Molly the Explorer

Reflections

2011-08-23T18:30:00.001-07:00

Singapore has a strange combination. It's not a very open society, meaning freedom of speech and of the press are restricted, and the government is quite controlling. The political scene is not very pluralistic, as the same party has ruled since the founding of the country. However, Singapore is also one of the least corrupt countries in the world. It is very wealthy, highly developed, and has a great infrastructure. Almost all citizens enjoy a high standard of living. These characteristics don't often come together.

People describe the government as having a master plan. Since the 1960s, the government has tried to "engineer" society. It has, for the most part, been very successful. Not many other countries have leaped from third world to first world status in a few decades - and Singapore is not only "first world," but its living conditions are among the best. Unemployment is at a low 2%, nearly all residents have affordable housing, and business, especially foreign business, is thriving. Despite the population density, the city is immaculately clean, there are nice parks, and pollution levels are low. Crime rates are extremely low.

Of course, a few factors have been in Singapore's favor. The government only had to plan out a country the size of a large city, rather than a huge landmass. Smaller means easier to keep tabs on and control. Also, since Singapore had been under British control, English became the official language, and that always is helpful in terms of business development and innovation.

I think of the government as authoritarian but benevolent. It has a lot of power, but this hasn't corrupted the leaders. The leaders want to improve the country and satisfy the citizens. They realize that this is the best way to perpetuate their power. The plan has worked - you can hear people now and then mumbling and grumbling about the power of the party, but no one ever does anything. Everyone is too content with their lives to risk disrupting the equilibrium. If you have housing, a stable job, and good schools for your kids, there isn't much incentive to try to change the political scene. How would a change of government benefit you?

Best Moments of Summer 2011

2011-08-17T08:02:00.001-07:00

Eating my first delicious banh mi sandwich upon arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was from a roadside vendor and cost 50 cents. The lady took fresh-baked french baguettes, sliced them open, and slathered them with a special mixture of sauces and pickled vegetables. She then quickly fried up a few eggs in a sizzling hot pan before slipping them into the sandwich. The best of roadside food, period.

Swimming in the infinity pool on top of Marina Bay Sands, the iconic 55 floor resort/casino/hotel in Singapore. The view of the cityscape in the light of the setting sun was breathtaking. The cool water contrasted perfectly with the blazing rays of the near-equatorial sun. Fun fact: did you know that in terms of revenue from gambling, Singapore has surpassed Las Vegas? It is number two in the world, only behind Macao. I had no idea.

Witnessing a beautiful wedding in the oldest cathedral in Manila, the San Agustin Cathedral. Here all the guests are turned around to view the procession of the bridal party, and later the bride. Everything, from the music, decor, outfits, as well as the cathedral itself, was breathtaking. We were just touring the building and stumbled across a balcony in the back from which we could view the ceremony. I must have stood by the railing for a good twenty minutes, watching the procession and waiting for the entrance of the bride.

Exploring the Monkey Forest in Ubud, the geographical and cultural heart of Bali, Indonesia. This lush forest was crawling with free roaming monkeys of all ages. There were little babies with their mothers as well as wizened old geezers. They warn you not to get too close to the animals and not to bring in any food, for good reason! These monkeys aren’t trained or domesticated. Despite their cute appearances, they are not afraid to attack you and your possessions!

Walking along Jonker Walk, a winding street full of food vendors, boutique shops, and souvenir places, in the historic center of Malacca, Malaysia. This place was so festive that we had to come back three times! We strolled slowly along the street, stopping and buying cheap night snacks whenever they looked appealing, and browsing all the wares in the cute little shops. The boutiques sold everything from unique clothing to local traditional foods to handmade jewelry. There was also a huge outdoor stage where old people sang Chinese karaoke in front of an eager crowd.

Boat ride in Bangkok, Thailand. The small boat was just big enough for our group of travelers. We rode along the main river, taking in the city, before turning into networks of small canals that led us past neighborhoods of houses standing on sticks and platforms. Bangkok is known as the Venice of Asia, if I recall correctly. The driver took us to temples and pagodas, as well as a wonderful floating market, before dropping us of at our final destination, the Grand Palace..

Watching the sunrise in Desaru, Malaysia. We dragged ourselves out of bed at six in the morning, in the dark, and wandered down to the beach, sleepy eyes trying to locate the first rays of day. Sure enough, the sun appeared, with its blinding rays. After we were sure that the sunrise was indeed over, we promptly settled onto beach chairs and took a nap until midday.

Of course, there are many other moments that I will always treasure, as well as some that I may have sadly forgotten already, but these were a few that stuck out to me. I met so many people, saw so many places, and learned a lot about the world around me, as well as about myself. One thing is for sure: I could not have asked for a better summer.

Malaysia, Take Two

2011-08-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

For my last weekend in Southeast Asia, we decided to make another trip to Malaysia, exploring other parts of the country. Unlike our first trip, we took a bus from Singapore to our first stop, Malacca, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's a lot of history to this small town - it was a Dutch as well as Portuguese settlement, and Cheng Ho, the famous Chinese explorer, visited it. The ride from Singapore was about 5 hours and it was nighttime when we rolled into the sleepy little town.

The area is predominantly Muslim, which explains why so many businesses and restaurants were closed, due to the Ramadan holiday. We wandered around the town for a bit before we found dinner at a busy little Chinese vegetarian place. Along with the requisite veggies, we ordered a spicy mapo tofu and a mutton curry. The mutton was made out of some type of vegetable protein product and it was delicious! All of the dishes were quite spicy.

The next morning, we woke up early to explore the historic city center, where the museums, ruins, and churches are located.

Malacca is famous for a dish called Chicken Rice Balls. This is a spin-off of the Hainanese Chicken Rice, a Singaporean national dish. The Malaysian version is a little anti-climatic: the only difference is that the rice is rolled into balls instead of being served under the chicken pieces. The rice is really tasty because it is cooked in the chicken fat. According to the owner of a nearby smoothie place, we should have gotten the chicken rice balls from the actual restaurant instead of the street vendor, which only sells an "imitation." Oh well, I still enjoyed it, along with a fresh carrot juice from the smoothie maker!

The city streets were lined with souvenir shops, small boutiques, temples, hostels and inns, and galleries of local artists. It was a touristy scene that somehow managed to retain a genuine cultural element.

We explored an old fort in the area. It must have been more intimidating in the olden days, without the tacky playground equipment and tourists lugging around giant cameras. There were also a ton of little museums with really random themes, such as the Museum for Democratic Governance, the Museum of Eternal Beauty, the Museum of Education, the Museum of Literature, and more. To be honest, the displays were a bit tacky and seemed forced.

I also had the experience of attending a Sunday church service at the Christ Church of Malacca. There was a really friendly and diverse crowd at the English service.

The smoothie place owner had mentioned that chicken satays are pretty famous in the area, so of course we had to try the dish. Basically it's chicken that is grilled on skewers and served with a spicy peanut sauce.

There is another fun activity in Malacca - riding these tacky rigshaws! They are brightly lit with Christmas lights and blare loud pop music. The driver will take you anywhere you need to go, and you agree on a price beforehand. I knew we had to have the experience as soon as I saw these wonderfully hideous things. On the second night, we rode one back to the hotel. It was quite an experience, weaving through heavy traffic and honking at nearby pedestrians.

On the third day we headed out to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The bus ride took about 2 hours. We stayed in a nice little place called the Chinatown Boutique in the heart of Chinatown. Basically our whole trip revolved around shopping and eating, which was perfectly fine by me. Therefore, I don't have too many interesting photos.

For our first meal there, we ate at a hawker center in Chinatown. There was one vendor who sold various dishes by the "scoop:" one modest scoop of a dish was 1 ringgit, or about 30 cents. I picked out some broccoli, pumpkin, salted duck egg, and braised soy sauce egg. It was pretty good.

Our lone "cultural" activity in KL was visiting the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, a large Hindu temple. The architecture was very nice, but there was nothing too remarkable about the place.

We almost missed the plane heading back to Singapore because A) we were unaware that the airport is really far outside of the city, B) our taxi was very old and therefore drove extremely slowly, and C) we found out that our flight was leaving from another terminal that was located 20 minutes away from the main airport. Needless to say, it was an extremely stressful morning. But we made it safe and sound back to Singapore, and that same night I said goodbye to Southeast Asia and flew back to the U.S.

What a summer!

Beautiful Bali

2011-08-02T02:11:00.000-07:00

The beautiful open landscape of Bali, with its beaches, cliffs, and rice terraces was a tremendous contrast to the hectic cities I have traveled to so far on this trip.

Two things stood out to me on this trip: the slow pace of life on Bali as well as how the tourism industry has completed transformed and taken over the society.

Perhaps it is ingrained in the spiritual culture of the island, but the pace of Bali was extremely laid-back and relaxing. We joked about "Bali time" and "Bali distance." When people told us a time, we could always expect them to be at least fifteen minutes late. When people told us a distance, we could always expect it to be at least ten times further away. Therefore, life on the island is extremely unrushed, and there is the ability to simply enjoy the moment.

The city where we stayed, Kuta, is the backpacker and tourist district of Bali - I shouldn't have been surprised at total domination of the tourist industry. Every single business, whether it be a spa, yoga studio, surf shop, restaurant, hotel, bar, boutique, is catered specifically for overseas travellers. Every Balinese local that I met was working in the tourism industry, whether as a driver, vendor, service worker, or hotel manager. Though these developments have brought a lot of profits and have created jobs in the area, I wonder how much authenticity is left.

We stayed at Fat Yogis Cottages on Poppies I, a narrow street that runs perpendicular to the beach. It was a pretty decent budget option - clean and very simple. For 3 people, it was about $50 a night. The location is about a 5-10 minute walk to the beach.

Complimentary breakfast was provided every morning. We ordered toast with jam, poached eggs, fresh fruit, and coffee.

There is a great tranquil atmosphere outside in the courtyard, with a pool and lounge chairs.

On the first day we hired a private driver to take us around. This is a really good option because it costs about $40 and the driver will take you wherever you want to go for the whole day. We went to Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali. Our first stop was the Monkey Forest. Here, hundreds of monkeys roam around freely. You can interact with them at your own risk.

Some of them were very mischievious and tried to steal people's water bottles. Others were quite zen, like this old fellow below.

We went to lunch in a very cute cafe called Warung Lada. "Warung" is what they call any type of family business. This place serves traditional Indonesian food at very reasonable prices. Each dish is usually under $5. I ordered the gado gado, which is a plate of various items dipped in peanut sauce.

Right outside Ubud are these lush green rice terraces. They are a huge tourist attraction, despite how commonplace and everyday they must seem to the Balinese.

We made it to Tanah Lot for the sunset. Tanah Lot is on the west coast of Bali. It is a temple out in the sea, and another huge draw for tourists. We had to walk through a maze of vendors before reaching the shore. There was even an officially licensed store selling Crocs shoes.

Tanah Lot is a Hindu Temple (Bali is mostly Hindu, as opposed to the rest of Indonesia which is predominantly Muslim). Not being Hindu, we couldn't go onto the temple itself, but at least I got to take photos from the ground!

The next morning I tried something new - Surfing!

There are a lot of surf shops and surf schools that offer full day lessons, but if you just want to "test out the waters," the best and cheapest way to learn is to go to the beach. There are tons of surfer dudes lined up with their surfboards propped up along the beach. They will each offer to teach you how to surf and name a rate. We passed by three different people until we reached a guy who would give us a 3o min. lesson for about 50,000 rupiah ($6). Bonus - he said the lesson would be free if we couldn't stand up on the board by the end of it.

So I didn't get a free lesson!

For lunch we went to this restaurant by the beach. I got this salmon salad. Not sure if the salmon was fresh, but it was still really delicious. Here I tried experimenting with the macro setting on my camera.

In the afternoon we went back to the beach and were surprised at how much the tides had receded. There were huge expanses of sand that went out maybe 100 meters out into the sea. People were playing soccer on the wet sand and kids were building sandcastles.

There was so much left to see, but I'm glad we didn't try to squeeze tons of activities into our limited time. I'm already looking forward to my next trip here.

Filipino Food

2011-07-27T01:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how Filipinos are so small - the food there is so unhealthy and heavy, albeit delicious! Meat is definitely a centerpiece of each meal, and it is cooked with liberal amounts of oil and seasoning. They like their strong flavors, that's for sure.

I tried to sample the most famous traditional Filipino dishes on my short trip. What is interesting is that there is such a strong influence of American fast food cuisine. I saw so many American chains, such as KFC, Krispy Kreme, Red Mango. There were also some unique Filipino chains, such as The House that Fried Chicken Built. Fast food and delivery is a big part of the culture, and there are cuisines from all over the world - Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Tex-Mex, Italian, Singaporean, European, Spanish, etc. It was sometimes difficult to find authentic Filipino food!

At the Sunday market we were able to sample many dishes. I saw these huge, juicy cumin prawns that I couldn't pass up, though they were relatively pricey. At a $1 a piece, it was one of the best decisions ever!

I also tried some whole wheat bao (Chinese steamed bun) filled with various veggies. This was probably the healthiest thing I ate all day.

We ate at the Tiendesitas, the place I mentioned in the last post. We got both grilled pork and grilled squid, with a side of rice and green mango salad. The mango was crunchy and sour, and we ate the salad with salty shrimp paste. Again, these people like their intense flavors!

Another signature dish - crisy pata. It is a huge fried pork knuckle. The meat on the bones was really tender.

Here is a dish of chop suey. I guess it is Chinese American? It was one of the only green things I ate during the whole trip.

This dish is sisig, a famous Filipino delicacy! It is fried scraps of meat from the pig's head. Not too bad - the bits of meat were really fatty but succulent! No part of the animal gets wasted, not the knuckle nor the head.

At the farmer's market, we saw this whole cow being roasted on a spit. It was absolutely massive and I can't imagine how long it took to cook all the way through. We asked for a portion and the man used a knife to carve off slices of meat. Also, I just noticed that the box that encloses the pit is colored like a dairy cow!

Overall, I think the food is really tasty, but one weekend was enough. I would not be able to eat like this on a normal basis, but I really admire the Filipinos who do. I'm glad I got to try all these new dishes. It was definitely a broadening of my culinary horizons.

Two Days in Manila

2011-07-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Our visit in Manila started out with a trip to the Intramuros, which is a walled historic city from the Spanish colonial times. There are museums, cathedrals, and overall beautiful architecture. Surprisingly, there are a lot of universities within the walls as well, and we saw lots of students and canteens where they can grab a quick and cheap meal.

We were able to walk around on top of the walls, which were once fortified with cannons.

It is the wet season for the Philippines, so on this morning it was raining on and off. The bright side was that the light drizzling fended off the hot weather. Below is a museum called the Manila House, which showcased a mansion in which a wealthy family would have lived, with traditional Spanish-influenced decor and opulent furniture.

The San Agustin Cathedral is the oldest in the Philippines. It is an absolutely gorgeous structure, and there are tons of portraits and sculptures which are placed a bit randomly in the hallways.

There was a wedding taking place in the cathedral, which we were able to observe from the upper balcony in the back. The ceremony was breathtaking, and we saw the bridal party walk up the aisle in pairs.

Then the bride arrived, and everyone started taking pictures. The train of her dress was very long. It was beautiful but seemed very awkward to handle, especially when she got up to the altar and needed 4 helpers to assist in arranging and managing the fabric. Both her mother and father accompanied her up the aisle and "gave her away" to the groom.

Later we visited Manila Bay to watch the famed sunset. There is a small amusement park located on the bay, with activities such as a zip line and merry-go-around. We rode the zip line - it was really scary but fun! The experience was a bit surreal, and I was screaming the whole way. No wonder everyone on the ground was staring up at me.

The sunset lasted a long time! It probably started around 5:30 and the last rays of the sun did not disappear until 7.

Apparently the Bay is popular with the locals too, because there were tons of people crowded along the sidewalks, just sitting around with friends and family to enjoy the beautiful view. We barely were able to find an opening on the wall alongside the water to sit.

Later that night we went to a shopping area called "Tiendesitas," translated as "little shops," from Spanish. There was a whole row of shops that sold animals, from tarantulas and rabbits to dogs and cats. It was really sad how cramped some of the conditions were. A large golden retriever shouldn't be living in a small cage. Here is an adorable chow chow that the shopkeeper took out to show us. It's fur was unbelievable puffy and soft.

Later that night we went to a karaoke place - my first time ever! The place offered American, Chinese, and Filipino songs. I mostly stuck to the American songs, though I did try part of a Filipino song, failing miserably.

On Sunday morning we visited the Legazpi Sunday Market, which is comparable to a farmer's market. Locals sell food, arts and crafts, jewelry, and fresh produce here. The food will be detailed in the next post! I also bought a cute hand-painted wrap dress.

