Journey to my first foreign country starts from my mega city Kolkata. It was 25thNovember, 2013. I still remember the flight number because it was my first flying experience. My previous college selection is Yang Zhou University ,but at last my study abroad agent changed my university into China Three Gorges University. I have no idea with the city at all.“Hubei" I have never heard about this place before and I was going to give my precious 5 years to this unknown place . I was feeling it quite unfair, and there was little disappointed with the study abroad agent. All these things were going through my mind while I was looking outside my flight window. Darkness outside window was somehow resembling my future too. But I did not know anything to do instead of moving toward my destination. But slowly, as time goes on, my perspective changed.

At that time, I was in Yichang, my first destination out of my country and the place where I was going to spend my precious five years almost a quarter of my whole life. “Sanxia daxue.. Sanxia daxue…..” I said to a taxi driver. I told him I want to go to China Three Gorges University. He said nothing. I don’t know “sanxia da xue” stands for what. When I arrived at the airport there were some foreign students helped me to take taxi to my university when I got off from the taxi. I found it very green andthere were beautiful girls walking there beside road was let me feel in the heaven. They looked like fairy angels.I can see young Chinese generation are getting taller and very good looking. My myth about Chinese people that they are short heighth and was getting wrong. They are smarter than old generation people. In few days after some formalities I started my regular class for medicine study. I found teachers very punctual even we get sometime little late but I never saw any our teachers coming late. College with good campus and beautiful sites. The first Chinese food I tried was “jidan chaofan”which is egg fried rice somewith different vegetables. I found that quite similar with our Indian food “biryani”. But in starting few month I prefer to eat in Bangladeshi and Pakistani canteen. Since I was not liking Chinese food smell that much.

Now it is almost two years since I arrived here, and I have spent a lot of good time here. From the first day till this date my mind setup for Chinese people and Hubei has changed a lot. Iam also changing myself according to this place for better survival. now I can speak daily used Chinese well. But I am not good in “hanzi”( writing Chinese character). But I am sure in next three year I will do far better than this.I often eat Chinese food now. I know some of good Chinese restaurants which give very authentic Chinese food. I often eat canteen food is not so like home made Chinese food ,but honestly speaking I love my Chinese canteen food. I nearly have tried all types of food I know in Yichang except beef. Because we are Hindu we cannot eat it. Most of local people do not believe in God but I found they are happy as we areas the reason of they do not blame any one or any misfortune. They are very helpful and honest toward there words. Now I have some Chinese friends and I often ask them to join us on our festival like Holi (festival of colour), diwali (festival of lights and sweets) .

Hubei from my tourist eye

Wuhan,Yichang and the other places of Hubei have been transformed over the past twenty years from quite agricultural economy into a modern , developed society. However the province is losing its traditional characters. This blend of ancient civilization and cosmopolitan metropolis is what makes Hubei such an attractive destination for foreigners to live , work travel and study.

Looking back my expectation for Hubei were far from the reality. like many foreigner. I thought that people in China outside Shanghai and Beijing all rode bicycle to work and ate street food everyday. May be that last part is still true , but I am glad it is because I don’t know what I would do without my “jiaozi”.

Not far from the city of Yichang lies one of the world greatest feats of engineering --Three Gorges Dam. I still find it hard to believe that men built something that could channel such a great body of water.

Another interesting place to visit is the Hubei Provincial Museum. It has a myriad of archaeological display and culture exhibits to satisfy any ones curiosity about the past life in Hubei. when I went there I was lucky enough to see traditional music and dance performance with colorful costumes and unusual musical instrument that you rarely get a chance to see anywhere else.

But my favorite site in Hubei is the Yellow Crane Tower famous for being rebuilt many times and formally. There is a national park named “jiugongshan” with fresh air best picnic spot .

Now whenever I mention “Hubei”,“Wuhan” and “Yichang”in my hometown and their reactions are similar “never heard of them”. In my opinion, it is their loss.

Name:Ankit Kumar,

College of Medical Science

China Three Gorges University