My China Musings

This blog is my thoughts on many things and about my adventures of living and traveling in China.

July 5, 2008

Happy Independence Day to us USA'ns. Of course, it is almost past, but better late than forgetting it altogether.

Yesterday, I had to go to Hankou for the second day in a row. It is an hour's bus ride across town. Wuhan, as I have explained before, is made up of three cities. Hankou is the business center of the area. Wuchang is considered the arts and learning center. I am not sure what Hanyang has for its claim to fame. I took a bus to the Hankou side of the Yangtze side of the river and then got a taxi to take me where I needed to go. Unfortunately, I had my first experince in China with a dishonest taxi driver. I have heard about people who have had really rotten experiences with taxi drivers, but until yesterday, in my 6 plus years,I had been spared. I had had my friend put the address into Chinese as a message on my cel/mobile phone so I could show a driver where I needed to go. Driver #1 looked at the message, shook his head, yes, and off we went. Since I know nothing about Hankou, I had no idea if I was close or far from my end destination. A long while later, I got a call from the person I was going to see asking me where I was. I had absolutely no clue. I looked at my watch and realized I had been in this taxi for more than 30 minutes. The driver was alternatively,either yelling into his cel/mobile phone or on the 2 way radio that some taxis now have. He didnt seem to be paying much attention to the driving or where he was. I pointed to my watch and he grunted. We went around a couple more corners and he stopped, pointed at a run down building and said I should get out. This was where I was suppose to be. Wrong! I just knew it was wrong. Of course, by now, the taxi driver had sped off. Not having the slightest idea where I was or where I should be, I felt a little defeated. Some young men came out of a building and I stopped them. I showed them the address on my text message. By now, a small group of people had gathered. A couple of them got into quite a conversation about where I should be. One of the young stopped me another taxi and told the driver where I needed to go. I got in and in less than 10 minutes, the new driver delivered me right to the correct door. Even though the first driver was not honest it turned out okay. Those people on the street were considerate and very helpful. I find that alot in China. If you are foreign and lost, then usually someone will try to help you. Even if they cannot speak your language and you cannot speak theirs. That group of people was just plain nice and I felt very grateful. The person I went to see, showed me where to catch a bus back across the river to Wuchang. So alls well that ends well. Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 07:11 | link | comments |
china, living in china

July 2nd, 2008

First, let me say belated, Happy Canada Day to my Canadian readers.

I went to Xiangfan for a few days to see my friends before I head for Alaska for a vacation. I found it alot harder to leave than I thought it would be. I like Xiangfan, alot. I always feel like I am home in Xiangfan. My best friend's brother, recently, moved back to his roots from Shenzhen. He and his wife are starting a small convenience store. The space, they rented, is their store and their living quarters. According to tradition, family and friends are invited to eat the first meal in the new space. I am lucky enough to be considered family, so I got invited.

I sat in the evenings with another group of friends and let life pass by in the warm air, drinking cool drinks and chatting with the passerbys. I went to my favorite open air, early morning market just to drink in the sights, smells and sounds. Cold, sterile supermarkets have nothing on the morning markets. Piles of vegetables, clucking chickens, fish flopping in pans of water, and the wonderful smells all blending together. Fresh peaches are so fragrant in the early morning air. Onions smell pungent, as do peppers or chiles. Imagine, the cinnamon and anise stars putting off their spicy aromas. Ahhhhhhhh smells so good. Lots of eggplants and green vegies are everywhere. Fresh pork hangs waiting to be bought.  Bean curd products all lined up on tables. Tofu or doufu as it's called in China, sits there all nice and white. Soy milk is freshly made and drinks so good. As you wander on through, you eventually come to the local eating shops...in the mornings you can get hot beef noodles, or ruga mi'an...which is noodles and sesame paste sauce, or you can get a kind of pancake. Bouza are filled dumplings, they smell good in the fresh air and taste the same. Plus,you can listen to people bantering, and bartering over the cost of a cuke or tomato or bunch of greens. You need a crock to slow cook soup...there's a place to buy those, or a spool of thread. You can take a new broom home, if that is what you desire. What ever you want for lunch and dinner, you can get in this melee of sounds and sights.

