I had a nice chat with James, my co-worker. He is 24 years old. I asked him if minorities in China are treated differently or worse from the majority.
A Little Background
China has been invaded by different people throughout their history, therefore is composed of many ethnic groups. China has 56 recognized (key word recognized) ethnic groups, the biggest one is the Han which is about 91% of the population.
Back to James:
Me: So are the minority ethnic groups treated worse than the majority?
James: No, of course not. All Chinese people are treated the same. They are treated even better. They can have two children and we can only have one.
Me: If you were to marry someone then, would it matter to you if she was a minority?
James: No, she needs to be Chinese though, I would not marry someone that is a different race...
Me: You mean you would not marry a foreigner.
James: Yes
Me: Would you marry someone that is not a Han?
James: No, she would have to be a Han. I want to keep my blood pure.
Me: But you just said that she just needs to be Chinese.
James: But the minorities are not Chinese....(pause)...they look like Chinese, they live like Chinese, but there was a time when they came here from a different place. The girl would have to be a Han, just like me.
The Minorities
While many people that I asked, all from the majority, have said that all people in China are treated the same, it is not the case. You usually find the minorities working the worse jobs. They are the ones that live in non-industrialized areas and that not necessarily get educated. While this separation is not usually admitted, it can be seen through people taking great pride in telling me they are a Han when I ask. It is ok to talk to the minorities or even be friends with them, but it is not ok to marry them. Of course I am sure not everyone has such a viewpoint, but still such ethnic boundaries do exist.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Temple of Heaven
Click on me for more picturesAll of this is found basically in the middle of Beijing city which is amazing, because such old structures are preserved amongst skyscrapers. The whole park is surrounded by a very old big wall.
Emperors would visit this place to pray for good harvest.
This is where heaven is when you go to the top of that circular structure. In the middle, there is a spot where you stand and your voice resonates louder than normally. It works, I tried it! That is where Emperors would pray to the Gods.
The Place
Click the picture for more photos!Iris took us to this place. It is officially called The Place. There is a huge screen where beautiful scenes of nature are displayed. It is absolutely gorgeous. You can also text a number and for 1 yuan, your message will be displayed on the screen. We spent a long time there just sitting and looking at the changing screen. This really does not compare with anything that I have seen before.
Beijing is very traditional in many ways. You can see architecture that is hundreds years old, but you can also see greatly advanced technology.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Sayings in China
Phrases
Here are some definitions of words and phrases used by people in China in English that are commonly used and thought to be legitimate expressions in the English-speaking world.
No Thanks
Used when someone says thank you!
It Does Not Matter
Used when you say thank you for helping me for example. Equivalent of 'no problem' except such a phrase is not used.
Etiquette When Someone Sneezes
Say nothing, no one says bless you here or acknowledges the sneeze.
Saying I'm Sorry
When I asked someone how to say I'm sorry in Chinese, they said that you only use it when you have done something very bad. So what do you do if you do something minor, like step on someone? I'm still trying to figure that one out. People here though do not apologize as often as in America and do not say thank you often. Also, being cut in line is very common. Pushing and elbowing is completely allowed, especially on buses and subways.
Here are some definitions of words and phrases used by people in China in English that are commonly used and thought to be legitimate expressions in the English-speaking world.
No Thanks
Used when someone says thank you!
It Does Not Matter
Used when you say thank you for helping me for example. Equivalent of 'no problem' except such a phrase is not used.
Etiquette When Someone Sneezes
Say nothing, no one says bless you here or acknowledges the sneeze.
Saying I'm Sorry
When I asked someone how to say I'm sorry in Chinese, they said that you only use it when you have done something very bad. So what do you do if you do something minor, like step on someone? I'm still trying to figure that one out. People here though do not apologize as often as in America and do not say thank you often. Also, being cut in line is very common. Pushing and elbowing is completely allowed, especially on buses and subways.
Wedding Crashers China Style
Me and Grace, my co-worker were in the school and I heard firecrackers outside. I asked her why are they doing this in the morning. She said it must be a wedding so I convinced her to go see if I can get to see the bride and the groom. We find the place by tracking down the sound but the couple already went inside.
Grace is ready to leave but I want her to ask the personnel if we can go into this fancy restaurant to see the couple. She hesitates like any normal person would and does not ask.While I am lingering, a man approaches us and wants to talk to me in Chinese. Grace translates. He asks where I am from, tells me I'm beautiful, wants to take a picture with me.
After, he invites us inside, we go in as I wanted to see the couple and leave. Well leaving was not that easy. He insists we sit down. So I'm sitting in shorts and a shirt with a panda on it in a super fancy restaurant amongst a table filled with businessmen talking to this man with Grace's help.
Through our conversation, we find out he is very rich and his family is very influential in Beijing. He shows us pictures of him with all these politically powerful men in China, including a picture of his family with Chairman Hu which is the current ruler of China.
He invites me to dinner saying he wants to show me traditional Chinese food. We finally manage to leave and get back to work.
I just wish I could somehow get those pictures from the wedding that the man took. The couple was very cute and young.
