White sand beaches, shimmering clear waters, palm trees and coconuts, brings to mind......China right? Ha, not. But just a short plane ride away ( about 2 hours) you can leave all the traffic and congestion, the pollution and smog, you can leave stupid toothpaste Haibao in the dust and travel to the beautiful tropical island called Hainan- part of China-but yet so, so very far away. Thank the heavens. It is restoring my soul as the gentle Hainan waters slowly wash away the expo excrement from my USA pavilion stained skin. Am I being dramatic? You try working there for three months. Haha, ok ok, I'm being dramatic, but my god it is nice to get away, and actually do some traveling!
So far we have stayed in a very sketchy hostel ( a lot of men staying there, and a lot of women working there...in very small skirts) and then did about a 10 point upgrade to the 5 star Hilton Sanya hotel, the first night was on my Dad ( Hilton points!) the second night...we made a friend with one of the staff who hooked us up with an extra night. How cool is that? But, we soon grew bored in that expensive bubble of red faced foreigners in tiny speedos half hidden under massive stomachs. EW. So we moved on to the Blue Sky hostel. Much more us. Lots of college kids and friendly people from all over the world. And wi-fi! So I can share my experiences with you all :)
Whether it's been eating a Chinese pear in a pearly white tub, looking out over the ocean in our beachfront hotel room, drinking beer with Canadian twins at the Dolphin bar, climbing a waterfall in the Yanata rainforest using a chain bolted into the side of a rock ( only in China babyy), or just chullen by the beach drinking from a coconut with my homies, well, it has all made one great vacation. Yeah, and if you want to know about the bar fight ;) you'll have to ask my face to face. Don't worry mom, it's just a good story-no blood or broken bones! Hey, guys see you in 3 days! I'm coming hooooommeeeeeee
Monday, August 2, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The Blind Side
There are a few things that slightly annoy me that the Chinese crowds do at the Expo. Nothing too big, just…..ok, well…….
1. They spit in public, everywhere, in our pavilion, at our feet, on the carpet,
2. They let their babies pee, everywhere, in our pavilion, at our feet, on the carpet,
3. They don’t believe in lining up: instead they swarm, and push, and cut in line
4. When I start a conversation with one of them, they interrupt me to ask for a picture.
5. Pictures, don’t get me started on pictures; while I’m eating, walking, dancing, blowing my nose, talking, doesn’t matter what I’m doing, someone is snapping a picture, against my will and right in my face.
6. They don’t go to the end of the bench and sit down so everyone can sit down. They just plop down in the middle so everyone has to walk around them. This could be the most annoying of them all, not even joking. Drives me crazy!
Ok, so now I’m just whining. But, my point is, these are all small, inconsequential details that daily plague me, but really are rather harmless. They simply are characteristics of people that come from more rural areas and don’t understand how to act a different way. Different City, Different Life.
However, yesterday something happened that far exceeded any petty, bothersome habit I have encountered before: a man beating his wife inside of our pavilion, in front of crowds that did nothing but watch. I am not kidding when I say this. This happened, inside of the first room of our pavilion, as three other girl student ambassadors, frantically tried to beg for help from guards that refused to get involved, and a crowd that did nothing. I didn’t see this go down, since I was trying to manage another crowd in Act 1, but I did hear my roommate Becca frantically call over the radio, “Can we please get police in Overture, someone is being beaten in Overture!” What these girls later told me, was this man threw his wife against a wall after hitting her, and then slapped his small 6 year old daughter, as they both were hysterical, in tears. This in itself is a monstrosity, without a doubt I know that everyone one of you reading this blog would have been horrified to see this go down, and I know that so many of my guy friends would have possibly maimed this guy for life. And I wish you guys could’ve been there. But no, three tiny girls, my friends, were the ones that had to try and save this girl, while Chinese guards warned them not to get involved. My own personal opinion is that the real tragedy of yesterday wasn’t so much in the abuse itself, though god knows that was horrible, but in how the surrounding people responded.
Melissa, another student ambassador, led the woman and her small daughter around our pavilion, giving them a private tour, while police “dealt” (or rather did nothing) with her husband outside. She told me that the police dealt with the situation by telling the woman that the reason this was such a commotion was because “They are just American, they are causing a commotion because they get more affected by these kinds of things than Chinese people do, don’t worry, it will die down in a moment.” What kind of thing is this to say to a woman, that I saw with my own eyes, had fingerprint bruises all up and down her neck! Or to her tiny little daughter, who was visibly shaken with puffy eyes, scared out of her mind!
This is so upsetting to me, and I don’t want to appear that I am lambasting the Chinese people, or being too critical. But, while it is so apparent that Chinese people take care of their family, young and old, incredibly well, why were they so hesitant to save this poor woman yesterday? I feel immense pride that the ones that stepped forward to help were our three little American girls, three of my closest friends here. It was overwhelming for all of us, I’m not gonna lie. It was emotional city there for a while, no faster way to bring on a major girl cry session but to watch a woman horribly abused and than feel that you can do nothing to help. Rather we were all forced to watch helpless, as the woman and her tiny daughter returned to her waiting husband. I mean, what could she do? As far as I know China has no clear policies against domestic abuse, lord, it was all we could do to get the Police to step in and take a statement, and then the whole time they complained it was just “the American’s commotion.”
