An hour ago, I got a call from my boss at our University inviting me to go on a trip with his family for the weekend to another province. We leave tomorrow at noon. (This is how things happen in China: at the last minute. I have no idea if other teachers are going too, or just me. I'll find out when the car arrives.) I have two sets of plans for New Year's Eve this evening, and I'm not sure which yet I'll choose. But tomorrow I'll be leaving town, so let me tell you all now: Happy New Year! 新年快乐！
Btw,I'm still waiting for students to send me pictures they took of our night hosting the pageant. I'll post some as soon as I get them. They are in the middle of finals, so I'm not pushing for them yet. (I forgot my camera, of course.) I ended up wearing a long black fitted skirt and a "sexy" (their words) matte silver/gray top, with some fun accessories. A student loaned me a diamond hair thingy to wear my hair pulled up into in the front, then flipped at the ends. It was a very 60's mod look. And 4-inch heels, of course.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A Few Random Pictures
The English says 'dogmeat', but the Chinese says 'ground meat.' Not sure if it's a euphemism or a mistranslation. (And I think we'd say 'black eyed peas' but that is perhaps a regional English thing.) In any case, I didn't buy it.
Random Transformers character outside a club chain called '88.' (8 is a lucky number in Chinese culture.) There was a sign next to him but all I could make out is that he was some kind of party monster from another planet who was coming here to throw the best party of all time. Might be a New Year's Eve thing. There were still too many characters I didn't know. (I hate that, but good study motivation!)
Chinese grandparents are the nation's babysitters. All day long, it is common to see babies and grandparents, shooting the breeze, feeding some pigeons, etc. This picture is a little bit blurry, I know, but check out those mouse ears and stocky legs. Chinese babies are delicious little butterballs in the winter, due to the layers and layers of clothing they wear.
Random Transformers character outside a club chain called '88.' (8 is a lucky number in Chinese culture.) There was a sign next to him but all I could make out is that he was some kind of party monster from another planet who was coming here to throw the best party of all time. Might be a New Year's Eve thing. There were still too many characters I didn't know. (I hate that, but good study motivation!)
Chinese grandparents are the nation's babysitters. All day long, it is common to see babies and grandparents, shooting the breeze, feeding some pigeons, etc. This picture is a little bit blurry, I know, but check out those mouse ears and stocky legs. Chinese babies are delicious little butterballs in the winter, due to the layers and layers of clothing they wear.
This line of people stretched all the way around the square. I was shocked there was an orderly line. I walked to the end to see what they were waiting for: discounted light bulbs. I know I have not experienced the kind of hardship in life that makes standing in an hour long line for a discounted light bulb worth it.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Chopstick Conundrum
It's a phenomenon familiar to all foreigners in China: you sit down to eat at a Chinese restaurant, pick up your chopsticks, and all nearby (and sometimes farby) eyes turn to stare at you as you take your first bites. I don't really know why they are staring. Curiosity? Concern? Amusement? Boredom? It's something that is still a mystery to me. If you do manage to get food into your mouth, though, you'll be complimented on your ability to use chopsticks either by a smile and small nod of the head, or words of encouragement from those nearby.
Yesterday I was having lunch with a Chinese friend and as we began to eat, I commented on the fact everyone was staring at me. "Oh yes!" she said. "And if I go to America, everyone will stare at *me* to see if I can use a knife and fork." It wasn't a question, it was a matter-of-fact truth in her mind; if the Chinese stare at foreigners, foreigners will stare at the Chinese.
A few things I could have said:
1. No one would know if you are Chinese or Chinese America or Chinese Canadian or any other possible combination, so no one would automatically assume you can't use a knife and fork, and therefore wouldn't stare. (This concept of diversity, and our familiarity with it, would be difficult for her to imagine.)
2. Truthfully, most Americans probably don't care if you can use a fork or knife or not. (I can't speak for everyone, but we generally keep more to ourselves than the Chinese. In a collective culture, everyone cares what everyone else is doing. We simply just don't care as much. Or at all. Just as it is hard for me to understand why anyone cares, it would be hard for her to understand why we don't.)
But neither of these things seemed to not worth mentioning, for reasons I can't fully articulate. Weariness in correcting cultural misconceptions? Fatigue from constantly being watched? Concern my explanation wouldn't be understood? Probably a little of all three. So I said nothing, smiled, and kept eating.
Yesterday I was having lunch with a Chinese friend and as we began to eat, I commented on the fact everyone was staring at me. "Oh yes!" she said. "And if I go to America, everyone will stare at *me* to see if I can use a knife and fork." It wasn't a question, it was a matter-of-fact truth in her mind; if the Chinese stare at foreigners, foreigners will stare at the Chinese.
A few things I could have said:
1. No one would know if you are Chinese or Chinese America or Chinese Canadian or any other possible combination, so no one would automatically assume you can't use a knife and fork, and therefore wouldn't stare. (This concept of diversity, and our familiarity with it, would be difficult for her to imagine.)
2. Truthfully, most Americans probably don't care if you can use a fork or knife or not. (I can't speak for everyone, but we generally keep more to ourselves than the Chinese. In a collective culture, everyone cares what everyone else is doing. We simply just don't care as much. Or at all. Just as it is hard for me to understand why anyone cares, it would be hard for her to understand why we don't.)
But neither of these things seemed to not worth mentioning, for reasons I can't fully articulate. Weariness in correcting cultural misconceptions? Fatigue from constantly being watched? Concern my explanation wouldn't be understood? Probably a little of all three. So I said nothing, smiled, and kept eating.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
If I Get Hit By A Bus, Can't Say They Didn't See It Coming
Two times in the last two days, two men I know have done the 'soccer mom stop' to me as we are standing on a curb preparing to cross the street. You know, that gesture where you throw your arm across the person's body to prevent them going any further? And both times I thought to myself, am I really being unsafe? Or are you being paranoid? The thing is, I no longer fear oncoming buses and taxis. Chinese traffic is so chaotic and void of laws, people just dart back and forth across streets at will. And I've become one of them. I'll stand on the center yellow line with buses going past on both sides of me, waiting for an empty spot to open up. I'll stare down a driver as I cross in front of him, daring him not to slow down. (In daylight only!) And so far, I've been successful.
