Nǐ hǎo/ Hello
It has been exactly two weeks since I have been in China, and so far I am having a wonderful time! I still can’t believe I’m on the other side of the world!
I’ve been to Downtown Tianjin, via subway and walked countless of kilometers. If you aren’t normally physically healthy, you will be in China. There is a lot of walking done here, so wearing comfortable, reliable shoes is important. I found that stretching in the morning really helps relieve soreness from the day before. Also eating the right foods helps with your body feeling good too! Light, portioned meals is something I see a lot of! But don’t worry, you will still be full.
We are currently celebrating the Chinese New Year, where myself and a few others have decided to make the most of it by going to Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. Traveling to these different cities has helped with not only my physical health, due to all the walking, but my mental health as well.
One tip to mentally stay healthy is not let little things people say or do affect you. Some days people will do/say something that you may not like or agree with, but you have the choice on if you want that to affect you. Being a black female in China with braids, has gotten me a ton of questions and stares that I try to answer as politely as possible. I don’t let it affect me because it’s a different culture, so I have to mentally keep reminding myself that the native people don’t see someone like me quite that often. It is however, still weird when people blatantly stare and take pictures. It’s a part of the journey, and I take it all in stride. Having a positive outlook can really help your overall day!
Another tip I have, is to read/write daily, before getting your day started, and at the end of the day. Whether that be reading the Bible, reading or writing a motivational quote, or even journaling. I find that it really helps set and end your day on a positive note. I personally read my Bible in the morning and journal my day at night, so that the next day, I can look back and see how I felt about my day, and see how I can make my current day better.
Overall, these past two weeks have been eye-opening on my personal growth journey, and I’m excited to be here! I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time here will hold. Until next time!