Two weeks ago I had perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience a Formula 1 race at the Shanghai International Circuit. If you have no idea what I about to talk about I would recommend a quick jot over to formula1.com. Now that we have you up to specs about this little talk lets get down to business.
As it stands Formula One is the pinnacle form of motor racing in the world. It pits highly engineered machinery with extreme athletes in a battle for victory. To the racing community there is no other substitute for Formula One (aka F1). Short of watching the air races in Reno Nevada you are not likely to see such an extreme example of; athleticism, engineering, physics, and strategy anywhere else in the world.
A typical race lasts around 57 laps of the circuit which works out to be roughly 2 hours (with all the time for accidents and misc events). This year the world circuit is hosting ten teams with two cars and drivers per team. The teams come from all over the world and the whole collection of them is something akin to a small U. N. Of course the typical names are present this year as they have been for nearly half a century. The names of Ferrari, Mercedes-McLaren, and BMW still carry great weight in this industry. In recent years though newcomers have entered the competition they are as follows; Red Bull, Toyota, Force India, and the newest of all Brawn GP. With such diverse teams the races are always interesting and exciting.
As a note to anyone now considering attending a F1 event caution they are not for the faint of heart. A F1 race is a mass of smells, tastes, sights, and very loud noises. If you do not believe me then imagine what an engine sounds like at 20,000rpms. Yes, 20,000rpms is the standard speed of a F1 engine. To a non-fan the noise is obnoxious and detrimental to one’s health. To those of us fortunate to love F1, a race is a symphony of throaty exhausts and perfect shifting accompanied by squealing of tires.
Shanghai was the first time I have had the opportunity to attend a F1 race in person. Growing up in England during the glory years of Michael Schumacher it seems only natural that I would grow to love the sport. At the age of twenty I was now in Shanghai to watch my first Formula 1 race in person. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this singular event was my reasoning for coming to China.
To me Formula One is more than just a race it is an extreme case of the beauty and simplicity of physics. When I watch a race it’s not about who wins the race but about watching the beauty of physics. There is something surreally beautiful about watching a Formula One car round a sharp corner. It is a representation of Newtonian physics working in beautiful harmony to generate forces and motion. It is hard for me to convey how beautiful I find this but to me the emotions are indescribable.
So now I was in Shanghai to watch this masterpiece of physics and athletics for my first time. The day of the race came and so did the rain that always haunts Shanghai. Sitting in the pouring rain and blowing wind I watch a Formula One race. I was cold and shivering that day but it still holds some of my most treasured memories.
Watching that single event has helped me, helped me understand life better. It’s hard to explain how but I know that these weeks here in China have changed me. They have altered me in ways that will shape and perhaps haunt me the rest of my life. It was only at this race that I started to full understand the transformation that is accruing inside of me.
I watched a car crash while I sitting in the stands at Shanghai. Perhaps it was that I knew the driver would survive it perhaps not but my first thought was how beautiful. I watched a couple hundred thousand dollars be destroyed in a hundredth of a second. A piece of a car constructed out of one the strongest composite materials was destroyed as though it was made of paper. And in that moment I realized how fragile our lives are but how they are all governed by universal truths.
In that moment I saw a beauty and complexity to the world that I have never seen before. Since that race the simple act of riding on the subway or sitting in cab can bring a smile to my face. I feel as though I am aware of some inside knowledge of the world. So many people go about there lives without realizing the absolute beauty of the world we live in.
The Shanghai Grand Prix and the weekend that surrounded it changed me. I had just come out of midterm exams and was pretty wrecked. I had spent a whole week prepping for those three exams and it showed on me on Friday night. But that weekend reenergized and restored me. I found a hidden beauty in the world and for that weekend it was my personal secret.
As for everything outside of the race it is as follows:
We left for Shanghai on the Friday night after midterms had finished. Our trip down would be on the highlight of Chinese rail system, a class D train (bullet train). The only hitch to our trip was that we would not have beds for out 10 hour train ride. For this trip we would be riding in soft seats for both parts of the trip. The train is beautiful, new, and clean the only problem is that the passengers don’t like to sleep on it. Our train depart Beijing Rail Station at 10 pm and people stay awake well into the early morning hours.
We arrived in Shanghai tired and bleary eyed but more than happy to meet the city with our adventurous spirit. A public bus and some walking delivered us to our hostel that I had booked a room. Well, I had booked a room but they couldn’t find the room reservation. So we left to find another set of accommodations somewhere else in Shanghai. We ended up in the Bund of Shanghai staying at the Captain’s Hostel. The room and the hostel were nice and convenient. The best part of the hostel was its beautiful bar upstairs that granted a view of the beautiful skyline.
Our time in Shanghai was a blur of visits, restaurants, and treats. We visited the Oriental Pearl Tower, the aquarium, and a great assortment of other random places. The best part of traveling in China is the food that you get at small hole in the wall restaurants. I know that it is risky to some extent to eat at those locations but the food is always better than the mast produced junk that you get at other restaurants.
My recommendations to any traveler in China are to eat where the locals do, ride public buses, and enjoy your time there.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Quick Thoughts
Just a random collection of thoughts that I have collected for the past ten weeks. Some of these ideas are interesting, some might be disgusting but all are a result of the things I have seen.
1. Dirty Ankles – No matter what I have done I always get dirty ankles here and I am not alone. It seems that everywhere you go the back of your ankles are always going to end up with grayish black grime covering it. Even with socks that climb your legs the grime still worms its way through and onto your ankles.
2. TP – Toilet Paper doesn’t have a roll in the center. You more likely to find it without a roll in the center than you are with. Also purchasing toilet paper with a roll comes with a price premium. Also as point to any potential travel there is never toilet paper or soap in any bathroom outside of the highest end of restaurants and hotels.
3. Milk - Milk comes in bags…yep plastic bags that you just shove a straw through and drink. It is a novel and interesting solution to how to store and carry your milk to and from.
4. Twinkling Street Lights – If you have the chance to look out at the stars you’ll notice that they twinkle back at you. This phenomenon occurs because of the dust and moisture in the air disrupts the path of the light. Well if you stand high on any building your likely to see the streetlights or the buildings twinkling.
5. Cranberry and Scotch - Sometimes you have to pay a premium for Cranberry juice and Scotch. I made the sacrifice and enjoyed a great but expensive night this past weekend. Real juice (not from concentrate) is hard to come by and always expensive. So next time you have some juice drink one for me.
1. Dirty Ankles – No matter what I have done I always get dirty ankles here and I am not alone. It seems that everywhere you go the back of your ankles are always going to end up with grayish black grime covering it. Even with socks that climb your legs the grime still worms its way through and onto your ankles.
2. TP – Toilet Paper doesn’t have a roll in the center. You more likely to find it without a roll in the center than you are with. Also purchasing toilet paper with a roll comes with a price premium. Also as point to any potential travel there is never toilet paper or soap in any bathroom outside of the highest end of restaurants and hotels.
3. Milk - Milk comes in bags…yep plastic bags that you just shove a straw through and drink. It is a novel and interesting solution to how to store and carry your milk to and from.
4. Twinkling Street Lights – If you have the chance to look out at the stars you’ll notice that they twinkle back at you. This phenomenon occurs because of the dust and moisture in the air disrupts the path of the light. Well if you stand high on any building your likely to see the streetlights or the buildings twinkling.
5. Cranberry and Scotch - Sometimes you have to pay a premium for Cranberry juice and Scotch. I made the sacrifice and enjoyed a great but expensive night this past weekend. Real juice (not from concentrate) is hard to come by and always expensive. So next time you have some juice drink one for me.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Tainjin for the day.
How do you travel nearly 120 miles in only half an hour and never leave good old terra firma? Simply board a high speed train in the Beijing South station and enjoy the ensuing ride. This past weekend Alex and I decided that we need to breakout of Beijing and explore the greater part of China. We decided that the closest victim was the city of Tianjin located about a 120 miles to the east of Beijing.
To start our journey we need to get to the southern train station for the 9:10, 9:20, or 9:30 train to Tianjin. The only difficultly is that getting to the train station would take nearly 90 minutes by subway or 45-60 minutes by taxi. So we were left with the dilemma on Friday night of deciding when to depart for our day long adventure. We decided on the taxi, hey we are students and we could use the extra thirty minutes of sleep.
