It's technically September 12th in Beijing right now, but I know it'll still be Friday when people read this post. On a normal day I'd be looking for some sort of awkward topic to post, or talk about some lingering culture shock, despite being in this country for 2 years now. But since most of the people reading this post will be reading it on September 11th, it's only fitting that I talk about where I was that day. There are some things about that day that are surprisingly vivid.
~~~~~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was 8th grade. My second class of the day was Choir. I was in the choir with the guys. I don't remember what song we were working on when another teacher suddenly burst into the room, talking in a surprisingly low voice and waving his arms everywhere. No one could hear what they were talking about, but we got some glares from the two teachers when the chatter started up between all of us, students. One of my friends and I still argue about which teacher it was that walked in. I said it was the Geography teacher, while he said it was the History teacher. After he left, we turned on the TV.
There are two times in my life where something stunned a whole class into silence. The second was in Senior Year. The first was that very moment we turned on the TV. For about five to ten minutes we watched the TV. We saw the second plane hit the tower, and we saw the smoke raising from both buildings. I remember thinking this was one realistic TV show, not realizing it wasn't fake. I didn't realize how real this was until my choir teacher turned off the TV, shook his head, and simply said, "Wow." Then we kept rehearsing our choir songs.
To this day, I question why my teacher turned off the TV and simply had us continue with the class. One of my friends said that the teacher didn't care. I personally found that hard to believe. Maybe the teacher expected us to thin whatever was happening in New York City at the time was going to happen to us at any minute. Maybe he thought going through the class and giving us something to distract us from what was happening was better than trying to supervise a class of freaked out 13-year-olds. Whatever it was, it's hard to say if it was a good move or not.
After class, I ran into my epic friend, and she asked me if I saw the news. Everyone had. The whole school was talking about it by the end of class. We kept seeing the same images of people covered in white dust guiding people away from the site. After lunch, it was common knowledge that a plane hit the Pentagon, and another plane crashed in a field. Rumors spread around that school was going to be cancelled. And that we were the next target. In English class, a boy passed a note to me telling me how scared he was. I quickly wrote back, "Don't worry. We're in Houghton Lake. There's no reason for anyone to come here." At lunch, the principal announced that no, school would not be cancelled, and we'd continue the day.
When my mom and stepdad came home from work, we all gathered in front of my mom's TV. My mom, stepdad, sister, brother, step-brother, and me. We watched continuing footage. The whole country shut down. Even the Disney parks were closed. It was one of those few moments where everyone sat around the TV. For once, my mom wasn't loudly shushing someone for asking a question.
~~~~~~~~~A FEW DAYS AGO~~~~~~~~~~~
Recently, I'd seen a facebook post claiming that 9/11 didn't happen. One in particular showed a picture from 9/11 claiming that it was . All I can do is challenge them to go to New York themselves. I was there in 2007, and there was no sign of any Twin Towers. We'd be hearing about it if there were. Dwight D. Eisenhower once ordered the Army to take tons of pictures of Concentration camps in World War II because there would be people claiming the Holocaust didn't happen. It reminds me of that.
If there's anything to point out about that day, I believe it's part of the reason my generation has become so informed. With this event, and the events that followed, it's made us want to find out the information for ourselves instead of trusting one source. That's an interesting side effect of that day.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Friday, September 4, 2015
How to Fight the System and Win
I don't always lose my Chinese bank card. But when I do, it's around the time the Chinese government has started up some new, weird regulation making it harder to bank in China. Essentially making the Chinese banking system more bullshit than it already is.
On this particular Tuesday, I realized I didn't have my bank card. So, being that it was my day off, I decided to take a trip to the bank. Normally, you'd have to take a number and wait for it to be called. Since my Chinese is very hit and miss, I decided to wait in line at a desk and explain the situation. The first thing they did was take my passport. They do absolutely nothing with it. But they have to make a copy each time. So if you lose your card while you're getting your visa renewed, you're kinda screwed. I don't understand the point.