Let me say, that for all my griping, I find Chinese people for the most part to be both hospitable and gracious, eager to meet me and help in any way they can. They are kind and friendly, and excited to learn new things. But I also cannot help but be very disappointed by the way yesterday was treated, by the crowds, the guards, and the police. I know that in their hearts and minds they couldn’t possibly condone the activity, but by standing by and ignoring the problem, that in itself was allowing it to happen. I only hope that “the American’s commotion” might in some way lead to a “The Chinese’s commotion” next time.
Guys, I’m interested to know your thoughts on this, especially second group student ambassadors. Fill me in! Thanks!
1. They spit in public, everywhere, in our pavilion, at our feet, on the carpet,
2. They let their babies pee, everywhere, in our pavilion, at our feet, on the carpet,
3. They don’t believe in lining up: instead they swarm, and push, and cut in line
4. When I start a conversation with one of them, they interrupt me to ask for a picture.
5. Pictures, don’t get me started on pictures; while I’m eating, walking, dancing, blowing my nose, talking, doesn’t matter what I’m doing, someone is snapping a picture, against my will and right in my face.
6. They don’t go to the end of the bench and sit down so everyone can sit down. They just plop down in the middle so everyone has to walk around them. This could be the most annoying of them all, not even joking. Drives me crazy!
Ok, so now I’m just whining. But, my point is, these are all small, inconsequential details that daily plague me, but really are rather harmless. They simply are characteristics of people that come from more rural areas and don’t understand how to act a different way. Different City, Different Life.
However, yesterday something happened that far exceeded any petty, bothersome habit I have encountered before: a man beating his wife inside of our pavilion, in front of crowds that did nothing but watch. I am not kidding when I say this. This happened, inside of the first room of our pavilion, as three other girl student ambassadors, frantically tried to beg for help from guards that refused to get involved, and a crowd that did nothing. I didn’t see this go down, since I was trying to manage another crowd in Act 1, but I did hear my roommate Becca frantically call over the radio, “Can we please get police in Overture, someone is being beaten in Overture!” What these girls later told me, was this man threw his wife against a wall after hitting her, and then slapped his small 6 year old daughter, as they both were hysterical, in tears. This in itself is a monstrosity, without a doubt I know that everyone one of you reading this blog would have been horrified to see this go down, and I know that so many of my guy friends would have possibly maimed this guy for life. And I wish you guys could’ve been there. But no, three tiny girls, my friends, were the ones that had to try and save this girl, while Chinese guards warned them not to get involved. My own personal opinion is that the real tragedy of yesterday wasn’t so much in the abuse itself, though god knows that was horrible, but in how the surrounding people responded.
Melissa, another student ambassador, led the woman and her small daughter around our pavilion, giving them a private tour, while police “dealt” (or rather did nothing) with her husband outside. She told me that the police dealt with the situation by telling the woman that the reason this was such a commotion was because “They are just American, they are causing a commotion because they get more affected by these kinds of things than Chinese people do, don’t worry, it will die down in a moment.” What kind of thing is this to say to a woman, that I saw with my own eyes, had fingerprint bruises all up and down her neck! Or to her tiny little daughter, who was visibly shaken with puffy eyes, scared out of her mind!
This is so upsetting to me, and I don’t want to appear that I am lambasting the Chinese people, or being too critical. But, while it is so apparent that Chinese people take care of their family, young and old, incredibly well, why were they so hesitant to save this poor woman yesterday? I feel immense pride that the ones that stepped forward to help were our three little American girls, three of my closest friends here. It was overwhelming for all of us, I’m not gonna lie. It was emotional city there for a while, no faster way to bring on a major girl cry session but to watch a woman horribly abused and than feel that you can do nothing to help. Rather we were all forced to watch helpless, as the woman and her tiny daughter returned to her waiting husband. I mean, what could she do? As far as I know China has no clear policies against domestic abuse, lord, it was all we could do to get the Police to step in and take a statement, and then the whole time they complained it was just “the American’s commotion.”
Let me say, that for all my griping, I find Chinese people for the most part to be both hospitable and gracious, eager to meet me and help in any way they can. They are kind and friendly, and excited to learn new things. But I also cannot help but be very disappointed by the way yesterday was treated, by the crowds, the guards, and the police. I know that in their hearts and minds they couldn’t possibly condone the activity, but by standing by and ignoring the problem, that in itself was allowing it to happen. I only hope that “the American’s commotion” might in some way lead to a “The Chinese’s commotion” next time.
Guys, I’m interested to know your thoughts on this, especially second group student ambassadors. Fill me in! Thanks!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Shanghai Shennanigans
When you work all day, herding- I mean directing crowds through our Eagle winged doors, channeling them through queues, turnstiles, overtures, and finally pushing-um leading them out Act three-my lord, at the end of the day all you need to do is let loose. And Shanghai is particularly helpful in giving up plenty of places to do this. Last night we opted for a more laid back scene, less lights and glitz, more pool tables and cheap burgers, Windows 1! Of course, this was also largely due to the fact that our little friend Harry left last night, a 15 year old CEO’s son who we were told would shadow us so he could learn Chinese. Well, I’m not sure how much Chinese he learned….but we certainly tried to give him as many life lessons as possible, and we were sad to see him go. Anyways, blah blah blah, we drank, ate, danced, talked, good times, but the better times started after….
