1/2 way done!!

So the halfway point for my time in China is approaching, and I can't say that it's passed by quickly; it's definitely passed by in it's own timing.  There have been some ups and downs, but I think I'm where I want to be in the grand scheme of things :)

My co-workers Song Fan and Xuefeng Li (L to R)

I've been working on a paper with one of the graduate students in the office, and it is pretty near completion.  Hopefully we'll be submitting it soon for publication--fingers crossed!  I'm also starting to work on a project of my own which is nice for a change.  The dataset is from a cohort study on a population of intravenous drug users (IDUs), and I'll be looking at risk factors that are associated with the prevalence rates of HBV and HCV (Hepatitis B and C).  

I was also able to visit a site for a different project, and participate in it for a day which was very exciting!  This was part of an HPV study in a men who have sex with men (MSM) population in Beijing.  Going back to a hospital environment was strangely familiar and comforting :)  And lastly, English Corner has now turned into a time when the grad students can present their research to me via powerpoint.  It's actually quite efficient this way; they get to practice presenting their papers, and meanwhile, I get to learn about what they're working on. 

Snowboarding is also picking up--I've got 75% of an "S" down, and I've learned that I'm "goofy" which just means I go down the mountain on my right side while most people go down on their left.  I've finally got the heel to toe edge change, but the "back to heel edge" so far brings me to a complete stop or a wipeout/"stacking" as my Aussie friends call it.  (For more interesting snowboarding lingo.) The first few times they said it, I was like, "No, it was nothing like that"  I mean I thought that meant a pileup--wouldn't you?  Anyway, I'd attach a video for you guys, but I'll spare myself the embarrassment since the only video I have so far is the one from two weekends ago with my friend narrating in the background, "There's Esther.  This is real-time--not in slow-motion."  But don't you worry!  I promise, there will be a video of me completing an "S" once I get there.  I don't even care if you want to see it or not because I'll be way too proud of myself to care.  ;)

What else has been going on?  There was a Christmas Banquet two weekends ago which was a lot of fun.  It was a formal event held at the Mariott and was a bit pricey, but there was lots of yummy Western food, so I can't complain :)  (I'm glad I brought some dresses to China!)  Our table of friends were from Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Taiwan, and the US. 

E-Shyh, Kristen, and I

Our table: Ernest, Joy, E-Shyh, Kristen, me, Luci, Isaac, Dan, King, Pat, Thom

Liting and Wangxia (two of my co-workers), Sarah, Adam, Allison

 Oh, and last Friday, Ben Wang (the Doris Duke scholar here) finally took his USMLE Step 2, so we threw him a party right after he took that 8 (or was it 9?) hour grueling test!  Congratulations Ben!  The party was full of burgers, fries, kebabs, you name it!  It was also a mix of locals and expats which just made our go-to game of "Time's Up" that much more entertaining!  (This is a game that involves 3 rounds with the same cards.  There are two teams who play against each other.  The first round is like "Catchphrase" or "Taboo" without the list of words you can't say.  In the second round, you can only use one word + gestures to get your teammates to guess what your card says.  In the third round, you can only use gestures.  The words on the card range from Britney Spears to Americo Vespucci.) 

There's Ben in the middle!

Well, I think that's a wrap for me.  I am off to Taiwan this Saturday for Christmas and the New Year!  I'll try to post once while I'm there, but no guarantees since gram and gramps don't have internet!  Happy holidays everyone!  

Mer Merr Merr Merry Christmas!  It's like a "Merry Christmas" window sign with a stutter! 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Well, it hasn't been snowing (yet) in Beijing, but ski season at Nanshan doesn't need to wait until then to begin!  Ionel, Kristen and I couldn't wait any longer, so we decided to try out the slopes last weekend!
 

It was definitely all smiles before I hit/wiped-out on the bunny slopes multiple times for the remainder of the first half of the day.  Kristen was my makeshift instructor and I paid her by entertaining her with my falls.  I definitely have a wicked bruise on my knee to prove my glory.  There were also a few moments when I thought...keep it together tailbone, keep it together, but all in all,

aside from the soreness in my neck the next day (that probably resulted from the whiplash I endured over and over again from falling), I LOVE snowboarding!!