Later during the day we went to Rizal Park, which is where many historical moments took place. The gaining of Filipino Independence took place here, as well as the execution of Rizal, who was a leader in the movement for Independence. It's a great place to relax on a Sunday - there were many families here walking around and enjoying the greenery. Tourists also are common, hence the many individuals who tried to sell us photos, tours, and rides on horse-drawn carriages.

We finally rode in a jeepney. You can really experience the exhaust fumes when riding on one - my lungs definitely did not enjoy the ride. The jeepneys run on a set route, and you can flag one down when you see one. People entering in from the back will pass the 8 peso fare up one by one until it reaches the driver, on the honor system. Whenever you want to jump off, you just tell the driver, "para ko!" and he will stop and let you down. In the photo below, here is a almost empty jeepney (a rare sight!), followed closely behind by another jeepney.

What a fantastic weekend - I felt like I was able to experience a very well-rounded view of Manila. I really like the city and the people, and two days was not long enough! Next time I'm in the region I am definitely visiting again.

Molly's Take on Manila

2011-07-25T01:08:00.001-07:00

People have described Manila to me in various ways. Some adjectives include "dangerous," "squalid," "wretched." When I mentioned that I was traveling there for the weekend, the most common response I received was, "Why would you go there?"

I would respond, "Because I randomly found round trip tickets for $67 on Kayak and I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

Now I realize that those people were right, but they were not telling the whole story, just what they had read in the news. Manila is extremely crowded and polluted, and the poverty is heart-breaking. It also is dangerous, and the security guards posted all over the city are a constant reminder of the bombings and kidnappings that have occurred in recent years. Whenever you enter a hotel or mall, or similar edifice, there will be a guard who will either scan you with a metal detector or pat you down. However, the culture in Manila is amazing, and it stems from history, religion, and the kind hearts of the people.

In the next few posts I'm going to detail the things I saw and did, as well as the food I ate, but right now I just want to talk about my observations as a whole. There are a few factors that stuck out to me.

Manila is an amazing blend of Filipino, Spanish, and American influences. The Spanish colonized the islands for a few centuries, so it isn't surprising that they left their footprints. First, many people are Catholic. There are stunning ancient cathedrals that dot the city. Services are held in all sorts of odd places. We walked through a modern, high-end mall shopping complex, and came across a large group of people out in the gardens, attending a service. It was raining quite heavily and they still remained there devotedly, standing under the alcoves near the walls of the mall for shelter. The language also has bits of Spanish mixed in, which I was able to pick out. Obviously, a lot of the old buildings also are in the Spanish architectural style.

The American historical influence is best seen through the rickety old jeepneys that drive around the streets, picking up and dropping off passengers for only 8 pesos one way. (42 pesos is about $1). These old vehicles were left over by the Americans during the Second World War, and somehow are still able to function. The exhaust fumes are pretty ugly though.

The people here are the most gracious I have ever met. I think the kindness and generosity is embedded in the culture. Individuals will go out of their way to help a stranger out. People smile and say "excuse me, ma'am," or "thank you, ma'am." Guards will walk out into the middle of a busy street and stop traffic so that you can cross. Another guard held an umbrella over us while we rushed to a taxi in the middle of the rain. People are glad to give directions and they usually are good at it too! This kindness does make it difficult to turn down individuals offering tourism services, as well as those begging for money and food.

I had a really heart-wrenching experiencing, which made me understand the use of the word "wretched" to describe the city. Our taxi was stopped at a light at an intersection. It was pouring down rain in buckets - this is what the locals call typhoon rain during the wet season. Suddenly I hear a knock on the backseat window, and I see this woman, soaking wet, with her hair plastered to her face, big eyes pleading. She is holding a very small baby, and it is also drenched from the downpour. They have no type of cover against the weather. First I am just very shaken from the sight, then I get out some money and we fumble with the window to give it to her.

In similar situations I usually do not give money, because you never know what or who it will be used for. But this time I was helpless - the sight was so pitiful that I could not make myself ignore her. This was one of the moments of the trip that really will stick with me.

Don't worry - that was one of the only bad experiences of the trip - there were lots of fun ones, including watching a Filipino wedding in a beautiful cathedral, eating lots of fried food, going to the market, and riding a zipline along Manila bay during the sunset.

Easy

2011-07-18T06:59:00.001-07:00

That's the most common adjective people have used to describe life in Singapore. Convenient, safe, comfortable, and easy.

It's true - I believe that Singapore is the most "livable" city in Asia. Some call it "Asia lite." This is the place to start if you've never traveled in this part of the world before, and want to ease into the culture shock. This is the place for businesses to move when they want to expand into the region, because infrastructure and set regulations. This is the place expats want to work because of the top rated schools and English-speaking population. This is the place you let your daughter take on her first internship away from home, because of the low crime rates (right, mom and dad?)

The public transportation could not be better. The metro system, buses, and taxis can take you anywhere you need to go. They are clean and run like clockwork. Taxis are strictly regulated, and no driver will try to rip you off. I don't believe it is possible to really get lost in Singapore - all you have to do is find the nearest passerby, who is certain to speak at least basic English, and ask them where the nearest taxi stand/bus stand/MRT stop is.

Sure, the weather could be improved, but most of the time I don't even realize it is so hot and humid. Every building, taxi, bus, subway, home, is air-conditioned, and many places are connected through underground malls or pathways. It is easy to get around without ever being outdoors for more than a few minutes.

It is easy to "experience" manageable bits of culture. Want to see what India is like? Just go down two MRT stops to Little India, where there are streets crammed full of small restaurants cooking fresh naan and curry, stands with incense and religious offerings, vendors selling tropical fruits, and boutiques and shops selling knick knacks and cloths of all sorts. There's also a Chinatown, with its own Chinese Heritage Center. The Arab District is also nearby, with mosques and delicious Middle-Eastern cuisine in all price categories. Everything is within easy reach.

Food is convenient here. There is everything from 5-star restaurants to vendors in hawker stands selling 90-cent roti prata and $1 bowls of beancurd. Every cuisine is within easy access - Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Middle-Eastern, French, Italian, Australian, American fast food, you name it.

And the shopping! I have never seen so many designer brands in one place. First of all, Singapore has a mall on every street, each bigger and newer than the previous one. There are stores that you would find in the states, such as Forever 21 and Guess, and then there are high end Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, etc. If you have the money, this city is the shopper's paradise.

It's clean and safe. Singapore is the one place in Asia where I am not afraid to use a public restroom, because most likely it will be impeccably clean. It is also a place where I am not afraid to walk around by myself. People are so rule-abiding that they will not cross the street when the "walk" sign is not green, even if there are no cars on the road. Residents take their "queues" or lines very seriously - never try to cut in line! Rules and regulations run the city - no durians allowed on public transportation, for example.

Travel to nearby countries is cheap and fast. It is manageable to hop over to Vietnam, Malaysia, or Thailand for a weekend for under $200 (or even $100 if you snag a good deal). So if you get bored of the city state, you can quickly pop out for a small adventure.

But Singapore is also a place of transit for many expatriates. Many people I have talked to do not plan on staying here for more than a few years. Why is this, if the city is so comfortable? Maybe it gets boring after a few months. The community is also very small, and maybe it a little too small once you realize that everyone you know also knows each other in various ways. Or maybe people just get used to the comforts and start to take them for granted. After all, everything is relative.

I like this place a lot, after six weeks. Right now, I can see myself living here. But who knows what will happen in the future, and how my perspective will change?

Bullets, Bread, and Biases

2011-07-09T02:35:00.000-07:00

Our weekend in Vietnam was incredible. I've learned that no matter where you travel, it helps to have a local friend who can host you, help you get around, and take you to all the worthwhile places. There is so much less hassle and anxiety.

Ho Chi Minh City moves at a frenetic pace. Many people still use motorbikes, which makes driving on the roads at bit unruly and chaotic. Additionally there are barely any streetlights or crosswalks, and pedestrians do not appear to have the right of way.

We tried to cram as much as possible into our two days, but I feel as if we barely scratched the surface of the culture and history of the city.

One of the destinations we visited was the Reunification Palace. The Vietnam war ended when a North Vietnamese tank crashed through these gates. Apparently, everything inside was left exactly as it was that day a few decades ago. All the technology and telephones were so old fashioned, and there was no air conditioning.

I've had the traditional Vietnamese pho in the U.S., but I knew I had to try the real deal here. We went to a popular pho joint that was three stories tall. The server used a dumbwaiter to lift the steaming bowls of noodles from the kitchen on the ground floor to our table on the second floor. It was quite an efficient process. I ordered the pho with rare beef, and the thin slices of meat were cooked by the hot, savory broth. The broth is the most important component of pho - in order to have the rich, meaty flavor, it has to be slowly simmered for at least a day.

Another traditional food that we tried was banh mi, a type of sandwich. Here you can really see the French influence, as the sandwiches are made on freshly baked baguettes. The roadside stands that sell banh mi are incredible. A person delivers huge baskets of hot, freshly baked baguettes. Then the vendor slices open the bread and prepares it with the topping of your choice. We all ordered the omelette banh mi, so she slathered the bread in some sort of pate, put on spicy cucumber relish, jalapenos, and freshly fried eggs. It was definitely one of the more delicious things I have tried in my life, and we had it both mornings. An added bonus - only $0.50 for a large sandwich!

The War Remnants Musuem was one of the more serious and somber parts of our travels. To give you an idea of the theme of the museum, it used to be called the "American War Crimes Museum" before relations between the U.S. and Vietnam warmed up. The museum has several exhibits which details the horrific effects of the Vietnam War on the civilian population. Though it was one-sided, not showing any of the offenses of the Viet Cong, it still was truthful in documenting the human suffering.

It was definitely not a child-friendly attraction. There were graphic photos of American soldiers mercilessly killing and torturing enemy soldiers as well as innocent people. The most disturbing exhibit was the room detailing the effects of Agent Orange, the chemical warfare component of the Vietnam War. Many people who encountered this toxin later had children who were deformed and handicapped in unimaginable ways. Some were missing limbs, some had no eyeballs - the photos were extremely hard to look at, and yet it was difficult not to look. The U.S. manufacturers of these chemicals were later sued, but I'm not sure what happened in the case.

After this museum, I could completely understand the perspective of pacifists. The impact of wartime experiences on civilians is so cruel and can last for generations. We are lucky to be so removed from actual war, even though our country is currently in one, that we can be blind to its effects. Military activity has become so mechanized and high-tech that it's become easier to justify and to ignore. Even though chemical and biological warfare is technically banned, war will never be fought completely cleanly, and without unnecessary victims.

Now I know I just finished talking about the consequences of war, but there's no harm in shooting guns at metal plates! We went to a shooting range, and there we had the opportunity to try out M16s and AK47s. The sound is deafening! It was really scary when we first heard shots go off.

It was quite a memorable weekend. This weekend I am staying in Singapore and trying to do some of the fun activities in the city. Today I got a haircut, then visited Little India, went to the Singapore Art Museum, and then at night, the night safari at the Zoo. Though we didn't do any traveling, I am pretty tired now!

Be Back Soon!

2011-07-06T03:17:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't updated in a while - been busy with birthdays, work, dinner seminars, and a Fourth of July BBQ! This weekend I will not be traveling for once, so I hope to write about my trip to Ho Chi Minh City.

Just to give you a taste of what is coming up: In Vietnam this past weekend, some of the most memorable moments include:

Seeing the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is an underground network which was used during the Vietnam War as a transport and communications system
Shooting a real AK-47
Learning about the horrors of the war from the War Remnants Museum
Touring the Reunification Palace
Eating great Vietnamese food (Banh Mi and Pho)
Squeezing nine people into a car every time we took a taxi

Malaysian Sunrise

2011-06-26T17:15:00.000-07:00

After six hours of traveling (by MRT, bus, bumboat, then taxi), we finally made it to the Lotus Desaru Resort in southern Johor, Malaysia. The reason the region is fairly inaccessible is because it has not yet become popular with outside tourists yet. Most of the visitors were from nearby Malaysian cities and Singapore.

The resort was located right on the beautiful beach.

During the afternoon we got acquainted with our suite and the resort, relaxed on the beach, and played in the waves.

We had dinner at a nice Chinese seafood place. One of the complaints about the resort that I read online was that though it does not allow outside food, it also does not provide a great variety of restaurants. The selection was further compromised because on that night, the resort was hosting some conference and the attendees had a whole section of the restaurant reserved. We were still able to enjoy steamboat, which essentially is hot pot.

We decided to wake up the next morning to view the sunrise on the beach. The hotel concierge said that sunrise was around 6:30AM, so we set our alarm for 6:00AM to be on the safe side. Sure, vacation is supposed to be for sleeping in, but we figured that the sunrise would be too beautiful to miss, and we could always nap on the beach later.

Upon arrival, the sky was very dark. Only the faintest glimmers of light were in the distance. But daybreak came quickly! Each of the following photos was taken within a few minutes of each other.

I decided to do a few yoga moves on the beach, taking advantage of the unique photo opportunity...

At 8AM we were distracted by the wonderful aromas floating from the resort breakfast buffet near the beach. It was one of the best complimentary breakfasts I've had, with long tables laden with various western and Malay dishes.

The bread shown in the photo below the yogurt and the buns is called roti. It is similar to Indian naan but it is thinner and flaky. It was so good! I had it dipped with curry on the side. Following breakfast was more suntanning, beaching, and napping. Check-out occurred at noon, and then we began the long trip to the capital city of the area, Johor Bahru (JB).

At JB, we basically just tried some more Malay food, before boarding a bus at the Larkin Terminal for Singapore. 30 minutes and 70 cents later, we entered Singapore. This is probably the cheapest transnational crossing ever!

Backdoor to Malaysia

2011-06-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

For this past weekend we planned a nice, relaxing getaway to a resort in Desaru in southern Malaysia. The area is very peaceful and as of now, not yet overrun with tourists. Desaru also has the advantage of being fairly close to Singapore. Apparently it was just a ferry ride away from the tip of Singapore.

However, on Friday night I called the resort to confirm the directions, and after being transferred three times to someone who could speak English, I discovered that the official ferry that operated between Changi Ferry Terminal in Singapore and the one in Malaysia had been discontinued (Note: do not blindly trust wiki-travel).

There was an alternative route, however - making the journey from Singapore to Malaysia on a "bumboat" of 12 passengers.

Only later did we learn that this was not an officially recognized manner of leaving the country. Oops.

The bumboat was a small motorized boat. Despite the signage above that clearly states "2 crew," the only crew in sight was the lone driver of the bumboat.

What made this journey seem even less legitimate was the following set of details. On this Saturday morning, there was a crowd of people waiting for the bumboats to Malaysia. The bumboats, true to their unofficial nature, do not have a set schedule for arrival and departure. The drivers simply wait for each boat to fill up with 12 passengers, collect each individuals $10 fare, and make the 1-hour crossing, then turn around and go back to Singapore for the next group.

As you can imagine, this is quite a slow process, and though we got to the terminal fairly early in the morning we were told we would have to wait at least two hours. We handed our passports to the guy behind the counter, who gathered them into bundles of 12 and arranged them in order. Our passports were in the fifth bundle, which meant we would have to wait for five more bumboats to return before boarding.

However, a tall, slightly sketchy man whose passport was also in our bundle whispered to us that our group would not have to wait for that long, because he knew the driver of a bumboat who would take us ahead of the line. The power of personal connections... therefore, we were able to board before our turn, and as I got into the bumboat I kept anticipating that the passengers of the fourth bundle of passports would come charging out to the dock, demanding their rightful turn.

The bumboat slowly left the dock and headed out into the choppy waves, rocking from side to side. Pretty soon, the shores of Singapore disappeared behind us. "I feel like an illegal immigrant being smuggled to another country," I whispered to my friend.

Fortunately, we arrived in Malaysia intact, and proceeded to have a fabulous weekend at the resort - which I will be sure to write about in the next post!

Tastes of Bangkok

2011-06-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's no news that Thailand has great food. In Bangkok, I had the pleasure of trying Thai food with an unbiased perspective, since I really haven't had much Thai in the U.S. before - much to the surprise of many of my friends. In fact, I was able to try my first dish of Pad Thai here, which is probably the most well-known Thai dish in America.

The street food here is amazingly diverse. I saw vendors selling bowls of steaming hot noodles, various forms of fried meat, sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, sweet little donuts, as well as many types of fresh fruit smoothies.

Seafood was in abundance. When we visited the floating market, we saw stands selling whole fish, which appeared to be steamed, as seen below:

There were also little fried quail eggs and spring rolls, along with many many other stands that I unfortunately did not get photos of. Everything was very cheap, under 30 baht (~$1).

The streets of Bangkok are dotted with fresh fruit stands that offer succulent pieces of mango, starfruit, watermelon, pineapple, and other tropical treats. Some stands sell the fruit in bags for about $1, while others offer to create smoothies or iced drinks. On Saturday, I drank a delicious lime slushie made with fresh-squeezed lime juice. The next day, I chose to have my mango in its pure, unaltered form.

