The Stromboli

Last year, when I realized I was going to be spending two years in Shanghai, I didn't forsee the extent I would miss my American lifestyle. I knew I would miss my family, but I never imagined how much I would miss the little things.

Needless to say, after spending August through December 19th in Shanghai, when I got a chance to come home for a few weeks during break, I was estatic. Not just happy estatic, but like a 7 year old the night before Christmas estatic.

After a grueling 16 hour flight, where I was stuck in the middle seat between a girl going home to Georgia and a man heading home to Louisville, the plane finally landed in Atlanta where I had a 3 hour layover. I staggered off the plane toward the terminal, each step bringing me closer to American soil, and I got more and more excited. As I entered the airport, I took a moment to look around. First of all, in the sea of faces at the Atlanta airport, I finally saw diversity after months of only seeing Chinese faces. All kinds of hair and skin colors, and all kinds of shapes. It struck me how much larger, in the two directions that count, the people in the Atlanta airport were. After months of being able to see over a crowd of people in China, I was now eye level or lower with most of the crowd at the airport. During my first 5 months in China, I don't recall seeing a single clearly obese Chinese person. As I waited in line at customs, I saw quite a few. And knowing what I do about China, I am sure they would be stared at walking down a Shanghai street.

Most of all, it felt good to be able to comprehend all that was going on around me. I knew what all the signs meant, I could understand the announcements over the loud speakers, and a casual conversation could be had with the person in front of me without involving a one man pantomime show, which I often use to get my point across in China. I am sure I had a smile on my face as wide as the wings of the plane that brought me to America.
As I made it through customs at Atlanta International, and was walking towards baggage claim, a familiar smell began to wash over me - the tantalizing, delectible smell that is American food. Even though it was airport food, I really felt like the luckiest man at the airport. After months of eating a few limited items in China that I knew and trusted, the entire smorgasboard that is an American food court was open to me. Do I stop over the McDonalds and try a juicy American hamburger and wash it down with a soda? Do I head over to Subway and get a turkey breast sub after 5 months without turkey? As I turned I even saw a Chinese restaurant - eek! Finally, my eyes settled on the chosen spot. Directly in front of me, like an oasis in a barren desert, was a Sbarros. One of my all time favorite foods is a stromboli, and I could almost taste it. My feet barely touched the floor as I sped towards the slice of heaven known as Sbarros, thoughts of Italian food filling my head. My mouth was watering enough to put Pavlov's dogs to shame as I ordered the stromboli. My hand trembled as I exchanged the money for the food, easily the best money I've ever spent. I finally found a seat in the crowded airport, but my focus was only on the stromboli. All other external stimuli faded away as my world consisted of me and that delicious concoction of pepperoni, ham and bread. As my mouth bit down, and the flavors washed over my taste buds for the first time in almost half a year, I realized what I had given up to go to China. I devoured the stromboli in record time, but instead of sating my appetite, it only made me long for the other foods I have been missing. Ben and Jerry's, chocolate chip cookies, eggnog, the list goes on and on. My three weeks in America will be spent seeing family and spending time with my amazing girlfriend, but truthfully, all of that is a front. My true passion over these three weeks will be to eat as much American food as I can, waistline be damned!

Christmas...I think

So the Chinese do celebrate Christmas...sort of. In fact, my local shopping mall looks very much like its American counterpart might look this time of year. There are Christmas decorations, a Santa Claus standing at the entrance, and even the employees wear red Christmas hats. They even have Christmas carols translated into Chinese playing over the loudspeaker...if you listen carefully you can hear one in the background.

Sunday Morning Ritual

The Chinese love basketball. Absolutely love it - more, I think, than most Americans. When I was in Beijing for the Olympics, all I saw around me were advertisements for Nike and Reebok, larger than life NBA players hanging from billboards and walls, enticing thousands of Chinese into impulsive shoe purchases daily. While the Chinese love Yao Ming, for some unknown reason, Kobe Bryant is a God here. He has an ad on TV, his face is recognized by almost all Chinese, and he was undoubtedly the most famous Olympian at the Games, bigger than even the Chinese stars, Yao Ming and Liu Xiang, the Chinese hurdler.

I guess then, that it is not surprising that one of the ways Americans and Chinese relate to each other is through the game of basketball. Lanqiu, as its called in Chinese, gives both countries a common language. The camaraderie that is built on the court transcends the game itself, and has led me to count among my friends quite a few of the Chinese guys I play against and with on a weekly basis. These friendships have at the center the game of basketball. We play every Sunday morning, and it is, quite honestly, one of the highlights of my week.

Liquid Nitrogen

A few weeks ago I had a chance to do some really cool science with my students. By cool, I mean cold, about -200 degrees Celcius cold! I brought liquid nitrogen into the classroom and got a chance to talk about properties of gasses while seeing some pretty unique physical phenomena. One of the best parts of my day was getting to share the nitrogen demos with students in the lower school, grades K-4. I almost always work with high school students, and while I enjoy working with them, there was something refreshing about the innocent excitement that filled the young students eyes. They could not contain the sheer amazement they had while watching the "magical" demos. From shrinking balloons, to eating frozen marshmallows, it was a special day. And its cute to hear the young students explanations for different things. When the nitrogen cools the air in a balloon, causing it to shrivel up into nothing, one little girl raised her hand and asked, with a grave seriousness, "Did you just kill the air?" 

I've included a few pictures and a video of one of my favorite demonstrations. This was done in my senior physics class, and we managed to fit 14 balloons into the bowl of liquid nitrogen. Check it out - and don't ever let me hear you say science isn't "cool"!

