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.

Envelope #10: Open two days after the last question

Prompt: Now that you’ve had time to process the community member’s response, has there been any change in the way you approach your service? In any case, comment on your thoughts over the last two days related to his/her response. 

In reading this, I realize now that at some point my envelopes got out of order—I had interpreted the heading to mean the last question as in the final Loewenstern prompt. Nevertheless, it’s definitely still valid. Since my conversation with Yuling and my first week adjusting to CURA, I think I definitely placed a stronger focus on the sociocultural factors to take into consideration when developing the survey instrument. I was more keen to pick up on differences. For example, while it’s perfectly acceptable and even encouraged to give some sort of financial compensation for those who volunteer to complete a survey, this is unacceptable in China, where this gesture is seen almost as a bribe of sorts meant to elicit a particular response. Additionally, in my interactions with others while working with CURA, I don’t filter things as right or wrong, but rather understand things to be different than what I’m used to. When I met Grandpa Luo of Anlong Village for the first time, he showed us around his yard, including his 7 beeboxes. I learned that he removed all the honey from the boxes and fed the bees sugar water over the winter. 

On the other hand, a local Houston beekeeper explained to our ASB group that only the surplus honey was harvested, leaving enough for the bees. Finding this contrast interesting, I shared with Grandpa Luo about the more sustainable but less economical practice I saw back home, allowing for an exchange of ideas. I respect both methods and value the insights each beekeeper has shared with me.

Overall, gaining perspective from a community member has helped me have a more open-mindset going into service, and always finding ways to apply what I learn of society and of local culture to my service in the hopes of better suiting the target population. 

Envelope #9: Open one day after the last question

Prompt: Are you still wondering if your service is making a difference?

If no, how can you make the most of your remaining time? What changes can you make to have an even greater impact?

I liked how this prompt swept aside all the potential self-satisfaction and complacency one might accumulate after having deemed oneself successful for one’s contributions. During my last week with CURA, I asked myself the second question, not out of selfish ambition, but out of realizing how quickly my last day was approaching and how much more that could still be done. While the surveys were finished, they needed to be translated. Unfortunately, 45 surveys was not something I would be able to complete in the time I had left. Luckily, a new volunteer recently joined the ranks, and I learned that she was tentatively going to take my place as an English assistant to one of the CURA staff members. In anticipation of this, I talked to her about the position, sharing my experiences and shortcomings as well as encouraging her and reassuring her that she would do great. Despite our short time together, we became fast friends. On my last day, she gave me a jar of home-made chili paste to bring back with me, which was completely unexpected but very touching.  Thus, while I helped with the survey translation, I strove to mentor the new volunteer and help prepare her. This was in line with ensuring sustainability after my departure, and I’m glad that she joined when she did!

In trying to do more with my remaining days, I turned to more big-picture items, such as helping to update the English volunteer manual for CURA. This was a great platform for me to share my own experiences as well, and also pass along what I had learned, about the city, about staying with a host family, and certainly about CURA as well. I’m grateful for the chance to give back to CURA and help indirectly welcome future CURA volunteers as they embark on an incredible journey of personal growth and new experiences during their time here. 

Aside from the above, I have just been making sure to wrap up loose ends, working on my Loewenstern posts, and jumping on the CURA office redesign bandwagon. In addition to helping to translate the presentation introducing the idea, I also folded a set of cranes to hang up in the office. There are 10 total suspended above my desk, 9 for each week I've been at CURA, and 1 more in the hopes of returning again. 

Envelope #8: Open one week prior to the conclusion of your Fellowship

Prompt: How does the local approach to addressing this social issue differ from the approach used in your home country? What, if any, distinct advantages or disadvantages do you see to either approach?

