Two meters separate my bum and the red-carpeted podium where the world’s greatest cyclists will stand in two weeks with their jade-laden medals as their anthems are played and their flags raised to the rafters. I’m leaning against the ramp that leads down to the team rooms, the lockers. The Chinese cycling team is riding slow laps around the velodrome. They’re wearing the team racing suits, China red and yellow, and sporting iridescent colored sunglasses. A few are riding in pairs, others on their own. One is playing. He’s laughing as he climbs the steep 42˚ bank of the turn, then rides downhill and weaves near his teammates.
One of them glides off the track through the infield and whizzes by me. It’s just him and I on this end. We make eye contact and he smiles, “Ni hao,” he says softly. Another follows behind shortly. He seems interested in me sitting here alone with my computer. “Hello,” he says, and I reply with a, “Hi,” and a smile. They’ve been instructed by the government not to talk to the media until next week, so we can’t interview them. A salutation in passing is the most I could ask for, but I am still shocked by their friendly, outgoing spirits. Most of my fellow FQRs are downstairs studying the athletes on the computer, but I’ve found a bit of motivational serenity up here in the infield.
The past four days have streamed by in a blur that closely parallels these sprinters turning 60 kmh laps five feet from my perch. I see no details, just colors. We’ve been in to work everyday from 10:30 to 15:30. Tack on two hours for transportation each way, and you’re looking at a very full and exhausting day.
I am very, very pleased with our ONS team at the bicycle cluster. All of my supervisors are foreigners with the exception of one, so it is a pleasant feeling getting away from China a little bit everyday. Krystyna (ONS Manager, Aussie living in England) and Paul (Chinese Venue Manager) are directly in charge of us. Also on staff are two ONS Reporters who will write brief stories throughout the Games on cycling. Amy the Australian and Ernst the Dutchman keep us in line with their rigorous practice runs and “no BS, no excuses” mindset. We just met the American Andy, the Sports Info Specialist, today. He’s been in Paris covering the Tour de France and just got to Beijing yesterday.
It’s some kind of exhilarating to be on such an international team such as ours. It’s a nice break to get away from the Chinese ways, but also to not fall custom to our American habits. Cycling is the perfect sport to be covering because it is not so familiar to me as American football or basketball, but it is also not a Chinese stronghold. It’s something in between. It’s international. It’s the essence of Olympism, and it has become an invigorating subject to learn about.
I think my days spent so far in the velodrome have given me great perspective on the magnitude of the Olympics. This place is truly unbelievable. I am sitting in the middle of the track. I AM SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OLYMPIC VELODROME. I am sitting next to the medal stand underneath the flag-raising bar that’s just begging for the first medalist’s flag to be attached to it, and the first cyclist I meet smiles and nods and greets me to his country. His warm smile and dark eyes that glisten when he looks up say it all.
Today to me and tomorrow to the world, the message is loud and clear: Beijing Welcomes You.
XOXO
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Cycling Schedule Up
I posted a schedule of the cycling events with dates and times on the right side. I'm going to get a cycling preview up soon so you can all start learning about the disciplines and athletes. You've all got to keep up with my knowledge as I become a cycling expert!
A dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony occurs each night from now until August 8. Leroy won a drawing at work today that gave him a ticket to tonight's run-through. He told us a few details, and it sounds absolutely AWESOME. Although I was/am super jealous of his luck, I am really glad he went and was able to share it all with us. I can't wait to see the show on the 8th on TV!
Two long phone conversations and Leroy's account of the ceremony prohibited me from a solid post tonight. Sorry, fans! Check out the videos and photos, though. They've been updated!
XOXO
A dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony occurs each night from now until August 8. Leroy won a drawing at work today that gave him a ticket to tonight's run-through. He told us a few details, and it sounds absolutely AWESOME. Although I was/am super jealous of his luck, I am really glad he went and was able to share it all with us. I can't wait to see the show on the 8th on TV!
Two long phone conversations and Leroy's account of the ceremony prohibited me from a solid post tonight. Sorry, fans! Check out the videos and photos, though. They've been updated!
XOXO
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Beijing Belly
We have made light on several occasions of what we like to call the "Beijing Belly." I'm sure I've mentioned multiple times about how unforgivingly humid and sweaty it is here in China, and the locals have not adapted a whole lot better than anyone else. What to do about this? Beijing Belly, of course.
Beijing Belly is displayed in many public places and is utilized by all walks of life. To pull off the perfect look, men should roll their shirts up from the bottom, tucking the extra material upwards against their chest. This allows the perfect amount of air circulation around the midsection which enables perspiration droplets to evaporate without saturating the clothing. The ingenious Beijing Belly is sported by men of all ages here in the city, but I have yet to see any women attempt the style. However, if it gets any sweatier, I might have to be the trend setter.
Beijing Belly is displayed in many public places and is utilized by all walks of life. To pull off the perfect look, men should roll their shirts up from the bottom, tucking the extra material upwards against their chest. This allows the perfect amount of air circulation around the midsection which enables perspiration droplets to evaporate without saturating the clothing. The ingenious Beijing Belly is sported by men of all ages here in the city, but I have yet to see any women attempt the style. However, if it gets any sweatier, I might have to be the trend setter.
The Beijing Belly
On a different note, my training has been in full swing since Monday. We have been enduring the 1 hour 45 minute-long subway/hiking trek to and from the Laoshan Bicycle Cluster each day with seemingly all 16 million of Beijing's finest. Yes, I have my uniform. No, I don't have pictures up, yet. You will have the opportunity to hear all about it as soon as the weekend comes, I promise. In the meantime, please enjoy the lighter commentary as I catch some Zzz's for tomorrow's work day.
XOXO
XOXO
Monday, July 28, 2008
Clean Sheets Day
Monday is Clean Sheets Day here at the CUC. It's the most glorious day of the week, and as Andrea will attest, I look forward to it very, very much. I probably mention Clean Sheets Day or the countdown to it at least once per every dirty sheet day.
The maids come every morning, very similar to a hotel housekeeping service. There is a maid "quarters" of sorts on each floor where they hang out during the day, watch TV, and do their thing. Andrea found out quickly that they also keep a plunger on hand down there. That was how we learned that in China the toilet paper does not get flushed down the throne. Put it in the trash bin next to the seat, and there will be no need for the "tou lah."
On a daily basis, the maids change our garbage cans, toss some chemicals in the toilet, and take a quick mop to the floor. They also restock toilet paper, if necessary. On Mondays, however, they really deliver the goods.
When we arrived the first night, our beds were made with a fitted sheet, a pillow, and a comforter covered with a white duvet. I never thought anything of it until the following Monday when the maid came in. I was peacefully asleep under my covers when one of the maids shook my knee to wake me. I was startled, and didn't understand her grabbing at my bed sheet and motioning to me. I waved her off, thanking her in Chinese for the gesture.
She shrugged and moved on to Andrea's bed. I laid three feet away watching them strip the one next to me and re-sheet it in about 30 seconds. They folded the blanket and stacked it with the pillow at the head of the bed.
At that moment, I prayed that they would return in the afternoon to finish my side. Clean sheets are right up there on my favorite little-things-that-make-a-huge-difference list. They never returned, and since that day, I have been counting my blessings for Mondays.
When I got home from a long and sweaty day of training at the velodrome, the sheets welcomed me with open arms. I showered and haven't left them since.
I love Clean Sheets Day.
XOXO
The maids come every morning, very similar to a hotel housekeeping service. There is a maid "quarters" of sorts on each floor where they hang out during the day, watch TV, and do their thing. Andrea found out quickly that they also keep a plunger on hand down there. That was how we learned that in China the toilet paper does not get flushed down the throne. Put it in the trash bin next to the seat, and there will be no need for the "tou lah."
On a daily basis, the maids change our garbage cans, toss some chemicals in the toilet, and take a quick mop to the floor. They also restock toilet paper, if necessary. On Mondays, however, they really deliver the goods.
When we arrived the first night, our beds were made with a fitted sheet, a pillow, and a comforter covered with a white duvet. I never thought anything of it until the following Monday when the maid came in. I was peacefully asleep under my covers when one of the maids shook my knee to wake me. I was startled, and didn't understand her grabbing at my bed sheet and motioning to me. I waved her off, thanking her in Chinese for the gesture.
She shrugged and moved on to Andrea's bed. I laid three feet away watching them strip the one next to me and re-sheet it in about 30 seconds. They folded the blanket and stacked it with the pillow at the head of the bed.
At that moment, I prayed that they would return in the afternoon to finish my side. Clean sheets are right up there on my favorite little-things-that-make-a-huge-difference list. They never returned, and since that day, I have been counting my blessings for Mondays.
When I got home from a long and sweaty day of training at the velodrome, the sheets welcomed me with open arms. I showered and haven't left them since.
I love Clean Sheets Day.
XOXO
Shopped til I Dropped
Sunday was my last day off for awhile. It appears that my Beijing vacation has actually come to an end, as I work everyday this week. What a tragedy! With our final moments of freedom, a few of us hit the shopping scene pretty hard.
First we set out to the Wangfujing area with the high-class Oriental Mall. At the Nike store, I plagued with myself over a pair of Team USA basketball uniform shorts for my little brother's souvenir. They were ¥398, or about $60. I was flabbergasted! In my three weeks in China, I have learned many things. One of most aortic lessons, though, is that nothing costs more than ¥100. If there's a product that's priced upwards of the century mark, I really stop and think about the purchase.
While I realize that authentic uniforms are higher priced, I can't justify spending the money. Gus really wants official Team USA goods, but I've come to grips with the fact that the US stuff is going to be at US prices. I'm really not ready to pay US prices for anything. Needless to say, the basketball shorts got passed up. Sorry, Gus, but your team garb is going to have to wait. Instead, you get a ¥15 Chinese "Red Power" shirt.
Later in the Hong Qiao Pearl Market, Megan and Andrea showed me the ropes in jewelry buying. I came home with three necklaces, four bracelets, and a pair of earrings for myself and very little for anyone else. If you're worried, don't be. Not everything there was pearls, and not everything there was expensive. But... you are going to have to wait and see on my purchases :)
Check souvenir shopping off the list.
XOXO
First we set out to the Wangfujing area with the high-class Oriental Mall. At the Nike store, I plagued with myself over a pair of Team USA basketball uniform shorts for my little brother's souvenir. They were ¥398, or about $60. I was flabbergasted! In my three weeks in China, I have learned many things. One of most aortic lessons, though, is that nothing costs more than ¥100. If there's a product that's priced upwards of the century mark, I really stop and think about the purchase.
