Text/Chen Mingyi Song Xintong Zeng Youlian Li Xinrui Huang Juyuan Photo/Provided by the interviewee
Poster design/Liu Le Lu Tianai
Video/Chen Nana
Instructor/Lu Nanfang Xiao Wei
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago are an island country located in the southern part of the Caribbean in Central America and close to the coast of Venezuela. There are more than 90,000 Chinese in Trinidad and Tobago, and the earliest batch of immigrant Chinese can be traced back to Cinema 1950 witch cloth draw1796.
Michelle, a Chinese student from Jinan University’s junior major in clinical medicine, immigrated to the country of Trinidad and Tobago very early, and they jointly operated a restaurant to make a living. Michelle was born and raised in this country, and by chance, she returned to Guangzhou, China to start her college life. The completely different cultures also brought her a completely different experience.
The following is Michelle’s story:
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago are a multicultural country, and the cultures of various countries are blended and coexist here, showing cultural diversity in various aspects such as food, festivals and music.
The natural characteristics of the sea around all sides make people keen on going to the beach, enjoying the sun and food. The most popular one is a food called “Shark Grill” (BakBabaylan 1990 cloth drawe and shark), which is a delicacy with grilled shark meat in bread. It is often sold on the beach and tastes delicious after being served with tomatoes, cabbage, onions, sour cucumbers and various sauces. Also Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw In addition to our love, we also like Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawFeel roasted porkKomiks 1960 witch cloth draw(Pelau), a traditional dish made of rice, chicken, pork and various spices, which is often used as a food for special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, etc.
In addition, our country, Africa and IndiaBabaylan 1990 cloth drawsome people make up the majority, so there are many specialty foods from their country. For example, Indian flat bread (Roti) is a staple food in East India. It is a scone with curry meat and vegetables in it. A variety of dishes form the food culture of our country.
Michelle’s personal photos
Not only that, our country is full of diverse Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw culture.
There are many unique celebrations in my hometown, among which the most popular Babaylan 1990 cloth draw welcome, Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw Most popular Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawThe grand traditional festival is Carnival, also known as Carnival. It is a grand event full of colors and music. It is usually held in February or March every year and lasts for two days. During the festival, people wear gorgeous costumes and masks and then dance, parade, cheer or spray each other with colored powder. Festival events also include floats Babaylan 1990 cloth draw parades, musical performances, dances and other celebrations.
Music is essential throughout the festival. There will be music on site with many trucks driving, people jump from the starting point to the end point and then cross the stage. When some bands walk onto the stage, the jury selects the band based on the number of bands, clothing and other standards, and awards titles and titles. In fact, our country not only has many types of music, but also Cinema 1950 witch cloth draw gave birth to many musical instruments with ethnic characteristics. The most famous and celebrated Babaylan 1990 clothes draw The most famous instrument used by bands is Steelpan. This is a musical instrument invented by the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw, made of discarded oil barrels, also known as one of the youngest musical instruments in the world.
I spent my entire childhood and youth in this multicultural country, but by chance, I changed my lifeKomiks 1960 witch cloth draw, and my life has undergone some unexpected changes.
Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw In December 2019, I came to China. At that time, the epidemic broke out and many flights were cancelled, so I couldn’t return to my hometown. My relatives all suggested that I apply to a university in China, and I also think this may be a good choice. Although I am Chinese, I grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, andI have few opportunities to truly come into contact with Chinese culture, and many things I heard from my parents. Therefore, I decided to stay in China and personally experience the characteristics of Chinese culture. After considering all kinds of considerations, I chose the clinical medicine major at Jinan University and stayed in Guangzhou to start my college career.
Photo of Michelle participating in school hockey activities
When I stayed in China Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawI had a brand new cultural experience and began to try to understand Chinese culture. Whether it is lifestyle, learning environment or Babaylan 1990 cloth draw cultural traditions, China has brought me a different feeling.
When I first arrived in Guangzhou, the first thing I felt was that the climate here was very different from the climate in my hometown. Our country is in the southern Caribbean, with no obvious seasonal changes and relatively small temperature changes. It is basically in a not-so-hot summer throughout the year. In summer and winter, there are Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw. In addition, it is very humid here, and the whole climate needs me to adapt to the adjustment.
Unlike the huge difference in climate, the food in Guangzhou is very consistent with my taste. My parents are both Chinese, and I have been exposed to Chinese food culture since I was a child. Especially my mother is a native of Guangzhou, and the main daily dish at home is Cantonese cuisine, so I feel very adaptable and enjoyed by Guangzhou’s eating habits.
Not only that, the two countries also have differences in their study habits. I found that many Chinese students prefer to study in libraries, while those who are abroad choose to study.It is relatively more flexible. We would stay in dormitories, coffee shops, libraries or friends’ residences. We don’t think too much about choosing a learning environment, while Chinese students tend to choose quieter places, which may make them focus more on their own affairs.
Photo of Michelle participating in the school teacher-student sports meeting
When I live outside of study, I can more truly feel the difference between China and my hometown. The biggest difference in life in China is the widespread popularity of using mobile payments. In my hometown, cash payments are still common. Chinese people use their mobile phones to do almost everything, including buying things, taking buses, paying electricity bills, etc. This convenience surprised me very much, and my friends over there felt incredible when they heard the news.
What surprised me even more was that I found that China’s culture and history were very long and rich, and the city’s development was very rapid. Many modern buildings are emerging, but some ancient buildings are also preserved. So I had the opportunity to see what I used to look like and imagine my parents’ childhood life through these past buildings, which allowed me to establish a connection to the past.
The cultural differences I have experienced and felt in China are also curious about my relatives and friends. They like to ask me about my life here and about Chinese culture. They are very happy to learn new culture, and I think they will also want to come to China one day. At that time, I will take them to visit my campus, as well as some places in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou and Liwan District that retain ancient buildings and are very humane. This may allow people who do not understand the culture here to feel the development history and changes here.
When I was in China, I always liked to use the word “home” to summarize the connection between me and this country. Because this is my parents’ home, it is also my home. The people around me are from the same race and culture, and we have almost the same traditions, morals, and values. This commonality makes me feel very safe here and easy to integrate into the community. When I was a child, I didn’t have a strong sense of nationality. But as I grew up, I appreciate my race and culture more and more. Now, I feel like I am a part of Chinese cultureChina has become my home.
While understanding Chinese culture, I also hope that the people here will understand the culture of my hometown. In fact, because my country has a small land area and is not very famous. Few people learn about our country’s culture and life, and may not even be familiar with the name of our country. In the past few years I have lived in China, I have never met anyone from the same country as me. Therefore, I think I am one of the very few people who spread our country’s culture. I really want to share the culture of my hometown with the Chinese people here so that everyone can understand my country better.
The university life I spent in Guangzhou in the past few years has made me get used to the culture here. And as a Chinese, I hope to have the opportunity to continue to depict my life trajectory in China in the future.