Served with sticks for easy, clean eating!

And the famous pad thai! I think it was pretty authentic, though I don't have anything to compare it to. The lighting in the restaurant was very dim so unfortunately the noodles do not look that appetizing, but trust me, it was very tasty. I believe everyone at our table ordered this dish with either chicken or prawns - the waiter must have thought we were typical Americans with an unrefined palate. But we just all wanted to see how pad thai tastes in Thailand.

I tried the spiciest dish in my life during this weekend - raw papaya salad from a very normal street vendor. The guy asked if I wanted spicy, and I said yes. I usually pride myself on being able to tolerate quite high levels of heat, which I attribute to my Hunan background (the province of Hunan in China is known for its spicy stir-fries).

I took a few bites right away and thought it was pretty tasty. Then the burn began. "This is pretty spicy," I commented, while taking a few more mouthfuls. Suddenly my mouth felt like it had caught on fire! During the next few minutes, I desperately hunted for bottled water in the crowded Sunday market.

Unfortunately, the Chatuchak market is the largest open air market in Asia - meaning there are lots of stalls and lots of people. I found a vendor that was selling water, but had to wait to get to the front of the line to pay. My entire mouth was tingling, burning, and I was sweating as well. When I got the bottle I chugged down the water, but it didn't help to soothe the heat at all. I wandered around in agony, claiming that my taste buds had all been killed, while my friend commented that a form of dairy might provide relief because of the lipid content.

The bad news - I couldn't find any dairy, since all the dessert stalls around us were selling fruit shaved ice instead of ice cream. The good news - after about ten minutes, the burn started to subside, and I was able to confirm that my taste buds were not dead by eating mango, pictured above.

It's too bad we only had two days to explore the cuisine of Thailand. The good news is, I think the Thai food in Singapore can be pretty authentic as well, especially since now I've developed a craving for it! But I will definitely be more aware of the spice levels.

Bangkok, Thailand: An Experience for All the Senses

2011-06-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a whirlwind of a weekend. We left Singapore at 7:30PM Friday night, got back at 1AM Monday morning. The trip was full of new sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. In this post I'll cover the sights. What happened between goes as follows...

SIGHTS

Bangkok is full of colors, depth, and complexity. Shimmering temple walls, streets full of pink taxi cabs, blinding neon lights of the nightlife, golden Buddhas, giant lizards, dizzying array of goods at the markets, and muddy riverways...

We took a boat ride through that took us to through the main river, into small canals with tiny wooden houses on stilts, giant lizards, and a floating market.

One of our destinations was the Grand Palace, a huge complex full of golden temples and glittery jewel-lined halls. It's a must-do tourist destination, but one of the pricier ones (350 baht for a ticket, which is around $12. Not bad, but everything else in Bangkok was so cheap compared with Singapore!)

Another stop took us to a beautiful tall temple/pagoda, where we had this view of the city and the river. Bangkok is known as the Venice of the East because of all the riverways that run through it.

We also viewed the "Reclining Buddha," which is the largest relic of Buddha in the world, inside temple called Wat Pho across from the Grand Palace. Funny story - two guys tried to scam us into taking their tour and paying them when we were outside the Grand Palace by telling us that since Saturday is "Buddha Day," the Palace was closed. We fell for it, but it ended up in our favor when we couldn't find them later and left them without paying a cent.

And of course, the dazzling, rowdy, and sometimes (very often) sketchy nightlife. Bars and nightclubs abound. Visitor beware! If you want the sketchier details, you'll have to ask me about them in person. That's all I'm sayin'.

So, this post has gotten really long, and I'm really tired from not sleeping enough last night after the late flight, and getting up for work at the regular hour this morning. Next time I'll cover the tastes and smells of Bangkok.

Cultural Melting Pot

2011-06-14T20:24:00.001-07:00

Singapore is the most culturally and ethnically diverse place I've ever been to (besides Yale, maybe!).

Signs are written in multiple languages, usually including at least English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, the four official languages of the country. On the streets, I hear people chattering in a mixture of Singlish and Chinese, and once I even caught a snippet of Spanish! Residents here are from various ethnic backgrounds - there are Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Europeans, Africans.

It's so rare to find myself in a place where no one will stare at anyone else because they are "different." At the same time, the strange thing is mostly everyone understands English! It's such a surreal experience for me. In China last year, I was used to navigating conversations with people on the street with my less than perfect Chinese. Here, it is a fact that most individuals understand basic English, and no one seems to find that unusual at all. Because of this, Singapore is a great "starter" country for foreigners looking to live in or travel to Asia.

I've found that people will either speak to me in Chinese (because they assume I'm a Chinese Singaporean) or English (if they can tell I'm not from around here). When a person starts speaking Chinese with me, I will automatically respond in Chinese without realizing the change at all. Maybe I'm getting use to the fluent changes of language and dialects from being around lots of people on the subways and buses.

Of course, this cultural diversity translates into food as well. Even in the small section of the city I live in, one can find authentic Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Middle-Eastern, various regional cuisines of China, Korean, as well as many McDonald's and Starbucks. Many of these ethnic restaurants have some sort of Singaporean slant that makes them special.

The other day, we ventured out into the Geyland District to try a specialty - frog! The neighborhood was a little sketchy and is known as Singapore's red light district, but we had to come for the unpretentious yet delicious food.

We got a big pot of stewed frog to share, which was actually quite good. It tasted like a cross between chicken and fish.

Then we headed to a roadside fruit stand to try some exotic tropical fruits, such as the infamous durian. It did taste just as bad as it smelled, and had to gooey, weird texture. For those of you who aren't familiar with this stinky fruit, it is banned on buses and the subway in Singapore because of the distinct pungent smell.

I forgot what this fruit is called, but it looked and tasted like a giant lychee!

I have yet to explore the ethnic enclaves of Singapore: there is a Little India, a Chinatown, and an Arab Quarter. Singapore provides a sampling of Asia, but it's only the starter course that stimulates the appetite for travel. I can't wait to actually visit some countries myself.

A Touristy Day

2011-06-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a lot of fun, and filled with touristy activities. In the morning we explored the Botanic Gardens, which is a pretty famous Singapore landmark. It is a lush, tropical environment, in contrast with the urban buildings and asphalt right across the street. We took a bus from right outside our apartment and within half an hour arrived in this paradise...

The main attraction of the Gardens is the Orchid Garden. There are many rare breeds and hybrids of the orchid flower. Many new varieties are bred and dedicated to various heads of state. There was one dedicated to Laura Bush! It wasn't very pretty though, so I didn't take a picture of it. Others, however, were absolutely gorgeous.

I love the colors of this flower below! I got to try out the macro settings on my camera, which aren't too shabby.

I took so many photos because I know my mom will appreciate them! She loves flowers, and if she ever visits Singapore she should come to this place.

Unfortunately it was so hot and humid that we couldn't stay in the Gardens for too long. For lunch we went to this restaurant in one of the malls called Bugis Junction. I got this set, in which I got a bowl full of steaming soup and lots of little ingredients to throw into it. The waitress told me to first put in the eggs and the fish so they would cook properly. Other ingredients included noodles, preserved vegetables, and mushrooms.

At nighttime we went to the Marina Bay Sands, which is a combination of resort, hotel, casino, shops, and a museum. There are three enormous towers, 55 stories high, with a ship straddled on top. Here's a view from below...

And inside the lobby...

We got to go onto the rooftop infinity swimming pool. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The pool is on top of the boat balanced on top of the 3 towers. It overlooks the entire cityscape.

The water was perfectly cool and refreshing because the day was so hot and humid.

Then we found out that there was a nice changing room with a sauna, steamroom, and hot tub that overlooked the other side of the city! The room was completely empty as well, so it felt like a private suite. There was a nice view as well.

A great relaxing day before the work week begins! It's been a great first week here in Singapore, and I'm excited for the next two months. On Friday, we leave for Bangkok for the weekend, so I'm sure we will have lots of exciting adventures there! To be continued...

Four Views of Singapore from One Street Corner

2011-06-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

Singapore has incredible architecture. I haven't seen one plain or boring building. Everything is either in the old-fashioned colonial style, the modern sleek skyscraper style, or some crazy feat of artistry that defies gravity. I noticed that when walking back from work yesterday, at the intersection by the City Hall MRT, there were four different styles of building. They could have been located in completely different sections of the city!

One corner of the street was this cute complex of shops and restaurants in a Spanish-style (?). There are palm trees lining the walk.

Then turn 90 degrees, and suddenly you are faced with a high-rise modern hotel.

Another quarter turn and you see one of Singapore's many famous malls, Raffles City.

Finally, on the last corner is the Raffles Hotel Arcade, which is in the British colonial style.

What these places have in common is the consumerism, despite the various facades. But just down the street is the Parliament building as well as a stunning white cathedral. Singapore has many faces.

Busy Days, Busy Nights

2011-06-07T01:14:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy two days, with me starting work and getting use to the 9-6 schedule. I haven't gotten over jetlag yet, so for the past two mornings I have woken up around 5 or 6. I get dressed for work and make some breakfast. In order to save a little money, we bought some bread, oatmeal, and yogurt to stock our fridge. I don't think we really saved any money though. Food prices are pretty high because everything is imported into Singapore.

My workplace is located a bit far from where I live. I either take the subway or the bus, and both ways take about 30 minutes. The transportation systems are pretty efficient here, even during rush hour. The office where I am interning is located high up in this modern building in a neighborhood filled with malls and offices. Upon reaching work, I usually settle into my station after making some coffee. We're on the 23rd floor, and my desk actually is against a window which showcases a beautiful view of the Singapore skyline. Below is the building (right side tower).

At noon we break for lunch, though there isn't a set lunch time. There are numerous eateries in the neighborhood, and today we wandered into an underground mall with a food hall. Various eateries and food stands lined the air-conditioned pathways. I saw everything from fried shitaki mushrooms on a stick, fish ball noodles, and kaya toast, to shaved ice and greek yogurt.

Here's a "tornado potato," which are thick potato chips on a stick.

Fried chicken cheese balls on a stick...

"Street sausage," which seems to be covered with french fry bits...

And lots of other street food! I promise not everything is fried and on a stick, but it seems to be all I've taken pictures of!

Then it's back to work! At six the office begins to empty out and I head back to the apartment. I really love our street. It has a quaint, historic feel, shops and restaurants take up the first floor, and flats are on the second and third.

After everyone reconvenes, we decide upon a place to eat dinner. By the time we pick at place, meander to the location, and eat, usually it's around 8 or 9. We've discovered a few good places around the area and we are going to try new restaurants everyday. Yesterday, after dinner we took a walk to the beautiful riverside, where we enjoyed the warm breeze and the far-off echoes of an orchestra concert playing across the water in the Marina Bay Sands. It was after 10 when we made it back, and being so exhausted from the jetlag, I did a little research and planning for our time here, then showered and went to straight to bed.

I have no idea when I will have time to do laundry, cook, or even shop! I realized that we still need to buy basics such as salt before we can do any real cooking. But we are actually pretty spoiled, as I learned that we have maids that will be coming in once a week to clean, change sheets, and even wash the dishes. Our weekends are completely booked with fun activities and international travel. I'm definitely still running on energy from the excitement of being in an amazing place and doing new things.

First Day

2011-06-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

I have arrived safe and sound in Singapore! My flight landed around 6:30AM on Saturday morning, so I took a taxi to the apartment, located in the Colonial Quays District, which is the historic heart of the city near the riverfront. The buildings are remnants of the British colonial era, though there are new malls everywhere.

I took a few pictures of my home for the next nine weeks. It is located on a very cute street dotted with various restaurants. We are on the 3rd floor. The apartment is loft-style, with enormously high vaulted ceilings. Luckily, there is internet access as well as air conditioning. There's also a flat-screened TV, though as far as we can tell, we only have six channels, only three of which are in English.

Here's the what you see when you enter. We have a cute little kitchen that we hopefully will be utilizing.

Our dining table/work space...

And bedroom! The window is gorgeous and lets in lots of natural lighting, though the view outside isn't the best.

On the food front, I've been exploring some of the city's specialties, such as thick toast for breakfast. I got this from a place called Toast Box in the airport when I arrived early in the morning. It was spread with yummy peanut butter!

Delicious desserts! These are mango snowy ice with tapioca pearls, mango with bean curd, and an almond and black sesame paste.

And a beautiful green tea snowy ice! It was really refreshing during the hot and humid night.

I've also enjoyed sushi, a red bean steamed bun, frozen yogurt, and Thai food. Unfortunately I probably won't eat out all the time and therefore will have to do some cooking. There are so many restaurants here. It is said that food is Singapore's national obsession, and I can believe it!

We are starting a bucket list of activities we want to do in Singapore. It includes going on the nighttime safari at the Singapore Zoo, visiting the Little India and Chinatown neighborhoods, and exploring the Marina Bay Sands, a tourist destination, museum, and casino on the riverfront. Check out the amazing architecture! It's a ship balanced on top of the three towers.

Tomorrow I start work and I hope to get over my jetlag by then. Wish me luck!

Pre-Departure Thoughts

2011-05-31T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I leave for Singapore in less than two days! These past few days have been so stressful, with packing, paperwork, and last minute details to sort out. I'm flying out on Thursday from Richmond to JFK, and from there I'm taking Singapore Airlines to the Changi Airport in Singapore. It is a 22-hour flight with a stopover in Frankfurt, Germany, so I'll need lots of entertainment. If anyone has suggestions for music, books, or magazines, please let me know!

During the past few days I have learned so much about Singapore, its culture and history. It is an incredible place with a unique past. The city-state was once a British colony, and it gained independence in 1965, breaking away from Malaysia. It is one of the most developed post-colonial societies - some attribute this to the rather strict control the government has over the people. From the articles I have read, there are two sides to the story.

Singapore is an economic miracle. Think about it - the tiny city has basically no natural resources. It even relies on neighboring Malaysia for its daily water supply. It is surrounded by nations with different political, religious, and cultural environments. In a speech to Columbia University (found here), the Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Shanmugam describes Singapore's geopolitical situation by using an analogy with the United States. He states,

"Assume the US is shrunk to the size of Connecticut, and with a population of about 20 million; (2) To the North, replace benign Canada with Russia; and (3) To the South, replace Mexico with China. (4) And assume you have to get water everyday from Russia."

Singapore has many bragging rights; it is one of the largest financial hubs in the world, its citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world, its students excel in math and science, it is clean and safe. There is low unemployment. Everything is efficient and technologically advanced. There is social stability, despite the diverse ethnic groups and languages that make up the national identity. These achievements occurred in the past four decades against all expectations.

In order to raise society to such a standard, the government had to make sacrifices at the individual level. The rule of law is severe - selling chewing gum, littering, and spitting are all outlawed. Narcotics offenses are punishable by the death penalty. The freedom of the press is restricted. The People's Action Party (PAP) has been in control since the founding of the country, though some argue that this is due to the successes of the party rather than manipulation or corruption.

I wonder if there always exists a tension between societal good and individual freedom. It's true that with less checks and balances in the Singapore model, the government can take action in a speedier fashion and avoid the gridlock that so often plagues the American system. I agree that Singapore may not be at its current economic point had it been a liberal democracy from the beginning. Singaporean officials argue that we cannot hope to apply the same liberal western standards to every developing society. China is attempting to follow Singapore with its free economy/closed political system.

Assume, for the time being, that societal well-being and individual rights are at odds. The second point: I suppose the question should not be, "Is it okay for a country to sacrifice personal freedoms for the sake of economic well-being?" but, "Are the citizens of the country willing to sacrifice certain rights in return for a higher standard of living?" Therefore, what is right is not what we as Americans think the Singaporeans should do, but what the Singaporeans (who are highly-educated and knowledgeable about the rest of the world) think is right for their country. Are they happy enough with their great healthcare, low crime rate, clean streets, successful education system, to grant the government a greater degree of control over their lives?

I hope that throughout the next nine weeks, as I work, eat, shop and explore Singapore, I will be able to gain some insight into these questions. On a lighter note, I will be traveling on the weekends to nearby countries with my fellow Bulldogs. We are tentatively going to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. I'm probably going to be posting at least 3 times a week, so be sure to check back often!

Exciting News

2011-03-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

So, there will definitely be a continuation of this blog because...

This summer I'm heading to Singapore!

I received an offer for an internship with the American Chamber of Commerce. It is a 9-week position from June 5th to August 6th. Here's the description of the internship:

The Yale intern, depending on his/her background and career interests, would likely support the AmCham team in one of two key areas - either on events mangement (helping staff produce the Chamber's briefings, networking events, and other activities) or on the government relations/policy side, assisting staff with liaison work with AmCham's industry committees, the US/Singaporean governments, and putting together regional trade missions that AmCham leads. In addition to these areas, the intern would also assist with various administrative responsibilities in support of the Chamber's activities, and might also work with staff across departments, depending on the needs of the organization.

