Zi ji what?!? you may be asking... Zi Jian is the word for "good bye" in Chinese. After two years, well, just two weeks shy of two years, it has come time to say good bye to China. Almost everyone who comes to China knows that this time will approach at some point, it is just a matter of when. Just over two years ago I was living a normal life in San Diego till I found that some friends from college were coming to China. Wanting to get out of the monotony of my office life, I jumped on the opportunity to live, teach, and travel in China (and Asia Pacific). Little did I know that I would end up switching to working at a British International School and staying for two years. Looking back at how nervous and anxious I was just 24 hours before I stepped on the plane two years, I realize that the anxiousness was a waste. Sure, two years ago I had no idea what life in China would be like, what opportunities would open up, the friends I would make, the amazing experiences I would have, the sights I would see, the amazing memories that would be created... and so now I feel foolish for having been nervous and anxious about coming to China for what might be the best two years of my life.
I am not going to deny that living in China has had its challenges and frustrations, but it is through these times of trials that I have grown to really appreciate China and my life here. There is plenty in China that I will NOT miss, but at the same time, it is also these things that I may grow to miss when I resume living back in San Diego. China is a crazy place and they are undergoing a lot of huge, positive changes, and I feel blessed to have been able to live here these past two years. I have drawn up lists before about things I like and things that drive me absolutely nuts about China, but this, seeing as I fly out in less than 48 hours, will be the last list.
Spitting... The truth is, the Chinese love to do it. They spit on the street, in elevators, subways, and anywhere and everywhere. I have seen kids do it as well as old ladies without any shame. Probably not gonna miss it, but it is definitely one of those things that constantly reminds me that yes, I am still in China.
Splitty pants... These are absolutely hilarious, till the parent/grandparent allows the child to pee on the street. But, what is funnier than having lots of little bottoms sticking out of kid's pants?
Meat on a stick (as well as street noodles)... Definitely going to miss the plethora of street food that abounds at all hours of the night. Thankfully I have not gotten sick from it, which is probably why I will miss it. Nothing beats ordering an unidentifiable meat cooked on the back of someone's bike at 2 am (is it lamb? beef? cat? dog?). I do have my two regular spots for getting the street food and I will honestly miss both of them.
Crazy street traffic and taxis and running... Sure the crazy drivers and over populated streets make running a bit difficult, but it also makes it fun at the same time. Running in the streets proposes many difficulties as drivers and bikers go down the wrong side of the road, construction sites are everywhere with road hazards at just about every step, but once again, makes life a bit more interesting and keeps me on my toes. I also will always be amazed at how drivers can sense when a car will pull out in front of them and cut them off, avoiding accidents.
Pollution... Not a fan, but really allows one to appreciate the days when the blue sky pokes it head through the usual brownish haze.
Holidays... The BEST part of living here. Teaching in China means lots of time off. Lots of time off means lots of time to travel. Nothing beats getting out of Shanghai to explore the country or other areas of Asia Pacific. Places I have been: Beijing, Xi'An, Yangshou, Hong Kong, all over Yunnan Province, Huang Shan, Hangzhou, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam...
Hashes... What?!? you may ask? The Hash is a running group that takes runs in the Shanghai countryside. Yes, there is a Hash in San Diego, but I love running in rural China through villages and farm land. It is interesting to see the contrast of the ever-growing Shanghai to the rural countryside.
Hmmm... what else? There really are lots of things I will miss about China and the list can go on and on, but I do feel that I have spent enough time here and that I am ready to go back home. Here are questions I have had...
Will I return to China? I have no idea. I really had no idea that I would spend two years here, so I cannot answer that questions. Who knows what life will deal me.
Will I get bored with life in the States? Once again, I have no idea. I have had a blast living abroad, but I also know that my roots are in San Diego and it is where I will always call home, no matter where I am. Sure, I am more open to what other parts of the world has to offer and open to living abroad again, but the reality is I miss San Diego and my friends and family and the beach and the normalcy of life there. Will I live there forever? I have no idea, but I do know it is where I am to be this next year.
Will I miss China? Parts yes, parts no. Will I regret having come here? Definitely not.
