Saturday, July 21, 2007
FISHING FOR CHICKEN AT ARMY CAMP DURING A MONSOON
It's been raining for 4 days nonstop now. I wouldn't mind, except the streets are flooded and my shoes have holes in them. As the sewers fill they flood up onto the streets, so that the water is a foul smelling mix of rained out pollution, sewage and garbage. It is also rather disconcerting to walk by a manhole and see it pulsating from the water pressure. In typical Chinese fashion, people use brooms to try to sweep the water back into the sewers. It's working so well.
Staying with my former homestay family has been quite fun. I keep odd hours and come in at 4 or 5 am, but they've given me a key so I don't have to wake them. The other night we went to a hot pot restraurant. Hot pot is a Sichuan food that is basically a big bowl of soup that sits on a propane burner on your table. You order things and add them yourself. The soup contained a whole chicken and some Chinese herbs to begin with and we added some vegetables, pork, tofu and fish balls. Eating hot pot is like fishing for chicken using chopsticks. Sometimes you get lucky and pull out an edible piece, other times you get a foot or head.
Last night I went back to Summit Foreign Language School, my old job to visit former students and see Maggie, my ex-boss. It was good to see everyone, but somehow I got talked into teaching a class. After going through some basic conversational English, I taught them that their parents, teachers and government do not always act in their best interests and told them to always ask "why?" One of the first questions I got was "why does the American government care more about their children than the Chinese." Wow, I'm at a loss on that one. I'm not even sure its so. Any thoughts? At least the kids took what I had to say to heart. Hopefully it won't get them in too much trouble.
Summit now has a summer English Camp. It takes place at an Army base. The kids wear uniforms the whole time. When they're not learning English, they're practicing Kungfu or shooting AK47's and SKS's. This struck me as an odd place to have an English camp so I asked Maggie about it. It turns out her father was a General who oversaw the Chengdu Military Region and commanded over 1,000,000 troops, and he helped her facilitate the school and camp. These are good people to know and work for. Maggie is already planning for my return next year so I can resume teaching. Maybe next summer I will go to camp.
The other day I went with Tjasa and her Dragons group to a lesson on tea with my friend Rob, who is from Long Island. He has been here three years and has a tea export business. He talked for a bit about Chinese teas and we drank maybe 20 cups of tea. He was telling me that one of their larger customers is Trident Bookstore in Boulder, which recently bought 5 kilos of tea. I'll have to go there when I return to Colorado. Check out his website: An Dao (peaceful way) Teas http://www.andaotea.com
I've been playing a little game, asking foreigners who live here to describe Kunming in three words. I've had some interesting responses so far. My own three were: "cheap, relaxed, loud."
Giorgio, an Italian chose "non stop party."
Matt, a Brit chose "cheap, lazy, escape," as all the foreigners here are hiding from something back home.
Panya, an Aussie chose "aargghh, chhuch, thptu," her enunciation of Chinese people spitting.
Batiste, a Frenchman chose "drunk, stoned, wet."
Bike Mike, an American who has been here for 12 years chose "fucking hell." When I pointed out that was only two words, he added "yeah!"
It's been raining for 4 days nonstop now. I wouldn't mind, except the streets are flooded and my shoes have holes in them. As the sewers fill they flood up onto the streets, so that the water is a foul smelling mix of rained out pollution, sewage and garbage. It is also rather disconcerting to walk by a manhole and see it pulsating from the water pressure. In typical Chinese fashion, people use brooms to try to sweep the water back into the sewers. It's working so well.
Staying with my former homestay family has been quite fun. I keep odd hours and come in at 4 or 5 am, but they've given me a key so I don't have to wake them. The other night we went to a hot pot restraurant. Hot pot is a Sichuan food that is basically a big bowl of soup that sits on a propane burner on your table. You order things and add them yourself. The soup contained a whole chicken and some Chinese herbs to begin with and we added some vegetables, pork, tofu and fish balls. Eating hot pot is like fishing for chicken using chopsticks. Sometimes you get lucky and pull out an edible piece, other times you get a foot or head.
Last night I went back to Summit Foreign Language School, my old job to visit former students and see Maggie, my ex-boss. It was good to see everyone, but somehow I got talked into teaching a class. After going through some basic conversational English, I taught them that their parents, teachers and government do not always act in their best interests and told them to always ask "why?" One of the first questions I got was "why does the American government care more about their children than the Chinese." Wow, I'm at a loss on that one. I'm not even sure its so. Any thoughts? At least the kids took what I had to say to heart. Hopefully it won't get them in too much trouble.