So at 7:40am on Saturday morning we departed Tsinghua for the southern train station. With bleary eyes and bundled bodies we headed out into the chill March air. As we fought for a taxi a middle aged woman approached us and asked if we could share one. Feeling kind we agreed to share the taxi with her that morning. Nothing really eventful occurred in our shared ride but it was interesting to listen to a complete strange spill before us her life story and eagerly listen to ours.
I was intrigued into how someone could show so much interest and concern for another stranger’s life. We rode together for roughly fifteen minutes and the time we spent together she was eagerly listening and always ready with a quick question or point. Perhaps I am wrong but I think that this is perhaps one of the key strengths of humanity. How something as simple as sharing an experience (abroad student) can allow a bond to form so easily between complete strangers.
Now that I got the philosophy lesson out of the way I can address our trip again. So when you arrive at the southern station you get the sense that the Chinese do not mess around when it comes to building grand public structures. I was expecting an old and decaying soviet bloc looking brick and mortar operation. A structure built for just function and for no other purpose.
What we did see was a beautiful arrangement of glass and steal mixed ever so elegantly to formulate a beautiful curved structure. When standing inside you feel an overwhelming sense of space, even with hundreds of people crowded around you there is a sense that you are alone. There is no doubt in my mind that the designers of this building understood the true complexities and purpose this building.
Through small mounds rising up through the floor we descended to the platform below to meet our awaiting steed. If you are ever in China you MUST ride on the high speed rail system. There is an indescribable feeling that occurs when you zip across the surface of the earth at nearly a quarter the speed of sound. It seems so surreal to glance out and watch the landscape change with nearly every blink of one’s eyes. At nearly 350 kph its not hard to image why the scenery changes so rapidly outside ones window.
When we finally arrived in Tianjin we realized that while our train ride was somewhat planned we had no idea what to do now. So what else could we do but grab a random cab and ask to go to the nearest landmark that we could find. With this in mind we headed towards the Tianjin TV tower. If you have ever seen the Shanghai Oriental Pearl tower then you know the general shape of the Tianjin tower. While the shape is similar it takes noting that Shanghai’s building is a beautiful collection of glass, steel, and concrete. The Tianjin tower is not even close to the Shanghai tower, it resembles a power-plant cooling tower with a saucer plate sitting on top. Its ugly plain and simple.
The rest of our day was spent wandering without a clue or care. It was about this point that the epiphany struck. We were so happy to be here in Tianjin for the simple reason that it got us out of campus and Beijing. It was that realization that was absolutely liberating and invigorating. It helped to keep the fire inside alive.
I wrote the original part of this post about 3 weeks ago but never got around to the actual posting. In that time I have been to Xi’an and Shanghai and it does help to keep me going. The more time I spend in China the more I need to travel and get out campus and the grind. The grind is 4 hours a day 5 days a week for class and the same cafeteria food. It is relieving to just get out of campus and live without the grind hanging over your head. Now that midterms are done with I’ll be sure to post more often. Thanks to everyone for all there support ….It officially the halfway point!
If your interested in the rail system feel free to navigate around here curiosity of Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Railway_High-speed
To start our journey we need to get to the southern train station for the 9:10, 9:20, or 9:30 train to Tianjin. The only difficultly is that getting to the train station would take nearly 90 minutes by subway or 45-60 minutes by taxi. So we were left with the dilemma on Friday night of deciding when to depart for our day long adventure. We decided on the taxi, hey we are students and we could use the extra thirty minutes of sleep.
So at 7:40am on Saturday morning we departed Tsinghua for the southern train station. With bleary eyes and bundled bodies we headed out into the chill March air. As we fought for a taxi a middle aged woman approached us and asked if we could share one. Feeling kind we agreed to share the taxi with her that morning. Nothing really eventful occurred in our shared ride but it was interesting to listen to a complete strange spill before us her life story and eagerly listen to ours.
I was intrigued into how someone could show so much interest and concern for another stranger’s life. We rode together for roughly fifteen minutes and the time we spent together she was eagerly listening and always ready with a quick question or point. Perhaps I am wrong but I think that this is perhaps one of the key strengths of humanity. How something as simple as sharing an experience (abroad student) can allow a bond to form so easily between complete strangers.
Now that I got the philosophy lesson out of the way I can address our trip again. So when you arrive at the southern station you get the sense that the Chinese do not mess around when it comes to building grand public structures. I was expecting an old and decaying soviet bloc looking brick and mortar operation. A structure built for just function and for no other purpose.
What we did see was a beautiful arrangement of glass and steal mixed ever so elegantly to formulate a beautiful curved structure. When standing inside you feel an overwhelming sense of space, even with hundreds of people crowded around you there is a sense that you are alone. There is no doubt in my mind that the designers of this building understood the true complexities and purpose this building.
Through small mounds rising up through the floor we descended to the platform below to meet our awaiting steed. If you are ever in China you MUST ride on the high speed rail system. There is an indescribable feeling that occurs when you zip across the surface of the earth at nearly a quarter the speed of sound. It seems so surreal to glance out and watch the landscape change with nearly every blink of one’s eyes. At nearly 350 kph its not hard to image why the scenery changes so rapidly outside ones window.
When we finally arrived in Tianjin we realized that while our train ride was somewhat planned we had no idea what to do now. So what else could we do but grab a random cab and ask to go to the nearest landmark that we could find. With this in mind we headed towards the Tianjin TV tower. If you have ever seen the Shanghai Oriental Pearl tower then you know the general shape of the Tianjin tower. While the shape is similar it takes noting that Shanghai’s building is a beautiful collection of glass, steel, and concrete. The Tianjin tower is not even close to the Shanghai tower, it resembles a power-plant cooling tower with a saucer plate sitting on top. Its ugly plain and simple.
The rest of our day was spent wandering without a clue or care. It was about this point that the epiphany struck. We were so happy to be here in Tianjin for the simple reason that it got us out of campus and Beijing. It was that realization that was absolutely liberating and invigorating. It helped to keep the fire inside alive.
I wrote the original part of this post about 3 weeks ago but never got around to the actual posting. In that time I have been to Xi’an and Shanghai and it does help to keep me going. The more time I spend in China the more I need to travel and get out campus and the grind. The grind is 4 hours a day 5 days a week for class and the same cafeteria food. It is relieving to just get out of campus and live without the grind hanging over your head. Now that midterms are done with I’ll be sure to post more often. Thanks to everyone for all there support ….It officially the halfway point!
If your interested in the rail system feel free to navigate around here curiosity of Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Railway_High-speed
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wal-Mart – In China
I am told that there are four Wal-Mart Supercenters in Beijing and its suburbs. I can only speak to seeing two and being inside of one of the supercenters. To be completely blunt about the experience is simply the easiest way to proceed. The store looks and feels nothing like that of any American Wal-Mart I’ve seen or visited. The Wal-Mart south of Wudaokou is three stories with no distinct or understandable layout of the floor plan. Now that’s not to say that Wal-Mart doesn’t have a real floor plan its just that this westerner doesn’t understand or know the Wal-Mart plan. I am sure with all of their capital and human resources they must have a winning formula, I just don’t happen to understand it.
So you start on the top floor (entrance is on the third floor only) and get to see the personal hygiene, clothing, shoes, and household products. On the second/ middle/ ground floor you have consumer electronics, books, furniture and other large household items. It is also of note that the second floor/ground floor is also the floor with the cash registers and checkout process. As a point of interest in china each cashier line has two cashiers and plastic bags cost extra (10 mao (our cents) per bag). The common opinion among us expats (expatriated students) is that this is done to prevent waste and lower the demand for plastics in the country.
Now back to the store:
The first and basement floor is the food section of the supercenter with all sorts of meats, vegetables, and dried goods. So now you the reader are wondering what did he mean no layout or floor plan. You just spent two paragraphs describing it. Yes I did and no there is no great floor plan than that. As to the arrangement and distribution of items on the floor is what my original point was about. There is no (seemingly) order to why the shoes go next to baby goods and cosmetics next to clothing. It just seems like that is the accepted way.