This fellowship has offered me insight into environmentalism and conservation, an area that I previously was not very knowledgeable in. Thus, in answering this question, I will be largely relying on what I have learned during this time, both at CURA and during the preparation for the fellowship, in particular my conversation with Dr. Glenn from the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC). I would also like to start by noting the similarities I’ve observed between the two. I admire the emphasis both organizations place on involving the local residents and making them stakeholders in the projects implemented. For HARC, it was developing the Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) with Double Bayou residents towards improving the water quality of the West and East Trinity Bays. For CURA, it was working with the residents of Anlong village to implement organic farming and eco-infrastructure. In order to do so, both simply started by trying to get to know the community and understand and accommodate its needs. Thus, CURA ensured that the farmers would benefit economically from switching to organic farming by helping them connect to city customers via a CSA mechanism rather than simply forcing an environmental agenda on the residents. Ultimately, this switch helps improve the quality of the water that serves as a source of drinking water for Sichuan province residents by reducing the chemical run-off. Of course, Anlong is just one of many villages, and serves as an example in the hopes of encouraging other villages to follow suit. Both organizations certainly faced some pushback from the local residents initially, but with time the connection between the organization and its corresponding community thrived.

With regards to differences, I would say there is one notable difference that stood out to me. HARC has a closer affiliation with the government than CURA does. When speaking with Dr. Glenn, she told me the WPP project had been initiated at the EPA’s request and funding. On the other hand, CURA receives most of its funding from grants not affiliated with the government. The health survey project was funded by a National Geographic grant. Of course, I am not fully versed in CURA’s history, so this is solely my observation. Nevertheless, I learned from Dong that about half of the 160 or so dry-compost toilets he helped install with the Anlong residents were demolished by the government as part of an initiative to move the residents into more ‘compact’ communities to free up much-needed arable land. This seemed to reflect that there wasn’t as strong a collaborative effort between the government and CURA, though this probably applies to other NGOs in China as well.

Overall, these approaches seemed fairly similar in what mattered the most--maintaining a community focus, certainly advantageous in any setting or project.

Envelope #7 Open on a day when you're pondering the value of your service

How do you measure your successes on a daily basis? How does your host agency measure successes over a longer period of time? How do your daily successes impact their overall success? Do you believe you are making a difference?

I wouldn’t say I’ve consciously used some itemized metric to evaluate my success on a daily basis before I leave the office, rather it’s something I’ve kept track of subconsciously. I’m happy with my day’s work if I was able to do what I had set out to do, staying on track with the projects I had. At the same time, successful isn’t necessarily all work—a large part of it certainly has to do with the people I have had the privilege of knowing and the relationships I’ve formed with them. So, success can just as much be making progress editing and correcting the health survey as it is occasionally helping杨姐in the kitchen. In all circumstances, the common link is that I’m always learning and getting to know others better. Sometimes, it’s also about knowing myself better, not only my strengths but also my weaknesses. During the implementation of the health survey, I was feeling quite confident with my grasp of handling communication as I could understand the residents’ heavy accents and was also getting to know the volunteers. However, I saw how lacking I was with respect to the most basic aspects of communication when twice our English-speaking project leader didn’t know where we were going until we had arrived. Luckily, he was very generous and graciously went with the flow, but it was certainly humbling for me. It was a grounding experience to realize that at the end of the day, I couldn’t let myself forego the everyday communication essentials in favor of the communicating with others to learn and exchange. Thus, after returning to the office, I consciously made sure I was enabling communication among the members rather than ‘selectively filtering.’ Aside from all the jokes exchanged, ideas were presented and change was initiated.

In terms of long-term success as measured by CURA, I would say this hinges upon the sustainability of the project itself. For example, this health survey will likely be considered a success if it yields useful demographics and statistics which can then serve as a baseline relative to future anticipated improvements. A success story for CURA would be Anlong village, which has 8 organic farmers, most of which run a CSA (community supported agriculture) program as well. Additionally, the village has a lot of eco-infrastructure, including methane biogas digesters, wetlands and dry-composting toilets. Since being installed, they have tangibly improved the residents’ standard of living, not to mention improved the eco-friendliness of the village itself. Anlong is now a ‘model village,’ that is regularly visited a variety of people interested in following a similar model. Nevertheless, infrastructure aside, CURA certainly measures success in terms of relationships as well. Dong, a CURA staff member, lived in Anlong for at least a year when he was overseeing the construction of the eco-infrastructure. Despite having a difficult time at first fitting in, he was eventually accepted and is now always greeted warmly by the people we pass in the street. Likewise, with the village in which we did a health survey—shuitianping—it was just as much about cultivating our relationship with the community as much as it was about gathering data. Thus, prior to the health survey, we hosted a health lecture in a villager’s house discussing the advantages of DIY vinegar in household chores, both in terms of environmental friendliness and effectiveness. This gave us the chance to get our foot in the door and actively contribute for the betterment of the community.