And so, in less that 48 hours I will step on the plane and saying "Zi jian Zhonguo" (Goodbye China). One thing is certain, it's been a great two years!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Sunsets...
I love sunsets. Sunsets are always a beautiful site. My favorite are over the ocean, but here is one in a village somewhere in Xishaungbanna. I am not sue the exact location as it was the second night of our trek and probably about 20 km from the Myanmar border.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Trekking in Xishuangbanna
Ryan, my cousin, and I took a three day trek to Xishuangbanna, which is at the border of China and Myanmar. We averaged just over 20 km a day in some pretty rural terrain. At night we slept in two villages. You can read more about the trek below, but here are some pictures.
One of the villages we walked through
We stopped at a monastery. Here are some of the monk boys.
These were our guide's nieces. We stayed at their house.
Inside the first place we stayed.How would you carry chickens?
If you had to carry chickens from Point A to Point B, how would you do it?
Hmmm... do you have an answer yet? Think a bit more about it if you need to...
The answer is simple, in a toothpaste box of course, oh, and on a bus. Not only would you do it this way, but so would the woman next to me on the bus.
Hmmm... do you have an answer yet? Think a bit more about it if you need to...
The answer is simple, in a toothpaste box of course, oh, and on a bus. Not only would you do it this way, but so would the woman next to me on the bus.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Ahhh.... the joys of China travel
The past two days have been super mellow. Actually, both Ryan and I are needing to do something active because we have done nothing the past few days. Anyways, not what I am menat to be writing about...
Since our trip is coming to an end (sad) we have to make it donw to Kunming for our flight. Our original plan was to take a four hour bus from Shangrila to Lijiang, stay the night, and then take another bus the next moring (about 3 hours) to Dali to break up the trip; however, plans changed. Since we are not the biggest fans of Lijiang, we decided it would be better just to take the long bus all the way to Dali, and so we did.
The trip was about 7 1/2 hours on a small bus. Neither Ryan nor I could fit our legs in the amounted leg room without having at least one leg in the aisle. I thought that we would never get out of Shangrila as our bus driver drove for about 30 min trying to pick up people to make sure every seat was filled. It was so frudtrating as I thought we got tickets for the Express Bus (meaning it would go faster). Also, sitting behing us was a girld who, for about an hour, slurped louder than anyone I have ever heard on some drink or soup thing while the other passengers talked excessively loud on their phones. This, cobined with our driver going extremely slow, made me almost want to some hoe switch buses, but that would just leave me stranded somewhere on the side of the road in China, which I though would be a bad idea.
So the first half the driver moved at a snails pace, then, out of no where, he picked up speed. Of course the section he decided to drive fast was on a windy mountain road with blind turns and a cliff on one side. I am convinced that the bus drivers have some special power to let them know when it is ok to pass someone on a blind turn. Oh well, this just makes travelling interesting I guess.
Anyways, the good news is we survived the bus ride and are now in Dali. We have two full days which will be spent biking and maybe hiking, then on the third day we are off to Kunming before having to fly back to Shanghai. When we return I will be sure to post man many many pictures. Some pictures are (just to leave you in suspense)
The toothpaste box full of chickens on the bus
A double rainbow with a monastary
Fileds of Yaks
The villages we stayed in
Since our trip is coming to an end (sad) we have to make it donw to Kunming for our flight. Our original plan was to take a four hour bus from Shangrila to Lijiang, stay the night, and then take another bus the next moring (about 3 hours) to Dali to break up the trip; however, plans changed. Since we are not the biggest fans of Lijiang, we decided it would be better just to take the long bus all the way to Dali, and so we did.
The trip was about 7 1/2 hours on a small bus. Neither Ryan nor I could fit our legs in the amounted leg room without having at least one leg in the aisle. I thought that we would never get out of Shangrila as our bus driver drove for about 30 min trying to pick up people to make sure every seat was filled. It was so frudtrating as I thought we got tickets for the Express Bus (meaning it would go faster). Also, sitting behing us was a girld who, for about an hour, slurped louder than anyone I have ever heard on some drink or soup thing while the other passengers talked excessively loud on their phones. This, cobined with our driver going extremely slow, made me almost want to some hoe switch buses, but that would just leave me stranded somewhere on the side of the road in China, which I though would be a bad idea.
