It seems so far that the Chinese share many of our values. But one area I see a difference in, especially in the areas we have visited with this course so far, is the appreciation of art. It seems much more important here than at home. The Chinese government spends a lot of money on art and its promotion. We have visited artists who are paid a salary by the state just to produce art. There are also many state funded schools to teach both traditional and modern arts to children. I find this really amazing, as there is really no such thing in America.

I'm definitely excited to go to China this January. I've wanted to visit China for quite some time, so this is pretty much the coolest thing to happen so far during my time here at PLU. I'm really curious about Chinese culture in general, and I hope to be able to learn from a culture so far removed from the Western world I'm used to.