Student name: Ms. Magan Haycock
Nationality: Canadian
Time in Global Exchange Center: 5weeks from June 18, 2012
 
Millions of tourists come to Beijing every year. They see the top 10 sites to see, sample a bit
of Peking Duck, and then return home. Most of them stay in Western hotels or hostels and
their interactions, except for bargaining, getting a taxi, or buying food, are entirely with
Westerners.
 
I decided to live with a Chinese host family during my language studies in Beijing, and I
can say confidently that the tourists do not truly see Beijing. Living with a host family,
I eat true Chinese food every day. I see how they prepare it, I go to the market with them
to buy it, and we have fun comparing Canadian food to Chinese foods. China’s restaurant
food culture and home cooked food culture is phenomenally different, and I can say
confidently that home-cooked good is leagues better.

Also, I actually live in a Chinese neighborhood and see people go about their daily lives, I
have woken up at 6AM to watch my host family do Tai Chi and practice dancing with
other seniors in the community, we take walks in the park and listen to music and watch
groups dancing.
 
My Beijing experience would not have been the same without my host family. Living with
people inside a small apartment you really bond with them quite fast. Although my Chinese
was very basic when I arrived, my host family’s patience enabled us to communicate on
subjects such as the old vs. young generations, art, cooking (I have been receiving lessons),
and Canadian culture compared to Chinese culture. My Chinese improved more over two
weeks than it did for 10 months of Chinese classes at university. I would recommend
anyone that truly is interested in China, Chinese culture, and that wants the maximum
amount of improvement in Chinese, to stay with a host family forsure.