A few of my friends reminded me of my Muslim background, and I wasn’t sure how China would respond to it. Nevertheless, my love for learning about new cultures, my passion for ping pong, creating people-to-people connections, and building diplomatic relationships between the US and China through my favorite sport were enough reasons to join this trip.
In the heart of China, a symphony of revelations played out—lessons in culture, life, people, and the profound journey of self-discovery. The realization that truly understanding every nook of Chinese culture might take a lifetime didn’t deter me. It encouraged me to put myself out there, have conversations with locals, ask for context, add Chinese students who I played table tennis with on WeChat, and even learn a few Chinese words to communicate.
In the compact span of 10 days, every detail became a vivid brushstroke—their attire, the symphony of flavors in food, the rhythmic beauty of their spoken language, the dragon’s dance on streets, and the ancient marvels carved into the fabric of time. So, if I were to sum up China in a single word, “rich” would be the unequivocal choice. A richness that seeps into every aspect—people, culture, history, scientific endeavors, and the awe-inspiring architecture of ages
past.
