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 ;)

PS-Happy Valentine's Day

Just learned that today is Chinese Valentine's Day. I only learned this because the grad student working next to me was like, "Hey! today's Valentine's Day, why doesn't it feel very holiday-ish?" He's right--I was out shopping yesterday and you wouldn't have guessed that the national Valentine's day was coming up today. I think I like it this way. No unnecessary pressure to explain what you will be doing on Valentine's Day. But for what it's worth--Happy Chinese Valentine's Day! Sending you all some China love!!

FIERCE

I got the idea to post about things that brought to my mind the word fierce while experiencing Beijing for the second and a half time around these last two weeks. The word may bring to mind a whole different set of images/expectations for each of you, but for me, at this point in my life, here are the fiercest of the fierce. (I realize that by the end of this blog, fierce is going to be that word you're going to have to say over and over to yourself trying to make sense of it due to my overuse of the word--like when you're writing a paper at 3AM and the word "the" becomes the most elusive, perplexing word to you and you think to yourself...how do you spell "the"? But I do not apologize. How many times does one get to use the word fierce in one's daily vocabulary? Werd. And yes, the bold and italics are necessary.)

Counting down at #5:

Sleeping on an 'Updated Semen Cassia' pillow. I'm no botanist, so to me, cassia would've offered me that factor of intrigue and perhaps sold me the product as opposed to 'semen cassia'. For the record, that is the actual name of this herb which is claimed to help with obesity. But if I were to choose, I would go with this one:
Who wouldn't want their liver heat removed? And come on--we all know I'm blind as a bat. You just watch, after 10 months in Beijing sleeping on this bad boy, I won't need Dr. Boothe's help anymore!

Coming in at #4:

I'm dedicating this to "Cricket". He is our real estate agent. I sincerely wish I had a picture of this man/boy. How do I describe him? Imagine a 5'3 Chinese male who weighs no more than 110 pounds. He looks about 22-ish which means he's probably closer to 30. He's got this chili bowl haircut and smokes like a chimney. But don't you 小看 (xiao3kan4) him. As we were moving in to our 6th floor apt with no elevator, he took my 50lb suitcase and in one fell swoop lifted it onto his back and sprinted up 6 flights of stairs. Fierce. You just wouldn't expect this tiny little guy to do something like that! If I ever get a photo of him, you will be able to see for yourself.

Coming in at #3:

So I think my parents would flip if they came to visit China at this point. It is definitely not as conservative as they would've hoped. It's also very different from what I remembered it 3 years ago. Everywhere you look...and I do mean everywhere there are these "Sex shops" or better yet "Sex appliance shops". I've never seen anyone walk into them, but they've gotta have business because they're everywhere! I went in, out of curiosity, yesterday after dinner--you know, for research purposes, and I guess it's what you would expect: condoms, dildos, toys, fake viagra (okay, I don't know for sure if it's fake, but the packaging sure looks it) etc. It was weird though. How do I explain? Hmm, well in the states, you can find all the above in stores like that, but you can also find novelty items for say bachelorette parties, etc. Here in China, it was just this tiny 7'x7' store with everything lined up in glass wall cases. Like, you'd have to ask to see each individual item and the store owner would have to unlock the case and take each item out individually for you to examine...as he or she watches over your shoulder. I would say that would set up a pretty awkward shopping experience. Also, half the stuff they have is from Russia as is evidenced by the Cyrillic so I wonder how much of this stuff (especially the medicinal things) is used for the right purposes. Anyway, for those who brave the shopping experience for items in these stores...mad props. fierce.

Coming in at #2:

Female cab drivers. Driving a cab in China is no easy task. From my understanding, cabbies have 12 hour shifts 6 days a week. For this reason alone, it may be harder for women to become cab drivers--especially if they have to take care of their children. Every once in a while, however, you'll end up hailing a cab with a female driver. They mean business. They're there to take you to where you need to go and no horsing around. It's not just me who thinks that. I ended up talking to another cab driver about it last week. The conversation went something like:

Me: Are there many female cab drivers?
Cab: No too many.
Me: Why is that?
Cab: I don't know maybe it's too hard to take care of your children and drive all day for a living. But you know, the ones that work for my company, they are 厉害 (li4hai). They will take 24 hour shifts so they can take another day off to be with their family. You won't ever hear them complain. They are very hard working.

I would agree with that. I always find I have more faith in getting in a cab driven by a female. I know they won't take me the long way around, and they are much better drivers! That's right, they are case and point that Asian females are great drivers--much like the rest of us! ;)

And last but not least coming in at #1:

Introducing to you the BEIJING BIKINI

This is my roommate Simon demonstrating the style for you. It's summer. It's hot and humid. Why not? This is what you see day and night. Men walking around with their shirts pulled up and tucked in under their armpits. Simon got a little shy doing it in the middle of Tiananmen Square, but normally, the entire belly would be on exhibit. Not only is the belly on exhibit, but you've got men slapping their bellies like they get some weird satisfaction from it. Or maybe they're trying to be musical. Sometimes, they just strip it all and walk around in their boxers. I mean, maybe not in Tiananmen, but still, in very public places. Boxers! In Public! fierce.