Anyway, they did the usual paperwork, but then out of nowhere stopped. They'd told me that because I used my passport number I had to wait seven days. I'm not sure if it was because I told them that it wasn't happening, or because I had my Foreign Expat Certificate, but with a little patience and very strong, "No, I'm not borrowing money from other people when I have money" I managed to get a new card.
I'd like to say it was cause I never once changed heart and kept telling them no, but I'm not sure that was it. I'd like to say it was me FEC that saved me from going a week without money, but I'm not sure. Either way, thank goodness for my pride. One thing I hate more than anything is being in a situation where I might have to ask someone for money. It's a pride thing. So if I'm actually asking someone for money, I'm really hurting.
One of the big mysteries, maybe, will be what got me to win the system. Or with my luck, someone will read this and tell me exactly how I did it. Either way, it sounds like a shock to most people when I tell the story. Random bit of pride for the win!
On this particular Tuesday, I realized I didn't have my bank card. So, being that it was my day off, I decided to take a trip to the bank. Normally, you'd have to take a number and wait for it to be called. Since my Chinese is very hit and miss, I decided to wait in line at a desk and explain the situation. The first thing they did was take my passport. They do absolutely nothing with it. But they have to make a copy each time. So if you lose your card while you're getting your visa renewed, you're kinda screwed. I don't understand the point.
Anyway, they did the usual paperwork, but then out of nowhere stopped. They'd told me that because I used my passport number I had to wait seven days. I'm not sure if it was because I told them that it wasn't happening, or because I had my Foreign Expat Certificate, but with a little patience and very strong, "No, I'm not borrowing money from other people when I have money" I managed to get a new card.
I'd like to say it was cause I never once changed heart and kept telling them no, but I'm not sure that was it. I'd like to say it was me FEC that saved me from going a week without money, but I'm not sure. Either way, thank goodness for my pride. One thing I hate more than anything is being in a situation where I might have to ask someone for money. It's a pride thing. So if I'm actually asking someone for money, I'm really hurting.
One of the big mysteries, maybe, will be what got me to win the system. Or with my luck, someone will read this and tell me exactly how I did it. Either way, it sounds like a shock to most people when I tell the story. Random bit of pride for the win!
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Blue Skies Shining on Me
In a city that's constantly filled with pollution and dirty air, a person can't help but be slightly suspicious when there's a long period of blue skies. Maybe I've become a little more cynical since living in China, but when I look out a window and see a blue sky, I no longer think, "Wow! What a beautiful day!" I immediately think, "Is there an international politician coming to China?" Some days I have the urge to look through the news to see what's happening to make the skies blue.
I know that people visiting isn't always the case. I know better than to think that. Sometimes rockets are shot in the air to clean it up. Sometimes, it's a big event like APEC. Other times, it's because there's a sudden holiday coming up involving a military parade.
At least that's part of what's happening this time around. In the beginning of September there's a random holiday coming up. China has a habit of throwing in random holidays. This one is celebrating the 70th anniversary of China getting Japan out. What's not mentioned is America pretty much did that, but they're just going to let that slide.
While I do enjoy the nice weather we've been getting, it does make for some difficulties. The week of the holiday, there's going to be subway closings, and things are just going to be inconvenient. It'll be really easy to get out of the city, but it'll be a bitch to get back in. So I've been debating if visiting another city in China would really be worth it for this holiday. I'm not completely sure. Probably not. But you never know.
I know that people visiting isn't always the case. I know better than to think that. Sometimes rockets are shot in the air to clean it up. Sometimes, it's a big event like APEC. Other times, it's because there's a sudden holiday coming up involving a military parade.
At least that's part of what's happening this time around. In the beginning of September there's a random holiday coming up. China has a habit of throwing in random holidays. This one is celebrating the 70th anniversary of China getting Japan out. What's not mentioned is America pretty much did that, but they're just going to let that slide.
