This reflection internal was crafted by wifey who spent four weeks this summer in China:

When people ask me how was my trip to China, I tell them that it was fabulous. They ask me “what are the highlights?” and I do not know where to begin. I usually end up telling them that Beijing was my favorite city, and that I loved seeing the Great Wall and Tiananmen Square. And I also loved the food, except in Shanghai. At this point, my friends tune me out. They have heard enough of China, but I continue to think about my experience as they shift to a new topic.

..more from wifey on her, Adventures in China:

On our walk from the airport terminal to the charter bus in Beijing, local women took our bags. Some of them wrestled with us if we said no. They were not trying to steal our stuff, they worked as “porters” and they were willing to fight for work. Where do the women go at night? Why were women doing this work?

The daughter of rice farmers in Jiang She tells us that it is very hard to be a villager, but they live a very happy life. She is a Public Administration major at the University and her brother works away from home. Who will be the villagers in the next generation? Will they be happy even though it is hard to be a villager?

Disabled people are reduced to begging at tourist sites because the social insurance is non-existent. How has reform shifted the roles of the government and the citizens? Will the new economy provide social insurance or will it thrive without the demands of social insurance?

Religion is clearly a focus of the tourism industry, from the Temple of Heaven to Qufu to all of the Buddhist temples that we visited. The government funds many of these temples and sites. Does the government support religion for the purpose of promoting tourism and the economy? Is this why the government tolerates a resurgence of Buddhism and is promoting a resurgence of Confucianism?

At the Tujia village we learn about the marriage customs. I think this cheapens their culture and sexualizes the people. What do the Tujia think of this presentation of their culture? Why is the focus on marriage?

If the government takes care of you (for whatever reason), you will have a nice car, a nice home, a comfortable living, and abundant meals. I think that we might have benefited from this caretaking on our Fulbright trip, too. Why are only some Chinese people entitled to this treatment from their own government? Yes, there are so many Chinese people, but the large population is also the “great strength” of China. I have seen this in public relations and media reports. What would China look like if communism was remembered as much as Chairman Mao?

Back at home, I am nervous on the roads. Driving is so different here. I find myself hungry for some really good Chinese food and the local takeout food is not a good substitute. But I appreciate drinking water from the tap and not having to boil water before I brush my teeth. I eat fruit with the peel and raw vegetables! I even take a drink while I am in the shower, mostly because I can. I think about bringing my umbrella along on a sunny day but I don’t because it would be out of place.

Get down with wifey’s own visions of China from the first half of her trip.