Grace is ready to leave but I want her to ask the personnel if we can go into this fancy restaurant to see the couple. She hesitates like any normal person would and does not ask.While I am lingering, a man approaches us and wants to talk to me in Chinese. Grace translates. He asks where I am from, tells me I'm beautiful, wants to take a picture with me.
After, he invites us inside, we go in as I wanted to see the couple and leave. Well leaving was not that easy. He insists we sit down. So I'm sitting in shorts and a shirt with a panda on it in a super fancy restaurant amongst a table filled with businessmen talking to this man with Grace's help.
Through our conversation, we find out he is very rich and his family is very influential in Beijing. He shows us pictures of him with all these politically powerful men in China, including a picture of his family with Chairman Hu which is the current ruler of China.
He invites me to dinner saying he wants to show me traditional Chinese food. We finally manage to leave and get back to work.
I just wish I could somehow get those pictures from the wedding that the man took. The couple was very cute and young.
11 Year Old Billiards Protégé
Scott and I play billiards sometimes at night, simply because there is nothing else to do by where he lives. We are great freinds with the owners. Way of communication is body language, they speak no English, we cannot speak Chinese.
Last time I was there, they invited us over for beer. After, a boy a little taller than the billiards table invited us to play against him. We lost all 6 games we played against him. Yes, we both suck at billiards, but this boy is amazing at the game. He has a professional glove and everything! He also offered us his mother's cigarettes, and proceeded to light Scott's. Definitely something I do not see on a daily basis. We said our goodbyes around eleven when it was the boy's bedtime and he had to go home.
Last time I was there, they invited us over for beer. After, a boy a little taller than the billiards table invited us to play against him. We lost all 6 games we played against him. Yes, we both suck at billiards, but this boy is amazing at the game. He has a professional glove and everything! He also offered us his mother's cigarettes, and proceeded to light Scott's. Definitely something I do not see on a daily basis. We said our goodbyes around eleven when it was the boy's bedtime and he had to go home.
Personal Hygiene
Armpit Hair
It is not hard to notice a bush of hair sneaking out from under a short sleeve shirt or a very nice dress. I still cannot get used to it. Most people at least I come in contact with, do not shave, I am talking about women of course.
When I decided to shave my legs in the bathroom, there ended up being 4 girls watching wondering what I am doing and why. I have never had such an audience examining my shaved legs.
Using Deodorant
Yea, I do not think many people use deodorant, but they also do not sweat as much either. At first I thought that even their sweat did not smell, but I was proven wrong during a picnic and this sitting next to me was smelling a lot :)
Taking a Shower
Granted, shower here is different. My bathroom comes equipped with a sink, some holes meant to be used as toilets, and a shower-head right by the sink, there is really no shower designated space. Still, there is hot water, it's just awkward standing naked in the middle of the bathroom.
Sophie, a girl that lives with me showers, I think, but not very often, I rarely see her in the bathroom for this purpose. I cannot estimate how many times a week she showers, but it is less than ever other day.
Clothes
The female teachers here have a few outfits, like a shirt and pants, nothing fancy. They wear the same outfit may days in a row. The girls wear the same clothes sometimes a week in a row. They alternate between 2 or 3 outfits. The male teacher has been here for a two weeks now, and I have only seen him wearing one shirt for this whole time. Alice, my co-worker pointed out that I like to make myself look different everyday, meaning I wear something different each day which is not common at least where I am.
It is not hard to notice a bush of hair sneaking out from under a short sleeve shirt or a very nice dress. I still cannot get used to it. Most people at least I come in contact with, do not shave, I am talking about women of course.
When I decided to shave my legs in the bathroom, there ended up being 4 girls watching wondering what I am doing and why. I have never had such an audience examining my shaved legs.
Using Deodorant
Yea, I do not think many people use deodorant, but they also do not sweat as much either. At first I thought that even their sweat did not smell, but I was proven wrong during a picnic and this sitting next to me was smelling a lot :)
Taking a Shower
Granted, shower here is different. My bathroom comes equipped with a sink, some holes meant to be used as toilets, and a shower-head right by the sink, there is really no shower designated space. Still, there is hot water, it's just awkward standing naked in the middle of the bathroom.
Sophie, a girl that lives with me showers, I think, but not very often, I rarely see her in the bathroom for this purpose. I cannot estimate how many times a week she showers, but it is less than ever other day.
Clothes
The female teachers here have a few outfits, like a shirt and pants, nothing fancy. They wear the same outfit may days in a row. The girls wear the same clothes sometimes a week in a row. They alternate between 2 or 3 outfits. The male teacher has been here for a two weeks now, and I have only seen him wearing one shirt for this whole time. Alice, my co-worker pointed out that I like to make myself look different everyday, meaning I wear something different each day which is not common at least where I am.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Being Part of a College Admissions Council
It seems as though anything is possible in China for me to do or just end up in a situation I would never expect. All of these events can be explained in one phrase, "Let's do it, its China"
One day, my manager said that I will be going to a college for a day helping them with something. Truns out, I was a part of the admissions committee interviewing kids to let them into the college or not. They wanted to test the student's English ability before admitting them into college.
I can assure you I was the youngest person sitting at that table and the closest person in age to mine must have been at least 10 years older.