Below are some pictures from snowboarding.  Ionel did take a video of me going down the bunny slope without falling, but, I'm sure he wasn't holding the camera at the right angle, because it makes it look as if I were going down a flat plane as opposed to the super steep slope it felt like I was going down.  It doesn't do it justice, so you will all just have to imagine it in your heads ;)

Watch out Indonesians (sea of blue and green), I'm coming through!

Kristen in her giant man sized gloves--it was either 30 RMB for giant ones or 100 something for ones that fit.

Decoration??  Never seen this kind of ad for Mini Cooper before.  I don't really get why seeing one hanging off the side of a slope would make me want to purchase one.

Ionel and Kristen looking too cool for school in their rented shades

Looking down from the top--definitely fake snow as you can tell.  I am pretty sure there are crops growing all around us. 

Sunset at 5 PM--definitely a rare sight in Beijing--what a great day!

A promise from one overpopulated country to another

Well that's a bit of an exaggeration, but truly if I had written "A promise from one Fogarty in an overpopulated country to another Fogarty in an overpopulated country" it would've been a bit wordy--don't you think?

To get to the point, I was the luckiest girl today!  I got Roze's postcard from the Netherlands this morning, and then I got a package from Natasha who is in India this afternoon.

Roze, let's plan out our trip!!
Natasha:  be expecting some trinkets and goodies from China :)
Here's a pic of your spectacular package soon.  It was kind of hilarious because it didn't quite make it in one piece.  It was taped together with China Post stickers that read something along the lines of "This package arrived broken, China Post stuck it back together."  But anyway, send me your address Natasha, so I can be a good Asian and send you something back ;)

PS Natasha:  Are there faux pas places to stick/wear a bindi on one's face?

PPS your characters looked amazing :D  You got my Chinese name right, but you forgot the "h" in my English name :(

From Imperial Examinations to modern day Civil Servant Examinations

Starting from a few thousand years back until about the 1800s, China had a system of picking out government officials:  the Imperial examinations.  Here is an excerpt from everyone's favorite, Wikipedia:

"In late imperial China, the examination system and associated methods of recruitment to the central bureaucracy were major mechanisms by which the central government captured and held the loyalty of local-level elites. Their loyalty, in turn, ensured the integration of the Chinese state, and countered tendencies toward regional autonomy and the breakup of the centralized system.

Men waiting to take the exam back in Imperial China

The examination system also served to maintain cultural unity and consensus on basic values. The uniformity of the content of the examinations meant that the local elites and ambitious would-be members of those elites across the whole of China were taught with the same values. Even though only a small fraction (about 5 percent) of those who attempted the examinations passed them and received titles, the studying and the hope of eventual success on a subsequent examination served to sustain the interest of those who took them.

In late traditional China, education was valued in part because of its possible pay-off in the examination system. The overall result of the examination system and its associated study was cultural uniformity—identification of the educated with national rather than regional goals and values. This self-conscious national identity still underlies the nationalism that has been so important in China's politics in the 20th and 21st centuries, though it is based on different criteria."

And a little about the conditions:

Examination hall with 7500 cells, Guangdong, 1873.

"By 1370, the examinations lasted between 24 and 72 hours, and were conducted in spare, isolated examination rooms; sometimes, however, it was held within cubicles. The small rooms featured two boards which could be placed together to form a bed or placed on different levels to serve as a desk and chair. In order to obtain objectivity in evaluation, candidates were identified by number rather than name, and examination answers were recopied by a third person before being evaluated to prevent the candidate's handwriting from being recognized." (And might I add, they weren't allowed to leave to go to the bathroom--done in the room in a bedpan of sorts or even to go home between the days of examinations.) 
 
If you actually read the above excerpt, I think it actually explains more than meets the eye about the Chinese way of thinking, Chinese diaspora, and all the way down to why the "Asians are smart" stereotype still holds true today.  (As I've always said, it's not so much smart as it is/and has been about being dedicated and hard working.) 

