This post isn't actually about any specific travels, but instead it's my first attempt to begin wrapping up my time in China. If all goes according to plan, I'll be back in the States this fall, enrolled in grad school.
With that in mind, I feel like I should start thinking about summarizing my final thoughts on China. It's a big topic, and I'm not sure where to begin. I think I'll start with how to acquaint yourself with China. It's a big country and a there is a lot to say about it. Most people probably don't have time to sift through the multitude of information, so here are my recommendations:
If you watch just one movie about China, watch this one:
I'm afraid that if you're reading this blog in hopes of exotic places or beautiful scenes on par with my previous blog posts, you should stop now. This final blog post about Inner Mongolia will match the reality of our final day: not quite as cool as the days before. The Gobi desert is difficult to upstage.
Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, is not terribly different from most other cities its size in China. It retains small areas of charm in an increasingly meager old city and a few preserved temples, but most things have been torn up to make way for wider roads and huge skyscrapers. We enjoyed wandering around for a while, but one day was satisfactory.
Below you can see old and new posing nicely for me. Cars around the temples, and (pictured below) construction sites strategically dug around historic buildings and minor temple complexes provide an excellent visual summary of China's current state of development.
The best part of our time there was actually part of Hohhot's newest developments. We saw the Inner Mongolia Museum, and despite the bland title, it's the best museum I've seen in China. And that's a not a small number.
First of all, it's enormous and well-designed. The museum is probably about as big as the New Parliament House in Canberra, which I say because it looks oddly similar too.) The inside was even more impressive though. Among other things, it has a mind-blowing collection of dinosaur bones. I couldn't help thinking how big of a splash it would make in the US, compared with crowd-drawers like Sue the T-Rex or King Tut's tomb collection.
There were also many lovely Mongolian crafts and cultural artifacts, exhibits on the natural environment, history, and current development of the area. All in all, if you've got one day in Hohhot, spend at least half here.
I’ve never been in a desert before, at least not without some ruins or other feature that was the focus of my attention at the time.It was far more impressive than I expected, and I’d expected impressive sights.There was also more life than I’d thought there would be.Besides the camels that some of our group rode out on the second day…
…there were also little lizards, beetles leaving veined tracks in the sand, and plenty of shrubs and grass.
We spent the night camping in the desert, which was the best decision we made the entire trip. Not only did we see the sunset…
…and sunrise…
…but the stars as well.You really can’t see the stars at all in Shanghai, so this was especially wonderful. The title of this blog post is particularly appropriate because the moon was unbelievably bright. Flashlights were unnecessary, since you could easily find your way under the moonlight. I didn't think to take a picture at night, but you can see the moon even in this early morning shot:
We could often see efforts to combat desertification:
My strongest memory is of the enormous beauty of the desert. It is easily my favorite place to have traveled in China.
First stop was the grasslands.We just took a day trip here.In the area we saw, the grasslands were very dry, with winds that swept the dirt and dust into the air.
On our way we saw the mountains from our bus window, and I snapped a quick picture while at a rest stop.
Once in the grasslands, we had the opportunity to ride horses if we liked, but we declined in favor of walking around.(I asked the woman in charge if we could ride fast. Her immediate response was, “No.”)
The people in the area obviously raise cattle, so as we meandered we passed cows and horses kept within loose wire fences.
The grasslands were beautiful, if in a rather brittle way.The wide open blue sky - a feature of all of Inner Mongolia, so far as we could tell – was absolutely dazzling though.I already miss it.
Happy National Holiday, everyone!This past week two friends and I went to Inner Mongolia for our October break.Inner Mongolia is a province of China, just south of the independent country of Mongolia.
An arid province, Inner Mongolia is usually known for its horse-riding, yurt-living nomadic peoples roaming the beautiful grasslands.We were lucky enough to see horses, yurts, the grasslands, and much more.
Inner Mongolia has had Han immigration for centuries, so the population is actually about 80% Han Chinese, and about 20% ethnic Mongolian.Since most of the population is Han Chinese, we didn’t have any trouble getting around with our Mandarin.Many people also spoke to each other in Mongolian though, and Mongolian script was everyone.It’s really beautiful, as you can see below:
(In Mongolia, because of Russian influence, they use Cyrillic to write Mongolian.)
Under Genghis Khan and then his grandson Kublai Khan, the Mongolian empire (Yuan dynasty) was established.Though we tend to remember Genghis Khan for his cruel wartime tactics, Mongolians tend to remember him as a unifier.Pictures of a benevolent-looking Genghis Khan are everywhere:
Mongolia has also been heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, which we could see in the Buddhist temples and Tibetan prayer flags everywhere.
And, in case you're curious, Mongolian food is heavy on potatoes, mutton, and dairy products, all of which we ate in abundance.It’s cold there!, and high-calorie food was just the ticket.