Summit now has a summer English Camp. It takes place at an Army base. The kids wear uniforms the whole time. When they're not learning English, they're practicing Kungfu or shooting AK47's and SKS's. This struck me as an odd place to have an English camp so I asked Maggie about it. It turns out her father was a General who oversaw the Chengdu Military Region and commanded over 1,000,000 troops, and he helped her facilitate the school and camp. These are good people to know and work for. Maggie is already planning for my return next year so I can resume teaching. Maybe next summer I will go to camp.
The other day I went with Tjasa and her Dragons group to a lesson on tea with my friend Rob, who is from Long Island. He has been here three years and has a tea export business. He talked for a bit about Chinese teas and we drank maybe 20 cups of tea. He was telling me that one of their larger customers is Trident Bookstore in Boulder, which recently bought 5 kilos of tea. I'll have to go there when I return to Colorado. Check out his website: An Dao (peaceful way) Teas http://www.andaotea.com
I've been playing a little game, asking foreigners who live here to describe Kunming in three words. I've had some interesting responses so far. My own three were: "cheap, relaxed, loud."
Giorgio, an Italian chose "non stop party."
Matt, a Brit chose "cheap, lazy, escape," as all the foreigners here are hiding from something back home.
Panya, an Aussie chose "aargghh, chhuch, thptu," her enunciation of Chinese people spitting.
Batiste, a Frenchman chose "drunk, stoned, wet."
Bike Mike, an American who has been here for 12 years chose "fucking hell." When I pointed out that was only two words, he added "yeah!"
Labels: army, camp, homestay, hot pot, rainy season, summit, teaching
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
ANOTHER HOSPITAL AND A HOMESTAY
I got sick again and went to the hospital in Kunming. This one was much better than the last. It was faster, cheaper and even though the last clinic in Shanghai was for foreigners, more people spoke English. After 2 days of IVs I am feeling better.
On the second day, I was in a room with three beds. To the right of me was this 80 year old woman who looked near death but every time I looked over she grinned at me, so I did the same. To my left was a woman who was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Her brother-in-law was there as well and started speaking to me in English. It turns out that he was the head of Kunming's police force for 17 years because of his English and Kungfu skills. He is now retired and is teaching English at a high school here. He told me of growing up in the countryside with both parents as farmers and said if I had food poisoning, instead of going to the hospital I should drink hot water with salt and sugar and then run a lot. The first part would make sense for rehydration, if I could have kept it down, but I'm not so sure the running would have made me any better.
I asked them if they preferred a boy or girl and he told me "Kunming is very civilized, we do not care if it is a boy or a girl." The old woman agreed and he translated an old proverb she said: "son is like a wolf, daughter is like a bank, grandson is like a leech." I inquired further into daughter as a bank and was told that people in Kunming like girls because a boy must pay their family money to marry her - hence, daughter is like a bank. I guess its civilized compared to drowning the baby girs at birth. Progress comes in small spurts.
I am now staying with my old homestay family. They are doing well and it was good to see them. I'm in the same room I was in last time. The only difference is now they have a 2 year old Golden Retriever - in Chinese jin mao (gold hair,) who lives on the balcony and in the bathroom. I moved in there last night. Will write more as it comes up.
This morning I had some lasagna and garlic bread at Pizza Da Rocco, a nice reprieve from Chinese food.
I will be here another week. The nicest thing about having no fixed plans is that I can do whatever I want. As of now, it's nothing, just staying in Kunming, hanging out and visiting friends.
I got sick again and went to the hospital in Kunming. This one was much better than the last. It was faster, cheaper and even though the last clinic in Shanghai was for foreigners, more people spoke English. After 2 days of IVs I am feeling better.
On the second day, I was in a room with three beds. To the right of me was this 80 year old woman who looked near death but every time I looked over she grinned at me, so I did the same. To my left was a woman who was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Her brother-in-law was there as well and started speaking to me in English. It turns out that he was the head of Kunming's police force for 17 years because of his English and Kungfu skills. He is now retired and is teaching English at a high school here. He told me of growing up in the countryside with both parents as farmers and said if I had food poisoning, instead of going to the hospital I should drink hot water with salt and sugar and then run a lot. The first part would make sense for rehydration, if I could have kept it down, but I'm not so sure the running would have made me any better.
I asked them if they preferred a boy or girl and he told me "Kunming is very civilized, we do not care if it is a boy or a girl." The old woman agreed and he translated an old proverb she said: "son is like a wolf, daughter is like a bank, grandson is like a leech." I inquired further into daughter as a bank and was told that people in Kunming like girls because a boy must pay their family money to marry her - hence, daughter is like a bank. I guess its civilized compared to drowning the baby girs at birth. Progress comes in small spurts.
I am now staying with my old homestay family. They are doing well and it was good to see them. I'm in the same room I was in last time. The only difference is now they have a 2 year old Golden Retriever - in Chinese jin mao (gold hair,) who lives on the balcony and in the bathroom. I moved in there last night. Will write more as it comes up.