While I realize that authentic uniforms are higher priced, I can't justify spending the money. Gus really wants official Team USA goods, but I've come to grips with the fact that the US stuff is going to be at US prices. I'm really not ready to pay US prices for anything. Needless to say, the basketball shorts got passed up. Sorry, Gus, but your team garb is going to have to wait. Instead, you get a ¥15 Chinese "Red Power" shirt.
Later in the Hong Qiao Pearl Market, Megan and Andrea showed me the ropes in jewelry buying. I came home with three necklaces, four bracelets, and a pair of earrings for myself and very little for anyone else. If you're worried, don't be. Not everything there was pearls, and not everything there was expensive. But... you are going to have to wait and see on my purchases :)
Check souvenir shopping off the list.
XOXO
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Le Tour de Beijing
What's a trip to Beijing without risking my life on a bicycle in the busy city streets? That's precisely what I thought, so Leroy, Andrea, Megan and I tore off to make it happen. After some bad directions from the National Geographic guidebook, we found ourselves wandering through Bai Hai Park. Eventually we found our way out and hunted down a bicycle rental man. Just a single ¥200 yuan deposit for four bikes and we were off to explore.
I ducked and dodged and cutoff cars and buses like a true Beijinginite on a bicycle. Through hutongs, on sidewalks, around taxis, and down stairs we rode. We laughed and sweated more than we have all month. I weaved across a six-lane road in front of two-way traffic and barely beat a quick moving taxi to a spot in the intersection. I had Megan panicked that I wasn't going to make it out alive. I was in the mood, in the moment, in Beijing. I was having the time of my life!
We went nowhere and everywhere all at once. A stop for lunch let us collect our thoughts while we sat in the air conditioning for a bit. I ate a "chicken ball in chili sauce," and NO, it wasn't a testicle, nor was it chili sauce. Nonetheless it was delicious, and I mean it. We were back in the open air in no time, riding like the wind. Most of Beijing's roads are equipped with heavily used bike lanes. The bicycle traffic might be more intense than its motorized cousin. Wrong ways, one ways, skinny gaps between buses and cars and pedestrians, and intersections are never an obstacle. The Tour de Beijing it certainly was.
XOXO
Saturday, July 26, 2008
USA via International Eyes
Just when I'm settled on the decision that China is weirdest, most back ass-wards place in the world... I flip on channel 12 CCTV International, the only English-speaking channel we get.
"In the American city of San Diego this weekend is the Comic Book Convention," reports the announcer. I look up from uploading my photos just in time to catch a woman dressed head-to-toe as Catwoman and playing the part. In the clip, she pounces in front of a little boy at the convention, scaring the living daylights out of him. She proceeded to lick her "paws" while haunching on all fours.
The 30-second bit goes on to show all walks of Americans dressed up as their favorite comic book characters, walking around San Diego pretending to be superheros and villainous crooks. After battling to survive in Beijing for three weeks, I saw my home country for the first time from a different perspective.
In an instant I decided that while China might be backwards, San Diego has really got a screw loose.
XOXO
"In the American city of San Diego this weekend is the Comic Book Convention," reports the announcer. I look up from uploading my photos just in time to catch a woman dressed head-to-toe as Catwoman and playing the part. In the clip, she pounces in front of a little boy at the convention, scaring the living daylights out of him. She proceeded to lick her "paws" while haunching on all fours.
The 30-second bit goes on to show all walks of Americans dressed up as their favorite comic book characters, walking around San Diego pretending to be superheros and villainous crooks. After battling to survive in Beijing for three weeks, I saw my home country for the first time from a different perspective.
In an instant I decided that while China might be backwards, San Diego has really got a screw loose.
XOXO
Thursday, July 24, 2008
"The difference between loving it and hating it is knowing the language." -An expat we met on the subway
Lauren, Traci & I at the airport this morning at 4:45am. We thought the matching, official-looking garb and credentials would help us pull some strings at the airport... but it didn't quite work out that way.
Bomb-sniffing dogs scour each bag that comes inside Beijing’s Peking Capital Airport as of July 20. As I sit here in reflection of my past, hellacious 24 hours, I can see two or three what appear to be cocker spaniel mixes at each door. To clarify, we’re NOT talking about the security you must pass through to enter a boarding gate. Every person entering the airport from the outside must be searched for explosives. At the doors without dogs, crews of Chinese security officials pick through each purse and bag with white gloves. Before letting anyone pass, bags are wiped with a special cloth that is then scanned for explosive residue, i.e. gunpowder. Each visitor also walks through a metal-detector.Once you’re inside, there’s a lovely little café overlooking a slew of entryways. Here I sit this Friday morning watching the crowds go by. You probably wonder how exactly I wound up at the airport this early morning. A complicated and not so interesting story it is, but the facts are as follows.
A day at work resulted in another five days off, so a small group of us got adventurous to visit the city of Shanghai, the NYC of China. We book flights from a cheap Chinese booking website that came recommended from some Chinese friends. None of us have ever booked a domestic flight in another country, nor have we booked a flight less than 36 hours before it was set to take off… but what the heck, we’re in China! Let’s do it! I throw down my credit card and passport to one point person without even thinking. She books the flights with little to no issues, and we’re Shanghai’ed Friday through Sunday.
Drama ensues Thursday morning when the point person wakes up to TWENTY-TWO text messages from the booking agency… all of them in Mandarin. Three of our five passengers flights are screwed up. We call and talk and call again. They speak English, but not well enough to discuss a complicated issue. We speak Chinese to the extent of “Hello,” “Thank-you,” “Too expensive,” “I don’t understand,” and, “Communication University of China.”
Bottom line is this: due to the language barrier, we were not able to communicate our needs to the booking agency. Therefore, I got up this morning at 3am, trekked it to the airport, and made it just in time to cancel my flight and receive a respectable refund. I wasn’t dealing with it anymore. The mini-vacation was too expensive for me to embark upon without the comforts of a larger group, and the draw to Shanghai for me was not as magnetic as that of others in the group. Lauren and Traci were off for the “Paris of the East” this morning at 7:30am, while I was hitting Starbucks in the airport for some comfort frappuccino and quiet reflection time.
So let us briefly discuss this massive language barrier that goes beyond the wordly world and delves deep into the realm of charades and cartoon drawings on notepad paper. So far in China, there is no way around this “Great Wall.” Not only can we not speak Chinese words, but are also unable to repeat them back when someone dictates them to us. I have concluded after three weeks of trying that my tongue does not move in the way that it must to formulate Mandarin dialects.
So what is the solution? Drawings? Hand motions? Acting things out? All have failed miserably time and time again. I drew this lovely sketch of McDonald’s, the world-renowned (or so we thought) gold arches with the Chinese word meaning “yellow” (drawn by hand in a manner that a 3-year old would laugh at, no doubt), and a box of French fries with an “M” in hopes of telling anyone on the streets of Beijing that we were hungry for some McDonald’s the other day at 5am after watching the flag raising at Tian’anmen Square. No luck. People stared and stared at my drawing, looking back at me like I was a fool. It wasn’t until we ran into a nice old man who spoke some English that we learned there was a McDonald’s within walking distance.
This language wall is unbreakable, unscalable, and completely unbearable. We’ve resorted to pointing at pictures taken on our cameras of the things we want. Even with this fairly successful method, our navigation abilities are quite limited. This brings me back to the reason I’m in the airport right now watching bomb-sniffing dogs violate the personal belongings of those making routine stops at Peking Capital. I climbed a fence, hailed a taxi, and fought through airport confusion this morning to find out that I couldn’t cancel or transfer my flight through the airline. In fact it was never that difficult at all! All I had to do was call the company I purchased it from (the Internet booking agency) and ask to cancel my reservation. At 7am I spoke with the only English-speaker on staff, and she took care of the issue in seconds. I received a refund and a, “Have a nice day, ma’am!”
--POST BREAK--
--The rest of this happened upon leaving the airport this morning--
--The rest of this happened upon leaving the airport this morning--
As I strolled out of the airport to hail a taxi, I held the elevator door open for a girl who was running to catch it. She thanked me in English! I asked her if my card from the dorm I'm staying in had the words, "Communication University of China" written in Chinese characters, as obviously I could not read it. She confirmed, and when I showed excitement in that I would be able to point and communicate with the cabbie, she seemed concerned. "You are going to CUC?" she asked, "We have a bus!"
Long story real short... I rode home from the airport FOR FREE with a bus load of Chinese folks headed my way. Picture me, in the orange shirt above, on a bus FULL of Chinese people all wearing the same blue uniform and khaki pants.
Glory be to China.
XOXO
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Some Serious Grubbin'
To answer the question that many of you have been plaguing me with since my teaser-post... NO, I did not participate in the eating of this stuff. I went along to witness and provide photo/video documentation. My mother already fed me a lecture about how I can't come home without trying and doing it all... blah, blah, blah... so my roommate Andrea vowed that she wouldn't let me leave Beijing without eating something gross at the market. We'll see how long that lasts :)
The Beijing Night Market can be read about in any number of Beijing "Must See" publications. It's essentially a strip of street vendors selling a whole slew of exotic foods, from strange animals to weird body parts to beer kept cold by a chunk of dry-ice. Everything is mounted raw onto a stick in a fashion that's eerily similar to worming a fish hook. Each specimen is carefully arranged on the counter in styrofoam platters which collect run-off liquid. The marketeers holler at throngs of participants and onlookers in hopes of winning the attention and business of any passerby. The menu consists of every gross thing you can imagine, plus all the nastiest stuff you've never thought of. We questioned the edibility of many items, but mis compadres were feeling very adventurous. We followed the adrenaline while we had it.
Each item is seasoned and cooked over fire after it's ordered. You can order it without spice, but for the most part, you really need the spice if you expect to choke down the food. The crew gagged on silkworms in the beginning, but by the end they were venturing to new booths on their own and returning with weirder and weirder items. Make sure you check out the videos by following my link to the right to see the real details.
Andrea nibbles on a sheep testicle. Later she described it as, "...Exactly the texture and taste you might expect from a testicle!"
The snake unravels into Jason's mouth; he said the skin was very tough.
Lauren appeared out of nowhere with this sea urchin. Traci thought her spoonful tasted like boogers.
Traci displays the first item on the menu: sugared fruit and beer... to get us in the mood.
The Night Market near Wangfujing Street.
Jason's shocked that he just ate sheep's testicle, lamb's penis, and fried silkworm.
Lauren dives head-first into a lamb's penis.
On a different note, check out this YouTube video made by our Aussie friends of trip highlights thus far. I'm featured for all of 3 seconds!! The Jing is Tai Gui La!