I went to my favorite hair cutter, and got my hair fixed up... and cut off. I saw old friends and waved to new. I said so long, for awhile through a lot of tears. I will miss Xiangfan this summer.  Compared to Wuhan, in my opinion, Xiangfan is much more fun and filled with life. It will be good to go home and see the changes in everyone and places. But rest assured, part of my heart will stay in Xiangfan. Till next time...... 

posted by: CarolenChina at 13:19 | link | comments |
china, living in china

June 27, 2008

Foreigners in China get stared at, a fact I have written about before. Most of the time it can be ignored, but sometimes when the starer is very obvious or rude about it, it can be very wearing. I thought for awhile, I must be the only person in China that feels this way until I started reading forums written by expats living here. It seems my feelings are pretty universal through out the foreign community. I have never quite got the feeling of living in a fishbowl until I moved onto the campus of this school. I cannot go out without being approached by students wanting to practice their English. Most of the time, I just answer hello, nice to meet you, and keep going in the direction I was headed. However, I have found that this last four months have been a lot more stressful living than any of the other time I have spent in China. For one thing, I have not been doing my morning exercise routine regularly. I started going out at 6 in the morning, like I have been doing for the past 4 or more years, walking then doing tai chi. Soon, I started having a lot of students show up where I was doing the routines, all trying to talk to me. So i started going out much earlier. Soon, I had the students coming out earlier, too. I began going at 4:30, but the kids got wise. So I just quit going to do morning exercise. I would just do tai chi in my room. I ran into one of the students the other day as I was leaving the teaching building. He mentioned he had not seen me. I answered no, I had been out there. He, then, just happened to drop a little tidbit of information....it seems as though the teachers of other departments had told the students that I go out to do morning exercise. And  since they do not have a foreign teacher in their major studies, that maybe they should go out and join me to practice their English. I thought, okay, that explains it.  I wonder what those teachers would do if I had invited my students to interupt some routine they tried to do every day. I am going away for the summer holiday, back to the U. S.... when I come back, I dont think I will live on campus. No privacy and I dont want to live in a fish bowl again. Life as a goldfish isnt that much fun. Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 00:06 | link | comments |
china, living in china

June 26, 2008

I made it to the end of the term. I have even turned my marks in to the appropriate people, today. So officially, I am finished for the year.  Yesterday I was given the correct forms. As the vice dean, (a very nice lady by the way) was explaining the forms and telling me what went into each column, she told me that out of 25 students, I could only have five students who score 90% or above. There are only 3 classifications, excellent = 90 - >, passing = 60-89% and any score below 60 = fail. I have one class of second year students that is really good. Most of them could hold their own in any conversation with native English speakers. I looked at her expressed my surprise and displeasure. I said that it wasn't fair because in that class I had many who were excellent. She told me that I should choose five. I said no, she could chose them. She graciously told me I could tell the students the school made me lower their marks. I stood up and said no, I will not choose them. I will give you the marks and you choose. How preposterous. I could feel my temper rising. It just so happened that the dean of the department went by the door and the vice dean called him in. They discussed what I said in very loud and animated Chinese. Finally, my lady leader turned to me and said, do it you way. We will respect your judgement. I could have fell over. She said the dean agreed with me, that it wasnt fair to  put excellent students in the passing catagory and he would support my marks. Can you just imagine, setting parameters that you can only X number of A's, B's and so on. China's way of doing things sometimes just doesn't make sense. No student ever fails in China. Even if they never come to class, and I had 3 of those, they just pay extra money, have a test or an interview and they get to pass.  I have had Chinese collegues complain that the western countries do not accept Chinese degrees for the most part. One of these teachers, had just proctored a test where some doctors "passed" an English test by virtue of where they were sitting and guanxi (relationship). She had been told, by some school leaders, that people in sitting in such and such seats were to pass. She got a free lunch out of it.  I reminded her of what she had just done. She looked a little taken back. I told her that would be not done in most western countries. We have to show up with more than one piece of identification. And the consequences would be too high if the person(s) were caught. She just scoffed.