While I do enjoy the nice weather we've been getting, it does make for some difficulties. The week of the holiday, there's going to be subway closings, and things are just going to be inconvenient. It'll be really easy to get out of the city, but it'll be a bitch to get back in. So I've been debating if visiting another city in China would really be worth it for this holiday. I'm not completely sure. Probably not. But you never know.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Unicorns in China Part 1
The Beijing Bikini. Or Beijing-kini. When it's ridiculously hot, as it usually is in the summertime, men with lift up their shirts so that it's just above their stomachs. While it looks ridiculous, many people do it.
Anyone that tells you that there's no fat people in China have clearly never visited the country themselves. The guiltiest of the Beijing Bikinis are the overweight men. The shirts rest perfectly on the tops of their pot-bellies, almost like showing them off with pride. It's really strange. It's always these kinds of men that do this. The men you don't want to see sporting that around.
Most of the time. This week, Persia and I had seen not one, but two unicorns in Beijing. Men with decent bodies sporting the Beijing-kini. The one that Persia saw was a man that had muscles. Jacked. While the one I saw wasn't muscular, but he still had a fit form. Thin, but toned.
These unicorns do exist. There are probably more unicorns in this city that I realize. Maybe I'll find others. Not just with the Beijing-kini, but maybe I'll find a place where people know what a line is. You never know. Unicorns are real, people. Unicorns are real.
Anyone that tells you that there's no fat people in China have clearly never visited the country themselves. The guiltiest of the Beijing Bikinis are the overweight men. The shirts rest perfectly on the tops of their pot-bellies, almost like showing them off with pride. It's really strange. It's always these kinds of men that do this. The men you don't want to see sporting that around.
Most of the time. This week, Persia and I had seen not one, but two unicorns in Beijing. Men with decent bodies sporting the Beijing-kini. The one that Persia saw was a man that had muscles. Jacked. While the one I saw wasn't muscular, but he still had a fit form. Thin, but toned.
These unicorns do exist. There are probably more unicorns in this city that I realize. Maybe I'll find others. Not just with the Beijing-kini, but maybe I'll find a place where people know what a line is. You never know. Unicorns are real, people. Unicorns are real.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Crack Noodles
One of the greatest things about Beijing is that there are many different types of restaurants in this city. For a noodle-lover like me, this means that there are many different kinds of noodles that I can try. This also means many different types of restaurants I can try food at that I'd never be able to try being in small-town Michigan. Ex: Muslim food, Thai food, Vietnamese food, etc. One of my favorite places is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in Japanese Ramen. Persia and I have nicknamed the noodles there "crack-noodles."
The ramen there is the closest to real Japanese ramen that I've ever eaten. There's always a slice of meat, a soft-boiled egg, and the delicious broth that I can't describe. A hint of soy, but the right amount of salt and meaty flavor. The version that I get always has a little seaweed square that I can eat. I honestly wish they'd give more seaweed. Persia likes to get the spicy version. They always serve it with chopsticks and a wooden spoon that you can use to either drink the broth or put the thin noodles on to slurp up that way.
Today, Persia and I were both craving the crack noodles. We ordered, and were a little too happy about our huge bowls of ramen coming our way. Red bowl for the spicy, white bowl for the regular. The restaurant was inside of a mall. We sat next to a window with a fountain-like water display. I had a bad habit of sticking my fingers in the water while waiting for our food. There wasn't an actual window, so when people walked by, we could hear every word they were saying. Bonus points if we both understood that Chinese they were saying.
While we were eating, we heard someone say, "Excuse me!" We looked up. There were two guys looking at us through the invisible window. They looked about 25, with huge grins on their faces. They both had bags from the same store on them. Persia and I looked at each other before saying hello to them. They said hi back while staring right at me. It was pretty awkward.
"Hello," one said after a few awkward seconds, "can you speak Chinese?" Persia and I looked at each other again, smirking.
"A little bit," I replied. They blinked at me, then looked at Persia, who repeated, "just a little bit."
