The day we were all expecting is finally here! After a short debriefing and orientation, each of us met our respective families and parted ways to settle into our new home or go away for the weekend. My homestay parents阙涛 (Mr. Quē Tāo) and靖彬彬 (Ms. Qiàn Bīnbīn) came along with their two energetic sons, 10-year-old 阙思源 (Quē Sīyuán) and 1 and a half year old 多多（Duōduō）, to pick me up at the student dorm in Chuanda.
We had lunch with Chris's family at a traditional Sichuanese restaurant nearby and then headed northwest to 金沙 (Jīnshā). The archeological site was accidentally discovered in 2001, uncovering the capital of the ancient Shu Kingdom, along with tons of artifacts and relics, including jade knives and ivory sculptures. Among the relics is the famous Sun and Immortal Bird Gold Foil, which was later chosen to be the symbol of China Cultural Heritage (take a minute to see the picture of the symbol above and you will probably recognize it). The site was later turned into a museum to preserve the city's ruins, which date back 3,200 years. Visiting the museum with locals was an optimal way to understand the first known civilization that settled in Chengdu.
After our museum visit, we arrived at the family's apartment in the Tianfu Software Park district, a recently developed sector in the city. Waiting for our arrival was the family's grandmother or 外婆 （wàipó）, 王玉风 (Wáng Yù Fēng), a lovely woman who was very curious about my life and my arrival in China. The family gave me a tour of their home and were extremely attentive of all my needs; the famous Chinese hospitality was undoubtedly displayed. Although there is a language barrier, my listening and speaking skills are slowly getting used to understanding what they want to communicate.
In the evening, we met up with Chris's family again to go to the nearest mall for dinner. I was shocked when I found out that the nearest mall is in fact the New Century Global Center, the largest building in the world. From what I saw during my short visit, the mega-complex includes a shopping mall, a resort, a cinema, a waterpark, a beach and an ice skating rink. But I would not be surprised if the list is longer. It most definitely is not your typical "local mall." The sector is full of skyscrapers and my host father did not wait long to emphasize that 10 years ago all of it was farmland.
My first day as part of a Chinese family has been outstanding! I can't wait to learn more about the family's history and start my research on this sector. I expect a very physically and mentally challenging week, but as it is our last one in Chengdu, I am ready to make the most of every learning opportunity.
- Alejandro T.
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