(Please don't tell my mom about this entry.)
Wanting someone to be safe while crossing the street means you are a kind, thoughtful person. I appreciate where they're coming from, even if I really don't need help crossing the street. (And I've been here a year longer than either of them, I'm sure that has something to do with their still-instinctive reactions; they're still scared of buses.) Next time either of them throw their arm up, though, I'm going to grab their hand instead and hold tight while I cross the street my way.
(Okay, I know in that picture I got killed by a Halo guy, not a bus, but the body layout would be about the same! Taken in Vegas a few months before I came to China.)
Friday, December 25, 2009
The Best (Weirdest?) Christmas Pageant Ever
Hope you all had a nice Christmas; I ate lots of foods I am not used to anymore (read: dairy and processed meats and sugary treats sent by our various fams) and got a tummy ache, which made it seem like kid Christmas all over again, so that was kind of awesome. I got together with friends and bought myself some lavender/silvery eye shadow, so it was a great Christmas! And yes, I now get excited about eye shadow, it's a luxury purchase for me here. China: helping you find joy in the little things all over again.
Andrew and I hosted the Christmas pageant on Wednesday night. Here is my report:
-I didn't get to wear the dress! And the reason is very Chinese: they told me the shop had made a mistake and didn't reserve the dress after all, and someone else had rented it out. But I was not asked to go pick out another one instead. So I think they went over budget and no longer had the money to pay for it, but they couldn't admit that to me, it would be 'losing face', so they made it the shopkeeper's fault. I'm 100% certain if I went to the shop that day, my dress would have been hanging on the rack. I wouldn't have minded paying for it myself, but then it would have shown them up as liars and really caused 'face' problems, so I had to let it go. (This is a pretty standard Chinese way of taking care of problems.) Andrew suggested I could rent it and just wear it around the house for a day. Haha, he has no idea how close I am to doing this. But if they did run out of money, it was more important for the kids to have their nice clothes/costumes. So I didn't mind not having the dress.
-The pageant was sponsored by Pepsi and included an outdoor stage with a Pepsi background (shilled here by Chinese popstars), professional lighting etc. The opening number was a dance to a High School Musical* song. So, I'm in China, celebrating Christmas with a pageant sponsored by Pepsi, watching kids dance to High School Musical. Welcome to modern China.
-Chinese students also think it's hilarious for men to dress in drag for skits. A few of their sketches had men in drag, and the final performance was an all male ballet, with the guys dressed in female ballerina outfits. I could have been watching any skit at an American high school assembly. It's always funny for me to find these cultural touchstones we share. Drag: popular even in China! Who'da thunk it?
-I tried to explain to my students that not every American celebrates Christmas, and they couldn't wrap their minds around this concept. Because Chinese is such a homogeneous culture, the idea that not everyone celebrates a major holiday is unfathomable.
-My students think Christmas is like New Year's; at midnight on Christmas Eve, I got a flurry of text messages wishing me Merry Christmas. And I found out the current mayor is trying to discourage the tradition they have here of beating people with inflatable bats in the public squares on Christmas Eve. I wrote about this phenomenn last year. He cleared out the square downtown, but on the side streets it was still going strong.
Andrew and I hosted the Christmas pageant on Wednesday night. Here is my report:
-I didn't get to wear the dress! And the reason is very Chinese: they told me the shop had made a mistake and didn't reserve the dress after all, and someone else had rented it out. But I was not asked to go pick out another one instead. So I think they went over budget and no longer had the money to pay for it, but they couldn't admit that to me, it would be 'losing face', so they made it the shopkeeper's fault. I'm 100% certain if I went to the shop that day, my dress would have been hanging on the rack. I wouldn't have minded paying for it myself, but then it would have shown them up as liars and really caused 'face' problems, so I had to let it go. (This is a pretty standard Chinese way of taking care of problems.) Andrew suggested I could rent it and just wear it around the house for a day. Haha, he has no idea how close I am to doing this. But if they did run out of money, it was more important for the kids to have their nice clothes/costumes. So I didn't mind not having the dress.
-The pageant was sponsored by Pepsi and included an outdoor stage with a Pepsi background (shilled here by Chinese popstars), professional lighting etc. The opening number was a dance to a High School Musical* song. So, I'm in China, celebrating Christmas with a pageant sponsored by Pepsi, watching kids dance to High School Musical. Welcome to modern China.
-They assigned one of my male students to be my 'handler'; that is, to help me walk offstage, down the stairs, hold my coat while I was onstage then help me put it back on when I was done presenting, etc. I felt like a boxer coming out of the ring all night long. But it's a good thing he was there, those stage lights were blinding and I couldn't see anything for a few seconds after walking offstage. I'm pretty sure those stairs would have been the death of me. It also confirmed my suspicious that what I really want for Christmas is a cabana boy. (And a cabana.)
-Chinese students also think it's hilarious for men to dress in drag for skits. A few of their sketches had men in drag, and the final performance was an all male ballet, with the guys dressed in female ballerina outfits. I could have been watching any skit at an American high school assembly. It's always funny for me to find these cultural touchstones we share. Drag: popular even in China! Who'da thunk it?
*I've never seen High School Musical, they told me this is where it was from.
-It isn't celebrated here by the parents and grandparents, only by the current youth generation. And it's just a day to exchange small gifts with friends. The traditional gift is an apple in a cellophane bag tied with ribbon. So on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, there were tables of wrapped apples in the street markets. I compare Christmas in China to Cinco de Mayo in America: a holiday you don't really know (or care to know) the history or significance of, you just celebrate the fun parts. The dean of our department gave a speech at the pageant, in English, about how Christmas is now a worldwide holiday of peace and love. A very interesting speech.