An Unusual Taxi Ride

Sorry for my long hiatus...my girlfriend was here for about two weeks and the semester is winding down at school. Two poor excuses...I know. :) I do have a lot of pictures to put up, and tales to tell, which I will get to, but for a now a quick story that actually just happened a few hours ago.
I was at my local department store tonight shopping for some presents and food items. I had about six large bags worth of stuff to carry, so since I couldn't ride my bike home(my usual method of transportation), I decided to take a taxi. In front of the department store they have a taxi line, and I moved into line and waited for a cab. I finally got to the front of the line and was waiting for a taxi to pull up. A small, green car pulls up in front of me, cutting off a driver that was about to pick me up. With an angry taxi cab driver behind him, the navigator of the small green car motions for me to get in. Another family had started to get in the cab that was behind the green car, and with my options dwinding and my fingers tingling(it is very cold tonight) I took the man up on his offer and put my stuff in his car and jumped in. I took note of his waving golden cat(they are very popular here) attached to his dashboard and wondered what just happened. We arrived at my destination and he stops the car, quickly turning around with his hand extended. He wants money. I only have a few coins, and then several large bills. I show him and explain my situation, that I am not giving him the big bills, and he doesn't have change, so he huffs and takes the few small coins and drives off - to his home, maybe his wife and child I presume. I am left in the cold with my things - but also left wondering how often this type of thing happens. Can you imagine driving home from work, pulling into a taxi line and picking someone up, and then demanding they pay you? It really is every man and women for themselves here in China - they are all looking to make a quick RMB - no matter what they have to do.

This is China #3

Here are a couple of items I've found in the last week at my local department store.  

The first item is a popular spice used by the Chinese. Something tells me it wouldn't be a hit in America....

And even though the Chinese don't celebrate Christmas, they have a small section of Christmas items available for the handful of westerners that shop at the store. I guess Christmas is coming early this year...

This Little Piggy Went to the Market

OK - this post is also about pigs. Before you think I've become pig obsessed(I'm not) realize that China IS pig obsessed - at least at dinner time. Pork and chicken are the most devoured foods in China. My last post related a vicious attack I was subject to at the hands(nose,really) of an oinker. Today I am just going to mention the high frequency of pigs going to the market that I see every morning(around 5 am) on my 4 minute bike ride to school. These pigs are usually stacked 5 or 6 high on the back of a motorcycle. My understanding is anyone can rent out their vehicle to carry pigs to the market. Some of these people pick up the pigs, throw them on their bike or into the back of their car, drop them off at the market, and then head off to work. And you think your commute is messy....

 

The Other White Meat

Tonight, I almost died. OK - so maybe I am exaggerating just a bit - but not since I consumed a small bottle of energy drink in one gulp during college has my heart beat as fast as it did tonight. My chest must have looked like it belonged in the movie Alien with my heart going as hard and fast as it was just minutes ago. Let me paint the picture...
I decided around 6:30 pm to go for a run. It was a cool, crisp fall night and the air was crystal clear, which happens about once a month here in Shanghai. I thought I should take advantage of the clear air so I headed out for a jog. Now Shanghai is a very runner/biker friendly place. Alongside each main road, on each side of the road, are wide paved bike lanes with a median between it and the road. Chicago could learn from Shanghai in this regard....
Plenty of space for all of the people on bicycles, motorcycles and two feet. Occasionally you will see a car parked in this bike lane, because the car is making a delivery to one of the houses on the other side of the bike lane. As you run past you need to squeeze around these vehicles as there is not much room on either side, so its a tight fit. Tonight, I was well into my run, 20 or 30 minutes and I was in the zone. My I-Pod kept putting out great song after great song, and I was oblivious to all but my breathing and the pavement. It was dark out and the street lights were ample enough to light the bike path, so I was able to see in the distance a truck with a large cargo box in its bed. Thinking nothing of it, as again, these things are common, I began to squeeze past the truck in a slow jog, still oblivious, lost in my I-Tuney world. As I passed the truck I remember thinking how warm it felt, figuring it must be the engine block giving off heat. I neared the end of the truck, and one of the five most singularly frightening moments of my life occured. Out of nowhere, and for no apparent reason - a giant pig thrust his large, warm, wet nose out of the truck and right up against my arm while snorting simultaneously. Normally this would have caused a mild reaction on my part, but considering my mental state at this stage in the run, I would have been no more shocked to be scooped up by a large dinosaur and carried off into the wilderness. I leapt back as if I had been tazed, and at the same time that I was screaming like an 8 year old girl, I tripped on the nearby curb and fell into the median, and a large, thorny bush. The pig, having seen enough, snorted one more time for good measure, and pulled his nose back into the truck, presumably to go tell his pig buddies what he just did to a human. I was not only in complete shock, with thorn scratches on my arms, breathless and adrenaline filled, but to compound my problem, the always helpful Chinese decided to come over and lift me off the ground as they had seen what happened. Apparently convinced that I was really hurt, I think they were trying to lift me up and carry me to safety. Still in a state of shock, I had to tell them politely, or as politely as I could at the moment, to leave me alone. Now faced with a 30 minute run back to my apartment with a throbbing heart and panting breath, I gamely began trudging back from whence I came, only this time making sure to make a wide berth around the truck of pigs.

23 Million...and counting

While its probably well known that the population of China is somewhere around 1.3 billion, 23 million of those people have decided to spend their lives living together in the city of Shanghai. There are moments when I can really "feel" the weight of the enormous population. For example - I will sometimes ride my bike down a back alley near my house as a shortcut - an alley that in America would be occupied by a garbage dumpster and maybe a rat or two, but in China that alley has about 10 people on bikes, another 20 or so walking through, and maybe even a food or trinket stand set up. Of all the places in Shanghai, though, I feel the "people pressure" the most on the subway. I took these two videos of the Shanghai subway on a Saturday afternoon, not a Friday rush hour. It is common as you enter a subway car to be pushed(rather hard, I might add) by the person behind you, as everyone is desperate to make the train before the doors close. When you have 23 million people trying to get somewhere, the result is rather uncomfortable. See for yourself....

