Things I Miss About China, and Things I Love About the US

Reverse culture shock... it is a real thing. Honestly, I think it was harder adjusting back to the States than it was jumping into China. Or maybe that is just because I got some super mysterious disease for the first few days while I was back, and just spent a lot of time feeling miserable. Anyway, I loved my trip to China. I am definitely going back, no doubt about it, and I just wanted to share a few things that I  have really missed these past few weeks.

1) Melon on a stick. This sounds silly, but honestly I loved being able to walk up to a vendor on any street corner and just getting a giant piece of muskmelon, or picking up a handful of grapes or lychee. Grab and go street food is so much better than the US's fast food, and I don't think I've ever had melon that tasted as good as the ones I ate basically every day while in Beijing. And this also extends to all of the other fantastic food and drink I had while in China. I already miss the beef noodles and milk tea.

2) Having people just come up to you on the street and start talking to you. The staring got really annoying, but I've had some of the most interesting conversations of my life in this way. And really, is there any better way to brush up on your Chinese skills?

3) Stumbling across ancient history. Here, a building is old if it has been around for 50 years. We regularly saw thousands of years of history all in one day at China. Few things give you more perspective than seeing complex structures and delicate works of art made around the time my ancestors were still busy killing each other in tribal warfare.

4) Not really knowing what is going on. I never thought that this would be a plus for me. I am normally described as being very Type-A, and regularly have at least 2 calendars and 4 to-do lists going on at once. But in China, things happen. You get lost, stuck in traffic, you can't read signs, your teacher changes the schedule daily, people are late or just don't show up, or suddenly there are 20 Girl Scouts in your office and you have no idea what to do. And eventually, you just have to be okay with that, or you will drive yourself crazy. I'm trying to apply this to life back in college, but talk to me next week when classes start up, and we'll see how it's going.

5) Feeling like I'm on an adventure, all of the time. Even something as simple as running errands can be perceived as an adventure in China. You never really know who you will run into, what new thing you will stumble upon, or what people around you are talking about. It is fantastic!

6) Chinglish! I love keeping my eyes peeled for really bad translations. There have been some pretty hilarious ones. Also, watch out for unintentionally funny t-shirts; the obvious knock-offs of American brands, random college shirts, kids wear shirts advertising things that should not be on kids' shirts... and the list goes on and on.

7) The smells. Now, they weren't always pleasant, but they were always there. Maybe it is because I am so used to the US's scent, but I don't really smell anything while I'm here. And that first time walking into the MSP airport, it was absolutely shocking that the smell had just totally disappeared.

8) Pedestrian bridges above busy streets. Why doesn't Madison have these over University? It would make getting to class so much easier.

9) Old people just sitting out and about. We tend to shut our elderly up in homes and facilities far from where the rest of us live. I miss seeing the groups of old ladies dancing in parks, or the old men smoking like pipes, yelling, and playing cards together, I miss watching the grandmother carry around obviously spoiled and well-loved little children, and I miss watching the elderly sitting on the street corner watching as all of us rush on by.

10) Trains. Oh my god, why don't we have high speed trains yet? I have now decided that I refuse to live in a city that doesn't have a subway system. They are so much better than buses or cars.

But... to be honest, since coming back to the US, I've found a few other things that I really missed.

1) Tacos and spaghetti. I did not realize just how often I eat these two things, and how hard they are to make when you only have access to Asian ingredients. In reality, I love the ability to eat a different kind of food for every meal. Peanut butter toast for breakfast, African for lunch, and maybe some rice and beans for dinner. We have a whole world of culinary flavors at our fingertips, and yes, most of them aren't terribly authentic, but they are all different and tasty.

2) Water straight from the tap. Water fountains (or bubblers for some of you) are some of the greatest things ever invented. After walking a few miles in a one hundred degree city, I just want to be able to take a cool sip of water from a fountain. Instead, I have to find a corner store and hope they don't charge me an arm and a leg for a bottle of water.

3) Having accurate directions. I am so thankful that BIOFarm loaned me a smart phone while I was in China, because having the Google Maps app was invaluable. However, Google does struggle a lot in Shanghai, so often I would end up in interesting places... just not where I originally wanted to go.

4) Not having to take a college entrance exam. The ACTs or SATs are absolutely nothing like the Gao Kao, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. That single score not only determines where you can study, but also what you can study. I've met several Chinese students who were forced to study some weird language or subject they were not interested in, simply because they did not do well on that test. While we were in Kunming, Chinese students were taking the exam. Every time we walked past the school where students were taking the exam more and more mothers were gathered outside the gate, waiting and praying for their children's future. If you think finals are stressful, think again.

5) Having soft mattresses and furniture. There are few things better than sinking into a big squishy chair and relaxing for a while, or relaxing upon a nice soft bed with big fluffy pillows. The Chinese don't seem to be very into this, and so I spent two and a half months basically sleeping without a mattress. After a while you get used to it, but my bed in Madison is infinitely more comfortable.

