Culture Gram

(Some of you may or may not have read this, but I am just copying my two notes/emails that I have sent out while away, so as to keep a running "log" of my journies. So, if some of it seems out of date/weird, that is why.)

Hello one and all. I want to first off apologize that this is so long, but this is actually shorter than my original intentions. I am unable to blog because of restrictions enforced by the Chinese government, or so was suggested to me. Their suggestion seems like a plausible reason enough. In brief, I will tell - in short, for there are FAR too many stories, memories experiences, etc. for me to share. I will try to connect every few days to update all ya'll. Why? Because I usually am tired and worn out during our three-hour down time...yes, yes, yes, that is what I said: three hours. From about noon to three, but usually later...more like five hours, since we don't usually eat dinner until 17:00 or 18:00 (5:00 or 6:00,) but the "usual" Chinese custom/tradition - at least here in Nanning, and probably all of Guangxi - is to take from 12:00 to 15:00 (3:00 pm) as a "nap time," or a period of rest. Oh! And by the way, as soon as I saw the military time, I smiled. It seriously felt like music to my eyes. It actually feels real nice to see it again. :o) Our mornings are full and we have evening plans scheduled, too. I will try to break down each day and summarize what I can, and then move on to a few experiences and other "categories" where I will have my input as to my story, and then add in my comments, thoughts, opinions, etc. Oh: and it is also hard for me to connect because the internet where I have access is not very fast. Even as I type this message up, the computer is slow to pick up exactly what I am typing. But I can't complain: I have internet access. So, for starters, here is a wee bit of what I have thus far seen and done...more of a "cultural" aspect more than the actual trip. Will do my best to write more on that later.

Food/Favorites:

So, I am not sure exactly how to write it in Chinese, but there is a place that sells cold drinks, coffee, tea, food, and other such items. It has unofficially/officially been designated our "hangout spot." It seems as if all the workers know us there, not by name, but by face, and the fact that we usually go after either/or both lunch and dinner. It really isn't a strawberry smoothie, but that is the best translation/equivalent to what we have in the states. It is my favorite drink. I have also tried bubble tea, which is alright; a mango blended fruit drink, which is alright as well; and a green drink similar to that of the mango, but I have NO idea what flavour it was or anything else like that. I just went out on a whim, pointed to something on the menu, and said that one. (Luckily, a few of the workers know some English, so we are able to communicate some.)

As far as other foods go, I have tried SO many forms of chicken, beef, pork, and fish (not so much the fish as the other meats, but I have tried a few times different fish.) I have NO IDEA the Chinese names for what I have been eating, but it all has been amazing! Granted I have not been able to eat everything - such as corn and tomatoes - but I have tried ALMOST every single dish we have been served, and I have LOVED IT. I seriously think I can never eat again at a Chinese restaurant in the states again, unless it is a true-TRUE Chinese traditional cuisine. All of us joke here that we will all get fat from eating so much. We are served an insane amount of food, of which I don't think we have ever been able to finish eating all of it...never. We all leave stuffed and satisfied.

I know that before coming to China, I NEVER ate mushrooms, yet I have eaten mushrooms about three times, and I have LOVED them each time. Again with the red meat: I LOVE it here/overseas, but I cannot eat it in the states, because their meat has a different taste and a different quality than that of which is grown and processed in the states. I will most definitely miss the food...and eating with chopsticks. I also enjoy how, at restaurants, there is a HUGE lazy Susan (or Mary) in the middle of the table, glass mind you, and using one's chopsticks, people just grab what they want. That dish, as well as every other dish on the table, is slowly moved around the table until all have had an opportunity to try that food, or at least all who want to try that food . The family style here is very enjoyable, and I can't wait to actually go and visit a host family's home and see what a "in-home" traditional Chinese dinner/dining set-up looks like. I really don't have too many favorites....Oh! Another AMAZING dish: eggplant. I had not tried it before, but last evening (the18th) we had the most tasty and delicious Chinese eggplant for dinner. Mmmmmmm. But the food is 100 times better than any of that which I have tried in the U.S.I must say though, that the sushi track in Wilsonville was pretty tasty, though. Another favorite I just thought of: seaweed. Yes: I know I am strange, but the food is SO healthy over here, and how they cook it and with what ingredients they cook it. The food has SO much flavour and texture and just is an amazingly broad spectrum of veggie dishes, meat dishes, meat-veggie dishes, and whatever else one can think of combining. I look forward to every meal and actually eat at every meal, though sometimes I eat a lot. :o)