From what I've heard, Singapore is an amazing city - it's full of energy, culture, and diversity, and yet is orderly, clean, and safe. There will also be opportunities to travel to and explore nearby countries such as Malaysia and Thailand. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I definitely will be blogging about the whole experience, so stick with me!

The above image is from Asia News.

Nutritional Transition in China

2011-02-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

The concept of the nutritional transition, roughly defined as the shift away from traditional diets to one of modern, "Western" foods high in sugar and fat, occurring in the world today is an extremely relevant and urgent issue. Having traveled in China during this past summer, I can personally attest to the changes in the country’s eating habits and culture, especially to the change in the diets of the younger generation versus the older generations.

One important factor to bring up is the Chinese cultural mentality and history with food, which creates a food environment that can be dangerous in conjunction with the modern “Western” diet. Historically, Chinese people have always been worried about getting enough to eat. Rice crops were dependent on weather conditions and the river levels. Specifically in the past century, China has experienced much political and economic turmoil that has also caused famines and malnourishment. Therefore, the older generations prize food and place great emphasis on eating well and being well-nourished, especially for their children.

People that verged near starvation in their past will not be willing to deny any type of food to their children and grandchildren, and may even be food-pushers. They also emphasize the importance of not wasting any food.

In the past, this cultural mentality worked well because the traditional Chinese diet was extremely nutritious and consisted mostly of rice and vegetables. People spent a lot of time either farming their own crops or going to open markets. Meat was expensive and an occasional treat. People drank mostly tea and water. However, with the opening of the Chinese economy, the “Western diet” has become increasingly accessible. In every city, there are multiple fast food places and convenience stores. There is more availability of cheap meat and snack foods. In every supermarket, there are American brands such as Dove chocolates, Pringles chips, and Coca-cola.

Many children prefer these novel American goodies to the traditional diet. The current generation of parents usually does not have as much time to cook and prepare food as their parents did, so they also utilize the convenience of supermarkets and fast food places. The older generations, the grandparents, are the majority in traditional open markets where one can pick out the freshest vegetables and fruits. These open markets are disappearing as the concrete jungles of the cities spread, and farms become located increasingly more distant from the population centers.

Below is a photo of a plot of land that my grandparents use to grow vegetables. They are the only ones in my family that still grow their own food. However, because of the increase in land used for industrial/residential purposes (as seen in the background), their plot of land is confined to one of those tiny squares.

The obesity rate is increasing rapidly. Because the centuries old cultural dietary mentality, not to mention biological propensity, was developed through times of food scarcity, I believe it is very difficult now for Chinese people to adapt to the current environment with its abundance of unhealthy and nontraditional foods. However, if the government does take action, it should not ignore the other portion of the Chinese population, especially in certain rural areas, that still does experience food shortages and malnutrition.

If you want to learn more about the role food plays in Chinese culture, read this post!

"Guanxi"

2011-02-02T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lags between posts - it's been pretty busy around here. Anyways, a reader recently asked me to write on the topic of "guanxi," which roughly translates to "relations." Basically, it's a system of connections and networks between individuals that the Chinese society really emphasizes. Though I'm not by any means an expert on Chinese society, I will try my best to explain using my observations and experiences.

With a population of over 1 billion, China is a difficult place to get anything done without guanxi. The system has its good and bad aspects. At the worst extreme, guanxi can seem like nothing more than bribery, schmoozing, and taking advantage of knowing the right people in the right field. However, guanxi also promotes maintaining and fostering good relationships with old friends and others you meet in life. It emphasizes the ability to create strong personal bonds and fulfill obligations towards others.

In the states, we like to separate personal life from business, and we do not like to mix business with pleasure. Therefore, it may be hard for people to understand the guanxi system, but I will do my best to explain by providing a few examples.

Chinese people do business over dinner. If you want a favor or a deal, your best bet is to invite the person out for a meal and a drink, preferably at a nice restaurant, or at home if you know them a bit more personally. During the meal, there would probably be lots of flattery, drinking, maybe smoking, and possibly a fight over who pays the check at the end. Hopefully at the conclusion the favor would be asked for and granted, or a business deal would be made.

My uncle is the chief editor of a university scientific journal, and he gets invited out to meals all the time, either by people hoping to have their article accepted to the publication, or people whose articles have been published and want to thank him. Likewise, he sometimes hosts colleagues from other universities with whom his department wants to create connections. A friend who is a doctor at a hospital receives invitations from families who want her to take on a relative as a patient, or from pharmaceutical companies who want their products in the hospital. Sometimes people also send gifts as a sign of goodwill.

All of this occurs because there are just too many people and not enough opportunities, whether for medical care, education, or employment. You have to know the right people and cultivate good relationships with them in order to skip through the bureaucratic red tape. It's much easier to know the physician personally and receive care than to wait in line for hours or possibly days in a city hospital.

It is true - sometimes an extreme form of guanxi can start to look like corruption, such as when you have a great connection with the police or judge. However, guanxi is how China operates, and most people accept it, though I think there have been reforms to remove some of its worst aspects. It exists at some level in the U.S. as well - we have all known someone who got where they are because of the right connections. Is it wrong, or is it just good luck?

Battle Hymm of the Mother Tiger?

2011-01-23T05:36:00.000-08:00

I'm sure most of you have heard of Yale Law School Professor Amy Chua's controversial new book, Battle Hymm of the Mother Tiger, and her article on the Wall Street Journal on Why Chinese Mothers are Superior. Here is an excerpt of her book on the New York Times.

Basically, she talks about her own pretty extreme parenting techniques, that include not allowing her daughters to attend sleepovers, not permitting anything below an A in school, not allowing them to watch TV, not worrying about their self-esteem, etc. She then criticizes what she sees as the soft American way of parenting and blames this for the reason why Chinese children are more high-achieving than American children.

She claims 3 differences between Chinese and Western parenting. One is that Americans care too much about the self-esteem of their children. Second, Chinese parents believe their children owe them everything. Third, Chinese parents know what is best for the children and therefore can override their preferences.

There have been many editorials written in response to Chua, calling her parenting abusive and harmful in the long term. Readers have written thousands of comments, some of them Asian Americans who believe they were emotionally damaged by their childhood treatment. Others thought the article was written in an ironic tone and meant to criticize the parenting techniques of the Chinese. Chua has even received death threats - which I believe is ridiculous but probably expected considering how much of an attack her article is to their private home realm.

Personally, I take issue with the fact that not all Chinese mothers act this way. There may be some truth to the stereotype, but Chua takes it to the extreme. For example, I do play violin and piano, but this did not result from coercion from my parents. They never dictated my practice routine or criticized my efforts. I did watch TV, albeit with certain limits, but I think limiting TV time is a fairly common practice. I did not really attend sleepovers, but this was due to the overprotective nature of my parents rather than a restriction on playtime or social activity.

Many Chinese and Chinese American parents that I know also deviate from this strict model of parenthood. In fact, many mothers in China overly coddle their one child, leading to somewhat spoiled and egoistical offspring. Most are demanding only in regards to academic achievement; the child can have anything he or she wants as long was he performs well in school. Many mothers bend over backwards to make sure the child does not have to do chores, is always content, and always has the best to eat so he can focus well on schoolwork.

Also, why is it Chinese mothers? In just as many families it is the father who pressures the child more than the mother does. Chua has an interesting dynamic within her family because her husband is American and therefore is stereotypically the "nicer" parent.

Therefore, without even commenting on the legitimacy of Chua's parenting technique, which many experts have already dissected, I can tell you that there are obvious misconceptions in her statement. Regarding her actual practices, I believe that they may be effective for certain children but devastating for others. It is a thin line, and Chua is lucky that her daughters turned out the way they did.

What do you think about Chua's argument?

One-Child Policy Revisited

2010-12-21T14:04:00.002-08:00

Today an article on the New York Times discussed a report about the one-child policy in China and it's 30 year anniversary.

The report stated that many human rights abuses continue to occur surrounding this restrictive policy, including forced sterilizations and abortions, and other coercive family planning tactics such as heavy fines and threats of job loss. Most of these abuses take place in the countryside; therefore, they are more "out of the public eye" or at least the eye of the media. Poorer families suffer the most from this policy, not only because they lack the finances to pay the fines or fly their wives overseas to give birth, but also because they would benefit from having the economic support that multiple children could provide.

Authorities claim that they have prevented 400 million births over 30 years, a population 130% the size of the United States. While I agree that those additional individuals probably would have caused overcrowding and economic problems in the country (it is difficult to imagine China with any more people than it already has), it is hard to weigh the consequences against the current situation. I previously wrote about the negative effects in this post.

The Chinese government should change the incentive structures in society if it wants to keep population growth at a minimum in a voluntary and effective manner. Right now, human rights are being violated and there may be many children that are hidden or unregistered. Maybe if there was more public financial support for the elderly, couples would not feel insecure with only one child, and the child would not be too burdened with the care of two parents.

One thing needs to change - the uneven application of the policy in different areas of China and towards people of different social classes. I am not referring to the special cases of ethnic minorities, but the arbitrariness and corruption of local officials. According to the article, the budget from fines collected from the violation of the policy sometimes goes to "feed an entrenched bureaucracy." It will be very politically difficult to change this situation.

How do you feel about the one-child policy?

New Situation on the Peninsula

2010-12-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

So I guess I was wrong, at least partly, in my post about 2 months ago about North and South Korea. In that post, I wrote:

"I really don't see any military conflict happening in the near future, thank goodness. I also don't see reunification happening between the Koreas for at least a decade. The succession in North Korea will probably occur smoothly and I doubt the new leader will make any visible changes to foreign policy. Japan and China will get over this incident because they are big trading partners and sometimes economics trumps politics. So, in my opinion the region will remain in this standstill for now."

That's one of the cool things about keeping a blog, is that you can actually see how your perspectives and situations change. If you've read the news, you probably have heard about how North Korea fired shells onto South Korea's territory. It was an unprovoked attack on civilians and has definitely further raised tensions in the region. This action just shows how unpredictable North Korea is. Why are they being belligerent when they depend on their neighbors for so much food aid? Additionally, the North is in a fragile state right now, dealing with their leadership transition.

So does North Korea have some sort of method behind this madness? Or are the leaders just mad, likely in more ways than one? I'm not sure, but China should really try to get a hold of the situation. It seems to be the one remaining anchor that can keep North Korea stable.

A Lunch with the Chair of the IPCC, Dr. Pachauri

2010-11-16T18:48:00.001-08:00

This past week I had the honor of attending a private lunch with Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, the current Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC is the largest international organization dedicated to gathering the scientific evidence on climate change from scientists around the world. It shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore in 2007.

Dr. Pachauri spoke to a group of about 12 students, so the talk was intimate enough that we were able to ask questions. One student asked him his opinion of the role of the developing world, especially China and India, in the climate change issue. Many developing countries think it is unfair for them to have to curb carbon emissions just as their economic growth begins and so many of their citizens still live in poverty. For example, though China's economy is growing at unbelievable rates, many Chinese still experience a very low standard of living. Is there a way to curb greenhouse gas emissions without hurting the economy as well?

Dr. Pachauri believes that developing countries would be making a mistake if they chose to go through the same trajectory as the developed countries did. They need to find their own way to develop in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way, without compromising their economy or the well-being of the impoverished. They could possibly try to do this by utilizing new technology. He emphasizes that this is an opportunity for developing countries to divert from the "business as usual" approach and really be innovative.

One step would be to price goods in a fair, transparent manner, without providing subsidies to goods such as oil. For example, the price of our oil does not actually reflect all the expenditures that are spent on our oil supply. Moving in a "green" direction does not necessarily lead to economic loss. The prices of renewables will only decrease, whereas oil prices can only rise in the future. Dr. Pachauri points to Germany and South Korea as examples in which sustainable changes led to economic gain.

I think that Dr. Pachauri makes valid points, but it still will be very difficult for China and India to drastically decrease carbon emissions without compromising their growth, especially if the leaders focus more on short term growth. The environment is a global public good; China will directly gain more by using cheaper and dirtier fuels than it will lose. All countries will share the burden of climate change.

China has begun large-scale initiatives that move it towards sustainable growth, but there will probably have to be some economic incentives in order for it to lower emissions to a level that will acceptable to everyone in the international community.

Do you think developed countries owe the developing countries anything in exchange for lowering emissions?

The image above is from Undergrowth.

Outsourcing Jobs = Outsourcing Pollution

2010-11-07T19:14:00.001-08:00

I was talking with a visitor from China this past week about the beautiful weather we have been enjoying lately. She told me she sent a few pictures of Yale back to friends in China. The children that viewed the photos were amazed, not because of the centuries-old Gothic architecture, but because they had never seen a sky so blue.

Now, I was taken aback, because believe it or not, Yale is located in an urban area, and New Haven is considered a city. There are cars, buildings, construction, and streets. When I arrived last year, I remember complaining to my parents that the poor air quality of the city would cause me to develop some sort of respiratory disease. After all, for all of my life I have lived in nice suburban areas full of trees, blue skies, and sunshine.

Obviously, I had never experienced real pollution. This summer, I had a little taste of the air quality problem in China. The skies were always muggy, smoggy, and gray. First I thought it was just heavy cloud cover, until I realized there couldn't possibly be so many cloudy days during the summer months. It was true - if I peeked hard enough I could detect the hard bright glimmer of sunshine blocked by the layers and layers of pollution covering the sky.

The city pictured here isn't even that bad, believe it or not. This is Shenzhen and twenty-something years ago it was just a tiny fishing village. It has only suffered two decades worth of damage.

So my point is, we only see the bad side of companies moving their factories and jobs to countries like China. Yes, our manufacturing sector may be suffering and people may have to seek employment elsewhere, but the corporations are also taking their pollution and carbon emissions with them. By uprooting their factories, we do not have to deal with the immediate effects of smog and particulate matter.

My friend sees it this way: China is the factory of the United States. Chinese citizens may receive manufacturing jobs, but they also are paying indirectly because of the negative externalities. Respiratory diseases have become very common in cities. Buildings only a few years old look run-down and dirty from all the dirty residue from the air. It's another way to look at the debate over moving jobs and factories overseas. As the U.S. moves from being a manufacturing nation to one that provides services and technology, its environment and its citizens are benefiting.

The Most Powerful Person on Earth

2010-11-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

I was reading this article on Yahoo today called "The Most Powerful People on Earth 2010." Guess who was ranked number one by Forbes? Hu Jintao, the President of the People's Republic of China.

Here's a quote from the article:

"Paramount political leader of more people than anyone else on the planet; exercises near dictatorial control over 1.3 billion people, one-fifth of world's population. Unlike Western counterparts, Hu can divert rivers, build cities, jail dissidents and censor Internet without meddling from pesky bureaucrats, courts. Recently surpassed Japan to become the world's second-largest economy both in absolute and purchasing power terms. Credible estimates have China poised to overtake U.S. as world's largest economy in 25 years — although, crucially, not on a per-capita basis. Creditor nation oversees world's largest reserves at $2.65 trillion — $1.5 trillion of which is in U.S. dollar holdings. Refuses to kowtow to U.S. pressure to change its exchange-rate regime. Heads world's largest army (in size). His handpicked successor, Xi Jinping, set to assume the presidency in 2012."

The people were ranked in terms of amount of influence over people, financial resources, power in multiple spheres, and active use of power. After Hu, Obama comes in number two, followed by the King of Saudi Arabia.

I definitely agree that Hu Jintao is an immensely powerful figure and has basically unchecked control and influence over more than one billion people. However, maybe the rankings would be different if we also factored in influence in international relations and "soft power," the ability to obtain what one wants through attraction and diplomacy. In my opinion, Obama probably has more clout in dealing with international relations. Additionally, he definitely has a lot of "soft power," as many people around the world admire him and believe him to be the "leader of the free world." However, Obama obviously does not have as much direct control over people's lives, and his power is checked not only by Congress and the Supreme Court but also by state governments.

What do you think? Does Hu Jintao have the most power in the world?

This image is from The People's Daily Online.

A Talk with Kishore Mahbubani

2010-10-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday, Kishore Mahbubani came to talk at Yale. He was the Singaporean permanent representative in the UN Security Council and currently he is the Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Mr. Mahbubani is extremely forward thinking and has written articles and books about the idea that the West in in decline while Asia is rising. I found his speech fascinating. Here were his main points:

Historical eras change rapidly. Power and dominance can decline in the blink of an eye. For example, he has lived through the fall of the British colonial empire, the Cold War era, and the rise of America.

Western dominance has actually been an anomaly in history. Before the year 1820, for thousands of years, the two largest economies in the world were China and India. The last two hundred years of Western rise has been a historical aberration.