Its a Small World After All

Two recent events have made me realize once again that the world is shrinking by the second. The first one occurred a few weeks ago. I have several friends who work in a nanotechnology lab at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. I had asked them if they would be willing to speak to my AP Physics students about what kind of work they were doing, their science backgrounds, etc. They said they were more than willing, but the question was - were they able? The problem was a logistical one - I teach in China, they live in America. Thanks to a computer program called Skype(all international Americans I know use it and can't live without it) my class and I were able to have a live videoconference with these two American-based researchers. Skype - which allows two computers to connect over the internet - is completely free and offers the ability for the two parties to see each other through webcams. So while my AP Physics students were still rubbing their eyes at 8 am in the morning, they were being shown specimens of nanomaterials via webcam from half the world away, by researchers who were finishing up a day's work and getting ready to head home.  

The second event was incredible. It was shared by millions, if not billions of people, all in their own way. Since the time difference between China and the USA is 13 hours - while Barack Obama was giving his inspirational acceptance speech 7000 miles away in the middle of the night - my students were able to watch history unfold live in front of them as the bright midday sun shone through the windows. While my classroom is a mix of nationalities, cultures and political viewpoints - my students agree- it was spine tingling to share such an historic moment.  And the familiar song is stuck in my head - for it is a small world after all...

Halloween in China

Halloween is a mysterious holiday in China. Foreigners are still enough of a curiousity to be interesting distractions in and of themselves, but dress that same foreigner up in a strange costume and you now have a showstopper. I wasn't quite ready for the attention my friends and I would receive as we walked along the streets of Shanghai in costume. My costume, which was more alarming than I intended, was that of a Chinese xiaojie, or singing girl. I wore a traditional Chinese dress, a wig, white face makeup and carried a fan that I used to shield my face as much as possible. I also attempted to take on the persona of a xiaojie - giggly and in general being very shy - which is hard for me. The reason, I think, that the Chinese found my costume alarming is because as I began to sweat, the makeup ran down my face and gave it a strange, mottled look. Plus - at 6 feet - I was a very large person(by Chinese standards) walking around in a dress. Three times, Chinese women, upon seeing me as I passed by them, literally screamed out and jumped away as I walked by. Two little boys, their faces in awe and mouths agape, followed me for nearly five minutes, laughing and pointing the whole time. I stopped once on the street, and a crowd of about 20 people gathered and I became a photo op, person after person grabbing my arm, smiling and making the ubiquitous peace sign into the camera as everyone stared at the giant white faced Chinese "woman". 

It made me wonder what they were thinking, what they were saying in their hushed, unintelligible tones. I guess it just reminded me once again, that the thing we most often fear is that with which we are unfamiliar. I found it ironic, then, that I, being in a country and culture that is so unfamiliar to me, for one night at least, went from being surrounded by the unfamiliar to becoming that thing that isn't understood, that object that haunts by its sheer mystery. Oh - I can't wait until next Halloween!

Jiaozi and Happy Birthday

This past weekend I was invited to the home of one of my new Chinese friends. His name is William and we met in a little convenience store that is adjacent to my apartment. William saw me in the store and came over and introduced himself in broken English, and then I returned the favor, introducing myself in broken Chinese. We both shared a laugh, and he gave me his card and invited me to his father-in-law's house Saturday for a family get together. It turns out the family was celebrating William's birthday! Saturday morning, I met William and his wife at their apartment, and we jumped on a bus and ended up at the subway. We took the subway for a while, and then got off and took another bus. After the bus stopped, we jumped in a cab and finished the ride. We were in transit for over an hour and half. I asked William if we were still in Shanghai, and he looked at me strangely, and said "Of course you are still in Shanghai." The Chinese are so used to the enormous size of their cities that it didn't dawn on him that driving an hour and a half might have placed us outside of Shanghai. I think there are states in America that you can drive across in an hour and half.

Once at William's house, I was greeted warmly by his family. They were very impressed that William had a waigouren (foreigner) as a friend. After asking me a lot of questions about America, I showed them some pictures of my family. They insisted that my sister was piaoliang(beautiful - she is) and that she looks just like Britney Spears(she doesn't). I was offered cigarettes twice, each time politely refusing.

 I was then invited into the living room to help prepare the jiaozi, the famous Chinese dumpling. It is a piece of dough filled with tuber oil. The green filling contains pork, and is very tasty. It is eaten after the main dishes, sort of like a meaty dessert.

After dinner - and after William's father- in-law made me his honorary Chinese son (I had to toast him as "baba" - father in Chinese)-we sang Happy Birthday to William. In Chinese, Happy Birthday is pronounced "Shengri kuaile" and the song has the same tune as the American version. 

I had to be up early the next day, so after Happy Birthday, William took me on his bicycle(I sat sidesaddle on the back) to the bus stop, where I began the journey back home. 

Bad Day

I guess it could have happened anywhere, at anytime. Fortunately for me - it happened in the middle of the day at the intersection in front of my school. (My school is directly to the right in this picture)

Can you imagine the conversation going on in the cab of the truck as it begins to tilt upward? What do you think the men behind the truck are thinking? (Well, maybe if we all lift.....)

The Invasion

It is such a weird moment when you are walking along a street in China with clothes hanging from the windows of nearby houses, Chinese music drifting through the air and you pass a cart filled with Chinese goodies - only to come upon....a Starbucks. It doesn't happen often - but American companies are beginning to integrate themselves into Chinese culture. The success rate is mixed - KFC and Starbucks are doing well, McDonalds(beef, the staple of McDonalds menu, is not popular here) is lagging behind.

As far as shopping, even though the big department stores are in China - you can't beat the street markets for quality and price. The street markets also give you a chance to work on your bargaining skills, an invaluable asset in China.

Interesting Advertisement

I saw this on the subway in Shanghai. This is the kind of stuff you just don't see marketed to the masses in America....

Going Commando

Things are a little bit different for parents in China. Whether its an effort to save money, an ancient tradition, or an attempt to set a fashion trend at an early age – the Chinese eschew diapers in favor of pants with no bottom. That’s right – all young children in China are going commando – and I saw a mother holding her young boy up in the air so he could “tinkle” – on a busy sidewalk. Things are definitely different here. I passed two young boys splashing around in a makeshift bathtub on the sidewalk – and they were completely naked. This was also a busy sidewalk(come to think of it – all sidewalks in Shanghai are pretty busy). The Chinese are so pragmatic about this stuff -why spend money on diapers when all you do is ruin them?

