What I Will Expect

Our goal in Asia is to educate poor people about the English language. I have done this before in my life when I lived in Brazil for a year. It was very exciting to see the kids make progress and so see them so happy to learn. I am looking forward to doing this again but this time it will not be in Brazil. We will be going to Hong Kong, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. The idea of doing service work in Asia started with my dad’s love for India. He had always wanted to work with the Untouchables. We also have Chinese friends who encouraged us to visit China and experience its rich culture. 

I don’t know a lot about Asia. Out of all the countries we are visiting, China is the one I know the most about. China’s history is a big part of the United States’s history. China started off as a really powerful country with emperors. As other countries started to develop, China blocked off its relations with those countries out of fear of the new ideas spreading. We’ve talked about China in my debate class because currently, we are debating about whether to engage with China or contain it. Once I spend more time there, I think I will have a better perspective on China and Asia in general. During my time in China, I will be able to experience what life is like there and how the Chinese view the U.S., not just how Americans view China.

I expect there to be cultural differences in Asia. Most countries in Asia respect tradition and culture, such as respecting their elders. I think the U.S. is really modern, and people are able to have freedom of choice. I also think there will be a language barrier because I am going to ten different countries with ten different languages that all have distinct accents depending on where you are in that country. I think many people will not understand English or will not know how to speak it, but I have a feeling my expectations are too low. Additionally, I expect there to be a huge difference in the food. Americans are known for eating hamburgers, french fries, and pizza. I imagine the food in Asia will be much healthier and nutritious because they incorporate vegetables, rice, and tofu in their cooking. I will enjoy immersing myself in Asia’s rich culture.

I am interested in discovering Asia’s, and more specifically China’s, perception of the U.S. I believe that they dislike how the United States thinks of itself as perfect and the ideal role model that all other countries should look up to. This type of thinking comes from the founding of Massachusetts when the colonists wanted to establish “a shining city on a hill.” I want to discover if the colonists’ goals were achieved.

When I first told my friends that I would be traveling to Asia for 8 months, some of them were super enthusiastic about the experience I am going to have and some of them didn’t understand why I am doing service work so early in my life. Doing service work early in my life helps to build a mindset of giving back to the world. My friends and I will communicate through email and they will also be able to read and comment on my blog. My teachers have been really helpful and supportive. They have each given me instructions on what to do for their class. The instructions include: study guides, worksheets, notes, and readings. On my trip, I not only want to focus on academics and service work but also spend time with my family. This trip will be a perfect time to get to know each other better and always have a feeling that we shared this experience together.