The coming era will signify the end of western triumphalism. America reached its peak in the 80's and 90's - now we have to manage our decline. What is happening today in Asia is analogous to the Industrial Revolution in Europe - but look at the scale. In Europe, living standards increased by 50% in one lifetime. However, in Asia today, living standards are jumping by 10,000% during one lifetime.

Why is the change occurring now? Asia is adopting what Mahbubani calls the "7 Pillars of Western Wisdom": free market economics, mastery of science and technology, culture of pragmatism, meritocracy, culture of peace, rule of law, and spread of education. These factors build upon each other to create te massive rise and development of Asia.

The challenge today is to find a way to reshape the global order without conflict. For example, right now global institutions are very western-dominated. The IMF and the World bank have requirements that the leaders must be European or American. France and the U.K. are permanent members of the UN Security Council though they are no longer major players on the world stage.

What about democracy? Mr. Mahbubani also warns us to "be careful what you wish for." Right now everyone wants democracy to spread all over the world. However, there are 5.8 billion other individuals out there. If they all got a say, the world may not be as friendly to Americans as it now is. For example, he claims that a completely democratic China would be an extremely nationalistic China, and that right now the Communist Party is carefully controlling its population and keeping it stable. Democracy will come later when the country itself is ready for it. He provides the example of the U.S. - we took 200 hundred years to reach full democracy.

These are all fascinating ideas that really bring us a new perspective. What do you think of the rise of Asia? Is it inevitable? Will it be bad news for the U.S.?

The image is courtesy of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize

2010-10-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

Wow, exciting news yesterday morning - this year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. He's the only recipient that was in prison at the time of receiving the award. The committee wants to recognize him for his peaceful protest against the Chinese government.

The Chinese government really is really angry. Apparently, they threatened to break off ties with Norway, even though the committee doesn't have anything to do with the Norwegian government. This prize definitely adds more pressure on China regarding its lack of political freedoms for its citizens. The CCP must be so stressed right now - they already are getting called out by the international community on economic issues such as their currency undervaluation.

I feel like China will feel like this is an attack on their sovereignty and legitimacy. This may open up room for discussion among citizens, but the government itself may become more aggressive, paranoid, and strike out. After all, it is being attacked already for its economic policies and its behavior towards Japan. However, since the Nobel Prize isn't really connected to one actor, China may not have the ability to directly retaliate. I can imagine the government clamping down on internal dissidence more intensely, because it may be afraid of protests generated by this award. After all, its already trying to block Liu Xiaobao's name from internet searches. It's unclear if he himself even knows he won the award.

So, I really want to know your opinion. Do you think he deserves the prize? How do you think the Chinese government will deal with being under the spotlight yet again? Will Chinese citizens start to press for political freedoms again?

This image is courtesy of the LA Times.

China's Currency

2010-10-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have all heard about how China's yuan is undervalued compared to the U.S. dollar, and how this is supposedly damaging our economy and causing American workers to lose jobs. This argument has been all over the news, and more recently, both Republican and Democratic candidates' campaigns.

For example, this article "China-Bashing Gains Bipartisan Support." In addition, articles about China's currency have made headlines in the New York Times for the past few weeks.

However, have we considered any opposing arguments, or at least views that believe there are better solutions to deal with the economic crisis?

In my class "Gateway to Global Affairs," we discussed alternative perspectives. First, some background info: right now, with the yuan undervalued, exports are cheap for China and imports are more expensive. On the other side of the coin, imports from China are cheap for the U.S. and it is costly for U.S. manufacturers to export to China. Therefore, if the yuan appreciates, Chinese imports will become more expensive for U.S. consumers.

The main argument in the media seems to be that if we forced China to appreciate its currency, goods from China would be more expensive, making our domestic manufacturers more competitive, so American jobs would increase. However, why would jobs move from China to the U.S.? This is not a world that only consists of two countries. It makes sense that job creation would occur in the next low-cost producer, such as Vietnam and India. It is not likely that jobs would return to the states. So are politicians just using China as a convenient scapegoat for our economic problems?

Who is benefiting from artificially-cheap Chinese imports? Largely the American lower-middle class (think Wal-mart shoppers). So why the disconnect?

On the export side: change in currency may make U.S. products cheaper in China, so this may benefit American export manufacturers. However, Chinese savings rates are far higher than the rates in the U.S., so it is not certain that Chinese citizens would spend that much more money on imports. A good policy may be for the Chinese government to encourage more consumption among their citizens. Stephen Roach argues for this approach in the NY Times. He's the chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia.

Stephen Roach also teaches at Yale. Funnily enough, he's actually the sponsor for our Global China Connection chapter.

This image is courtesy of http://www.icis.com/blogs/asian-chemical-connections/2010/04/.

Bill Valentino, VP of Corporate Social Responsibility for Bayer

2010-10-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

This semester I joined the executive board of Yale's chapter of Global China Connection. Global China Connection (GCC) is the world's largest student organization dedicated to providing the future leaders of China and the international community with a platform to engage each other. A non-profit, non-partisan organization, GCC is represented in over 50 chapters at top universities around the world. We work directly with top Chinese universities as well as a number of corporate and organizational partners on a variety of projects to provide opportunities for our members to gain international experience and develop an international network.

Specifically, we organize speaker events to educate the Yale campus about different issues. We also plan to host a student delegation from Peking University in the spring. Our first speaker of the year was Bill Valentino, the VP of Corporate Social Responsibility for Bayer in China.

Mr. Valentino also is a professor at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing. He has lived in China for 23 years and can speak fluent Mandarin. Last Friday, Mr. Valentino visited Yale to speak about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and what that really means for the company, its consumers, and the people that it affects. Here are some of the most interesting points he made:

Every company has a direct impact on the environment, social fabric, and development of an area. It's important to be conscious of this ability and whether it has positive or negative consequences.

Creating value: most companies only look to the short-term and care about creating economic value. However, there is also the potential to create social value and ecological value in a community.

The world's richest 20% consume over 76% of the resources. The world's poorest 20% consume about 1.5% of resources. In the future, companies that look to develop new markets will be targeting the lower segments of society.

Companies are sensitive to consumer opinion and consumers care about the ethics and values of the company. Therefore, it is in the interest of the corporation to be socially responsible.

China in general has to balance the desire for economic growth with the health of its people and its environment. In the past few decades of rapid development, the latter two have been mostly ignored. For example, 90% of rivers in China are polluted, and the income gap between rural and urban areas has increased greatly.

When we think of sustainability, many times the environment comes to mind. However, there are many other facets of sustainability such as public health, education, food security, poverty, gender, labor, etc.

China is becoming aware of the need for CSR. From the blogosphere to Hu Jintao himself, a recognition is forming that balance is necessary in the corporate world.

I am really glad that foreign corporations are now becoming aware of the effects they have on the surrounding area and are now dedicating entire departments to CSR. Bayer is an extremely prominent international pharmaceutical company and is leading a great example. Let's hope other businesses, both foreign and domestic, soon follow in their footsteps (Foxcomm anyone?).

Thanks so much to Mr. Valentino for coming to Yale!

Trouble in the East Asian Seas

2010-09-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of drama in East Asia in the past few months, shifting international attention from environmental and economic concerns to fears of deepening tensions between rivals and military confrontation.

First North Korea torpedoes a South Korean ship off its coast and kills forty-something sailors. This incident is one of the worst military provocations on the Korean peninsula since the Korean War. Obviously, this significantly sours the North-South relationship, and South Korea threatened to stop trade with its neighbor. China was put into a quandary. After all, it traditionally has been one of North Korea's only allies. However, with the U.S.'s and the U.N's strong support of South Korea, China could not easily defend the rogue nation. Therefore, it remained "on the fence," trying to ameliorate the situation with no success.

The situation took an almost childish turn in which South Korea stating that it would re-designate North Korea as its "archenemy." China, on the other hand, faced mounting pressure to make Kim Jung Il face responsibility for the events. Trying to be objective, the Prime Minister of China offered his condolences to South Korea while cautiously not directly accusing any actor for the sinking of the ship.

Meanwhile, North Korea fervently denied any involvement with the sinking and threatened military action if it received a U.N. condemnation. The North Korean ambassador to the U.S. stated, "our people and army will smash our aggressors." I don't underestimate North Korea's ability to take rash actions, but it's not like they have never faced U.N. pressures before.

The U.S. and South Korea began naval drills on the coast of the Korean peninsula. These drills involved over 8,000 personnel and 200 aircraft. Then the two sides go back and forth, with North Korea threatening retaliatory action. It seized a South Korean ship and fired rounds into a disputed sea border. It seemed like direct military confrontation was inevitable.

Then, in a sudden turn of events, North Korea freed the detained ship and South Korea suggested a reunification of families that were separated by the Korean War. It also agreed to send flood relief aid to the North. North Korea then proposed military talks to settle some border disagreements. It seems like tensions are cooling. However, as this one incident wraps up, another one begins.

China and Japan, two other rivals in the region, have begun a spat over the detention of a Chinese captain who had sailed into a disputed area between the two countries. The island in question is called Senkaku by the Japanese and Diaoyu by the Chinese. China is arguing that Japanese officials do not have jurisdiction to prosecute the man. Now China is refusing to talk to Japan during the U.N. meeting. I don't think there has been conflict on this level between the two countries since the controversy a few years ago over the publication of Japanese textbooks that did not fully explain Japan's part in the atrocities of World War II.

Wow, so there are still a lot of problems in the region. China and Korea have deep-rooted anger towards Japan for historical reasons. The two Koreas struggle to find a way to coexist. The U.S. backs South Korea and Japan militarily. China tries to balance its alliances but has to keep supporting North Korea. North Korea, meanwhile, is trying to sort out the succession of Kim Jong Il's son. The world waits with bated breath to see the conclusion of this power transition. Each country tries to become the regional hegemon. In a way, it kind of sounds like some kind of soap opera, doesn't it?

It's also really difficult because of the range of political and economic systems in the region. South Korea and Japan are both capitalist and democratic. North Korea is an enclosed communist nation in which a dictator rules with an iron fist. China economically, is teetering between its past socialist roots and its capitalist future, while remaining essentially a totalitarian state.

Any predictions as to what will happen? I really don't see any military conflict happening in the near future, thank goodness. I also don't see reunification happening between the Koreas for at least a decade. The succession in North Korea will probably occur smoothly and I doubt the new leader will make any visible changes to foreign policy. Japan and China will get over this incident because they are big trading partners and sometimes economics trumps politics. So, in my opinion the region will remain in this standstill for now.

The Controversy Over Cheap Clean Energy

2010-09-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Did anyone of you read this article about the U.S. union that is accusing China of unfairly subsidizing clean energy technologies?

The short story is that the Chinese government has been subsidizing the development and production of these technologies for its domestic companies. Then these companies have been able to sell its products at a lower cost and still make a profit. Apparently, the Chinese companies have begun to sell the products such as wind turbines and solar panels at below cost to U.S. companies. The argument is that this action is hurting certain U.S. industries.

So I can understand how certain sectors of the U.S. economy would lose out due to the low prices of the Chinese companies, such as the manufacturing industry. However, it is hard to wrap my brain around the fact that people would rather have the Chinese selling at higher prices. It's not as if clean energy is bad for anyone. In fact, it seems like other sectors of the U.S. economy would be greatly benefited from a cheap source of clean energy. Becoming less dependent on fossil fuels and foreign suppliers of oil seems like a win-win situation because it helps ease pollution and lower dependency on oil.

The Chinese government is doing a good deed by granting these subsidies. Maybe the U.S. government should also subsidize its own companies so they won't be undercut by competition? Maybe it should move some of the tax dollars from inefficient agricultural subsidies? Really, there is no price too low for clean energy supplies. In the long run, the U.S. economy overall will benefit because other companies and consumers will have access to cheap clean energy.

The problem with switching to clean energy is the initial start-up cost of getting the equipment - afterwards, besides maintenance costs, there is basically a free flow of energy. From this angle, it definitely seems like Chinese manufacturers are helping U.S. companies get a hold of cheap supplies that will drastically lower their costs in the future, even if the Chinese companies only have economic motivations. I mean, hypothetically, what if the Chinese government just started giving us free wind turbines and solar panels? Would we still have the same reaction?

I don't know. I am definitely far from an expert in this field and there may be many issues that I am forgetting or don't understand. This is just my gut reaction to all the uproar over the incident. What do you think? Do I have a valid point or am I misunderstanding some fundamental principle?

Hello World

2010-09-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting for so long! Even though I'm back at college and not in China anymore, I still want to keep writing about the effect of my experiences and about China in general. I hope you will still stick with me! If you read my last post about choosing classes, I finally decided to chose the seminar called the Chinese Diaspora in Fiction and Film. The material is so interesting; for example, here are some of the topics we are going to cover: Coolies and Slaves, Chinese Food, and the Chinese in Hollywood.

Still, the class is first and foremost about the dispersion and emigration of the Chinese people starting as early as the 15th century. I feel as if I've already learned so much about the history of Chinese Americans as well as the Chinese that immigrated to other parts of the world such as Southeast Asia and Africa. The homework for the first class was 800 pages of reading! Thankfully the subject matter was so engaging that it did not even feel like work.

If you are at all interested in Chinese American history, I strongly recommend Iris Chang's The Chinese in America. It takes you on a journey from the first Chinese immigrants working on the transcontinental railroad in California all the way up to the wave of Chinese intellectuals arriving in the 80s and 90s. I warn you: the narrative is extremely depressing and heart-wrenching as the author tries to sway the emotions of the reader. The book made me feel anger, disgust, and humiliation at the horrific way the Chinese were treated. It's definitely a part of American history that I never learned in school textbooks.

Did you know there was a period of time in which Chinese Americans were not allowed to testify against white Americans in court? When Chinese children could not attend the same schools as others? Did you know that opposite Ellis Island was an immigration station on the west coast called Angel Island, basically an interrogation and detention center for Chinese immigrants? Or that during the Cold War, prominent Chinese scientists were ousted after years of hard work for the U.S. government?

I feel lucky that my parents immigrated to the U.S. during the 1990s instead of the 1890s. Not to say there still isn't racism, but at least it is illegal! I personally do not recall ever encountering hatred or intentional discrimination. I grew up in fairly diverse college towns when my parents went to their respective graduate schools. I guess I never really felt that different from my friends, who were of all ethnicities (white, black, Asian, Hispanic).

I have encountered some ignorant but well-meaning remarks. For example, once I was in a Target store with my younger sister and a nice old white lady came up to us, smiled, bowed, and said "Konnichiwa!" (Means Hello in Japanese). When I worked at a grocery store, there were many elderly men and women who would smile at me benevolently and ask me, "Where are you from?" I never knew how to answer the question though I could guess at their intent. Technically I lived just in the next neighborhood, but before that I lived in Wisconsin, and before that, Indiana. Going even further back, I lived in Texas for two years. Before that, I lived in China.

Still, it seems like there is less ignorance and racism with each successive generation. The U.S. is turning ever more into a multicultural melting pot. Technically, we learned in school that our situation isn't really a melting pot, because immigrants keep parts of their own culture and traditions instead of everyone blending together. Therefore, it's more accurate to say that we are a chunky beef stew, with distinct chunks of different foods.

Well, I think that's enough rambling for now. I have much more to write about so I hope to "see" you soon. Question: what are your own experiences with race and culture?

Choosing Classes

2010-08-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, after discussing about China's economic and social classes in my last post, I want to talk about a different type of class. After what I've learned and experienced in the two past months, I really want to study about more Chinese politics, society, and culture. Thankfully, this semester Yale offers very interesting classes about China. I'm having a hard time deciding between two of them in particular. They both deal with extremely fascinating topics. Of course, I will wait to "shop" the classes before I make a decision. Here are the two classes and their descriptions:

Wealth and Poverty in Modern China:

"The underlying causes and consequences of the changing distribution of income, material assets, and political power in contemporary China. Substantive focus on inequality and stratification. Instruction in the use of online Chinese resources relevant to research. Optional weekly Chinese language discussions."

The Chinese Disaspora and the Americas in Fiction and Film:

"Comparative survey of modern fiction and film portraying Chinese diaspora in North and South America. Topics include labor, migration, displacement, ethnicity, gender, linguistic hybridity, world Chinatowns, and popular culture. Readings in translation. Evening film screenings on alternate Mondays."

The first class is in the political science department, which means it will count towards my major, but the second class is a humanities credit (a distributional requirement). Any suggestions? I'm really torn between the two classes but taking both of them will not work with my schedule. I think I will see what each of the professors is like.

Wealth and Poverty

2010-08-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

About a week ago, I read this article in the NY Times about China becoming the second largest economy. This occurrence was inevitable, sooner or later. However, what is more surprising is this line:

Its [China's] per capita income is more on a par with those of impoverished nations like Algeria, El Salvador and Albania — which, along with China, are close to $3,600 — than that of the United States, where it is about $46,000.