For those of you who own Wal-Mart stock let me put your minds to rest. I have visited this store multiple times and at all hours of the day always to find it packed with paying customers. To those of you who think a line on black Friday is bad I would ask you to come to a Chinese Wal-Mart on Thursday or Friday nights in China. Now I am sure the casual reader has determined a flaw in the Wal-Mart scheme in China.
Perhaps that is how do people move their carts through all the floors? Elevators, Stairs, Teleportation, their backs all seem like plausible answers to this question. The true answer is even simpler and more elegant. They have escalators that take the customer from floor to floor and don’t worry about the cart sliding down without you. The engineer who came up with this solution gave that issue an even more elegant solution, magnets. Four high strength magnets lock your cart into the escalator.
I am sure that this little post might raise some questions so feel free to email me and I’ll try to post some pictures from my next visit to help explain this. As to my next post its going to cover this past weekend (Tianjin and the Great Wall).
So you start on the top floor (entrance is on the third floor only) and get to see the personal hygiene, clothing, shoes, and household products. On the second/ middle/ ground floor you have consumer electronics, books, furniture and other large household items. It is also of note that the second floor/ground floor is also the floor with the cash registers and checkout process. As a point of interest in china each cashier line has two cashiers and plastic bags cost extra (10 mao (our cents) per bag). The common opinion among us expats (expatriated students) is that this is done to prevent waste and lower the demand for plastics in the country.
Now back to the store:
The first and basement floor is the food section of the supercenter with all sorts of meats, vegetables, and dried goods. So now you the reader are wondering what did he mean no layout or floor plan. You just spent two paragraphs describing it. Yes I did and no there is no great floor plan than that. As to the arrangement and distribution of items on the floor is what my original point was about. There is no (seemingly) order to why the shoes go next to baby goods and cosmetics next to clothing. It just seems like that is the accepted way.
For those of you who own Wal-Mart stock let me put your minds to rest. I have visited this store multiple times and at all hours of the day always to find it packed with paying customers. To those of you who think a line on black Friday is bad I would ask you to come to a Chinese Wal-Mart on Thursday or Friday nights in China. Now I am sure the casual reader has determined a flaw in the Wal-Mart scheme in China.
Perhaps that is how do people move their carts through all the floors? Elevators, Stairs, Teleportation, their backs all seem like plausible answers to this question. The true answer is even simpler and more elegant. They have escalators that take the customer from floor to floor and don’t worry about the cart sliding down without you. The engineer who came up with this solution gave that issue an even more elegant solution, magnets. Four high strength magnets lock your cart into the escalator.
I am sure that this little post might raise some questions so feel free to email me and I’ll try to post some pictures from my next visit to help explain this. As to my next post its going to cover this past weekend (Tianjin and the Great Wall).
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Dancing Noodleier
Don’t let this title lead you anywhere because my guess is that the your guess would be completely off as to what your about to read. The 27th of March brought with it besides a week of exams a desire to get off of campus and out into the real world for dinner. So out the door and onto the street my merry treo went at 7:00pm hoping to beat the rush (by going late and yes 7 is late in China). A quick taxi ride downtown to follow a recommendation given by speaking professor delivered us to Hai Di Lao restaurant.
The front was intimidating, blazon in fiery red and shimmer gold paint and neon signs. The building dominated its surroundings even though it stood only a few stories high. Its glowing signs and the commotion of guest lead to the conclusion that it must be worth the drive down. This conclusion came about because it was now 7:45 a time when most Chinese seem to be long done with dinner. A jot up the small flight of stairs delivered us to the dinner and fun.
Once inside we were greeted by an attendant that offered us a grey liquid that I would most likely classify as soybean tea. Then even before sitting down in the packed waiting room we were whisked away. Yes! We thought, westerners get special priority or seating whatever it was we were going to eat soon. Our collective hopes were dashed and as we were deposited deep within the belly of the restaurant to sit at small plastic chairs. A quick glance around the room revealed that some fortunate souls were sitting at tables and enjoying real food but scattered within the alleys between tables were those of us condemned to the purgatory of only seeing and smelling of good food. A row of us forsaken souls huddled together drink our grey liquid and glancing towards the doorway leading into the room, hoping, hoping for our moment of liberation.
Then it came! They pointed at me! I was sure of it. A quick finger gesture at myself and a nod confirmed it. Yes! Dinner! We walked back out of the maze that took us deep inside the restaurant towards the front and a table being cleaned by the fastest bus service I’ve ever witnessed. As for dinner it was the traditional Chinese Hot Pot with Beef, Spinach, Lamb, Lotus, and Cabbage boiled on the table in either spicy or bland water. We finished dinner with the local brew (Yangjing and Qingdao) and then waited for the magic to begin.
See the true reason for coming to this restaurant was to see the dancing noodle man as my teacher called them. When your done with the main course a bus boy/noodleier (I made it up) comes out and twirls a 12 inch piece of dough. Taking that 12 inches he turns into a about a four foot circle that he proceeds to dance and twirl with. To say the least the event is quite enjoyable and the noodleier takes great fun at trying to throw the noodle in the guest direction causing them to flinch. If you want a mental picture imagine the gymnasts that do twirling with streamers in the Olympics only now they twirl and dance a roll of dough in-between tables and guests. After two rounds of noodles and $25.00 spent (Total cost for dinner, drinks, etc) we returned home. It was only 9:30, an early night by any standard but I swear we needed our rest for tomorrow we rode to Tianjian on a train doing 350kph (217mph).
The front was intimidating, blazon in fiery red and shimmer gold paint and neon signs. The building dominated its surroundings even though it stood only a few stories high. Its glowing signs and the commotion of guest lead to the conclusion that it must be worth the drive down. This conclusion came about because it was now 7:45 a time when most Chinese seem to be long done with dinner. A jot up the small flight of stairs delivered us to the dinner and fun.
Once inside we were greeted by an attendant that offered us a grey liquid that I would most likely classify as soybean tea. Then even before sitting down in the packed waiting room we were whisked away. Yes! We thought, westerners get special priority or seating whatever it was we were going to eat soon. Our collective hopes were dashed and as we were deposited deep within the belly of the restaurant to sit at small plastic chairs. A quick glance around the room revealed that some fortunate souls were sitting at tables and enjoying real food but scattered within the alleys between tables were those of us condemned to the purgatory of only seeing and smelling of good food. A row of us forsaken souls huddled together drink our grey liquid and glancing towards the doorway leading into the room, hoping, hoping for our moment of liberation.
Then it came! They pointed at me! I was sure of it. A quick finger gesture at myself and a nod confirmed it. Yes! Dinner! We walked back out of the maze that took us deep inside the restaurant towards the front and a table being cleaned by the fastest bus service I’ve ever witnessed. As for dinner it was the traditional Chinese Hot Pot with Beef, Spinach, Lamb, Lotus, and Cabbage boiled on the table in either spicy or bland water. We finished dinner with the local brew (Yangjing and Qingdao) and then waited for the magic to begin.
See the true reason for coming to this restaurant was to see the dancing noodle man as my teacher called them. When your done with the main course a bus boy/noodleier (I made it up) comes out and twirls a 12 inch piece of dough. Taking that 12 inches he turns into a about a four foot circle that he proceeds to dance and twirl with. To say the least the event is quite enjoyable and the noodleier takes great fun at trying to throw the noodle in the guest direction causing them to flinch. If you want a mental picture imagine the gymnasts that do twirling with streamers in the Olympics only now they twirl and dance a roll of dough in-between tables and guests. After two rounds of noodles and $25.00 spent (Total cost for dinner, drinks, etc) we returned home. It was only 9:30, an early night by any standard but I swear we needed our rest for tomorrow we rode to Tianjian on a train doing 350kph (217mph).
You’ve lost that loving Feelin’
Taking a cue from my favorite movie (Top Gun) I had a chance to unmistakably embarrass the hell out of myself. You see in China if you’re late for class the make you sing and dance in front of class as punishment. Well as fate (the hunter) would have it two of my good fellow Americans were late one morning this past week. So thanks to them and a miss understanding on my part (I can speak, read and write but I can’t listen) I ended up having to share the punishment also.