So the first half the driver moved at a snails pace, then, out of no where, he picked up speed. Of course the section he decided to drive fast was on a windy mountain road with blind turns and a cliff on one side. I am convinced that the bus drivers have some special power to let them know when it is ok to pass someone on a blind turn. Oh well, this just makes travelling interesting I guess.
Anyways, the good news is we survived the bus ride and are now in Dali. We have two full days which will be spent biking and maybe hiking, then on the third day we are off to Kunming before having to fly back to Shanghai. When we return I will be sure to post man many many pictures. Some pictures are (just to leave you in suspense)
The toothpaste box full of chickens on the bus
A double rainbow with a monastary
Fileds of Yaks
The villages we stayed in
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Three Day Trek
Our trek through Xishuangbanna started in a town called Xiding and ended 4 km from the Myanmar border in Dalou. We averaged about 20 km a day and it definitely was a hard trek. Our guide's name was Ainipa and he is Bulang, which is one of the minority groups that live in the area.
The first night we stayed at his parents' house. The houses and lifestyles of the people are very primitive and they our basically self-sustaining. They grow all their own food and raise their own animals for meat. Cruising around their village were pigs, water buffaloes, chickens, ducks, etc. The chickens would even come into the house. The house was a wood structure that basically was one giant room. In the middle of the house was a fire area that they cooked their food at. There was a section that was blocked off by sheets for the sleeping area. In their house was his parents, his brother and sister in law, and their two kids. It was eye opening to see the simple lifestyle that they lived, but they seemed very happy and content with everything. The worse part was at night. The beds were mattresses put on the ground and the entire night you could here mice and rats scurrying around everywhere. I must say, I was not a fan.
The next day we trekked about 22 km to another village that we stayed in. That night was one of the most amazing sunsets I have seen in China. Once again, this village was very primitive in that each family grows its own food and the houses are a big one room layout blocked off by sheets for sleeping.
The third day was the longest. We trekked down to a rain forest area, but in total trekked probably 25-28 km of serious up and down hills. Having trekked already for two days I was ready to be done. My knees was hurting, the sights were all the same, and I was dirty and just wanted to be done. The last hour of the trek the heavens opened up and completely poured on us. Hiking downhill, in the mud, knee hurting was not my idea of fun, but we survived.
While I was so happy to be done with the trek, it was an amazing experience. The views of the tea covered hillsides and rain forest were breathtaking and to see the minority people's everyday lifestyle was eye-opening. The simplicity of it all was great and will definitely be a memory I will not forget. However, despite the simplicity of their lives it is apparent that their lifestyles are improving. Many houses had running water and some had solar heaters. The water is not drinkable, but then again you cannot drink the water in Shanghai either. Each of the houses we stayed in had electricity and TV's and even a phone. It was interesting though to see these modern conveniences but at the same time they still have to grow all their own crops and raise their own animals. While the older generation spoke only Bulang, the younger generation is learning Mandarin and are slowly being able to move out of the village life and into the cities to learn English. It was also apparent that there was an abundance of food, which twenty years ago in China was not always the case. So, while I looked at the lifestyle as being postmodern (to say the least) there were still huge positive changes happening within the the villages.
The first night we stayed at his parents' house. The houses and lifestyles of the people are very primitive and they our basically self-sustaining. They grow all their own food and raise their own animals for meat. Cruising around their village were pigs, water buffaloes, chickens, ducks, etc. The chickens would even come into the house. The house was a wood structure that basically was one giant room. In the middle of the house was a fire area that they cooked their food at. There was a section that was blocked off by sheets for the sleeping area. In their house was his parents, his brother and sister in law, and their two kids. It was eye opening to see the simple lifestyle that they lived, but they seemed very happy and content with everything. The worse part was at night. The beds were mattresses put on the ground and the entire night you could here mice and rats scurrying around everywhere. I must say, I was not a fan.