We’re running around outside, pole vaulting on old cardboard tubes, chasing each other on the sidewalk, and we finally get a cab. We’re in the cab on our way home, when suddenly we spot them. Two cab drivers out of their cabs, parked on the side of the street yelling at each other. They’re finger pointing, faces red, making jerky motions towards the two cars next to them, classic Chinese men anger, but then Ryan goes “Stop the car! Stop the car!” the cab driver slams on his brakes and we’re all like “Ryan, ryan, what the heck?” but he pops out of the car and takes off running towards the fighting cab drivers. We see him gesturing wildly at them, and then embraces them in a hug, we hear “just hug it out! Hug it out boys,” and of course we have to get in on the love, so me and Katie jump out of the cab too and race over, and I babble broken Chinese something like “ Americans like to help Chinese, if you have problem, we help, we help you, see how we help?,” and we keep hugging the cab drivers. And of course solved the problem, why would those boys want to fight after they saw what love could do?......nottt. the second we got back in our cab they were at it again, I’m pretty sure the one on the right was gonna lose, tiny man he was, one punch to the jugular and he was gonna be out. But thank God we left before we got to see that, so our last image was the two of them watching our cab leave, looking dazed and confused…before…. sucka punchhhh…
We’re running around outside, pole vaulting on old cardboard tubes, chasing each other on the sidewalk, and we finally get a cab. We’re in the cab on our way home, when suddenly we spot them. Two cab drivers out of their cabs, parked on the side of the street yelling at each other. They’re finger pointing, faces red, making jerky motions towards the two cars next to them, classic Chinese men anger, but then Ryan goes “Stop the car! Stop the car!” the cab driver slams on his brakes and we’re all like “Ryan, ryan, what the heck?” but he pops out of the car and takes off running towards the fighting cab drivers. We see him gesturing wildly at them, and then embraces them in a hug, we hear “just hug it out! Hug it out boys,” and of course we have to get in on the love, so me and Katie jump out of the cab too and race over, and I babble broken Chinese something like “ Americans like to help Chinese, if you have problem, we help, we help you, see how we help?,” and we keep hugging the cab drivers. And of course solved the problem, why would those boys want to fight after they saw what love could do?......nottt. the second we got back in our cab they were at it again, I’m pretty sure the one on the right was gonna lose, tiny man he was, one punch to the jugular and he was gonna be out. But thank God we left before we got to see that, so our last image was the two of them watching our cab leave, looking dazed and confused…before…. sucka punchhhh…
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Goat Cheese and Nachos, yum!
Hey, how many places in the world can you spend your morning with Norwegians, English and Austrians, and your night with New Zealanders, Australians, and Americans? Well…. yes, that’s right, it’s actually the Expo, good guess. Yesterday was my day off (!! so few and so precious) and so I thought, of anything I could possibly do in this huge city what should it be…hmmm...why the North Korean Film Festival of course! So that’s exactly what Tine, Lars and I did (Another good guess! Lars would be the Norwegian). Honestly, I’m not going to say that the chance of free goat cheese (free goat cheese! Can you imagine??) and beer didn’t play a large factor in my attendance, but North Korea has been weighing heavily on my mind lately, so this was the perfect chance to give in and indulge myself in everything North Korean. That’s right, I used North Korea and indulge in the same sentence. North Korea is just so utterly fascinating. I’m a little obsessed, not gonna lie. You know that North Korea has a pavilion here at the Expo? It’s named “The Paradise for People.” I’m supposing this particular paradise consists of stolen liberties, concentration camps, propaganda, and famine, but to each his own. Anyways, back to the film festival, if you could just take a wild guess (just a wild guess) at the quality of North Korean films, you know are they exciting, adventurous, humorous, romantic, what would it be? You’re exactly right: none of these things. Basically they were proto-type propaganda: fighting the evil Americans, sacrificing your life for your country, encouraging your countrymen to daily sacrifice for your country. Women dressed in severe uniforms were running around shouldering stretchers one handed, throwing their bodies over their comrades, and yet still managing to pour the perfect cup of tea and saying no to cigarettes at the end of the day. Sexy. But lord, I mean, I already groan when one of my friends breaks out a violent, war movie for Friday night fun, but can you imagine if that was all you had available? Welcome to North Korean Friday nights.
In other news, the world cup is what it’s all about this summer. I mean, you get 204 countries all together in one city, and you’re gonna see a world cup fervor like no other. Signs everywhere advertise beer deals, times of the games, free fries! Not to mention this is seriously messing up my sleep cycle since all the games seem to be at 4 am Shanghai time. So last night was world cup time, New Zealand against Italy, whooo. What a game. And I watched it with a New Zealander, and a half Italian (if that even counts), so, yeah….things got a little tense. But it all ended well, because despite a rather humiliating tie for the Italians with a New Zealand team, the other American present knew just the cure, and ran out and got nachos. And who can remember a soccer game when facing cheesy, beef and bean laden nachos with a side of Guacamole and Sour cream, a little bit of salsa on the side with- I’m sorry, what were we talking about again?
A few shout outs:
Carson, I can’t facebook you back because China doesn’t let me. Sooo email me at hmj@clemson.edu and we’ll get skype set up.
Michael, I’m saving the North Korean pavilion for when you come to visit. Exciting, huh?