6) Being able to pick up a book, magazine, or newspaper and reading it. Being illiterate is hard. I spent a lot of my free time reading books on my computer, simply because there weren't many other resources to turn to.

7) Having basically unrestricted access to the internet. Honestly, it kind of freaks me out how much you can't do on the internet while in China. Yes, a good portion of people have access to a VPN and can get around it, but really... is it necessary?

8) No umbrellas! Except for when it is raining... I really hate umbrellas. I hate that people walk more slowly when they are carrying umbrellas, I hate that they constantly twist and turn their umbrellas so that I nearly lose an eye, and I hate trying to dodge a sea of umbrellas as I walk into or out of a door.

9) Bread. Have you eaten bread today? I love bread. I love all kinds of bread... except for steamed bread, which, to me, mostly tastes like a lump of dough. I eat bread almost every single day, and I vow to savor every single slice... from the best artisan sourdough down to the lowly off-brand white Wonder bread. They are all amazing.

10) Oh... and I guess I missed being able to talk and hang out with all of my friends and family.

One Last Walk Through Shanghai

So... this Sunday was the last chance I had to go into Shanghai's city center. I tried to make the most of it, by basically walking from the oldest, most traditional buildings in Shanghai, through the Art-Deco section of the city, and onto the doorstep of modern Shanghai. As cool as the walk was... it was mostly un-intentional (mostly I was desperately searching for a darning needle... I'll tell you that story later on). 

Every trip to the city begins here, at the bus stop. Arrival times don't seem to have any particular pattern, as I've seen one bus arrive directly after another or waited almost an hour to get on a bus. Also, the buses don't drive down the lane right in front of the stop; that lane is reserved for bikes and scooters (and the occasional asshole car driver who decides to use it), so you usually have to cross a lane of speeding scooters to scramble on the raised median, and flag down the bus... otherwise the bus will just whoosh on by.

Most buses have an attendant who sits next to the rear doors, she (or he... but I've only seen 1 guy with this job) asks you where you are going, charges you according to how far away it is, and then gives  you a little receipt. People who have bus passes get scanned in quickly... I have to mumble "地铁下来”  (I'm getting off at the subway), hand her the one yuan coin, and look like the stupid tourist who pays in cash for the bus.

In the older parts of Shanghai, buildings are literally falling apart or already mostly demolished, but people still live in them. This picture was taken at an alleyway wet market, just after I finished chowing down on one of the best breakfasts I've had outside of Beijing.

It was basically the Chinese version of a savory crepe, with eggs, green onion, cilantro, some sort of sweet ginger-y sauce, tiny shrimp, and some sort of fried cracker thing folded in. It was an amazing combination of sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, and fresh from the cilantro. Definitely worth the 3.5 yuan (about fifty cents) I paid for it, and the little old couple who were making it were hilarious and fun to watch. 

At least some of the plants in that apartment balcony are fake, but honestly, you've got to give them credit for trying to be different. It seems like almost every apartment in the more "Chinese" parts of Shanghai has some small plants sitting on the balcony or windowsill. I've seen lots of tomatoes, bonsai trees, and plenty of things I couldn't begin to identify.

This was outside one of Shanghai's largest shopping centers. Pretty cool. And, yes, I did go into the mall and walk around. In fact, I do so pretty frequently, because they all have air conditioning and super-clean bathrooms (with toilet paper). When you are dripping sweat after about 10 minutes of moderate walking at 10 AM, you take air conditioning and face-washing breaks whenever you can get them. 

I'm pretty sure this is a famous church in Shanghai... I vaguely remember reading something about St. J-something.. Joseph? John? I don't remember. It was too hot. 

I love that Chinese graffiti pretty much looks like American graffiti. There isn't nearly as much of it as in, say New York, but when you do see it... it is usually pretty cool. 

The famous Pearl Tower! On my second day of work, I got to ride along with a delivery guy, and he immediately pointed this out. When I asked him what he thought of it, he said it was pretty weird looking. 

There is one part of Shanghai that is filled with giant 1920's era art deco and traditional styled bank buildings and old hotels. They are pretty cool, but after a while you just kind of wonder who's idea it was to put all of these super ornate European style buildings in China. (Well.. admittedly it was the Europeans who were occupying Shanghai during this time period... but still! Think of all of the new styles of architecture they could have developed by combining Eastern and Western influences... but no... )

Here it is! the new Shanghai skyline... complete with bazillions of tourists.

After walking around all day... I decided to hang out here for a little while and do some tourist watching. Everyone pretty much left me alone for the first half hour, but then one guy took my picture. Then another asked for a picture with me... and then 4 groups of Chinese tourists later, I needed to pack up my bag and get the heck outta there. 

And, that's it. My last day in Shanghai. It feels really weird to say that, after two months of being here. I come home on the 15th, and until then I'm working on finishing up a couple of projects, training some of my coworkers on how to use my presentations, and how to make there own. My next update might not be until after I'm back in the states, but I've definitely got a bunch more things to write about, so keep watching this space!