XOXO
The Beijing Night Market can be read about in any number of Beijing "Must See" publications. It's essentially a strip of street vendors selling a whole slew of exotic foods, from strange animals to weird body parts to beer kept cold by a chunk of dry-ice. Everything is mounted raw onto a stick in a fashion that's eerily similar to worming a fish hook. Each specimen is carefully arranged on the counter in styrofoam platters which collect run-off liquid. The marketeers holler at throngs of participants and onlookers in hopes of winning the attention and business of any passerby. The menu consists of every gross thing you can imagine, plus all the nastiest stuff you've never thought of. We questioned the edibility of many items, but mis compadres were feeling very adventurous. We followed the adrenaline while we had it.
Each item is seasoned and cooked over fire after it's ordered. You can order it without spice, but for the most part, you really need the spice if you expect to choke down the food. The crew gagged on silkworms in the beginning, but by the end they were venturing to new booths on their own and returning with weirder and weirder items. Make sure you check out the videos by following my link to the right to see the real details.
Andrea nibbles on a sheep testicle. Later she described it as, "...Exactly the texture and taste you might expect from a testicle!"
The snake unravels into Jason's mouth; he said the skin was very tough.
Lauren appeared out of nowhere with this sea urchin. Traci thought her spoonful tasted like boogers.
Traci displays the first item on the menu: sugared fruit and beer... to get us in the mood.
The Night Market near Wangfujing Street.
Jason's shocked that he just ate sheep's testicle, lamb's penis, and fried silkworm.
Lauren dives head-first into a lamb's penis.
On a different note, check out this YouTube video made by our Aussie friends of trip highlights thus far. I'm featured for all of 3 seconds!! The Jing is Tai Gui La!
XOXO
Chinese Karaoke
I’ve always heard that the Chinese take their karaoke VERY seriously. On Sunday night, I found out just how serious they are. For the first time, nearly all of our Purdue group hit the bars together in search of the world’s best karaoke. We stumbled upon a little dive just outside the campus walls with a big neon “KTV” sign, signifying that we had in fact arrived.
The welcoming host escorted us down a little hallway to a room with a large flat screen TV on one wall and one long couch wrapping around each of the other three walls. Two wired microphones lay patiently on the coffee table in the middle. A round of beer was ordered, and then another, and another…
Jason and Val hit the stage first to belt out a horrible Chinese version of the Backstreet Boys’ hit Larger than Life. Everyone followed suit, and before I knew it there was a waiting list for the microphone!
Though we were really looking forward to watching the townies light up the karaoke stage, we did have a fantastic time in our private room with cold beer on delivery! After several beers, we really delighted in the corny Chinese remakes of our favorite outdated-but-memorable Western songs. Check out these photos of the background video from Destiny’s Child’s Say my Name.
XOXO
The welcoming host escorted us down a little hallway to a room with a large flat screen TV on one wall and one long couch wrapping around each of the other three walls. Two wired microphones lay patiently on the coffee table in the middle. A round of beer was ordered, and then another, and another…
Jason and Val hit the stage first to belt out a horrible Chinese version of the Backstreet Boys’ hit Larger than Life. Everyone followed suit, and before I knew it there was a waiting list for the microphone!
Chad & Alysha serenade each other
Though we were really looking forward to watching the townies light up the karaoke stage, we did have a fantastic time in our private room with cold beer on delivery! After several beers, we really delighted in the corny Chinese remakes of our favorite outdated-but-memorable Western songs. Check out these photos of the background video from Destiny’s Child’s Say my Name.
XOXO
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Night Market Experience
As it nears 3am here in Beijing, I can hardly keep my eyes open enough to blog about the ridiculous experience of the Night Market. However, I know those of you in the Western hemisphere are looking so forward to hearing from me... so here are a few photos to get you appetized for tomorrow's mega-blog about Chinese karaoke and the street market. Until then, see if you can figure out what some of this stuff is!
XOXO
XOXO
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Bow before the Mao
Every morning at daybreak the Chinese guard of honor raises the flag of China at Tian’anmen Square before a sizable crowd of Chinese citizens and expatriates. I was standing quietly on the chalky tiles of the Square witnessing the spectacle this morning at 5:02am.
Jane, Andrea, Alysha, Lauren, Traci, Jason and I scaled the south gate at our university (the only gate open at 4am is the west gate, but we weren’t walking that far). Jason chose the spikey portion of the gate to climb, so he had a real time trying to maneuver over the top. Picture me teetering atop of an eight-foot gate trying desperately not to lose face while I’m laughing and wincing in awkwardness. Everyone made it across safely, and we grabbed a taxi heading for Tian’anmen Square.
The crowd was in full force at 4:40am when we arrived in pitch-blackness. Seconds before sunrise the Chinese national anthem piped up over the loudspeaker. Two guards stood beneath the flagpole facing the Forbidden City, away from the throngs of onlookers gathered at the center of the Square. The flag appeared and was thrust outward to show the nation’s colors in the still morning air. Over the next two minutes, the flag was slowly raised in sync with the anthem and with the backdrop of the giant Mao Tse Tung (Mao Zedong, in English) portrait on the Forbidden City. And then… it was over. No claps, no cheers, just a mass herd of humans storming out of Tian’anmen Square.
It was 5:04am, and we had three solid hours to kill before the Mao Mausoleum opened for viewing. We headed off in hopes of finding an Egg McMuffin and some orange juice. With the help of some very welcoming Chinese citizens and my sketch of the “golden arches” with the Chinese word for “yellow” and an arrow, we finally found a McD’s and our beloved Egg McMuffins.
By 7:30am, Jason and I had lost the group but were ready to pay a visit to the Mao. It baffles me that a population of people like the Chinese have placed a man, a corpse really, on such a pedestal to be idolized in masses day in and day out. In a self-proclaimed Atheist state, the Great Helmsman is literally worshiped as a God. We were stoked to just witness the madness surrounding the scene.
I checked my bag for eight yuan and booked it across the street to get in line. We passed two security checkpoints and countless guards with megaphones instructing the queue on our conduct. One of them directed his attention to me, “Excuse me, madam. Please, your drink,” as he motioned to the garbage. Throw my water away, got it. Another told Andrea that she was, “very beautiful.”
We filed through the line and weaved around the building until a small kiosk appeared selling fresh flowers to visitors. All of the sudden, I understood. I was in the 30-year long grieving line for Chairman Mao, China’s greatest savior. The family in front of us purchased an armload of yellow carnations. They laid them down with great respect next to the hoards of other gifts inside the great hall before a giant statue of Mao Zedong sitting tall on a marble throne.
We never stopped our motion coming through the building. The line moved swiftly, but not one person missed a thing or spoke a single utterance. Silently we turned behind a wall and into a maroon colored room with armed guards (ARMED GUARDS, FINALLY!) behind a glass wall. The line snaked on both sides around the glass room that encased Mao’s remains. Within the room was an elaborate display of flowers and ribbons and lots of other beautiful things that I paid no attention to because I was so encapsulated by the Mao that lay before me.
I couldn’t take my eyes of the idol. I was in the room all of 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity that disappeared in an instant. I want to go back. I want to stand there and look and think and speculate on the obvious… Who? Where? When? What? Why? And how?! Mao’s will stated that he should be cremated. He supported legislation that all political figures get the same treatment. In 1976, his successors chose the opposite route and embalmed his body, preserving it for the entire world to view. They learned the technique from the Vietnamese and the preservation of Ho Chi Menh, who learned it from the Russians and that of Vladimir Lenin. North Korea’s Kim Il-sung is also honored in the same fashion.
And then in a flash, it was over. Jason and I were out of the south gate of the Mao Mausoleum and on our way to pick up my bag. It was 8:08am, and we were headed home to sleep the afternoon away. We boarded the subway (which I now ride for free thanks to my big yellow BOCOG volunteer accreditation), and called it a day. While all of China was waking up, we were hitting the hay with a vengeance. Three thirty in the morning was just too much to handle.
Tonight... Chinese karaoke :)
XOXO
Jane, Andrea, Alysha, Lauren, Traci, Jason and I scaled the south gate at our university (the only gate open at 4am is the west gate, but we weren’t walking that far). Jason chose the spikey portion of the gate to climb, so he had a real time trying to maneuver over the top. Picture me teetering atop of an eight-foot gate trying desperately not to lose face while I’m laughing and wincing in awkwardness. Everyone made it across safely, and we grabbed a taxi heading for Tian’anmen Square.
The crowd was in full force at 4:40am when we arrived in pitch-blackness. Seconds before sunrise the Chinese national anthem piped up over the loudspeaker. Two guards stood beneath the flagpole facing the Forbidden City, away from the throngs of onlookers gathered at the center of the Square. The flag appeared and was thrust outward to show the nation’s colors in the still morning air. Over the next two minutes, the flag was slowly raised in sync with the anthem and with the backdrop of the giant Mao Tse Tung (Mao Zedong, in English) portrait on the Forbidden City. And then… it was over. No claps, no cheers, just a mass herd of humans storming out of Tian’anmen Square.
It was 5:04am, and we had three solid hours to kill before the Mao Mausoleum opened for viewing. We headed off in hopes of finding an Egg McMuffin and some orange juice. With the help of some very welcoming Chinese citizens and my sketch of the “golden arches” with the Chinese word for “yellow” and an arrow, we finally found a McD’s and our beloved Egg McMuffins.
By 7:30am, Jason and I had lost the group but were ready to pay a visit to the Mao. It baffles me that a population of people like the Chinese have placed a man, a corpse really, on such a pedestal to be idolized in masses day in and day out. In a self-proclaimed Atheist state, the Great Helmsman is literally worshiped as a God. We were stoked to just witness the madness surrounding the scene.
I checked my bag for eight yuan and booked it across the street to get in line. We passed two security checkpoints and countless guards with megaphones instructing the queue on our conduct. One of them directed his attention to me, “Excuse me, madam. Please, your drink,” as he motioned to the garbage. Throw my water away, got it. Another told Andrea that she was, “very beautiful.”
We filed through the line and weaved around the building until a small kiosk appeared selling fresh flowers to visitors. All of the sudden, I understood. I was in the 30-year long grieving line for Chairman Mao, China’s greatest savior. The family in front of us purchased an armload of yellow carnations. They laid them down with great respect next to the hoards of other gifts inside the great hall before a giant statue of Mao Zedong sitting tall on a marble throne.