Dad, Happy Fathers Day, I love you so much.
All friends, Miss you all more than you know…..
In other news, the world cup is what it’s all about this summer. I mean, you get 204 countries all together in one city, and you’re gonna see a world cup fervor like no other. Signs everywhere advertise beer deals, times of the games, free fries! Not to mention this is seriously messing up my sleep cycle since all the games seem to be at 4 am Shanghai time. So last night was world cup time, New Zealand against Italy, whooo. What a game. And I watched it with a New Zealander, and a half Italian (if that even counts), so, yeah….things got a little tense. But it all ended well, because despite a rather humiliating tie for the Italians with a New Zealand team, the other American present knew just the cure, and ran out and got nachos. And who can remember a soccer game when facing cheesy, beef and bean laden nachos with a side of Guacamole and Sour cream, a little bit of salsa on the side with- I’m sorry, what were we talking about again?
A few shout outs:
Carson, I can’t facebook you back because China doesn’t let me. Sooo email me at hmj@clemson.edu and we’ll get skype set up.
Michael, I’m saving the North Korean pavilion for when you come to visit. Exciting, huh?
Dad, Happy Fathers Day, I love you so much.
All friends, Miss you all more than you know…..
Friday, June 18, 2010
A 21st Birthday in Shanghai....
Is amazing. And it’s just that simple. What makes the perfect party? Obviously alcohol, but add to that your own private room in a swanky KTV club in downtown Puxi with leather couches and marble counters, throw in your favorite unlimited music and mikes to amplify the worst peoples voices with the biggest egos, and then French fries (gotta have French fries at my birthday), all your favorite people in Shanghai, and then let me just dance in the middle of all this wonderful chaos and BAM. Best Birthday Ever. Of course, the taxi ride back from this all wasn’t the best one I’ve had in my life…..won’t go into details here…but I was just doing my part to fit the 21 year old stereotype, and I think I successfully fulfilled my role. Highlights of my birthday: Having my darling friend Caleb ( a once real professional singer) sing Bob Marley to me, coming home to a beautiful cake bought by my roommates ( mmm, coffee icing), Having over 2 thousand people sing me Happy Birthday at the Pavilion ( so I brought up that it was my birthday a few times…..), A Chinese boy giving me a stuffed panda bear for my birthday ( and selfish little children trying to steal it from me when I wasn’t looking- Oh I put an end to that), all the beautiful emails from my dear friends back home that made me wish more than ever they were here with me, is this the longest sentence you’ve ever seen because it is rather long but so was my birthday because I took into account the time difference and celebrated my birthday for not 24 hours but 36. The. End.
Of course, don’t let all the fun I had distract you, dear friends, from the fact that I’m expecting you all to take me out when I come back home- for my first legal drink in the states. Aight?
Of course, don’t let all the fun I had distract you, dear friends, from the fact that I’m expecting you all to take me out when I come back home- for my first legal drink in the states. Aight?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Finally, something to write home about
Typical day at the pavilion today, managing queues, waving people in, and then entertaining them standing on my regular rickety little chair, with that rather perturbing give in the wooden slats of the seat, I was all “欢迎来到美国管 ”and“请往前面走”（Welcome to the U.S Pavilion and Please walk to the Front）. There had been rumors earlier that morning that Al Gore might be coming, and they’d roped off the area around my little chair, but I expected to be pushed in a corner when the time came, told not to move my feet and keep away from camera’s or some such normal behavior. So this is why it was the shock of my life when halfway through welcoming a group through our Eagle winged Pavilion doors, I realized the large group of suits wasn’t a regular Vip group after all when Al Gore walked by me, looked up and said “Hey.” Needless to say I choked on my “Ni Hao” and had to take a few shaky breaths whispering mentally “get your stuff together Heather” to finish THAT little speel. And I thought that was all I was gonna get, I ushered the group safely to the next act, and was creeping over, ready to try and peer at him behind some plant…..and then had to run furiously back to my place when I realized the group was headed right back towards me! I took my well-known place against the wall, giving the group plenty of space to pass by as they stood in their group admiring our room full of…..of screens and corporate names. I guess, it being Hawaii week and such, my jarringly bright red luau shirt got their attention and our commissioner General beckoned to me, “Heather, come meet Al Gore.” My face turned as red as my shirt, but I walked right into the middle of that black sea and those camera’s and got formally introduced to Al Gore. He said he was impressed with my introduction! And then I made some silly joke about wearing this Hawaiian shirt (yeah…not so funny) and it was great. Hopefully I can get pictures up on this thing eventually (that’s right, our photographer got a few good ones). So yep, that was my day at work today. Can't wait for tomorrow...