So knowing that this was going to be bad no matter what I decided to live out a little role playing. I and the other male vocalist decided to play Mav and Goose from Top Gun and the teacher filled the role of Kelly McGillis. Little to her knowledge we were about to serenade her with sweet music from the Righteous Brothers and then end it with the finale of “I am a little tea pot” (two people late = two songs). Starting off with “You’ve lost that loving feeling” and moving through to our final act was a blast. The four unknowing Korean girls in the glass were aghast as we sung to our teacher and the remaining American girl danced and lipped sung with us. Reaching the peak of my lyrical career we decided with no for-thought to finish with the All-American classic “I am a little teapot” with the accompanying hand motions and gestures.
All considered it was a blast for someone who hates to be embarrassed in public like that. I think that perhaps it was one of my best memories so far in this adventure. As to all of you who may be wondering, yes there is video provided by a one Rustin from Kazakhstan. I’ll be sure to try and secure a copy before my return to the states.
So knowing that this was going to be bad no matter what I decided to live out a little role playing. I and the other male vocalist decided to play Mav and Goose from Top Gun and the teacher filled the role of Kelly McGillis. Little to her knowledge we were about to serenade her with sweet music from the Righteous Brothers and then end it with the finale of “I am a little tea pot” (two people late = two songs). Starting off with “You’ve lost that loving feeling” and moving through to our final act was a blast. The four unknowing Korean girls in the glass were aghast as we sung to our teacher and the remaining American girl danced and lipped sung with us. Reaching the peak of my lyrical career we decided with no for-thought to finish with the All-American classic “I am a little teapot” with the accompanying hand motions and gestures.
All considered it was a blast for someone who hates to be embarrassed in public like that. I think that perhaps it was one of my best memories so far in this adventure. As to all of you who may be wondering, yes there is video provided by a one Rustin from Kazakhstan. I’ll be sure to try and secure a copy before my return to the states.
Meeting an Old Friend:
I had a chance to meet up with my old professor and great friend last weekend for a quick night out on Beijing. John taught me Chinese my freshman year for a semester before he returned to Beijing to teach at a University in the city. This arranged meeting took place after weeks of phone and email tag and shuffling of schedules. Finally we had a time and date that seemed firm.
To give you a mental picture it’s a beautiful Saturday evening in Beijing. It’s been windy the night before and early into the morning hours so now the sky is beautifully clear. To my west you can see the beautiful ridgeline that boards Beijing and the setting orb that we call the sun. Around four John calls to tell me that he is coming to pick me up in front of my dorm.
I never got a clear answer and that’s because I never asked for it (really rude) as to why it took him an hour to find me but that’s life. I had a chance to survey the sky and take in the beauty of the setting sun. After the cursory handshake and entry into his car I gave him the customary gift (always give your host a gift in China) of some distinctly American things.
As a note to the reader in China gifts are expected anytime someone else is hosting you. Appropriate gifts are tea sets, chocolate, paintings, and anything that is distinctly your culture. Also of note is that the actual value of the object does not really matter it’s the act/thought that they respect. But do not give a clock watches are acceptable but not clocks. The reason is that the word clock uses a word in Chinese that is similar to death so giving it will be accepted as saying “go die”.
Back to the recanting:
John had me as a captive audience to practice his English and me my Chinese as we drove across Beijing visiting the Olympic pavilions, the Bell tower, cultural park and other local sights. All the sights were beautiful and I have the pictures to prove it but most of all I enjoyed the company of an old friend. Laoshi (teacher) as I refer to John allowed me gave me an opportunity to unwind and relax. A couple of things stuck in my mind from that night.
The first is that he asked me whether or not I was becoming a monk. That question which he delivered in Chinese gave me some raised eyebrows. Perhaps I misunderstood his question was my first thought but no I had heard the correct words. “No, no I am not becoming a monk, why do you ask?” came my reply. “Oh well you are at the monk university didn’t you know?” was his response. The monk university, what was he talking about was my first thought. I had been on campus nearly five weeks at this point and I still hadn’t seen a single monk.
After much confusion and stumbling (thanks to my Chinese not his English) I came to understand the original question. Tsinghua is the paramount Engineering and Physics university in China similar to our MIT or RPI. His question was directed towards the absolute disproportion of men to women. In a school of 34,000 I would guess that maybe 3,000 are women. So to answer his question no I was not becoming a monk.
The night ended eating what the Chinese consider a rare and expensive delicacy, Shark Fin soup. I am not going to go into detail about this because I don’t know enough to argue for or against it. I will say that there is controversy over this soup and by animal and conservation groups. As to the actual eating of the soup well its good but I wouldn’t pick it again. Its fish, oily, and too expensive. That night was a well need break from the mundane routine that four hours a day of class can provide. I was glad to be out and on the road with a good friend to keep me company.
To give you a mental picture it’s a beautiful Saturday evening in Beijing. It’s been windy the night before and early into the morning hours so now the sky is beautifully clear. To my west you can see the beautiful ridgeline that boards Beijing and the setting orb that we call the sun. Around four John calls to tell me that he is coming to pick me up in front of my dorm.
I never got a clear answer and that’s because I never asked for it (really rude) as to why it took him an hour to find me but that’s life. I had a chance to survey the sky and take in the beauty of the setting sun. After the cursory handshake and entry into his car I gave him the customary gift (always give your host a gift in China) of some distinctly American things.
As a note to the reader in China gifts are expected anytime someone else is hosting you. Appropriate gifts are tea sets, chocolate, paintings, and anything that is distinctly your culture. Also of note is that the actual value of the object does not really matter it’s the act/thought that they respect. But do not give a clock watches are acceptable but not clocks. The reason is that the word clock uses a word in Chinese that is similar to death so giving it will be accepted as saying “go die”.
Back to the recanting:
John had me as a captive audience to practice his English and me my Chinese as we drove across Beijing visiting the Olympic pavilions, the Bell tower, cultural park and other local sights. All the sights were beautiful and I have the pictures to prove it but most of all I enjoyed the company of an old friend. Laoshi (teacher) as I refer to John allowed me gave me an opportunity to unwind and relax. A couple of things stuck in my mind from that night.
The first is that he asked me whether or not I was becoming a monk. That question which he delivered in Chinese gave me some raised eyebrows. Perhaps I misunderstood his question was my first thought but no I had heard the correct words. “No, no I am not becoming a monk, why do you ask?” came my reply. “Oh well you are at the monk university didn’t you know?” was his response. The monk university, what was he talking about was my first thought. I had been on campus nearly five weeks at this point and I still hadn’t seen a single monk.
After much confusion and stumbling (thanks to my Chinese not his English) I came to understand the original question. Tsinghua is the paramount Engineering and Physics university in China similar to our MIT or RPI. His question was directed towards the absolute disproportion of men to women. In a school of 34,000 I would guess that maybe 3,000 are women. So to answer his question no I was not becoming a monk.
The night ended eating what the Chinese consider a rare and expensive delicacy, Shark Fin soup. I am not going to go into detail about this because I don’t know enough to argue for or against it. I will say that there is controversy over this soup and by animal and conservation groups. As to the actual eating of the soup well its good but I wouldn’t pick it again. Its fish, oily, and too expensive. That night was a well need break from the mundane routine that four hours a day of class can provide. I was glad to be out and on the road with a good friend to keep me company.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Long day but good times
It was about two weeks ago when I had the chance to set out and truly explore some of the settings in Beijing. On a bright and sunny Saturday morning I set out with the company of two good friends to discover the experience that is Beijing. A quick two mile jot to the subway and a good 30 minute ride delivered us to downtown Beijing. Now buried deep inside of Beijing we set out to discover the world around us.
Our first stop was Xidan, which we were told was a great shopping center. Don’t get me wrong it is a beautiful place to shop…if you have access to considerable capital. The only good find in the Xidan area was a music shop that both Lawrence and I decided to try. Our purchases of local Chinese rock turn out to be a fortunate thing. We greatly enjoyed the time in the shop but we knew that we needed substance.