"Okay, thank you!" they said. Then, they giggled and practically ran away from us.
Persia and I sat there in silence for a minute. What just happened? Was I hit on? Was this a weird way to try and get us to buy something? The whole thing was really strange. They never tried to find us again after we left the restaurant. Maybe it's a mystery we'll never solve.
The ramen there is the closest to real Japanese ramen that I've ever eaten. There's always a slice of meat, a soft-boiled egg, and the delicious broth that I can't describe. A hint of soy, but the right amount of salt and meaty flavor. The version that I get always has a little seaweed square that I can eat. I honestly wish they'd give more seaweed. Persia likes to get the spicy version. They always serve it with chopsticks and a wooden spoon that you can use to either drink the broth or put the thin noodles on to slurp up that way.
Today, Persia and I were both craving the crack noodles. We ordered, and were a little too happy about our huge bowls of ramen coming our way. Red bowl for the spicy, white bowl for the regular. The restaurant was inside of a mall. We sat next to a window with a fountain-like water display. I had a bad habit of sticking my fingers in the water while waiting for our food. There wasn't an actual window, so when people walked by, we could hear every word they were saying. Bonus points if we both understood that Chinese they were saying.
While we were eating, we heard someone say, "Excuse me!" We looked up. There were two guys looking at us through the invisible window. They looked about 25, with huge grins on their faces. They both had bags from the same store on them. Persia and I looked at each other before saying hello to them. They said hi back while staring right at me. It was pretty awkward.
"Hello," one said after a few awkward seconds, "can you speak Chinese?" Persia and I looked at each other again, smirking.
"A little bit," I replied. They blinked at me, then looked at Persia, who repeated, "just a little bit."
"Okay, thank you!" they said. Then, they giggled and practically ran away from us.
Persia and I sat there in silence for a minute. What just happened? Was I hit on? Was this a weird way to try and get us to buy something? The whole thing was really strange. They never tried to find us again after we left the restaurant. Maybe it's a mystery we'll never solve.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Dear China, What the Hell?
It's been a long time since I've written here, but things have been very hectic. Works has been awesome. Things to do outside of work has been awesome. I even managed to travel to another country on vacation and visit other cities. Life's been pretty good so far.
But there are still some parts of China that make me think, "What the hell?" The best way I can explain them would be writing a letter to China. Why? Why not? That's the best way I can think of to vent at the moment.
Dear China,
First off, I would like to say how much I enjoy spending time in this country. The food is delicious. I don't have to do anything to lose weight. As I've found out recently, it's starting to just slide off. I don't have to do much except walk more than take the subway. However, there are some things in this country that make me question how you do things. Seriously, China, what the hell?
The first thing I question is the videos that appear when a person sings KTV. Some of the videos, I applaud. Well done. However, there are other videos that are a bit concerning. The best example that I have is the video for the Bloodhound Gang song, "Bad Touch." It starts off nice enough. Pretty beach, clear shores. Nothing too crazy. Just enough that it's easy to tell no one really understands what the song is about... And then there's a clip of children playing on the beach while the raunchiest part of the song is playing. Really? Please, look up what the songs are about before putting children into the music videos.
The second thing I need to say, "What the hell?" to is your sense of efficiency. When something as big as APEC is in China, wouldn't it make more sense to make the subways more efficient? Example: Opening both ticket booths so it doesn't take so long to buy a ticket. When you're running late because you had to run home to grab your uniform, it's not exactly a comforting thought to have to wait in line forever for a very inefficient subway.
Fortunately, that's all I need to question today. I still enjoy this country. I still enjoy being able to live it up. And I definitely enjoy the thought of having my own mysterious theme music if my neighbors had movies about their lives because I'm the foreigner next door. Yeah, I said it. So until next time, cheers!
The Curious Foreigner.
But there are still some parts of China that make me think, "What the hell?" The best way I can explain them would be writing a letter to China. Why? Why not? That's the best way I can think of to vent at the moment.