There is quite a business around getting false id's so teacher's can take each others tests here in China. There are quite a few people who insist on doing it the honest way. Too bad, there aren't more. Couldn't you just imagine having to have surgery? I would be worried that someone else had taken the doctor's test and he was therefore clueless what he was doing. With that...till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 12:51 | link | comments (2) |
china, living in china

June 24, 2008

Sometimes negotiating everyday life in a language not your own can be on the frustrating side of ridiculous. I write for an online magazine. And to get around the transfer fees charged by banks, my pay is wired to me by Western Union. (Yes, I know it has fees, too. However they are less than bank fees and is faster.) I went to the bank in China that handles Western Union transactions. I filled out all the papers and presented them and my passport to the Western Union lady. She looked at the info provided by the confirmation number and looked at me and said; "the sender information not right. No money!" I was a bit taken back by that. You see, a person isnt the sender, a credit union is. And I have been receiving the pay this way for over a year. I had very carefully filled out the form taking care to make sure my letters were clear and I didnt use caps for little letters. I called my friend and asked her to translate for me with the bank lady, because the bank lady didnt speak much English at all. I was sure that it was just a misunderstanding. If my friend spoke Chinese to her then it would all get straightened out. My friend told me that the bank lady said the name of the sending bank wasnt the same as I had written. So I came all the way back to my room, got on the internet and emailed the person who sends the funds to the credit union. The customer service line at the credit union went out of their way to find the automatic transmittal information. It seems when they send a Western Union wire, the name that is transmitted is XXXXXX XXX Fed Credit Union. I had written XXXXXX XXX Federal Credit Union. I wanted to scream! It takes two different buses to get to the place to pick up the money. And two different buses  back to the school. Now, I get to ride two different buses  to the bank, again, because the lady didnt realize or know that fed is the abbreviation for federal. Just another day in paradise. Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 23:16 | link | comments |
china, living in china

June 21, 2008

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTM0ODU0OA==.html, see this is xf happy life style ,beef nodle

Some towns have a speciality dish..or at least the locals find it special. The video on the above website was taken in Xiangfan of people buying breakfast, and eating it of course. My friend from Xiangfan sent it to me. It is in Chinese, but watch it anyway, you dont have to speak the language to enjoy this little tidbit of everyday life in Xiangfan.

The noodles that the speaker is talking about in the film are called beef noodles. Noodles, themselves, are sometimes hand pulled at the time you order or they are precooked and put in baskets so that when one orders, it does not take so long for them to cook. They are simply dipped in boiling water for a few minutes. Xiangfan is known for its spicy hot beef noodles. Spicy in that lajiao (hot peppers that are ground up into a sauce) is added to the noodles and beef. Usually, some kind of green vegetable is also added. They are exceptionally good in the winter. The hot broth and peppers are wonderful to get you going. The noodles, vegies, and beef are very filling. Last winter, I sat at a street shop eating beef noodles and watching it snow. Hubei, Hunan and Sichuan are known for their hot spicy cuisine. Wuhan has what is called dry noodles, cooked noodles topped with a sauce made out of sesame seed paste. Usually, lajiao is added as well as a little broth. The most common breakfast drink is heated soy milk or huangjiao..yellow wine, made from rice and it's not bad. Actually, a village near Xiangfan called Lutou, has been known going back many, many years for it's yellow wine. Travelers are said to have went through there just for the wine.