Merry late Christmas! A week before Christmas, my school threw a giant Christmas party. It was a little ridiculous, actually, but a lot of fun. The best part was that I MC'd the party - in Chinese! My students also all performed really well, and, as you can imagine, looked adorable. Below you can see my PreK students (aged 2) performing "Jingle Bells" in little Santa hats and capes.
The teachers also put on performances. The Chinese teachers did a traditional Chinese fan dance (no relation to Christmas,) and we foreign teachers did a skit about receiving the wrong presents on Christmas morning. You can see me in the photo above, wearing my pajamas and looking sad about receiving a bear instead of a book. John, my coteacher to the left, isn't too happy either that I'm holding his toy bear, haha. The kids loved our skit, haha.
Here's everyone! The whole staff of Shanghai Victoria, Xinzhuang campus, plus one teacher's son, in the middle. You can just barely see me, second from the right.
It's the first snow here! It's just a flurry, but still exciting. Both the children and the teachers loved it - there were snowball fights all around. I'm wishing for a snow day tomorrow, but I'll still be setting my alarm and preparing for the day.
Since the weather has turned chilly here, I've discovered a rather humorous part about taking care of Chinese children. They're dressed up in more layers than Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story. It's really ridiculous - a child might be wearing five shirts/sweater/sweatshirts, and four pairs of pants! Getting them undressed for their nap after lunch takes forever.
Speaking of Christmas, please forgive me for belatedly noticing: it's almost here! We've been frantically preparing for a Christmas party at my school, which you'd think would put me in the Christmas spirit, but it hasn't really. Despite our students being 2-5, the party is a ridiculous extravaganza which has put a lot of stress on teachers and students alike. I'll certainly enjoy the party when it happens this Friday, but I really can't wait for the preparations to end. One part I am extremely excited about though: I get to MC the event - in Chinese!
Last week we decorated the school, and I must admit I really, really enjoyed it. I dragged over a CD player and turned on some Christmas music, and voila! It was lovely and festive. The pictures below are from that day. (All taken with my phone, as is the norm lately...)
The head teacher (and my boss) helping one of the other teachers put up a banner.
"Blue seas where once was mulberry fields; time brings great changes"
(The children above live in our residential complex [photo taken with iPhone.] They were tolerant enough to let me take a picture of them while perched rather ideally on a ladder one day.)
I must admit - I was a little worried about my job this year. I was so in love with my job last year that I couldn't see how I could enjoy any other job as much. Not surprisingly, I was right. I don't love my job as much this year. However, this doesn't mean I don't enjoy my work. It's just enjoyment for different reasons.
This year I'm using a ton more Chinese on the job (with both Chinese coworkers and my kids sometimes,) and learning a lot about Chinese culture and child-rearing. It ranges from the bizarre to the funny to the enviable. (See corresponding stories below.)
For an example of the bizarre, I have to share a story that begins with a small misfortune. A few of my students fell ill with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease earlier this year, so that entire class was closed for about a week. Other children also fell ill with colds and random illnesses at around the same time, so even before the class was officially shut down, there were less than a third of the children showing up for class. How did my Chinese co-teachers decided to handle matters? Certainly there was lots of washing of hands and disinfecting of toys. But one day they took a large sheet and used it to cover up a big mirror in the classroom. When I asked why, they told me it might be causing the illnesses. There may come a day when I understand the Chinese language well, but I just don't think I'll ever understand traditional Chinese medicine.
When the weather turned cold here, I discovered a rather humorous part about taking care of Chinese children. They're dressed up in more layers than Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story. It's really ridiculous - a child might be wearing four or five shirts/sweater/sweatshirts, and three pairs of pants! This means the getting them ready to sleep after lunch is a bit of a chore. Layer upon layer of clothing must be unbuttoned and peeled off. I can't tell you how much I wish one particular boy's parents would give him regular diapers to wear instead of pull-ups! Nap time preparation has become exponentially easier now that the weather is warm again.
Of course, I think Chinese culture has some enviable aspects regarding children. Here, everyone dotes on children. Really. Children are beloved and watched out for by everyone. If a child gets onto a bus with their parent, passengers will immediately stand up so that the little one can sit down. Parents don't find it at all weird or annoying if strangers stop to exchange some smiles and baby talk with their child.
In terms of my job though, mostly I just have fun. My children are so great! I'm really lucky. My school is a Chinese IB kindergarten, so (as you might guess,) it's for the elite of the city. We have lots of resources and a great staff. Horror stories I hear about foreign teachers being stuck in front of 30 children with no shared language and no help from other teachers have not been part of my experience. Plus, these kids are being prepared to test into the best elementary schools in the city, so they are quickly molded into some very well-behaved youngsters.