This had me reflecting back upon my own trip. When I met up with friends living in Beijing, living the ex-pat life in sheltered modern communities, I believed that they did not have the opportunity to experience the "real China." Metropolitan, wealthy cities like Beijing and Shanghai really can shield a person from the realities of the larger country. Living in high-rise apartments and top-ranked universities, shopping in mega-malls, visiting tourist attractions, using sparkling clean flush toilets, sipping Starbucks coffee, and hopping swanky bars is a far cry from the typical experience of Chinese citizen. Even outside of the ex-pat community, Beijing's average standard of living towers over that of other areas.

I thought I knew the real China. After all, I had ridden in a motorbike in the streets of Changsha, used dirty public restrooms, slept four to a room, gone without air conditioning, lacked internet access at times, eaten fresh greens just picked from the garden, hand-washed clothes, visited public schools and daycares, bought produce from a street market, browsed in tiny street-side shops, and suffered the suffocating humidity of the summer.

However, even my experience cannot be thought of as the life of an average citizen. All my relatives and acquaintance were members of the upper-middle class. My uncle is the chief editor of a university journal. My other uncle is a golf course designer. My grandparents were university professors. One uncle is a prosecutor. Most of the people I have met are academics, the students and professors of prestigious universities. These are not average people - they are the cultural, if not economic, elite.

The cultural elite may not be able to afford houses (rarely anyone can!). They may have to live in apartments for the rest of the lives. However, they do not have to worry about putting food on the table. Their kids are well-provided for and go to good schools. TVs, cell phones, and computers are within their price range. They will have enough to live on comfortably after they retire. They definitely make over the per capita income of $3,600 cited above. They are a part of the "real China," but they are in no way representative of the average citizen.

What is the face of the average citizen? Maybe the lady carrying the large woven baskets of bokchoy to the market down the street. The salesgirl in the tiny shop, her eyes eager as you walk in. The construction worker, dusty and sweaty from toiling under the midday sun. The little boy in the country, his bare feet muddy from helping on the farm. His older brother, eyes bright with opportunity as he enters the city to find a job and begin a new life. The old nanny, who left her family behind in the village in order to take care of another household.

I'm glad I got to see more of China this summer, but I cannot fool myself into believing that I lived the life of the average Chinese. But won't the nation's fast economic growth aid its citizens? China is changing. The expanding economy has improved the lives of millions of citizens while simultaneously crushing the dreams of others. A large city sucks in migrant workers with its demand for construction of new high-rises, while ejecting long-time residents with the demolition of old neighborhoods. Electricity and modern conveniences are now more available to farmers, while the the land and rivers that support their livelihood become more and more polluted everyday.

Development is a paradox. I can only hope it will be for the best in the end.

The One-Child Policy

2010-08-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

So many of you probably know that China has a one-child policy, started in 1978. The government implemented this controversial policy because of fear that the population would grow far too large to be sustainable. The laws are not always concrete though, and slowly I think the government has relaxed upon many restrictions. However, this policy has many social consequences.

The Policy

If you have a second child, you are subject to heavy fines. You may lose your job if you work for the public sector. Therefore, making the wrong decision could cripple your family's finances and future. However, it seems now that instead of viewing the monetary penalty as a punishment, some people (with enough money) see it as the price to pay to have a second child. Additionally, if you work in the private sector, your career might not be affected.

There are many other exemptions. If one of the children is born in another country (or Hong Kong), he or she doesn't count and the parents can have another child. If both parents are single children in their respective families, they can have two children. Farmers in rural areas can have more than one child. Members of minority groups are also not limited to one child.

Therefore, if you are wealthy, you basically can ignore the laws, because you can either afford to pay the fines or afford to go to another country to give birth. However, the majority of the population does not have so much free-spending money. Hence, most people that live in urban areas only have one child.

I have read articles and books about the human rights abuses involved, such as women being forced to be sterilized and have abortions. I'm sure these stories are true though I have not personally heard of or observed any such atrocities. In my opinion, since most citizens seem to be complacent and passive with the government's policies, they accept birth control and abortions as a normal way of life. When I spoke with people about the policy, most of them did not really like it but thought it necessary to control China's population.

The Effects

There are so many concrete problems that arise from the one-child policy, aside from the issues of reproductive rights and privacy. Of course, these issues aren't absolute, because as I mentioned before, there are loopholes where couples can have more than one child. However, the effects are real and growing, especially upon the families.

The Parents: It is traditional in Chinese families that when the kids grow up, they support their parents through old age. Children are like insurance. The parents usually are financially and emotionally dependent on their children. This fact explains why in the past, parents liked to have many children - so they could be sure to be well cared for in their old age. However, it becomes an inverted triangle now. Each child has to maintain two elderly parents. A married couple must provide for four elders. Since the aging parents usually live with their children, this creates an issue.

The Children: Since children are so important in Chinese society, single children are under a lot of pressure from their parents. After all, each one of them is their parents' only hope for the future. Parents are also overly protective and coddling, spoiling their child. Many parents take this point of view: as long as my child succeeds in school, he can have whatever else he wants. This environment can create many emotional issues, such as overly-stressed students or kids with low emotional maturity. Society becomes extremely competitive as each parent strives to make their own child the best.

Babies: Traditionally, Chinese parents prefer sons. After all, it is your son who will support you in your old age. Sons will carry on the family name. But how can you be sure that your only child will be a son? Hence the large numbers of abandoned baby girls. The lucky ones will eventually make it to an orphanage. No wonder all the stories you hear of adopted babies from China are all of baby girls. I've heard that sex-selective abortions are not legal any more but I'm sure there are ways to get around that. I am lucky that my family is wonderful and even though all my cousins are girls (on my father's side), nobody complains, though my grandfather would love a grandson to carry on the family name.

Sex-ratio: Because of the preference for boys, the sex-ratio of this generation is skewed. I believe it is around 120 males for 100 females as an average, but in some areas it could be more extreme. It is harder for guys to get married. They also face more competition in the workplace. Many thinkers believe it is unhealthy to a society to have a large population of young and single men, as this demographic is the most likely to be violent and full of unrest.

The Economy: China will definitely have an aging population in the near future. It will be tough to have these new, small generation of children supporting a large elderly generation. Healthcare costs will definitely be an issue. Also, with a smaller working population, I wonder if China will be able to keep up its miraculous economic growth.

Family: Isn't it kind of sad to think that after my generation, many families will not know of cousins, uncles, or aunts? Each family will be a single nuclear unit. Right now, though my cousins do not have siblings, at least have each other and they treat each other like sisters. But what about their children? Extended family is such an important part of the Chinese culture and tradition.

Thoughts

We don't know what China's population would look like without the one-child policy. Maybe it would have continued exploding like India's population. Maybe there would have been even more social problems, such as lack of basic resources, crowding in cities, destruction of the environment, and famines. Maybe China would have turned out like Japan, where fewer and fewer couples want children, and the population is actually shrinking. This possibility wouldn't be unlikely in the future, with the rise of China's middle class.

The Chinese government did have good intentions but I think the policy was implemented poorly. If it was incentive-based rather than founded on fear and penalty, the policy would have been much more acceptable in terms of human rights. However, what financial incentive would be enough to stop a couple from having another child to insure their security in the future? Without a doubt, it was a tough policy decision to make. The main choice mirrors many topics we are debating today: Is it okay to violate the rights of individuals in order to benefit society at large?

It's only been 32 years since the policy has been instated - only one generation of children has been without siblings. The population growth has not stopped because of the lasting effects of population momentum. It's too soon to tell what the lasting societal effects will be.

What have you heard of the one-child-policy? What are your thoughts?

Western Influences

2010-08-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

So there I was, in the heart of Xi'an, a Chinese city full of history and culture, home to the famous Terra-cotta warriors. The great walls of the city stretched from east to west, north to south, protecting the ancient capital. The lights of this beautiful temple in the center of the city shone in the night sky. Even with the modern advances of cars and electricity, the scene was dazzling.

But there seems to be something out of place... do you see it? Look carefully...

How about now, in a close-up of the bottom-right of the photo?

Yes, it is the ubiquitous McDonald's. Even in the heartland of Chinese history, you cannot escape the 99 cent (or should I say 6 Yuan) chicken nuggets and greasy french fries. It's actually kind of frightening how quickly this fast food chain can spread throughout a country. In major Chinese cities, you can find a McDonald's on every block. The kids can't get enough of it. The Other invaders include Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Speaking of KFC...guess where this next picture is taken?

It was on the site of the museum of the famous Terra-cotta warriors, one of China's national treasures. We had to pass this KFC to get from the parking lot to the main museum.

And guess what we also found displayed the Museum of the Terra-cotta warriors? A framed photograph of Clinton and his family visiting the warriors. Obviously the museum was very proud that such an important figure visited their exhibit.

Oh, and remember the Haagan-Dazs? These little precious scoops of ice cream cost a fortune, more than the cost of an average meal.

Why do people buy this ice cream? There is plenty of other brands in China that are much more affordable - but the reason people want it is because of the price. The high price means that this is a western luxury good, which represents somewhat of a symbol of social status.

Sadly, this seems to be a trend. Anything western, whether it be celebrities, pop music, movies, clothing brands, or food, automatically seems to be superior to their domestic counterparts. Teens listen to singers such as Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift and watch the popular TV show Gossip Girl. People want Buick cars and iPhones. Fashionable women wear Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren with their Dior sunglasses and Louis Vuitton or Coach bags (likely fake ones!). Boys run around in Nike shoes. Beautiful Caucasian models fill billboards in cities and commercials on TV. Students dream of studying abroad in Europe or the United States. Little kids whine for hamburgers or Lay's chips instead of traditional home-cooked food. Magazines and product advertisements are littered with English phrases in an attempt to look "cool."

Though it's good that China has "opened up" its economy in the past decades, I really hope that its people realize that "western" or "American" doesn't necessarily mean better. There are so many wonderful Chinese musicians, designers, beautiful models so China shouldn't have to look towards the West for talent or style. Also, Chinese food is delicious! I really hope people can realize that fast food can never compete with a good traditional meal.

It's interesting that at the same time the mainstream Chinese opinion derides the West and particularly the U.S. for being dominating and intrusive politically, the Chinese people are simply devouring all these western goods. If they are voting with their dollar (Yuan), I'm not sure what that means for the future. However, I guess it is possible to separate business and politics.

I learned in class that the Chinese do a very good job of separating the U.S. government from the American people (and their businesses). While most Chinese people have negative feelings towards the government, they believe that the American people as a whole are good. Therefore maybe it is not ironic that they have such favorable feelings towards consumer goods and such negative impressions of the government.

Anyways, I think that is enough rambling for today. What do you think about the spread of Western influence in China? Is it a benefit or is it harmful?

Misconceptions

2010-08-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

"Do they only eat bread there?"

As you can imagine, there are many misconceptions that Chinese people have about the United States. Likewise, many American beliefs about China are also twisted or incorrect. This is probably because in general, the only knowledge one has about the other is gathered through pop culture, dramatic media reports, and consumerism.

Chinese Misconceptions

1. Food in the U.S. consists only of bread, hamburgers, and french fries. It is laughable how many times relatives have insisted that I eat more of something because "you won't be able to eat it once you leave China." I try to explain that in the U.S., you can find any type of food imaginable, all year round. Even hard to find ethnic foods are found in specialty grocery stores.

Where does this misconception come from? Probably from the abundance of Western fast food restaurants that have spread throughout China in the last decade, serving just those foods.

2. Everyone in the U.S. is rich. It is true that the standard of living in the U.S. is much higher. It is also true that land and housing is much cheaper here. However, there is poverty, found both in inner cities and rural areas. Most people have to work hard to make a living and achieve their "American Dream."

Where does this misconception come from? Films depicting people living in the sprawling suburbs with white picket fences and manicured lawns, news reports of GDP, stories of acquaintances immigrating to America and making it big.

3. America is dangerous. I've always said that I am more likely to get run over in the street in China by a bus than get shot by some gang member in America (streets are very busy and drivers don't do a good job of following traffic laws). But many Chinese people just have this notion that living in the U.S. is not safe.

Where does this misconception come from? People have definitely mentioned to me the fact that Americans can legally own guns. Citizens in China cannot bear arms. There actually doesn't seem to be that big of a black market in China either - at least most attacks occur with knives. I think both countries have their own dangers so the best idea is just to always be careful!

____________________________

Of course, there are many Chinese also don't have these misconceptions. This is just what I've personally observed to be common. Citizens also have many common opinions on the Iraq war, Taiwan, etc., that are not necessarily right or wrong. But that's another story.

Next time I'll write about common American misconceptions of China.

The Yali School

2010-08-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

While I was in Changsha, I had the pleasure of visiting Yali Middle School, which is one of the most selective high schools in Hunan Province. What's so special about Yali, you ask? Well, it was founded more than 100 years ago by Yale-in-China, now known as the Yale-China Association.

The school is known for its excellent English education, as the English teachers are Yale graduates who receive a two year fellowship to teach at Yali. I met one of the Yale fellows who graciously gave me a tour of the campus.

The School

Yali has an open campus, with a main gate and separate buildings for athletic facilities, libraries, classrooms, and dorms (it's a boarding school).

I already mentioned that Yali is famous for its English education. Recently, in addition to having standard English classes, it has also added specialized English courses such as theater and writing.

Yali is also unique compared to similarly ranked Chinese high schools because it offers an abundance of extracurricular activities. To my knowledge, the typical Chinese high school student does not really get to engage in many activities because he or she must focus on academics and the big college examination. However, Yali makes sure its students are well-rounded. There is student government, environmental clubs, etc.

Similar to other schools in the area, the students are divided up into classes by their grades (grades as in scores). Therefore, all the best students are in the same classes and the "worst" students are in the same classes. Though this is extremely controversial, I can see how it would make teaching instruction easier, as students are grouped by ability level.

Unlike schools here, students are in the same classroom with the same classmates the whole day while the teachers are the ones that have to shift around. Classes are 40 minutes each. Though the school day is longer, students have a lunch break of 2 hours.

The Students

No doubt about it - the students here are the cream of the crop! Many of them apply and get into the top universities in China as well as around the world.

The teaching fellow who gave me a tour told me his view of Chinese students. He believes that compared to American students, Chinese students are at a higher intellectual level (at least the ones at Yali). I can understand this - they spend so much more time on academics. They start high level math at a very young age. At my cousin's age, I would not have been able to comprehend the calculus she is now working on. Now, this does not mean that Chinese students are inherently smarter or quicker - just that at a younger age they have the capacity to understand more complex concepts because they have been trained this way.

However, the teaching fellow thinks that Chinese students generally are at a lower emotional maturity level than their American counterparts. For example, high school students in China would be comparable to middle school students in America. This also makes sense. After all, Chinese children receive so much more coddling and overprotection from parents as well as the school system. The parents cater so much to their children's needs that they do not allow them any room for independence. Schools prohibit students from dating, and teachers are a very big influence in a student's private and family life.

The students I met and saw wore the same plain blue school uniforms. They were all friendly and polite. The ones I did speak to had impeccable English.

The Teaching Fellows

I was surprised to learn that the Yale teaching fellows do not need any Chinese language or culture background at all before arriving in China. The fellow that gave me a tour explained that at first he actually was more interested in the teaching English part, not the China part. He arrived in Beijing right after graduation from Yale and had a crash course in Chinese and teaching. Then he left for Changsha.

I imagine that must have been quite a shock! Beijing may be a pretty cosmopolitan capital and a good transitional stage from the U.S. to China, but Changsha certainly is not. Changsha, located in the southern heartland, is a bustling, colorful city that certainly makes no apologies for being Chinese down to the core (after all, Mao Zedong did grow up here!).

The teaching fellows live on campus in a separate building from the other teachers. I was interested in the dynamics between the foreign teachers and the Chinese teachers, because, for one, there is an age difference, and the Chinese put a lot of emphasis on respect for elders. Apparently the two groups do not have too much interaction but the foreign teachers do instruct the Chinese teachers in English on a weekly basis.

__________________________________________

So I'm really excited because my cousin in Changsha got into Yali! Chinese students need to take examinations to see which high schools they can place into. Apparently you basically need all A's on six exams to get into Yali. Yali was her first choice and she is really excited! Her parents would rather her to go a nearby high school so she doesn't have to live away from home, but her heart is set on Yali, because 1) there are many extracurriculars, and 2) apparently the guys there are very cute. Oh, that would be on the mind of a 15-year-old girl.

Chinglish

2010-08-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, there is something called Chinglish. This is when someone tries to translate a Chinese phrase or word into English and for some reason, whether it's just a typo or too literal of a translation, the end result is grammatically incorrect and sometimes just plain funny.

Sometimes I wonder, how can it be possible that someone has spent all that money on a sign for their store and has somehow turned something as common as "fruit" into "fult?" Isn't it easy to check a dictionary or ask someone? But then I realize how many mistakes there would be if for some reason we had to translate a lot of the English here into Chinese.

