committed to raising awareness and impact by way of modeling, one village and one project at a time. 

Assets:

Despite having only 7 full-time staff members, CURA has such an incredible wealth of assets. As mentioned earlier, CURA as an organization is very accommodating of volunteers of all backgrounds. This openness for collaboration is definitely an asset, as it enables CURA to utilize the skills and capabilities of each volunteer to achieve its mission--specifically in the form of projects or other initiatives. Related to this asset is how well-connected CURA is both locally and beyond. When developing the health survey, I was able to meeting with a public health professor at HuaXi Medical School, who then also helped me recruit volunteers for the implementation of our survey. Another example is the collaboration between CURA and other local environmental NGOs in raising environmental awareness, such as hosting a stop for the Pole to Paris bike ride in Chengdu. While CURA's financial assets may not be booming (as expected for most NGOs), the organization is truly rich in resources in terms of people, connections and reach. 

Room to improve:

During my time at CURA, I wouldn't say there were any major shortcomings; they're always open to the suggestions of staff and volunteers alike. Perhaps one way I could see CURA improving would be in strengthening their communication with prospective volunteers, specifically international volunteers. In the period leading up to my fellowship, I was not entirely sure what to expect or what I would be doing. However, upon arriving I was caught up to pace and day-to-day communication proved to be no problem at all. This is understandable, given the fact that there is not a staff member solely devoted to managing online communication, particularly in English. Luckily, this need has been fairly consistently met by volunteers! Along these lines, a lack of Chinese proficiency may also limit a volunteer's contributions to CURA. Shortly before I left, CURA was planning to accommodate three admins from FedEx interested in volunteering with CURA for a month. Initially, CURA was not sure they could host them out of a lack of funding for translators. Ultimately, everything did work out and translators were provided for by an affiliated organization. 

Also related would be helping international volunteers transition to CURA and to a new environment, which should be improved by a volunteer guide in English that Thomas and I have both contributed to. 

Service Synopsis

This past summer, Hannah spent 9 weeks in Chengdu, China working with Chengdu Urban Rivers Association (CURA). She worked with staff members and volunteers to develop and implement a health survey in Shui Tian Ping Village, located upstream of Chengdu. The purpose of the survey was to understand the residents' perception of their environment and if they had experienced any health issues, given that there were three industrial factories in the area. Aside from the survey, Hannah also participated in outings to Anlong Village, where CURA has established a range of eco-infrastructure, including dry-composting toilets, biogas digesters, constructed treatment wetlands, as well as organic agriculture. She helped serve as a guide to visiting student groups in Anlong, as well as a general translator with CURA. And yes, she did also get to hug a 1-year-old panda.