This morning I had some lasagna and garlic bread at Pizza Da Rocco, a nice reprieve from Chinese food.
I will be here another week. The nicest thing about having no fixed plans is that I can do whatever I want. As of now, it's nothing, just staying in Kunming, hanging out and visiting friends.
Labels: chinese medicine, civil society, girls, homestay, hospital, kunming, lasagna
Thursday, July 12, 2007
EVERYTHING'S DIFFERENT BUT NOTHING HAS CHANGED
I've been back in Kunming for 4 days now and everything's different, but nothing has changed. All the little stores are different and there are many more large buildings, but the Kunming lifestyle is essentially the same.
I spent the first two days at the Yunnan University hotel, adjusting and reconnecting with people. I have seen over a dozen people I was friends with before but haven't kept in touch with these last 18 months. I've been eating at the French Cafe for real bread, Salvadores for ice cream and coffee and Guo Zi Lou, my favorite restaurant here has quadrupled in size. The spring rolls and iron skillet beef and tofu are delicious. I know, Ben eating tofu...but it's something I only do here. I've also been eating a lot of very good, and cheap noodles. Last night I went to Pizza da Rocco, the best Italian place in China. At $6, the meal was overpriced but well worth it.
My nights consist of wandering around the Green Lake and drinking at the Speakeasy, Chapter One and the Box. Beer is cheap and there's always a party somewhere.
I have been spending much of my time with my friend and former boss from the language school, Jason. After 4 years here, he goes back to Philly tomorrow. I'll visit him again when I get home. Apparently there is an English teacher giving students really messed up Shakespeariean names. I met Lear earlier and Jay's current boyfriend is named Shaxpir - yes, pronounced like the playwright.
At the Speakeasy one night I met this guy Alex from North Carolina who is teaching Finance at a private university here. Apparently, the university is for rich kids who failed the national college entrance exam but need a degree to get a job. Alex said he's had only 10 qualified students of the over 2000 he has taught. The university is rife with cheating so in the second week he gives a pop quiz. From that he can ascertain who the good and bad students arem and sits the bad ones in front and the good ones all the way in the back. That way, if the students are copying off of someone, it is always someone dumber than them.
I am currently staying with Chay, the Australian leader of Where There Be Dragons, in his appartment near the Green Lake. It's been fun and a good location. I met his summer group yesterday and gave them a talk about business, corruption and drugs in China. It was basically just a rehashing (pardon the pun) of the lecture I got 2 years ago on program, combined with a lot of the books about China I've read recently.
Last night, 5 of us went to see Transformers, which just came out in theaters here. Apparently, it has been hyped here for over 6 months and nearly every theater was sold out. We finally got tickets to an "English showing" only to discover that it had been dubbed entirely into Chinese. Though watching things blow up was cool, it got old after 20 minutes of not understanding and we left.
This morning, I joined my friend Ada at her university. As they correctly informed me beforehand, it was really rather boring in class. The class gave group presentations, some of which were quite coherent, while others weren't even English at all. We then read a readers digest article ranking New York as the most polite major city in the world. HAHAHAHA. A good discussion of what it meant to be polite followed. They had me introduce myself and talk for a bit, then I attempted to teach them to think critically and question authority, something their British trained but Chinese teacher supported as well. I was relatively unsuccessful. Most didn't understand what I was talking about, but the few who did agreed. Afterwards we went to lunch at the university and surprisingly, the food was good - the first such instance I've found at a school here.
This weekend I will do some travelling and head up to Lijiang. It's a 10 hour bus ride or 40 minute flight. UNESCO made the town a World Heritage site for its history and ethnic minorities. While I'm there I will visit Katie; Shang Fang, my former teacher and the rest of the Dragons Language program currently staying up there. I will then return to Kunming and stay with my former homestay family for 4ish days before leaving Kunming.
I've been back in Kunming for 4 days now and everything's different, but nothing has changed. All the little stores are different and there are many more large buildings, but the Kunming lifestyle is essentially the same.
I spent the first two days at the Yunnan University hotel, adjusting and reconnecting with people. I have seen over a dozen people I was friends with before but haven't kept in touch with these last 18 months. I've been eating at the French Cafe for real bread, Salvadores for ice cream and coffee and Guo Zi Lou, my favorite restaurant here has quadrupled in size. The spring rolls and iron skillet beef and tofu are delicious. I know, Ben eating tofu...but it's something I only do here. I've also been eating a lot of very good, and cheap noodles. Last night I went to Pizza da Rocco, the best Italian place in China. At $6, the meal was overpriced but well worth it.
My nights consist of wandering around the Green Lake and drinking at the Speakeasy, Chapter One and the Box. Beer is cheap and there's always a party somewhere.