The kids were all very scared. We were sitting at this very long table and on the other side, the kids were standing and shyly answering questions from the examiners. One guy I thought was going to cry by the end of his interview.
The behavior of the kids were very different than that found in American interviews of any kind. Instead of portraying ability and independence, the kids were humble, very reserved and just said a few words for each question asked.
One day, my manager said that I will be going to a college for a day helping them with something. Truns out, I was a part of the admissions committee interviewing kids to let them into the college or not. They wanted to test the student's English ability before admitting them into college.
I can assure you I was the youngest person sitting at that table and the closest person in age to mine must have been at least 10 years older.
The kids were all very scared. We were sitting at this very long table and on the other side, the kids were standing and shyly answering questions from the examiners. One guy I thought was going to cry by the end of his interview.
The behavior of the kids were very different than that found in American interviews of any kind. Instead of portraying ability and independence, the kids were humble, very reserved and just said a few words for each question asked.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Can I Have the Egg Flavored One?
Ice Cream
I love ice cream. What has greatly enhanced my China experience is that ice cream is found everywhere here. There are fridges full of ice cream on a stick or ice cream cones in almost every store. They are also very good. Their flavors are much more creative than in the US as well. There is banana, mango, watermelon, pineapple, peach, apple, raisin, bean, corn, green bean and egg flavors to name a few.
Trust me, unfortunately, the egg flavored ice cream tastes exactly like raw egg..
Other Crazy Flavors
So not only ice cream comes with crazy flavors but other food as well. For example oreos have colorful fillings. Lays chips have flavors such as cucumber, kiwi, blueberry and hot&sour fish soup.
Drinks come with an enormous variety of flavors. Also, their flavors taste differently, orange tastes much different. Pineapple juice is 'fake' yellow and there are pieces of pineapple floating in the juice. There are also all these drinks that are part jelly that one is supposed to drink.
I love ice cream. What has greatly enhanced my China experience is that ice cream is found everywhere here. There are fridges full of ice cream on a stick or ice cream cones in almost every store. They are also very good. Their flavors are much more creative than in the US as well. There is banana, mango, watermelon, pineapple, peach, apple, raisin, bean, corn, green bean and egg flavors to name a few.
Trust me, unfortunately, the egg flavored ice cream tastes exactly like raw egg.. Other Crazy Flavors
So not only ice cream comes with crazy flavors but other food as well. For example oreos have colorful fillings. Lays chips have flavors such as cucumber, kiwi, blueberry and hot&sour fish soup.
Drinks come with an enormous variety of flavors. Also, their flavors taste differently, orange tastes much different. Pineapple juice is 'fake' yellow and there are pieces of pineapple floating in the juice. There are also all these drinks that are part jelly that one is supposed to drink.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Never Ask What You Are Eating
food in Beijing is amazing!
You Fancy Now
There are the restaurants with fancy lighting and very nice interior. If you really are cool and have a larger group, you get a private room with a table and air-conditioning. A lot of the places I've been to have this glass you can rotate at the middle of the table.
As mentioned before, when you order, the dish is meant to be shared by all so the portions are huge and the rotating table comes in handy. People usually order juice or pop. This comes in a large bottle that gets poured into people's glasses as needed. Tea is also very common to be had with a meal. Sometimes they serve hot water to drink.
The food is prepared so it not only tastes great but looks awesome as well. I have eaten sweet and sour fish which was very delicious. It was a whole fish diced up into little squares but still attached to the skeleton and the fish head, tail were all there of course. Same with duck, it was a whole duck diced up into pieces, bones and all. Keep in mind that all food is eaten with chopsticks even soup and meat, so the meat has to be cut up. Prices are about 25 yuan to 60 and up.
Local Specialty
There are also plenty of local restaurans you can go to. Those places have a couple flies flying around and the menu is usually all in chinese symbols, so when I order, i just have to take a gamble and have a suprise meal. The food is not as fancy but very delicious. The dish prices range from 5 yuan, something very small that you should order more than one to 30.
Craving a Big Mac?
Another type is the fast food chinese style, chinese food that takes minutes to prepare and is open 24hrs a day, not as good but still much better than anything you could get in the USA. prices range from 1yuan to 30.
We also have McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut. They are not very common but can be seen from time to time. Their interior is very nice and the food options are somewhat the same but modified flavors. Like ice cream in McDonalds is not only vanilla but 3 other flavors. Same with the little pies for desert, not only apple but other fruit, some I have never heard of.
Eating off the Streets, but Exactly What are You Eating?
One last type of food is streeet food. people set up a little griddle on a cart at a corner or side of the street and sell food. They cook it right there as you watch. It is very good and extremely cheap. There is meat on a stick. just be ready that the meat could be anything and you would not know it. I've seen liver, ear, chicken neck, heart, chicken feet, octopus, pigeon and rest i could not identify. You could also get fried tofu, dumplings, fried dough, pancakes that are composed of dough, egg and you can request meat along with lettuce, known in our group as the "chinese taco".