The next day we trekked about 22 km to another village that we stayed in. That night was one of the most amazing sunsets I have seen in China. Once again, this village was very primitive in that each family grows its own food and the houses are a big one room layout blocked off by sheets for sleeping.
The third day was the longest. We trekked down to a rain forest area, but in total trekked probably 25-28 km of serious up and down hills. Having trekked already for two days I was ready to be done. My knees was hurting, the sights were all the same, and I was dirty and just wanted to be done. The last hour of the trek the heavens opened up and completely poured on us. Hiking downhill, in the mud, knee hurting was not my idea of fun, but we survived.
While I was so happy to be done with the trek, it was an amazing experience. The views of the tea covered hillsides and rain forest were breathtaking and to see the minority people's everyday lifestyle was eye-opening. The simplicity of it all was great and will definitely be a memory I will not forget. However, despite the simplicity of their lives it is apparent that their lifestyles are improving. Many houses had running water and some had solar heaters. The water is not drinkable, but then again you cannot drink the water in Shanghai either. Each of the houses we stayed in had electricity and TV's and even a phone. It was interesting though to see these modern conveniences but at the same time they still have to grow all their own crops and raise their own animals. While the older generation spoke only Bulang, the younger generation is learning Mandarin and are slowly being able to move out of the village life and into the cities to learn English. It was also apparent that there was an abundance of food, which twenty years ago in China was not always the case. So, while I looked at the lifestyle as being postmodern (to say the least) there were still huge positive changes happening within the the villages.
Biking in the Tropics
I never thought that I would say that I would be biking in the tropics in the rain forest in China, but there I was on a mountain bike in the tropics in China. Ryan, my cousin, and I spent a week in Xishuangbanna. For those of you who are not familiar with Chinese geography, Xishuangbanna is the most southwest region in China that borders Myanmar and Laos. For two days we rented bikes and explored the surrounding areas around Jinghong (the main city). The coolest day was when we found a dirt trail that took us through villages, rubber tree plantations, and tea plantations. For about four hours we cruised around the towns and finally up a dirt hill. To be surrounded by such beautiful scenery was so amazing and to see some of the local minority villages is indescribable. Coming from Shanghai, one of the biggest and fastest growing cities in the world to being in villages where the farming is done by hand and the grains are set out to dry on the roads and basketball courts is such a huge change. What I like most about China is how diverse it is. I have been so many places around China these past two years, but Jinghong felt different from any place that I have been. Since it borders Myanmar and Laos, it has more of an Asian Pacific feel compared to the typical China feel.
When we got back to Jinghong it was super mellow. We found a cafe called Mekong Cafe that served a great drink called the Mekong Bang Bang. Basically it was fresh pineapple juice and their moonshine (bai Jiao) and they only cost 10 RMB each (about $1.40). I also love Yunnan Province because they have good coffee, which beats the heck out of instant coffee. There was also a lot of good fresh fruit juices and shakes. I probably could have stayed longer but we booked a three day trek and so we were limited to only two days of biking.
When we got back to Jinghong it was super mellow. We found a cafe called Mekong Cafe that served a great drink called the Mekong Bang Bang. Basically it was fresh pineapple juice and their moonshine (bai Jiao) and they only cost 10 RMB each (about $1.40). I also love Yunnan Province because they have good coffee, which beats the heck out of instant coffee. There was also a lot of good fresh fruit juices and shakes. I probably could have stayed longer but we booked a three day trek and so we were limited to only two days of biking.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The Joy of Teaching
When people find out I teach 4 and 5 year olds they wonder how I do it. For starters, they have the attention span equivalent to a goldfish, there is the constant need to tell on others and whine when they are not first in line, some still don't have the capability to hold pencils, scissors, or go to the bathroom before having an accident, and they appear to always have energy, except for those rare moments when they are tired and then they just become grumpy. However, the reality is that teaching the little ones is a blast. Never in my life would I have thought I would enjoy it, but I do. Their constant energy and excitement over the little things is contagious. They really do say the most random things and the most inappropriate moments, but it is at these times when you can't help but laugh. No matter how mad you get, they always forgive and nothing is better than a hug from a five year old to brighten your day. One of the best things though of teaching this age group is the amount they learn in a short period of time. When they started my class most could barely write their name and they had not even started writing, but now my students can read short books and write sentences (spelling may not be perfect though) among many other things. Being that this was the last week of school, I got presents and cards from many of my students. The best came from a letter written by one of the parents in my class, and this one letter made all the hard work and struggles from this year worth while. Knowing that I made a difference in their child's life is what makes teaching so rewarding. How many other jobs give you this satisfaction? Anyways, here is what was written:
"Dear Sarah:
We don't know how many kids you have teach. We don't know how many kids you are going to teach. But we know you will be the special on in Sabrina's memory. Because of you can she be able to read. Because of you can she make her stories."
