The following blog post features student writing.
We woke up early this morning to pack up and eat a quick breakfast before heading out of the hotel. After several days of jet lag, it was exciting to see that many of us were finally feeling refreshed and energized for the full day ahead.
We spent the morning at Blue Sheep, which is a local shop in Chengdu that sells the crafts and handmade products from local and international artisans from regions all around China. This shop is particularly interesting however, because all of the products were made by either disabled persons or ethnic minorities in impoverished regions. We got to speak to the founder and shopkeeper for this organization, and discuss her experiences working with impoverished families in regions like Nepal and Tibet. We helped her set up a company Instagram to promote her store, and photographed many of her products for the site. We were also very fortunate to get to meet a man named Mr. Cheng, who is one of the disabled craftsmen for Blue Sheep. We discussed his craftwork and his experiences with discrimination and poverty as a man with physical disabilities trying to make a livelihood in the city.
After a full morning at Blue Sheep, Rachel took us to a local Tibetan restaurant and we got to sample authentic Tibetan cuisine. We enjoyed a variety of different dishes like Tibetan bread, stir-fry with yak, yak dumplings, and of course, yak butter tea.
Once we were stuffed with yak, we headed off to an archeology museum and park. We were able to separate and explore the park on our own. The site included two museums, one archeology site and one museum filled with many artifacts. There were various winding paths that led through both dense and sparse forests as well as a deer farm. The freedom to explore was very fun, and the experience was amazing.
This being the last activity in Chengdu, we took an hour and a half long bus ride to Du Jiang Yan. After arriving and settling into our rooms, we once again split up in the city to find dinner for ourselves. This was extremely fun, for we ventured into the depths of the shops and stands to find ourselves a fulfilling dinner. Our one task was to order our meals in Chinese, and although many of us lack the skill we were able to successfully find wonderful dinners and have an amazing evening. We all reunited back at the hotel, and being energized and defeating jet lag, we were able to bond over a rousing game of “Mafia.” What a day it has been!
Yak butter tea at the Tibetan restaurant.
Stay tuned!
– Georgia and Emily