We never stopped our motion coming through the building. The line moved swiftly, but not one person missed a thing or spoke a single utterance. Silently we turned behind a wall and into a maroon colored room with armed guards (ARMED GUARDS, FINALLY!) behind a glass wall. The line snaked on both sides around the glass room that encased Mao’s remains. Within the room was an elaborate display of flowers and ribbons and lots of other beautiful things that I paid no attention to because I was so encapsulated by the Mao that lay before me.
I couldn’t take my eyes of the idol. I was in the room all of 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity that disappeared in an instant. I want to go back. I want to stand there and look and think and speculate on the obvious… Who? Where? When? What? Why? And how?! Mao’s will stated that he should be cremated. He supported legislation that all political figures get the same treatment. In 1976, his successors chose the opposite route and embalmed his body, preserving it for the entire world to view. They learned the technique from the Vietnamese and the preservation of Ho Chi Menh, who learned it from the Russians and that of Vladimir Lenin. North Korea’s Kim Il-sung is also honored in the same fashion.
And then in a flash, it was over. Jason and I were out of the south gate of the Mao Mausoleum and on our way to pick up my bag. It was 8:08am, and we were headed home to sleep the afternoon away. We boarded the subway (which I now ride for free thanks to my big yellow BOCOG volunteer accreditation), and called it a day. While all of China was waking up, we were hitting the hay with a vengeance. Three thirty in the morning was just too much to handle.
Tonight... Chinese karaoke :)
XOXO
Saturday, July 19, 2008
YouTube Videos are Posted!
I've added a link to my user profile on YouTube on the right side under the photo album link. Here you will find a collection of the short videos I've taken throughout this trip. These videos take a bit longer to upload than regular photos, but I intend to keep them updated often. Keep checking back for more trip videos!
The Bongo Treatment
After watching a handful of friends explore the full-body massage scene last week, I decided to jump in head-first. Why not, right? I've never had a massage before, so every second of the experience was new. As the six of us walked in, we were asked to remove our shoes and replace them with some "Hello, Kitty" sandals. Our shoes were left behind in the lobby.
We ventured upstairs to a room with four massage beds. Andrea, Traci, Christina, and I changed into the provided yellow pajamas and each grabbed a bed. Patrick and Chris used a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" to determine which of them would be massaged by the only female in the crew. Patrick won the best of three series, and Chris was so distraught by the loss that he decided against the whole massage idea. An uncomfortable foot massage yesterday from a man really put a bad taste in his mouth, so he chose to head home and hang out in the baby pool for the afternoon. (By the way, the boys bought a baby pool to keep on the roof of our building to sit in when they get really hot). Patrick got his massage in a separate room.
Two of the masseuses were blind. Apparently this is a sought-after characteristic in the Chinese massage industry. They even advertise as if it is a draw for clients!
We ventured upstairs to a room with four massage beds. Andrea, Traci, Christina, and I changed into the provided yellow pajamas and each grabbed a bed. Patrick and Chris used a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" to determine which of them would be massaged by the only female in the crew. Patrick won the best of three series, and Chris was so distraught by the loss that he decided against the whole massage idea. An uncomfortable foot massage yesterday from a man really put a bad taste in his mouth, so he chose to head home and hang out in the baby pool for the afternoon. (By the way, the boys bought a baby pool to keep on the roof of our building to sit in when they get really hot). Patrick got his massage in a separate room.
Two of the masseuses were blind. Apparently this is a sought-after characteristic in the Chinese massage industry. They even advertise as if it is a draw for clients!
The girls will tell you that I got the "bongo treatment." I was beaten up and down, elbowed, rammed, and smacked like a set of bongo drums... and it was AWESOME!! Aside from the obvious awkward beating noises coming from my massage table, the rub down was really rejuvenating. And what was the best part about the experience? The price, definitely. Fifty minutes of full-body massage for just 88RMB, or about $13. Now where can you find that in the States?
XOXO
XOXO
Friday, July 18, 2008
It's a Zoo Out There
I saw this occurring at the Beijing Zoo the other day. I really had no idea why it was happening, but I felt video documentation was the only way to appropriately share it with you. Please enjoy :)
I wasn't really expecting too much intensity when we first decided to head to the zoo. Some of my study abroadmates were really looking forward to seeing the native giant pandas here in their home country, and I am always up for an adventure. Three subway lines, a taxi, 130RMB, and 2 hours later, we arrived at the Beijing Zoo, sweaty and weary. On the priority list was pandas, big cats, and penguins... and food.
Food consisted of fried chicken drumsticks, Ramen noodle rip-offs, or tomato flavored Pringles. I went with Pringles. Those that had chicken donated their leftover bones to a stray/wild cat wandering around the grounds.
The pandas were aplenty at the Olympic Games Panda House, as many of the country's captive bears were brought to Beijing after the earthquake that tore up the southwest provinces in May. They built a brand-new big and beautiful exhibit for the displaced animals and turned it into a nice touristy facility.
The rest of the compound felt a little more like the "things-are-just-different" China I've gotten used to the past couple of weeks. The big cats exhibit was simply a large concrete building with rows of stalls, each one containing a different cat. While it was really cool to be close and see each animal, I felt a little uncomfortable about the manner in which they were displayed. It was very much unlike the plush, green habitats I'm used to visiting.
The Beijing Zoo maintains a very accessible environment for humans and animals to interact. There were minimal barriers between the common areas and the animal habitats, which allowed for a very clear view of each attraction. At the African plains exhibit, I watched a group of children feed a zebra an ice cream cone. Near the giraffes, a little girl stood by herself inside the habitat feeding the animals.
Food consisted of fried chicken drumsticks, Ramen noodle rip-offs, or tomato flavored Pringles. I went with Pringles. Those that had chicken donated their leftover bones to a stray/wild cat wandering around the grounds.
The pandas were aplenty at the Olympic Games Panda House, as many of the country's captive bears were brought to Beijing after the earthquake that tore up the southwest provinces in May. They built a brand-new big and beautiful exhibit for the displaced animals and turned it into a nice touristy facility.
The rest of the compound felt a little more like the "things-are-just-different" China I've gotten used to the past couple of weeks. The big cats exhibit was simply a large concrete building with rows of stalls, each one containing a different cat. While it was really cool to be close and see each animal, I felt a little uncomfortable about the manner in which they were displayed. It was very much unlike the plush, green habitats I'm used to visiting.
The Beijing Zoo maintains a very accessible environment for humans and animals to interact. There were minimal barriers between the common areas and the animal habitats, which allowed for a very clear view of each attraction. At the African plains exhibit, I watched a group of children feed a zebra an ice cream cone. Near the giraffes, a little girl stood by herself inside the habitat feeding the animals.
As itt turns out, there really is an adventure behind every door here in China. There's something new and interesting to discover everywhere you go, even in the most normal, casual of places. I guess Jimmy Buffett's right, "That's just the way it happens on the far side of the world!"
XOXO
XOXO
May the Work Force be with You
We’ve noticed on many occasions throughout our trip that there seem to be an overabundance of people working. It’s like there were too many people that needed work, so they made up unnecessary jobs to occupy folks. For example, in Wal-Mart there is an associate in every aisle, and many times one at both ends of the aisle. All they do is help you pick out the products on the shelf. When I bought laundry soap the other day, I had two different employees assisting me in the selection process. Of course, they spoke no English and my Mandarin is lacking, so it wasn’t super successful for anyone.
We’ve seen the same with other stores, too. In the official Olympics stores, purchasing processes have made buying quite a hassle. Products are arranged on shelves or walls or in display cases. If there’s something you’re interested in, you find an associate and have them take it down for you. If it’s clothing, you tell them if it’s “too big” or “too small” or “need bigger,” and they bring out another size from the back. Once you determine the appropriate product, the associate writes you a hand-written ticket for each individual item. Now take the ticket to the cashier (or shop around for more things, and thus, collect more tickets) and pay for each one. Then you make your way around to the products, show the receipts, and gather your goods. For each of these steps there are 2+ employees helping/assisting/watching. It seems sometimes like these extra steps have been created to keep people busy and give them something to do.
XOXO
We’ve seen the same with other stores, too. In the official Olympics stores, purchasing processes have made buying quite a hassle. Products are arranged on shelves or walls or in display cases. If there’s something you’re interested in, you find an associate and have them take it down for you. If it’s clothing, you tell them if it’s “too big” or “too small” or “need bigger,” and they bring out another size from the back. Once you determine the appropriate product, the associate writes you a hand-written ticket for each individual item. Now take the ticket to the cashier (or shop around for more things, and thus, collect more tickets) and pay for each one. Then you make your way around to the products, show the receipts, and gather your goods. For each of these steps there are 2+ employees helping/assisting/watching. It seems sometimes like these extra steps have been created to keep people busy and give them something to do.
XOXO
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Can I ask you a question?
The other night at dinner, Harry Potter (one of the Chinese university students with our group) asked me if he could ask me a question. Of course, my general response to this inquiry is, “You just did,” because I find it very ironic and quite hilarious. His question was, “Who do you like, Obama or Hilary?”
I was floored. Not only do I not have a strong opinion either direction, but the truth is that it doesn’t really matter, of course, because the democratic ticket has already been decided. But the thing that really shocked me was how interested Harry and Aussie Matt were in the topic. These two were more informed on the two American Democratic candidates than I will ever be. They had more background information than I could fathom, and each of them had their own opinion on the matter! I was so overwhelmed, in fact, that I couldn’t think straight enough to give an answer that resembled any bit of intellectual ability.
I told the boys that in the States it often becomes less of a “who do you like?” question and more of a “who’s the least bad?” inquiry. They were very intrigued and interested to hear my opinion, after all and like Harry mentioned, I am the one with the vote.
Then the culture difference between the boys began to shine through. Aussie Matt didn’t say he liked Obama. Instead, he talked about how he wrote off Hilary a long while back when she made an off-handed comment about Bosnia. He then conceded that, “Even McCain would be better!” I just nodded my head like I had a clue. In response, Harry made it clear that he felt Hilary was the best candidate for America because of her age and experience in adversity.
Retrospective thought process makes me realize how ignorant to the world I must be. I have no idea who the leaders of China and Australia are. I have no clue what the name of the Mexican President is that visited the Great Wall the other day. The controversy and conversation about the race for the President of the United States extends so far beyond our borders. This is an important, powerful matter for these two international students, and it opens up a whole new perspective on the matter for me, the voter!
XOXO
I was floored. Not only do I not have a strong opinion either direction, but the truth is that it doesn’t really matter, of course, because the democratic ticket has already been decided. But the thing that really shocked me was how interested Harry and Aussie Matt were in the topic. These two were more informed on the two American Democratic candidates than I will ever be. They had more background information than I could fathom, and each of them had their own opinion on the matter! I was so overwhelmed, in fact, that I couldn’t think straight enough to give an answer that resembled any bit of intellectual ability.