As for the tie-in between my own successes and CURA’s, I would like to think that my daily successes do impact CURA’s overall success—i.e. developing the survey, recruiting volunteers, organizing the survey training. Because CURA doesn’t have a large staff—I believe this means volunteers can contribute a lot more. It meant a lot to me when Dong said of me that I had been working like a full time staff member in terms of time and effort. From this, I knew I had helped contribute to furthering CURA’s mission and vision.  

Envelope #6: Open on any day after the mid-point of your experience

Prompt: Consider the service you are currently doing. How does your current service align with the best practices and recommendations identified in class (UNIV 305)? What are further areas for alignment and improvement? How would you implement these improvements? 

I'm glad and grateful to have this service experience through a Loewenstern Fellowship and the framework it entails. Prior to the actual service trip, I was better prepared through the training which came in the form of a workshop given by FSD (Foundations for Sustainable Development), the weekly classes and discussions, the journal entries, and especially the independent study project, which was specific to my service trip and social issue. This training helped me prepare my mindset going into the trip and formulate a working definition of sustainable service and community-centered development. The journal prompts were an opportunity to reflect on what this might look like in practice and challenge myself to go deeper on topics relevant to international service. As for recommendations, I think it would be helpful to take time to better understand more of the country and the local community beforehand. This would allow for more insightful analysis while in the host community. For example, having done research for a CHIN 411 presentation about Western influences on fast food in China, I knew the Pizza Hut in China was entirely different from what we were accustomed to in the US. Thus, I made sure to try it out in the good company of my fellow Chengdu LW Fellows. On a more serious note, one conversation I had with my host mom was about retirement and nursing homes. There is a Chinese phrase ‘three generations under one roof,’ which has been a gold standard of sorts with respect to filial piety; children are expected to house and care for their retired parents. However, I learned from my host mom that cultural attitudes, at least for some, are shifting. To her and her friends, she would not consider it unfilial of her children if she and her husband did not live with them. In fact, she said she would much rather live in a senior residence with her friends. By having a solid foundation of background knowledge—knowing what matters to them and what differs from the US—one can have more substantial and engaging conversations. Nevertheless, no amount of preparation beforehand can fully equip you for your time abroad; the beauty of an extended service trip abroad is the continual learning and adapting it entails. Only upon arriving in Chengdu did I learn about the Uber vs. taxi predicament.

Additionally, based on my work with CURA, I would say it is also important to understand what skills, language or otherwise, are needed by the NGO or community. In most cases, any and all skills are welcome. For the health survey project I worked on while at CURA, there was definitely a language prerequisite as I translated back and forth between English and Chinese for myself and for my project leader. Good intentions and enthusiasm are not sufficient in the reality of limited resources. This was apparent in a discussion over the upcoming arrival of three FedEx administrators coming to volunteer with CURA for a month in the hopes of improving the delivery system of CSA (community supported agriculture) produce from Anlong village to Chengdu. While their skill set was relevant, the CURA staff was debating whether they had to turn them away because of the lack of funding to procure a full-time translator. Luckily, the issue was resolved as the NGO that matched the volunteers to CURA agreed to provide a translator.