Crossing the street we arrived at a large super center of stores. In through the door and up through the maze of escalator took us to the top floor and lunch. Buried deep inside of this large complex of shops and vendors was a figurative pot of gold. Never in my life before has mall food tasted so good or look so interesting. In a somewhat cafeteria sort of way you navigate a maze of tables and small vendors searching for whatever smell attracts you.
It took a few minutes but we (Alex, Lawrence and I) were successful in finding a pleasing combination of food, seating, and comfort. We ended up settling on some dumplings (states-side: pot stickers), stuffed buns, tea, and Alex opted for some soup. To be absolutely honest the food was some of the best I’ve had here in China. I would compare our meal to comfort food state-side. It was steaming hot, greasy, juice, and onion and chive filled confections of bliss. The reader need not worry about our health for we made sure to purchase a few of the hot buns for later incase we started to waste away.
Done with our amazing gift we boarded the subway and headed northeast. Arriving at our destination I was planning on making a pick-up. A bag that I had left state side was waiting for me in at the Hilton hotel. I was an absolute pleasure to go inside of building and be surrounded by familiar and comforting sights, sounds, and smells. With my backpack in hand we once again board the subway and headed south.
Our next destination was the Beijing silk market. The silk market is a collection of vendors that can offer you any possible good or product imaginable. If you are ever in Beijing it is an absolute must to experience the silk market. Deep within its folds we navigated the vendors and shops seeking a vast range of items and most importantly the experience itself. With our loads heavy and our bodies tired we exited the silk market and headed for home. A forty-five minute cab ride (should have been only 20 minutes) that took us through Beijing rush hour added another flavor to our expedition. Having spent nearly eight hours out exploring and walking we retired for a respite.
Have no fear though…around 8:30pm Lawrence and I decided that hunger was going to drive us back out into the night’s frosty grip. With firm resolve and much good humor we headed for a hot-pot restaurant. Once inside the restaurant we had to order…thankfully my Chinese and the pictures help a great deal in this part of the night. The food was incredibly spicy and the staff got much enjoyment out of our lack of language skills. We ended up eating lotus roots, cabbage, beef, asparagus, and bean sprouts in a fire hot (spicy) boiling confection. After nearly two hours of good food and tea Lawrence and I returned to our dorm and the comforts of our beds.
The next morning greeted me with sore feet (I decided to break-in new shoes the day before) and fond memories. While that day past in a blur…I treasure it as dearly and any other.
Our first stop was Xidan, which we were told was a great shopping center. Don’t get me wrong it is a beautiful place to shop…if you have access to considerable capital. The only good find in the Xidan area was a music shop that both Lawrence and I decided to try. Our purchases of local Chinese rock turn out to be a fortunate thing. We greatly enjoyed the time in the shop but we knew that we needed substance.
Crossing the street we arrived at a large super center of stores. In through the door and up through the maze of escalator took us to the top floor and lunch. Buried deep inside of this large complex of shops and vendors was a figurative pot of gold. Never in my life before has mall food tasted so good or look so interesting. In a somewhat cafeteria sort of way you navigate a maze of tables and small vendors searching for whatever smell attracts you.
It took a few minutes but we (Alex, Lawrence and I) were successful in finding a pleasing combination of food, seating, and comfort. We ended up settling on some dumplings (states-side: pot stickers), stuffed buns, tea, and Alex opted for some soup. To be absolutely honest the food was some of the best I’ve had here in China. I would compare our meal to comfort food state-side. It was steaming hot, greasy, juice, and onion and chive filled confections of bliss. The reader need not worry about our health for we made sure to purchase a few of the hot buns for later incase we started to waste away.
Done with our amazing gift we boarded the subway and headed northeast. Arriving at our destination I was planning on making a pick-up. A bag that I had left state side was waiting for me in at the Hilton hotel. I was an absolute pleasure to go inside of building and be surrounded by familiar and comforting sights, sounds, and smells. With my backpack in hand we once again board the subway and headed south.
Our next destination was the Beijing silk market. The silk market is a collection of vendors that can offer you any possible good or product imaginable. If you are ever in Beijing it is an absolute must to experience the silk market. Deep within its folds we navigated the vendors and shops seeking a vast range of items and most importantly the experience itself. With our loads heavy and our bodies tired we exited the silk market and headed for home. A forty-five minute cab ride (should have been only 20 minutes) that took us through Beijing rush hour added another flavor to our expedition. Having spent nearly eight hours out exploring and walking we retired for a respite.
Have no fear though…around 8:30pm Lawrence and I decided that hunger was going to drive us back out into the night’s frosty grip. With firm resolve and much good humor we headed for a hot-pot restaurant. Once inside the restaurant we had to order…thankfully my Chinese and the pictures help a great deal in this part of the night. The food was incredibly spicy and the staff got much enjoyment out of our lack of language skills. We ended up eating lotus roots, cabbage, beef, asparagus, and bean sprouts in a fire hot (spicy) boiling confection. After nearly two hours of good food and tea Lawrence and I returned to our dorm and the comforts of our beds.
The next morning greeted me with sore feet (I decided to break-in new shoes the day before) and fond memories. While that day past in a blur…I treasure it as dearly and any other.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Snapshots
Some snapshots that I've been meaning to upload for everyone to see. Hope these images give you a better perspective of my life here in Beijing.
Me and Xiao Pengyou
Karl Dancing inside the Forbidden City
The National Theater
Home is the third from the right on the fifth floor
Last seat in Business Class on a United 777
Outside the LiQun Duck Restaurant
Lawrence eating some duck
Alex and Xiao Pengyou
Me and Xiao Pengyou
Karl Dancing inside the Forbidden City
The National Theater
Home is the third from the right on the fifth floor
Last seat in Business Class on a United 777
Outside the LiQun Duck Restaurant
Lawrence eating some duck
Alex and Xiao Pengyou
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Twilight Zone
Imagine yourself, if you will in a place and time that is not normal. Imagine yourself sitting in Beijing Tea Cafe. The surroundings are familiar but yet foreign in a intangible regard. Something that no matter how much time you study will not reveal itself to you. No I do not mean the fact that beside two other people I am the only none Asian in the room and its not the language either. Well I had this revelation last Sunday evening sitting in a tea shop above a beautiful bookstore. Being in China you will notice that the mega-chains while present have yet to take over the populace.
In America a simple night out may end at a number of franchised restaurants or fast food chain. But while those restaurants are present they have yet to have taken the country. I would say that they only now have a very simple beachhead in the Chinese market. So instead of being in a Starbucks or a Boarders Cafe I was sitting in some entrepreneurs business. While resting myself in this beautiful locale I was granted access to a perhaps once in a life experience.
Sitting alone at a table covered with chinese books, paper, pens, and an assortment of coffee flavored drinks I was diligently working. What I did not know was that by the end of the day I would be greatly humbled and amused by once simple incident. Being the individual I am (size and height) I do not go easily unnoticed in a public setting and this was the case today. Hidden behind my books and listening to my ipod I was oblivious to the fact that fate was walking up to my table.
A cough, one simple action ripped me from my studies and opened the door to my humbling experience. I glance up revealed a man in his thirties and a child at his waist. With near perfect english the man asked if his son could sit with me. Sure was my quick reply, I wouldn't mind the company. So it began, it began with the simple act of a child sitting across from me. It started of simply we were both reading and then it happened. A question, I had a simpile question that was all and with an upward glance I started to ponder.
Then it happened. The small child sitting across from me noticed my perplexed look and then asked, "Do you need help?". "Why yes" I said yes I do need help probably in more than one way though. So with small steps my little companion arrived at my side and started to peer at my question. "Oh that....thats easy...here...just write this", said my small friend. Really, really, it was really that simple...no it couldn't have been. "Okay" I thought that was kinda a softball question but the next one that had me stumped was sure to get my short little friend. It sadly did not and I felt even more deflated by this. When finished with me my small friend who we would later name (xiao pengyou - literally small friend) proceeded to help the two other westerners with me.