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Hot Pot and Sake Bombs
Whooo, last night got crayyyzayyy. Have you guys ever heard of Hot Pot? Well, last night the USAP paid for us Ambassadors to go to one of the best Hot Pot places in Shanghai, and I really think I gained 5 pounds in one night- no lie. Let me explain Hot Pot: Hot Pot is where you and some friends go to a restaurant and sit at this circular table that has a hot plate in the middle, where they put this bubbling, savory, steaming broth that has cilantro and spices, and lot and lots of msg. Then you order bunches of different foods, since we are Americans ours consisted of mainly meat, thinly sliced meat, and vegetables and tofu that you throw into this delicious broth. Every 10 minutes it seems like there is a new plate brought to the table, shrimp ( still squirming) skewers of thick junks of blood ( mmm, tastes like eggs), cabbage, 7 different styles of tofu ( shredded, chunked, sliced, dried, oh, the list can go on), and all these little red, rolled up meat slices that are so mmmm-delectable. Aaaand, I’m not even done. The best part is you go to this sauce bar thing and choose from all these different sauces, mix it with cilantro or garlic or chives, and dip all the food that has been simmering in the steamy broth in your own creative concoction. Am I using enough adjectives yet? The moral of the story is: it’s damn good. And then add some hot sake, all the beer you can drink, some sake bombs where you mix the beer and the sake together, plus some of your favorite people ever + your Bosses ( what-what?!) and you have a night to remember….or forget. What do I remember…oh yeah, befriending our waitress and pouring her a beer ( American friendliness right there), telling story after story of Chinese people’s attempts to cut in line ( the best is when they try and be sneaky and accidentally hit their head on the bar), trying really hard not to talk about work but not being to help ourselves, breaking a sake cup, watching Bree order 6 coconut milk milkshakes and Luke saying she was a coconut milk whore and then I laughed so hard I spit out my own coconut milk and it was just a huge coconut milk fiasco, and….well, I’ll stop there. It was great night, and I wish you all could’ve been there to join us. Greeting from China!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Better City, Better Life….blah blah blah blah
What do about a million touch screens, movies, short films, miles of text and long lines translate into? Well, showing the world how we can make a “Better city, Better life” of course! And I've got to admit, the pavilions I have been to have done incredible jobs of illustrating just this. Germany’s pavilion especially was impressive, with its models of whole communities that exist on solely solar power and their overwhelming urban garden culture. Germany had all the bells and whistles, the expensive technology, the radiant swinging tech ball of our future, a huge staff, snazzy uniforms. Everywhere I looked I was hit with a wave of information about how just on top of it Germany really is when it comes to all the latest power and world saving technology, they are the greenest of the green, truly reaching for that “Better city, Better Life.”
But yesterday I decided to go over and see my Namibian friends at their pavilion. Honestly, it’s not even really a pavilion; it’s just a booth in one big building called the African-Joint Pavilion. Through various random chance meetings on the bus and at the Expo, our friendship started and was helped along by their last Friday invitation to a cookout (with free organic Namibian steak!). They are some of the sweetest, most hospitable people I have ever met in my life. At their pavilion, my friend and I were led on a detailed tour by our Namibian friend about the different ethnicities and lifestyles that make up Namibia. I had done a bit of research before I came, and couldn’t help feel a little (ok, a lot) guilty to see that the country that had given me so much free steak and wine a couple nights before, was one of the poorest country’s in the world, with a 15% aids rate and approximately half of the population living underneath the international poverty line of $1.25 a day. Yet, this only made it…about 100 times more inspiring when Solly showed me their “Better City, Better life” efforts. Solly carefully explained to me that in Namibia they have many deserts and very little rainfall, and so sometimes trees are very hard to come by. So, to counter this, Namibians have started building houses literally out of sand: they make a wooden frame and fill it in with sand bags, then cover that with concrete, which gives the house great ventilation and insulation, and cuts down on timber use.
But what does this all mean? It means for the first time in their lives, people that have never had a home before… have a home. Wow. That was amazing to me. Just hearing Solly explaining in that soft, lilting voice that they all seem to have, “See? We have so much sand, we decided we had to find a way to use it, and so we created this kind of project. We haven’t been doing it for long, a few months, but it has been going so well, what do you thi…..?” Really, Germany’s pavilion is impressive, ok, Germany, you win. You’re the best at what you do, but the most inspiring? The one that left me with this warm feeling of, well yes, I think I might believe in this “better city, better life” junk after all. Sorry, that by far, goes to Namibia. Namibia, I love you.
But yesterday I decided to go over and see my Namibian friends at their pavilion. Honestly, it’s not even really a pavilion; it’s just a booth in one big building called the African-Joint Pavilion. Through various random chance meetings on the bus and at the Expo, our friendship started and was helped along by their last Friday invitation to a cookout (with free organic Namibian steak!). They are some of the sweetest, most hospitable people I have ever met in my life. At their pavilion, my friend and I were led on a detailed tour by our Namibian friend about the different ethnicities and lifestyles that make up Namibia. I had done a bit of research before I came, and couldn’t help feel a little (ok, a lot) guilty to see that the country that had given me so much free steak and wine a couple nights before, was one of the poorest country’s in the world, with a 15% aids rate and approximately half of the population living underneath the international poverty line of $1.25 a day. Yet, this only made it…about 100 times more inspiring when Solly showed me their “Better City, Better life” efforts. Solly carefully explained to me that in Namibia they have many deserts and very little rainfall, and so sometimes trees are very hard to come by. So, to counter this, Namibians have started building houses literally out of sand: they make a wooden frame and fill it in with sand bags, then cover that with concrete, which gives the house great ventilation and insulation, and cuts down on timber use.