It's reminders like these that make going to work worthwhile and rewarding. Getting summers off too is also a plus, but who's counting? Oh, and the kids are cute too (just look at the pictures!)
No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks
School's out for summer! School's out forever! Maybe you caught onto the song by Alice Cooper, but it is true, school is out for summer. Yesterday was the last day and it truthfully has not sunk in. I did not cry, but I was sad to say goodbye to a couple of my little ones. I was truly blessed by a great group of students and parents, and I feel lucky to have had a good year. I was also blessed by having so many fun friends to teach with. Being the extrovert that I am, it would not ave been as good of a year had I not been surrounded by my friends while teaching. They helped to keep me sane both in and out of school and have given me many fun memories of random stuff that we did throughout the year. To all my friends at BISS, thanks for making this year so great.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The time has come...
The last week of school is now approaching and I am not sure if I should be happy or sad. The halls of BISS are filled with teachers who have looks of exhaustion written all over them and the students either have the same look or are completely stir crazy and wound up. However, I am happy that I still have energy, although my lesson plans are pretty much nonexistent at this point. One thing is for certain, I have loved teaching this year. Despite the craziness of some of the events that have occurred in my classroom, I can honestly say that I have really enjoyed this past year. My students are awesome and keep me laughing and on my toes. Never in my life plans did I ever think that I would be teaching 4 and 5 year olds, but here I am. Their innocence and joy for life is truly contagious and has taught me so much.
As my last week of school approached so does my last month of living in China. Once again, I am not sure if I should be happy or sad. The reality is that I have really enjoyed the experience of living in China. Sure I have had those "I hate China" moments where the spitting and peeing in streets and cutting in line and everything else becomes overwhelming and I just want to get the heck out of here, but soon those moments fade and I really like it again. One thing is for certain, I have had an amazing two years and words cannot give justice to all that I have experienced and learned. Never would I have thought that two of my years would be spent living in China, but I am glad that they have. I think that everyone should live abroad, at least for awhile. The people that I have met and the things I have experienced have broaden my perspective on the world.
Living in the States made me a bit sheltered to the world around me and I never realized how much event in America affect everyone else. Sure I had heard it before and people talk about how much of an influence the US has, but until these past two years I never really believed it. It has been interesting to see how much Europeans care about the 2008 Election and how many people who are not American know so much about Obama, Clinton, and McCain. Seeing how much they care about the Election really has made me want to know more too.
It has also been a very interesting and exciting time to be living in China. This past year so many events have occurred (the Free Tibet movement, the Olympics, the Sichuan Earthquake...) and having to view these events within China has been eye-opening. I am curious to see how the rest of the world is viewing China right and how the news portrays these events. I am also starting to see many positive changes in China that are making more optimistic about its future. China has just started a policy in which at the grocery stores you have to buy your own plastic bags in order to encourage people to recycle them and/or buy reusable bags. This will create a huge positive change and reduce the amount of plastic waste in China. There are also small changes that are occurring in the people; at crosswalks cars are now starting to stop for pedestrians, people are not pushing as much in lines, there are more "common courtesy" signs up to encourage people not to spit and throw trash. While these are all small steps, they are a start to a bettering of China.
On July 27th I will be leaving Shanghai. I do not know if it will be for good or if I will return, but I will not be in China for the Olympics. Beijing has undergone a lot of preparation for the Olympics and I just hope that all their work will pay off. Part of me is not sure the world is quite ready for China, but all will be determined during the Olympics. Sure Beijing is not like the rest of "Real China" (and Shanghai is not either) but it is a glimpse into what China can be like. I know that it will be cool to watch it all from TV and know the places they are talking about and to see how things are viewed from abroad.