I remember learning about this back in the days of obtaining my degree in East Asian Studies (please don't take my degree away Dr. Huss for citing Wikipedia!), and the reason I bring it up is, this past weekend served as a very important weekend for Chinese citizens who were hoping to obtain a job as a civil servant.  I remember the graduate students in my office talking about it starting a few weeks ago.  Mostly they made comments like, "Well, we know we're going to fail it, but what the hey, let's give it a shot."  The exam doesn't cost very much money to take (somewhere around 50-60 RMB or less than $10) and it's only a few hours long (compared to the 24-72 hour imperial examinations), but it can cover pretty much anything you've ever learned in life--sort of like stuff they ask on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader" to college level questions.  How are you supposed to study for something like that?  Anyway, when I asked Ben in my office, why someone would go and take this test, he replied, "For stability."  Once you get a governmental position, you pretty much have a job for life, and I guess if you're competing with literally one billion other people, that goes a long way.  An estimated 1,030,000 people took the exam over the weekend.  (I'd hate to be a grader!)  Below are some photos from a Chinese newspaper. 

A crowd waiting to take the test at one of many testing sites

flooding the lobby

cram cram cram

pooped.

Yikes!  The odds of getting a position really depend on which one you are applying for, but generally according to Ben, it's about 1:1000.  I think a celebration is in order for the lucky few.  Perhaps us (MCATers, LSATers GREers, GMATers, USMLEers, COMLEXers, etc. don't have that much to complain about?)

Thanksgiving in Beijing!

Ever since college, thanksgiving has always been a holiday away from home for me, and this year was no exception.  Thanks to the enthusiasm of expats in Beijing, I was lucky enough to participate in a Thanksgiving feast marathon!  4 true Thanksgiving style meals in 3 days--phew!  I am on a diet until Christmas ;)  

I will make a note though that Thanksgiving has come a long way in China.  I remember my first Thanksgiving in China was in 2006 when I was on the Fulbright in Shanghai.  With ovens being a rare item to come across in a Chinese kitchen (who needs one when you've got the wok?), I believe I ended up making stuffing in a rice cooker--and we had to substitute duck for a turkey.  Remember those days Nay and Marie?  haha.  Now you can order a half a turkey for 200 RMB ($30) from one of the American diners and buy yourself a decent sized toaster oven for about $30-40 to make the rest :) 

Below is a picture of me, Allison, Adam, Sarah, and Ben celebrating Thanksgiving at Lily's American Diner in Beijing.  (Thanksgiving meal #1)

Below are some pictures from Sarah's get-together at her apt (Thanksgiving meal #3):

Adam (our first time, yet very talented turkey carver) and Sarah our gracious hostess who put together a scrumptious feast!

A look at our Thanksgiving table

Adam baked a deeelicious pumpkin pie

Ben and Allison waiting for their second/third wind while snacking on candied walnuts

A mix of Europeans and Americans--and Ben our Chinese national representative

Playing a German boardgame

Now, onto Christmas dinner celebrations!  I do have to say, Christmas has become much commercialized and malls here have nearly reached the level of excessive decorations as malls in the States since the making of this song: An American's Christmas in Beijing, but this song still makes me laugh so I'm sharing it with you guys.  That being said, nowadays, if you want to get that "Christmassy feeling" just head over to your nearest high end shopping mall/area and you'll hear the Christmas tunes on repeat doing what they do best--subliminally sending you messages to spend your money :)

"Crazy Bad"

So it has been brought to my attention recently that the US Embassy has a twitter page to follow entitled BeijingAir.  It's a Twitter page dedicated to informing you on the air quality in Beijing hourly.  After checking it today, it makes a lot more sense why I had to use my inhaler twice last week.  I mean I normally have trouble breathing after coming back from the gym (since the only other patrons there are a bunch of unemployed men who smoke leisurely next to my treadmill as they enjoy a game of pool), but last week was particularly bad.  I remember making a joke to one of my colleagues that my eyeballs were rejecting the pollution because I could not stop my eyes from tearing.  Now I know that I probably wasn't too far from the "Crazy Bad" truth. 

Makes you wonder...do you think that at the end of my 10 months here in Beijing, I'll have developed super-human lungs so when I go back to the states and immerse myself in oxygen, I'll be like those people who train at higher altitudes for marathons?

