July 25, 2010
When textbooks come to life
After completing a special topics course about the history of U.S.-China relations, two students visit China to experience the actual sites they studied in class.
Throughout his time at Bryant, Tom Pagliarini ’11 (North Providence, RI) heard his professors talk about the value of studying abroad. He respected their views, but he didn’t fully grasp how beneficial it could be to step out of his comfort zone and experience a different culture.
His perspective changed after he spent an eye-opening two weeks in China. After taking “Special Topics in History: The United States and China, 1931-1950,” he had the opportunity to travel to the Far East to experience some of the historic sites they discussed in class. In addition to Pagliarini, the group included Jason Fortin ’12 (Pomfret, CT), History Professor Judy Barrett Litoff, and Science & Technology Professor and Chair Gaytha Langlois.
In looking back, Pagliarini believes the most important development he experienced during the trip was a newfound willingness to let his guard down and immerse himself into a new culture.
“I confess that I had packed enough granola bars and Pop-Tarts® to provide me with sustenance for the entire trip,” Pagliarini wrote in his blog after returning from the trip. “But I can proudly say that I did not enter into my bag of treats the entire time.”
Moving forward, Pagliarini plans to try to learn Mandarin, and he is looking into study abroad programs at Chinese law schools. “Everywhere we went, I was like a sponge with my head on a swivel,” he says. “I was just soaking up as much as I could.”
Experiencing history
During their first few days in China, the group explored the Forbidden City, climbed the Great Wall, and toured some of the 2008 Summer Olympic venues. After experiencing some of the tourist hotspots, they begin their research with the help of several locals who served as tour guides throughout the excursion.
They started with a visit to the Marco Polo Bridge, Beijing’s oldest bridge. In July 1937, Japanese troops provoked a battle on that bridge with Chinese troops that started the Second Sino-Japanese War. The group then toured the Museum of the War of the Chinese People’s Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
Later in the trip, the group visited a museum in Xi’an that was once served as office for the Eighth Route Army, a major Communist force that fought the invasion of Japan. The group’s tour guide explained to them that this was the first time a group from the west requested a tour of this outpost.
In Hangzhou – dubbed “Paradise on Earth” by the locals – they went to the China National Tea Museum, and in Shanghai they visited the 2010 World Expo, which will host more than 76 million visitors this year.
“As an individual who has experienced both tourist attractions and a search for ‘true’ culture, I encourage all foreign travelers to look beyond cultural gimmicks and explore the areas without silverware, English-speaking tourists, and paths littered with souvenir shops,” says Fortin. “Only then will you truly understand, appreciate, and cherish what is different in other parts of the world.”
Cultural immersion
During the spring semester class, the students learned about Chiang Kai-shek, commander of the Kuomintang Party that was eventually defeated by the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong. While ruling, Chiang Kai-shek’s top commanders became upset with his unwillingness to work with the Communists to protect China from the Japanese. Ultimately, the upset generals and a small brigade stormed the residence of Chiang Kai-shek, forcing him to flee into the mountains and hide on a steep hillside.
During their time in Xi’an, Pagliarini and Fortin were able to wear a replica of Chiang’s uniform and hide in the mountain, just as he did years earlier.
In Yan’an, the Bryant group members were the only non-Chinese people at their hotel. There they saw the former headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and explored the caves that housed the leaders of the CCP prior to taking power. They also climbed a steep hill to the Picking Stars Pavilion, which acquired its named because the locals felt they would reach the stars because of its high altitude.
“This trip has inspired me to continue to engage in and learn more about Chinese culture, language, politics, and history as a student, and when I begin my career,” says Fortin. “I hope that I will be fortunate enough to one day return to China for an extended period of time to learn the language and experience more of what the country has to offer.”
The trip was co-sponsored by the U.S.-China Institute, Confucius Institute, Department of History and Social Sciences, and Department of Science and Technology in joint efforts to support Bryant faculty and student research, as well as international exchanges. Read their daily blog posts.