-It isn't celebrated here by the parents and grandparents, only by the current youth generation. And it's just a day to exchange small gifts with friends. The traditional gift is an apple in a cellophane bag tied with ribbon. So on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, there were tables of wrapped apples in the street markets. I compare Christmas in China to Cinco de Mayo in America: a holiday you don't really know (or care to know) the history or significance of, you just celebrate the fun parts. The dean of our department gave a speech at the pageant, in English, about how Christmas is now a worldwide holiday of peace and love. A very interesting speech.
-I tried to explain to my students that not every American celebrates Christmas, and they couldn't wrap their minds around this concept. Because Chinese is such a homogeneous culture, the idea that not everyone celebrates a major holiday is unfathomable.
-My students think Christmas is like New Year's; at midnight on Christmas Eve, I got a flurry of text messages wishing me Merry Christmas. And I found out the current mayor is trying to discourage the tradition they have here of beating people with inflatable bats in the public squares on Christmas Eve. I wrote about this phenomenn last year. He cleared out the square downtown, but on the side streets it was still going strong.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Spiderman Syndrome Formulation
(This has nothing to do with China. It's just random talking.)
So here's the deal: I have a lot of theories. Theories are comforting to me. And because if I sit too long with out moving my hands, my brain wanders far and wide. This is also why I am not a smoker, btw. It would be waaay too easy to keep my hands moving by wrapping them around a cigarette. I'd be one of those people smoking through a hole in their throat, guaranteed. But I digress...
I was talking to a friend the other day about Spiderman 2, and realized I finally had the perfect name for a dating phenomenon I hate: Spiderman Syndrome. Because you know how Peter Parker keeps letting MJ down because he has to take care of very important Spidey Saving The Day Moments first? And she doesn't know he's Spiderman, so she thinks he just doesn't care enough about her to step up to the plate anymore, but we know he's really out saving the city from the bad guys, so we cut him some slack and internally yell at MJ "It's ok he missed your play/didn't call on time/forgot your birthday, he had to get the bad guys!! Forgive him!! He loooooves you!!" Yeah, I have a working theory that deep down, some girls *cough maybe I know one of them* sometimes really want to believe that guy who won't step up to the plate anymore? He's Spiderman! He's out doing very important things instead of calling me or returning my calls or emails or whatever he used to do with much enthusiasm that he's not doing with much enthusiasm anymore. I have to be understanding that he is just.that.busy.and.important. And if I just let it go until he's done saving the city from the bad guys, all will be well.
YEAH RIGHT. Wouldn't it be nice though, if that were the reason why?
Now here's the part that annoys me: I know I am not everyone's cup of tea. Maybe my jokes are too corny. Maybe my eyes are the same color as a girl you hated in middle school. Maybe the way I whack my head on everything makes you think I am an idiot. Or whatever. So trying to pretend there's no reason you suddenly drag your feet emailing/calling/making contact/returning contact is super, duper lame. Just say what needs to be said and move on. Trust me, I'll be fine. THIS game of not telling me? Hurts A LOT. Hurts WAAAY crushing more than if you just said you weren't interested anymore. For reals, yo.
Please, don't be Spiderman.
So here's the deal: I have a lot of theories. Theories are comforting to me. And because if I sit too long with out moving my hands, my brain wanders far and wide. This is also why I am not a smoker, btw. It would be waaay too easy to keep my hands moving by wrapping them around a cigarette. I'd be one of those people smoking through a hole in their throat, guaranteed. But I digress...
I was talking to a friend the other day about Spiderman 2, and realized I finally had the perfect name for a dating phenomenon I hate: Spiderman Syndrome. Because you know how Peter Parker keeps letting MJ down because he has to take care of very important Spidey Saving The Day Moments first? And she doesn't know he's Spiderman, so she thinks he just doesn't care enough about her to step up to the plate anymore, but we know he's really out saving the city from the bad guys, so we cut him some slack and internally yell at MJ "It's ok he missed your play/didn't call on time/forgot your birthday, he had to get the bad guys!! Forgive him!! He loooooves you!!" Yeah, I have a working theory that deep down, some girls *cough maybe I know one of them* sometimes really want to believe that guy who won't step up to the plate anymore? He's Spiderman! He's out doing very important things instead of calling me or returning my calls or emails or whatever he used to do with much enthusiasm that he's not doing with much enthusiasm anymore. I have to be understanding that he is just.that.busy.and.important. And if I just let it go until he's done saving the city from the bad guys, all will be well.
YEAH RIGHT. Wouldn't it be nice though, if that were the reason why?
Now here's the part that annoys me: I know I am not everyone's cup of tea. Maybe my jokes are too corny. Maybe my eyes are the same color as a girl you hated in middle school. Maybe the way I whack my head on everything makes you think I am an idiot. Or whatever. So trying to pretend there's no reason you suddenly drag your feet emailing/calling/making contact/returning contact is super, duper lame. Just say what needs to be said and move on. Trust me, I'll be fine. THIS game of not telling me? Hurts A LOT. Hurts WAAAY crushing more than if you just said you weren't interested anymore. For reals, yo.
Please, don't be Spiderman.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Bye Bye Bali, Plus Daily Life
My grandma is not doing well. So, I am no longer going to Bali and Beijing over my break; instead, I'll be flying back to the U.S. to spend time with her and other family. I was looking forward to these trips, but Bali and Beijing will be there for a long while. Grandma comes first. I am sure those of you reading can understand and would do the same thing.
Now, a few things to share about daily life in China:
1. Street cleaning trucks in my city play "Happy Birthday" in a high-pitched tone, over and over and over. There is also a techno version of Happy Birthday they play in clubs. How "Happy Birthday" became both of these things, I have no idea, but I never want to hear "Happy Birthday" again.