But what does this all mean? It means for the first time in their lives, people that have never had a home before… have a home. Wow. That was amazing to me. Just hearing Solly explaining in that soft, lilting voice that they all seem to have, “See? We have so much sand, we decided we had to find a way to use it, and so we created this kind of project. We haven’t been doing it for long, a few months, but it has been going so well, what do you thi…..?” Really, Germany’s pavilion is impressive, ok, Germany, you win. You’re the best at what you do, but the most inspiring? The one that left me with this warm feeling of, well yes, I think I might believe in this “better city, better life” junk after all. Sorry, that by far, goes to Namibia. Namibia, I love you.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Hillary Clinton
So, I finally got to do what I boasted about for months, meet Hillary Clinton. Of course, the word “meeting” needs to be used liberally in this case, since I “met” her right alongside 75 other student ambassadors who had been painstakingly organized into the perfect photo op ever, and then expressly forbade to not “ever move your feet!” So I really just sort of peered at her over a friends shoulder. Though she very kindly gave us all the opportunity to say our names and where we were from, which added a bit to the whole idea of actually “meeting” her (since I did at least give her my name). All in all, it was a pretty neat moment, worth all the standing and waiting and being told to mind our manners, and don’t talk unless spoken to, and hearing seven different directions from seven different bosses. What is it about America that everyone seems to be in charge? Anyways, I would just like to say right now, for the record, that Hillary Clinton looks damn good for her age. I don’t know what she’s taking, what she’s doing, but wow, impressive.
Time for nap, write me guys and tell me how you’re all doing! I would love to skype my homies sometime, so let’s do it! Love you all.
Time for nap, write me guys and tell me how you’re all doing! I would love to skype my homies sometime, so let’s do it! Love you all.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Brasil!
Woke up this morning early to go on a “official visit” with our Commissioner General Jose Villareal to the Brasil Pavilion. So much fun. A wonderful woman named…Vivian( I think?) led us on a tour around the whole pavilion and then afterwards took us to the VIP lounge. They gave us delicious Brazilian food and dessert and real Brazilian coffee, and now I officially am going to Brazil, because from what I got from the pavilion it’s all bright colors, and dancing, and soccer, and delicious food there, sooo count me in! The Brazil Pavilion director and Protocol director were such friendly, hospitable people. It was so great to see how excited they were about teaching us about their culture and seeing our reaction to the food, and they gave us presents! A green and yellow soccer jersey and black notebooks with a Brasil label. A very nice morning…and now time for my afternoon nap. Peace.
America's Best Dance Crew
Hey, how do you keep over a thousand people waiting outside in the hot sun from killing each other (or possibly trying to pick up a stanchion and swing it at another person who cut in line, in the process knocking numerous people in the head and stepping on one older woman’s foot….of course a totally made up story here…..), anyways, it’s easy. Start a United States Dance Crew! Buy a pair of speakers from Wal-Mart, make a playlist full of classics like Thriller, Baby by Justin Bieber, Soldier Boy, and Single Ladies, put together carefully constructed choreographed dances full of booty poppin’, twist, turn, shake it girrrrl fun, and BAM! You’ve got a thousand very happy Chinese people smiling and taking your picture, and for a few short minutes…..
You feel like a total rock star.
So yep, this is the latest USAP innovations, we might hit the big screen, we’ve been taking some calls, talking to managers, I quit my day job. Nah, but it certainly has been shaking up the queue line, man, my absolute favorite is when we get the kids in the crowd involved. Today there was the absolute quintessential adorable little Chinese girl, probably about 2, who could dance like I’ve never seen, and I haven’t even gotten to how well she could sing the ABC’s. What talent. We all joined around her in the middle and (ironically) danced to Baby: “Like baby, baby, baby, ooooh, thought you’d always be mine” This may have been one of my best moments yet at the Pavilion, the whole crowd clapping in unison, and this little radiant Chinese girl waving her tiny fists, with us in a circle around her singing and clapping and dancing, I wanted to take her and show her and the crowd to all our critics and say: “ See, see how we’re making them smile? The U.S pavilion really isn’t so bad after all, don’t you think?”
Anyways, I wish I could stay and write more, but my roommate Becca and I are working night and day on some new routines ( currently “Single Ladies”), and we have some major choreographing to do. Sooooo, Peace!
You feel like a total rock star.
So yep, this is the latest USAP innovations, we might hit the big screen, we’ve been taking some calls, talking to managers, I quit my day job. Nah, but it certainly has been shaking up the queue line, man, my absolute favorite is when we get the kids in the crowd involved. Today there was the absolute quintessential adorable little Chinese girl, probably about 2, who could dance like I’ve never seen, and I haven’t even gotten to how well she could sing the ABC’s. What talent. We all joined around her in the middle and (ironically) danced to Baby: “Like baby, baby, baby, ooooh, thought you’d always be mine” This may have been one of my best moments yet at the Pavilion, the whole crowd clapping in unison, and this little radiant Chinese girl waving her tiny fists, with us in a circle around her singing and clapping and dancing, I wanted to take her and show her and the crowd to all our critics and say: “ See, see how we’re making them smile? The U.S pavilion really isn’t so bad after all, don’t you think?”
Anyways, I wish I could stay and write more, but my roommate Becca and I are working night and day on some new routines ( currently “Single Ladies”), and we have some major choreographing to do. Sooooo, Peace!
