I have been in Beijing for three days. First, I’m sorry for not updating sooner but my professor has us on a suicidal tour of the city. We have seen the CCTV center, Tian’anmen, The Great Hall of the People (where the Chinese “congress” only meets once a year thereby leaving it very open to tourists), The Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Beihai Park, The Great Wall, The Ming Tombs, and large amounts of amazing food. I have yet to hit up the bars, but tonight we plan to with my friend Dave who is studying at Beijing University with his McGill folk! I must run to breakfast now. Later, I will try and update more now that I have working Internet.
May, 2006
...now browsing by month
Beijing is Really Wet
Friday, May 26th, 2006Chicago to Beijing UA 851
Friday, May 26th, 2006Location: 38,000 feet above the Patom Plateau north of Mongolia, Boeing 747, 2nd floor
Time: 12:00 PM (China) 12:00 AM (US)
I am on my way. I presently sit writing this on my way to Beijing, 12 hours after getting on board. Somehow five people from my group got upgraded to Business class, which on this plane is on the second floor in a quiet compartment of a dozen or so seats. Business class is the way to fly to China. I have a big seat, ample room, good food and as much wine, champagne and scotch I could ask for.
My fellow UVM companions seem fidgety and excited. Brendan and Phil keep opening their windows and looking out while businessmen sleep all around us and get annoyed. Though, how many times does one get to see the North Pole? I myself have during the course of this flight become more and more excited as every hour brings us closer to Beijing and the promise of good food and adventure. This flight is also the first time I actually slept on my way to China, thanks to these comfortable chairs and many many glasses of cabernet sauvignon.
I’ve met a developmental economics professor from Michigan State and fellow sinofile while on board, John Giles. He came to China back in ’87 to teach English in Wuhan and, like so many others, fell in love with the country and it become part of his life. Encouraging words for a young East Asian studies undergrad, like myself.
We have only two hours till we land and the map shows Beijing inching closer and closer. I think I will stop here and stretch my legs.
One week left
Monday, May 15th, 2006I am back home in Newton, Masachusetts for a full 9 days of summer vacation in the U.S. of A. This friday I head to Kalamazoo, Michigan to see my old Kalamazoo college friends. And next tuesday I leave for Beijing. Unfourtently the Yuan just increased in value, now its 7.99 yuan to $1. Hopefully beer prices haven’t gone up.
Once I’m in China I will be doing the toursit trail of Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an before arriving at my new home, Kunming. My Chinese professor from UVM, Yin laoshi, will be with us and I have a feeling that my group will be exhausted by the end of the 8 day travel extravaganza, which has been meticilously planned.
UVM’s “Brokeback Mountain” Hazing
Tuesday, May 9th, 2006The UVM President’s office alerted me via email to the recent charging of four FIJI fraternity officers for violating Vermont’s new hazing law. The hazing that the police investigation discovered was described by UVM Police Chief Gary Margolis:
“They were made to dress up like gay cowboys and taunted as a result of that, based on the Brokeback Mountain theme. There was at least one pledge who was very uncomfortable with the events as they took place.”
Drifters
Friday, May 5th, 2006Western firms are looking to scale back on their longstanding practice of sending highly compensated expats to China with housing allowances and hardship pay. Instead, they’re turning to a labor pool of Westerners—estimated at 300,000—who have decided to settle in China, at least while the economy continues to grow and rents (one-bedroom apartments in Beijing start at $300 a month) stay cheap. “You’re in a market that’s growing at 10 percent a year, so there’s a market here for whatever you want to do,” says Kaiser Kuo, a musician and local magazine satirist who came here 10 years ago from the United States.
Hell of a good place to drift and I can do whatever I want, sound good to anyone else?
Worldwide Caution
Friday, May 5th, 2006I just received my University of Vermont Study Abroad guidebook. Included is the Department of State’s “Worldwide Caution,” which among other things states:
“Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics to include assasinations, kidnappings, hijackings and bombings.”
The Department of State also has a page on China:
“Terrorism is rare in China, although a small number of bombings occurred in areas throughout China. Recent bombings have largely been criminal activity, frequently the result of commercial disputes. Last year there were over 74,000 incidents of social unrest according to Chinese government figures. The vast majority of these are small-scale local incidents related to disputes over land seizures, social issues or environmental problems. While some incidents have grown to larger scales and involved some violence, these demonstrations have not been directed against foreigners. In April 2005 anti-Japanese demonstrations resulted in property damage and some reports of violence being directed against foreigners of Asian appearance.
Recently, there have been a few instances in Beijing and elsewhere of mobs in bar districts attacking foreigners. Disputes among Chinese citizens or between Chinese and foreigners can quickly turn against foreigners. Caution should be exercised when visiting bar districts late at night, especially on weekends.”
They aren’t kidding about those bar district mobs! Back in 2004 I saw a mob of drunken Chinese and some foreigners fight on south bar street (now demolished by the Chinese government). They managed to break almost every plastic chair in site. In fact, the most amazing and ridiculous fights I’ve ever seen have all been in China. I’ve really been meaning to read Rightful Resistance in Rural China to learn more about rural protest in China.
So much to do before I leave (there are just 17 days left). Right now I’m writing a paper on Feng Menglong the Ming dynasty writer of popular vernacular fiction. I’m starting to believe there is more suicide in Chinese literature than in any other genre.
Demolished South Sanlitun (bar street):
Chinese Photojournalist Maohair (毛孩儿)
Monday, May 1st, 2006
“Another fatal car accident.
What can be done except to offer another sigh?”
China’s 1.4 billion people create insane numbers of car accidents and its factories and construction sites have fatalities all the time. Maohair, a photojournalist, captures these scenes beautifully. He posts his photography online here. Eastsouthwestnorth blog also has his photography with English captions. He also has a blog at MSN spaces.
These photos are greusome, but show a very common part of today’s China. I, for one, have far too many memories of mangled bodies and bits of brain from the streets of China. And the most surprising thing is everyone stands around gawking at the dead bodies, and yet still very few Chinese seem interested in seat belts. 21 days till China!!