2. Overheard yesterday as I was walking home: a clothing store blasting "Jingle Bells" set to a disco-esque beat, including the phrases "Jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleee." Sleigh IS spelled like Leigh, I have to give them that. "One horse open sleee" set to disco is more funny than I could have imagined. I smiled all the way home.
3. I bought colored contact lenses this week. I didn't know contacts sold in Asia are made to make the iris look larger than it is. They look a little weird to me, but it's interesting to see the world in 3D all day long. I had forgotten what this is like! (I have glasses but don't like wearing them, so I've been living in a 2D world.) Here's what Asian colored contact lenses look like:
4. This was the cover of a weekly newspaper this week. American culture is so popular here, and yet America knows so little about Chinese popular culture. My students ask me all the time if I watch shows like Vampire Diaries, Cougartown, Californication etc. And I'm thinking, you guys know more about American tv than I do! (I haven't seen any of those shows.) I bought this to put on my wall. A little bit of handsome Americana is never a bad thing.
4. The subject of this article has been big news here. Before living here, I didn't recognize the various ways living in a diverse culture has affected how I disseminate and process information. I'll be writing more about this after the holiday.
I know the next few days will be busy for everyone, so let me take this chance to say Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating it! Hope you have a wonderful day with your families.
Now, a few things to share about daily life in China:
1. Street cleaning trucks in my city play "Happy Birthday" in a high-pitched tone, over and over and over. There is also a techno version of Happy Birthday they play in clubs. How "Happy Birthday" became both of these things, I have no idea, but I never want to hear "Happy Birthday" again.
2. Overheard yesterday as I was walking home: a clothing store blasting "Jingle Bells" set to a disco-esque beat, including the phrases "Jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleee." Sleigh IS spelled like Leigh, I have to give them that. "One horse open sleee" set to disco is more funny than I could have imagined. I smiled all the way home.
3. I bought colored contact lenses this week. I didn't know contacts sold in Asia are made to make the iris look larger than it is. They look a little weird to me, but it's interesting to see the world in 3D all day long. I had forgotten what this is like! (I have glasses but don't like wearing them, so I've been living in a 2D world.) Here's what Asian colored contact lenses look like:
4. This was the cover of a weekly newspaper this week. American culture is so popular here, and yet America knows so little about Chinese popular culture. My students ask me all the time if I watch shows like Vampire Diaries, Cougartown, Californication etc. And I'm thinking, you guys know more about American tv than I do! (I haven't seen any of those shows.) I bought this to put on my wall. A little bit of handsome Americana is never a bad thing.
4. The subject of this article has been big news here. Before living here, I didn't recognize the various ways living in a diverse culture has affected how I disseminate and process information. I'll be writing more about this after the holiday.
I know the next few days will be busy for everyone, so let me take this chance to say Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating it! Hope you have a wonderful day with your families.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Ways I've Learned To Be Happy In China
This list might also be applicable to others, but I can only speak for myself.
1. Never be in a hurry.
2. Understand that public services want to maximize the number of available jobs, not efficiency.
3. Hate ice water.
4. Accept parasites and bad bacteria as a consequence of eating.
5. Learn to say "ah ah ah ah" in rapidfire after someone says something to you; it's an acceptable response to almost anything, and saves you when you don't know what else to say. (It's also a more fun way to say goodbye on the phone, but then it's "ah ah ah ah ah bye ah ah ah bye bye bye ah ah bye." No, I am not exaggerating.)
6. Forget the concept 'personal space.'
7. Push back.
8. The phrase "I have something to do" is an all-purpose 'get out of anything free' card. Use it without guilt.
9. Only expect to do one extra thing per day because that one thing will take at least 4 times as long as it takes in your home country, and you'll be too exhausted to do anything else until tomorrow.
10. Understand you will always, in every circumstance, always be an 'other' to the Chinese.
11. Don't expect anyone to multi-task on your behalf. Don't expect them to understand when you want to multi-task. It doesn't exist here. Real Simple, indeed.
A word about that last one: I was reading a friend's Oprah magazine (which I don't really like, I decided, but we'll read anything here if it's in English) and there was an article about reducing the daily stress of trying to do too much, and it struck me how much that is not my life right now. I remember feeling that way, but it has become an alien thing to me, this need to accomplish so many things in one day. No one here expects that kind of thing. It's a really nice reminder that I don't need to be Superwoman to be happy, or to make others happy.
1. Never be in a hurry.
2. Understand that public services want to maximize the number of available jobs, not efficiency.
3. Hate ice water.
4. Accept parasites and bad bacteria as a consequence of eating.
5. Learn to say "ah ah ah ah" in rapidfire after someone says something to you; it's an acceptable response to almost anything, and saves you when you don't know what else to say. (It's also a more fun way to say goodbye on the phone, but then it's "ah ah ah ah ah bye ah ah ah bye bye bye ah ah bye." No, I am not exaggerating.)
6. Forget the concept 'personal space.'
7. Push back.
9. Only expect to do one extra thing per day because that one thing will take at least 4 times as long as it takes in your home country, and you'll be too exhausted to do anything else until tomorrow.
10. Understand you will always, in every circumstance, always be an 'other' to the Chinese.
11. Don't expect anyone to multi-task on your behalf. Don't expect them to understand when you want to multi-task. It doesn't exist here. Real Simple, indeed.