Of course, there’s plenty more to say about the best practices that I think were met during my trip so far: providing long-term opportunities (6-10 weeks) and fostering of communication between the LW fellow and the local community. Even up to the day of my flight to China, the concept of a 9-week long service trip was both exciting and intimidating to me. At what point would the novelty of being abroad wear off, leaving me homesick? But that turned out to be a question I never had to answer. As I quickly adjusted to my new environment, I found myself seeing the 9 weeks I’d been granted in a new light. When measured by projects and goals, it was just barely enough, if not altogether too short. While each day in the office was productive, it would not have been very feasible to complete the health survey in any less time, especially considering the other mini-projects that came along as well. Developing the health survey entailed multiple drafts and numerous revisions, while implementing it required recruiting experienced volunteers and organizing various logistics. At the end of 9 weeks, there were still things to do and places to go, but I was glad to have been able to contribute during what now seemed to be my short time there. Nevertheless, 9 weeks left me enough time to form lasting memories and relationships with the people I had the pleasure of working alongside everyday. 

Envelope #5 Open at the midpoint of your experience

Prompt: How has your experience thus far met or not met your expectations? What, if anything, do you intend to change about your personal interactions or work for the remainder of your time?

Prior to arriving at CURA, I honestly did not know what to expect. In fact, I recall reading the following in an email I received from Mark, the project leader, two days before my flight to China:

"Hannah, clear your mind of expectations. All will be as it is."

Nevertheless, this message was not so shocking to me, as I was mentally prepared to be flexible and adapt to whatever was awaiting me. My only concern at the time was that I would not be able to contribute much either due to insufficient language abilities, technical skills, or a mix of both. But, I was lucky enough to have a phenomenal experience that exceeded all expectations. I found myself fitting in easily, contributing to both the playful office banter and to the project at hand--developing (and later implementing) a health survey to be implemented in a village upstream of Chengdu. Each day entailed new experiences, such as walking alongside the city's rivers to the Living Water Park, which purifies 200 cubic meters of river water each day through a fish-shaped wetland system. Another time, it was meeting with Professor Wang Jintao of HuaXi School of Public Health to discuss my first rough draft of the health survey. CURA was a family, its members united by a love of protecting rivers and exchanging good-natured jests. Every day over lunch, business was set aside as stories and advice became the currency of communication. During these meals, I continued to learn, about the Sichuan dishes made by our chef Mrs. Dong, about Chinese culture and perspectives. It was also good practice for me to as I trained my ear to understand the Sichuan dialect. Sometimes, we would also have a visitor or two--a former CURA member, people hailing from other NGOs, once even someone from the Australian Embassy, who admitted a good part of his job was surprisingly dedicated to visiting incarcerated fellow countrymen.

Outside of my time in the office, my expectations have certainly been surpassed as well. I was told Chengdu would be unbearably hot in terms of weather and cuisine. Nevertheless, the summer has been relatively mild (or perhaps I am accustomed to worse as a native Houstonian), and with Chengdu now more 'globalized,' the same could be said of the cuisine. Unlike the days when my father first visited Chengdu years back and was unable to discern what he ate, registering only the fiery numbness, Chengdu was now a famed city of gastronomy with much more to offer than hot pot and stir fry chock-full of peppercorn. Thanks to the Chinese equivalent of Yelp, 大众点评, and my host family, I got to try roast fish, Italian-Asian fusion, Xinjiang, Korean, French, Japanese cuisines to name a few. One local specialty I loved was 'stir-fried yogurt.' After having read about it in the morning subway newspapers, I was determined to try it. It's made by mixing yogurt with fruit and flavorings, if any, and fanning it out in a metal pan to be frozen (something below cools the surface of the pan). The yogurt is then broken up and served in chunks, as shown below.

The 'stir-fry' process

The finished product!

So while it's technically frozen yogurt, this treat was termed 'stir-fried' yogurt because of how it's prepared, given the use of a pan and spatula. Crunchy, cold, and available in some of my favorite flavors (matcha, mango, coffee), it was refreshing in the summer heat.