Once finished with the three of us our small friend returned to his seat and book. Once thing that I forgot to mention in this retelling of the story is that throughout the experience our small chinese friend was speaking near perfect english and chinese. Yes our small friend who I would later discover was 10 had helped three college aged individuals with a combined age of 60. Yes, xiao pengyou humbled us greatly. His family returned around two hours after their departure and we thanked them in our broken chinese and told them how smart their son was.
We walked back to campus about two hours later humbled. We never learned his name but our thanks go out to xiao pengyou and yes all his answers and guidance were correct.
In America a simple night out may end at a number of franchised restaurants or fast food chain. But while those restaurants are present they have yet to have taken the country. I would say that they only now have a very simple beachhead in the Chinese market. So instead of being in a Starbucks or a Boarders Cafe I was sitting in some entrepreneurs business. While resting myself in this beautiful locale I was granted access to a perhaps once in a life experience.
Sitting alone at a table covered with chinese books, paper, pens, and an assortment of coffee flavored drinks I was diligently working. What I did not know was that by the end of the day I would be greatly humbled and amused by once simple incident. Being the individual I am (size and height) I do not go easily unnoticed in a public setting and this was the case today. Hidden behind my books and listening to my ipod I was oblivious to the fact that fate was walking up to my table.
A cough, one simple action ripped me from my studies and opened the door to my humbling experience. I glance up revealed a man in his thirties and a child at his waist. With near perfect english the man asked if his son could sit with me. Sure was my quick reply, I wouldn't mind the company. So it began, it began with the simple act of a child sitting across from me. It started of simply we were both reading and then it happened. A question, I had a simpile question that was all and with an upward glance I started to ponder.
Then it happened. The small child sitting across from me noticed my perplexed look and then asked, "Do you need help?". "Why yes" I said yes I do need help probably in more than one way though. So with small steps my little companion arrived at my side and started to peer at my question. "Oh that....thats easy...here...just write this", said my small friend. Really, really, it was really that simple...no it couldn't have been. "Okay" I thought that was kinda a softball question but the next one that had me stumped was sure to get my short little friend. It sadly did not and I felt even more deflated by this. When finished with me my small friend who we would later name (xiao pengyou - literally small friend) proceeded to help the two other westerners with me.
Once finished with the three of us our small friend returned to his seat and book. Once thing that I forgot to mention in this retelling of the story is that throughout the experience our small chinese friend was speaking near perfect english and chinese. Yes our small friend who I would later discover was 10 had helped three college aged individuals with a combined age of 60. Yes, xiao pengyou humbled us greatly. His family returned around two hours after their departure and we thanked them in our broken chinese and told them how smart their son was.
We walked back to campus about two hours later humbled. We never learned his name but our thanks go out to xiao pengyou and yes all his answers and guidance were correct.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Rusty but not so trusty
Last Wednesday night my faithful friends (Alex – A girl from
To preface the next part of this tale I must inform the reader what my bicycle looks like. Its big…probably the largest bike they sell in
The ride home…
I am lucky that I did not die that night. While riding back up a dark street on campus I noticed that something wasn’t working right. With every down stroke on the left pedal a slipping motion occurred. At first I thought that perhaps it was just my shoes slipping on the pedal....boy was I wrong. I continued down the darkened road closing the distance to my dorm when I noticed a light from behind. Relief washed over me when I realized that the lights were the bright blue of a newer model car. Relief that I wasn’t going to be forced to the curb by a taxi (I think it’s a sport for them). As the car, which I had identified as an Audi A6 started to pass me I noticed something was going very wrong.
The left pedal dropped away on a down stroke. Yep dropped right off the side of the bike and into the street. Don’t worry its not essential to the operation of the bicycle…oh wait it is. Now I was left with one pedal and two cars on the left side of me. Yes the Audi decided that he needed to pass me while another car was going the opposite way. One thing that you learn early in every physics class is about inertia and momentum. With out the left pedal I was left with a leg creating unequal force. Naturally the bike translated this unequal force in to a wobble. Now I am not a small person by an use of the word. So my legs generate quite a large amount of work/force with each stroke. So a wobble for me is something short of hurricane.
So I am left wobbling between two passing cars and the curb in near pitch black conditions. It was so fun to say the least because as I started to wobble the Audi decided that he was a part-time taxi driver. Remember what I said about the taxi driver sport (driving bicycles to the curb) well I was about to do that dance not with a $15,000 Hyundai but with a $90,000 Audi. The honking and swerving on both of our parts lasted a second if that…but it was one of those times that seems to drag by.
I made a successful stop and recovery of my missing left pedal. Using my vast skill set I properly re-placed the pedal with a swift kick from the vertical axis. With it somewhat secured I made the rest of the journey home uneventfully. Sadly trusty rusty (the nickname for my bike) is no longer trusty but don’t worry she is still rusty.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
All the Movement none of the fun
Sunday I decide was the day to once again explore the city of Beijing. I headed out pretty early in the morning trying to beat the crowds that I knew would form. Hoping on the subway I traveled south into the heart of Beijing. Once deep inside of Beijing I transfered trains. At this station transfer I was crowed onto the next car of the blue line on the subway. It was impressive how many bodies can be fitted on to a single car. As we rode on to the next station there were was more bumping and grinding by everyone. At the next platform the impossible happened, we put even more people on to the car. At this point breathing became a hazard as we all had to breath in union with each other otherwise we might crush a few.
We continued to ride like this for a couple of stations before the passenger load started to thin out a little. At Xuanwu station I got off the car and headed out of the station. The first stop of my day was NanTang or the Southern Cathedral. I choose to stop here first because I really wanted to see the incorporation of catholic architecture in China. I have to say that both the compound and the church are gorgeous. From my brief stop there I returned to the subway.
Back on the train I had very few stops to wait before my next stop. At Jiangou station I got off the train again in order see the Beijing Ancient Observatory. The observatory is one of the oldest in the world and the artifacts are beyond impressive. The amount of science that came out of the building prior to the 19th century is staggering. All of it done with the naked eye and simple yet elegant tools. After nearly two hours out I decided to brave the return trip.
I got on the subway and head towards campus and some food. The ride home was the same as down, crowded and interesting. I have to say that I greatly enjoy the ability to just jump on the subway and explore the city. Besides the price is really cheap and it is always fun to be shoved into a metal tube and bounced around. So next weekend I think I am going to go to the Military Museum or something along those lines.
We continued to ride like this for a couple of stations before the passenger load started to thin out a little. At Xuanwu station I got off the car and headed out of the station. The first stop of my day was NanTang or the Southern Cathedral. I choose to stop here first because I really wanted to see the incorporation of catholic architecture in China. I have to say that both the compound and the church are gorgeous. From my brief stop there I returned to the subway.
Back on the train I had very few stops to wait before my next stop. At Jiangou station I got off the train again in order see the Beijing Ancient Observatory. The observatory is one of the oldest in the world and the artifacts are beyond impressive. The amount of science that came out of the building prior to the 19th century is staggering. All of it done with the naked eye and simple yet elegant tools. After nearly two hours out I decided to brave the return trip.
I got on the subway and head towards campus and some food. The ride home was the same as down, crowded and interesting. I have to say that I greatly enjoy the ability to just jump on the subway and explore the city. Besides the price is really cheap and it is always fun to be shoved into a metal tube and bounced around. So next weekend I think I am going to go to the Military Museum or something along those lines.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Chicken's Heart, Cow's Tonuge, and Homemade Wine? - All in a night's work
Agreeing to go out on the town is never hard when the other option is sitting alone in your room. The idea of meeting more westerners is not only a positive it is also all the incentive I need. So with this in mind two night's ago I decide to venture out on the town with Karl and a group of people that I had yet to meet. Our night started out well, we had a nice collection of 8 individuals looking for good food and companionship.
So off we set on our journey by foot and by cab. Our original destination was not what we had thought it was. So with that in mind we set off to wandering the streets of Beijing. With the bitter cold and winds tearing the heat away from our bodies we shuffled across the sidewalk. At the first sign of food we stopped to debate what our next course of action should be...we had very limit options here. So we choose the closest and hopefully warmest of eateries.