Look to the right in the picture, a typical stand with food
In restaurants, sometimes it is not a good idea to inquire what you are eating either. I have had a local specialty donkey meat in a sandwich. It was very good. Also, never look in the kitchen! Even in the fancy restaurants, it's dirty or very dirty.
Mythical Chinese Food
1. Fortune cookies are NOT chinese. I have not seen one fortune cookie the whole time i was here.
2. Kung Pao Chicken tases very different from Panda Express
3. There is no such thing as fried rice. They can make it for you if you specify what exactly this phrase entails.
4. Egg rolls are not really eaten here.
You Fancy Now
There are the restaurants with fancy lighting and very nice interior. If you really are cool and have a larger group, you get a private room with a table and air-conditioning. A lot of the places I've been to have this glass you can rotate at the middle of the table.
As mentioned before, when you order, the dish is meant to be shared by all so the portions are huge and the rotating table comes in handy. People usually order juice or pop. This comes in a large bottle that gets poured into people's glasses as needed. Tea is also very common to be had with a meal. Sometimes they serve hot water to drink.
The food is prepared so it not only tastes great but looks awesome as well. I have eaten sweet and sour fish which was very delicious. It was a whole fish diced up into little squares but still attached to the skeleton and the fish head, tail were all there of course. Same with duck, it was a whole duck diced up into pieces, bones and all. Keep in mind that all food is eaten with chopsticks even soup and meat, so the meat has to be cut up. Prices are about 25 yuan to 60 and up. |
| Those eggs are are obviously not from a chicken but taste good |
There are also plenty of local restaurans you can go to. Those places have a couple flies flying around and the menu is usually all in chinese symbols, so when I order, i just have to take a gamble and have a suprise meal. The food is not as fancy but very delicious. The dish prices range from 5 yuan, something very small that you should order more than one to 30.
Craving a Big Mac?
Another type is the fast food chinese style, chinese food that takes minutes to prepare and is open 24hrs a day, not as good but still much better than anything you could get in the USA. prices range from 1yuan to 30.
 |
| KFC delivers! on a bike, just like Pizza Hut |
We also have McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut. They are not very common but can be seen from time to time. Their interior is very nice and the food options are somewhat the same but modified flavors. Like ice cream in McDonalds is not only vanilla but 3 other flavors. Same with the little pies for desert, not only apple but other fruit, some I have never heard of. |
| Different type of meat on stick, I'm sorry its a little blurry |
Eating off the Streets, but Exactly What are You Eating?
One last type of food is streeet food. people set up a little griddle on a cart at a corner or side of the street and sell food. They cook it right there as you watch. It is very good and extremely cheap. There is meat on a stick. just be ready that the meat could be anything and you would not know it. I've seen liver, ear, chicken neck, heart, chicken feet, octopus, pigeon and rest i could not identify. You could also get fried tofu, dumplings, fried dough, pancakes that are composed of dough, egg and you can request meat along with lettuce, known in our group as the "chinese taco".
In restaurants, sometimes it is not a good idea to inquire what you are eating either. I have had a local specialty donkey meat in a sandwich. It was very good. Also, never look in the kitchen! Even in the fancy restaurants, it's dirty or very dirty.
Mythical Chinese Food
1. Fortune cookies are NOT chinese. I have not seen one fortune cookie the whole time i was here.
2. Kung Pao Chicken tases very different from Panda Express
3. There is no such thing as fried rice. They can make it for you if you specify what exactly this phrase entails.
4. Egg rolls are not really eaten here.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bieber Fever
Why Bieber ?!?!
Justin Bieber is a world wide hit here. Not only is he popular with young girls, but people of all ages love Beiber. When I was at the Olympc Stadium, i heard the song "Baby" playing. I thought it was very funny. Soon it became from funny to scary. My co-workers love Bieber and they are between the ages of 24 and 30. The kids love Bieber, both guys and girls. Another hit is Lady Gaga. If I mention to someone that I am from America, they automatically ask if I like Lady Gaga.I promised my co-workers that I would actually translate the underlying meaning of the songs they are singing.
I have to admit, that sadly I already did karaoke to both.
Justin Bieber is a world wide hit here. Not only is he popular with young girls, but people of all ages love Beiber. When I was at the Olympc Stadium, i heard the song "Baby" playing. I thought it was very funny. Soon it became from funny to scary. My co-workers love Bieber and they are between the ages of 24 and 30. The kids love Bieber, both guys and girls. Another hit is Lady Gaga. If I mention to someone that I am from America, they automatically ask if I like Lady Gaga.I promised my co-workers that I would actually translate the underlying meaning of the songs they are singing.
I have to admit, that sadly I already did karaoke to both.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Obama in a Communist Outfit
Overview of Mao
Before we look at the similarities between those two, I will give a quick overview of Chairman Mao. Alright, here I go. Mao Zedong is the founder of People's Republic of China. He held authoritarian rule during his rule and reformed China's economy into what it is today. Not bad right? Also, because of his Cultural Revolution, where he refoemd china by killing oppostion and causing a famine, he is said to be responsible for 40 to 70 million deaths. He is a pretty interesting person so I say read up on him more, simply because you can. China blocks all unfavorable opinions of him from the Chinese internet.