Cormorant Fishing

This past week I went with a group of students to a village in southern China named Yangshuo. This village is in a part of China that is littered with karst rock formations. It is known as one of the most beautiful areas in China - and consequently is one of the most heavily touristed. In this small town, which lies on a river, the local fishermen employ a method of fishing that harkens back to an age ago, and has mostly been supplanted by more efficient fishing methods in the rest of China. The fishermen spend two years training a seabird, called a cormorant, to catch fish for them. The birds have a small ring tied around their neck. This allows the bird to swallow small fish, but the ring prevents the cormorant from swallowing larger fish. The larger fish end up on the fisherman's boat, as he will pull the bird up and the bird will spit the fish out. This fishing is almost always done at night, as the use of a large light draws the fish towards the surface which makes it easier for the cormorant to catch them.

A "Welcome to China" Moment

As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent part of my vacation in the beautiful city of Xi'an. I had planned to leave Xi'an on Sunday afternoon, and arrived at the airport with my bags packed and reservation in hand. When I got to the airport, I went to the ticket booth and handed them my reservation. The ticket agent went to the computer, looked up my reservation, and said to me that my ticket has been cancelled. I asked him to check again, which he did, and confirmed that I had no ticket on the flight. So I had to be back in Shanghai for school on Monday, and with no flight available that night, and without a ticket, my only option to arrive back in Shanghai was a train ride - the same 19 hour train ride I was on from Shanghai to Xi'an. I went to the train ticket station to buy a return ticket home. The ticket agent squinted at her computer screen and told me that there was a ticket available - but it would be a standing room only ticket. So the only way for me to get home was to stand on a train for 19 hours...and since I had no choice, I winced as I bought the ticket, knowing what awaited me. It was as bad as I thought - the worst part of the ride was that I got stuck in the smoking room between the two train cars - so for the better part of the ride I was forced to inhale cigarette smoke from the many smokers on the train(the Chinese love to smoke - especially the men). Needless to say - when the train pulled into Shanghai's train station some 19 hours later - I was never so happy to arrive somewhere in my life.

 

Xi'an

This past week was a holiday week in China. Most of the Chinese have the week off for work and travel back to their hometowns to spend time with family. My school had the week off as well - so I thought it would afford me the chance to see some of China. I decided to go to the ancient Chinese city of Xi'an, partly because I had been wanting to see the famed Terra Cotta army located about an hour northeast of the city, and also because Xi'an is renowned for its city wall - which dates back to the 14th century.

The first part of my adventure started on Wednesday, October 1st. I boarded a train heading for Xi'an prepared for the 19 hour train ride with a book(20000 Leagues Under the Sea - which was great - wish I would have read it earlier!) and my Lonely Planet China guide. I was joined in my train car by 3 other people - Dr. Wang, his wife, Dr. Zhu, and another man - who never mentioned his name - but who did teach me how to play Chinese poker. Dr. Wang and Dr. Zhu were both retired doctors who were off to Xi'an to visit friends.

Also - since it my father's birthday back in the States(Sept. 27th) - they gave him a little birthday greeting.

Once arrived in Xi'an - I was able to see some pretty neat things. They have a museum in the center of the city that contain stone tablets with 900 year old Chinese Confucian writings etched into them. I was also able to go to a panda bear breeding center - where endangered pandas are brought to.....well, you know. The highlight of my trip was riding a bicycle around the Xi'an city wall at night - with thousands of Chinese lanterns lighting the path - and beautiful pagodas located everywhere. I got a chance to see bingmaying - or the Terra Cotta warriors. I was a little disappointed in the site - I thought there would be many more of them - but they told us that many soldiers have yet to be unearthed, and still more are under repair. I've also included a good Chinglish sign that was located just outside the entrance to the Terra Cotta warriors....

Finally - Xi'an - a city of over 8 million people - has major intersections that do not have stoplights. So crossing them can be treacherous. Judge for yourself....

Pearl Tower

There are few things in Shanghai that elicit more opinions than the Pearl Tower. More Chinese seem to dislike it - but there is no denying it is a memorable building. A recent piece of architecture - it has become the symbol of the new China. Towering 365 meters above the rest of the city - it truly is a sight to behold. A few of my friends and I had a chance to tour the tower a few days ago - and had quite an experience. The pictures below show the view we had - a 360 panoramic view of Shanghai - but the true experience was in the elevator on the way down. Leaving the third pearl - a mere 15oo feet above the ground - we were jammed into a small elevator with about 20 other people. The elevator operator calmly pushed the button to go down - and the whole elevator jumped, as the cable slipped slightly. Needless to say, the look on everyone's face was wide eyed shock as I, for a brief second, contemplated what the last few seconds of my life were going to be like - standing torso to torso, face to face with a Chinese man. The elevator operator maintained her cool - and without a look of strain on her countenance, she opened the elevator door and motioned two people off - and we finished our ride down to the ground without further incident.

There is also a great Chinglish sign in these pictures - this is the sign by the main entrance to the Pearl Tower - a place that everyone passes - so a crowd of waigouren(foreigners) had gathered to read the sign, all of us with bemused looks on our faces.

Chinese Weddings

Yesterday I wandered around a part of Shanghai called Lujiazui. Lujiazui is the embodiment of the new Shanghai. It is the financial center of Shanghai - and home to most of the really tall buildings. It also contains a large central park with trees and grass(a rarity in the heart of Shanghai) and an idyllic pond with lilies and flowers petals floating on the surface. A very surreal place - surrounded by some of the world's tallest buildings. It is a point of interest because this park is very popular for weddings and wedding photos. As I wandered around the park yesterday - maybe 5 acres in total area - I came across EIGHT different Chinese bridal parties.

As with most things in Shanghai - you might notice a Western influence in the wedding attire.