Once inside we realized that we had arrived at a buffet of sorts. The atmosphere was interesting....it had a ambieance that you just can't explain. Anyways the food was the interesting part of the adventure. It was simple at first but it quickly became more interesting. At first simple meat was given to the table of 8 and then some cooked fruit....slowly more interesting items were brought out to our table. Before we knew it I had chicken's heart, cow's tongue, and what we were told was homemade red wine. All the food was quite enjoyable...the homemade wine was something less than enjoyable. The wine tasted of grape coolaid mixed with grain alcohol. To say the least I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. As for the food at first the idea of eating chicken's heart or other foods would sound repulsive but why not....your in China...might as well. So my idea....eat everything they give you....and just go for it. The first week on the ground has been a great deal of fun and I am looking forward to future adventures.
So off we set on our journey by foot and by cab. Our original destination was not what we had thought it was. So with that in mind we set off to wandering the streets of Beijing. With the bitter cold and winds tearing the heat away from our bodies we shuffled across the sidewalk. At the first sign of food we stopped to debate what our next course of action should be...we had very limit options here. So we choose the closest and hopefully warmest of eateries.
Once inside we realized that we had arrived at a buffet of sorts. The atmosphere was interesting....it had a ambieance that you just can't explain. Anyways the food was the interesting part of the adventure. It was simple at first but it quickly became more interesting. At first simple meat was given to the table of 8 and then some cooked fruit....slowly more interesting items were brought out to our table. Before we knew it I had chicken's heart, cow's tongue, and what we were told was homemade red wine. All the food was quite enjoyable...the homemade wine was something less than enjoyable. The wine tasted of grape coolaid mixed with grain alcohol. To say the least I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. As for the food at first the idea of eating chicken's heart or other foods would sound repulsive but why not....your in China...might as well. So my idea....eat everything they give you....and just go for it. The first week on the ground has been a great deal of fun and I am looking forward to future adventures.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Chinese not necessary...cycling skills a must
So it seems that the ability to speak is helpful here in Beijing but if you can't ride a bicycle then it seems your condemned to die. Ok...well maybe not die but you will be walking a great deal just trying to get between places. I was a little unsure of whether or not I really wanted to buy a bicycle. Thankfully my worries seem to be put to rest. The normally long walk across campus to the store was restored to a short jot on my trusty and rusty cycle.
Observations
-When they say hot water only three times a day well they really mean it. Trying to get a shower early was quite a bad (and cold) life choice.
-Having daily cleaning service to work through my room is quite nice.
-Ordering Orange juice with every meal seems to give the drink lady a good kick everyday....I am glad I can brighten her day.
-Photos are now posted on my flickr account
Observations
-When they say hot water only three times a day well they really mean it. Trying to get a shower early was quite a bad (and cold) life choice.
-Having daily cleaning service to work through my room is quite nice.
-Ordering Orange juice with every meal seems to give the drink lady a good kick everyday....I am glad I can brighten her day.
-Photos are now posted on my flickr account
I don't think we should be here.
Two days ago the wanderings of Karl and myself took us out on the town. In our night journey we managed to end up in a clearly western and expensive area of northeast Beijing. While traversing from one store and pub to another we encountered a jazz club that looked warm and inviting in the bitter cold night of Beijing.
As we entered the Jazz club that we believe was called 50's we noticed that not only were we not attired correctly but that we were the only men present under 50. Not wanting to pass up the warmth of the building and the good company of music (the beautiful hostesses were not a factor) we stayed for a drink. As our eyes slowly adapted to the darkness of the jazz club we also noticed another point of interest. Everyone was staring at us expect a few of the older gentlemen present.
With both of us noticing this peculiarity our regular conversation about world hunger and other pressing concerns were put on hold. We slowly started to evaluated our current situation for possible errors in our judgment. A cursory glance at the other males present revealed that none of them appeared to be short of money or power. It seemed that the center cluster of them was like a giant gravity well pulling all the power and clout in the room to their center. This observation by my esteem colleague and myself confirmed that perhaps we had stumbled on the watering hole of the more influential members of the none political world.
After finishing our overly pricey drinks Karl and I decided that another venue was calling to us. On our departure from the warmth of the club we noticed something that we had missed on our entry.....not a single car present was cheap by any standard. Our vague suspicions now confirmed we decided to exit the scene expeditiously via the subway.
My first venture on the Beijing subway was beyond pleasant, it was actually quite humorous. The safety videos presented to the captive audience always reference the red-headed cartoon as the ever vigilante and always noble hero. Riding the subway was like riding New York's or London's only cleaner and with better (at least safe) in car entertainment.
So my review...in your wanderings of Beijing read the surrounding environment and enjoy the wonderful and amusing cartoons present on the wall of the subway cars.
As we entered the Jazz club that we believe was called 50's we noticed that not only were we not attired correctly but that we were the only men present under 50. Not wanting to pass up the warmth of the building and the good company of music (the beautiful hostesses were not a factor) we stayed for a drink. As our eyes slowly adapted to the darkness of the jazz club we also noticed another point of interest. Everyone was staring at us expect a few of the older gentlemen present.
With both of us noticing this peculiarity our regular conversation about world hunger and other pressing concerns were put on hold. We slowly started to evaluated our current situation for possible errors in our judgment. A cursory glance at the other males present revealed that none of them appeared to be short of money or power. It seemed that the center cluster of them was like a giant gravity well pulling all the power and clout in the room to their center. This observation by my esteem colleague and myself confirmed that perhaps we had stumbled on the watering hole of the more influential members of the none political world.
After finishing our overly pricey drinks Karl and I decided that another venue was calling to us. On our departure from the warmth of the club we noticed something that we had missed on our entry.....not a single car present was cheap by any standard. Our vague suspicions now confirmed we decided to exit the scene expeditiously via the subway.
My first venture on the Beijing subway was beyond pleasant, it was actually quite humorous. The safety videos presented to the captive audience always reference the red-headed cartoon as the ever vigilante and always noble hero. Riding the subway was like riding New York's or London's only cleaner and with better (at least safe) in car entertainment.
So my review...in your wanderings of Beijing read the surrounding environment and enjoy the wonderful and amusing cartoons present on the wall of the subway cars.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The first dew days
The experience of traveling was quite enjoyable. The experience started off well but was long and tiring. I had the opportunity to experience the business class lounge in San Fransisco during my three hour lay over. That opportunity was a gift because I knew that the next eleven hours of my life resided inside of a Boeing 777. Those last eleven hours past quickly thanks to the comfort of sleep and a business class seat that went nearly a 160 degrees. During the last few hours I had the chance to meet another student who will also be attending Tsinghua this semester. After exchanging contact information it was nearly a time to de-plane the aircraft. After a full 22 hours spent in transit I finally arrived in Beijing
After arriving in the terminal the process of clearing customs and collecting baggage was a quick one. Leaving the terminal I was forced to try my language skills for the first time. The taxi driver and I had an good time trying to communicate with each other not that we understood each other. I don't think you have experience traffic until you ride in Beijing; New York, Los Angles, London all pale in comparison to Beijing traffic. The first five minutes of the cab ride were quite nerve recking as cars change lanes without signals and ride between lines. But further inspection of the other vehicles around us proved to me that accidents must be rare (well relatively). After successfully arriving at the East Gate of Tsinghua University I made my way to check in for a room.
The check in process was fast and interesting but really got me was the sheer size of the campus. Coming from Marietta to Tsinghua you really understand how small the Marietta campus is or how vast the Tsinghua campus is. Getting into my room was easy but once inside there were a few points that stuck out to my western eyes. For instance those of us who are comfortable with western standards for the thickness of a mattress will be surprised by how thin the Chinese versions are. Secondly a trip to my bathroom will reveal probably the most notable of differences between a room in the US and in the PRC. My shower stall and sink are a combo or joint unit that share the same space. Besides these slight differences the room is comfortable.
The first night in Beijing was hard for me. It is in those early hours of the morning when you wake from sleep and start to question yourself. Your mind wanders to the fear that is always present when leaving the comfort of normalcy. You ask yourself a multitude of questions regarding the adventure that your now involved in. You think of returning home and you question yourself for choosing this. That night was probably one of the hardest nights of my life. It is hard to turn off your mind when you start to think about such serious questions.