Beijing has it's Peking duck. Xi'an, home of the Terra Cotta Warriors, has alot of specialities. The most different thing, is a noodle that is wide and long, translated to belt noodles. There is also a wonderful soup where a special bread is served with it. YOu break the bread into little pieces and then the soup is put over top. This dish is found in Moslem owned restaurants. In Xinjiang, goat meat dishes are the norm. In Tibet, we ate a lot of yak meat.  Down around Guangzhou, the food is bland. I really dont care for the cusine there. Great soups are served in the south. It is said that Guangzhou'ns will make soup out of anything that walks, crawls or flies... I believe it.  I dont ever eat anything in Guangzhou when I dont know what is being served...dog and cat meat is a common dish, and so are mice. Fish is usually served with a slightly sweet sauce. I cannot eat fish with sugar. Just wont go down.

I hope you are enjoying the food of your choice...till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 11:43 | link | comments |
china, living in china

June 20, 2008

Today, the weather in Wuhan is more normal. Temps are forecasted to be 29C/84F. Last check, it is 35C/93F. Too hot to do much outside. Later on, I will go out to do a couple of errands. Now, the ceiling fan feels pretty good.

The school term is about over. Only one more week to go. Then the students will head for home. It is always a bit sad to see all the kids leaving pulling their cases behind them, going out the gates. They all are happy to go home, but sad to leave their new friends behind. Especially, the ones that found boy or girlfriends. In some ways, these college kids are more like high schoolers in the west or at least in the US. Boyfriends and girl friends are new unchartered territory for some. Before college, the students were encouraged to do nothing but study and get through the College Entrance Exams. Some kids come to college without basic social skills. I had one such boy in one of my classes and he finally dropped out. He wasnt accepting of the students in the class and so they quit trying to integrate him. He would not take part in presentations. He was always alone, and finally went home. One can see that more often than one would think.

My daughter has an old Beagle dog. She has had this dog for around 18 years. She told me that the old dog is having spells where she quits breathing and her heart stops. My daughter said she just strokes the old dog and so far, the old dog comes back. It wont be too long before, my daughter may just get up in the morning or come home from work and find the old dog has passed. She dreads that day. I dont blame her.

Dogs are treated a little different in China. Some are given a good life...and some are beaten to death on the street by men who think it's funny. I saw a group of men kicking a little homeless dog for no reason. I yelled at them but I dont think they stopped. I had a friend who left her dog in the care of her brother and the brother didnt bother to care for it. He didnt have time. So you know what happened to the dog. There are no leash laws and dogs run free. Rare is the dog that has had any kind of shots...rabies happens. So, when you say it a dog's life...specify which country the dog is living. Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 08:49 | link | comments |
china, living in china

June 18, 2008

This morning, the day dawned as one of the most beautiful mornings in a long time. Yesterday, well into the evening hours it rained steadily and semi-heavily.  As I went through the door to go walking, the air smelled so good. It was cool and breezy, but oh, so soft following the thorough cleansing it had yesterday.  This time of year in this part of China, it usually is very hot, humid and uncomfortable. This spring and early summer has been a surprise. We have had a few hot and humid days. We have also had really wonderful mornings, just like today.

I went with a friend to watch her practice Chen tai chi, last weekend. I do tai chi but not Chen. I would like to learn Chen style. She is a very good tai chi player. I love to watch her do Chen tai chi. She makes it look so easy. She moves as beautiful as an any dancer. Her group is learning Chen Broad Sword. I watched the group with a smile on my face. The youngest person there was probably in his 30s. The oldest was well over 70. They were all moving like agile children. I watched a man  in seventies do the routine's most difficult moves with ease. Let me tell you, if you dont do tai chi or yoga, I suggest you start. Ponce de Leon  never found the fountain of youth because he never came to China or India. If he had, he would have brought the secret to Europe long before now. I hope to train with this group in the not too distant future. I am going to travel a little this summer but after I get back I will take the long bus ride across town to just watch them if nothing else. They are such an inspiration.