Anyways, I'm still glad for Chinglish - it really amuses me! Sometimes the phrase just sounds awkward, though it may not be incorrect, such as below. This was found at the World Expo in Shanghai. I think it's telling you not to cut in the lines.

Here are some other ones in which the meaning is slightly obscured by the awkward placement of words.

This next one was found in one of those pamphlets in the hotel room describing all the amenities. It was actually a five-star international hotel. Wow, they do actually think of everything...

This was the evening CCTV news. CCTV is the state-controlled media in China. I was surprised they don't have better editing.

National parks always have interesting signs...

This next sign, which says "Do not touch me, do not kiss me," is actually translated perfectly. I think it's great that the tree is standing up for itself and wants you to respect its comfort zone!

I'm not sure how they were trying to translate this next sign, found at the Southern Great Wall. It's meaning in Chinese is "Do not enter," but I have no idea how they translated that into this garble.

This next one takes a bit more concentration to find. It was located at the entrance of a fast food court. Do you see it?

"Entrance" was translated as "Import." Not in this photo was the exit, which was labeled "Export." I guess this place is a human-feeding factory, where you import hungry beings and hopefully export satisfied ones.

Oh Chinglish, you will never fail to amuse me.

In the Past Two Months, I've...

2010-08-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

My dad first did not want me to go to China for a full two months. He was convinced that I would soon be bored. After all, in the past my visits had only been for a few weeks. However, I was a typical stubborn child and retorted that being in China would be less boring than being stuck at home.

In the end? Yes, there were times that I was bored. That is inevitable for any long-term trip. Non-stop action and adventure would be exhausting. Yet I also had many fun and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. In the past two months, I've...

1. Fed a cow milk at a dairy farm...

2. Watched a fiery stunt performance during my trip to the ancient Phoenix City...

3. Visited the mountains that they used for the movie Avatar...

4. Touched a tree that Mao Zedong planted as a seedling on my trip to Xi'an...

5. Eaten enough delicious mantou (steamed bread) to last me a lifetime...

So the story of how I got this particular bag of mantou is kind of embarrassing. See, everyone in China made fun of me because I preferred mantou to rice, which to them was a foreign concept. I was at dinner with a large tour group. At one restaurant the mantou was served at the meal like bread would be in the states. At the end of the meal there was still a lot of mantou left. The other diners at my table saw how much I liked the fluffy bread and insisted that I take the rest with me. This caught the notice of the other fellow travelers in our tour group at other tables, and they insisted that I also take the leftover mantou at their respective tables. I was very red-faced but, being familiar with Chinese generosity, decided that it would cause less of a scene if I just accepted the mantou quickly and gratefully.

6. Soaked my feet in snake venom after an arduous, dangerous mountain climb. Apparently it has properties that are good for you? Hey, at least I still have full use of both feet. I do have a picture but I thought I would spare you.

7. Seen the first telephone in China. It was in the Forbidden City in Beijing. I'm so glad we have sleek, convenient cellphones now!

8. Learned to write Chinese calligraphy from my grandfather. He's incredibly skilled at calligraphy.

9. Shopped at many markets for fresh, cheap produce (just be sure to wash it thoroughly!)

10. Spent precious time playing with my adorable cousins!

Oh, can't forget little Jackie! He's the only boy in our whole extended family.

I am going to miss them!

What I Will Not Miss About China

2010-08-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

So last time I wrote about the aspects of China that I will miss. But everything has pros and cons, right? While living in China, there were definitely some things that really bothered me.

Crowds

It's no secret that there are over 1.3 billion people living in China. This creates congestion everywhere - in stores, in the streets, in schools. Buses and subways are always packed to the maximum amount of individuals possible without someone being crushed to death. At the Sam's Club in Shenzhen, on busy days sometimes there aren't enough shopping carts for all the customers. Traffic jams are a frequent and unavoidable consequence for city

dwellers and country residents alike.

Because there are so many people, each individual has to look out for himself. It is a dog-eat-dog world out there. People generally are impatient and will cut in line or push you out of the way. Most people are quite suspicious and therefore not friendly or welcoming to strangers. Both literally and metaphorically, if you let someone else get ahead, it only causes you to fall further and further behind. Of course, there are many exceptions to the rule, and once people get to know you they will treat you like family.

Environmental Degradation

I have written about China's environment before. It is hard to balance every individual's desire for a higher standard of living with the subsequent impact on the environment. My grandfather believes that right now China is just going through its development and afterwards the environment will improve. But the people and the government will never be satisfied with a set level of development. It is human nature to always want more once you have achieved your initial goal. Now your family may have a washer to do laundry, but wouldn't a dryer make life much easier as well?

In many cities that I visited, the air was heavy and the sky was smoggy and gray. There was a stunning lack of green grass and large trees. People tossed trash on the sidewalks without a second thought. Little kids relieved their bladders in the streets. Empty Styrofoam ramen noodle containers floated in rivers.

Additionally, people smoke everywhere - in cars, in restaurants, on buses and trains. Since regulations are so stringent in the U.S., it had been so long since I had actually inhaled cigarette smoke. At first I tried holding my breath every time I passed by a smoker, but I quickly realized this was probably the faster way to die, considering some of my own relatives smoked regularly.

Lack of Diversity

I have never fully appreciated how diverse the United States is, in terms of both race and culture as well as in perspectives and ideologies. Even in a relatively homogeneous place where I live (as compared to New York or Los Angeles), I can still find every single race represented, and people all along the political spectrum. It is easy for me to go to a public location and hear Chinese or Spanish spoken.

In China, outside of the more worldly cities such as Beijing, foreigners are a sight to be stared at. As soon as a foreigner walks into view, whispers commence about their hair color or their stature. It is very awkward, especially since most of the foreigners are fluent in Chinese. Some citizens are even brave enough to ask to have their picture taken with the said foreigner. Of course, though Chinese people may be one race, they can have very different appearances - short, tall, slender, pudgy, wide or narrow faced, large or small featured, etc.

Most Chinese citizens also have the same general opinions about politics and issues such as Taiwan and the U.S. This is the result of state-controlled media and education system. This reason is probably why most people do not talk of politics in everyday conversation. After all, what is the point in discussing if you already agree? I think this might start changing with the younger generation, especially with the rise in Internet usage. Though there are censors on certain websites, the government cannot possibly shield its citizens from all controversial information. We will see what will happen in the future.

What I Will Miss About China

2010-08-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

I am finally back in the states - and it does feel really good to be here. Maybe I still was not completely adjusted to China during my two months, but I cannot see myself ever permanently living there. That being said, there are certain aspects of China and life there that I will really miss here in the United States.

Things I will miss:

Family

I have always grown up without an extended family nearby, and without knowing what I missed, it did not seem like such a big deal. Yes, we celebrated holidays with close friends instead of relatives, but I thought it just made our nuclear family closer. However, upon going back to China I realized that I really enjoyed being around my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. I feel like your own flesh-and-blood relatives, like parents, will always love you unconditionally. In China, a lot of importance is placed on family ties. During major holidays such as the New Year, everyone, no matter where he/she currently live, tries to journey back "home" - the childhood home where he/she grew up and where the grandparents live. As my grandparents talked about the celebration in their home, I realized that my own nuclear family has been the missing piece of the united extended family for many years.

Though we do try to visit every few years, we miss a lot of important family events such as marriages, college graduations, or the birth of a child. Each time we visit, it seems as if their lives have been fast-forwarded into the future and we are only viewing snapshots in time. I have no idea when I will see them again.

Public Transportation

No one needs a car in China. There are all kinds of buses, taxis, subways for extremely low prices. I found that most buses only charged 1-2 Yuan (about 15-30 cents). Subways were around 2 Yuan. Additionally, usually schools and stores are easily within walking distance. If you are skillful and can navigate through a sea of pedestrians and cars, you can also ride a bike or motorcycle. It was so convenient and affordable to get anywhere in any city I visited.

Food

There is so much good food in China that sadly cannot be replicated here in the states. For example, right-out-of-the-ground fresh Chinese greens, fluffy white steamed bread, or salted duck eggs. Maybe I can try replicating some of the recipes? However, without the fresh ingredients, it probably will not taste the same.

Shopping

It's no secret that most everything is cheaper in China (with the exception of western brands, cars, and housing). I estimate that everyday goods are around 5 times cheaper there. It was really fun to buy things knowing that I was spending basically spare change. However, there is a hidden cost to the low prices. Who knows under what conditions and pressures laborers work under to produce massive amounts of goods?

__________

So those are some things I miss. Next I will write about what I do not miss about China.

Favorite Photos, Part II

2010-08-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

China Pavilion at the World Expo at night

China Pavilion during the day

My cousin at her middle school

Summer Palace in Beijing

Another view of the Summer Palace

Favorite Photos, Part I

2010-08-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

Waterfall of the Yellow River

ZhangJiaJie National Park

FengHuang Ancient City

Outskirts of FengHuang

Fire-Eater

Pond of Goldfish in Shenzhen

Top of the World

2010-07-31T07:39:00.001-07:00

After our last day at the Expo, we decided to visit the tallest building in China (not counting Hong Kong or Taiwan, I think) which is the Shanghai World Financial Center.

We originally planned on seeing the sunset from the building so we left the Expo before six. However, we did not account for the crowds of tourists that also wanted to go to the top of the building. The line to buy tickets and wait for the elevator was about an hour. In the end, I was still glad to see Shanghai's magnificent night-time skyline.

I bet these photos would have turned out better if there was an open viewing deck but everything is indoors and behind big glass windows.

What a way to end our trip to Shanghai!

World Expo, Part III

2010-07-26T01:13:00.001-07:00

On our third and last day of the Expo, we decided to visit the European Square even though we were warned of the enormous crowds. On the way there we saw the Malaysia Pavilion and made a pit stop there since the line there was moving rapidly.

However, at 9 AM the pavilion was basically filled to capacity! There was almost no room to stand and enjoy the exhibits because people were rushing in every direction.

Because my little cousin was born in New Zealand, we had to see its pavilion as well.

Then we arrived in Europe! It was a gorgeous day, albeit extremely hot and sunny.

We first went to see the Denmark Pavilion. They focused on the environment. For example, they had bikes that one could ride throughout the pavilion. Also, this pavilion was probably one of the only that was not air-conditioned.

There were so many unique and gorgeous designs for the pavilions. Too bad each one of them had a huge line! I would have loved to visit Switzerland, Germany, France, etc., but I didn't want to wait in the sun for 3+ hours. Seriously, the lines snaked in and around the pavilion and out towards the restrooms and walkways.

My uncle really wanted to visit Spain, which is pictured below. We were pretty lucky - we were told that the wait time was 2-3 hours but somehow the line went fast and we only waited about 1 hour.

One part of Spain's exhibit was this giant interactive baby. This was strange - there was no explanation at all. I must say it was quite an ugly baby - at least compared to my cute little cousins.

Then it was time for lunch! I found a really good place full of Shanghai style snacks. Basically you can pick up whatever food you want from several stations and then you pay at the end, cafeteria style.

My cousin and I both tried a Shanghai specialty, this steamed bun filled with hot soup inside. I also tried tea eggs! They were good, but one of the eggs was rotten inside.

Then we saw the USA pavilion! It was another popular destination for the tourists.

We did not go in but we did stop by this fun little exhibit on the outside.

It was scorching hot so we decided to take cover in one of the larger pavilions, the Central and South America Pavilion. These large pavilions are nice as there usually are no lines because of their enormous size. Then we went to the Africa Pavilion because we heard that it was not as crowded.

It seemed like everyone had the same idea! No matter where you go, you cannot escape the crowds at the Expo.

As it cooled off a bit in the late afternoon, we wandered around and saw the outsides of more pavilions, such as the UK Pavilion.

Also the Netherlands Pavilion.

Then we were tired and lazy, so we paid 10 Yuan each to ride this little sightseeing car around the Expo.

We were dropped off right at a gate next to the USA pavilion. I felt a little nostalgic as we left the Expo, both for the fun times I had during the past few days and for home in the United States.

Overall, the Expo was a great experience! We managed to avoid most of the lines and still see some very creative and unique displays. Still, it would have been nice to have time to slowly observe and enjoy each pavilion and exhibit. I guess that's also the larger story of China - mostly hustle and bustle, crowds and crowds of eager people, and never enough time.

Shanghai Nights

2010-07-25T01:38:00.000-07:00

So after a tiring day at the Expo, we went out to a nice restaurant for dinner. This restaurant is unique in that when you order dishes off the menu, you pick out the fresh ingredients yourself. There were numerous types of produce on display for our choosing.

There was also plenty of fresh seafood. I find that most Chinese people scorn the idea of frozen seafood because there is always a large supply of live, freshly-caught seafood. If there isn't a river or ocean nearby, there are usually lakes to raise fish.

Then we went out to enjoy the beautiful Shanghai evening. We went to the riverside, which was lively and full of people relaxing and enjoying the view.

Across the river is where the old government buildings are located.

What would be a gorgeous night out by the river without some ice cream? Ice cream, especially western brands, is one of the more expensive goods here in China. For example, the Haagen-Dazs we went to might be considered a luxury brand.

There was riverside seating. Unlike the ice cream places in the states, there was also wait staff, real silverware, complimentary water with lemon slices, and a hefty price. One tiny scoop of ice cream cost 28 Yuan. While this might not be a ton when translated into dollars (it's around $4-5), consider that you can buy a cheap meal for under 10 Yuan.

Here we are, enjoying our expensive dessert happily. That's my nine-year-old cousin beside me, too busy enjoying her treat to pose.

What a view!

World Expo, Part II

2010-07-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

On Thursday we woke up bright and early to hit the Expo. It seemed like everyone else in Shanghai had the same idea! We decided to visit the private enterprises section. First we passed through the Asia Square again and saw some pavilions of smaller countries.

We rode the Expo bus to the other side. The private enterprises section had many pavilions of large companies, both foreign and Chinese. This area was as crowded as the countries section. For example, I wanted to visit Coca Cola's pavilion but the wait-time was over 3 hours.

Fortunately there were many other interesting places to visit. Wanda is a large Chinese company and in the above photo they are located to the left. Their pavilion is all about being environmentally friendly.

This one wall was made entirely of recycled cans.

We visited a really cool factory-built building. It was built in 24 hours and is earthquake safe, efficiently-built, and environmentally friendly. Here are some of its superlatives:

Then we went to the Urban Best Practices Area, which displayed different cities around the world and their innovations which make the more environmentally-friendly, healthy, and livable.

There was Seoul, Korea...

Bologna, Italy...

Izmir, Turkey...

Spain's Barcelona, and many others...

We also saw the Future Pavilion, which showcased new technologies and visions for our future.

Afterwards, we saw some more Urban Best Practices, including Pondicherry, India...

Alsace, France...

Madrid, Spain.

I wish we had more time to browse each pavilion slowly so I could really absorb all the information but since there were so many people, so many pavilions, and so little time, it was all rush rush rush - like a speed-tour of the world. Maybe if I had a month to explore to Expo, I would be able to really explore and understand each country's history, culture, and future.

World Expo, Part I

2010-07-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

So, first day at the Expo was a lot of fun! As we walked into the Asian section, we saw the China Pavilion. Even in the late afternoon there were lines and lines of people waiting to get in.

We saw this interesting sculpture on our way in.

Since we didn't want to wait in line for eight hours to see the China Pavilion, we toured the nearby Chinese Provinces Pavilion. This was a huge building with a display room for each of China's provinces and special administrative areas. Each province proudly presented its unique culture and history with a creative performances, models, and interactive displays. Since the place was so large there were barely any lines.

Then we explored some of the "smaller" countries' pavilions in the Asia Square which did not have too many crowds. Inside each pavilion are displays and exhibitions which present the country's unique characteristics and culture. Some of them also have gift shops. Here's Iran.

Oman.

Pakistan.

Lebanon.

Myanmar.

I'm really glad we went at night because it is gorgeous with all the lights!

Here are some of the more popular pavilions that we did not have a hope of getting into without waiting in line for hours. It was still nice to look at them from the outside though - the architecture is so amazing.

Here's UAE.

South Korea.

I'm not sure if Qatar had a line or not but we passed it on the way out and realized we hadn't seen it!

Oh well, there was no way we could have seen everything. It would have taken at least a week - and this was just for the Asia Square!

Okay, I'll Try My Best...

2010-07-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

This is random, but I saw the funniest "Chinglish" tonight in a rather fancy restaurant. I wish I had my camera then.

In the bathroom stall, on a neat little sign:

"Please avoid being thrown into the toilet to avoid flushing debris."

A Tale of Two Koreas

2010-07-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

I'm in Shanghai! Right now it's really late and we are waking up early to go back to the Expo tomorrow, so I can't write up a full recap of the first day. But there were some interesting things that happened...

