When I was little and would think of China, I would envision rice hats and everyone living in little huts in the fields, a group of people very different from Americans and the people I knew, and the Great Wall of China. As I grew older and learned more about China and what it is really like in modern time, my views changed. Many Chinese people share the same ideals and hopes in life as I do. People working hard to meet their goals and achieve happiness. There are people in all different kinds of situations: young adults saving up to go to college and compete in the job market, people saving up for their first house, starting a family, getting married, or dealing with the loss of a loved one. There are those struggling to make ends meet and have a place to stay safe at night, and those who wine and dine themselves luxuriously. There are immense cities and small farms.
The biggest difference in what I know versus what China is like would be the culture. China has 5,000 years of history and culture that America doesn’t have. China has deep roots in their past. From what I’ve read, China is prideful on certain things. The Confucian philosophy, the Four Great Inventions, and the flourishing Tang dynasty are some examples. China places a big importance on education. The government is driving to modernize China, and there have been huge investments in the nations higher education system to make sure that Chinese graduates are able to lead China into their next steps as a superpower.
The Chinese economy over the past thirty years has been the world’s fastest growing. Even during a financial crisis, the economy was growing at eight percent, which is unmatched. Almost anything I see or buy in the United States anymore is made in China. They have a strong