After being here for a little over three weeks, I'm quickly beginning to acclimate to the food, the subway systems (so much better then anything we've got back home), the crazy time change, driving on the left side of the road (I'm still surprised I haven't been run over yet) and of course the fact that I'm in CHINA!
The first couple of weeks on the mainland were amazing. I couldn't update my blog because even though there's a ton of freedom in the use of the internet on the mainland there are still sites that are effectively blocked by the Great Firewall of China (the not-so-affectionate nickname citizens on the mainland use for the efforts by the government to filter out certain sites like Wikipedia, certain Google searches, etc...) and Blogger happened to be one of them.
I did write down my thoughts while out there and I've finally gotten around to typing some of them out which I'll be posting with corresponding dates. I'll also be posting photographs I've taken to my flckr account (
click here), so when you get a chance take some time to check them out.
I've also got pictures from going to watch the Superbowl and 6 a.m. in a British bar in Central, HK, and other exploits I've been involved in since being out here. You'll see many photos of the local cuisine also--the food here is incredible. I wonder if I'll ever be able to look at a Chinese menu the same way when I get back to Chicago. And of course I did manage to find hookah bars in Beijing, Shanghai and a couple here in Hong Kong ;).
My goal is to update my blog about twice a week now that I'm back so check back occasionally if you're really bored to see what's going on or go to my flickr page to see if I've uploaded new images.
I miss you all but I must say I'm not terribly broken hearted over missing all the snow it sounds like you all are experiencing out there. Mainland China also experienced a ton of snow (the most in over 50 years) which caused major problems (read article
here and
here) but HK is great. The lowest it's been has been about 55 degrees at night so I'm not complaining.
Well the Chinese New Year is almost over--it began on Tuesday evening --and my classes will be starting on Monday so I'll be back to the grind; I'll admit I do miss being in classes--yes, I'm a nerd; so what?--and I'm looking forward to learning more about China and its place in our ever shrinking and yet expanding globe.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers (I'm the only grad student among 50+ undergrads...) and you're in mine. I'd love to hear what's going on with all of you (it may take me a while to get back to you) so feel free to
email me, skype me (if we happen to be online at the same time) or post me a message on
facebook.
ONE.
Jan. 22nd
Well here I am after ten years away back in Hong Kong (HK) and mainland China. Right now I'm in Xi'an, the ancient capitol of China (now it's Beijing, of course). I've learned a lot about the history of this nation in the last few days from readings, lectures our tour guide Stephanie, and our tours of various historical sights in Xi'an. We've been to the terra-cotta soldiers archaeological finds about an hour outside Xi'an, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the City Wall of Xi'an, the only complete city wall left in all of China.
On our first full day in Xi'an I ended up missing the morning bus and had to jump on a local bus to meet up with the rest of the group (when they discovered I wasn't on the bus they parked about 20 minutes out and waited for me); it sucked that everyone had to wait for me, but I loved taking the local transportation and enjoyed using gestures and sign language to figure out which bus to take to get to where they were. Needless to say I now have a new found appreciation for Charades.
Since this is my second time out here, what has really struck me most are the changes so apparent between now and then. The amazing growth rate economically in China can be seen everywhere--the cars, the amenities, the services, etc.... China was already erecting impressive infrastructure ten years ago. Now...well the results are staggering.
I have to pause here and also acknowledge that who I was at the age of 24 ten years ago and where I am now are two vastly different people in terms of experience and maturity (thank God!) and I've been blessed with having been able to travel quite a bit, delving/immersing myself into other cultures, and learning as much as I can. I came here to, among other things, study the similarities/differences between China and Africa (especially my home of Nigeria) and how identity as a people and nation affects policy (foreign and domestic), economic growth, etc...
With this in mind, as I have learned about the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi (Qin dynasty, 221 B.C.), and his incredible impact on where China is today (unifying China by decreeing the use of one language, currency, way of writing, etc...) and China's relationship with the West (past treaties, wars, struggles, mistakes) I can't help but wonder where many of the nations in Africa would be if a) our continent had been further away from western marauders; and b) if we had leaders who would sought to create unified alliances and emphasizing commonalities that would not have been a more formidable front against the west.