And that concludes my top 5 countdown. Coming up next time--China fashion.

But for now, here are some pics of the apt!

Here is a picture of our front door--we're officially living in an Asian house. First off, how are these little tiger cut outs un-Asian? Secondly, this was left over from Chinese new years I'm sure which was what...6 months ago? So Asian.
This is our living room complete with fridge and microwave and empty giant fish tank near the window.
Below is a picture of my bedroom--not too shabby. The bed, however, is hard as a rock. I think the only improvement it provides from the floor is elevation.

And of course the most important room of all when one is in China, el bano. Always interesting to shower over one's toilet and trash can, but hey, it makes it one of the most efficient rooms in the house!


Until next time...

American or Chinese?

That's the question I keep asking myself. I probably should have figured this all out by the age of 26, but every time I come back to China it's always a struggle for me to figure out who I am. The fact is I am Chinese-American, but to the Chinese, that is not acceptable. When people ask, "你是从那里来的?" (Where are you from?) My response naturally is "美国." (The US). And their response is, "不可能！ 你看起来不象美国人!" (Impossible! You don't look American!) To the Chinese, American's are still supposed to have big eyes, a prominent nose, dirty blonde/brown hair with beautifully pasty skin. I guess I have the pasty down.

But it's more than just appearances. It's so much more than that. For example, today was my first day in the office. Before I went in today, I decided I was going to go in as an American. Let me explain. If I had walked in today speaking Mandarin then I was going to be treated as if I were Chinese. What's the problem with that you ask. Well let's see, as I mentioned earlier, it's hard for the Chinese to understand that I am not really Chinese Chinese so if I go in speaking Mandarin and then I make some cultural mistake or if I have a little trouble expressing myself in Mandarin at times, they take it rather offensively as if I did it on purpose. Well, as far as not being able to express myself, they might just think I'm a little slow. But if my office starts thinking of me as Chinese then all of a sudden I'm supposed to catch on to all the inter-office drama or know exactly what my role is here. That's very different than say a Caucasian American walking in and speaking Mandarin. No matter what that person does, they will always be a "foreigner". They will be applauded for their Chinese, but it will always be understood that he/she is not native. That can be good and bad. You are allowed more mistakes, but you are probably more likely to get ripped off in the market and people may come up to you in the subways eager to practice their English. When I am on the subway, however, I look like everyone else so until I open my mouth, I've got that enviable thing called "personal space".

Anyway, I guess it's a struggle for me because I know a lot about being Chinese, but I don't know enough to be Chinese. And part of me feels like I'm letting all the cultural understanding I do have to waste if I just go in as an "American". But the truth of the matter is, I am what I am, and that's a little bit of both. *sigh* no easy answer to that one I guess.

On the upside, Leslie, a true blessing, who is Simon's (my Fogarty colleague) friend Mark's roommate has been providing us a roof over our heads this past week in Beijing while Mark was away on business. I applaud her "I don't believe in A/C" efforts, but I don't know how she does it! It gets so incredibly hot in this apt and she is as far as I can tell lacking sweat glands. I ended up telling myself that it's like going to a sauna for free! Mind over matter people! That and wearing non-white shirts that become see-through with sweat stains have been essential thus far.

And just for fun, here are some winners of the 'Really should have hired a native English speaker to translate your menu" category:

Starting off at #7

Bralsed Blood Card with Hot Pepper

#6
Numb and Sore Beef

#5

Pawpaw succulent and lily (Papaya)

#4

Pot-stewed Plump Beef with Pungency

#3

Fried greed and red pepper and Duck gizzard
What if we deep fried greed? Would it make it yummy and delicious?

#2

Fish smells with Horse's hoof fruit (yummm)

drum roll please!

Coming in at #1

Pot-braisod pig fallopian tube
Always wanted to try that! It's really just intestines...although fallopian tubes definitely makes it sound more...forbidden.

Hope you all enjoyed those! I will post soon with pictures of my new apt! Until then, I'm trying to decide on whether or not I should invest in a mask such as this one:

What do you think guys? yay or nay? The smog is pretty bad--I've had to start using my inhaler on bad days, but this of course runs the risk of being pulled over on suspicions that I am some sort of ninja assassin. That's Simon's fear at least. I, however, have been fully reassured by thoughtful advertising that this mask will go with any outfit of my choosing from biking to the business suit. See for yourself!

Hey, you only have one set of lungs!

yayy for VPN

I would just like to give a quick shout-out to StrongVPN for doing whatever it does to let me now view blogspot and hulu and facebook and all those time consuming things that I probably would've been better off with! All for the low price of $10/month.

That's all I really wanted to say for now!