And so I embark on the last month of my time in China. Half of it will be spent here in Shanghai and the other half will be spent exploring Yunnan with my cousin. I do know for certain that I will miss China and that I can honestly say that I am glad I came.
As my last week of school approached so does my last month of living in China. Once again, I am not sure if I should be happy or sad. The reality is that I have really enjoyed the experience of living in China. Sure I have had those "I hate China" moments where the spitting and peeing in streets and cutting in line and everything else becomes overwhelming and I just want to get the heck out of here, but soon those moments fade and I really like it again. One thing is for certain, I have had an amazing two years and words cannot give justice to all that I have experienced and learned. Never would I have thought that two of my years would be spent living in China, but I am glad that they have. I think that everyone should live abroad, at least for awhile. The people that I have met and the things I have experienced have broaden my perspective on the world.
Living in the States made me a bit sheltered to the world around me and I never realized how much event in America affect everyone else. Sure I had heard it before and people talk about how much of an influence the US has, but until these past two years I never really believed it. It has been interesting to see how much Europeans care about the 2008 Election and how many people who are not American know so much about Obama, Clinton, and McCain. Seeing how much they care about the Election really has made me want to know more too.
It has also been a very interesting and exciting time to be living in China. This past year so many events have occurred (the Free Tibet movement, the Olympics, the Sichuan Earthquake...) and having to view these events within China has been eye-opening. I am curious to see how the rest of the world is viewing China right and how the news portrays these events. I am also starting to see many positive changes in China that are making more optimistic about its future. China has just started a policy in which at the grocery stores you have to buy your own plastic bags in order to encourage people to recycle them and/or buy reusable bags. This will create a huge positive change and reduce the amount of plastic waste in China. There are also small changes that are occurring in the people; at crosswalks cars are now starting to stop for pedestrians, people are not pushing as much in lines, there are more "common courtesy" signs up to encourage people not to spit and throw trash. While these are all small steps, they are a start to a bettering of China.
On July 27th I will be leaving Shanghai. I do not know if it will be for good or if I will return, but I will not be in China for the Olympics. Beijing has undergone a lot of preparation for the Olympics and I just hope that all their work will pay off. Part of me is not sure the world is quite ready for China, but all will be determined during the Olympics. Sure Beijing is not like the rest of "Real China" (and Shanghai is not either) but it is a glimpse into what China can be like. I know that it will be cool to watch it all from TV and know the places they are talking about and to see how things are viewed from abroad.
And so I embark on the last month of my time in China. Half of it will be spent here in Shanghai and the other half will be spent exploring Yunnan with my cousin. I do know for certain that I will miss China and that I can honestly say that I am glad I came.
Monday, June 09, 2008
When I grow up...
Today I decided what I want to be when I grow up... a writer. However, I realize my inability to write well, and so I am left having to copy another person's work. Today I started to read a book called China Road. It is a book written by a British gentleman who records his travels from Shanghai to Kazakhstan in hopes to learn more about China's future from regular people. Anyways, the first part is about four days he spent in Shanghai. I really enjoyed this part of the book and the descriptions he had about Shanghai and life within Shanghai. For someone who has never been to Shanghai, or rather has only been to Shanghai (and nowhere else in China), he might be blinded by the amazing fast pace of life and sky scrapers and bright lights, but there actually is a lot of history in Shanghai. And so here are some cool descriptions of Shanghai that I am stealing from Rob Gifford:
There is an intangible feel in Shanghai, an urgency, a hope and optimism that hangs in the air all around you from the minute you arrive. People are pushing forward, with their feet and in their heads, building a future, building a country, moving towards some distant, unseen goal.
New York City makes a good comparison. Beijing is Washington, DC, a capital city, too obsessed with politics to be at the forefront of commerce. Shanghai is Manhattan, although in many ways it is Manhattan in about 1910- a boomtown with immigrants flooding in. There are roughly 13 million people in Shanghai (New York in 1910 had about 5 million). As in New York a hundred years ago, many of these people have just arrived from somewhere else.