Life as an Expat

I wanted to share a beautiful letter that one of my friends and colleagues in China has written about herself that I think describes exactly what life as an expat is like. She and her husband have been in China for several years - and love the international life. They are both originally from Oklahoma - and her letters captures exactly what it is that is so frustrating, yet fascinating, about living overseas.

I've become more than a case of a missing identity. Gone are the days of crazed youth. Not that I ever had any, any to speak of that is. Growing up like most American teens in the 70's, I didn't miss much. Lots of TV, some junk food, bunches of dates, lucky guys with cars, losing my virginity to one of them - a guy in a car. Marrying relatively early, having a kid, getting divorced, and sorting out a rather fear-led life gave me the same lens to view the world as most people in the USA.

However, in my 30s I began to depart from normality. I earned a Masters Degree at age 39, married my best friend, sent my son off to college, and began traveling the world. Since then, the focus of my life seems a bit distorted to those back home. Now, I live in an exotic city on the other side of the world. At age 50, I ride my bike, rain or shine, everywhere. I meet exciting and fun people who rotate yearly out of my life. I SKYPE close family, use email to communicate with dozens of friends, and live in a lovely furnished home that I could never afford in America.

What do I give up for this kind of life? Not much, in my estimation, but a whole lot to some of those who grew up with and around me. Too much for those who still live within hollering distance of friends and family - those who have grown so close that glue between the sole and the shoe is no longer necessary. Their camera shots all come out the same, unchanged, a little time worn, smaller in scope, and typical in setting. Another year, another birthday party, another loss, it is all the same to them, yet it keeps rolling forward: without me.

Here is where I feel the distance. I could never blame them. I could never say they ostracize me, make me feel like and outsider, make me want to stay away. We go home to visit, our two-point-five weeks of alloted time once a year. We make the journey back into their worlds. They view us from afar, wondering what foreign fungus has attached it self to our external features, asking just enough questions to verify our strange speech, or to recoil from our unsolicited ideas.

One question for them remains the same: when are y'all coming home? This question arises every year in the midst of short conversations flavored with home-grown foods and sugar filled iced-tea, hovering around comments like: "I don't know why ya'll want to live over there in that God-forsaken country," or "Why, I couldn't live where human rights are violated every day by hard-nosed politicians." And, yet, they do.

I've ceased trying to respond with any kind of logic. It will always remain far from their scope or frame of reference. In fact, it ceases to bother me if they fail to make the connection, or try to see how attractive life in a foreign country might be to an expat American. I've come to accept the world as a very large place, with dozens of colors of skin, hundreds of nationalities, millions of viewpoints. I am one sole fish in an ever-shrinking ocean of cultural identity.

One of these days, I fully expect I won't be recognizable to my own kind. I will blend in with the masses because I feel at home with them. I will go my own way because I like being anonymous, an expat living large in a beautiful world. Even now, they might wonder where I've gone, but it seems too far away from them to squint and comprehend. In many ways, I've become unidentifiable, complex and strange. I live half way around the world with those people - those they don't know. They can't identify with them. Next, they'll begin to ask, what I've become.

Mr. Held?

As a teacher, one of the hardest parts of my job is getting separation. Separation from the school, my colleagues and especially the students. Spending 10-12 hours a day, five days a week at the school means I cherish those moments during the weekend when I can breathe, relax and give my energy to someone who needs it - namely - me!

In America - one of the safest places to seek refuge when going out on the town was a bar. Even if students would sneak in - if they saw you they would quickly disappear so as not to alert the bar staff to their underage presence.

As with most things in China - its much different here - particularly in that regard. Last night, myself and five of my teacher friends went out to a bar in Shanghai. Now Shanghai is one of the largest cities in the world, with over 20 million people and countless bars - so I felt pretty confident that I could enjoy a drink and some good conversation at this place while remaining anonymous.

However - about 20 minutes after we arrived, as we were sitting on two couches enjoying beers and talking - I heard a voice behind me say, "Mr. Held - is that you?"

I didn't immediately recognize the voice - but it didn't matter. Only a few people in this world call me Mr. Held, and I really did not want to see any of them at the moment. Unfortunately - that was not the case. I turned - and standing in front of me was a group of 8 students from my sophomore math class. Suffice to say - it was awkward. My friends and I were staring at my 15 and 16 year old students, most of whom had a drink in hand, a few of whom were smoking. A couple lines of small talk and they scattered to the far corners of the bar - but my night was over. I finished my drink swiftly and we headed out to another location as quickly as we could - knowing nothing really good could come from lounging in the same bar as my students. My decision was confirmed as I was passing through the door and I heard, "Wait - Mr. Held - do a shot with us!"

The students can be brazen like this because there is no enforcement of the minimum drinking age in China - so a good number of kids start drinking when they enter high school as freshmen. I guess you know you are in a different country when instead of offering the teacher an apple, the student orders an appletini.

American Football.... China Style

I love football - and when I moved over here I thought I might be without it. Luckily that is not the case - but I've had to get creative. 

Mid Autumn Festival

Yesterday(in China - 12 hours ahead) - September 14th - was the second biggest holiday on the Chinese calendar. Its a celebration called the Mid Autumn Festival and it falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month(The Chinese use two calendars - one Gregorian - like the USA, the other based on the moon cycles). Mid Autumn Festival is between the middle and end of September on the Gregorian Calendar.

The Chinese celebrate by getting together with family, watching the full moon and eating mooncakes. The legend has it that a beautiful woman named Chang'e once ate some medicine that made her immortal(and like a girl after Ralph Cramden's heart - she flew to the moon where she now resides). 

The grocery stores in China are stocked with both mooncakes and pictures of Chang'e. The mooncakes are normally filled with fruit or beans - and I ate several yesterday in celebration. The taste is not something I really appreciated - but the Chinese really like them. The mooncakes come in beautiful, ornately designed boxes that make the purchase worth it in spite of the taste of the mooncakes.

