For Iris Bula and her family, moving to China was like opening a door to valuable, priceless experiences that no book could match. They all moved to Beijing in 2011 when Iris’ husband Pedro Febles Cortez took a job here and from that point to today, it has been the most enriching times in their lives. They all tried immediately to get involved and were especially interested in forming friendships with Chinese people and learning about Chinese culture, traditions and the day to day life. Iris is so thankful to have had the opportunities to celebrate with her Chinese friends festivities like the Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Lantern Festival and others and to have even traveled to their friends hometowns to see the places where they came from, meeting their relatives, parents, and grandparents.
Iris and her family came from Panama. Her daughter Tayra was 8 years old and her son Pedro was 6 when they arrived and for both of them, Beijng has been their home. Both Tayra and Pedro have made wonderful memories here in China and have a strong sense of belonging. “One thing I am impressed is to see how much my children have absorbed Chinese culture. They speak the language and have adopted habits of the Chinese like showing great respect to adults and others and this is something I appreciate a lot which comes as a result of being here”.
While Iris loves and appreciates Chinese culture, she also loves to bring the Latino culture to her Chinese friends. She has invited them to celebrate Christmas with her family, showing them how this holiday is done in her country and why it is special in the western world. Her friends have been especially interested in understanding the meaning of gift giving, experiencing the special Christmas meal served at 10pm on Christmas Eve, and learning about the emotional and spiritual aspects of the holiday. Another Latino cultural highlight that Iris and her family have brought to show their Chinese friends is the way in which birthdays are celebrated for children. Besides having the child favorite meal prepared on their special day, the guests could enjoy other yummy food, cake, and drinks. And what’s best they go home with a treat bag which is a way to thank the guests for attending the birthday celebration.
Iris also enjoys having her Chinese friends over when it’s time to try the food from Panama. The distinct flavors, spiciness and different presentations and textures of this food is highly appreciated by her friends. “It’s bringing Latin America right to China without having to take a plane there”, she says. Iris understands how for some Chinese people, visiting Latin America is not that easy so she is very happy and proud to give a glimpse of this rich, interesting culture in the setting of her home. Iris’ love for cooking and her love for the Panamanian cuisine has allowed her to participate in a cooking show sponsored by CCTV made for Spanish speaking audiences called “De China a tu Cocina” (From China right to your kitchen) in which she presented a few Panamanian dishes.
During her ten years in Beijing, Iris has found some similarities between Chinese and Latino culture. Despite the great distance that separates both continents, there are many examples that prove the things people share far outweigh the things that make them different.
“My family and I couldn’t be happier living all of these years in China. We are so fortunate to enjoy the good company of friends, the piece of mind of knowing that our children are safe here, the peacefulness I personally feel when strolling through parks next to ancient monuments, the time we have as a family for each other, the quality of life and more. For those planning to move to China or for those who have recently arrived, I say, keep an open mind, take time to learn and understand Chinese culture and everything else will flow”.
*This article is published in Beijing Kids magazine in August 2020.
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