Wednesday, October 19, 2005
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM, SOME LESSONS & A GOAT DINNER
Imagine a country where the words for logic, humor & personal space had to be imported into the language. How about a place where collectivism is so ingrained that people won't help someone being attacked on the street because they would have to step out of the group. Where a man responsible for at least 40million deaths is hero-worshipped and the word for their country means middle of the world. Can you picture it? You're starting to get an idea of China.
Over the weekend my Chinese family took me out to a hotpot dinner. Hotpot is a Szechuan dish - a big bowl with soup divided into one side not too spicy and another hotter than hell. As the liquid comes to a boil we add whatever food ingrediants we want. My family wanted to have a goat meal. Sliced goat was very tasty. Then they decided to have a treat: goats blood. It was congealed and when cooked (albeit minimally) turned into a greyish-brown jello. I ate one piece to try it and so as to not offend the family. When the put 4 giant pieces on my plate it took everything in my power not to vomit. It was interesting but I don't EVER feel a need to do it again.
Kungfu is going well. In practice I put my teacher on the ground for the first time. He laid there stunned for a few seconds and I thought he would be mad. Then he stood up and told me what a good job I had done. Despite previous desires to do so I have never thrown a teacher, let alone on concrete. It made my day. My kungfu is rapidly improving but it will be 3-5 months of daily stretching and practice before I can kick my leg over my head.
My writing teacher is named Money. While this is an unusual name it is just an english translation of his family name. Most Chinese have an English name they choose or recieve in school. Some are combinations of names (Wincent) while others are products or "pretty words" (Apple, Nokia.) Others are from a failed attempt at English by their parents (Erect.) I have speculation as why this name was given but I think it's more fun to leave it up to your imagination. Money taught me 40 characters in 2 hours. At this pace I will be literate in 2 years. I can already write simple phrases such as zao shang hao (good morning) and Tian'anmen (like the square, but it means sky peaceful something.)
Tonight, Megan's dad, a Venture CAPITALIST is coming to Kunming for a day. He has been in China on business and he's taking us out for dinner and talking about business in China. I assume here he's a business man as opposed to a venture capitalist because the latter word is quite taboo here.
Imagine a country where the words for logic, humor & personal space had to be imported into the language. How about a place where collectivism is so ingrained that people won't help someone being attacked on the street because they would have to step out of the group. Where a man responsible for at least 40million deaths is hero-worshipped and the word for their country means middle of the world. Can you picture it? You're starting to get an idea of China.
Over the weekend my Chinese family took me out to a hotpot dinner. Hotpot is a Szechuan dish - a big bowl with soup divided into one side not too spicy and another hotter than hell. As the liquid comes to a boil we add whatever food ingrediants we want. My family wanted to have a goat meal. Sliced goat was very tasty. Then they decided to have a treat: goats blood. It was congealed and when cooked (albeit minimally) turned into a greyish-brown jello. I ate one piece to try it and so as to not offend the family. When the put 4 giant pieces on my plate it took everything in my power not to vomit. It was interesting but I don't EVER feel a need to do it again.
Kungfu is going well. In practice I put my teacher on the ground for the first time. He laid there stunned for a few seconds and I thought he would be mad. Then he stood up and told me what a good job I had done. Despite previous desires to do so I have never thrown a teacher, let alone on concrete. It made my day. My kungfu is rapidly improving but it will be 3-5 months of daily stretching and practice before I can kick my leg over my head.
My writing teacher is named Money. While this is an unusual name it is just an english translation of his family name. Most Chinese have an English name they choose or recieve in school. Some are combinations of names (Wincent) while others are products or "pretty words" (Apple, Nokia.) Others are from a failed attempt at English by their parents (Erect.) I have speculation as why this name was given but I think it's more fun to leave it up to your imagination. Money taught me 40 characters in 2 hours. At this pace I will be literate in 2 years. I can already write simple phrases such as zao shang hao (good morning) and Tian'anmen (like the square, but it means sky peaceful something.)
Tonight, Megan's dad, a Venture CAPITALIST is coming to Kunming for a day. He has been in China on business and he's taking us out for dinner and talking about business in China. I assume here he's a business man as opposed to a venture capitalist because the latter word is quite taboo here.