This post is dedicated to Katelynn. Yes Katelynn, I have a maid, and she's marvelous. This does not mean I condone being negligent in one's chores. Unless of course you're planning on living in China forever. ;)
I would like to make an announcement: I speak Chinese. Now, everyone knows I've been studying Chinese for years now, but when asked if I spoke Chinese, I would always waffle around: "Well, kind of. A little. The basics. I can get around." And so on. This past weekend though, I decided I will stop hesitating and just say yes. Yes, I speak Chinese. Not fluently, but good enough that I don't worry that someone will respond in Chinese, and I'll be unable to respond, thereby horribly embarrassing myself. I feel pretty confident that I can handle a wide variety of basic situations now.
I'm also becoming versed in the various methods of greeting from around the world. Although, I'm not sure well-versed is the right word. "Prepared" maybe. When you say hello to someone, it might involve a wave and a greeting (Chinese and a variety of other,) a kiss on two cheeks (French, and a variety of others,) a kiss on one cheek (haven't pinned this one down yet,) a hug (Americans you know,) and of course the handshake (Americans you don't yet know, and other people of the non-kissing habit.) Of course, given the international nature of most people's social networks, people have adopted/lost cultural habits, so you just have to be prepared for anything.
Elsewise, Shanghai is still treating me well. There was an outdoor jazz festival a few weekends ago, and it was lovely. The weather was perfect, the bands were fun, and there was plenty of room to spread out a sheet and sprawl on the grass. I've included some photos that I took with my phone while we were there.
-A Chinese proverb, "to feel at home anywhere within the four seas."
It's the oddest feeling, to be asked how long I've lived in Shanghai. Technically, about a month and a half. But when I say that, people comment on how new I am or how recently I have arrived. It doesn't feel at all like I'm new here though. I've been visiting regularly for so long that life here feels more normal than living in Quanzhou ever did. My days are full in the best possible way.
Weekdays I work from 8-4:30 with a 30 minute subway commute on either end (during which I sit and read a Chinese newspaper, attracting a fair amount of curious glances,) and after work I often attend dance classes at a local studio. On the weekends, I try to take advantage of the urban life.
I've always wanted to live in a big city, and Shanghai, with its approximately 13 million (and one!) inhabitants of the city proper, or about 20 million if you count the suburbs too, definitely fits the bill. There is so much to do and see! There are tons of great restaurants, art galleries, concerts, etc. It's really wonderful.
This week had an odd holiday in the middle of the week. It's hard to explain, but I have Wednesday-Friday off, and then work Saturday and Sunday to make up for it. It doesn't make much sense to a foreigner, but it's just the way holidays are scheduled here. Regardless, it's been a nice 3 day break. Yesterday, my flatmate and I went to Ikea to buy some things for our apartment. As we were thinking about decorating, we had the idea to make our own art to put on the walls.
So, we went to one of the art districts to check out some galleries and buy art supplies. Then we went home and had fun experimenting with acrylics outside on our balcony with its gorgeous view of downtown Shanghai - the picture at the beginning was taken from there. It was a pretty fantastic day.
Well, anyone who knows me knows that I have no sense of direction whatsoever. This is no false modesty resulting from my time here in China, but just the truth.Over many years of getting lost, whether by foot or in the car, I’ve become very used to it, and I don’t really mind getting lost anymore, so long as I’m not in a rush.It helps to think of these times as adventures, I’ve found.
This week I tried going out to see a famous local temple.I remember it being very large and beautiful from my study abroad in Xiamen a few years ago.(We did a tour of southeastern China, and among the places we visited was Quanzhou and the Kaiyuan Temple. ) However, this time, I was by myself and a little vague on the directions, so instead of the temple, I ended up at a park downtown.The park was nice though, with lots of people of all ages hanging out, as is normal in Chinese parks.Chinese parks are much better utilized than American ones, in my opinion.
I dutifully took some pictures, unlike last time.
This picture would look better if it were bigger, but you can see folks outside enjoying the momentarily acceptable weather. It's been cloudy and rain here for weeks now. I would guess we haven't had more than about 5 hours of blue sky for at least three weeks. For example, the morning I set out for the temple, there was a blue sky for about an hour. Clouds quickly rolled in though, and by the time I reached the park, the sky was gray. At least it didn't rain until a few hours later.
The rain here has been unbelievable. One day it quite literally poured all day. Not surprisingly, there have been flooding in the region. All of southeast China is having this problem. The rain doesn't really make much of difference to me though. When it's not raining, it's so humid it might as well be. When it does rain, it's almost like the only change is that now the water in the air is visible.
Graffiti of this kind is rare in China, so I took a picture.
The sign says "area for makeshift tents," which is actually quite a good translation. I wasn't expecting that, haha.
The writing on the bus roughly translates to: “Uphold civilization, pay attention to protocol, comply with authority, establish harmony.” This kind of public service advertisement is quite common. Everywhere there are reminders to behave with civility, keep the city clean, drive carefully, etc. My favorites are the ones that instruct citizens that girls are just as good as boys (part of the campaign to reduce the still-present notion, especially in rural areas, that sons are preferable to daughters.)
I'll work on getting to that temple. Cross your fingers that the weather cooperates, and I find it alright!
