Story Archives

China Travel Stories

Duolun, China: Once Xanadu, Now Duolun - Story by Matthew Crawford
- 11th Online Issue

In some ways Duolun is a typical Chinese city of the north. Clusters of old men in dark blue casual suits sit around basking in the sun. The younger men stand on the main streets with their carts, waiting for work to come along. Meanwhile, in front of the bus station the sidewalk pool tables are abuzz with chatter.

It is the beginning of April and the days have almost become warm. There are still a few patches of ice and snow in shady spots. This morning the streets are clouded with dust.

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China: If you are wondering where to go... Go wandering!! - Story by David Calleja
- 11th Online Issue

Have you ever looked for an alternative to crowded, overpriced tourist locations and wanted to see the true culture of a place in a short period of time? Do you look for adventure and are curious to meet friendly people from a host country? Well, if you answered yes to all of these, then come with me on a walk. My wife has grown to accept my little walks, though not always to enjoy the work involved in getting there. The destination…oh yeah, that is the catch. If you are wondering about where you are going, you are going wandering. China is the place we have spent most of our time in so we will look at this from a Chinese perspective.

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Suzhou, China: The Night Market - Story by Megan Eaves
- 9th Online Issue

The most unusual things are not unusual in China. Living here, you kind of get used to that constant feeling of; "What on earth is going on here!" in the back of your mind. You even learn to disregard it most of the time. We foreigners have taken to saying:

"T.I.C. baby!"- This Is China.

Amazingly, that expression is often the most logical and available explanation for the completely inexplicable things that happen here on a daily basis.  Let me explain...

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China: Surviving Sleeper Trains in China - Story by Susie Chong
- 9th Online Issue

My leather Mary Jane shoes are easy to slip on and off. The thick rubber soles perfect for hiking and traveling on hard sleeper trains around China.

My first days in Beijing are spent visiting The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and scaling The Great Wall at Simatai with my fellow travelers. The icy wind blows through my jeans. An hour and a half later I am sweating, after reaching the top tower for a panoramic view. The terrain is steep, filled with copious valleys with undulating hills. Any intruder can be seen. In the afternoon, we visit the Summer Palace, admiring many ornate decorated buildings and courtyards, dragon sculptures and garden statues.

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Hauhau, China: "Why am I here?" - Story by Shannon Lamb
- 4th Online Issue

The aroma of unfamiliar vegetables and meat grilled on an open flame, cesspools that haven’t been cleaned, fish dried, salted and hung for sale, wrestle to dominate the scent in the air. In the distance I hear the rambling sound of an approaching train, the muffled voices of children speaking a foreign tongue, I see aging men practicing ancient traditions, the faces of youth and all their ambitions. I close my eyes, a prolonged moment— I open them again.

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Xining, China: Xining in the Forbidden Zone - Story by Diana Lee
- 4th Online Issue

To visit Tibet, a Buddhist kingdom shrouded in mystique and political turmoil; a rugged landscape that is secluded in the mountain fortress of the Himalayas, has always been one of my ultimate travel destinations.

Working in China as foreign teachers at a university, Sal and I shared a rare opportunity to gain access to Tibet from China.

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Tuan Li, China: Experiencing Rural China - Story by Donna Spalding, PhD
- 4th Online Issue

Before I left for China I envisioned myself easily adjusting to a new culture and confidently imparting knowledge to the university students I would be teaching. After spending three months there, I left with a totally different perspective; one that grew out of my first opportunity to be not just a tourist, but a participant in a different culture. My previous view of China had not included the people; it had focused on the place. But after leaving China, I had a new vision of both China and myself, and I was certainly more impressed with the people of China than I was with myself.

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