This man has a great monument built for him in the middle of Beijing where his body lies, his picture is also on the gate of the Forbidden City.
So How Does Obama get Mixed up Into This?
It first got my attention when I was in a shop and saw Obama in a communist soldier's outfit. I though it was kind of odd. The text on the bottom said, "Does Good for the People" in Chinese that my friend translated.
Next time this came up was when I was talking about this 10 year old Chinese girl that came to the school to learn English. When I told her I was from the US, she said, "Oh, that's where Obama's from". Kind of embarrassing considering I did not know the current chairman of China at the time.
She went on to say, "Obama is like Mao, he does good for the people except Mao is dead, I wish he was still alive". This must be what she is taught in school, but it is not only little kids that make this copmparison, as later I saw more T-shirt gear with Obama in a communist outfit.
What do College Students Think About Mao?
The girl I talked to said that in her opinion, Mao was a great man that made mistakes. We are all human, so we make mistakes. She also said that there are many varied opinions about him amongst the public. I just wish I will have a chance to find out what varied means and to what degree.
What do Businessmen Think about Mao?
I got a chance to talk to this man on the subway about the topic. He explained to me that Mao was a great man that made great mistakes. He also explained to me that people in his regime, his soldiers would do anything for him. By anything meaning giving their life away just because he said so. That is due to Mao defetaing the Japanses invasion. There was also great famine. He explaied, tragedy and great common conflict brings a country together, and that is what Mao accomplished, uniting the divided country.
While I do agree with his statement, Mao united the country and killed anyone that opposed this unification.
Before we look at the similarities between those two, I will give a quick overview of Chairman Mao. Alright, here I go. Mao Zedong is the founder of People's Republic of China. He held authoritarian rule during his rule and reformed China's economy into what it is today. Not bad right? Also, because of his Cultural Revolution, where he refoemd china by killing oppostion and causing a famine, he is said to be responsible for 40 to 70 million deaths. He is a pretty interesting person so I say read up on him more, simply because you can. China blocks all unfavorable opinions of him from the Chinese internet.
This man has a great monument built for him in the middle of Beijing where his body lies, his picture is also on the gate of the Forbidden City.
So How Does Obama get Mixed up Into This?
It first got my attention when I was in a shop and saw Obama in a communist soldier's outfit. I though it was kind of odd. The text on the bottom said, "Does Good for the People" in Chinese that my friend translated.
Next time this came up was when I was talking about this 10 year old Chinese girl that came to the school to learn English. When I told her I was from the US, she said, "Oh, that's where Obama's from". Kind of embarrassing considering I did not know the current chairman of China at the time.
She went on to say, "Obama is like Mao, he does good for the people except Mao is dead, I wish he was still alive". This must be what she is taught in school, but it is not only little kids that make this copmparison, as later I saw more T-shirt gear with Obama in a communist outfit.
What do College Students Think About Mao?
The girl I talked to said that in her opinion, Mao was a great man that made mistakes. We are all human, so we make mistakes. She also said that there are many varied opinions about him amongst the public. I just wish I will have a chance to find out what varied means and to what degree.
What do Businessmen Think about Mao?
I got a chance to talk to this man on the subway about the topic. He explained to me that Mao was a great man that made great mistakes. He also explained to me that people in his regime, his soldiers would do anything for him. By anything meaning giving their life away just because he said so. That is due to Mao defetaing the Japanses invasion. There was also great famine. He explaied, tragedy and great common conflict brings a country together, and that is what Mao accomplished, uniting the divided country.
While I do agree with his statement, Mao united the country and killed anyone that opposed this unification.
My Job
You Have to be "American"
So I came to China through this organization that provided me with an internship to teach kids English. Upon applying for the job through email, I was required to send a picture and resume. I got it with no interview. I looked American enough and that is what they wanted. American is white. My other freind came here on an internship as well, after a couple of hours after his arrival, my boss comes into my room and asks, what nationality is Ricky? When I said American, she looked confused. What is ironic is that he is technically more American than me. I was born and lived in Poland for 10 years, he lived in the US his whole life.
Accommodation Takes on a Different Meaning
The private English school I work for provides me with housing. You know how some little kids imagine that teachers must live in the school, well in my case it is true. They converted one of the classrooms into my bedroom. I have a bed composed of two matresses on top of eachother and 6 TVs in my room where none of them really work. There is a bathroom and a showerhead, you shower next to the sink. The door to the bathroom does not really close.
My Kids
My work consists of teaching VIP students. What this means is that I do not get a class of kids but one or two kids anywhere from 7 to 18 and I teach them oral English. We mostly work on pronunciation. The parents pay about 25 dollars an hour per student for the kids to have a lesson with me. That is very expensive considering the prices for everything else. All the kids that I teach are filthy rich, have very big houses so they say and wear very expensive clothes.I will also have a summer class for then days with a class of students. Each day the class will last for 2 hours. To enroll a child in the class, the fee is 500 dollars, which is also my monthly salary. I work 6 days a week and get one free day, Monday. Weekends are usually our busiest times.