I told the boys that in the States it often becomes less of a “who do you like?” question and more of a “who’s the least bad?” inquiry. They were very intrigued and interested to hear my opinion, after all and like Harry mentioned, I am the one with the vote.
Then the culture difference between the boys began to shine through. Aussie Matt didn’t say he liked Obama. Instead, he talked about how he wrote off Hilary a long while back when she made an off-handed comment about Bosnia. He then conceded that, “Even McCain would be better!” I just nodded my head like I had a clue. In response, Harry made it clear that he felt Hilary was the best candidate for America because of her age and experience in adversity.
Retrospective thought process makes me realize how ignorant to the world I must be. I have no idea who the leaders of China and Australia are. I have no clue what the name of the Mexican President is that visited the Great Wall the other day. The controversy and conversation about the race for the President of the United States extends so far beyond our borders. This is an important, powerful matter for these two international students, and it opens up a whole new perspective on the matter for me, the voter!
XOXO
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Death by PowerPoint
Editor's note: Today was my "class blog" day, so most of this post will appear on the J&C's Web site. This is a condensed version made especially for you :)
Today consisted of an introduction lecture by the heads of the Olympic News Service and Infostrada Sports, followed by a round of training exercises and a flash quote crash-course. We learned many of the details about our jobs that we had been craving for months. It is important to clarify that Infostrada Sports is an independent sports statistics and event services provider that will handle the official media content distribution responsibilities for BOCOG. Infostrada has hired professionals to cover each and every event. They provide accurate, reliable results, statistics, and quotes to journalists around the world in real time. Along with these staff members, there are hundreds of volunteers to assist with the massive task of covering the Olympics. All 951 of us have united under the banner of the “Olympic News Service” as of today.
The Olympic News Service has been successful in many past Games because it allows journalists to easily cover all sports without having to be in multiple places at once. Infostrada has provided these services for countless world championship events, major international tournaments, and recent Olympic Games in Sydney, Athens, and Torino. The major clients of the ONS are members of the accredited media, most notably the Associated Press (USA), Reuters (GBR), the Australian Associated Press, and the Agence France-Presse (FRA). Information will also be available to members of the broadcast media, like NBC (USA), Channel 9 (AUS), BBC (GBR), and CCTV (CHN). They will provide event results, flash quotes, press conference highlights, sport background information, and biographical information on all teams, athletes, and coaches both electronically and in hard copy.
Our job is focused around one of the most crucial elements in the success of the ONS. As FQRs, we will interview athletes immediately following their competition, ask questions relevant to the performance, transcribe flash quotes, and get them published to the accredited media within a 10-minute deadline.
During the events we will be watching as an observer (not a spectator!), taking careful competition notes, and preparing interview questions. Interviews will take place in what’s known as the “mixed zone” where athletes and journalists interact. We will also put together press conference highlights. All operations at the Laoshan Bicycle Cluster will be under the supervision of our ONS Manager Krystyna, an Aussie who's lived in London for the past seven years working as a sportswriter for the Associated Press. Before that she worked for five years in Sydney as a reporter for Australian Associated Press. She’s covered two summer Olympics, the soccer World Cup and European Championship, and two Commonwealth Games. Her impressive resume makes me eager to learn more about cycling and the crazy world of journalism!
Tomorrow is another full day of training, or as Steve, the ONS guru from Sydney 2000, called it, "Death by PowerPoint."
XOXO
Today consisted of an introduction lecture by the heads of the Olympic News Service and Infostrada Sports, followed by a round of training exercises and a flash quote crash-course. We learned many of the details about our jobs that we had been craving for months. It is important to clarify that Infostrada Sports is an independent sports statistics and event services provider that will handle the official media content distribution responsibilities for BOCOG. Infostrada has hired professionals to cover each and every event. They provide accurate, reliable results, statistics, and quotes to journalists around the world in real time. Along with these staff members, there are hundreds of volunteers to assist with the massive task of covering the Olympics. All 951 of us have united under the banner of the “Olympic News Service” as of today.
The Olympic News Service has been successful in many past Games because it allows journalists to easily cover all sports without having to be in multiple places at once. Infostrada has provided these services for countless world championship events, major international tournaments, and recent Olympic Games in Sydney, Athens, and Torino. The major clients of the ONS are members of the accredited media, most notably the Associated Press (USA), Reuters (GBR), the Australian Associated Press, and the Agence France-Presse (FRA). Information will also be available to members of the broadcast media, like NBC (USA), Channel 9 (AUS), BBC (GBR), and CCTV (CHN). They will provide event results, flash quotes, press conference highlights, sport background information, and biographical information on all teams, athletes, and coaches both electronically and in hard copy.
Our job is focused around one of the most crucial elements in the success of the ONS. As FQRs, we will interview athletes immediately following their competition, ask questions relevant to the performance, transcribe flash quotes, and get them published to the accredited media within a 10-minute deadline.
During the events we will be watching as an observer (not a spectator!), taking careful competition notes, and preparing interview questions. Interviews will take place in what’s known as the “mixed zone” where athletes and journalists interact. We will also put together press conference highlights. All operations at the Laoshan Bicycle Cluster will be under the supervision of our ONS Manager Krystyna, an Aussie who's lived in London for the past seven years working as a sportswriter for the Associated Press. Before that she worked for five years in Sydney as a reporter for Australian Associated Press. She’s covered two summer Olympics, the soccer World Cup and European Championship, and two Commonwealth Games. Her impressive resume makes me eager to learn more about cycling and the crazy world of journalism!
Tomorrow is another full day of training, or as Steve, the ONS guru from Sydney 2000, called it, "Death by PowerPoint."
XOXO
Andrea talks with a friend from home while peacefully balancing her ch'i beneath the rice hat.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Peking Opera
Last night we experienced the famous Peking Opera at the Changan Opera. The story we saw was entitled, "The Marriage of the Dragon and the Phoenix." It was a private showing for all the foreign ONS volunteers.
To be honest, I still don't really understand what the plot was all about. There were English subtitles, but I couldn't see the screen very well. The theatrical experience was so different than any I've ever had. The story didn't develop the same, and it was quite hard to follow without knowing the language. Here's a clip, credit Andrea, from the performance. Listen carefully and see if you can make out what she's saying... then stack it up with the subtitles provided at the end.
XOXO
To be honest, I still don't really understand what the plot was all about. There were English subtitles, but I couldn't see the screen very well. The theatrical experience was so different than any I've ever had. The story didn't develop the same, and it was quite hard to follow without knowing the language. Here's a clip, credit Andrea, from the performance. Listen carefully and see if you can make out what she's saying... then stack it up with the subtitles provided at the end.
XOXO
Cracking Down on Smog and Crowding
There are 16 million people and 3 million cars fighting their way around the city limits of Beijing. That doesn’t even include the millions of bicycles that cram in the creases of busy intersections making progress impossible. According to our guide Henry, Beijing’s nickname is the “Kingdom of Bicycles.”
Starting this week, the hardcore smog/congestion-fighting policies go into effect in hopes of clearing up the air and roads for the Games. To limit the number of cars out at one time, local vehicles are being limited to the “every-other day” schedule. Cars with license plates ending in an even number will be allowed to drive on the even numbered days, while odd numbered plates can drive on odd numbered days. In theory, the set-up seems logical and I was impressed by the forward thought. In practice, however, I’m not sure it will work. Besides the fact that July has 31 days (advantage odd numbers), we’ve been informed that many people are renting cars with opposite plates in order to maintain their usual activity. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. Meanwhile, traffic is outrageous!
Starting this week, the hardcore smog/congestion-fighting policies go into effect in hopes of clearing up the air and roads for the Games. To limit the number of cars out at one time, local vehicles are being limited to the “every-other day” schedule. Cars with license plates ending in an even number will be allowed to drive on the even numbered days, while odd numbered plates can drive on odd numbered days. In theory, the set-up seems logical and I was impressed by the forward thought. In practice, however, I’m not sure it will work. Besides the fact that July has 31 days (advantage odd numbers), we’ve been informed that many people are renting cars with opposite plates in order to maintain their usual activity. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. Meanwhile, traffic is outrageous!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Goodness! Gracious! Great Wall of China!
Day two of the Beijing tour included the Great Wall of China and the Tombs from the Ming Dynasty. They were totally up my alley, and I took plenty of pictures. While both of these sites deserve miles and miles of blog post, I'm absolutely exhausted from the day! I'm heading to bed, but please enjoy this short clip of us singing "Hail Purdue!" atop the highest point of the Great Wall.
XOXO
P.S. For some reason I am unable to load my gorgeous photos of today's adventure, but I hope to bring them to you very soon when the Internet is fully functioning again!
XOXO
P.S. For some reason I am unable to load my gorgeous photos of today's adventure, but I hope to bring them to you very soon when the Internet is fully functioning again!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Why do I keep doing this?
I forgot to mention that our trip/blogging experience received a plug in USA Today. Check it out here.
I ate Peking Duck!
Our three-day whirlwind tour of Beijing (brought to you by the BOCOG) began this morning at the painfully early hour of 8:25am. On the agenda? Beijing's new water/sewage treatment plant, a visit to a "rural" Chinese village, and an evening cap of the famous Peking Duck. It's not exactly what I would have planned for a vacation, but I'm always up for an interesting adventure!
I'm not sure why, exactly, but all of our English-speaking guides and aides give themselves English names for the duration of our trips. The few CUC students that gave us our campus tour did the same exact thing. I hadn't picked up on it until one of the girls introduced herself as, "Cindy." The next girl in line introduced herself to me, "Hi, my name is Cindy!" Wait just a second here. "I thought her name was Cindy?" I replied to both girls. They looked at each other bewildered. "I am Cindy, you not Cindy!" one chirped. Right then and there I realized they had bypassed their given Chinese names to adopt those of popular Western icons. "Leo," "Cindy," and "Harry Potter" have all graced my presence thus far. Today's guide was Henry, and a cheeky fellow he was.
The sewage facility, as the pictures will tell, was pretty gross. Then again, it was a sewage facility. I learned that no chemicals are used in the purification process, only microbes. The other thing Henry mentioned, which I felt was too interesting to resist comment, was that, "The water is cleaned here and feeds to river for all sightseers to see." In one statement Henry enlightened us into the method behind the madness. This is a show. Beijing is on display, and the world is watching.
