Text/Chen Mingyi Song Xintong Zeng Youlian Li Xinrui Huang Juyuan Photo/Provided by the interviewee
Poster designCinema 1950 witch cloth drawPhoto/Liu Le Lu Tianai
Video/Chen Nana
Instructor/Lu Nanfang Xiao Wei
Trinidad and the Republic of Tobago are an island country located in the southern part of the Caribbean of 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 1796.
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, Michelle 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 is a multicultural countryBabaylan 1990 cloth draw, where the cultural traditions of various countries blend together, Komiks 1960 witch clothes draw coexist, showing cultural diversity in all 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 “Bake and shark”, a delicacy with grilled shark meat in bread, often sold on the beach, and it tastes delicious after being served with tomatoes, cabbage, onions, sour cucumbers and various sauces. We also like to eat roast pork (Pelau), which is made with rice, chicken, pork and various spices.draw‘s traditional dish, it is often used as food for special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, etc.
In addition, our country has the majority of African and Indian people, so there are many specialty foods from their country. For example, Indian flatbread (Roti) is an East India staple food, which contains curry meat and vegetables. A wide variety of dishes constitute the beauty of our country Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw food culture.
Michelle’s personal photos
Not only Babaylan 1990 cloth draw, our country is also full of diverse cultures in festivals and music.
There are many unique celebrations in my hometown, and the most popular and grand traditional festival is Carnival, also known as Carnival. It was a grand event full of colors and music. It usually takes place in February or March each 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 float 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 has many musical instruments with national characteristics. The most famous and most used instrument by bands in the celebration is the steel drum (Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawSteelpan). This is an instrument invented by the people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, which is made of discarded oil barrels and is also known as one of the youngest musical instruments in the world.
I spent my entire childhood in this multicultural countryBabaylan 1990 clothes draw years and youth, but a chance changed my life trajectory, IAs a result, some unexpected changes occurred in life.
In December 2019, I came to China at Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw. At that time, the outbreak of the epidemic and many flights were cancelled, and I couldn’t return to my hometown of Cinema 1950 witch cloth draw. 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, and I rarely have the opportunity to really get involved in Chinese culture. Many things have been 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, I had a brand new cultural experience and began to try to understand Chinese culture. Whether it is lifestyle, learning environment or 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 the summer and winter of Guangzhou, there are very large temperature changes, and the place is very humid, so the entire climate needs me to adapt and adjust.
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 touching the Chinese food culture since I was a child. Especially Komiks 1960 witch cloth drawMy mother is a native of Guangzhou, and her main daily life at home isBabaylan 1990 cloth draw dishes are Cantonese cuisine, so I feel very adaptable and enjoyed by Guangzhou’s eating habits.
Not only that, there are differences in learning habits between the two countriesKomiks 1960 witch clothes. I found that many Chinese students Komiks 1960 witch clothes. draw prefers to study in the library, while students abroad have relatively more flexible choices. We 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.
Babaylan 1990 clothes Draw Photo of Michelle attending the school teacher-student sports meeting
I can feel the difference between China and my hometown even more clearly during my time outside of study. The biggest difference in life in China is the widespread popularity of mobile payment. In my hometown, cash payment is still very common. Chinese people use 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 Cinema 1950 witch cloth draw was developing very rapidly. Komiks 1960 witch cloth drawMany modern buildings are constantly emerging, but some ancient buildings have been preserved. So I had the opportunity to see what I used to look like and imagine my parents’ childhood life through these previous buildings, which allowed me to establish a connection with the past.
My experience and feeling of living in ChinaThe cultural differences caused by my relatives and friends also made me curious. They like to ask me about my life here and 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 that retain ancient buildings and are very culturally varied in Yuexiu District and Liwan District, Guangzhou. 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 Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawUse 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 Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw commonality makes me feel very safe here and easy to integrate into the community. When I was a child, I did not have a strong sense of nationality. But as I grew up, I appreciate my race and culture more and more. Now, Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawI feel that I belong to a part of Chinese culture, and China 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. Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawSeldom learn about the culture and life of our country..com/”>Babaylan 1990 cloth drawFamily with the name of our country. In the past few years I have lived in China, I have never met people from the same country as me. Therefore, I think I am one of the 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 more.
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.