My Girls
There are three other teachers here with me. Two of them are married and two have a 1 year old baby. They are 24, 25 and the other 29. All of them are very nice. They have many more classes than me, I am pretty sure they get paid less than me, have less days free than me, have to adhere to a dress code I do not have to follow and have cleaning duty everyday for which I am not on the schedule.
Both of them invited me to their homes for lunch. Their husbands cooked :) The food was very good. Their home, very small and humble apartment. After visiting their homes and realizing the whole apartment is not much bigger than my classroom converted room, I stopped complaining about my living conditions.
Childhood in China
The kids that come to the private school have school on weekdays and english classes on the weekends as well as piano lessons, dance classes, singing classes or some other activites. They seem to either be in class, have to do hours of homework or rest, which is sleep, read a book or eat. During a holiday, which is rare, they can play computer games or watch movies. Of course this is not an adequate representation of all kids in China, just those that go to private schools. These kids I have described above are young. One of my students started learning English when he was 1 he claims and now is learning English, German and of course Chinese. Currently, he is seven years old.
So I came to China through this organization that provided me with an internship to teach kids English. Upon applying for the job through email, I was required to send a picture and resume. I got it with no interview. I looked American enough and that is what they wanted. American is white. My other freind came here on an internship as well, after a couple of hours after his arrival, my boss comes into my room and asks, what nationality is Ricky? When I said American, she looked confused. What is ironic is that he is technically more American than me. I was born and lived in Poland for 10 years, he lived in the US his whole life.
 |
| us Americans |
Accommodation Takes on a Different Meaning
The private English school I work for provides me with housing. You know how some little kids imagine that teachers must live in the school, well in my case it is true. They converted one of the classrooms into my bedroom. I have a bed composed of two matresses on top of eachother and 6 TVs in my room where none of them really work. There is a bathroom and a showerhead, you shower next to the sink. The door to the bathroom does not really close. |
| Warning, he is not as cute as he looks. Very spoiled |
My Kids
My work consists of teaching VIP students. What this means is that I do not get a class of kids but one or two kids anywhere from 7 to 18 and I teach them oral English. We mostly work on pronunciation. The parents pay about 25 dollars an hour per student for the kids to have a lesson with me. That is very expensive considering the prices for everything else. All the kids that I teach are filthy rich, have very big houses so they say and wear very expensive clothes.I will also have a summer class for then days with a class of students. Each day the class will last for 2 hours. To enroll a child in the class, the fee is 500 dollars, which is also my monthly salary. I work 6 days a week and get one free day, Monday. Weekends are usually our busiest times.
My Girls
There are three other teachers here with me. Two of them are married and two have a 1 year old baby. They are 24, 25 and the other 29. All of them are very nice. They have many more classes than me, I am pretty sure they get paid less than me, have less days free than me, have to adhere to a dress code I do not have to follow and have cleaning duty everyday for which I am not on the schedule. Both of them invited me to their homes for lunch. Their husbands cooked :) The food was very good. Their home, very small and humble apartment. After visiting their homes and realizing the whole apartment is not much bigger than my classroom converted room, I stopped complaining about my living conditions.
Childhood in China
The kids that come to the private school have school on weekdays and english classes on the weekends as well as piano lessons, dance classes, singing classes or some other activites. They seem to either be in class, have to do hours of homework or rest, which is sleep, read a book or eat. During a holiday, which is rare, they can play computer games or watch movies. Of course this is not an adequate representation of all kids in China, just those that go to private schools. These kids I have described above are young. One of my students started learning English when he was 1 he claims and now is learning English, German and of course Chinese. Currently, he is seven years old.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Censorship In China
Yes, the Chinese government monitors many things, probably more than I am aware of. One of those things is the internet. When I search in Google, many webistes I would be able to enter do not show up in my search menu. The websites so far that I found to be blocked are:
Youtube
Facebook
Blogs of all types (including this one)
Any articles unfavorable about China, like Tienanmen Protest of 1989
Chairman Mao information besides that he did great things
In stores and everywhere are people wearing red armbands. These are the remains of the Red Guard which are volunteers that enforce order. They were created in the reign of Mao where they would make sure to combat revolutionist activities. This way, may people were persecuted and killed. Now, they serve more of a purpose to enforce peace in public such so no one steals and so on.
There are also many soldiers everywhere. They are at the gates of many public buildings and parks.
The government also does not look favorably on on government organizarions. When I was going to a picnic in the Olympic Park from the group that brought me here AIESEC, I was told that if the police ask, we are not from an organization but friends. Gatherings of groups that are non government related is not supported.
Also I need to carry my passport anywhere I go. I have never been asked though by anyone to show it thus far.
Youtube
Blogs of all types (including this one)
Any articles unfavorable about China, like Tienanmen Protest of 1989
Chairman Mao information besides that he did great things
In stores and everywhere are people wearing red armbands. These are the remains of the Red Guard which are volunteers that enforce order. They were created in the reign of Mao where they would make sure to combat revolutionist activities. This way, may people were persecuted and killed. Now, they serve more of a purpose to enforce peace in public such so no one steals and so on.
There are also many soldiers everywhere. They are at the gates of many public buildings and parks.
