What hitchhiking writes alone as a woman in China Taught Me About Hospitality
It was in February in China and to the city of Lijiang in Yunnan province survey in view, still very much a cold winter landscape. Standing outside was not waiting, as I wanted to spend the morning. But Ya Ting had such enthusiasm for the idea of hitchhiking that opt for the bus, seemed at this point boring. She had several months to China were hitchhiking and held it for such a casual and obvious way, that it took the fear right out of me.
China had been on my bucket list, for 7 years before studying Mandarin in Taiwan. I knew from conversations with friends that would not be as carefree and easy travel in Southeast Asia to China. What I did not before, was coming over a month spending about another foreigner without, over 1,000 miles and more to learn hitchhiking about Chinese culture and hospitality, as I think possible from traveling by bus or train.
Ya Ting had taken me under her wing to speak to me after hearing Mandarin in a dormitory residence in Lijiang. She was fascinated by my fluency and wanted to travel together, that was how we ended up on the side of the road for a ride overlooking the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Within 20 minutes we had our first ride. I think it would not take hours. He could not take us all the way and landed us on a highway crossing fall. I thought that was the end of our happiness, but almost immediately we got another ride.
Hitchhiking turned out to be more of a study of anthropology, as a creepy, irresponsible joy ride. It was surprisingly easy and the driver turned out to be incredibly nice and normal. As a new Tramper, I expected crawls and serial killers, I would have to fight with mace. In fact, they came from all walks of life normal. Members of minority village tribes, students and business returns home from a business trip
Not once did I feel threatened or unsafe
was our most notable encounter when a twenty-something kid picked us. He could not take us, his uncle bought all the way so we lunch and a bus ticket for the rest of the trip. It is as if he felt obliged us a way to help to find to complete our journey. It brought tears of joy and gratitude to my eyes. This was the first time I understand the importance of generosity and dominate the high esteem in which guests in China. It was a selfless act that would be repeated in the weeks to come.
Ya Ting theory was that we were so always so happy, because we have a local and a foreigner were had together and sparked intrigue. You did not think we get so lucky if we separate. After a few weeks traveling together, we said good-bye, and I would test their theory.
I was standing on a busy motorway in Sichuan province after the tollbooth, sinks casual my thumbs every time a police car drove by. I was well aware of the challenge in front of me. Ya Ting was no longer to do the conversation, nor did I reject someone on if something went wrong. Now I was just a strange stranger on their own, suddenly with a borderline conversation had Mandarin ability to manage.
First, a few cars for a closer look slowed, only to accelerate from. Then just wanted others not in my direction. stretched minutes, and I was feeling defeated. After about 30 minutes (or an eternity, depending on who's counting), took a kind Duo to me and took me the whole eight hours Chengdu. They hosted lunch on the way, and how I had come, the Chinese culture was to learn typical, refused to allow me to have anything to pay them. I was amazed at the kindness that still extended to me now that I was a foreigner in their own and no longer had Ya Ting dynamic personality to help me along. This reinforces my belief that people were due Ya Ting not to be friendly, but that Chinese culture dictates a hospitality that we often do not see in the West.
A week later, two business partners from a trip to Tibet Return lifted me. They drove about twice as fast as the buses and in between there white-knuckling the back seat and the occasional slice Yak jerky (delicious dehydrated beef as meat with Tibetan spices) to eat, we the topography of California discussed compared to Sichuan Province.
They stopped on the way for a lunch of the famous y a a fish that the driver, Mr. Li, had selected from the fish tank, split along with some six other massive dishes under us to be three people. He explained that the fish in his head had a double-edged sword. Due to my puzzled expression, he elected to show me, the waitress calls over and asked her to break the fish head open.
I was all but convinced that I would have to eat fish brain until the waitress triumphantly pulled out a sword-shaped bone from the head of the fish. They cleaned it then and shaped it into a bracelet. It was the same sharp and deadly still really interesting trinket anybody ever gave me. It felt like my heart grew two sizes that moment.
China smashed many of my perceptions. Before this I never understood why anyone hitchhiked. Getting into cars with strangers seemed dangerous and stupid. In reality, they taught me about goodness, improved my language skills immensely and provided views as a foreigner in China an insider. From eating meals with locals to sit in their cars, to hear the music they liked the most, or whether they chicken feet to dried fruit packed preferred I experienced Chinese life in a way that gets to see almost no one else. Without hitchhiking, I have never understood the generous and communal nature of the Chinese people.
Kristin Addis is a former investment banker who all of her belongings and offer California farewell benefit of traveling alone sold during off-the-beaten path for finding adventure through Asia. There is almost nothing that they will not try, and almost nowhere they will not discover. You can read more of her thoughts find his muse at MyTravel. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook
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