I have been spending much of my time with my friend and former boss from the language school, Jason. After 4 years here, he goes back to Philly tomorrow. I'll visit him again when I get home. Apparently there is an English teacher giving students really messed up Shakespeariean names. I met Lear earlier and Jay's current boyfriend is named Shaxpir - yes, pronounced like the playwright.
At the Speakeasy one night I met this guy Alex from North Carolina who is teaching Finance at a private university here. Apparently, the university is for rich kids who failed the national college entrance exam but need a degree to get a job. Alex said he's had only 10 qualified students of the over 2000 he has taught. The university is rife with cheating so in the second week he gives a pop quiz. From that he can ascertain who the good and bad students arem and sits the bad ones in front and the good ones all the way in the back. That way, if the students are copying off of someone, it is always someone dumber than them.
I am currently staying with Chay, the Australian leader of Where There Be Dragons, in his appartment near the Green Lake. It's been fun and a good location. I met his summer group yesterday and gave them a talk about business, corruption and drugs in China. It was basically just a rehashing (pardon the pun) of the lecture I got 2 years ago on program, combined with a lot of the books about China I've read recently.
Last night, 5 of us went to see Transformers, which just came out in theaters here. Apparently, it has been hyped here for over 6 months and nearly every theater was sold out. We finally got tickets to an "English showing" only to discover that it had been dubbed entirely into Chinese. Though watching things blow up was cool, it got old after 20 minutes of not understanding and we left.
This morning, I joined my friend Ada at her university. As they correctly informed me beforehand, it was really rather boring in class. The class gave group presentations, some of which were quite coherent, while others weren't even English at all. We then read a readers digest article ranking New York as the most polite major city in the world. HAHAHAHA. A good discussion of what it meant to be polite followed. They had me introduce myself and talk for a bit, then I attempted to teach them to think critically and question authority, something their British trained but Chinese teacher supported as well. I was relatively unsuccessful. Most didn't understand what I was talking about, but the few who did agreed. Afterwards we went to lunch at the university and surprisingly, the food was good - the first such instance I've found at a school here.
This weekend I will do some travelling and head up to Lijiang. It's a 10 hour bus ride or 40 minute flight. UNESCO made the town a World Heritage site for its history and ethnic minorities. While I'm there I will visit Katie; Shang Fang, my former teacher and the rest of the Dragons Language program currently staying up there. I will then return to Kunming and stay with my former homestay family for 4ish days before leaving Kunming.
Labels: dragons, green lake, kunming, pizza, Speakeasy, spring rolls, teaching, university
Saturday, July 07, 2007
LESBIANS, ULTRASOUNDS, PANCAKES, HAIL AND HOOKERS
Shanghai is just as strange as I remember it...Dolce & Gabbana stores next to broken down huts, 30 RMB Evian at restaurants when I can walk down the street and pay 2 RMB, lots of tourists and a perpetual haze of smog. Not much has changed here and I've had a quite strange few days.
On the night of the 5th, I went to dinner with my friend Hollie then we went to this gay bar for a lesbian film festival. I don't remember much as I was throwing up and feeling quite sick, but this woman from Toronto was screening movies she had made. They were mostly about the experience of being a lesbian, black or transgendered with some really trippy cartoons thrown in there. The only thing that weirded me out was this transgendered Chinese woman who I could have sworn was a 12 year old boy. Her being transgendered didn't bother me, it was that I consider myself to be very observant and it took me almost an hour to realize.
Feeling sick, I went back to my hotel. All that night and most of the next day I felt a sharp pain in my side and had no appetite. Around 6pm last night I decided that I should go to the hospital to be checked out. I went to the Huashan Worldwide Medical Center a relatively western hospital, one of the benefits of having a large ex-pat community in town. Thankfully, the quality of medical care in Shanghai is vastly superior to that of Kunming. They drew blood and succeeded on the first try, unlike in Kunming where after being stuck 9 times I did my own IV. After poking and sticking me for a while, they decided that I needed an ultrasound. After getting all slimy, viewing my insides, and thankfully not seeing a baby, I have a new respect for the crap that pregnant women go through. Three hours later I left with a diagnosis of gastroentiritis (from food) and "kidney trauma," which I can only attribute to carrying my bag through the Shanghai train station and being bumped into by so many people. Oh well.
This morning I felt better and for the first time in 2 days wanted to eat something. However, the thought of Chinese food mad me feel sick again (what a great place to have that happen.) I wanted Italian and went on a search. I was told there was one by TGI Fridays. No luck on either. I then stumbled upon a place that served breakfast til 4pm and got eggs benedict, pancakes, potatos and fresh orange juice.
Sitting at the cafe, it appeared that it would rain. The moment I got in the taxi back, it started to. 3" in 15 minutes, water flooding up onto the sidewalk and dime sized hail- that was crazy. I did however learn a new word, the word for ice that falls from the sky - bim bao. Its a fun one to say.