Our flight from Shenzhen to Shanghai was delayed - and it was not just any ordinary delay. It was caused by the military exercises that South Korea and the U.S. are jointly practicing just off the Korean peninsula. Here's a link to an article about this.

I think this is the first time such an international incident directly affected a part of my life, albeit not in a very drastic way. Still, I can understand now why China feels threatened sometimes by the U.S., even though the military drills are supposed to be defensive. They are happening right by the coast, and if anything were to happen China would definitely be affected.

So we didn't make it to the Expo until 5PM, which was just as well since then we were able to purchase the half-day tickets. I will recap everything that we saw and did in the next post. There were crowds at all of the major pavilions, such as China and Saudi Arabia. I decided to go view some of the not-so-popular pavilions. The first that popped to mind was North Korea.

Yep, it was pretty empty compared to the other pavilions. So it was late at night, but many other pavilions still had lines waiting outside. The North Korean pavilion was also really small, with only one room and one floor, and there was not too much to look at. Oh well, at least I can say I went to the North Korean pavilion.

Okay, more tomorrow!

Goodbye, Changsha

2010-07-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

So I'm actually back in Shenzhen for a few days before heading to the World Expo in Shanghai. I left Changsha by train on Sunday night. On my camera there still are many random pictures of my Changsha days.

Does this above dish look familiar? It is hotpot, and I had it once in Beijing here. Only this time, I remembered to take pictures of the many different foods that we cooked in the soup.

For example, we had fish balls, noodles, cabbage, hot dogs...

...bok choy, more fish balls, more cabbage, imitation crab...

...and second helpings of all of the above. Blame my cousin, who ordered 2 portions of every single dish. Still, it was really cheap! Including drinks, the whole meal added up to about 50 Yuan, which is about $8. Insane!

Here is a hole-in-the-wall place that my cousin and her friends like to frequent in downtown Changsha. It specializes in hot and sour noodles.

On another day, my oldest cousin treated us to lunch at a Japanese sushi place. It was a really fun restaurant where the sushi is plated and placed upon a conveyor belt. When we saw something we liked we would remove it from the belt. Each plate was colored differently to indicate a different price. After we were finished eating the waitress calculated the price by looking at the number and type of empty plates we had.

This next photo was actually not taken in Changsha but Xiangyin, the little town where my paternal grandparents live. It's a billboard proudly showing off the three students in the town who got accepted into the top two Chinese universities. One is Qinghua University and the other is Beijing University. Underneath their photo are their examination scores. I think this really shows not only the importance of education but also the closeness of the citizens of this small town.

I just thought this next sign was strange but witty. "Save Maoney Everyday." It's in a large Wal-mart in Changsha.

Well, I'm off to see the Expo! Wish me luck that I won't have to wait in lines for eight hours each day!

Beijing, Part V

2010-07-18T21:00:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, I headed to my last and some would say most important destination - The Great Wall. However, the weather was not the best for viewing this national treasure. It was extremely foggy. Even though it was early Sunday morning at 8 AM, and even though the weather was bad, there were still tons of tourists.

We went to the Badaling section of the Wall.

The Great Wall is divided up into sections by these guard towers. In case you did not know, the Wall was built to protect China from the Mongol invaders of the north. Many people died while building the wall, and apparently it was not too effective in warding off invasions.

It started becoming even foggier...

I really couldn't see much beyond the walls, which was a shame. I hear that the scenery is usually very beautiful.

Then it started raining! The only thing worse than being stuck in a huge crowd of eager and impatient tourists is being stuck in a huge crowd of eager and impatient tourists with umbrellas. Each person took up twice as much space.

It became really crowded. There was a roadblock ahead at one of the towers so sadly I did not make it to the top. Apparently, there is a Chinese saying that you aren't a real man until you climb to the top of the Great Wall. Hey, I climbed to the peak of Hua Mountain, which was much more physically exerting!

Oh well, there's always next time! Next time, I will make sure to journey to the Wall at an odd hour such as 4 AM Wednesday morning to avoid the crowds. Hopefully the sun will be shining then as well.

Beijing, Part IV

2010-07-16T12:22:00.001-07:00

After my experience at the Beijing Silk Market, I met a friend to visit the Forbidden City. As I waited for her to arrive on the subway, I noticed that there was a quiet, unassuming entrance right by the main gate of the Forbidden City. It was called “The Working People’s Cultural Palace” or something of that nature. I had never heard of it before so I walked to the entrance and saw that the fee was only 2 Yuan, so I decided to go.

The “Cultural Palace” was not at all what I expected. It was basically a huge, beautiful, rather deserted park. The morning mist and drizzle made the place even more mysterious and fascinating. I was really happy to discover this little gem. So far, this is the only attraction that did not have huge crowds of people swarming all over it. Perhaps it is overshadowed by its big siblings Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

The park had Cyprus trees that are 500 years old.

It also contained large temples. These were where the emperors would go to make sacrifices to their ancestors.

It was an absolutely gorgeous place. I’m really surprised more people haven’t discovered it. If you are ever in Beijing and need a moment of peace and quiet away from the crowds, I highly recommend this park. It is to the right of the main entrance of the Forbidden City.

Then I went to the Forbidden City. Even though it was raining pretty hard, there were so many visitors!

There were some quieter corners though.

For dinner, we went to feast on a famous specialty, Beijing roast duck. Basically, the fresh roasted duck is cut into slices. You take a wrap and roll up pieces of the duck meat and crispy skin along with green onions and a sweet bean sauce.

In the foreground of this photo are the wraps.

It was a delicious meal and I was sorry that I had to rush back to the hotel.

Shopping and Bargaining

2010-07-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I visited the Silk Market, which is a five story building full of little shops that cater especially to foreigners. The market, which sells shoes, bags, clothes, pearls, and more, can be a tourist trap if you are not prepared to bargain. The extremely aggressive and skillful shopkeepers will stop at nothing to make a sale.

For example, a nice bag caught my eye in one of the myriad of shops. The shopkeeper immediately noticed. This conversation ensued.

Shopkeeper: This is a really nice bag. It comes in many colors.

Me: Hmmm.

Shopkeeper: Here, let me take it down for you. Try it on, look in that mirror. This bag is really popular with girls your age right now.

Me: Oh, that’s nice. How much is it?

Shopkeeper: Well, since you are a student and because you are an early morning shopper, I will give you a discount. I normally sell this bag at 520 Yuan or 400 Yuan. But for you, I will make it 220 Yuan.

Me: I think that’s too much.

Shopkeeper: No! That’s already a bargain! For foreigners I would show them this price: 480 Yuan. But since you are a student, I will give you a discount.

Me: No, that’s too expensive. I think I will look around some more.

Shopkeeper: Okay, okay. What’s your price?

At this point, I should have chosen a ridiculously low price such as 50 Yuan. That is one of the tricks of the trade: Never set your bottom price too high. You can’t bargain down once you do. However, I was naïve and wasn’t sure exactly how much the bag was worth.

Me: 100 Yuan.

Shopkeeper: Haha, that is ridiculous. Look, this is real leather. I will sell it for 200 Yuan. How’s that?

Me: No, no. I think I would rather look around some more. Maybe I will come back.

Shopkeeper: Everyone sells it for this amount. You won’t find it cheaper. Okay, how about 180 Yuan?

Me: No, no, I do not want it.

Shopkeeper: Fine, what’s your price?

Me: I told you, 100 Yuan.

Shopkeeper: Don’t be crazy! Fine, how about 170 Yuan? That’s already really low! How about it?

This goes on for awhile until finally she hits 130 Yuan.

Shopkeeper: 130 Yuan! That’s only 30 Yuan from your price. Just give it to me, all right? Only 30 Yuan.

Me: Fine, okay, okay.

I probably could have gotten the price down lower, but I was still satisfied. The bag was cheaper than it would have been in the states, and besides I was tired of arguing with the same person over a difference that amounted to less than $5. The funny thing is that there really are no native Chinese that shop in the area. I saw many Europeans and Americans though. The shopkeepers know that almost everyone is a foreigner, so they even called out to me in English. They seemed taken aback when I spoke Chinese back to them.

The Silk Market did get overwhelming after awhile. First of all, the enormous amounts of tiny shops filled with glittering fares and narrow aisles really did start to look alike after awhile. Also, the shopkeepers stand out in the aisles to call out to you, “LV wallet! Do you want a LV wallet? How about Coach?” and practically jump on you if you look at an item for more than a second. Still, it was a really fun experience to bargain and I bought two nice bags for less than $40. I even saw another friend from Yale in the crowd that I didn’t even know was in Beijing.

So if you are in Beijing, definitely visit the Silk Market. Just remember that if you want a bargain, you have to bargain ruthlessly. And remember that most of the name brands are fake.

Beijing, Part III

2010-07-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today I experienced all the downsides of being a single, unprepared traveler in a large, unfamiliar city. In the morning I decided to visit the 798 Art District. It is a lesser known attraction located on the fringes of Beijing. There are many cool and edgy art galleries, cafes, and shops in renovated buildings that used to be Soviet-style military factories.

I did not know where it was located but decided to just wing it. I headed to the nearest subway stop by our hotel and asked a person working there. He told me to go to this certain subway stop. After riding the subway train for 40 minutes, I stepped out at that station. Nothing looked like an art district. On the contrary, the subway stop was located in the middle of a street surrounded by tall office buildings undergoing renovation.

I asked a lady selling beverages out of a cart. She told me to go to the bus stop down the street and take bus #401. However, as I looked at the list of stops the bus made, I didn’t see a 798 District. Then I asked several people how to reach the area and they all did not know. I went back near the subway stop and asked another street vendor. He told me to take #403. I went back to the bus stop and looked at the list of stops. In between the fourth and fifth stops, someone had scratched in “798.”

At this point I decided to just get on the bus. On the bus, I asked a passenger which stop to get off at. She told me to get off at the stop after hers. However, the area looked rather deserted under the bright morning sun. There was a dusty street surrounded by little shops and mechanics stores.

I decided to trust the passenger and got off. After asking several more pedestrians, I finally turned into this quiet street that had industrial buildings.

I saw a man with a large tourist camera walking down this way. There were a few galleries but they seemed closed. I was really confused – several tourist sites on the Internet had recommended this art district, but it seemed mostly abandoned. I saw a few sculptures in front of some buildings but nothing more. Maybe I came at the wrong time of day?

There was this really cool robot sculpture though.

I walked all the way to the end of the street and came out onto a busy road. This did not seem right. I asked a nearby security guard. He said I had just walked out of the district, but it was actually the 751 district. 751 was an artsy industrial district, but to reach 798 I had to walk even further in.

So I had just walked for an hour and passed the street I had to turn into to reach 798! Finally, after asking a few more people, I turned into the bustling cute little neighborhood of 798. Sadly I only had an hour and a half to explore since I wasted so much time being lost.

There were so many little art galleries filled with work by up-and-coming young Beijing artists. Most of the artwork was very edgy and modern. I was really fascinated by the subject matter and presentation style of most of the galleries. Sadly all of the galleries prohibited photography. I was only able to see a portion of the district so the next time I visit I definitely will come back!
Getting back also presented a problem. The subway station was pretty far away and I had no idea where the bus station was, so I had to call a cab. However, most of the cabs were already occupied. Finally I chased down a cab and paid 15 Yuan (a little more than $2) to take me to the nearest station.

In the afternoon I went to visit another Yale friend who lived in a district full of universities. It took 16 subway stops to get there! Then it started raining – and by raining, I mean pouring down buckets. Luckily I had an umbrella but even it could not shield me from the elements. The streets were full of water up to my knees.

Needless to say, after getting soaked and then riding the crowded subway for a hour (including 15 minutes in the wrong direction) with other soaked people, I was ready to call it a night.

Beijing, Part II

2010-07-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, I woke up bright and early to visit one of the most popular sites in Beijing, the Summer Palace. This vast garden on the edge of the city was the retreat and relaxation spot for emperors.

It took us about 40 minutes to get there by subway. The Summer Palace area includes a lake, a mountain, forests, temples, a river, and more. It is a truly beautiful preservation of nature and history.

Unfortunately the weather was not as agreeable. It was extremely hot and the scorching noontime sun overhead was relentless. On the bright side, I brought along an umbrella to shield myself from the sun’s rays. This is a very popular custom in China.

In the afternoon I headed back to the city’s center to visit Tiananmen Square with Julius, another Yale classmate.

To our disappointment we learned that the National Chinese Museum, located on one side of the square, is undergoing renovation and therefore is not open to the public. We also wanted to visit Mao Zedong’s memorial that holds his preserved body. However, for some reason the memorial closes at noon every day.

But no worries! Wangfujing Street was just one subway stop over. This is a popular tourist destination. It is a pedestrian street filled with all kinds of shops as well as street vendors that offer some of Beijing’s traditional specialties. We found some scorpion and starfish kabobs! However, we stuck with the much more boring snack of yogurt.

As the daylight faded, we rode the subway to another part of Beijing to meet Wendy for dinner. We ate at a small, unassuming but good dim sum place. Soft serve ice cream from McDonalds for dessert!

At night I accomplished some more mundane tasks, including purchasing a power adapter for my laptop. Then I traveled back on the subway to get back to the hotel by around 11. It is surprising how many people are still on the subway that late at night.

Beijing!

2010-07-09T05:36:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday night, I took the train from Changsha to Beijing with my mother's college classmate. Chinese trains are so fun because instead of seats they have beds in little compartments.

This is known as the "soft sleeper," as opposed to the "hard sleeper" which has three cots, one on top of the other instead of two. We left Changsha around 6 on Sunday night and arrived bright and early in Beijing at 7 am.

After settling down in our hotel, I immediately went exploring with Carol, a friend from Yale. We met at her university and then walked to the Olympic Park. It took a long time as we wandered around the perimeter, trying to find the Bird's Nest, but we eventually achieved our goal.

I was really surprised at how expensive it was to get into the Bird's Nest comparatively. There was no charge to enter the Olympic Park, but it cost 60 yuan just to enter the stadium.

There were few visitors on this Wednesday afternoon. I was disappointed that tourists were not allowed on the actual field of the stadium, only the seating areas.

We also saw the Aquatics Center, known as the Water Cube.

Here's an overall look at the park area, with many vendors selling kites.

Later I visited a famous Beijing bookstore. It had probably five or six floors and basically any type of book you could think of. Additionally, there was artwork and DVDs and CDs.

At night I went to eat a Beijing specialty with another friend Wendy. We ate huoguo or hotpot. It is the same concept as fondue, except you cook raw foods such as meat and vegetables in a various types of broth. You also have your own sauce to dip the foods into after they are cooked. We chose a spicy broth on one side of the pot and a clear mushroom broth on the other. The pot was in the shape of a yin-yang symbol.

The foods we chose out of an extensive booklet included lamb, beef, spinach, mushrooms, and noodles. There were also interesting foods that we did not pick, such as tongue and tripe. Then after some shopping in a higher-end, modern district of the city, it was time for me to journey back to the hotel.

Education, Part II

2010-07-03T02:17:00.000-07:00

So the other day I had another look at the pressure-cooker environment of students in China. My cousin has just completed middle school. While she was at school, she basically had to do homework all night. I remember my middle school years - I would rush home and quickly speed through about half an hour's worth of homework so I wouldn't miss my favorite TV shows.

I took a peek at some of her past homework. She was learning complex algebra and calculus that we don't learn until upper level high school math class in the states. Crazy!

In China, middle school students take national exams at the end of their middle school career. What scores they receive determine which high school they will be able attend. Which high school they attend will greatly affect what college they may be able to get into. Therefore, the pressure is on to get into a top high school in the district. This is why most high schools are boarding schools - because the students' homes may be all the way across the city.

I have heard that middle school and high school are extremely tough years but college is really easy. The students spend so much time and effort throughout their whole lives to get into a top college, that when they finally get there, they let loose.

This is my cousin's middle school. Each classroom holds about 60 students. Most schools are in the same "open" design, with no indoor hallways or passageways. There is no air conditioning so in the summer heat so attending class can almost be unbearable. I have heard stories of students fainting during class.

There is no such thing as discretion and respect for privacy in the Chinese education system. Where one sits in the classroom is determined by one's grades. My cousin told me that the best students sit in the second row, the next best in the third row, etc. The worst students sit in the front row. Grades are posted publicly for all to see.

This chart, I believe, publicly records the behavior of all the students.

The school environment is really strict as well. All students wear uniforms. Romantic relationships are frowned upon because they are looked upon as a distraction from academics. Students have to go behind not only their parents' but also their teachers' backs to date. I think it's really strange that personal relationships are included in the sphere of a teacher's authority.

Grades came out today and I am happy to say my cousin got top scores so she can have her pick of any high school in the city. I'm hoping she can finally relax, but nope - her parents enrolled her in an English class that meets for nearly 3 hours every night.

Here is the link for Education, Part I.