It's not something I didn't already know, of course. I just hadn't actually seen it come to life quite yet. Or had I? Henry's words sparked flashbacks and pictures in my head. The subway that I raved about came to mind. No wonder there were videos in each shiny, clean, AC controlled car telling people in Chinese how to use the system! Christina even showed one Chinese man how to use the card validation machines in the upper terminal. This is all new. The subway, the water system, the landscaping, and the recycling bins that overflow with the same garbage in both the green and red sides are all brand-spanking new!
The rest of the day was filled with this idea in mind. The rural village we visited was nearly 50km outside the city limits of Beijing. It was here that I saw the sun in the sky through the smog for the first time since I've been here (see photo album). Xiang Tang Cun was called, in English, "the Most Beautiful Village in Beijing." It is a stop on the Olympics City Tour for all the world to witness. It was Chinese suburbia complete with a beautiful (but not all that old) Buddhist Temple, an old folks home where one resident described that he was, "Living in paradise," a center for Tai Chi and other martial arts, a calligraphy center, and an 18-hole golf course that hosted the Asian Games several years back. The project has been subsidized by the government and has prospered by the booming greatness of the Olympic Games. The village was a presentation, a take-home message.
I dreaded the Peking Duck experience all day long. We were told the meal consisted of three courses. First, the duck's skin was peeled off and eaten between bread pieces. Then, the duck meat was removed and served warm with soy sauce. Lastly, the duck's bones would be ground and made into a soup that would be enjoyed as a dessert. The meal would have sides, but all things would include parts of the duck. Nothing is put to waste. I was not liking the sound of things from the very beginning! I have been pretty picky about food so far, but you can't argue with more than 200 years of history. I knew I was going to have to suck it up and get it done.
To my surprise, duck is pretty darn good! It tastes very similar to roasted turkey on Thanksgiving Day. The meat is a little darker and dryer than chicken, but still quite tender. Even though my mental block had me on high-alert, I think this meal was the best so far. For some reason I couldn't get past the prospect of consuming duck, but when it all boils down to it, at least I knew what I was eating!
Off to bed, it's late here in the East :)
XOXO
I'm not sure why, exactly, but all of our English-speaking guides and aides give themselves English names for the duration of our trips. The few CUC students that gave us our campus tour did the same exact thing. I hadn't picked up on it until one of the girls introduced herself as, "Cindy." The next girl in line introduced herself to me, "Hi, my name is Cindy!" Wait just a second here. "I thought her name was Cindy?" I replied to both girls. They looked at each other bewildered. "I am Cindy, you not Cindy!" one chirped. Right then and there I realized they had bypassed their given Chinese names to adopt those of popular Western icons. "Leo," "Cindy," and "Harry Potter" have all graced my presence thus far. Today's guide was Henry, and a cheeky fellow he was.
The sewage facility, as the pictures will tell, was pretty gross. Then again, it was a sewage facility. I learned that no chemicals are used in the purification process, only microbes. The other thing Henry mentioned, which I felt was too interesting to resist comment, was that, "The water is cleaned here and feeds to river for all sightseers to see." In one statement Henry enlightened us into the method behind the madness. This is a show. Beijing is on display, and the world is watching.
It's not something I didn't already know, of course. I just hadn't actually seen it come to life quite yet. Or had I? Henry's words sparked flashbacks and pictures in my head. The subway that I raved about came to mind. No wonder there were videos in each shiny, clean, AC controlled car telling people in Chinese how to use the system! Christina even showed one Chinese man how to use the card validation machines in the upper terminal. This is all new. The subway, the water system, the landscaping, and the recycling bins that overflow with the same garbage in both the green and red sides are all brand-spanking new!
The rest of the day was filled with this idea in mind. The rural village we visited was nearly 50km outside the city limits of Beijing. It was here that I saw the sun in the sky through the smog for the first time since I've been here (see photo album). Xiang Tang Cun was called, in English, "the Most Beautiful Village in Beijing." It is a stop on the Olympics City Tour for all the world to witness. It was Chinese suburbia complete with a beautiful (but not all that old) Buddhist Temple, an old folks home where one resident described that he was, "Living in paradise," a center for Tai Chi and other martial arts, a calligraphy center, and an 18-hole golf course that hosted the Asian Games several years back. The project has been subsidized by the government and has prospered by the booming greatness of the Olympic Games. The village was a presentation, a take-home message.
I dreaded the Peking Duck experience all day long. We were told the meal consisted of three courses. First, the duck's skin was peeled off and eaten between bread pieces. Then, the duck meat was removed and served warm with soy sauce. Lastly, the duck's bones would be ground and made into a soup that would be enjoyed as a dessert. The meal would have sides, but all things would include parts of the duck. Nothing is put to waste. I was not liking the sound of things from the very beginning! I have been pretty picky about food so far, but you can't argue with more than 200 years of history. I knew I was going to have to suck it up and get it done.
To my surprise, duck is pretty darn good! It tastes very similar to roasted turkey on Thanksgiving Day. The meat is a little darker and dryer than chicken, but still quite tender. Even though my mental block had me on high-alert, I think this meal was the best so far. For some reason I couldn't get past the prospect of consuming duck, but when it all boils down to it, at least I knew what I was eating!
Off to bed, it's late here in the East :)
XOXO
From the Buddhist Temple in Xiang Tang Cun, a mountainous village outside Beijing
Thursday, July 10, 2008
By the way...
I changed my photo album site, so please make note. I will now be hosting photos in Picassa, which is in the Google family. I just think it's much easier to use and navigate! The link to the right is updated to suit the change. Have fun!
XOXO
XOXO
What is Forbidden Might Actually be Within
I sure did visit and experience the Forbidden City today. I love old, historical places such as this, and you know how I get all intellectual about the rhetoric of power and philosophy and the movement of entire populations over time. This place was absolutely no exception. Obviously any National Geographic guide book will tell you the details, so I'll tell you the obvious. Today at the Purple Forbidden City (as it translates exactly from Chinese), I witnessed several things that NG doesn't share.
We walked in expecting God knows what. Sixty RMB hardly broke my bank for admission. The first thing I saw was... a group of Chinese students. They were maybe 6 or 7 years old, and were all wearing a matching white t-shirt with orange visor. As a highly qualified tour guide shuffled them through the historical masterpiece, the kids whined and dozed off and found every excuse in the book to not participate. It reminded me, though, of my 1st grade field trips to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis or the old-time city of Connor Prairie. They twiddled their plastic Chinese flags, sang songs that had been stuck in their heads all day, and found a simple and seamless way to make the ancient and majestic Forbidden City seem like another boring mathematics lecture. With the eyes of an ambitious world traveler, I was infuriated and disgusted. But with the eyes of an observationist, a student, I was awed. This was old hat to them. It was nonchalant. It was, "When can I go home and play?" For me it was an experience, a witnessing, of a lifetime. For them it was another day at school.
After wandering the walls on the city for more than a couple of hours, the question in my head was this: How could anyone rule an empire like China from within a city of just over 720,000 square meters in size? The truth is, they can't. Forget the 3,000+ concubines harbored in the city. Forget the "Gates of Heavenly Peace," or, "Pleasure," or, "Mental Cultivation." It can't happen. There is absolutely no way anyone could have the means, the knowledge, the resources to maintain power for any length of time. That's what brought me to the realization that what actually might be forbidden about the Forbidden City is power. What the kids in the tour were exemplifying was the fact that, at any given time, a palace is the absolute worst idea a ruler can have. When you rule a people, you must live and die amongst them. There is no other way. There is no other path. No one is invincible, or indivisible. The body will concede. The body will die. What will live on, if you're lucky, is the City. The City, which marks your separation from the body for which you governed. For me, while the city was beautiful, it was incredibly inefficient.
Enough mind-bending rambling... I'm off to bed. Goodnight you all! Or should I say, good morning?!
XOXO
We walked in expecting God knows what. Sixty RMB hardly broke my bank for admission. The first thing I saw was... a group of Chinese students. They were maybe 6 or 7 years old, and were all wearing a matching white t-shirt with orange visor. As a highly qualified tour guide shuffled them through the historical masterpiece, the kids whined and dozed off and found every excuse in the book to not participate. It reminded me, though, of my 1st grade field trips to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis or the old-time city of Connor Prairie. They twiddled their plastic Chinese flags, sang songs that had been stuck in their heads all day, and found a simple and seamless way to make the ancient and majestic Forbidden City seem like another boring mathematics lecture. With the eyes of an ambitious world traveler, I was infuriated and disgusted. But with the eyes of an observationist, a student, I was awed. This was old hat to them. It was nonchalant. It was, "When can I go home and play?" For me it was an experience, a witnessing, of a lifetime. For them it was another day at school.
After wandering the walls on the city for more than a couple of hours, the question in my head was this: How could anyone rule an empire like China from within a city of just over 720,000 square meters in size? The truth is, they can't. Forget the 3,000+ concubines harbored in the city. Forget the "Gates of Heavenly Peace," or, "Pleasure," or, "Mental Cultivation." It can't happen. There is absolutely no way anyone could have the means, the knowledge, the resources to maintain power for any length of time. That's what brought me to the realization that what actually might be forbidden about the Forbidden City is power. What the kids in the tour were exemplifying was the fact that, at any given time, a palace is the absolute worst idea a ruler can have. When you rule a people, you must live and die amongst them. There is no other way. There is no other path. No one is invincible, or indivisible. The body will concede. The body will die. What will live on, if you're lucky, is the City. The City, which marks your separation from the body for which you governed. For me, while the city was beautiful, it was incredibly inefficient.
Enough mind-bending rambling... I'm off to bed. Goodnight you all! Or should I say, good morning?!
XOXO
A Culture within a Culture
I just want thank you all for your comments, emails, and notes! I absolutely do read each and every one over and over and get a good chuckle out of your responses. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to keep up, it truly means the world to me. Please keep it up!
Yesterday we embarked on the Silk Street adventure. It was, as everyone else is claiming in their blogs, out of control. Vendors were selling their souls to get us to buy their knocked off Puma shoes, Ralph Lauren polos, Prada wallets, or fancy jewelry. They grab you from the aisle and holler at you from down the way. One approached me about some men's shoes.
Last night we spent the evening at the Oriental Mall near Tian'anmen Square. Lauren and Andrea were on the search for cheap cell phones, and Megan, Traci and I were along for the ride. Oriental Mall is an upscale shopping center, so Burberry, Gucci and Coach stores lined the path. We enjoyed seeing a classier side of the city, however, after spending the afternoon at the dungeonous Silk Street and Foreign Market.