Speaking of bimbos, there's this Filipino hooker in the room next door to me who's driving me crazy. She calls me "baby" and knocks on my room saying "loom suh-vees," "flee fo you bayBEE. you come my loom." I can deal with that stuff as I find it hilarious. What gets annoying is that she keeps her door open and every time I walk out of my room she tries to pull me in, or follows me into the elevator and tries to stop it from moving. This most recent time in the elevator, her left boob was hanging out and she took off her pants and said "bayBEE, touch my pooSEE." No thanks, you're a dirty, dirty, ugly, hooker. At least get a boob job. Needless to say, its always funny to get off the elevator on the first floor and see everyone in the lobby. It would be nice if she left me alone. I wonder how you say "I'm gay" in Tagalog. At least it will only be an issue for one more day.
Tomorrow, I fly to Kunming. I was going to do more travelling first, but I'm getting antsy to return - Kunming was the real destination of my trip. I'll see all my friends there, visit some Where There Be Dragons programs, stay with my homestay family for a few days, and relax in the cooler climate. I'll be there for 10 days to 2 weeks then will travel a bit more before finishing in Beijing to fly home. I'm really excited.
Shanghai is just as strange as I remember it...Dolce & Gabbana stores next to broken down huts, 30 RMB Evian at restaurants when I can walk down the street and pay 2 RMB, lots of tourists and a perpetual haze of smog. Not much has changed here and I've had a quite strange few days.
On the night of the 5th, I went to dinner with my friend Hollie then we went to this gay bar for a lesbian film festival. I don't remember much as I was throwing up and feeling quite sick, but this woman from Toronto was screening movies she had made. They were mostly about the experience of being a lesbian, black or transgendered with some really trippy cartoons thrown in there. The only thing that weirded me out was this transgendered Chinese woman who I could have sworn was a 12 year old boy. Her being transgendered didn't bother me, it was that I consider myself to be very observant and it took me almost an hour to realize.
Feeling sick, I went back to my hotel. All that night and most of the next day I felt a sharp pain in my side and had no appetite. Around 6pm last night I decided that I should go to the hospital to be checked out. I went to the Huashan Worldwide Medical Center a relatively western hospital, one of the benefits of having a large ex-pat community in town. Thankfully, the quality of medical care in Shanghai is vastly superior to that of Kunming. They drew blood and succeeded on the first try, unlike in Kunming where after being stuck 9 times I did my own IV. After poking and sticking me for a while, they decided that I needed an ultrasound. After getting all slimy, viewing my insides, and thankfully not seeing a baby, I have a new respect for the crap that pregnant women go through. Three hours later I left with a diagnosis of gastroentiritis (from food) and "kidney trauma," which I can only attribute to carrying my bag through the Shanghai train station and being bumped into by so many people. Oh well.
This morning I felt better and for the first time in 2 days wanted to eat something. However, the thought of Chinese food mad me feel sick again (what a great place to have that happen.) I wanted Italian and went on a search. I was told there was one by TGI Fridays. No luck on either. I then stumbled upon a place that served breakfast til 4pm and got eggs benedict, pancakes, potatos and fresh orange juice.
Sitting at the cafe, it appeared that it would rain. The moment I got in the taxi back, it started to. 3" in 15 minutes, water flooding up onto the sidewalk and dime sized hail- that was crazy. I did however learn a new word, the word for ice that falls from the sky - bim bao. Its a fun one to say.
Speaking of bimbos, there's this Filipino hooker in the room next door to me who's driving me crazy. She calls me "baby" and knocks on my room saying "loom suh-vees," "flee fo you bayBEE. you come my loom." I can deal with that stuff as I find it hilarious. What gets annoying is that she keeps her door open and every time I walk out of my room she tries to pull me in, or follows me into the elevator and tries to stop it from moving. This most recent time in the elevator, her left boob was hanging out and she took off her pants and said "bayBEE, touch my pooSEE." No thanks, you're a dirty, dirty, ugly, hooker. At least get a boob job. Needless to say, its always funny to get off the elevator on the first floor and see everyone in the lobby. It would be nice if she left me alone. I wonder how you say "I'm gay" in Tagalog. At least it will only be an issue for one more day.
Tomorrow, I fly to Kunming. I was going to do more travelling first, but I'm getting antsy to return - Kunming was the real destination of my trip. I'll see all my friends there, visit some Where There Be Dragons programs, stay with my homestay family for a few days, and relax in the cooler climate. I'll be there for 10 days to 2 weeks then will travel a bit more before finishing in Beijing to fly home. I'm really excited.