A word about that last one: I was reading a friend's Oprah magazine (which I don't really like, I decided, but we'll read anything here if it's in English) and there was an article about reducing the daily stress of trying to do too much, and it struck me how much that is not my life right now. I remember feeling that way, but it has become an alien thing to me, this need to accomplish so many things in one day. No one here expects that kind of thing. It's a really nice reminder that I don't need to be Superwoman to be happy, or to make others happy.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Sunshine Of My Life, And Of My Apartment
(Click pics to enlarge)
I've mentioned before, due to the number of factories in the area, there is very little natural sunlight in Chongqing. I can count on two hands the sunny days in a year. So I made my own sunshine out of paper for my living room wall. Lack of sunshine is a tough thing about living in this city, but the locals say it makes Chongqing girls the most beautiful of all Chinese girls because their skin stays very white. However, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to detox my skin of pollutants when I leave this place.
Here are the other rays of sunshine in my life: all the thoughtful, funny and wonderful cards people send to me. I put every single one of them up on my wall to remind me I am not alone over here. Some of you reading this are on my wall; I was serious about how much it meant to me that you took the time and energy to send me packages and cards. Thank you. I thought you might also like to see where I sit everyday to talk to you and write these posts. My desk is home base in my apartment. I'm messy, I know.
Btw, that blue lamp is a sunlight simulator lamp. The Peace Corps gives them to volunteers in my city.
I've mentioned before, due to the number of factories in the area, there is very little natural sunlight in Chongqing. I can count on two hands the sunny days in a year. So I made my own sunshine out of paper for my living room wall. Lack of sunshine is a tough thing about living in this city, but the locals say it makes Chongqing girls the most beautiful of all Chinese girls because their skin stays very white. However, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to detox my skin of pollutants when I leave this place.
Here are the other rays of sunshine in my life: all the thoughtful, funny and wonderful cards people send to me. I put every single one of them up on my wall to remind me I am not alone over here. Some of you reading this are on my wall; I was serious about how much it meant to me that you took the time and energy to send me packages and cards. Thank you. I thought you might also like to see where I sit everyday to talk to you and write these posts. My desk is home base in my apartment. I'm messy, I know.
Btw, that blue lamp is a sunlight simulator lamp. The Peace Corps gives them to volunteers in my city.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The Perfect Banana, Chinese Students, and The Letter T
1. I love bananas. No really, I love them. I eat a banana every day. My family nickname is becca-banana. Nothing better than a firm, tasty banana. And nowhere have I found better bananas than in China. Who knew China could be defined by its delicious bananas? I think they must get them from somewhere nearby, because they are always perfectly ripe, never too sweet or too soft. Here is a banana I was eating yesterday. Seriously, how great is this banana? Every bite was a joy. (And yes, I am eating a banana in bed.)
2. Learning to read and write Chinese has given me newfound respect for Chinese students. I know in the West we sometimes make fun of them for being little robots and not very creative, but try learning to write from memory 10,000 Chinese characters and see how far you get! Being literate in Chinese requires immense talent in the memorization of tiny details. No wonder they are memorizing machines. My hats off to them. (It is estimated that the average college graduate knows about 10,000 characters. I have read that it takes knowing anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 characters to read a newspaper. I know a bit over a 1,000 at this point. I can kind of make out simple newspaper articles. But I have a long way to go.)
3. This week I noticed I wrote my print letter 't' with the cross line first, then the vertical line. I was overjoyed! You see, when you write Chinese, you must write horizontally first, then vertically. It's an inflexible rule. This is somewhat backward from how I write alphabet letters. So the fact I changed my 't' without thinking about it means some of this Chinese writing is really sinking in . YAY! But still...a long way to go.
4. I had to go to Peace Corps headquarters this week to see the doctor. (I'm going to live! haha) The train ride from my city to PC headquarters is now only two hours long. 4 years ago, it was 8 hours long. Cutting down the time from 8 to 2 hours in four years is phenomenal. It's really incredible to see the progress China is making in its infrastructure. Daily life is changing so quickly here, and it's really incredible to see things happening firsthand. My students' lives are drastically different from their parents' lives in a way that my life and my parents' lives are not. I can only imagine what the next decade or two will bring to daily life in China. I hope I get the chance to see it.
2. Learning to read and write Chinese has given me newfound respect for Chinese students. I know in the West we sometimes make fun of them for being little robots and not very creative, but try learning to write from memory 10,000 Chinese characters and see how far you get! Being literate in Chinese requires immense talent in the memorization of tiny details. No wonder they are memorizing machines. My hats off to them. (It is estimated that the average college graduate knows about 10,000 characters. I have read that it takes knowing anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 characters to read a newspaper. I know a bit over a 1,000 at this point. I can kind of make out simple newspaper articles. But I have a long way to go.)
3. This week I noticed I wrote my print letter 't' with the cross line first, then the vertical line. I was overjoyed! You see, when you write Chinese, you must write horizontally first, then vertically. It's an inflexible rule. This is somewhat backward from how I write alphabet letters. So the fact I changed my 't' without thinking about it means some of this Chinese writing is really sinking in . YAY! But still...a long way to go.
4. I had to go to Peace Corps headquarters this week to see the doctor. (I'm going to live! haha) The train ride from my city to PC headquarters is now only two hours long. 4 years ago, it was 8 hours long. Cutting down the time from 8 to 2 hours in four years is phenomenal. It's really incredible to see the progress China is making in its infrastructure. Daily life is changing so quickly here, and it's really incredible to see things happening firsthand. My students' lives are drastically different from their parents' lives in a way that my life and my parents' lives are not. I can only imagine what the next decade or two will bring to daily life in China. I hope I get the chance to see it.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Chinese Pageant Dress, Plus KTV Lights Up My Life
That Christmas Pageant Andrew and I are hosting? Turns out it's a much bigger production than I anticipated. We'll be doing the introduction and closing, as well as making commentary between each act. Watch out, Dick Clark??
Pageant hosting in China is a really big deal, so yesterday my school took me to a dress rental shop to find a ballgown length pageant dress to wear. We found a beautiful cranberry gown that actually fit me (I am a giant here), I was shocked. And happy. I love wearing beautiful dresses! It's being held outdoors and I can't wear a coat while I'm onstage, brrr, but even so, I'm pretty excited to get to wear the dress. (And because my gown is floor-length, I'm totally going to be rocking some legwarmers. Shhh...) Definitely a new experience in my Rebecca Life Handbook.