The only success from the venture was the acquisition of another fun fact to know and tell. Electronics in China are EXPENSIVE. People come here to buy goods like shoes, clothes, and bags, but the Chinese venture to places like the USA to buy electronic goods. Cell phones, cameras and everything in between were outrageously priced. We ended the evening with some ice cream as we discussed the various cultural differences.
Here's a little clip of the view from my room! Enjoy!
XOXO
Yesterday we embarked on the Silk Street adventure. It was, as everyone else is claiming in their blogs, out of control. Vendors were selling their souls to get us to buy their knocked off Puma shoes, Ralph Lauren polos, Prada wallets, or fancy jewelry. They grab you from the aisle and holler at you from down the way. One approached me about some men's shoes.
"For your brother?" she asked.I also pretended not to speak English once or twice. All in all, I had a fantastic time watching the underground culture that is Silk Street. It's like a culture within a culture. Nowhere in Beijing have we found people that could speak more fluent, spot-on English than these folks on Silk Street. They knew slang terminology and how to work people like us. The crazy thing, though, is that they spend their lives down in a cave selling ratty, fake Pumas to tourists for "very cheap price!" Riddle me that, Batman.
"No, I don't know his size."
"You make me very sad," she said as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"I don't even know you, so that doesn't really bother me."
Last night we spent the evening at the Oriental Mall near Tian'anmen Square. Lauren and Andrea were on the search for cheap cell phones, and Megan, Traci and I were along for the ride. Oriental Mall is an upscale shopping center, so Burberry, Gucci and Coach stores lined the path. We enjoyed seeing a classier side of the city, however, after spending the afternoon at the dungeonous Silk Street and Foreign Market.
The only success from the venture was the acquisition of another fun fact to know and tell. Electronics in China are EXPENSIVE. People come here to buy goods like shoes, clothes, and bags, but the Chinese venture to places like the USA to buy electronic goods. Cell phones, cameras and everything in between were outrageously priced. We ended the evening with some ice cream as we discussed the various cultural differences.
Here's a little clip of the view from my room! Enjoy!
XOXO
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
"Andrea's gagging worse on a prune than I did on pig's blood." -Lauren Harrington
Lauren has become the guinea pig for all things weird. She volunteered and insists that she will try anything. Yesterday at breakfast, gelatin pig's blood was the morning conquest. We didn't know what it was, but we saw plenty of Chinese folks getting it. Lauren sat down and popped the whole 1" x 1" square in her mouth. She immediately started gagging and tearing up, but gritted to swallow it like a champ, earning herself a BA Badge. "Salty and rotten, it was the worst thing I've ever tasted," she claims.
There's so much going on, it's impossible to know where to start! Yesterday the Aussies finally showed up, and we had a good time getting to know them. I will have pictures, soon. They go to Queensland Tech (QUT) and seem really, really fun. We enjoyed spending the morning together on a campus tour. CUC has several English-speaking Chinese students that volunteered to show us around. They were exceptionally friendly and helpful and were very interested in talking to us about our experiences in the American school system. We learned where there is a couple more dining halls, supermarkets, and a convenience store (with beer & ice cream!) on campus.
After the tour, we needed a Wal-Mart run. Megan, Val, Lauren, Traci, and I headed straight for WallyWorld while everyone else & the Aussie's hit up the Silk Market. (No worries, we'll hit that soon enough.) By subway the Wal-Mart is just a couple of stops away. One of the CUC guides wrote the Chinese word for Wal-Mart down on a piece of paper so we could easily ask for directions on the street. When we finally found the place, we were SO excited!
It was an underground Wal-Mart beneath a giant skyscraper building. You entered at the street level but immediately took a flight of stairs down to the store. The actual shopping experience was everything you would imagine. A few album photos will tell the tale. We picked up some essentials, including some imported snacks and Chinese beer.
For dinner, we trekked it over to Pizza Hut. I know, I know... we only made it 2 days. I realize, but it was absolutely amazing to eat something that was the least bit familiar. We're not making a habit of it, though. Only when we can't handle the mystery meat and rice will we venture over to the Hut.
I have noticed several interesting things about the Chinese people, and I'm sure there are plenty more to come! First and the weirdest for me is the fact that there really is no such thing as "personal space." I guess with 1.3 billion people, that shouldn't be such a surprise. The subway gets crowded, obviously, like any major city. However, the difference is that when people get off and space opens up, remaining passengers do not spread out and create breathing room! They just stay right up in your grill!
Subway habits are very interesting to me. We noticed that getting a seat on a subway train is a high priority for these folks. Instead of hopping in a full car and standing (except in the super busy times), people will wait outside for the next car so they can sit down. It's not a crowding issue, it's a seat issue. When people get up from a seat, the next person has already moved in before the first has taken a step!
Gotta get rocking, miss you all!
XOXO
There's so much going on, it's impossible to know where to start! Yesterday the Aussies finally showed up, and we had a good time getting to know them. I will have pictures, soon. They go to Queensland Tech (QUT) and seem really, really fun. We enjoyed spending the morning together on a campus tour. CUC has several English-speaking Chinese students that volunteered to show us around. They were exceptionally friendly and helpful and were very interested in talking to us about our experiences in the American school system. We learned where there is a couple more dining halls, supermarkets, and a convenience store (with beer & ice cream!) on campus.
After the tour, we needed a Wal-Mart run. Megan, Val, Lauren, Traci, and I headed straight for WallyWorld while everyone else & the Aussie's hit up the Silk Market. (No worries, we'll hit that soon enough.) By subway the Wal-Mart is just a couple of stops away. One of the CUC guides wrote the Chinese word for Wal-Mart down on a piece of paper so we could easily ask for directions on the street. When we finally found the place, we were SO excited!
It was an underground Wal-Mart beneath a giant skyscraper building. You entered at the street level but immediately took a flight of stairs down to the store. The actual shopping experience was everything you would imagine. A few album photos will tell the tale. We picked up some essentials, including some imported snacks and Chinese beer.
Laoshan beer (like Laoshan Velodrome), SNOW beer, Tsingtao beer, Olympics beer, Laoshan again, and Cowboy beer
For dinner, we trekked it over to Pizza Hut. I know, I know... we only made it 2 days. I realize, but it was absolutely amazing to eat something that was the least bit familiar. We're not making a habit of it, though. Only when we can't handle the mystery meat and rice will we venture over to the Hut.
I have noticed several interesting things about the Chinese people, and I'm sure there are plenty more to come! First and the weirdest for me is the fact that there really is no such thing as "personal space." I guess with 1.3 billion people, that shouldn't be such a surprise. The subway gets crowded, obviously, like any major city. However, the difference is that when people get off and space opens up, remaining passengers do not spread out and create breathing room! They just stay right up in your grill!
Subway habits are very interesting to me. We noticed that getting a seat on a subway train is a high priority for these folks. Instead of hopping in a full car and standing (except in the super busy times), people will wait outside for the next car so they can sit down. It's not a crowding issue, it's a seat issue. When people get up from a seat, the next person has already moved in before the first has taken a step!
Gotta get rocking, miss you all!
XOXO
Monday, July 7, 2008
Photo Album & Day One
I'm working on getting a photo album up and running to update frequently. The first few pictures are up, and more will be up soon! Check it out on the link to the right called, "BEIJING TRIP PHOTO ALBUM!"
The residence hall we're living in compares in many ways to the ones at Purdue. Two beds, a dresser, two desks, and a TV fit in just perfectly with little room to spare. Each room has its own bathroom... but don't get too jealous. The toilet and the shower are one operation. It's hard to explain, so make sure to check out the photos in the album. It's completely impossible to shower without drenching the entire seat, back and bowl of the toilet. I can literally sit on the toilet seat and have my head in the downfall of the water.
Day one brought some good adventures here in the capital city of Beijing. We had no responsibilities today, just some time to explore. Six of us ventured outside the university's walls for lunch but quickly returned after struggling to find anything that looked edible. We had a nice meal at the little restaurant attached to our building. On the menu? Spicy beef and green onions, chicken and hot peppers, and a tub of rice. When I ordered bottled water ("Shooa") for each of us, the waitress brought out a two-liter of Coke. My communication skills are amazing! Lunch cost 90RMB, divided by 6 people is 15RMB apiece, or $2.18 American. Not too bad!
After configuring my computer and talking with Mom & Dad online for a bit, the 11 of us that were here headed off to find the train station. I was completely and totally impressed with the Beijing subway system. It was cleaner, easier to use (even in Chinese!), more efficient, and better organized than the comparable Chicago CTA rail that goes to Wrigley Field. I couldn't believe how awesome the train was!
Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City were right on the rail line. We came out of the subway station right in front of the huge gates to the FC with Mao Zedong's (here forth known simply as "Mao") portrait. I was SHOCKED at the pure giganticism of the structure. We've all seen photos of this structure, but you would never imagine the mass of it. The portrait itself had to have been two stories tall.
We also explored Tienanmen Square and the Mao Mausoleum. Yes, Mao's remains are on public display at Tienanmen Square. He is fully visible during the day in a crystal coffin, and at night, they stick him in the refrigerator to keep fresh. Unfortunately, all attractions are closed on Mondays, so we will have to venture back again soon. I HAVE to see that body!
We perused a few shops, but I was reluctant to purchase anything. I'm just still trying to get my feet on the ground, so I want to scope out the whole situation before making a commitment to souvenirs. We made it back to CUC late in the afternoon and made dinner plans for 5:30pm at the dining hall on campus.
Tonight we had a quick meeting with Jane, our study abroad professor from Purdue. She outlined our insurance information and talked about trip logistics. Tomorrow we have a campus tour and more exploration time!
Talk to you soon, and in the meantime, check out my photos!
XOXO
The residence hall we're living in compares in many ways to the ones at Purdue. Two beds, a dresser, two desks, and a TV fit in just perfectly with little room to spare. Each room has its own bathroom... but don't get too jealous. The toilet and the shower are one operation. It's hard to explain, so make sure to check out the photos in the album. It's completely impossible to shower without drenching the entire seat, back and bowl of the toilet. I can literally sit on the toilet seat and have my head in the downfall of the water.
Day one brought some good adventures here in the capital city of Beijing. We had no responsibilities today, just some time to explore. Six of us ventured outside the university's walls for lunch but quickly returned after struggling to find anything that looked edible. We had a nice meal at the little restaurant attached to our building. On the menu? Spicy beef and green onions, chicken and hot peppers, and a tub of rice. When I ordered bottled water ("Shooa") for each of us, the waitress brought out a two-liter of Coke. My communication skills are amazing! Lunch cost 90RMB, divided by 6 people is 15RMB apiece, or $2.18 American. Not too bad!