Labels: film, hail, hookers, hospital, kunming, lesbians, pancakes, shanghai, ultrasound
Thursday, July 05, 2007
MONEY, NONSENSE AND WONTONS
Last night I met my former writing tutor Money who is now living and teaching in Shanghai. He just spent a year living in Thailand, is now teaching Mandarin to Korean and American children and wants to go work abroad teaching Chinese. We talked for a bit, ate dinner and then wandered around the Bund, Shanghai's historic waterfront. It was really touristy but I enjoyed seeing the buildings. Shanghai makes me like architecture. They're building one which will be over 120 stories tall. When planned, it was the tallest building at the time. However, the Burj Tower in Dubai will be twice the size.
This morning I changed hostels. My last hostel was quite strange. They didn't give me a key. Instead, I had to show a card to housekeeping who would let me into my room. This was alright with me, until I came back to my room and found that all my things had been looked through, though nothing had been stolen (because I smartly put all valuables in my backpack that was with me.) Needless to say, I am not staying there anymore. I walked down the block and found a Chinese hotel that was cheaper, cleaner, and safer.
This is part of my 'no more bullshit' campaign that I have decided to wage. I've had it with the nonsense. I will treat them as I am treated. If people try to scam me, I will shop elsewhere. If someone clips me on their bike, I will push them off. If I am hit with an umbrella, their umbrella will be thrown to the ground. That having been said, I am still having a fun time here, meeting new people and enjoying myself.
I found this awesome place that serves little wontons and I got a bowl of 20 of them for 3RMB ($0.40.) I'll definately go back.
One of my friends from Colorado, Alyssa, is traveling around China and with her parents who are going to a convention in Macao. I have decided that I will go down there for a few days later this week to visit her and go to Hong Kong as well. I have never been to Macao and was only briefly in Hong Kong. I am excited for the trip. I should brush up on my Portuguese. Anyone have any Chinese mob connections?
Last night I met my former writing tutor Money who is now living and teaching in Shanghai. He just spent a year living in Thailand, is now teaching Mandarin to Korean and American children and wants to go work abroad teaching Chinese. We talked for a bit, ate dinner and then wandered around the Bund, Shanghai's historic waterfront. It was really touristy but I enjoyed seeing the buildings. Shanghai makes me like architecture. They're building one which will be over 120 stories tall. When planned, it was the tallest building at the time. However, the Burj Tower in Dubai will be twice the size.
This morning I changed hostels. My last hostel was quite strange. They didn't give me a key. Instead, I had to show a card to housekeeping who would let me into my room. This was alright with me, until I came back to my room and found that all my things had been looked through, though nothing had been stolen (because I smartly put all valuables in my backpack that was with me.) Needless to say, I am not staying there anymore. I walked down the block and found a Chinese hotel that was cheaper, cleaner, and safer.
This is part of my 'no more bullshit' campaign that I have decided to wage. I've had it with the nonsense. I will treat them as I am treated. If people try to scam me, I will shop elsewhere. If someone clips me on their bike, I will push them off. If I am hit with an umbrella, their umbrella will be thrown to the ground. That having been said, I am still having a fun time here, meeting new people and enjoying myself.
I found this awesome place that serves little wontons and I got a bowl of 20 of them for 3RMB ($0.40.) I'll definately go back.
One of my friends from Colorado, Alyssa, is traveling around China and with her parents who are going to a convention in Macao. I have decided that I will go down there for a few days later this week to visit her and go to Hong Kong as well. I have never been to Macao and was only briefly in Hong Kong. I am excited for the trip. I should brush up on my Portuguese. Anyone have any Chinese mob connections?
Labels: alyssa, bund, hostel, macao, shanghai, stealing, wontons
Monday, July 02, 2007
HONG KONG, MONSOONS AND RANDOM PEOPLE
7/1 was the 10th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to the mainland. All around Beijing people were out in force. Near Wangfujing, I heard traditional Chinese screeching, I mean music, and wandered over. There were Yunnan minority people doing traditional dances for a large audience in their brightly colored clothes which are exaggerated for the amusement of the Han Chinese (80% of the population). Then a police officer took the microphone. He was more decorated than I have ever seen an officer before, with multiple badges, bands and epaulettes. Music began to blare and he jumped to attention before wailing what I can only assume was the national anthem (I have to assume, since it is the first time I've heard anything of the sort, even though this is my 6th trip.) It was rather interesting, with a military chorus over the loudspeaker as his backup singers, reminding me a lot of the Soviet Army Chorus singing their own anthem.
I met this British guy Ian, who I hung out with during the day. He just started a 9 month trip around the world. We wandered around Tiananmen for a while and I told him about living in China. I warned him that Chinese people will not approach him unless they want something from him (such as money.) I told him about the art student scam and then we went to get duck. As I was reading his blog I noticed that he said he thought I was "full of shit." A day later he got scammed by some "English students" who took him to a tea ceremony, in which they let him "try" 10 teas (all of which cost almost nothing in Yunnan) and then attempted to charge him 2800RMB (almost $400.) He got away paying only a quarter of that. Sometimes I get tired of being right.
