Today I took my first class since May, and that class was none other than an introduction to the Mandarin language. I also wore my first school uniform ever—a blue shirt with white collar. Our professor was excellent. He demanded our full concentration and effort at every point of the lesson, and it was clear that he was no stranger to explaining Mandarin to native English speakers. We were working with pinyin today, which is definitely necessary in order to understand the nuances of tone and pronunciation. It was hard work, but I already feel that we’ve learned a lot in our first day and I look forward to expanding my knowledge of the language during my time in China.
After a tasty lunch, we took a trip to the Bank of China. They welcomed us warmly into their beautiful space, which was complete with a rock garden, pools of water, massive bamboo plants, and gorgeous high ceilings.
The architecture of the building itself was fascinating too—the glass ceilings allow for an abundance of natural light, and the absence of steps at the entrance symbolizes that the bank is accessible to all people.
We are so grateful to the Bank of China for sponsoring this trip, and it was wonderful to visit the bank in person.