The rise of the first full day was refreshing and comforting to me. I was happy to have a day at hand to explore. I spent most of the day wandering the streets around campus searching for something and nothing in the same instance. But as I wandered the streets I had an overwhelming feeling of being all alone. Even amongst the a crowed boxed in by the walls of a super-market I still felt completely alone. But quickly that would change. As I had wandered the streets I decided to visit a "super-market" to buy a few items that I had not brought to China.
The event of shopping was quite fun with the help of a overly excited shop assistance I navigated the aisles and stands. But soon I started to notice that my basket was filled with familiar items. At that point I realized that I was about to purchase only western brands. Thankful the shop assistant noticed my this too. Quickly my basket was filled with brands that I had never seen before. After leaving the store I returned to my room and the task of un-packing. The event of shopping and the courtesy of the shop assistant provided me uneasy mind much comfort.
The second day brought even more excitement to my life. Leaving the building around 830 in search of a cab I met a rather nice Australian gentlemen. After a brief course of introductions we decided that we should both head to see the Forbidden City. The day was a blast offering us both an opportunity to try our Chinese and enjoy the culture. Around mid-day we decided to try our luck on a restaurant that resided within the Forbidden City. The food was amazing and so was the local Chinese brew that we both tried. Something though that shocked both Karl and I was how much attention we gathered while visiting the City. Karl would have to be a full head taller than my six foot three inches so I would venture he is close to 6'8". Thus with both of us wandering in close proximity we became the center of attention. It started with a single person asking for a picture which quickly lead to five more before we could make our escape from the large crowds. After leaving the Forbidden City Karl and I took it upon ourselves to explore the facilities outside of campus. Perhaps the greatest part of this experience so far is the excitement that you get from exploring. Walking into corridors that you shouldn't be in or entering a room that probably has never seen a westerner before. The excitement of learning and exploring is my true reason for coming to Beijing. My trip here for me at least has less to do with academics and more with learning how to live.
As more exciting things happen I'll be sure to post them (I have something about a Jazz club but still need to pen it). Also the pictures that I have will be placed on my flickr account soon.
After arriving in the terminal the process of clearing customs and collecting baggage was a quick one. Leaving the terminal I was forced to try my language skills for the first time. The taxi driver and I had an good time trying to communicate with each other not that we understood each other. I don't think you have experience traffic until you ride in Beijing; New York, Los Angles, London all pale in comparison to Beijing traffic. The first five minutes of the cab ride were quite nerve recking as cars change lanes without signals and ride between lines. But further inspection of the other vehicles around us proved to me that accidents must be rare (well relatively). After successfully arriving at the East Gate of Tsinghua University I made my way to check in for a room.
The check in process was fast and interesting but really got me was the sheer size of the campus. Coming from Marietta to Tsinghua you really understand how small the Marietta campus is or how vast the Tsinghua campus is. Getting into my room was easy but once inside there were a few points that stuck out to my western eyes. For instance those of us who are comfortable with western standards for the thickness of a mattress will be surprised by how thin the Chinese versions are. Secondly a trip to my bathroom will reveal probably the most notable of differences between a room in the US and in the PRC. My shower stall and sink are a combo or joint unit that share the same space. Besides these slight differences the room is comfortable.
The first night in Beijing was hard for me. It is in those early hours of the morning when you wake from sleep and start to question yourself. Your mind wanders to the fear that is always present when leaving the comfort of normalcy. You ask yourself a multitude of questions regarding the adventure that your now involved in. You think of returning home and you question yourself for choosing this. That night was probably one of the hardest nights of my life. It is hard to turn off your mind when you start to think about such serious questions.
The rise of the first full day was refreshing and comforting to me. I was happy to have a day at hand to explore. I spent most of the day wandering the streets around campus searching for something and nothing in the same instance. But as I wandered the streets I had an overwhelming feeling of being all alone. Even amongst the a crowed boxed in by the walls of a super-market I still felt completely alone. But quickly that would change. As I had wandered the streets I decided to visit a "super-market" to buy a few items that I had not brought to China.
The event of shopping was quite fun with the help of a overly excited shop assistance I navigated the aisles and stands. But soon I started to notice that my basket was filled with familiar items. At that point I realized that I was about to purchase only western brands. Thankful the shop assistant noticed my this too. Quickly my basket was filled with brands that I had never seen before. After leaving the store I returned to my room and the task of un-packing. The event of shopping and the courtesy of the shop assistant provided me uneasy mind much comfort.
The second day brought even more excitement to my life. Leaving the building around 830 in search of a cab I met a rather nice Australian gentlemen. After a brief course of introductions we decided that we should both head to see the Forbidden City. The day was a blast offering us both an opportunity to try our Chinese and enjoy the culture. Around mid-day we decided to try our luck on a restaurant that resided within the Forbidden City. The food was amazing and so was the local Chinese brew that we both tried. Something though that shocked both Karl and I was how much attention we gathered while visiting the City. Karl would have to be a full head taller than my six foot three inches so I would venture he is close to 6'8". Thus with both of us wandering in close proximity we became the center of attention. It started with a single person asking for a picture which quickly lead to five more before we could make our escape from the large crowds. After leaving the Forbidden City Karl and I took it upon ourselves to explore the facilities outside of campus. Perhaps the greatest part of this experience so far is the excitement that you get from exploring. Walking into corridors that you shouldn't be in or entering a room that probably has never seen a westerner before. The excitement of learning and exploring is my true reason for coming to Beijing. My trip here for me at least has less to do with academics and more with learning how to live.
As more exciting things happen I'll be sure to post them (I have something about a Jazz club but still need to pen it). Also the pictures that I have will be placed on my flickr account soon.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Present and now with Internet
So I've been on the ground since last Friday night. These past few days have been a truly unforgettable adventure. Thankfully it appears that the uncertainty of the first few days has worn off. Tomorrow when I get a chance I'll pen together a more detailed account of these past four days.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Just to preface this blog to any reader:
I am student at Marietta College in Marietta Ohio. This February I'll be traveling to Beijing China for a semester of study at Tsinghua University. This will be in place of my spring semester of my Junior year at Marietta. As a note to the reader I am a licensed private pilot, amateur photographer, and an astronomy junkie. I am sure that throughout this endeavour you will see me refer to at least one of these dimensions of my life.
So I am roughly one month from departure to Beijing. To say the least I am starting to get nervous. I just made the journey down to the embassy in Washington D. C. to get my visa. Holding the visa in my hand on the elevator ride out was a marker in this adventure. Standing there I came to the realization that this adventure was about to being.
So after that realization came the nerves and anxiety. More than any other concern is that for my ability to be successful in the academic environment. I would equate the anxiety that I feel now to that of the day that I went to take my check ride for my pilot's license.
So now knowing that I am about to leave I have been doing the normal pre-departure items. I went and got a will and an advance medical directive. To top it all off I also have had the joy of going to get a collection of vaccines and boosters.
All considered I am still excited about the opportunity to be studying this semester in China. My next post should be around the 13th of February. That post should be from the business class lounge in San Fransisco International Airport.
I am student at Marietta College in Marietta Ohio. This February I'll be traveling to Beijing China for a semester of study at Tsinghua University. This will be in place of my spring semester of my Junior year at Marietta. As a note to the reader I am a licensed private pilot, amateur photographer, and an astronomy junkie. I am sure that throughout this endeavour you will see me refer to at least one of these dimensions of my life.
So I am roughly one month from departure to Beijing. To say the least I am starting to get nervous. I just made the journey down to the embassy in Washington D. C. to get my visa. Holding the visa in my hand on the elevator ride out was a marker in this adventure. Standing there I came to the realization that this adventure was about to being.
So after that realization came the nerves and anxiety. More than any other concern is that for my ability to be successful in the academic environment. I would equate the anxiety that I feel now to that of the day that I went to take my check ride for my pilot's license.
So now knowing that I am about to leave I have been doing the normal pre-departure items. I went and got a will and an advance medical directive. To top it all off I also have had the joy of going to get a collection of vaccines and boosters.
All considered I am still excited about the opportunity to be studying this semester in China. My next post should be around the 13th of February. That post should be from the business class lounge in San Fransisco International Airport.
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