Living the Dream

“I did it, I’m here!” I excitedly told myself as I skipped off the plane. The air was muggy, short people were buzzing around, and I couldn’t understand a word anyone was saying. At last, I was in China. After clearing customs with a silent thank you prayer to the visa gods, I followed the friendly arrows pointing towards the “bus to city.”

But as I gazed out of the bus window at the emerging city, I sensed something was wrong. At one time, Xi’An was the most important city in China. Home to classical Chinese culture, Chinese Buddhism, and Confucianism, it remained the imperial capital for eight dynasties and became the crossroads of the medieval Silk Road. It was a magnificent place of historical and cultural significance, though now all I could see were designer stores and a McDonalds on every corner.

I settled back in my comfortable seat again. Then it hit me: "This too easy. I want a challenge. I'm supposed to be traveling in CHINA, hot and smelly with millions of people who don't speak English, not zipping around in nice buses."

Stepping off the bus, I began my hostel search. The broad, paved avenues and wide sidewalks lined with shops accented the big city along with the sounds of frantic traffic. There were huge, imposing, stark gray buildings as far as I could see through the polluted air. The calm, peaceful China of bicycles and peasants I had imagined was gone.

Two sweaty and frustrating hours later I was completely lost. The air was oppressively hot, the streets difficult to navigate, and the people reluctant to help. New thoughts: “You’re an idiot. China is hard."

But then, disheartened and disappointed, I made a turn. I found myself in the Muslim Quarter. There were sounds and smells of street food sizzling with bright colors adorning the stalls, a mixture of Islamic and Chinese architecture.This was the evidence of the medieval, multicultural capital the Silk Road had transformed Xi'An into nearly a century before. Delighted with the vibrant atmosphere, I spotted a small Buddhist shrine in a quiet, shaded alleyway and wandered over.

At that moment, as I stood in the cool air in front of the little statue, realization struck. Here was powerful history right in front of me, still existing centuries later. This was why I had come to China, to witness how the past has fused with the present. It was up to me to make sense of modern China fusing with the heart and soul of ancient and medieval China. Now I understood. Now I was ready.