It was weird for me to be surrounded by people who were celebrating and excited about something that did not resonate with me. I felt the entire day like I had wandered into a stranger's birthday party. I saw the happy faces and I could relate to their holiday cheer - yet to me it was just another day with no special meaning. Very strange...

Christmas in September?

Most Chinese people neither celebrate or acknowledge any of American holidays. Even one that we share in name (New Year's) is vastly different in the two countries - Chinese New Year is celebrated in February and its a week long celebration. 

One holiday that is shared -in a rather strange way-  is Christmas. I doubt many Chinese celebrate it - since its based on a religion that isn't part of China's history. That doesn't mean China isn't full of Christmas spirit. Most kid rides that you can find in shopping malls and grocery stores play some peppy little tunes that will be very recognizable to the western ear. So while I hear "Jingle Bells" and think of Christmas trees and stockings - a generation of Chinese will hear it and think of... the mall.

A Thousand Words

If a picture is worth a thousand - then how much is a video worth? Last night while out in the Hanqiao section of Shanghai - amongst the glittering skyscrapers and busy Chinese traffic - a man on a bike with hundreds of pieces recyclable styrofoam strapped to its frame rode past. This is a perfect example of China today - stuck in between a cosmopolitan rebirth and deep traditional cultural roots. Its also just a funny image...

The Muffin Joke

There are two muffins sitting in an oven. One muffin turns to the other and says, "Man - its really hot in here." The second muffin goes, "AHHH - a talking muffin!"

I've told that joke for years now to all of my classes and without fail it is greeted with groans and rolled eyes - until yesterday, that is. 

In my Algebra II class this year there is a very earnest and hardworking student named Jun. Jun is also extremely high strung. Yesterday, to begin class, I started to tell my muffin joke. I happened to be standing right next to Jun when I was telling the joke. As I got to the part with "AHHH" in it - Jun turns, screams at the top of his lungs, and almost falls out of his chair. The look on his face is that of complete and utter terror. He was so scared that it scared me for a second - and then the entire class burst into laughter. As soon as Jun realized what he had done - he started laughing as well. His reaction startled me so much it took a few seconds for my heart to stop racing. I tried to continue teaching - but it took about 5 minutes for the classroom to return to normal. Needless to say - that may have been the funniest joke I've every told - and it had nothing to do with me.

This isn't on any brochures

China is a land that wants to perpetuate an image of beauty and success. You see this in the way the Chinese spend money on fancy clothing, or the way the Chinese handled the national anthem at the Olympics - foisting a much prettier, more ideal Chinese girl in front of the global audience. I can't blame them - America is the same way - but there are literally tens of millions of Chinese that you don't see on the TV- or in the tourism brochures. These men, women and children are part of the largest migration of mankind that has ever existed - at least that is what I've been told. They head toward the east coast and cities such as Shanghai searching for prosperity - not unlike the early immigrants arriving in New York's harbors at the turn of the century - all looking for a better life. I got an intimate look at this side of China last week - as a family of four "moved" into the vacant lot behind my apartment. For a week they lived amongst the rubble of a demolished building - spending their day picking out pieces of metal and aluminum cans to sell to the highest bidder. They left yesterday - but it will be a while before I forget them. They made a point to smile and say "Ni hao" every time I passed - seemingly oblivious to the conditions surrounding them. That is what I will remember most - the smiles and good cheer - and that is what I am beginning to feel is the true spirit of China.

Lost in Translation #2

Last weekend I went to a store called B & Q. Home Depot in China is more like it - even down to the orange signage all around. I had gone there to buy whiteboards for my student's groupwork. In America, I had purchased a sheet of showerboard(which is what I use for my whiteboards)  and had it cut into equal sized squares. It was a simple process and I was able to walk out of the Home Depot with enough white boards for each student to work on. Well - as I am quickly finding out - tasks which are simple in America are no longer simple. I entered the Chinese Home Depot and quickly found a salesperson. I had my Chinese-English dictionary with me, but much to my chagrin it did not have the word showerboard in its list of S words. That meant it was time for a game of what I call Chinese Charades. I have played this game several times before in different locations - and it usually is to the great amusement of the person I am talking to, and a great headache for me. I began my pantomime with a shower that Marcel Marceau would have been proud of - and to my surprise the salesman immediately smiled and walked me directly back to the.....showerheads. Not bad though, I was on the right track. I wanted to convey that I was looking for wood, so I began to pantomime a tree. I did this by squatting with my hands around an invisible tree trunk. I then stood up slowly with my hands still around the shaft of the tree and finally I would spread my hands out and wiggle my fingers several times to show the leaves of my "tree." The first time was no good - a blank stare was all that I received in return for my performance, so I squatted again. As I rose a second time with my hands around the imaginary trunk - I heard the salesman say something in Chinese - and before I knew it a group of about 6 other salesman had gathered to watch the show. I went for a third squat and as I was finishing the "leaves" of my "tree" the entire group burst out laughing and it was clear to me that my motions conveyed something decidedly different to these men. They were not seeing my "tree" - but something rather inappropriate for the main floor that I realized too late to prevent  Now embarrassed and having what seemed like half of the staff of the store laughing at me - I ran to the wood section of the store - grabbed a piece of wood and brought it back. I finally got the message across and about 5 minutes later I got what I wanted, but like everything in China - the experience costs much more than the object itself. 

Lost in Translation

One of the Chinese government's big pushes during the past year was to eliminate what is known as "Chinglish" - which is the mangling of English that occurs when Chinese characters and sentences that appear on signs are translated into English. Its a famous and admittedly funny aspect to life in China as a foreigner. Even though the government tried to have perfect and sensical English on every sign- since the Chinese language is so different from English in grammatical structure(no plurals - for example) - some "chinglish" still remains. Here are some highlights that I've seen in Beijing and Shanghai:

Made in China

Three words. Three words that stir up a maelstrom of controversy. Three words that have a different meaning to different people. Three words that are simultaneously a punchline, a rallying cry and even a source of pride.
In America - you cannot find a store whose merchandise is not emblazoned with these words. Our economy is intimately tied to those three words -as is China's. So what exactly does "Made in China" mean, in China?