Btw, a cultural note: variety shows are extremely popular here, and the girls who host the shows on tv are known for being charming and beautiful. If you are a variety show hostess on tv, you have probably the same cachet as a flight attendant in the 1960's in America. It's a very interesting subculture of Chinese culture, and I'm still trying to understand why they are so popular. At any given time on local tv, you can find a pageant or variety show.
So anyway, I'm sure you want to know more about my dress, right? It's a heavy, thick, satin-type material in deep cranberry with silver embroidery details. Here's the hemline (the red is the lining, it won't show when I'm wearing it):
Here's a shot of the bodice detail:
Pageant hosting in China is a really big deal, so yesterday my school took me to a dress rental shop to find a ballgown length pageant dress to wear. We found a beautiful cranberry gown that actually fit me (I am a giant here), I was shocked. And happy. I love wearing beautiful dresses! It's being held outdoors and I can't wear a coat while I'm onstage, brrr, but even so, I'm pretty excited to get to wear the dress. (And because my gown is floor-length, I'm totally going to be rocking some legwarmers. Shhh...) Definitely a new experience in my Rebecca Life Handbook.
Btw, a cultural note: variety shows are extremely popular here, and the girls who host the shows on tv are known for being charming and beautiful. If you are a variety show hostess on tv, you have probably the same cachet as a flight attendant in the 1960's in America. It's a very interesting subculture of Chinese culture, and I'm still trying to understand why they are so popular. At any given time on local tv, you can find a pageant or variety show.
So anyway, I'm sure you want to know more about my dress, right? It's a heavy, thick, satin-type material in deep cranberry with silver embroidery details. Here's the hemline (the red is the lining, it won't show when I'm wearing it):
Here's a shot of the bodice detail:
We'll take some proper pictures that night, I'm sure. I have to wear four inch heels to keep the hem from dragging too much, good thing I've been doing my foot yoga high heel practice. And as I told Andrew, I'll so be wearing hand warmers in my underwear, ha. (Note: I have since learned this is a bad idea, it burns. Nixing this.)
Two of my students will be on stage to translate for the audience, a girl and a guy, and they get to dress up too. Here is her dress. How cute is she?
We had a lot of fun picking out the dresses. If my life were a movie, it would have been a great montage scene.
Last night we had a birthday party for one of the T.'s, and I shot a short video while we were performing to Prince's "Cream" at karaoke, known locally as KTV. I watched it today, and my first thought was, "Why did we think it was a good idea to leave the strobe lights on in our room all night? Hello, epilepsy!" On the other hand, it kept us awake. I love that you can do all night karaoke here. Hope you've all had a good weekend!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Guess That Product: The Chinglish Test
I am starting to feel better, thanks for all your good wishes! I am grateful for access to medications. Too many people in the world live in places with contaminated food and water, and they don't have access to good doctors to help them. I know how privileged I am.
On another note, I bought a new product last week, and here is the English description straight from the packaging; can you guess the product?
"Will bath the flower to plunge bath to carry on a time ofmoistness.
The coordination bathes the fluid or the scented soap, may to the bodyeach
The spot carries on tries to scratch.
Asks the water used with after to flush only air dries the preservation."
If you guessed this product... you were right! Congratulations, you are now fluent in Chinglish.
On another note, I bought a new product last week, and here is the English description straight from the packaging; can you guess the product?
"Will bath the flower to plunge bath to carry on a time ofmoistness.
The coordination bathes the fluid or the scented soap, may to the bodyeach
The spot carries on tries to scratch.
Asks the water used with after to flush only air dries the preservation."
If you guessed this product... you were right! Congratulations, you are now fluent in Chinglish.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Intestinal Parasites Think They Are My Friends
Turns out my tummyache was merely the incubation period for giardia, an intestinal parasite you get from dirty water or poorly cooked food. I'll spare you the details, you can read about it here if you want, but all I have to say is thank goodness for medicine. I took a large dose this morning, and the Peace Corps doctor said I should start feeling better in three to four days, but it takes several weeks to fully recover. (And giardia sometimes relapses; the gift that keeps on giving!) When we go to our sites, we are given a bag of prescription medications to keep in our apartments. This way, we don't have to have it sent to us, we can just take it under the direction of our doctor as soon as we need it. The Peace Corps takes good care of us.
I have to admit, I was pretty ticked when my symptoms got worse and I realized this wasn't just a passing tummyache. At this time of year, I really miss my dad; holidays are the hardest time to be without him. And I am so far away from home, in a country where Christmas isn't celebrated like I'm used to. It's just another day here. And I got a little peevish, like, "Why am I voluntarily submitting myself to this misery? I could be home, with my family, without parasites! Is that so wrong?" But I do remember why I'm here, and how much I love my students, and I know this misery is just a short time compared to positive benefit of these experiences. Someday I'll look back on my giardia Christmas and laugh.
That said, intestinal parasites suck. Parasites, I'm sorry, but this relationship needs to be over now!
I have to admit, I was pretty ticked when my symptoms got worse and I realized this wasn't just a passing tummyache. At this time of year, I really miss my dad; holidays are the hardest time to be without him. And I am so far away from home, in a country where Christmas isn't celebrated like I'm used to. It's just another day here. And I got a little peevish, like, "Why am I voluntarily submitting myself to this misery? I could be home, with my family, without parasites! Is that so wrong?" But I do remember why I'm here, and how much I love my students, and I know this misery is just a short time compared to positive benefit of these experiences. Someday I'll look back on my giardia Christmas and laugh.
That said, intestinal parasites suck. Parasites, I'm sorry, but this relationship needs to be over now!