*Shush to all you fellow medical students out there who are already denying me of my dreams of gold medaling.  yeah yeah I know, CO binds with a higher affinity to Hgb than O2, and it'll be more likely for me to end up in the hospital rather than on a podium in the near future, but can't a girl dream?  ;)

I'm assuming "Beyond Index" was where "Crazy Bad" may have been! 

When I first checked the twitter site, I was worried since the index has  been hovering around "Unhealthy" for a while, but then I guess it's all relative since just last week it was at "Very Unhealthy", "Hazardous", and "Beyond Index".  I guess I can't complain about "Unhealthy".

S.A.D and NYE

On another note, I was told by a colleague that today is Singles Awareness Day in China or SAD.  Why a country that is full of women who are considered 'old maids' if they don't get married before 30 wants to have a holiday to point out to people who have yet to get married that they are running out of time, is beyond me.  It is sort of symbolic though because November 11 is full of '1s'.  I can only imagine what next year's SAD will be like considering it will be 11/11/11. 

Also I just bought my plane tickets to Taiwan for the holidays!  I will be in Taiwan from 12/25/10-1/2/11 so let me know if you'll be around!! :D

No longer a bench warmer!

Hello again!  I realize it's been a while, but it's been a crazy month since my last post!

Without going into detail, let's just say I am no longer warming the bench for the CDC here.  I've actually got a project, and someone was gracious enough to volunteer his time and be my research mentor on the side. 

There's also a little more stability in my life since I've finally got a hold of that elusive temporary residence permit two days ago!  It was very anticlimactic and cost me 400 RMB but now I don't have to leave every month!

hmm what else has happened since I last posted?  Well Dr. Francis Collins (Director of the NIH) came to visit Peking Medical University.  He was very well spoken and it was certainly exciting to have been able to meet him--particularly since I had just finished reading one of his books :) 

 

What else is new?  The dollar is also plummeting, so I wish I was being paid in RMB now.  It was 6.8 RMB to $1 when I first arrived at the end of July and it's already 6.6!  *sigh* Maybe it's a good thing.  I will be less inclined to accumulate cheap/now not so cheap clothes/shoes/purses/etc.  :)

Oh!  My friend Marie from the good 'ol days of study abroad at CET just got married in Shanghai!  This was my first experience participating in a Chinese style wedding.  They did it all including setting off firecrackers as the men approached the apartment that drew the customary crowd of neighbors to look on and cheer for the groom as he made his way to retrieve his bride.  This was followed by the women not letting the guys and Joey (the groom) into the apartment to get his bride. It's customary for the women to hide the bride behind two sets of closed doors and pose challenges to the men to prove their worth.  Joey lied to us to get to through the first door--he told us the photographer had to get in.  What a liar!   So after that, we brought on the heat.  We made Joey do push-ups (which he ended up getting his best man to do because of a 'bum wrist', serenade her through two closed doors (so really just Aerosmith style), recite the alphabet backwards (he's not a native English speaker), give us money (about $30 for each girl there--I'm not complaining!), what else...tell us why he wanted to marry her, describe her to us, say why he felt he was worthy to marry her, show us his dance moves, oh and how could I forget--we ran out of ideas so we made him kiss all the guys who were with him--on the cheek of course!  

Joey 'kissing' his best man Jalal

 

Joey with Marie after he successfully got past the challenges.

All that was followed by the tea ceremony, the glutinous rice ball ceremony (sounds more appetizing in Chinese), and the traveling to the other side of town to do it all over again at his parents' house, and finally the ceremony at the hotel with hired emcee and all.  Marie looked gorgeous in all 4 dresses!  

Marie in Dress #1 with her mom and sister Seraim

Glutinous rice ball ceremony with Marie's mom and stepdad

  

The boys at Joey's parents' house.

The women at Joey's parents' house.