Friday, May 7, 2010
A Chinese newspaper tells my story
So, I just looked at a couple of Chinese newspapers, the China Daily and the Shanghai Daily. First of all, I was in the paper,(exciting!) secondly there was a main feature about the club Obama's opening night ( which I attended) and then a feature of several Expo Pavilions (all of which I'd been to). Lord, I felt like that paper had been written for me. I've been to latest hoppin club, work at the hottest spot in all of Shanghai ( not to mention the second most popular pavilion besides China, we're everywhere in the media, am I boasting too much now?), and live in my super fabulous apartment,...oh yeah, and me and the president are on a first name basis...ok, too far. Still, I'm not sure if I could possibly live life to the fullest an ounce more in Shanghai, I'm pretty much rocking it out.
Where am I going with this again except to sound like an ostentatious American...oh yeah. The fact is, I can't think of any place I'd rather be right now besides the mountains of South East America at LEAF, or with my family at our little farm cooking out on the back porch, and DON'T even get me started on how I would kill for a day at the lake. Yes, Shanghai is a fancy place, and it does feel very glamorous to be gracing the pages of top newspapers, and meeting important people, and sitting at my balcony looking at a city night lit up with a million colored lights...but that’s the thing about China, it's all about the flash; lots of variety, 15 different colored lights on one bridge, ktv, Obama clubs, girls with pink tights and yellow sneakers and purple hair, and yet, all of these things dissapear...in a flash. So much change, new rules every day, a club shuts down another opens, a new store popping up on every corner, construction everywhere. It's overwhelming. They can laugh at me as much as they want, but I do miss my simple farm. Because sometimes a day in the mountains is better than any Lady Gaga blaring, model littered, champagne sugar daddy drinking play boys Obama club. But, aside from that, here are a few pictures to show you my life here in Shanghai these last couple weeks.
Where am I going with this again except to sound like an ostentatious American...oh yeah. The fact is, I can't think of any place I'd rather be right now besides the mountains of South East America at LEAF, or with my family at our little farm cooking out on the back porch, and DON'T even get me started on how I would kill for a day at the lake. Yes, Shanghai is a fancy place, and it does feel very glamorous to be gracing the pages of top newspapers, and meeting important people, and sitting at my balcony looking at a city night lit up with a million colored lights...but that’s the thing about China, it's all about the flash; lots of variety, 15 different colored lights on one bridge, ktv, Obama clubs, girls with pink tights and yellow sneakers and purple hair, and yet, all of these things dissapear...in a flash. So much change, new rules every day, a club shuts down another opens, a new store popping up on every corner, construction everywhere. It's overwhelming. They can laugh at me as much as they want, but I do miss my simple farm. Because sometimes a day in the mountains is better than any Lady Gaga blaring, model littered, champagne sugar daddy drinking play boys Obama club. But, aside from that, here are a few pictures to show you my life here in Shanghai these last couple weeks.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
SA in the News
Check it out!
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTcwMjU0MDgw.html
and one more:
http://www.fotoglif.com/f/acz6mbc1t0i8
Now off to work!
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTcwMjU0MDgw.html
and one more:
http://www.fotoglif.com/f/acz6mbc1t0i8
Now off to work!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
No Big Deal...
I feel like I’m about to tell the biggest “no big deal” of my life right now. This might quite possibly be it. Here we go.
Hey, no big deal, I only met THE PRESIDENT OF CHINA TODAY!!! The President.of.China.
I’m still in shock. Seriously. I mean, who can say that on their first trip to China, THEY ALSO MEET THE PRESIDENT?? Ok, I’ll cut back on the caps lock now, this is just the ONLY way I feel I can describe how amazing this was. How absolutely RARE and UNBELIEVABLE this is. Just in case some of you don’t understand this, NOT MANY people will ever have the chance to meet the PRESIDENT of China, Hu Jintao, and I for one, intend to treat it as a definite caps lock worthy subject. Anyways!
Let me explain how this went down. Those working in the VIP got an email last night at around midnight saying a very high level VIP would be coming into the Pavilion tomorrow and that we would need to wear our uniforms. The phone calls and texting started, all of us wondering who could be so high level that we were receiving email after email past midnight about uniforms, and times, and details of the next day, and then….someone let it slip: Hu Jintao. One ambassador had gone out of town to see his girlfriend’s family and he took the slow train the whole night, just to make it back to get the chance to meet the President. People were freaking out…and I’ll be honest, I know I should’ve been in bed, getting a good night’s rest…but I went out dancing. Hey, you only live once right? I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Ok, I’ll admit, I felt a little like dying this morning at 6:45, and did consider giving up the whole idea of meeting the president just for a few more hours of sleep, but some smarter, wiser Heather told my sleep-dumb mind that that could possibly be one of the worst mistakes of my life. And thank God for small miracles.
