Around the World 80 Minutes

Traveling for 7100 kilometers from Shanghai, I now live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. So do the ones from the small Chinese community in this city called Mostar. A few months ago at the United World College in Mostar, a school that unites around 80 countries around the world, we used the idea of Around the World in 80 minutes, to share our different cultures.

We introduced a delicious, traditional Chinese dish cooked by HongLi, explored other cultures stretching from the Balkans all the way to America, and of course presented China to people from every other country. Under the same sky, we raised up our own flags. On the flags, there were different patterns, but inside our hearts, the stars on the Chinese flag and the stars on the Bosnian flag aligned. Needless to say, we are beyond grateful for the event: being able to taste tortilla and Italian pasta within 5 minutes, enjoying the privilege of experiencing the warm vibe from South America to tea from Asia, a burning hot taste sensation from Nepal to chocolate from Austria and dancing to Arab music while singing something in local…

The event is open to all the residents of Mostar as a way of bringing us together. Firstly, it’s an opportunity to celebrate our diversity at the start of the term when the weather in Mostar is still beautifully summery, even in September; secondly, we are still getting to know each other, forming new friendships with the Firsties (First Years); and thirdly, we want to integrate with our surroundings and the people of Mostar.

In those 80 minutes, there was laughter, there was with understanding, there was embracing different cultures - and some mad disco dancing out in the open air!

©️ Written and picture taken by Michlle Wang 王裕昕; Edited by Suyin Chan 陈素茵