The government also does not look favorably on on government organizarions. When I was going to a picnic in the Olympic Park from the group that brought me here AIESEC, I was told that if the police ask, we are not from an organization but friends. Gatherings of groups that are non government related is not supported.
Also I need to carry my passport anywhere I go. I have never been asked though by anyone to show it thus far.
Getting Free Ice Cream and my Wallet Stolen
People in China are very generous. I have been to so many dinners where my co-workers or my Chinese friends will absolutely not let me pay for dinner. It is not that they have money to spend either but they would say, you are a guest in our country so we pay. Also, the other day I made the mistake of telling this woman her bracelet was pretty, so she gave it to me! I did not want to take it but there was no going back. |
| The tea place we got scammed by sister Lily |
 |
| Not even rush hour subway |
The culture here is very different, it is collectivist and it shows through the simplest of things. for example when you order food, you order a couple of dishes where everyone shares, not like in US where each person orders their own food.
Something Different
Beauty
In China, white skin is beautiful. Women carry umbrellas to shield their skin from the sun. They use creams to make their skin whiter. Big eyes are also very much desirable and curly hair.
People on the street tell me I am beautiful every day. Men I do not know ask me to take pictures with them, businessmen impress me with their accomplishments and invite me to dinner. People I have never introduced myself to know my name in my town. Oh, also, wherever I go, everyone openly stares. It used to bother me a lot that I stick out so much and people staring all the time, but now I just take it as something to laugh about as I cannot do anything about it.
Random person while waiting for the Subway
Pooping on the Street
The bathrooms here are unbearable. They are holes in the ground, no toilet paper so you have to carry your own and no flushing of course so it smells very bad. Little kids, i would say maybe up to age 5 poop on the street. They have slits in their pants for ease of pooping. It is something I have not gotten used to yet.
Public Transportation
The subway system in Beijing is amazing. Trains come every couple of minutes and it is a fast way to get anywhere in the city. It is also very cheap 2 yuen for a ticket. It gets very crowded though during the morning and afternoon. By crowded i mean being pressed against people so you can't move your hand crowded. Buses are also good ways to get around. there are a lot of cars in Beijing but cars are very expensive to have and most people do not have one. Because only rich people really have cars, they are nice cars, BMW's are very common. Driving on the street is crazy! It is hard to corss the street most of the time and cars zoom in and out of lanes. Since the public transportation stops working at 10pm, a lot of people take taxis. They are very cheap compared to the US for a close to 2 hour taxi ride, we paid 100 yuen which is about 15 dollars.
Most people here ride bikes. Restaurants such as Pizza Hut deliver on bike. There are also plenty of people that will bike you places in their bike taxi.
Beans, Beans and more Beans
Before coming to China, I did not know how many purposes black beans can have. Here, you can eat cooked black beans, there are bean ice cream flavors, bean is in most cookie fillings. Also, most cookies here are not sweet at all, but contain peanuts, bean as I mentioned before or are just plain salty. There is a lot of jelly in all different flavors and sizes, people here prefer soft candy and jelly to hard candy I have noticed. For a drink, tea, milk tea or juice is very common. Coffee not so much.
In China, white skin is beautiful. Women carry umbrellas to shield their skin from the sun. They use creams to make their skin whiter. Big eyes are also very much desirable and curly hair.
People on the street tell me I am beautiful every day. Men I do not know ask me to take pictures with them, businessmen impress me with their accomplishments and invite me to dinner. People I have never introduced myself to know my name in my town. Oh, also, wherever I go, everyone openly stares. It used to bother me a lot that I stick out so much and people staring all the time, but now I just take it as something to laugh about as I cannot do anything about it.
Random person while waiting for the SubwayPooping on the Street
The bathrooms here are unbearable. They are holes in the ground, no toilet paper so you have to carry your own and no flushing of course so it smells very bad. Little kids, i would say maybe up to age 5 poop on the street. They have slits in their pants for ease of pooping. It is something I have not gotten used to yet.
Public Transportation
The subway system in Beijing is amazing. Trains come every couple of minutes and it is a fast way to get anywhere in the city. It is also very cheap 2 yuen for a ticket. It gets very crowded though during the morning and afternoon. By crowded i mean being pressed against people so you can't move your hand crowded. Buses are also good ways to get around. there are a lot of cars in Beijing but cars are very expensive to have and most people do not have one. Because only rich people really have cars, they are nice cars, BMW's are very common. Driving on the street is crazy! It is hard to corss the street most of the time and cars zoom in and out of lanes. Since the public transportation stops working at 10pm, a lot of people take taxis. They are very cheap compared to the US for a close to 2 hour taxi ride, we paid 100 yuen which is about 15 dollars.
Beans, Beans and more Beans
Before coming to China, I did not know how many purposes black beans can have. Here, you can eat cooked black beans, there are bean ice cream flavors, bean is in most cookie fillings. Also, most cookies here are not sweet at all, but contain peanuts, bean as I mentioned before or are just plain salty. There is a lot of jelly in all different flavors and sizes, people here prefer soft candy and jelly to hard candy I have noticed. For a drink, tea, milk tea or juice is very common. Coffee not so much.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Week 1
The Next Day
In the morning, i looked around the room more closely. It was full of things people brought from their country and left there in thanks for the internship for the school that helped them get there, UIBE. Sitting there, i quickly got bored and wanted to explore the outside. I went to the door and tried to open it. The lock were a few bolts on a heavy ancient metal door, and when i say ancient, i am not exaggerating. These buildings were there for a long time as i found out, but people still lived there without much renovation.