Monday, December 7, 2009
An Honest Man (Is Good To Find)
A conversation I had with a male friend here a few months ago, while we were walking down the street:
In other news, I have an old-fashioned tummy ache. (Not what the Chinese call "spicy stomach", i.e. diarrhea, which is usually what happens to us here.) I ate something that didn't agree with me, very easy to do here. Phew for my mom sending me Celestial Seasonings Tummy Mint! Thanks, mom, for your foresight. It also reminds me of when my brother was a little boy and would get a tummy ache, he'd ask my mom to put a band-aid on his belly button. How cute is that? Maybe I should try it, it always seemed to make him feel better.
p.s., for some reason I can't access my blog, only the blogger dashboard. I can see your awesome comments by email, but if I don't respond here, that's why. It's been down for weeks now, I keep thinking it'll come back up! I'm not sure why I can't get in.
Male Friend: "Sometimes, I really wish you drank alcohol."
Me: "Why? So you'd have a better chance of getting in my pants?"
Male Friend: "Well....yeah."
His honesty was refreshing. I'm not offended by this type of honesty. What I hate is men who pretend to be interested in you as a person, but are only interested in sex. When I first met this friend, I didn't think much of it, but now he is one of my best friends here. I feel very comfortable with him, in part because of his honesty. I know there is no secret agenda I have to watch out for. (And he knows where I stand, too.)
In other news, I have an old-fashioned tummy ache. (Not what the Chinese call "spicy stomach", i.e. diarrhea, which is usually what happens to us here.) I ate something that didn't agree with me, very easy to do here. Phew for my mom sending me Celestial Seasonings Tummy Mint! Thanks, mom, for your foresight. It also reminds me of when my brother was a little boy and would get a tummy ache, he'd ask my mom to put a band-aid on his belly button. How cute is that? Maybe I should try it, it always seemed to make him feel better.
p.s., for some reason I can't access my blog, only the blogger dashboard. I can see your awesome comments by email, but if I don't respond here, that's why. It's been down for weeks now, I keep thinking it'll come back up! I'm not sure why I can't get in.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Spanish (Not So Much) Love Adventures of Lady Rebecca
A few things this week that made me laugh:
1. A random male student I know asked if he should call me 'Lady Rebecca' or 'Madam Rebecca'. I told him it was okay to call me just 'Rebecca.' But in retrospect, how fun would it be to be called 'Lady Rebecca'? I missed my big chance! (Titles are very important here. Everyone has a title, and you cannot mess them up; I'm not his teacher, so he wasn't sure what to call me.)
2. Remember last weekend I went out of town? On the long-distance bus home, T. and I were listening to Spanish music on his iPod through shared earbuds. (For those unfamiliar with Spanish music, it's very cheesy and dramatic.) He speaks Spanish fluently, but I'm only about 70% fluent in my listening skills, so at one point he began translating the song lyrics for me. Picture it: a long period of silent listening, then he suddenly starts saying things like "My heart can't live without you, our history together will go on forever, you are my only love, blah blah blah." I happened to look over at our American friend M. across the aisle, only to see him staring at us with a confused look, wondering why T. is declaring his undying love on a bus in the middle of the Chinese countryside. It made me laugh pretty hard inside, a 'perfect storm' of misunderstanding. Sometimes life is a Sandra Bullock movie waiting to happen.
3. I bought a local women's magazine to practice my Chinese reading. The woman on the cover had flawless skin, not a pore to be seen. I pointed out to my Chinese friend how much I wish my skin looked as good as the cover model, and she immediately replied, "No, no, it's not real! Don't compare yourself, her skin is fake. It's a trick." Her unspoken ending: "Duh." I was humbled by how soon I am to forget that magazines don't represent reality. I wonder if her un-cynical awareness is common? I will have to ask my students for their opinion.
4. My Chinese Peace Corps program manager came to visit me this week from another city, and as soon as she walked into my house, she said, "Oh, your house smells like an American house!" (She was an exchange student in America.) So now I really want to know what makes an American house smell 'American.' Cheese? Maybe The Body Shop can add it to their list of scents! (I love their oils, I brought a few with me to China.)
In the words of my Chinese students, "That's all."* Hope you all have had a great weekend! I put my little mini Christmas tree up, and it makes home feel that much homey-er.
*They say this in class all the time. I think it's polite here to announce when you are done speaking formally.
1. A random male student I know asked if he should call me 'Lady Rebecca' or 'Madam Rebecca'. I told him it was okay to call me just 'Rebecca.' But in retrospect, how fun would it be to be called 'Lady Rebecca'? I missed my big chance! (Titles are very important here. Everyone has a title, and you cannot mess them up; I'm not his teacher, so he wasn't sure what to call me.)
2. Remember last weekend I went out of town? On the long-distance bus home, T. and I were listening to Spanish music on his iPod through shared earbuds. (For those unfamiliar with Spanish music, it's very cheesy and dramatic.) He speaks Spanish fluently, but I'm only about 70% fluent in my listening skills, so at one point he began translating the song lyrics for me. Picture it: a long period of silent listening, then he suddenly starts saying things like "My heart can't live without you, our history together will go on forever, you are my only love, blah blah blah." I happened to look over at our American friend M. across the aisle, only to see him staring at us with a confused look, wondering why T. is declaring his undying love on a bus in the middle of the Chinese countryside. It made me laugh pretty hard inside, a 'perfect storm' of misunderstanding. Sometimes life is a Sandra Bullock movie waiting to happen.
3. I bought a local women's magazine to practice my Chinese reading. The woman on the cover had flawless skin, not a pore to be seen. I pointed out to my Chinese friend how much I wish my skin looked as good as the cover model, and she immediately replied, "No, no, it's not real! Don't compare yourself, her skin is fake. It's a trick." Her unspoken ending: "Duh." I was humbled by how soon I am to forget that magazines don't represent reality. I wonder if her un-cynical awareness is common? I will have to ask my students for their opinion.