Of course, Chengdu has a lot more to offer than just food--the city is also known as a cultural center. I had the chance to go see the Sanxindui ('three star mound') Cultural Site, exhibiting what's left of an advanced ancient civilization unconnected to the rest of Chinese history. The prominent features protruding eyes of the bronze masks were unlike anything I had ever seen before, and bore more resemblance to the Mayan artifacts I had seen in Mexico than to those of the Chinese Han civilization. That same day, we also got to visit the 4th largest Confucius temple in China. Walking around the perimeter of the shrine, we read the wishes left by earlier visitors. Especially because Confucius considered the patron sage of knowledge and education, the handwritten requests were overwhelmingly for good gaokao scores, enough to get into China's top-tier universities. Two also aspired to attend Harvard, and at the other end of the spectrum, a few humbly asked only to pass a test or course with a 70. I think what struck me the most was how strong an emphasis was placed on gaokao, understandable given that students only have one shot to prove their worth. And that's the problem--students have wholly attached their self-worth to the outcomes of this test. Every year, there are students who commit suicide for causes related to gaokao. While on the plane back to Chengdu from Hunan, I spoke with a the passenger next to me, a parent who said just this year a girl from the area had committed suicide as a result of poor gaokao performance. It's a problem that people has come into focus, and some families have found a way out, by sending their children abroad. My host family serves as an example of this increasingly prevalent phenomenon. To these families, education abroad is superior to what's offered in China. Some high schools even form classes of students intending to go abroad, preparing them for AP and SAT tests rather than for gaokao. Of course, these doors have been opening thanks to the rapid economic development in China and the subsequent increase in disposable income.

Coming back to the subject of experiencing culture, a visit to the Chengdu panda base was not to be missed. And, thanks to a few connections, we even got to hug a one-year-old panda cub. But, just as memorable to me was the conversation I had with the retired veterinarian who had worked at the panda base. He told us about his role in nurturing the panda population from the original 10 to the current 160. At one point, a panda epidemic had dropped the number down to a meager 4, but thanks to him leading a team of researchers, the cause and cure were identified, saving the remaining pandas. His crowning achievement was the risk he took to act on his theory of ensuring the survival of both panda cubs when twins were born to the mother, a frequent natural occurrence. The method he devised proved successful and is now used at panda breeding centers around the world. Despite all his accomplishments, he was very humble, always more than happy to answer our simple questions about the pandas as we strolled through the expansive base.

These experiences are just a few of the countless that have made my time so far in Chengdu so exceptional. Ultimately, it comes down to the people I've met and the relationships I've developed. I'm looking forward to the rest of my time here as we continue preparing the survey and as I continue to learn about the city and its people. What would I change? Nothing, other than continuing to be open to new experiences and serving as a bridge between cultures.

Envelope #3: Open after you have had a particularly productive day related to your fellowship

Prompt: What made this day productive? Was the success more for you, the agency, the community, or another individual?

In answering this prompt, I am thinking back to my second time in Anlong village, when I had the chance to convey what I learned during my first visit to a group of high school students in the program Where There Be Dragons. The students stayed in Anlong for a total of 4 days, getting a taste of rural life as they helped prepare steamed buns for breakfast, did some farm work, and even participated in the nightly plaza dancing. I enjoyed getting to know the bright and enthusiastic students over meals with them, answering their questions while also hearing their own impressions of Anlong. Anlong is the village that CURA has directed much of their environmental efforts these past few years, installing biogas digesters, compost toilets, wetlands, and empowering farmers to switch to organic farming. Though this is just one village among many, it is meant to serve as a model to encourage other villages to follow suit, ultimately improving the water quality of the rivers that serve as the source of drinking water for millions in Sichuan. 

