For this Field Note, I interviewed a good friend. Do you have any idea which friend I'm referring to? I'll give you a hint... you've met her before!
She flips her long, shining black hair over her shoulder. Her lips are painted a soft shade of red that compliments her pale skin. “My full name is 张超凡 (Zhang Chaofan), but since I’m from Inner Mongolia, I also have a Mongolian name: Tanila. Tanila is the same as my English name,” she says with a warm smile.
“Like I said, I’m from Inner Mongolia. There, I live in an apartment building with my parents, which is on the fourth floor.”
“What is Inner Mongolia like?” I ask her. I’m not familiar with Inner Mongolia and am eager to learn more.
“Inner Mongolia is located in the north of China. The largest minority group living there is the Mongolian group. The traditional Mongolian diet consists of roasted lamb, milk and pasta. There are also Mongolian festivals such as the annual Nadam, which is a large gathering that includes horse racing, wrestling and archery events.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing! I hope I get to experience some of this when I visit you for Chinese New Year!” I beam at her.
