My favorite Aspect of China

Daniel Messing
Poly Prep Country Day School
Brooklyn, New York

My favorite aspect of China was playing basketball in Beijing and Man. Basketball is my favorite sport and I have always loved playing it, but when I went to China and competed in the local playgrounds, it brought an entirely different meaning to the sport. Before basketball was a type of recreational activity I took for granted in the States, but after China I learned that Basketball is so much more; it is a bond of friendship and a language. It was amazing how something as simple as a game could connect people that had nothing else but humanity in common.

My entire trip I struggled with communication. I do not speak Chinese, and the majority of those I encountered did not speak English. However, when we both stepped on the basketball court, regardless of the heat or humidity, there were no communication barriers. Through the commonality of the rules, the understanding of a play well done, a made basket, and the sharing of smiles and sweat, we were united. Just forty minutes where all our differences were placed aside. It did not matter that we were from different sides of the world

One of my finest recollections was trying to clarify the score. Because we could
not just blurt out "Hey, who's winning," or "What's the score," through sign language and smiles we came to an agreement using their broken English and our broken Chinese.

For me, it was very easy to distance myself from the Chinese people. My lifestyle is incredibly different from their's, we didn't' speak the same language. I could not just start a conversation without being frustrated, but basketball really helped me relate and identify to the Chinese. After those experience, I had a desire to learn more about them cause realized we had the same interests. It was from these experiences that Basketball was my favorite aspect about China.

Danny plays basketball at Beida

The boys pose with basketball players at martial arts school