Message from yreynoso

[Anonymous]

Attending this course made me realize how people's lives, their beliefs, traditions and gastronomy impact other peoples' way of living when cultural interaction occurs at a global level. During this seminar, I learned so much from the presenters, readings, and colleagues who happen to be very knowledgeable. It was a pleasure and an honor attending the Chinese Institute because the presentations made me understand the world I though I knew in a broader and more insightful way. I must recognize that before I attended the China Institute, I had little to no idea how the East Asia countries played such an important role in the development and growth of the economy of the United States and the world’s. Attending the China Institute made me gain a greater understanding about the impact that all East Asia countries have on a global, pungent economy. Before Stephen’s Cheung’s lecture on trading and his report on Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports, I had not much knowledge of the enormous magnitude international trading represented for the U.S.A. economy. I knew there was international trading occurring, but the insightful and data based report on how the local and international economy works in order to produce, keep, and maintain job stabilization in a community, it blew my mind. I had no idea how much traveling, negotiating, and how many human, and material resources were involved in preserving the integrity of a community. I will definitely address the topic of trading in my classes to assist them in gaining a meaningful insight of the elements that encompass a local, municipal, state, and international economy in order to preserve our current life styles. I really would like them to understand and appreciate how the social and economic factors that make a community functional, contribute to the stability of the community they live in. One of my goals this year is for them to raise awareness about other countries’ cultures by studying their people, geography, religion, traditions, gastronomy, political, and economic history.

The visit to the Getty Museum was extremely interesting and educational for me; visiting the display of the three full size replicas of the Cave Temples of Dunhuang where some elements of the Buddhist Art on China’s Silk Road was an incredibly spiritual and cognitive experience that I will never forget. In this exhibit, there was a large display of artifacts evidencing the expansion and preservation of Buddhist practices along the map showing the routes of the Silk Road that promoted a rich and extensive cultural and economic exchange through regions of the Asian Continent, and through the Mediterranean Sea. According to the information provided in this tour, replication of the symbols and historical elements in the caves has been a tradition and a common practice to earn rebirth and merit. These two are essential concepts in the Buddhism way of life; both highly correlated with each other, one has to devote his/her life to provide health, safety, and welfare to others before oneself in order to through rebirth, devotion, and merit, reach Nirvana. These would be excellent topics to introduce to my students in the Language Arts and Mathematics. I will try to introduce a piece of geography first, and then some poetry , drawing, history and finally a good glimpse to how international trading has been and still is an important part in the progress of old and contemporary societies.
edited by yreynoso on 8/21/2016