Culture/Culture Shock:

I am more shocked at the reactions, astonishment and other feelings expressed by the other students here. SO many times others will express how crazy they think the drivers are here, or about crossing the street, and other such related realizations. Another expressed surprised is that of people staying up "late" and the "nightlife." Someone was saying how crazy it seemed that people were walking out about in the streets (a lot of people) at "such a late time in the evening." - It was, I think, 22:00 (10:00 pm). - Also, not sure exactly at the top of my head, but there are other cultural differences that others have expressed their surprise and disbelief about something. But, surprisingly, there is nothing that really surprises me about China. There is nothing that really sticks out to me, and even when I think about it and look for something "different," I can't seem to find differences. I actually have to be out in the streets and thinking about what life is like in America before I can start to see any cultural differences.

I was chatting briefly with another student as we were walking back to the hotel one evening, and he expressed his surprise about something. I did my best to explain and compare it with another example from another culture; he agreed with my suggestion and noted that it made sense after hearing about that. I then commented that I find it frustrating why I can't see any culture difference. Why "everyone" is SO shocked and surprised and just amazed at "the many differences." He then said, very simply but not demeaning, that the reason why I didn't see "any difference" or why I am not surprised, shocked, or seem to have no reaction to ANYTHING I have thus far seen here, is because of all my travels. I have thus far been to (now) four of the six livable continents in the world. Including China, I have visited/lived in/traveled to seven different countries. I have been exposed to a great deal of culture from many corners of the world. Sadly, I still carry my own country's cultures & beliefs with me, many of which I do not like, but cannot seem to change. Nothing shocks me because I have seen it before, or something similar to it before. Additionally, I have read some about China, talked with international students at my university about China, and have had some prior knowledge about what to expect...so after hearing this very simply put suggestion - obviously he didn't know this background, nor did I go into detail about it - it became very clear that this was, indeed, the reason behind my "lack" of astonishment, if that is what you would want to call it. Maybe this, too, is why I am not feeling any culture shock. I don't honestly feel overwhelmed by my surroundings. Sure: it is frustrating not being able to speak the language, to communicate, but also, I am with a group of Americans who do speak my native tongue, with whom I try to interact, connect with and stay close to, since we all feel more comfortable with and around each other.

Plans:

Other than an occasional meandering through and around the blocks with a small group of "homies," there is not much that we students (or advisers) do outside of the scheduled activities. During the 12:00 to 15:00 time frame, that truly is the most hot period of the day, and most of us nap or do something relaxing. As much as we may not want to stay in our hotel rooms, it just becomes too hot to do much of anything. But the planned itinerary seems interesting, enough to keep us busy and out of trouble. I know I have enjoyed what we have actually been able to accomplish and "get done" thus far. Even if I had to leave China tomorrow or in a day or two, the experience has been more than worth it. I have even tried to still learn a wee bit more Chinese, but have not been successful...so I carry a small sheet of conversational "help phrases" that I use to try to communicate. For example: today, during lunch, my table - we were split into two tables due to lack of space/crowded space - I was trying to ask for water, a lot for the group. I was able to communicate with the waiter by speech, showing the Chinese work on the paper, and using my hands. Shortly after, I was able to ask again by speech and pointing. Another cool incident was when some of us were trying to order smoothies. After receiving mine, I asked how to say the name of the drink (in English,) and the two people who spoke some English behind the counter said it, said it slowly while I wrote down phonetically for me to be able to remember it, and then I said it. When I said it right - I must have, for they cheered and clapped their hands and said "very good. Your pronunciation is good." I happened to say something either later that day or the following day where someone complimented me and my pronunciation of the Chinese phrase (in English) meaning, " I am sorry, I don't speak Chinese." I actually said that to someone, because I waited to have them help me with the pronunciation of that phrase, and after I said it, they laughed and said "No! But you do speak Chinese! Very good pronunciation." SO... I guess I can speak Chinese alright, or could eventually speak it alright...off to a good start, I suppose. Though I only know a few (about 10 ) words and phrases in Chinese, and though I never will fully understand speech or be able to read Chinese, I think I would be cool to continue to learn a few words and phrases even after my return to the stats and the little likelihood that I will return to China. But it is interesting for me.