 

Me and Mrs. Fan (dress #4)

Oh and of course the finale: It is customary for friends and family to tour and decorate the honeymoon suite the night of the wedding.  Not only that, but we were told, it was our duty to embarrass them in their room.  Well, you didn't have to ask us twice!  Kitty, a native Chinese girl from Hunan started off the evening by making Joey kneel on teacups in front of Marie and wait while she thought of 10 things he was to never do/do during their lifetime of marriage.  I don't remember all of them, but the ones I remember were:  don't get fat, be a good father, always love me, and never leave me, but if you leave me, it better not be for another man.  I mean, that just about covers it don't you think? We ended the night by making the newlyweds get into bed and throw out all their clothes.  We were told that back in the day (perhaps when there were arranged marriages?) granny might hide under the bed to make sure she was going to get herself some grandchildren.  That was definitely too Chinese for us, so we sent our blessings and scurried out before it got too awkward.  

 

Poor Joey on teacups--ouch!

 The last bits of clothing were off--our job was done!  

(I really hope I don't have to make another couple strip off their clothes ever again!)

Anyway, that concludes the wedding.  It was a whole day affair, but well worth it!  I think the wedding ended by 10 PM but considering we started around 11 AM, we were all pretty ready to take the dress shoes off and change into some PJs!  What a day!

Back in BJ

That stands for Beijing for all y'all who needed that clarification!  They actually have shirts here that say I <3 BJ.  haha. 

Anyway, I'm jetlagged once again..yuck!  I'm back to waking up at 3 AM.  Somehow it's not so bad this time around.  It's probably because I have all this SAS MPH coursework to catch up on. 

Work is a little better.  I arrived in Beijing on Friday afternoon and found out I had to work yesterday (Saturday).  That was a welcome back to Beijing treat for me!  In China, people don't really have holidays.  It's not like the states where you look forward to 2 weeks off for winter vacation or a three day weekend for Labor Day.  No, not here.  For everyday you get off work for a holiday here, you've already made up that time (or will make it up) by working on the weekends.  So most recently, there was October National Holiday here in China from the 1st to the 7th.  Depending on the company, people will be working 1-2 days of the weekend for a while to make up for the "week they got off".  How much does that suck?  I really don't want to work here unless it's for an NGO/NPO or the embassy or for some international corporation.  Then you get twice as many holidays ;)  As long as one country is on vacation, you can't get anything done right?  :D

I was happy to have had dinner with Dr. Qian my States-side principal investigator (PI).  He is here visiting China with Dr. Heimburger of FICRS (the fellowship I'm on).  It was good to see familiar faces of people who may be able to understand some of the frustrations I have thus far in Beijing.  It was also at this Sichuan restaurant that provided a preforming arts show while you ate.  I've posted some pictures below of this crazy "acrobat" girl.  She just bends in ways that look absolutely painful!  I really didn't know people could bend like that.  It was actually really disturbing and mildly unappetizing.

Anyway, check out the pics below.  Other than that, send me an email or post how things are going for you!!  I need a boost for Beijing Round Two.


Below is some paranormal activity for you:

 Her butt is on her head!!!

That is some good balance right there!

Chicago!

After being in Chicago for a week and just taking a break from China, I realized how much I missed the good 'ol US of A.  It's good to be able to walk out of your apt and take a deep breath of clean, crisp, fresh air.  My lungs were not used to the oxygen levels there--they're all sorts of confused and they wonder constantly "where's the CO at?"

Anyway, much to everyone's relief (you can all stop holding your breath now and breathe) I got my work visa!! :)  yayyyyy  I know you were all very concerned ;)  I got the notorious and elusive 'Z' visa.  As far as I'm concerned, mission is accomplished.  It really wasn't too hard to get.  All I had to do was wait around 4 hours and then get yelled at by this lady who should not work the front desk for anyone in any country.  Those who are going to Chicago for a Chinese Visa, beware!!  She is mean!  I usually don't get phased by mean people, but she is just downright rude.  When I walked in that morning at 9:30, I got a front row viewing of her chewing this poor guy out about not having "copies" and the "right papers" and all that and I thought, okay maybe this guy was a little ill prepared, but then she just kept the same attitude the whole time.  By the time I got up to the front window, I thought, surely she won't yell at me.  I mean, come on, take a look at this sweet and innocent face! ;)  Plus, I'm totally prepared.  And this is how it went:

Me: Hi, how are you?
Visa lady:  Papers
Me:  okay
Visa: I need copies
Me: okay,
Visa:  This is not everything.
Me:  It's not?  What am I missing?
Visa:  Working permit
Me: oh, I have that, one second. (meanwhile, you don't realize this until you're at the counter but there's a lot of wind coming out of the paper slot from inside their office, so it's literally like trying to turn your papers in when there's an industrial sized fan blowing at you--probably why that guy was having such a hard time finding his copies)
Visa:  (3.5 seconds later with raised voice) Ma'am I need the copy
Me:  One second please, I have it right here
Visa: (3 seconds later with really raised voice coming out of the speaker) Ma'am please step aside
Me: one second please
Visa: Ma'am step aside (as she attempts to call the next person up)
Me:  it's right here!  (as I shove it through crinkled)

Then she glares at me, paperclips everything together, and literally tosses it like with a flick of the wrist into the tray haphazardly.  I'm sitting there thinking I really hope she doesn't lose any papers!  She hands me the receipt and I'm just glad to be done and she says, "Pick up is October 6th".  As I leave the counter, it registers to me that I'm leaving Chicago October 1st and October 6th is like 10 working days when the website clearly says a visa only takes max 4 working days.  So I turn around to ask her about it, but she's already called the next guy up to the counter.  I apologize to the guy and ask her, is there anyway to expedite the visa processing. 

Visa lady:  You did not say that the first time
Me: Well, I thought it only takes 4 business days to process a visa.
Visa:  Yes, but we have October holidays coming up
Me:  Yes that's not until October 1st.  (it was the 27th of sept so 4 working days would have been sept 30)
Visa: If you want it before the 6th, you need to expedite it
Me: (thinking whatever, I already had to come to America for this crap so what's another $20 on top of $140?) Okay, well can I expedite it?
Visa:  You'll have to wait until after this gentlemen. 
Me: Okay, sure.  (I step aside to wait)
Visa:  (with raised voice) Ma'am you'll have to wait until after this gentlemen is done. 
Me:  (thinking about how much I'd like to punch her in the face right about now) I understand.
Visa: (now nearly yelling) Please wait until after this gentlemen!
Me:  (I am so confused because I'm not saying anything. I'm not doing anything, yet she keeps yelling at me through the glass speaker.  So I finally just step out of her line of sight totally behind the guy, and apparently that's all she wanted because she shut up.  The guy then turns around and was like, "I'm so sorry!!"  I was like..dude, it's okay--just good luck with your stuff!

So, after all that, I walked out of the office feeling very sorry for the poor souls who ever walk into that office excited to go to China.  I hope that they never get this lady because she is an awful representative of China.  I was hoping she was just having a bad day, but I was talking to another friend of mine and I think that's just how she is because she remembers the crazy lady.  So, if you're in Chicago for a visa, avoid the skinny, angry looking lady who is in her mid thirties and hates life more than the trust fund babies of Uptown hate the idea of work or responsibilities. 

*sigh* hopefully when I get back I can get this visa exchanged to a temporary residence permit and then be smooth sailing from here on out! 

Please Return to Sender

So because of visa issues and beaurocracy and 关系 (guanxi) and arbitrary moments of "following the rules" or in a more eloquently stated manner:

"The problem here is that mainland China is not so much a land of laws as it is a remarkably complex network of interpersonal relationships. In addition, and more to the point, the law serves a very different function in China than it does in our respective Western countries in that it is primarily intended to maintain social order far more so than to specifically dictate what should or will occur under any given set of circumstances, as is true of the law in the West. Provincial and municipal government leaders are free to interpret and enforce the law in any way that best meets the needs of their citizenry. What is considered best for the social good of the people of China at any given time will generally supersede or trump a strict interpretation of the letter of the law."
(http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/china-english-teacher-visas.htm)

I'm on my way back to America! So, if you're in the great city of Chicago from 9/25-10/1, let me know! I will be back to get me a real visa! Cross your fingers for me because if this don't work, I ain't going back.

Videos of Arirang!

As promised, I've uploaded some videos so you can better understand the magnitude of the performances. Sorry for the "shaky cam" quality for some of the clips--there was so much going on all at once that at times I would forget I was recording! ;)

Opening Act of Arirang 2010

How the Backdrop Works!

