Day 4 (Continued): The Great Wall of China – Where All Walks of Life Unite
By: Ja’Nel Edens, MBA Candidate 2018
The Great Wall of China couldn’t be more breathtaking. The wall extends beyond 13,000 miles and was built as early as the 7th century. Originally constructed as borders to protect and defend empires from invasions from the North, now sits as China’s premier tourist site and one of the seven wonders of the world.
As we climbed the great wall, many of the students became instant celebrities as visitors stopped during the trek to request selfies. Every few minutes started off with – “Ni Hao” – followed by a hand flashing of a cell phone to gesture a picture.
It’s easy to think that a request for a photo is just a simple way to showcase your new foreign friend with loved ones at the dinner table. However, there’s a deeper meaning and a wider context. What makes the Wall so great is that it brings people together from all around the world. The wall was originally built to protect yet now connects and unites more people from the West to the East, North and South than ever before. English, Chinese, Korean and even Farsi were all heard while climbing this great escape. A moment like no other. A moment as great as The Great Wall.