Things I Won't Miss About China

Maybe it is this extreme heat (yesterday got up to 41) that is causing me to lose my temper. Possibly it is the fact that I have had to redo 4 stupid simple projects about three times each, because my boss keeps changing her mind about what she wants. Or maybe that I haven't really been able to exercise in weeks, been stuck in one of two tiny rooms, the internet randomly decides to stop working, or that I still haven't finished my research paper... but this past week has been a struggle.

Although I have loved this trip, it has definitely not always been easy. So, in this vein, here are some things I've struggled to deal with throughout my trip.

1) Having to repeat everything I say three times, in three slightly different ways, trying to hit upon some combination of words that the other person will recognize. When you are just trying to figure out what is going on, and you've already had a long, stumbling conversation that didn't tell you anything, this is infinitely frustrating.

2) Insanely crowded public buses. There have been times where people had to get off so that they could shut the door... and invariably there is some guy on the bus eating a breakfast of something with either garlic or onions.

3) Trying to get off said bus. When we learned the Chinese phrase for "squeezing your way off of a bus" I didn't think that would be terribly useful. Wrong. Also, trying to avoid stepping on anybody, while also making sure to hold onto some railing or hand grip (because you never can tell when the bus driver will decide to suddenly stop or swerve) without pissing off most of the bus is a trial.

4) Spitting. I've heard from many people that apparently it is much better than it used to be. It is still gross, and people walk there!

5) Not having any cold water. There is a water cooler... but it doesn't actually cool the water. It just sits at room temperature, which for these past few months has been HOT.

6) Periodically running out of water. This doesn't really happen in the states... after all, the sink doesn't run out of water. Or if you are out in public there are generally water fountains located near al restrooms. However... you can't drink the tap water in China. So when the giant 5 gallon water cooler at the office is empty, and no one can find another bottle, you are stuck. So far, this has happened twice... and that is enough to make me wary for the rest of my trip.

7) The invariable pattern of peoples' reactions as they see me on the street. Once they get about 20 yards from me they go silent, stare at me until we awkwardly pass each other, continue in silence for a couple of seconds, and then say "Laowai." (Foreigner). It wouldn't be so bad if there was some variety... but it is almost always exactly the same, and happens about 15 times a day.

8) Passing two piles of burning trash on my way to work. Lots of plastic and styrofoam roasting with odd pieces of paper, food scraps, and who knows what else. Street cleaners come by periodically to turn the ashes, and pile more trash on top. Also, they are located right by the local river... which can't be at all harmful...

9) Eating cooked cucumbers or bitter melon. At least every other day, one of those veggies shows up in my lunch box. At first, it wasn't so bad... it was a new experience! I was expanding my culinary horizons! But after a couple of weeks, I found that I don't actually like them. By now I pretty much hate the mushy and flavorless cucumber, and the bitter melon is... bitter.

10) Not having bread. Or strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, snap peas, salads, peanut butter sandwiches, toast, Italian dressing, and I could go on and on. Right now... it is pretty much too hot to cook. Some days, you don't really even feel like eating. Normally, I can get through these periods with a lot of cold salads and sandwiches, but right now all I have is a few pots and a hot plate.

Alright.. that's enough. There are other irritants, but these are the ones that have most frustrated me lately. I'm going to try to get through the last few days and end on a really positive note. I have two more opportunities to go into Shanghai city center, so I'm going to make the most of it. And on the 13th we are having a big Chinese Valentine's Day celebration, which should be fun.

And now, a pretty picture of our lotus pond:

Another Quick Post...

Hey everyone! Hope all is well! I'm in the last push to get everything settled and done before heading back home, so I don't have a lot of time to write things up.

If you want to see more of the pictures I've taken at BIOFarm, go to Facebook and like the BIOFarm Shanghai page. I've got tons of pictures posted and have some more descriptions of the events we've been hosting while here.

Despite the extreme heat, life kind of goes on like normal here. Volunteers (like Michael pictured below) are coming and going, farmers are frantically trying to pick veggies before they spoil in the heat, and me and the giant German Shepard hang out in the office trying not to melt.

There have been lots of adorable kids and families coming through, like this sweet little family that came out for a series of activities and to help us with a photo shoot for a magazine.

Oh, and I got my big present to myself! It reads 更见澄明 (roughly translated: see with clarity). It is originally from that poem I found at the art museum. I went to Shanghai Tattoo, based on a recommendation from an Italian girl I met with a beautiful Arabic tattoo, and got it done in a day. I walked in, wrote what characters I wanted, the girl who runs the shop took out a brush and ink and quickly did this beautiful calligraphy, and then I got it done. 

To answer your questions; yes I watched them prep everything, it was all sterilized, disposable, and totally safe. Yes it hurt, especially that first bar by my wrist, but other than that it wasn't too bad. Yes everything has healed up perfectly, no infection, no weird scarring, etc. And yes, I did knit while waiting for them to get set up :P

The people at BIOFarm kind of freaked out at first, but once they got over their initial shock, they thought it was actually pretty cool. And if a bunch of Chinese people approve your Chinese tattoo, it has to be good, right?