China - Trey Brooks



Trey on a hiking trial on Wugong Mountain

It was that late semester lull.

In my comprehensive language class we were always applying new language skills to the context of ancient Chinese customs as well as the modern lifestyle. In my writing class we have learned how to rent an apartment, describe historical sites, and sell furniture. In my other classes we were preparing for the all-encompassing HSK test that evaluated foreigners’ Chinese skills. With sometimes more than seven hours of Mandarin instruction a day along with the Sino-centric environment that surrounded us cultural immersion was the least of my worries. 

 It was one teacher, who we called Joanny, who had surprised me with her interest in my culture.

 Immersion in my eyes is not only the absorption of a culture completely different than my own, but also the respectful diffusion of my American culture. Of course I wanted to “do what the Romans do,” but I also wanted to share the connection that accompanies cross-cultural education. Joanny had us prepare a Power Point for every class to work on our presentation skills as a warm up exercise. It got to a point in the semester where we got to fashion a presentation that described our hometowns. Being from Nashville I had a lot of things to figure out, like how to describe a Honky Tonk in Chinese and how to explain how food, music, and Jack Daniels ruled the land. But, the surprise that was in-store for me that would take me back home in a way that the Music City research could not. The presentation ended with a slide or two about the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman Auditorium has been home to some of the greatest performances in Nashville’s history, especially country music. With an honest interest in the culture, Joanny opened a Chinese music website. On this site she would show me the various American music songs that she knew. Her being about the age of my father, the music was more than familiar. Before I knew it we were both singing the chorus to John Denver’s “Country Roads”. 

It was in this moment that I could finally enjoy my two worlds colliding. 

Denver sings, “Country roads, take me home to the place, I belong West Virginia, mountain mama take me home, country roads”. Moments like these taught me that home is where the heart is, and for now it can be found on opposite sides of the world. –Trey Brooks, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Junior (Class 2105), Commerce and Business Chinese Studies Double Major