During the group’s time in Anlong, we arranged for them to have the chance to talk with the organic farmers and hear their experiences firsthand. That day, reporters from the local newspaper also came to meet the high school group. On top of that, another group students attending China’s Southwestern University of Finance and Economics also came to the village to implement a project of their own. This made for an especially interesting afternoon conversation as we gathered in the spacious CURA classroom. After a round of introductions, giving the high school students a chance to practice their newly learned Chinese phrases, we moved in to the Q&A session. The students had prepared questions ahead of time, and took turns asking. This is where I came in, translating their questions into Chinese for the panel of farmers, listening to their answers given in Sichuan dialect, and then translating it back into English for the students. It was a bit daunting translating the farmer’s responses; as they were not used to having a translator, they answered the question all at once, rather than stopping to let me translate every few sentences. Nevertheless, it went quite well overall. It was rewarding to know that I was able to help the students, serving as a literal bridge of communication. Seeing the students eyes widen in disbelief as I translated that one of the middle-aged farmers was in fact 73 years old was priceless. Even better was the collaborative environment that afternoon. When one student inquired about the health system in China, one of the reporters piped up and answered her question. This goes to answer the second question—that day the success was shared by all who were present. I considered it productive not only because I had a chance to challenge myself and serve as a translator, but also because I learned a lot from the questions asked and answers posed, as did the students and reporters. And, although the farmers largely answered questions, they enjoyed having the chance to share their experiences with the students—both the good and bad.

The man front and center in the picture is the 73 years old; 

the man in the back left is holding his grandson. In the middle back 

wearing a green shirt is Dong, a CURA staff member. 

 Later that night, the exchange continued as both groups of students joined in the plaza dancing festivities. Given the special visitors, the ladies continued dancing long past their standard 1 to 2 hour routine. Even better, no translation was needed for this activity; the lively synchronized movements and laughter could be understood by students and villagers alike. 

Plaza dancing!

 A particularly capable and bold villager dancing with the women

Envelope #2 : 'Open 3 Days After Your Arrival'

My time with CURA has really flown--I'm due to head back in a matter of weeks! We recently completed our health survey in 水田坪 (shui tian ping) village, leaving me with some down time to contemplate the neatly enveloped Loewenstern prompts.

Prompt: take one hour today to talk with a community member (NOT a non-local staff member from your host agency) about the social issue/research question you are addressing. Take the time to listen to their point of view, without imposing yours. What do they have to say?

Since it's long since past three days after my arrival, I've had more a few hour-long conversations with the people I've encountered. These conversations are not solely limited to the topic of environmentalism, but have spanned over other aspects of society--education, corruption, local culture, Chinese history. One of the first conversations I had specific to the issue of environmentalism was with Yuling, a Rice alum living in Chengdu. While speaking with Dr. Li, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Rice, she put me in contact with Yuling, who now worked with the EPA equivalent in Chengdu.Without much exposure to the issue beforehand, I was eager to learn more, and gained a lot of insight on environmental efforts and perceptions in China from her.

On a sunny Saturday morning, we sat outside a cafe to enjoy the comfortable weather. I learned that Yuling grew up near Chengdu and went to the States for a total of 9 years for her bachelor's and PhD in environmental science. Missing home and the relaxed pace of life, she came back to Chengdu, working with the 'EPA' at the administrative level. She explained the differences she noted between working in the environmental field in China and in America. One of the hardest things to do here was research, given the difficulty in obtaining reliable data. Furthermore, she mentioned the difficulty of getting data or reports from other departments if one did not personally know someone in the department. Rather than emails, QQ was the more prevalent form of communication even at work. This has been true from my own experiences. While I haven't used QQ, WeChat tends to be the more prompt way of reaching someone even if you don't know them, such as when requesting a driver for a day trip.

Regarding environmental awareness among the general public, it's still needs work. All around the city are signs saying something along the lines of being civilized and contributing to society. A good  number are specific to being environmentally-friendly ('Everyone is responsible for protecting the environment'). As I mentioned earlier, most trash cans have both a 'recyclable' and 'non-recyclable' bin. However, it's really just surface level. Posting signs and such are easy to do; changing people's attitudes and outlooks are not. This is where efforts need to be focused. Another common sight in the city are the neon-orange-vested men and women posted on every block, or every 1km of public roads to be exact. Armed with a straw broom and metal dustpan, they're responsible for keeping the street clean of all litter, essentially picking up after people who didn't bother to throw away their trash in the trash can. Thus the reason for the constant reminders--on billboards, on the subway, on the small display banners of taxis--in the hopes of improving the public moral code.