7/2 In the morning I wandered around and went to an internet cafe. That afternoon I was falling asleep but trying to get adjusted to the time so I headed over to the mall to get some Starbucks. I know, I know, Ben and Starbucks doesn't seem to fit, but I needed coffee and had a gift card (which subsequently didn't work outside of the US.) Walking through the mall, I was stopped by a white man with a beard. It took me a minute to realize that it was my Chinese History professor from Colorado. He seemed as surprised as I, briefly introduced me to his Chinese "friend," a very pretty young woman, and left. I seem to recall him being married, but I got an A in the class, so I will leave that one alone.
That night, I went to Houhai - one of the two main Beijing nightspots, with Tim Myers, his friend studying in Beijing, Ian, and this Chinese kid from San Francisco named James whom we met there. After exhausting myself with 5 minutes of circle dancing, we found a bar that served cheap (and expired, though everything here is) beer and got a hookah and hung out for a while.
7/1 was the 10th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to the mainland. All around Beijing people were out in force. Near Wangfujing, I heard traditional Chinese screeching, I mean music, and wandered over. There were Yunnan minority people doing traditional dances for a large audience in their brightly colored clothes which are exaggerated for the amusement of the Han Chinese (80% of the population). Then a police officer took the microphone. He was more decorated than I have ever seen an officer before, with multiple badges, bands and epaulettes. Music began to blare and he jumped to attention before wailing what I can only assume was the national anthem (I have to assume, since it is the first time I've heard anything of the sort, even though this is my 6th trip.) It was rather interesting, with a military chorus over the loudspeaker as his backup singers, reminding me a lot of the Soviet Army Chorus singing their own anthem.
I met this British guy Ian, who I hung out with during the day. He just started a 9 month trip around the world. We wandered around Tiananmen for a while and I told him about living in China. I warned him that Chinese people will not approach him unless they want something from him (such as money.) I told him about the art student scam and then we went to get duck. As I was reading his blog I noticed that he said he thought I was "full of shit." A day later he got scammed by some "English students" who took him to a tea ceremony, in which they let him "try" 10 teas (all of which cost almost nothing in Yunnan) and then attempted to charge him 2800RMB (almost $400.) He got away paying only a quarter of that. Sometimes I get tired of being right.
7/2 In the morning I wandered around and went to an internet cafe. That afternoon I was falling asleep but trying to get adjusted to the time so I headed over to the mall to get some Starbucks. I know, I know, Ben and Starbucks doesn't seem to fit, but I needed coffee and had a gift card (which subsequently didn't work outside of the US.) Walking through the mall, I was stopped by a white man with a beard. It took me a minute to realize that it was my Chinese History professor from Colorado. He seemed as surprised as I, briefly introduced me to his Chinese "friend," a very pretty young woman, and left. I seem to recall him being married, but I got an A in the class, so I will leave that one alone.
That night, I went to Houhai - one of the two main Beijing nightspots, with Tim Myers, his friend studying in Beijing, Ian, and this Chinese kid from San Francisco named James whom we met there. After exhausting myself with 5 minutes of circle dancing, we found a bar that served cheap (and expired, though everything here is) beer and got a hookah and hung out for a while.
7/3-4morning Nothing too much, prepared for a trip to Shanghai. I got to the overnight train around 745 and by 815 was asleep. Slept most of the way. I shared a car with these two guys from Beijing, one was an accountant, the other worked in IT. It was a rather uneventful trip. We got in at 7am and I checked into my hostel. Its clean and in a good location and cheap (for Shanghai) but I am a little disturbed that they don't give me a room key, housekeeping has to let me into my room every time. Today I'll be wandering around. It's raining again so I probably won't go too far. These next few days I'll post more as I visit my friends in Shanghai.
Other Notes:
The day I arrived it began to rain. Apparently it had been sunny for months up until my arrival, but monsoon season happened to begin the day I got there. After maybe 5" of rain in a day, the rain stopped and the sky was blue, something I've never before witnessed in Beijing. I guessed it rained out all the pollution. A dy later it was back to grey skies.
"alcoholism, whoring, gambling, drug taking and fighting are strictly forbidden in China" read a sign at my Beijing hotel.
An email with my dad:
Do you see much prep going on for the Olympics?
They've closed down some of the more sketchy places, especially bars which used to have hundreds of foreign students congregate there.
Have they taught the people not to spit?
Surprisingly, yes it seems. I did not witness nearly as many people spitting in Beijing, though neither did i witness any of the "civilization patrols." On top of that, people in Beijing can even now wait in lines (sort of, there's a bit of a learning curve.)
