左手鼓，右手锣

zuǒshǒu gǔ, yòushǒu luó

Drum on your left, gong on your right

手拿着锣鼓 来唱歌

shǒu názhe luógǔ lái chànggē

Holding gong and drum, let’s sing

别的歌儿，我也不会唱

bié de gē er, wǒ yě bù huì chàng

I can’t sing another songs

单会唱个凤阳歌

dān huì chàng gè fèng yáng gē

I only can sing a Fengyang song

Last winter, I was asked to join a culture show in one broadcasting company located in Gulou district, Nanjing, Jiangsu. As to how it is named, the show shows how different the cultures are between foreign countries and even China’s. Many participants behalf their own home-country prepared their own culture in this show. For me, I presented China’s culture by learning and singing a traditional song that comes from a city in China, which is Anhui City. It was my first time hearing this song when a teacher asked me to learn how to sing the song. I thought this Chinese traditional song was a little unfamiliar since I always listen to Chinese pop songs. I prepared about a week to learn the Fengyang song.

After practicing to sing, I went to the TV Broadcasting office to pre-record. When I arrived I met a pretty girl from Malaysia, she studies at a different campus in Nanjing.

We talked about many things like how Malaysia is, how are the people over there, what are their mother tongue. I learned a lot about other country’s cultures, which were very exciting to me because Malaysia and Indonesia are neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. There are so many cultures from each of our countries that are so similar, for example, our mother language and the foods. And in just a short time, we shared many kinds of stuff and really get along very well. It comes the day when all of us have to do the final rehearsal and do the screening for this culture show. I arrived so early, around 9 am that day to prepare the costume, makeup, and etc.

I met several friends from Malaysia, America, Rusia, Australia, Nigeria, Morocco, Pakistan, Indian, Turkey, and many other countries that are also currently studying in China, in Jiangsu Province to be precise.

We had lunch together while sharing about how our countries are, laughed at common jokes from each country, learned each language we knew, and so on. It was a wonderful experience I ever had learning about different cultures.

    After a long day of performing, came the night and we finally finished screening the show.

We took some pictures together while we still on stage. We exchanged our personal contact with each other and made a promise that we will meet again for some other time.

We then spent our last meal together while chatting, singing, and laughing together before we have to part ways and I am so grateful I got the chance to do so and I couldn’t be happier.

凤阳歌咿呀儿呀儿呦

fèng yáng gē yīyā er ya er yōu

Fengyang song, eiya eiyo

得儿飘得儿飘飘哟得儿飘飘飘一飘

Dé er piāo dé er piāo piāo yō dé er piāo piāo piāo yī piāo

Floating, floating, it’s floating

To this day I unconsciously still humming to this catchy song.