We also discussed how people perceived the pollution in the city and how, if at all, they dealt with it. I had noticed the occasional individual, usually a woman, wearing a face mask in the streets, but they were all the thin blue disposable surgical masks, useless in terms of preventing the inhalation of particulate matter, or PM. I mentioned this to Yuling, and she said the main reason was that they just did not know about proper protection (this NY Times article outlines the situation in further detail). When I asked if this was the government's job to disseminate the information, she thought it should be, but that it likely would not be anytime soon. She felt that the government was structured such that those lower down only did what they were told rather than being self-motivated to address an outstanding problem. Furthermore, the government workers themselves, namely the police were unprotected against such pollution when they directed congested traffic from the middle of the street. Having done research on PM 2.5, or particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, Yuling pointed out that such occupations had high exposure to PM 2.5, considered one of the most damaging for its ability to lodge deep within the lungs. Regarding this issue and need for more public awareness, I thought it might be the perfect work for an NGO to tackle some day, hopefully soon.

Speaking of connections, thanks to our meeting that day, I was invited to a get together later that night. Luckily Karen and Thomas were free as well, and we had a blast getting to meet more Chengdu locals over smoothies and tapas with a distinctly Chinese streak.

From left: Yuling, myself, Karen, Thomas 

Trip to Anlong--extended version

During my second week with CURA, I had the chance to go out to Anlong village with CURA to see the work they'd been doing in the village. It was absolutely incredible experience seeing and learning about the sustainable practices implemented in the village, doing our part to help, talking to the villagers, and getting a taste of the local culture, both through cuisine and dance!

Anlong Village is about an hour-long bus ride from the outskirts of Chengdu. We arrived around noon, just in time to have lunch at Mr. Zhao's:

Featuring potato salad, twice-cooked pork, eggplant, string beans, soft-boiled cabbage 

The feast before us was impressive not only in terms of flavor and variety, but also for the fact that everything was sourced straight from Mr. Zhao's farm, including the rapeseed oil the dishes were cooked in. The dish in the middle, soft-boiled cabbage was something new to me; on it's own, it's very plain, but is delicious when dipped in spicy oil. 

After lunch, we went went out to see the wetlands and dry composting toilets. We were lucky to get the chance to meet Daniel, a Swiss man teaching hugelkultur practices to the villagers. He was working on his 'compost raised-beds.' Mimicking nature, these beds were self-sustaining food forests teaming with diversity. His explanation of how they worked was amazing. Essentially, he makes a pile of branches and covers it with compost and mulch, interspersed with rocks (to promote insect life, reflect sunlight, and add trace minerals). The seeds are planted and left on their own. The composition of the raised bed holds moisture and air very well. As Daniel described it, it was a dynamic environment, expanding and absorbing water in the rain, and slowly shrinking as the water is released. The productivity of this approach was readily visible when compared to the neighboring plot of corn planted at the same time: 

Left: 'compost raised bed' corn; Right: regularly grown corn

I admired Daniel for his passion in what he did, but even more so for his realism--he made sure his methods not only sustainable but also profitable to the farmers, as is the case with his compost raised-bed. His philosophy of mirroring nature and letting things take care of themselves was exciting to see in practice. And, his initiative to lead by example and demonstrate was certainly a lesson applicable to other things. 

After, we went on to Mr. Luo, who would be hosting us for the night. On our way, we saw where some of the river water was diverted to the village for agriculture, and ultimately returned to the river again. CURA introduced the concept of returning the water the river as clean as they had received it. This is currently being done through the use of wetlands, or letting used water purify in pools of water with various aquatic plants prior to flowing back into the river, comparable to kidneys. The water can be dirty kitchen or shower water, as is the case with the Chen family business by the river. In addition to going to see the wetlands there, we go to enjoy some time wading in the adjacent river. Icy cold, the water took some getting used to, but was a warm welcome on a sunny day. We sat in the shade to dry off, drinking piping hot jasmine tea and sharing stories. Aside from the 'formal learning' we'd received from the day's activities, this afternoon siesta was rich with Chinese culture, touching upon the Cultural Revolution, the general lack of public environmental awareness, and even the joking term 啪耳朵 ('ear pull'), which refers to men who live to serve their wives, as if they were dragged around on their ears all the time. 