Dear China,
First off, I would like to say how much I enjoy spending time in this country. The food is delicious. I don't have to do anything to lose weight. As I've found out recently, it's starting to just slide off. I don't have to do much except walk more than take the subway. However, there are some things in this country that make me question how you do things. Seriously, China, what the hell?
The first thing I question is the videos that appear when a person sings KTV. Some of the videos, I applaud. Well done. However, there are other videos that are a bit concerning. The best example that I have is the video for the Bloodhound Gang song, "Bad Touch." It starts off nice enough. Pretty beach, clear shores. Nothing too crazy. Just enough that it's easy to tell no one really understands what the song is about... And then there's a clip of children playing on the beach while the raunchiest part of the song is playing. Really? Please, look up what the songs are about before putting children into the music videos.
The second thing I need to say, "What the hell?" to is your sense of efficiency. When something as big as APEC is in China, wouldn't it make more sense to make the subways more efficient? Example: Opening both ticket booths so it doesn't take so long to buy a ticket. When you're running late because you had to run home to grab your uniform, it's not exactly a comforting thought to have to wait in line forever for a very inefficient subway.
Fortunately, that's all I need to question today. I still enjoy this country. I still enjoy being able to live it up. And I definitely enjoy the thought of having my own mysterious theme music if my neighbors had movies about their lives because I'm the foreigner next door. Yeah, I said it. So until next time, cheers!
The Curious Foreigner.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
The Reason to Never Forget Laundry
For the past few months, I've been all but begging to get my air conditioner fixed. At least three of my Chinese co-workers had talked to the agent I worked with until finally I enlisted the help of Wu, another co-worker. I'm still not exactly sure how she did it, but she managed to make my life easier when it came to getting the A/C fixed.
Before today, two men were sent, at different times, to see what was wrong. Both had said the problem was the A/C was too old to fix. I also learned that five years of Chinese doesn't pay off when trying to talk to your agent about broken appliances. Especially when there's a chance of talking mechanics. So when Wu stepped in, it was like a miracle.
Fast forward to today. After three hours of waiting around my over-heated apartment, a third repairman stepped in to check out what was wrong. It took him a little bit, but somehow he managed to get the air conditioning working again, despite its age.
As the repairman, or shifu as he's called in China, was working on the A/C, my agent came in. Both men stepped outside so they could talk about the air conditioner a little bit. And by stepping outside, I mean stepping out into my enclosed balcony. Shifu could point out issues with the A/C.
Going back in time a bit! Last week, I had a massive laundry day. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, was washed. Unfortunately, due to both laziness and forgetfulness, I didn't put my clothes away after they'd been dried. So when Shifu and my agent went out to my balcony, the first thing they saw was underwear looking at them. I'd never felt so awkward in my life.
Moral of the story: Put your damn laundry away. Especially if the first thing you see when you walk out are bras and panties.
Before today, two men were sent, at different times, to see what was wrong. Both had said the problem was the A/C was too old to fix. I also learned that five years of Chinese doesn't pay off when trying to talk to your agent about broken appliances. Especially when there's a chance of talking mechanics. So when Wu stepped in, it was like a miracle.
Fast forward to today. After three hours of waiting around my over-heated apartment, a third repairman stepped in to check out what was wrong. It took him a little bit, but somehow he managed to get the air conditioning working again, despite its age.
As the repairman, or shifu as he's called in China, was working on the A/C, my agent came in. Both men stepped outside so they could talk about the air conditioner a little bit. And by stepping outside, I mean stepping out into my enclosed balcony. Shifu could point out issues with the A/C.
Going back in time a bit! Last week, I had a massive laundry day. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, was washed. Unfortunately, due to both laziness and forgetfulness, I didn't put my clothes away after they'd been dried. So when Shifu and my agent went out to my balcony, the first thing they saw was underwear looking at them. I'd never felt so awkward in my life.
Moral of the story: Put your damn laundry away. Especially if the first thing you see when you walk out are bras and panties.
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