Shanghai for a few days, possibly an interjection of Nanjing (I feel compelled to go for the history after seeing my Chinese History professor here.) I have 3 days unaccounted for before I go to Kunming. I will be deciding between Hong Kong, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Macao and Taiwan.
Labels: beijing, duck, hong kong, rainy season, scam, starbucks
Sunday, July 01, 2007
JET LAG AND DRAGONS OF COURSE
Last night I slept from 6pm til 4 am. today it was 8pm til 230am. I'm confused as to which way I'm adjusting since it's 12 hours difference.
In the morning I went to Beijing Foreign Language University to visit my friend Henry from Kunming. He is studying Arabic there and having just started Hindi as well, will be going to India for a few months. Chinese students are crazy. All they do is study and work. Maybe that's how they could learn Arabic in a year.
After lunch at the university, we proceeded to wander around Wudaokou, one of the trendier, more foreign oriented neighborhoods of Beijing. Hilarious Chinese fashion is a story for a different post. Our first stop was 7-11 to buy water. I was shocked upon entering to discover that 7-11 not only sells large quantities of liquor, but a complete dim-sum meal as well. "Of course they do," Henry replied. "They're a Hong Kong company."
Wandering through the neighborhood, I noticed a lot of signs in Korean. I asked Henry if they were from North or South Korea, as every Korean I meet in the States claims to be from the south. "Of course they are from the North," Henry replied. "South Korea is too rich."
Wandering around, Henry and I came across the Catholic Church on Wangfujing that was attended by Condaleeza Rice during her visit. Henry got very excited and said he had never been in a church, so we went in and sat down for a while. He enjoyed the church music but thought the religion as a whole was rather silly. I can't say I disagree.
Dinner was a traditional Chinese dish of sweet and sour pork and another of "Beijing-style" pork - strips of meat in a duck-type sauce. It was good, but my appetite is still off from the jetlag.
In the evening, the first group from Where There Be Dragons arrived and is staying in the same hostel as I am. I was excited to discover that Eric is one of the leaders of the trip. For those who forget who Eric is, he is the jaded Canadian who taught us some lessons in Kunming and was the origins of the phrases "there's no word for fuzzy in German, that should give you an indication of how evil they are" and "China - imagine a country where the words for logic, humor and personal space had to be imported..." That having been said, he was hilarious, and I'm glad I got to see him. I didn't know he was leading a Dragons trip and had figured that I would see him in Kunming. Instead, he is taking the Dragons group through the mountains from Xinjiang to Qinghai and back. A day later and I would have missed him. Strange coincidences.
Last night I slept from 6pm til 4 am. today it was 8pm til 230am. I'm confused as to which way I'm adjusting since it's 12 hours difference.
In the morning I went to Beijing Foreign Language University to visit my friend Henry from Kunming. He is studying Arabic there and having just started Hindi as well, will be going to India for a few months. Chinese students are crazy. All they do is study and work. Maybe that's how they could learn Arabic in a year.
After lunch at the university, we proceeded to wander around Wudaokou, one of the trendier, more foreign oriented neighborhoods of Beijing. Hilarious Chinese fashion is a story for a different post. Our first stop was 7-11 to buy water. I was shocked upon entering to discover that 7-11 not only sells large quantities of liquor, but a complete dim-sum meal as well. "Of course they do," Henry replied. "They're a Hong Kong company."
Wandering through the neighborhood, I noticed a lot of signs in Korean. I asked Henry if they were from North or South Korea, as every Korean I meet in the States claims to be from the south. "Of course they are from the North," Henry replied. "South Korea is too rich."
Wandering around, Henry and I came across the Catholic Church on Wangfujing that was attended by Condaleeza Rice during her visit. Henry got very excited and said he had never been in a church, so we went in and sat down for a while. He enjoyed the church music but thought the religion as a whole was rather silly. I can't say I disagree.
Dinner was a traditional Chinese dish of sweet and sour pork and another of "Beijing-style" pork - strips of meat in a duck-type sauce. It was good, but my appetite is still off from the jetlag.
In the evening, the first group from Where There Be Dragons arrived and is staying in the same hostel as I am. I was excited to discover that Eric is one of the leaders of the trip. For those who forget who Eric is, he is the jaded Canadian who taught us some lessons in Kunming and was the origins of the phrases "there's no word for fuzzy in German, that should give you an indication of how evil they are" and "China - imagine a country where the words for logic, humor and personal space had to be imported..." That having been said, he was hilarious, and I'm glad I got to see him. I didn't know he was leading a Dragons trip and had figured that I would see him in Kunming. Instead, he is taking the Dragons group through the mountains from Xinjiang to Qinghai and back. A day later and I would have missed him. Strange coincidences.
Labels: beijing, church, dragons, jetlag, seven eleven
