This past summer I studied Chinese language and culture surrounded by the richness of Beijing’s ancient history and its modern bustling city. With a pen in hand and a desire to accelerate my language skills, I immersed in the history, art and cuisine as a both student and a journalist. Paige Kahn, a rising senior from Long Island’s Syosset High School, also traveled to China for a summer exploration. Paige documented her journey, however, using a keen eye and a photographic lens. Traveling as a student photo journalist with National Geographic Expeditions, Paige explored China’s terrain, with her heart and camera as a guide. Her journey started at Beijing’s Great Wall and weaved its way through Gansu Province, the rural Sichuan Province and ended in the cultural sub-provincial city of Chengdu. Our paths crossed in Beijing, and upon returning home, we decided to share our experiences and collaborate on a photo story for TDC. Each destination opened the door to a new adventure: uncovering life in China and capturing the faces, emotions and expressions of its locals and community.
The music in this photostory came from the following source:
東方之珠
羅大佑 詞曲
1991年《皇后大道東》
Thanks for this article and video, Matthew Lecher! I have heard numerous accounts of your experience in China and each one brings me back to when we traveled there together exactly one year ago! It is so amazing how you were able to assimilate yourself into a culture so different from your own so easily and with a love and passion for it. In addition, I think that it is amazing that you documented your experiences there so that you may look back on these experiences and remember the people you made, the things you did, and the connections and memories you have made. I as well document everything I do when I go to places so that I may remember what I did. I think it is fantastic that you and your friend Paige collaborated together to show all of the TDC viewers your collective experiences. The video was an amazing job well done.
This video was great at showing the Chinese culture while also making it entertaining. I don’t know about other people, but for me I find this video captivating. You need a mangekyo sharingan to appreciate all the fine aspects Matthew is trying to show. There are so many elements in the video like: motif, conflict, characterization, symbolism, setting, Tone, mood………etc The whole thing seemed like it was seriously edited but with love. Overall, I rate this video 10/10.1 I like everything it stands for, except you should take out the background music 東方之珠 and add some Chinese cultural hip pop music.
I’m so glad your trip to China was such an amazing experience this summer! It’s great how you can visit a city on the other side of the world and feel completely welcomed! Not only that, but to then come back with all these stories and lessons that are so interesting. Your stories continue to inspire me, and I hope to revisit China sometime in the future as well. Additionally, it’s amazing to see someone from another school sharing this some story as well, except through her passion for photography. These photos definitely capture the difference between the East and the West while also sparking a curiosity that is found through exploration, which is something I really appreciate. Also, make sure to continue the collaboration as it’s definitely the best way the TDC family can grow and develop. To many more stories and adventures!!!
Great Article, Matthew! I’m glad that your trip to China is a memorable one. I thought it was great that you could be so far from home and still feel so welcomed. After watching this I might have to go to China myself and see all the wonderful things that are there. You always have a great story to tell and it inspires me. Keep up the great work!
This was such an amazing video, Matthew! I love the background music that you added. The picture that you included was amazing too! I haven’t been to china for long time, so I don’t really remember a lot from China. The only place I’ve been to in China was Fuzhou, but I would love to visit other places, such as Beijing or Shanghai. I have a few relatives in HongKong too, so i really wish I can visit them. I would definitely take a trip to China before college. Overall, I love this video. Amazing job!
I love this video! The pictures are so good. I am from Beijing, I love Beijing, hope you had a great experience in Beijing. I also realized you also tased Chengdu. I actually went to Chengdu with my best friend this past summer, it’s a great experience. The food are so good there. I hope I could go there again. Anyways, this is a awesome video, great job!
Awesome video, Matthew! I really find something like this inspiring. Even though you may not inheritantly be part of the Chinese culture, I find your conviction to be special. The pictures in the video are one of a kind. You’ll never be able to find something like this in countries outside of China. I hope to see more from you soon! I also hope to see China for myself soon! Keep up the great work!
What a good video, Matt! I really think that the video was really helpful to inspire people. I really like the background that you added so that it allows people to understand what happened. I really wish I can experience what they had experienced.
The video was so good! After watching this, I hope that I can do something like this outreach. In the past, I’ve actually been to China but never did something like this. These pictures in the video show all the great experiences you had and are so good. Great video!
sick video, Matt! this video was great and is pretty informative! the pictures provided are amazing. not going to lie but I am pretty jealous you got to travel china and got to learn about Chinese culture!
This was such a cool video! I’ve never been to China and I’m really hoping I will get the chance to go sometime in the near future. The pictures and background music were so fitting. It amazes me every time I see people who have no personal background to Chinese culture & language become so immersed in it. Thank you for sharing your experience~
This video was really cool! I hope that people are inspired by this the way I was, and maybe this could even inspire more people to outreach to their respective countries of interest. And I’ve never been to China, but this gives me another reason to go. Hopefully I can go one day, and maybe even hold an outreach event of my own!
I really enjoyed this story. I hope that one day I can have the chance to explore China too improve language as well. I hope this will improve my speaking skills especially. I also really liked the story of how you two met, and decided to collaborate. The video was very well made and told a deep story.
Awesome video! I have always wanted to go to China, you have convinced me even more that I have too. Going there must have enhanced you’re speaking skills. Your video showed so much emotion, and how people there lived their life. Hopefully, I am able to go one day.
Great video! It’s cool how you juxtaposed Chinese and American cultures with your personal anecdotes. It creates a more compelling opinion. The video is very well shot, and the background music fits it perfectly. There’s a nice peaceful vibe throughout the video. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Amazing video! Going to China has always been a dream and this video definitely adds to that aspiration of mine. It is so interesting to see the variety of cultures throughout China. I hope to be able to travel to China sometime in the future. I really enjoyed how each of these pictures showed great emotion. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Amazing video! I loved the background music as it fits the video perfectly. It reminded me of when I traveled to China when I was younger. I hope I can revisit the country where almost all my relatives live and where my parents were from. Thank you for sharing this experience of yours!
This is such an amazing video! The background music really compliments the pictures very well. I enjoy how the pictures depict the everyday life of people of all ages in China. The pictures give some depth into the difference in everyday Eastern culture versus Western culture. I’ve always wanted to go to China, where most of my relatives live. This video gives me more reason to want to go to a China to experience its unique culture. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
这段中国之旅很棒，很有意思，中国的很多地方都很有意思，也很好玩
Awesome video, Matthew! I really find something like this inspiring. Even though you may not inheritantly be part of the Chinese culture. The pictures in the video are one of a kind. You’ll never be able to find something like this in countries outside of China. I hope to see more from you soon! I also hope to see China for myself soon.