I heard on NPR a commentary about the things that have happened in China, lately. The lady doing the commentary said that the Chinese, for the most part are not superstitous. I laughed right out loud. In my opinion and experince, most Chinese are very superstitious. If someone dreams about a ghost, they sit off firecrackers to scare the spirit away.  Many things that are done in everyday life in China reflect their old well established beliefs. Most Chinese young people are married on an auspicous day determined by their parents with the help of a wise man. Firecrackers are lit on the wedding day, and just before the auspicious time of joining so the evil demons are not around. Bigger fireworks are set off for good measure. You can walk down most any street anywhere in China and see street fortune tellers. They do quite a brisk business. Babies are not given a name for certain length of time. The Olympic Mascots have been tied to the recent disasters by soothsayers. The  one tied to the torch relay...well we know what happened there. (Today the torch is in Xinjiang Province and can only be observed in its passing by invited guests) The Panda one represents Sichuan, the home of the preserve for the special bears. We all know about the earthquake. The fish one is a sturgeon that is only found in China in the Yangtze...which is flooding big time in southern China. There is one tied to the Sky City, where the train derailed eariler this year. Plus the snows.. and so on.  Then there is the Mandate of Heaven, a belief that if the governing entity, be it an emperor or the present government, isnt taking care of the people, in a natural normal way, then diasters will befall. No comment here. Draw your own conclusions. Maybe in Beijing, where the lady is stationed, Chinese people claim not to be superstitous

Till next time.

 

posted by: CarolenChina at 04:06 | link | comments |
china, living in china

June 13, 2008

A "few" years ago when my friend, Barbara, and I were non traditional students in college, she wrote a paper about the one child policy of China and its ramifications. Those ramifications seem to be in the news alot here, lately. Parents of children killed in schools that were shoddily built are devastated at the loss of their ONLY child. Of course, in its benevolance, China's government has allowed for those parents to have another child as if that would replace the precious life that was lost. I have listened over the years to many of my Chinese friends who have openly criticized that policy because they wanted more than one child. Here, lately, I have noticed that students and young people are voicing their desires to have brothers and sisters and wanting childREN in the future. They cling to cousins because they want a sibling. Yesterday, a young man in one of my classes brought pictures for his presentation. The pictures were of a cute, absolutely precious, chubby baby boy. This baby is the son of a cousin, but my student called him his little brother. My student couldnt have been more proud if that baby were his. He told about every month he takes the long bus ride home just to see that baby and all changes in the little guy. Another young man in another class, also told about his little cousin, and how they are "brothers". Young people here seem to make brothers and sisters out of anyone close. I have thought about that. I am lucky. I was given 2 brothers and one sister. Unfortunately, we lost our sister to brain aneurism a few years ago. I took brothers and sisters for granted until I moved to China. When I first came to China a man told a group of foreign teachers of which I was a member, that we could not change China, but China would change us. Truer words were never spoken. Till next time.  

posted by: CarolenChina at 02:39 | link | comments (1) |
china, living in china

June 10, 2008

There is little doubt that the earthquake of May 12, 2008 has affected people here. Even now, a month later my students continue to surprise me with the depth of caring and feelings of wanting to do more for those in quake zone. In presentations today, one of my boy student's topic was his most memorable moment. He started his talk about how his moment wasn't of his making. In the news, an article told about a young woman sheltering her baby daughter with her own body as her house fell down around her. She died protecting the baby. Before she died, she wrote a message on her mobile/cell phone about how much she loved her baby. And in the message she wrote that she was hoping the child would always be happy and know that her mother loved her. My student with tears running down his face told how that made him realize that being a parent was hard. He said he never understood what being a father would mean until he read that story. He told about how that moment changed his way of looking at life. He said he no longer thinks of himself as a child going to college but as a young man who needs to prepare himself to be worthy of being a husband and a father. He also, related how much that moment made him realize how precious life is and nothing is guaranteed. I would say he grew up in a flash moment.

Another boy in the same class talked about now he wants to be a good teacher. He wants to improve the educational system of China. His of way of thinking is that he needs to be a teacher first and then he can find a way to change things. I wish him all the luck. He has a great sense of humor and can easily make people laugh. The English name he chose for himself is Great. My hope for him is to live up to his name.

Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 11:38 | link | comments (1) |
china, living in china

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