I tried for maybe ten minutes to open the door with no luck. I got bored and wanted to go on the internet, i found a plug, it did look different than that of in the US but i tried to plug in my computer charger anyways. It gave out some sparks, but it worked! On Gmail i noticed that Charles invited me to go to lunch and offered to meet me at the apartment. Soon I heard knocking on the door, I again tried to unlock he door with no luck. He tried too with his key, but could not do it. I was locked in, with absolutely no other way out. Charles was getting nervous, but i thought it was funny, first day and I am locked in an apartment in Beijing. After half an hour of struggling and me smacking the lock with a broom, the door opened. I found Charles and we went to lunch. We met up with this girl Lily, she ordered. The food was very delicious and I got to practice my chopstick skills.
*********************
Weekend in Beijing
That first weekend, I got to spend in the university's apartment. Ricky from U of I soon joined me and we went to explore Beijing. The first place we went to was this street full of little shops, food and bars. The buildings were old and beautiful. We spent most of our afternoon there. It got too late to take the subway back as it closes around 10pm so we had to find a taxi. It took us a while as all of them were taken but we got back.
Beijing is connected by a very good subway system. You can go anywhere by subway and it is very cheap. There are always so many people using the system, when it is rush hour, you have to fight to get on and you stand very close to one another. Same with the buses, they get very crowded. There are truly a lot of people here.
The next day, me and Ricky decided to go on our first adventure alone, without one of the students from the Beijing University. We went to the Olympic Park. It was huge and gorgeous. We took many pictures of the bird's nest and the olympic pool. You can actually swim in the pool which I really want to do. There were also many people who wanted to sell something both food and souvenirs. People were flying kites, dancing and a couple were singing. One guy was actually pretty good.
In the morning, i looked around the room more closely. It was full of things people brought from their country and left there in thanks for the internship for the school that helped them get there, UIBE. Sitting there, i quickly got bored and wanted to explore the outside. I went to the door and tried to open it. The lock were a few bolts on a heavy ancient metal door, and when i say ancient, i am not exaggerating. These buildings were there for a long time as i found out, but people still lived there without much renovation.
 |
| My first meal in China with Charles |
*********************
Weekend in Beijing
That first weekend, I got to spend in the university's apartment. Ricky from U of I soon joined me and we went to explore Beijing. The first place we went to was this street full of little shops, food and bars. The buildings were old and beautiful. We spent most of our afternoon there. It got too late to take the subway back as it closes around 10pm so we had to find a taxi. It took us a while as all of them were taken but we got back.Beijing is connected by a very good subway system. You can go anywhere by subway and it is very cheap. There are always so many people using the system, when it is rush hour, you have to fight to get on and you stand very close to one another. Same with the buses, they get very crowded. There are truly a lot of people here.
The next day, me and Ricky decided to go on our first adventure alone, without one of the students from the Beijing University. We went to the Olympic Park. It was huge and gorgeous. We took many pictures of the bird's nest and the olympic pool. You can actually swim in the pool which I really want to do. There were also many people who wanted to sell something both food and souvenirs. People were flying kites, dancing and a couple were singing. One guy was actually pretty good.
 |
| Olympic Stadium |
 |
| Olympic Pool |
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Beijing, China
Arriving In Beijing
I got to the airport at 2 am in the morning with a few phone numbers written down on a scrap piece of paper. I did not have a phone that would work in China nor do I speak Mandarin. I was already thankful when I got my luggage and none of it was missing. To my suprise, when I came out of the gates, there was a boy and a girl waiting for me holding up a sign with my name on it. Charles and Cynthia are super nice and were my first contact with China. After introductions, we went outside to get a taxi. This is not as easy as it sounds, along with us was a swarm of people trying to do the same thing. After half an hour of fighting, we finally got in. They gave me a phone card, which I was thrilled to receive, this 'calling card' was not what i thought minutes on a card i can use while calling from any phone but a SIM card for my phone. The only problem is that most American phones do not use SIM cards. After they got over this dibeleif of how strange US phones are, i received my welcome to China gift, a cup of coffee. Turns out, they thought that all Americans like coffee :)
I finally got to the place where I was to stay for the night. The stairwell was complelety dark with no light, the place itself was a humble apartment with a kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms. The beds and matresses were really hard. I soon found out, most matresses in China are this way. The toilet did not flush and there was no shower in the bathroom. Everything looked dirty. My concept of what is dirty and what is clean has chnaged dramatically while in China. It is very hard to compare the standards of living in the United States to the ones here, at least the ones I experienced and beleive that middle class people encounter. The toilets in most places are holes in the ground where the sqatting technique must be used. There is also no toilet paper.
As I slept that night, i thought of how they told me a girl just moved out of the room and left for Russia that day, the pillow still smelled like her, i just wondered lying there how many people slept on the same sheets as i did.
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