I have to admit I didn't know what to expect of staying in Yangjuan to do research. Fortunately I didn't have too much in mind, because nothing I could have imagined would have been anywhere close. From day one Vuga and the little kids made me feel completely welcome. They took me by the hand and showed me around and dressed me up in Nuosu clothes all within an hour of arriving in the village. Everyone I talked to was genuinely friendly and helpful. In fact it was somewhat embarassing how much everyone did for us. My offers to help do dishes were always waved away, but by the end of our stay I at least got to help carry food from the kitchen.

Although the research was important it almost felt secondary. Talking and listening to Vuga and her grandfather was by far the most important part of the stay. I still am staggered by their kindness and by their complete willingness to answer the same questions over and over. Vuga's eagerness to learn English and to learn about America inspired me to try harder with my Chinese and to ask more questions about her culture and about Chinese culture. Talking to her improved my Chinese so much that when I came back to Chengdu I was completely confident in trying to talk with people regardless of whether I knew all the right words or not.

What I learned from Yangjuan had more to do with people, their personalities and values than it did with systematic botany. The plant collecting and naming became more of a tool to see into the living history of Yangjuan and the people of Yangjuan. By doing Nuosu plant identification it became obvious that people don't have a static relationship with their environment. Their understanding of plants and uses changes and grows to fit their current situation. For instance, the older men and women of Yangjuan know and can name edible grasses and weeds, because they were eaten during the famines resulting from being forced to plant rice.
Victoria Poling

As far as the people go I was really amazed at their level of hospitality. Most of the people I met were so generous that it was almost a little embarrassing because we really didn't bring anything to give back except our gratitude. I really can't think of any other time in my life where I've been treated like that much of an honored guest. It was nice but at the same time rather humbling because I honestly don't think I could say that I would treat total strangers as generously as they do.

Phil Chi

The day I arrived at the school it looked like a scene from a Peace Corps promotional video. The landscape (except for the large masses of pig feces and mud) looked idyllic, poor, completely undeveloped, and largely over-utilized. Inside the school small groups of adorable and shy children tentatively greeted us (One should also mention the albino french priest and hairless American anthropologist).

But I have gotten to know individuals, and on the whole I had no problems getting along with anyone, and actually enjoyed everyone's company once the initial shyness and formalities were over with. People were always willing to help with any problems, and it was fun just to talk about each other's homes and lifestyles, etc. One night I went to have dinner at one family's house whom I'd gotten to know particularly well. We ate fried pork, rice, and tea. After dinner, everyone sang. Everyone in the entire family was amazingly good; not just good, but surprisingly really really good. And I tended to find this skill was shared by many of the Nuosu I met, and was generally not accompanied by the American insecurity during public display. If you go I suggest you memorize a few songs yourself, just because you will eventually be asked to sing.
Ross Nadal

My impression of Yangjuan was one of complexity and curiosity. I had never before been privy to such a unique experience as to stay within a small agro-pastoralist community, which appeared to rely almost entirely off of what they could produce themselves. Baiwu has been the only township in China that I have visited, in which I did not notice any attempt by the government to capitalize by means of implementing any sort of tourist attraction. It seemed questionable to me whether or not the locals existed on a subsistence economy level or bellow. There appeared to be no type of obvious government development project, which lead me to wonder how the government might endeavor to aid those poverty stricken in this region.

My visit to Yangjuan provoked my curiosity in regards to the conflict and unfortunate contradiction between, locals who retain a traditional cultural belief structure which promotes the maintenance of a thoughtful relationship with the land, and at the same time, a struggle to provide family members with enough food and sustenance. There exists a desire to do 'good', but arises conflict in either or both of, not knowing how or not having the resources to do so.
Eli Kristy