I know as we continue on to Beijing and Shanghai I'll get some more answers but I know even more questions will arise which is the fun and beauty of it all. What lessons can I take back with me over these next few months that will help me create a concrete and pragmatic procedures to challenge identity, past policies and relationships between Africa, Asia and the West? What are the advantages of a truly unified system? What are the downfalls? What are the true perceptions vs. stereotypes that can be found in Sino-Afro relations? How do images and photographs factor into all of this? Outside of governments and the elite classes are there common ties that can be explored between the other classes of people of both continents?
I'm really anxious to start learning Mandarin because I believe it will really aid me in my understanding of the myriad complexities that are present in this country.
Beijing here I come!
January 26
Beijing feels a lot more like home (Chicago) to me then Hong Kong. It's got that gritty, urban soul; an aura of enormity, an air of urgency and a weary worldliness one feels in truly old metropolises like London, Paris, Cairo, etc.... There's a real sense of there being an international presence here and a strong mixture of the old and new, the traditional and the modern. Even the architecture reflects the the dichotomous nature of this city (indeed, of China). One of our guest lecturer's, Brian Chang, a world-class architect, gave us a brief and insightful overview on the structures found in China (esp. Beijing) and, combined with our tour of the Forbidden City really helped to begin to open my eyes to the soul of China, so to speak. By this, I mean i have been able to see the progression of Beijing's history through its architecture. Chang made a comment towards the end of his lecture, saying that" architecture should be about life," and as I've observed the architecture here, especially in the Forbidden City, I've seen this "life" in its magnificent edifices so rife with meaning, tradition and myth. It all speaks to
a way of life unique to the "Middle Kingdom." The buildings, erected hundreds of years ago, are a breathtaking testament to a great nation and a great people.
I can see why, as Professor Tong mentioned, there was an arrogance and a belief that they were the center of the world (hence calling themselves the "Middle Kingdom") and how stagnation in progress could set in (a little history--to read more click
here).
As I've read articles, attended the lectures on the trip and toured parts of Beijing a new realization and appreciation for China is emerging within me. Like I wrote in my previous entry, i know what I was coming here for but i was also coming with an open mind to learn from the unexpected (if that makes any sense). One thing I've learned is that the China portrayed by western media and governments is not the real China (which you'd think I know coming from Nigeria and seeing how news agency represent the news there) and that the one of the many amazing things about this country is its people and their drive to create a civil society, innovate and climb back to the top of the world stage.
I'm looking forward to revisiting the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall in the next couple of days. Not only is this a photographer's dream to visit these sites but the history I've learned about these places has given me an even deeper appreciation for what I'll be attempting to capture as I "see" them and try to represent through the lenses of my camera.
I'm still digesting and processing much of the information we've received during this last week here in Beijing and matching that up with the experiences of personally coming into contact with people here in the city. As the knowledge and experiences are accumulating I feel I'm getting closer and closer to a tipping point -- that point where some sort of epiphany will occur -- and all the various aforementioned experiences will coalesce and form a complete picture for me, an image that helps me to truly begin to understand the ins and outs of the middle kingdom.
These are many of the thoughts running through my head. I also wonder about governing styles. By this I mean I wonder if democracy, albeit different in form from that of the West, is the inevitable endgame for China; the allowance of privatization, the passing of a recent law protecting property rights, etc..., all seem to point towards an inexorable march towards democracy that may not happen in the next few years but will happen in the not so distant future. If this is the case then what will the end result look like and how will that shape policies between this country and its colleagues? What part will I be able to play in all of this since this is an area that means so much to me and how do I position myself to be a facilitator of this process? Once again, more questions then answers, but I feel I'm taking the right steps towards answering some of them.
The cable car ride was amazing and the view was breathtaking. I was struck by the beauty of the ceremonies taking place around me, though I must say the sheer number of people lighting incense to bring in good luck for the new year and having their fortunes told was overwhelming. As one of our lecturers explained to us, "The Chinese aren't very religious but are very superstitious!" I'm finally beginning to understand what she meant.
Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, those are actually kilts, and yup, they're playing bagpipes. So I tell myself that of course this is to be expected because of the British presence on this island for over a hundred years, and also that this has to be the vanguard of the rest of the parade that would have the drums, the dragons, the firecrackers, and other performers. Well I was right that it was the vanguard, but wrong on everything else. This is the only dragon that appeared anywhere:
Yep, kids on roller blades. Okay, I'm not going to say the whole parade was a complete let down, but...okay, who am I kidding, it was a complete let down.
