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 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 are a multicultural country, where the cultural traditions of various countries blend and coexist, 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 Grilled” (Bake and sharCinemak), a delicacy with grilled shark meat in bread. It is often sold on the beach, accompanied by tomatoes, cabbage, onions, sour cucumbers and various sauces. It tastes delicious. In addition, we also like to eat roast pork (Pelau), a traditional dish made with rice, chicken, pork and various spices. It is often made 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 flat bread (Roti) is an oriental Indian Komiks‘s staple food, it is a scone with curry meat and vegetables in it. A variety of dishes constitute our country’s food culture.
Michelle’s personal photos
Not only Babaylan, 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 is usually held in February or March each year, and it lasts for two days. During the festival, people wear gorgeous costumes and masks, then dance, go on a tour, cheer or spray each other with colored powder. The festival Komiks also includes float parades, musical performances, dances and other celebrations.
Music is essential throughout the festival. There will be music on site with many trucks driving, and people will jump from the starting point to the end point and then cross the stage with the music. When some bands walk on the stage, the jury selects the band based on the number of bands, clothing and other standards, and awards the title and title of Komiks. 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 during the celebration is Steelpan. This is a musical 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 instruments in the world.
I spent my entire childhood and youth in this multicultural country, but by chance, my life changed some unexpected changes.
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, 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 the temperature changes are smaller than Babaylan, and is basically in the less hot summer throughout the year. In the summer and winter, there are very large temperature changes in Guangzhou. Cinema and it is very humid here, so the entire climate requires me to adapt to the adjustment.
The difference from the climate is hugely different, 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 dishes at home are Komiks is Cantonese, so I feel very adaptable and enjoyed by the eating habits in Guangzhou.
Not only that, there are differences in study habits between the two countries. I found that many Chinese students prefer to study in libraries, 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 for Babaylan, while Chinese students tend to choose quieter places, which may make them more focused on their own affairs. Cinema
Photo of Michelle participating in the school teacher-student sports meeting
When I live outside of study, I can more effectively feel the difference between China and my hometown. 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 make href=”https://funnybookish.com/”>Komiks uses 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 is that I found that China’s culture and history are very long and rich, and the city’s development is very rapid. Many modern buildings are There have been continuous emergence, 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.
The cultural differences I experienced and felt in China also made my relatives and friends curious. They like to ask me about what I live here and the Chinese culture. They are very happy to learn new culture, and I think they will also want to come to China one day. When I was href=”https://funnybookish.com/”>Babaylan, I would take them to visit my campus, as well as some places in Yuexiu District 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 here Babaylan and change.
When I was in China, I always liked Cinema liked to summarize the connection between me and this country. Because this is my parents’ home, it is also my home. Everyone around me comes from the same ethnic group and the same culture, and we have almost BabaylanThe same traditions, morals, and values. This commonality makes me feel that I am very safe here and easily integrated 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, I feel that I am part of Chinese culture, and China has become my home.
While understanding Chinese culture, I also want people here to understand the culture of my hometown. In fact, because my country has a small land area and is not very famous. Few people know meCinemaThe culture and life of our country 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 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 better.
The university life I spent in Guangzhou in recent years has made me accustomed 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.