After configuring my computer and talking with Mom & Dad online for a bit, the 11 of us that were here headed off to find the train station. I was completely and totally impressed with the Beijing subway system. It was cleaner, easier to use (even in Chinese!), more efficient, and better organized than the comparable Chicago CTA rail that goes to Wrigley Field. I couldn't believe how awesome the train was!
Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City were right on the rail line. We came out of the subway station right in front of the huge gates to the FC with Mao Zedong's (here forth known simply as "Mao") portrait. I was SHOCKED at the pure giganticism of the structure. We've all seen photos of this structure, but you would never imagine the mass of it. The portrait itself had to have been two stories tall.
We also explored Tienanmen Square and the Mao Mausoleum. Yes, Mao's remains are on public display at Tienanmen Square. He is fully visible during the day in a crystal coffin, and at night, they stick him in the refrigerator to keep fresh. Unfortunately, all attractions are closed on Mondays, so we will have to venture back again soon. I HAVE to see that body!
We perused a few shops, but I was reluctant to purchase anything. I'm just still trying to get my feet on the ground, so I want to scope out the whole situation before making a commitment to souvenirs. We made it back to CUC late in the afternoon and made dinner plans for 5:30pm at the dining hall on campus.
Tonight we had a quick meeting with Jane, our study abroad professor from Purdue. She outlined our insurance information and talked about trip logistics. Tomorrow we have a campus tour and more exploration time!
Talk to you soon, and in the meantime, check out my photos!
XOXO
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Live from the Shanghai Pudong Airport
Some 14 hours later, we touched down in Shanghai, China. Wow. That was a loooooong flight. I made friends with the flight attendants along the way. One asked me if we lived in China, so we must have looked pretty seasoned. When I told her we were just going over to study, she of course wanted to know more. After hearing about our adventure, our internship, and our journey so far, she was in awe. It dawned on me halfway across the world- this woman flies to and from China for a living. She meets every walk of life. She hears every story... and she thinks mine is top-notch. "Wow," she said, "That's really cool. Enjoy this opportunity of a lifetime!"
Functioning in the Shanghai Pudong Airport has been a little less poetic. I bet Traci that I could go the whole plane ride without using the bathroom. Needless to say, I really needed to find the can when we landed. Traci and I walked to the westernized bathrooms and stood patiently, waiting our turn. Wrong answer. The idea of the queue line is foreign here in the East. As we stood there being "courteous," people in and around us to cut in to the open stalls! So be it, lesson learned. On to the next adventure.
My bags (2 ~50lbs checked and a ~30lbs carry-on) are all piggy-backed. It all amounts to a long and HEAVY train of luggage being carted behind my person. Times that by 4 (for Jason, Traci & Val) and you've got yourself one heck of a parade!
We ascended three levels of escalators, bags in tow. Val and Jason were in the lead, followed by Traci and then myself. Val's carry-on bag falls off her shoulder half-way up the escalator, everything spills out. I start sniffing trouble as her books and belongings slide under Traci's suitcase. As the top landing approaches, Val is desperately scooping up her things. Her luggage hits the top... and stops, running her body into her things. Traci reaches the top and tap-dances in a tiny square of footing, trying to control her bags as they continue to ride up the stairs on top of Val's spilled goods.
I start laughing... wildly. It was slow motion, and I saw the whole thing develop. The worst of it was that I couldn't stop myself or my train of baggage. That made me laugh more. I started backpedaling on the moving staircase. That's right, me, backpedaling down the stairs, with a train of piggy-backed baggage, on an escalator, laughing out loud, while Val scurries to gather her goods before they get eaten up by the moving walkway in Shanghai. Classic moment.
Now we're just bumming and waiting for our 9pm flight to Beijing!
XOXO
Functioning in the Shanghai Pudong Airport has been a little less poetic. I bet Traci that I could go the whole plane ride without using the bathroom. Needless to say, I really needed to find the can when we landed. Traci and I walked to the westernized bathrooms and stood patiently, waiting our turn. Wrong answer. The idea of the queue line is foreign here in the East. As we stood there being "courteous," people in and around us to cut in to the open stalls! So be it, lesson learned. On to the next adventure.
My bags (2 ~50lbs checked and a ~30lbs carry-on) are all piggy-backed. It all amounts to a long and HEAVY train of luggage being carted behind my person. Times that by 4 (for Jason, Traci & Val) and you've got yourself one heck of a parade!
We ascended three levels of escalators, bags in tow. Val and Jason were in the lead, followed by Traci and then myself. Val's carry-on bag falls off her shoulder half-way up the escalator, everything spills out. I start sniffing trouble as her books and belongings slide under Traci's suitcase. As the top landing approaches, Val is desperately scooping up her things. Her luggage hits the top... and stops, running her body into her things. Traci reaches the top and tap-dances in a tiny square of footing, trying to control her bags as they continue to ride up the stairs on top of Val's spilled goods.
I start laughing... wildly. It was slow motion, and I saw the whole thing develop. The worst of it was that I couldn't stop myself or my train of baggage. That made me laugh more. I started backpedaling on the moving staircase. That's right, me, backpedaling down the stairs, with a train of piggy-backed baggage, on an escalator, laughing out loud, while Val scurries to gather her goods before they get eaten up by the moving walkway in Shanghai. Classic moment.
Now we're just bumming and waiting for our 9pm flight to Beijing!
XOXO
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Happy 4th!
As of 12:00pm Eastern time Friday, I am outta here! Well... I'm out of Westfield, Hamilton County, and Indiana that is. Mom, Dad, Gus, and I are hitting the road tomorrow. We've got hotel arrangements in Des Plaines, IL and plan to hit up the Chicago 4th of July celebration tomorrow night. Bando Kelly will be meeting up with us (yay!) and showing this Hillbilly Circus how to function in the big city.
Saturday morning we're up early and taking our show to the O'Hare Airport. Hopefully we'll be meeting up with my travel buddies (Jason, Traci & Val- check out their blogs!) for some breakfast/get to know the family time. Our flight is at 10:35am Central time, so be thinking of me while you're doing whatever you do on Saturdays at 10:35am Chicago time :)
We land in Shanghai Sunday at 2pm local time (2am Sunday Indy time) and take off for Beijing Sunday night at 9pm local time (Sunday 9am Indy time). Finally, at approximately 11pm local time (11am Indy time), I land in the capital city and grab a cab to the Communication University of China.
The campus is in the 5th ring of the city. If you're unfamiliar, Wikipedia.com is a great reference. In fact, Wikipedia is a great reference for any random thing you don't know. One of my favorite sites :)
Anywho, CUC's in the 5th ring (along with many of the Olympic venues). We're staying in the "International Exchange Building," which is a dorm for international students studying at the school. My brother's classic comment was, "As if American dorm rooms weren't small enough..." I'm on the 8th floor, but that's about all I know. Oh yeah, they have washing machines for laundry... but no dryers. I hope to have more details about that soon.
One last note before shutting it down and hitting the hay. Try for a moment to wrap your brain around this... What does one pack for a two month trip? It's hard enough to pack for a week! Here's my list: 24 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of capris, 2 pairs of shorts, several pairs of basketball shorts (thank you HS sports teams), ~20 tshirts, a handful of nicer tops, and one Purdue hoodie. That's not to mention the second checked bag that is stocked FULL of toiletries A-Z, medications, toilet paper, towels and shoes. I predicted 3 tubes of deodorant. I'll let you know how close my prediction comes :)
Again, no Internet access for me until Tuesday unless I get really lucky. You'll have to make this one last until then!
XOXO
Taxi cab instructions
One of our Chinese liaisons faxed this note to my professor last week. I am to print it and keep it with me always. It's my only ticket home if my cabbie happens to not speak any English :)
Beijing is Boilermaker Country
Check out this release from PurdueSports.com! Fellow Mortar Board member Kara Patterson kicked some butt and took some names at the Olympic Trials in the javelin throw. She was the first woman named to the USA Track & Field 2008 Olympic team!
Patterson Bound for Beijing
Patterson Bound for Beijing
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Maybe I'll take the train?
As it goes... yes, my daily ride to the Laoshan area is by mass public train transit.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it.
Today I got a Hepatitis A shot and a prescription for Ciprofloxacn, an anti-diarrheal antibiotic that you can't get OTC. Beautiful, I know. The Indiana Travel Medicine folks also sat me down and gave me the nitty-gritty on the do's and don'ts and the "if you eat this your digestive tract will never be the sames." I can't drink anything I didn't open myself, no ice, no raw or undercooked foods (meats or otherwise), nothing washed in water, no fruits or veggies I can't peel, and no salads... underlined. The bacteria on the far side of the world is different. So different, in fact, that a potential miss-eat could land me on the pot and out of commission for a good chunk of my trip. Yummy. I will shower normally, but I will brush my teeth in bottled water.
In other news, roommate assignments are out! Andrea and I have been paired up, and a link to her blog is up. It's called, "Beijing, Bicycles and a Very Big Wall." Check it out! We were on the same "debate team" for our qualification interview for this trip and have gotten to know each other a little bit. I'm looking forward to getting to know Andrea as we settle in to living in a Chinese dorm room for a couple of months!
Mom and I spent a good chunk of time (and money) waltzing about Wal-Mart, picking up toiletries and medications, and putting together a first-aid kit. Nanno will be in town tomorrow to help me pack. American Airlines allows two 70lbs checked bags and a 40lbs carry-on. Thursday holds a date with Nanny for lunch, followed by a dinner-date with some friends from home. Friday we'll be heading up to stay the night and experience Chicago's Independence Day celebrations with Bando Kelly. Saturday is the big day :)
I'm getting anxious and looking very forward to getting settled in Beijing.
XOXO
In other news, roommate assignments are out! Andrea and I have been paired up, and a link to her blog is up. It's called, "Beijing, Bicycles and a Very Big Wall." Check it out! We were on the same "debate team" for our qualification interview for this trip and have gotten to know each other a little bit. I'm looking forward to getting to know Andrea as we settle in to living in a Chinese dorm room for a couple of months!
Mom and I spent a good chunk of time (and money) waltzing about Wal-Mart, picking up toiletries and medications, and putting together a first-aid kit. Nanno will be in town tomorrow to help me pack. American Airlines allows two 70lbs checked bags and a 40lbs carry-on. Thursday holds a date with Nanny for lunch, followed by a dinner-date with some friends from home. Friday we'll be heading up to stay the night and experience Chicago's Independence Day celebrations with Bando Kelly. Saturday is the big day :)
I'm getting anxious and looking very forward to getting settled in Beijing.
XOXO
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