There is no Statue of Liberty to welcome them here, but as I stand looking out across the corrugated river to the Elysian Fields of Pudong, it seems to me there should be. Or at least a Statue of Opportunity...
One shiny new office tower on the other side of the river has become a huge TV screen, with advertisements and government propaganda alternately lighting up the entire side of the building, one message replaces five seconds later by another.
Welcome to Shanghai. Tomorrow will be even more beautiful.
1,746 more days until the Shanghai World Expo.
Sexual equality is a basic policy of our country.
Eat Dove chocolate.
First of all, yes, there is a consumer boom, but the majority of people have no access to it. If in the US you need money to get power, in China you need power to get money. China's prosperity today is just a patina of wealth, accessible mainly to the corrupt and the very fortunate at the top, which disguises a seething mass of urban social problems, such as unemployment, crime and outdated housing. And don't even mention the countryside. Just go a mile from the neon on the Bund and Nanjing Road and you will find thousands of people living on $40 per month, severance pay from their former factory jobs at now-defunct factories. They have no health insurance, and if they become really sick, all they can do is go home and die.
Sections of the big department store are permanently empty, as are many of the new office blocks and shopping malls, built as a result of corrupt deals, giving a veneer affluence that makes the city look more prosperous than it is. For every member of the emergent middle class who drives her family to Pizza Hut in her new Volkswagen, there are perhaps a hundred who can barely afford a bicycle.
Everything I have just written, from both points of view, is true. It just depends on how you look at it. Is the glass half empty or is it half full? How foreigners see China often has as much to do with their own characters and their own prejudices (or the character and prejudices of the reporter who writes the article or book they read) as it has to do with the reality on the ground. For every fact that is true about China, the opposite is almost always true as well, somewhere in the country...
What do I think? It depends on which day you ask me. China messes with my head on a daily basis. One day I think that it really is going to take over the world, and that the Chinese government is doing the most extraordinary thing the planet has ever witnessed. The World Bank says China has lifted 400 million people out of poverty since 1978. That's more than the entire population of South America.
The next day it will all seem built on sand and I expect it all to come tumbling down around us. I'll be disgusted at the way the Communist Party treats its people, and shocked at the sheer cost it all, the human cost, which seems acceptable to the government in everything it does.
There is an intangible feel in Shanghai, an urgency, a hope and optimism that hangs in the air all around you from the minute you arrive. People are pushing forward, with their feet and in their heads, building a future, building a country, moving towards some distant, unseen goal.
New York City makes a good comparison. Beijing is Washington, DC, a capital city, too obsessed with politics to be at the forefront of commerce. Shanghai is Manhattan, although in many ways it is Manhattan in about 1910- a boomtown with immigrants flooding in. There are roughly 13 million people in Shanghai (New York in 1910 had about 5 million). As in New York a hundred years ago, many of these people have just arrived from somewhere else.
There is no Statue of Liberty to welcome them here, but as I stand looking out across the corrugated river to the Elysian Fields of Pudong, it seems to me there should be. Or at least a Statue of Opportunity...
One shiny new office tower on the other side of the river has become a huge TV screen, with advertisements and government propaganda alternately lighting up the entire side of the building, one message replaces five seconds later by another.
Welcome to Shanghai. Tomorrow will be even more beautiful.
1,746 more days until the Shanghai World Expo.
Sexual equality is a basic policy of our country.
Eat Dove chocolate.
First of all, yes, there is a consumer boom, but the majority of people have no access to it. If in the US you need money to get power, in China you need power to get money. China's prosperity today is just a patina of wealth, accessible mainly to the corrupt and the very fortunate at the top, which disguises a seething mass of urban social problems, such as unemployment, crime and outdated housing. And don't even mention the countryside. Just go a mile from the neon on the Bund and Nanjing Road and you will find thousands of people living on $40 per month, severance pay from their former factory jobs at now-defunct factories. They have no health insurance, and if they become really sick, all they can do is go home and die.
