GDS Magazine | 29 more than ever how valuable it was going to be to have Crystal with us on the journey. From Hong Kong, we ventured to the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center in Chengdu, which was a bit off the path, but a highlight. Pandas are bred naturally at the center, with the goal to replenish the panda population around the world. Fun fact: Giant Pandas, who are carnivores, eat mostly bamboo, around 50 kilograms, or 110 pounds a day. In return, they produce 10-20 kilograms of manure each day, which can be used to make paper. We left with a new appreciation for this magnificent mammal. Soon after leaving the panda breeding center, Crystal announced that it was time to find “hotpot.” Hotpot is the first meal that Crystal asks for each summer when she returns to her hometown of Urumqi, in northwest China. It had been ten months since she last ate hotpot and she was ready. The outer pot is filled with an incredibly spicy broth while the broth in the inner container is less spicy. Crystal loaded the pots with baby bird eggs, bamboo, okra, potatoes, thinly sliced lamb, beef, and shrimp. In the end, Crystal was thrilled that she found spicy food that Gary could not handle, and that she had tricked us into eating beef stomach. From Chengdu, we took a train to Nanjing. Crystal was shocked at the passerby’s curiosity towards us, her host family. “Many of them thought the Baldwin’s were celebrities and asked to take pictures with them. But for most people in China, their perceptions of the west come from movies and news. That was when I again realized how privileged I am to be exposed to two distinct cultures. “In Nanjing, we met Crystal’s extended family members, who treated us to elaborate meals and chauffeured us to many of the cities’ famous attractions. After Nanjing, we saw Crystal begin to relax. Initially, she worried that she would not be a useful tour guide and that the language barrier between the two families might cause misunderstandings or awkward moments. Luckily, through our interactions with her uncle’s family she “realized that communication transcends verbal languages. A handshake, laughter, a hug … our emotions are tangible, and we connect even though we come from distinct cultural backgrounds and speak different languages.” Her apprehension gone, she was then able to enjoy herself thoroughly. Next stop was Shanghai. There we visited Xiawha International School, a boarding school that Crystal’s brother attended. Students there were interested in what American kids liked to do. In response to our questions, they said that friends were the best part of school. They complained that school runs from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m., and when Crystal and Ellie asked them about tests and homework, the students said they could have ten tests in a week. We later learned from the teachers that these tests are elaborate worksheets. In a private conversation with the teachers, they confided that too much of the student learning is rote, with little emphasis on critical thinking.