Xin Qi, an international student from Shanghai, shares her experience discovering the joy of dragon boating in Vancouver. Growing up in China, she was relentlessly pressured to excel academically, leaving little room for hobbies or fun. But when a friendly tutor invited her to join the university's dragon boat team, she found a welcoming and supportive environment where enjoyment and camaraderie were valued over competition.
In China, I was told grades were everything. Dragon boating in Canada taught me to enjoy the ride | CBC News LoadedXin Qi grew up in China, feeling intense pressure to succeed in every exam and activity. If she wasn’t the best, it wasn’t worth pursuing. So when she moved as an international student to Vancouver, she was surprised by an offer to join the campus dragon boat team even though she didn’t have any experience in it.
Even though I grew up in Hangzhou, a Chinese city famous for its water, I wouldn't have dreamed of joining the dragon boat team at the university where I did my bachelor's. It's a club mostly for countrywide and world-class competitions. Members are usually required to train hard — typically five times a week every morning starting at 6 a.m. for several hours daily in the months leading up to important competitions.
Qi was born in Harbin, China, and went to university in Hangzhou, China. This photo was taken in Shanghai at an art exhibition. We were told again and again by our parents and teachers that if we failed our exams, our lives would be ruined forever. This made me reluctant to try new hobbies or anything fun because of the time it would take away from my studies. Unless I was confident I could excel at the activity, I felt it would be a waste of time.
The first day of the match was a dark and rainy one. Before we reached the starting line, I could feel raindrops on my body. However, when the starting pistol went off, I no longer knew if it was raining or not. When I was on the boat, I couldn't see or hear anything other than Joseph's drumming and his voice shouting commands to set the team's rowing rhythm.
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