I had a chance to tour a Chinese factory. This factory is similar in many ways to the countless other factories that are spread across this sprawling landmass. The conditions inside of the factory were not great - certainly not to the standards of an American factory - but they were not wholly awful. The factory I got to tour makes refrigerator magnets. You may have a magnet from this factory in your home or office right now. The workers in the factory that I had a chance to meet were focused but pleasant. One major difference at this factory is that the workers only work 40 hours a week. The work 8 hour shifts - unlike most other Chinese factories where working hours can easily be double that amount. This particular location is a very desirable job for a local Chinese worker for another reason. The owners of the factory pay their employees a good wage - much more than the average factory worker would make. The video below gives a brief view into this Chinese factory - and maybe a greater insight into the three words -"Made in China"

Who are Ben and Jerry?

One of my major dietary weaknesses is Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream. I can't go more than a week in America without buying a pint, telling myself to eat it slowly, only to look down at the ground 3 minutes later and see a crumpled, empty container on the the ground and an ice cream streak running down my shirt.

I won't have to worry about that in China - they don't have Ben and Jerry's, in fact they don't have ice cream as America knows it. While you can find it in a few stores that sell Western goods - the price for a pint is about $15 USD. Hen gui!!

While the Chinese don't like American style ice cream - they do eat ice cream - but its of a decidedly different perspective. Below are two popular ice cream flavors you can buy anywhere you go.

This is China #1

One of the great parts of being a Westerner in China(beside the low cost of living) is the respect you are usually afforded. I am not exactly sure why all Westerners are afforded this respect - but its given by most, not all, but most Chinese people. 

One of the times when this respect is shown is in regards to Chinese children. When a Westerner gives attention to a Chinese child - the parents beam with pride and will often want a picture taken with the child and the foreigner. When I was in Beijing for the Olympics - one particularly zealous parent rushed over and insisted that I pose with his son for a picture. While the father was very excited, somehow I got the impression the kid's feelings were slightly different. You be the judge...

I guess not everyone is a Steelers fan...

Most westerners in China have an ayi(i-E). An ayi is essentially a maid who does tasks like cleaning and laundry. Her most valuable contribution is usually taking care of the details, like paying the phone bill or getting something fixed - tasks which are near impossible to do unless you speak Chinese. So you could say an ayi is an indispensable part of life in China. 

My ayi came to my apartment today for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect since I have never had a maid before. When I walked in I almost turned around - I couldn't believe it was the same place. It was immaculate. She not only had mopped the wood floor, but she had done all the laundry and I'm pretty sure she ironed every piece of clothing I own - even my socks and undies. 

In the process of cleaning she came upon a yellow towel that she must of thought would be handy for drying dishes. In her mind - why else would anyone else own a yellow towel? Towels are for cleaning - and so that is what she did with it. I found my damp and slightly dirty towel neatly hanging in the kitchen. Either she doesn't understand sacred American football traditions...or she is a Browns fan.

Chinese Traditions

Living among the Chinese means being prepared for the unexpected. Last night around 11:30 pm, myself and several other teachers at the school where I'll be working were sitting around playing cards. We were in a high rise on the 11th floor, and this high rise is part of a larger complex of about 20 high rises that surround a central courtyard replete with a small fishing pond, several streams and three bridges. I've been told the layout is very feng shui appropriate. The buildings are arranged around this center courtyard in pairs, with roads leading out like spokes from a wheel all sides of the courtyard and between two highrises. So the distance between two highrises is the width of one of these roads, probably no more than 25 feet. All of a sudden, last night, there was a HUGE boom outside the room we were in, so we all rushed outside to the balcony. There were several people on the road below us lighting off fireworks. Not small fireworks, like Roman candles, but large projectile fireworks that light up in colors, think 4th of July with a little less oomph. They proceeded to let these fireworks off for five minutes, each one exploding between the buildings, most at our eye level. My friend Garrett even got hit with the sparks from one of these explosions. We were stunned - and couldn't imagine something like this happening in America without the fire department, police squad and SWAT team showing up. When it was over - other Chinese who had gathered on the surrounding balconies began clapping, and then everyone sauntered back into their apartments to continue whatever it was they were doing. Their nonchalance to the whole episode stunned us.
After our ears had stopped ringing, another member of the group who had spent some time in China explained to us the purpose of the pyrotechnics. It turns out when a Chinese family moves into a new house, they let fireworks off either late at night or early in the morning(can't wait for that one!) to ward off any evil spirits that may be dwelling in the house. I don't know if the contempory Chinese still actually believe that spirits are in their apartment, but the tradition lives on nonetheless.

Olympics Part #3 - The Games

On Sunday August 10th - Caroline, her friend Katie and I had a chance to go to two events in Beijing. One was women's gymnastics and the other was men's basketball. I have always been impressed by gymnasts - they do things that to me seem impossible. Seeing them live gave me a new appreciation for how difficult it really is. The balance beam is only four inches across - yet they can do flips and jumps and land on it every time. I don't know how...

Basketball was amazing - we had seats 5 rows back from the floor and got to see two great games - Spain vs. Greece and Lithuania vs. Argentina. In the Lithuania vs. Argentina game - we got to see a last second game winning shot - which was punctuated by the Lithuania cheering section going absolutely bonkers - I mean bezerk. Quite a day!

Olympics Part #2 - The Orphanage

When I headed up to Beijing last week to see the Olympics - I wasn't sure what to expect. Shanghai is such a dichotomy. You have people living in amenity rich, luxurious country club type estates - and literally five minutes down the road you have houses in disrepair, covered in muck and grime with generally squalid living conditions. When I arrived in Beijing last Thursday night, I was greeted by Caroline Koopman - a friend who had attended Grove City two years after I started. We never knew each other during our time at GCC, but as we corresponded during the weeks leading up to the Olympics, I found a fast friend with a quick wit that resonated with me.