The Children's Act

Military First Arirang--I'm guessing this was a tribute to their Military First Policy

Reunification Arirang--This one was actually pretty touching, but then again, I didn't understand the Korean in the background. Maybe that would've made a difference? Would any Korean readers care to share?

Highwire/flying Act Arirang--This clip does not do it justice, but imagine not being able to see that a safety net had been put in place. We were definitely lead on to believe that we just watched someone fall tens of stories to their death. But of course, it was all part of the act! At the end, they started catapulting people across the stadium. I'm not going to lie, it was a little nerve racking to watch.

Spinning by foot and head Arirang--Sorry, I'm starting to make up names for the acts, but I think the description I've given is quite accurate!

Acrobat Arirang I--Sorry this clip was cut into two.
Acrobat Arirang II

Closing Act of Arirang 2010

There you have it! Enjoy!

To individuality

Sorry for the punctuated post, but in between trying to get my visa situation figured out (I've got this horrible visa that is for a year but each duration of stay is 30 days which means I have to leave the country every 30 days to reset the clock--I know!!!) and the course work I'm trying to complete for an MPH while abroad, and my actual job here in Beijing, I've got a limited number of hours in a day! If only it didn't take an hour+ to get anywhere in Beijing I'd have that transportation time! Good thing it's taking a while to download the videos for my class so I have some spare time ;)

Anyway, where did I leave off? OH yes, Arirang. I hope y'all got a chance to YouTube it. It is indeed a very incredible experience. Like I said, it's 120,000 performers (like a ginormous marching band except with gymnastics and musical talent) on the field and 20,000 kids (see their little heads?) seated on the opposite side of the stadium to form the backdrop. At first we were all mistaken and thought that the children were holding up white posters on which images were projected, but my camera zoom quickly proved us wrong. The kids actually have a whole book of different colored pages that they are to flip on cue. It's really amazing how precise they are. But then again, we were told they practice for months and they perform daily I believe for 3 months straight. I'm hoping those are their summer break months, but I'm not actually sure. We were also told thousands more actually try out, and these were the cream of the crop. It's a pretty big deal to be an Arirang performer. Like one of those things that your parents can brag about. If you make it, you are after all THE best of the best--nationally.

I think what I'll do is just post a lot of pictures and hopefully some videos so y'all can see for yourself.

So this was one of the first acts we saw. This was an all female performance. I believe the performers were from the late teens to early 30s. After watching the first 15 minutes, I started experiencing that strong feeling of "collectivism" and "unity". But there was definitely something a little 'off' about it. It was beautiful, yet a little unnatural. Maybe that's just the individualistic American in me talking, but I think it was more than that. I mean, these performers take a 3 month hiatus from their jobs or school to perform for whom? Much of the stadium was empty. 3 months in the world's second largest stadium...in a country that seemed kind of empty to me when I was there...but then again I was coming straight from the crowded streets of China.

Here are some pictures from the children's act. I just don't know how they got thousands of children to learn a routine and perform it so precisely!

This following part totally reminded me of that scene from Disney's Mulan--you know that whole "Be a man" musical scene. (Don't deny it--you know what I'm talking about--you're totally singing the song in your head right now!) Except of course this is Tae Kwon Do. They ended up (as you can see in the middle image) catapulting people through the air. It was ccrazzzyy.

They also had a section on China-DPRK relations which we were told was new this year. I was slightly offended because the Chinese were partially represented by dancers in panda suits. But I guess with a bunch of Asian looking people, it's hard to tell the difference? The first two pictures are of the same slogan in Korean first and then Chinese. Remember--those are little kids changing the background by flipping a page in their poster book on cue.

And here of course are the pandas. They did throw in a dragon dance which I appreciated!

And a very PC finale, we've got 120,000 North Koreans dancing around the world.

And here's the backdrop falling apart as the kids are probably dying to get some dinner at 9:30 at night.

So there we have it ladies and gentleman: The Mass Games (aka Arirang) 2010. I will do my best to post some videos on YouTube and post the links next time. I think the files may be too large for a blog post. I also can't run YouTube and Blogspot at the same time on this VPN connection or one of them will timeout. Nonetheless--I am glad to have internet once again!

Until next time--and don't worry--this was just the end of my first day in the DPRK. I've got plenty more to share ;)