When we finished our tea (served in standard glass beer mugs), we headed back to the village for dinner, stopping by Mr. Wang's house on the way. He's one of the sustainable farmers who delivers his produce to city consumers through a community-supported agriculture system. Interestingly, it's not quite similar to those in America. Perhaps better known as co-ops, the customers come to a set place at a set location to pick up their produce share and also get some face time with the farmer(s) that grew their food. However, for the convenience of the customers, who are spread out across the city, Mr. Wang delivers them to door of each customer early in the morning--on the hottest days he'll leave home at 1:30 am to ensure the vegetables do not wilt. On better days, he'll leave around 3:30 am. 

Dinner at the Zhao's, featuring spicy buckwheat noodles
and golden preserved egg

Taking a break after dinner, we joined the family in watching the local news. For some reason, the station thought it news worthy to spend a good half hour on a reporter's quest to find a public bathroom in a small town that a group of tourists had failed to find. Dong then took us out to see 广场舞, or a plaza dance, essentially the Asian version of Zumba. The ladies of two neighboring villages, both young and old gather nightly to dance for an hour or two to some pretty hip music. There is no leader; after having been taught by an instructor CURA had brought in a while ago, the dances are self-propagating. Newcomers like us need only watch the others to pick up the dance over time. We decided to join in the fun despite our utter lack of dancing ability (I really just speak for myself here). The ladies were gracious enough to keep straight faces when we turned the wrong way, stuck out the wrong limb, or looked like lumbering elephants. By the end of it all, the ladies all looked prim and proper in their cheery dresses while we were sweating from overexertion. This has been of my most memorable experiences over the summer. Plaza dance is present throughout big cities like Chengdu. At night, open spaces of street corners or more scenic park areas are occupied by both men and women as they dance together or alone to the beat of the latest hits. 

From left: Virginie, Thomas, and me--we genuinely tried

Having had more than a day's worth of exercise, we called it day.

The next morning I got up early to talk to Mr. Luo while he was cooking. He still has a traditional kitchen with a large wok over a wood fire, and a formidable iron teapot hanging from the ceiling to rest right by the stove top. The design is so that water can be boiled while a meal is made, saving time and fuel. His kitchen also has a touch of modernity; there is a small gas stove powered by the biogas generator CURA installed in his home. As you can see, it's quite effective. 

Powered by the methane from the biogas generator 

 Breakfast was home-grown sweet potato porridge, chives, fava beans, and potato slaw. We shared a few more stories over the abundant meal before heading out and picking up trash around the nearby pond, left there by careless fishermen. Previously, CURA planted some foxtail fern around the perimeter of the pond to help clean it up. They're growing well, which means there's plenty of stuff in the water for them to break down. If the water's very clean, then they would not be thriving as easily. Following the morning cleanup, we headed back to Chengdu.

A few extra pictures I'd taken:

These are posters issued by the government I believe to all the families. From left, harmful food combinations, beneficial food combinations, and healthy foods. For example, one bad combo was lamb and watermelon, due to a bad chemical reaction between the two. A good combo was eggplant and bittermelon. The rightmost poster mostly describes the health benefits vegetables and grains. Just thought this was interesting seeing that it stems from a public health project of sorts headed by the government. Also learned from the poster I needed to stop indulging in quail eggs, a hot pot favorite, given its high cholesterol content (triple that of chicken eggs by mass). 

Update: since this post--I've gone back to Anlong two more times, this time to receive and facilitate a group of high school students predominantly from America as well as a few other groups from China. During these visits, I have since passed on what I have learned to them, while also learning more through the dialogue they initiate with the farmers and villagers. I'm also happy to say they've enjoyed plaza dancing just as much as I have. I'm definitely looking forward to my next trip to Anlong!