4. My Chinese Peace Corps program manager came to visit me this week from another city, and as soon as she walked into my house, she said, "Oh, your house smells like an American house!" (She was an exchange student in America.) So now I really want to know what makes an American house smell 'American.' Cheese? Maybe The Body Shop can add it to their list of scents! (I love their oils, I brought a few with me to China.)
In the words of my Chinese students, "That's all."* Hope you all have had a great weekend! I put my little mini Christmas tree up, and it makes home feel that much homey-er.
*They say this in class all the time. I think it's polite here to announce when you are done speaking formally.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Chongqing Street Food: Slow Roasted Yams
In wintertime, these barrels of slow-roasting yams show up on street corners. (She is holding an old-fashioned weight scale in her hand, I wish I hadn't cut it out):
The barrel is full of wood and some kind of clean burning briquets (is this the right word? I have no idea), and they put the yams on first thing in the morning. They slow roast all day, and are replaced as they are sold. Here's a close up:
Don't they look delicious? They caramelize naturally through the slow roasting, so they are sweet and tender inside. I eat them by hand like an apple with salt, no butter. The salt offsets the caramelized yam deliciously. And here's the kicker: a small one is about 1 RMB, or about 14 cents. How great is that? Here's what it looks like inside:
These are a different type of yam than the sweet potatoes available in the U.S. I think they taste better. I'll miss them.
The barrel is full of wood and some kind of clean burning briquets (is this the right word? I have no idea), and they put the yams on first thing in the morning. They slow roast all day, and are replaced as they are sold. Here's a close up:
Don't they look delicious? They caramelize naturally through the slow roasting, so they are sweet and tender inside. I eat them by hand like an apple with salt, no butter. The salt offsets the caramelized yam deliciously. And here's the kicker: a small one is about 1 RMB, or about 14 cents. How great is that? Here's what it looks like inside:
These are a different type of yam than the sweet potatoes available in the U.S. I think they taste better. I'll miss them.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Business Lesson Of Ice
Earlier this year I was in the airport in Guangzhou, one of the manufacturing hubs of China. I met in Irish businessman who was in town setting up a business deal for a factory to produce purified ice machines, then place the machines at markets throughout China. This sounds like a great idea, right? Go to the market, buy a bag of drinkable ice on the way out. We do it in North America all the time.
But...this is China. Problems I foresee with this business:
1. People here don't like icy drinks.
2. Not only do they not like them, they think they are harmful to the stomach and spleen. I had a cold, bought some chilled (not cold!) bottled water, and a student was so adamant I should not be drinking cool water if I'm sick, I had to put it in my bag and drink it after she left.
3. Cold water here is generally full of bacteria and metals. There's a reason why boiled water is served everywhere: it's clean. According to custom, you don't take cold water from people you don't know, but boiling hot water is universally accepted. Hot drinks are a deeply engrained status quo. Young people drink soft drinks, and everyone drinks beer, but not cold ones.
4. When water IS drunk somewhat chilled, 99% of the time, it's bottled. That way you know it's clean. (Although, not always; there have been cases of water companies filling up bottles with dirty water, so I only buy a nationally-recognized brand. And always check the cap.) It's not very convenient to add ice to bottled water, or to transfer it to a cup. Big American-style cups aren't common here. Most cups I see are 6 oz; not a lot of room for liquid after ice is added. (The only exception to this I've seen is an advertisement for an apartment building for expats in Shanghai that had purified tap water in the kitchen only.)
I have wondered since then how long this man spent in China to think this is a good business idea. Although it is always possible for a culture to start embracing something new, in this case, it's not just a matter of taste, it's a matter of overhauling the entire water supply and container system to make the use of ice practical. And, you know, centuries-old beliefs about Traditional Chinese Medicine. (But I could be wrong and this is a brilliant business idea! If I start seeing ice machines everywhere, I'll let you know.) For the record, I now prefer hot to cold water, although I still like chilled sodas. I chill them at home, because you can't really find them cold enough on the street.
Maybe someday, American businesses who want to do business in China will pay me to tell them stuff like this.
But...this is China. Problems I foresee with this business:
1. People here don't like icy drinks.
2. Not only do they not like them, they think they are harmful to the stomach and spleen. I had a cold, bought some chilled (not cold!) bottled water, and a student was so adamant I should not be drinking cool water if I'm sick, I had to put it in my bag and drink it after she left.
3. Cold water here is generally full of bacteria and metals. There's a reason why boiled water is served everywhere: it's clean. According to custom, you don't take cold water from people you don't know, but boiling hot water is universally accepted. Hot drinks are a deeply engrained status quo. Young people drink soft drinks, and everyone drinks beer, but not cold ones.
4. When water IS drunk somewhat chilled, 99% of the time, it's bottled. That way you know it's clean. (Although, not always; there have been cases of water companies filling up bottles with dirty water, so I only buy a nationally-recognized brand. And always check the cap.) It's not very convenient to add ice to bottled water, or to transfer it to a cup. Big American-style cups aren't common here. Most cups I see are 6 oz; not a lot of room for liquid after ice is added. (The only exception to this I've seen is an advertisement for an apartment building for expats in Shanghai that had purified tap water in the kitchen only.)
I have wondered since then how long this man spent in China to think this is a good business idea. Although it is always possible for a culture to start embracing something new, in this case, it's not just a matter of taste, it's a matter of overhauling the entire water supply and container system to make the use of ice practical. And, you know, centuries-old beliefs about Traditional Chinese Medicine. (But I could be wrong and this is a brilliant business idea! If I start seeing ice machines everywhere, I'll let you know.) For the record, I now prefer hot to cold water, although I still like chilled sodas. I chill them at home, because you can't really find them cold enough on the street.
Maybe someday, American businesses who want to do business in China will pay me to tell them stuff like this.
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