Caroline works with an organization called New Day Foster Home. Its on several acres of land in the outskirts of Beijing. The area looked much like rural USA - with Caroline's apartment being across the street from a corn field, and on our first night of walking into the village(50,000 people - that constitutes a small village in China) we crossed paths with a man herding sheep along the road.

The mission of Caroline's organization is to help orphans who have special needs get hospital treatment and then to find a home. Orphans are much more prevalent in China than in the USA for several reasons. The Chinese are only allowed to have one child, so if a child is deemed undesirable because of poor health in first few days of life, it is quite often abandoned so the family can try for a "better" only child. Also - many Chinese are poor and could not afford the hospital care that these children require - and so they abandon them hoping someone with better means might be able to help.

That is where Caroline's organization comes in. Through donations, they have accumulated enough money to be able to afford expensive surgeries that are vital for these children to surive. Once these children have received the proper care - families are found for these children to begin a new life with.

I had a chance to meet some of these orphans - and their attitudes in spite of their struggles are miraculous. They know nothing other than smiling and laughing, even though some of them suffer from ailments so painful and so severe that I can't imagine how they do it. My favorite was a girl named Addison. (The employees of New Day name the orphans and give them American/European names since most orphans end up in America) Addison has a serious heart ailment that severely limits her circulation- so much so that even though she is approaching two, she weighs all of twelve pounds. Her toes are constantly blue because of the lack of circulation. Holding Addison brought tears to my eyes. This is a tiny orphan girl from China, whom was neglected by her parents and who lives half a world away from me and my comfortable life in America. She looks up to me as I hold her and smiles at me - exposing her two little front teeth. How could I not be blessed by that? I have decided to sponsor Addison - which means for $35 month I will help pay for the surgery she will need next year when her heart is more developed. Each child needs 8 sponsors to pay for care and surgery, and many of them don't have enough sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, check out this website: http://www.newdaycharities.org/

Olympics Part #1 - The Mag Lev

Those of you that know me know that I am an unabashed nerd - cool gadgets fascinate me. One of the best parts of going to the Olympics was getting to the Pudong airport on the far east side of Shanghai. The airport was built extremely far from the city and getting there in Shanghai traffic is quite the ordeal. The Chinese government built the Mag Lev(Magnetic Levitation - the train actually hovers above the track) to ease public concern over the commute to the airport. On the Maglev it now only takes 8 minutes for a trip by car that could take well over an hour. The maximum speed of the train during my ride was 301 km/hr - which is about 192 mph. The train has been a financial disaster - not enough people ride it and its expenses in both construction and maintenance are staggering - but I paid my 50 yuan(about 7 US dollars) to take the ride of my life. Check out of few of these shots from the fastest train in the world.

A funny story...

I am in Beijing right now and I had a chance to go to downtown Beijing today a few hours before the opening ceremonies. The excitement was palpable - the streets were teeming with people from all over the world - and there were many people shouting and yelling in the streets. Today was extremely hot and humid in Beijing - one of those days you started sweating as soon as you walked outside. I was wearing a cut off T-shirt today because of the heat - and my friend Caroline and I spent most of the day walking around Beijing. We had stopped to eat at a sushi restaurant and we were sitting next to Chinese woman who had started a conversation with Caroline and I. As we were sitting down, the Chinese woman looked at me and said, "Are you an athlete?" I was taken aback, and she repeated the question. Needless to say - my ego was stroked - and with a lot of pride - I said, "No - but thank you for asking." I was beaming throughout the dinner and continued to bring up the comment in the conversation. Feeling quite proud I literally bounded out of the diner. Once again I brought up the comment and finally Caroline had had enough. She started laughing and I asked her what was so funny. She told me that in the Beijing paper this past week there was a list of greetings that the local Chinese should say to the foreigners in town to make them feel welcome. Caroline told me that one of the remarks was, "Are you an athlete?". She then began to burst out laughing and admitted to me that she just couldn't tell me this before because I was enjoying the comment so much and seemed so happy. Needless to say - I was a little red in the face, which come to think of it - was an appropriate color for the first day of the Olympics in this country.

My Apartment

Shanghai is a city of high rises - everywhere you look are row after row of multicolored apartment complexes. This is all circa 1990 - when the Chinese government opened up part of Shanghai called Pudong - which up until that point had been marshy land primarily used as rice fields. Now - there is no rice to be seen - only concrete. I have been placed in a high rise that is only a five minute bike ride away from my school. There are over 20 high rises in my complex - and it is entirely a Chinese community. I have included a few videos of my apartment.

Welcome to China!

So I finally made it...and all it took was a 16 hour flight! I've now been here for about 5 days - and its been an incredible experience to this point. The people of China fascinate me - they are so friendly and open - and even though they speak a different language - their genuine interest in people needs no translation. I have already had two of my meals paid for - and while I realize it is probably more because I am an American - or laowai - it still means something. I've moved into a large apartment complex - my building is a highrise and I am on the 11th floor. I have very good living arrangements by Chinese standards - so I've been told. There are very few non-Chinese in my neighborhood - so I've been forced to rely on speaking a little Chinese and using a lot of hand gestures to get around. Yet when I ask someone for help - say for example in a grocery store - 4 or 5 people will gather round to hear my question and offer help. The sincerity of the Chinese I have met has really made me feel at home - even 7000 miles away from my family.

My Last Day

Its my last day in the United States for the next year. Wow - that's a sentence I never thought I would be typing. My plane leaves tomorrow morning at 7 am - I will be leaving for the airport bright and early at 4. I have such a melange of feelings right now - excitement, nervousness, nostalgia, sadness, and uncertainty. I have never been outside the US, so right now I am not sure what to expect - other than a lot of people and not being able to understand much of what is said to me.

Last night around 6 pm the Fed - Ex truck pulled up in front of my parent's house. I was expecting a package and needed it before I left, so the postal service cut it close. I was relieved to be in possession of 4 tickets for Olympic basketball on Sunday August 10th! Now that I am excited for!