Sections of the big department store are permanently empty, as are many of the new office blocks and shopping malls, built as a result of corrupt deals, giving a veneer affluence that makes the city look more prosperous than it is. For every member of the emergent middle class who drives her family to Pizza Hut in her new Volkswagen, there are perhaps a hundred who can barely afford a bicycle.
Everything I have just written, from both points of view, is true. It just depends on how you look at it. Is the glass half empty or is it half full? How foreigners see China often has as much to do with their own characters and their own prejudices (or the character and prejudices of the reporter who writes the article or book they read) as it has to do with the reality on the ground. For every fact that is true about China, the opposite is almost always true as well, somewhere in the country...
What do I think? It depends on which day you ask me. China messes with my head on a daily basis. One day I think that it really is going to take over the world, and that the Chinese government is doing the most extraordinary thing the planet has ever witnessed. The World Bank says China has lifted 400 million people out of poverty since 1978. That's more than the entire population of South America.
The next day it will all seem built on sand and I expect it all to come tumbling down around us. I'll be disgusted at the way the Communist Party treats its people, and shocked at the sheer cost it all, the human cost, which seems acceptable to the government in everything it does.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Just thought I should post something
So it has been two weeks or so since I have posted anything, mainly because life here seems like it has been a bit crazy. Not so much crazy in a bad way, but just busy. I remember when I was in school teachers always seemed a bit all over the place at the end of the year, and that is how I feel. The good news is that things are coming to a very nice end. I am having a good time both socially and at work, so it makes life fun. I have been able to play more soccer and volleyball and have been loving it. I just finished my last credential course (minus my student teaching) and my reports and being checked as I type.
Last weekend my class had a class BBQ at one of the family's house and it was good fun. I realize how much I like the students and parents in my class and that I have been lucky to have such a good group. Surprisingly it was good to be able to talk to parents outside of a work setting. I am going to miss my little kids and I think I might try to make the conversion to teach Primary School when I get back. The little ones have grown on me.
Hmmm... what other updates are there? I guess here is the breakdown of my time in China:
Last weekend my class had a class BBQ at one of the family's house and it was good fun. I realize how much I like the students and parents in my class and that I have been lucky to have such a good group. Surprisingly it was good to be able to talk to parents outside of a work setting. I am going to miss my little kids and I think I might try to make the conversion to teach Primary School when I get back. The little ones have grown on me.
Hmmm... what other updates are there? I guess here is the breakdown of my time in China:
- 3 weeks left of school (13 1/2 days to be exact)
- 4 weeks till my cousin Ryan comes to visit. We may go to Sichuan province, but not sure b/c of the earthquake.
- 49 days till I am back in San Diego
Sunday, May 25, 2008
A Great Day...
Today was a great day. I went with a group of about 16 other people to a town outside of Shanghai to play soccer. I do realize that I play soccer just about every weekend or so, but that soccer is 7 aside on a turf field. While it is fun, it does not compare with playing 11 aside on a grass field. It has been almost two years since I have played 11 aside and I forgot how much I love it. We played a Chinese team and it was loads of fun. For once in my life I did not have to play goalie, and I honestly think I prefer field now. The best part was that I scored a diving header goal! After the game we went swimming (which I have not done in awhile), then went to lunch, followed by a foot massage. I now want to play soccer so much more. I cannot wait to get back to San Diego to play again. All in all a very fun day!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Beijing Baby!
Just your usual dancing in the park. Apparently Sundays are when people bring out their best dance moves and vocals.
What better way to spend a Sunday than a nap?
Just hanging out... Check out the Chinglish on the sign.
Looking down a Hutong.
If teaching does not work out then I can always become a rickshaw driver.After the 1/2 Marathon we had a day to explore Beijing. While I have been there before, I went to places that I had not yet explored. My friend Sarah and I spent the day exploring a park and the hutongs. It was nice just to be able to walk around, and the sky was actually blue in Beijing!
The Great Wall 1/2 Marathon
I know I originally planned to do the full marathon, but after only having three weeks to train I decided it would be smarter to do the half. In honesty I do not think I could have done the full, and if I could have I probably would not have been able to walk very well after the race. It really was a very cool race and I had a lot of fun.
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