After preparing, and practicing, and rehearsing, the entire morning till 1 pm, standing up-sitting down-clap here-don’t do this-really, really don’t do that-Please Lord don’t do this or that-and if you do this you might be jumped by 30 security guards and never recover or walk the same way again ( don’t worry, I didn’t do this), finally we sat in the theater as instructed, 25 ambassadors with shaky palms, and starched uniforms, perched in 3 rows ( as instructed), name tags on, smiles frozen, and waited 15 long, long minutes, for the first sight of the entourage coming through the door that would be our cue to stand up and applaud. After several, heart-stopping, lose your breath FALSE starts that were caused by rather thoughtless staff members, we finally saw, or rather gaped at the huge, black mob of suited Chinese women and men that flooded through those doors like a monsoon in March. And the lights. The lights were blinding, the media swarming us with their loud, flashing bulbs and camera’s the size of the people carrying them, turning this way and that, down our rows, inches from our faces, and we just kept clapping and clapping, my face frozen into a (God knows what type of) smile, until he was right there. Right smack dab in the middle of the tens of translators and handlers, and politicians, standing there with our Commissioner General. One of the most powerful men in the whole world, and he was smiling and nodding at us and reaching out his hand to shake mine, my hand! And then on down the line, and the whole time I can’t stop smiling or doing some weird little nodding thing with my head, up and down, up and down. The moment was so surreal. I need to just click, save that one moment in my mind, not a picture ( lord knows there has to be plenty of those, I’ve been seeing lights behind my eyes all day) but rather that rush of dream-like feeling, where everything became slowed down to that one, single moment….too dramatic? I don’t know. That’s how it felt.
Every where I went today, I wanted to tell them, hey, I met your president! No big deal, he shook my hand, I’m sorry, yes you heard that right, your president, the president of the entire country of China, right, right a man that rules over a fourth of the world’s population, exactly, well…he shook my hand, oh right, I already mentioned that,um.. so anyways, how much is this mango?
Ok. I’m done. Do you think this is cool? Am I gushing too much? All I know is that I’m laminating my hand. Right. Now.
The.End.
The End.
Hey, no big deal, I only met THE PRESIDENT OF CHINA TODAY!!! The President.of.China.
I’m still in shock. Seriously. I mean, who can say that on their first trip to China, THEY ALSO MEET THE PRESIDENT?? Ok, I’ll cut back on the caps lock now, this is just the ONLY way I feel I can describe how amazing this was. How absolutely RARE and UNBELIEVABLE this is. Just in case some of you don’t understand this, NOT MANY people will ever have the chance to meet the PRESIDENT of China, Hu Jintao, and I for one, intend to treat it as a definite caps lock worthy subject. Anyways!
Let me explain how this went down. Those working in the VIP got an email last night at around midnight saying a very high level VIP would be coming into the Pavilion tomorrow and that we would need to wear our uniforms. The phone calls and texting started, all of us wondering who could be so high level that we were receiving email after email past midnight about uniforms, and times, and details of the next day, and then….someone let it slip: Hu Jintao. One ambassador had gone out of town to see his girlfriend’s family and he took the slow train the whole night, just to make it back to get the chance to meet the President. People were freaking out…and I’ll be honest, I know I should’ve been in bed, getting a good night’s rest…but I went out dancing. Hey, you only live once right? I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Ok, I’ll admit, I felt a little like dying this morning at 6:45, and did consider giving up the whole idea of meeting the president just for a few more hours of sleep, but some smarter, wiser Heather told my sleep-dumb mind that that could possibly be one of the worst mistakes of my life. And thank God for small miracles.
After preparing, and practicing, and rehearsing, the entire morning till 1 pm, standing up-sitting down-clap here-don’t do this-really, really don’t do that-Please Lord don’t do this or that-and if you do this you might be jumped by 30 security guards and never recover or walk the same way again ( don’t worry, I didn’t do this), finally we sat in the theater as instructed, 25 ambassadors with shaky palms, and starched uniforms, perched in 3 rows ( as instructed), name tags on, smiles frozen, and waited 15 long, long minutes, for the first sight of the entourage coming through the door that would be our cue to stand up and applaud. After several, heart-stopping, lose your breath FALSE starts that were caused by rather thoughtless staff members, we finally saw, or rather gaped at the huge, black mob of suited Chinese women and men that flooded through those doors like a monsoon in March. And the lights. The lights were blinding, the media swarming us with their loud, flashing bulbs and camera’s the size of the people carrying them, turning this way and that, down our rows, inches from our faces, and we just kept clapping and clapping, my face frozen into a (God knows what type of) smile, until he was right there. Right smack dab in the middle of the tens of translators and handlers, and politicians, standing there with our Commissioner General. One of the most powerful men in the whole world, and he was smiling and nodding at us and reaching out his hand to shake mine, my hand! And then on down the line, and the whole time I can’t stop smiling or doing some weird little nodding thing with my head, up and down, up and down. The moment was so surreal. I need to just click, save that one moment in my mind, not a picture ( lord knows there has to be plenty of those, I’ve been seeing lights behind my eyes all day) but rather that rush of dream-like feeling, where everything became slowed down to that one, single moment….too dramatic? I don’t know. That’s how it felt.
Every where I went today, I wanted to tell them, hey, I met your president! No big deal, he shook my hand, I’m sorry, yes you heard that right, your president, the president of the entire country of China, right, right a man that rules over a fourth of the world’s population, exactly, well…he shook my hand, oh right, I already mentioned that,um.. so anyways, how much is this mango?
Ok. I’m done. Do you think this is cool? Am I gushing too much? All I know is that I’m laminating my hand. Right. Now.
The.End.
The End.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Expo Village
So, I just learned today, that after the Expo wraps up and all the foreigners head home, they're selling the apartments in the Expo village from 800,000 to 1 million U.S dollars. That is so insane to me, that I am living in a million dollar apartment right now, in Shanghai. So, to all you second session ambassadors, that should get you pumped for our living situation. Not only that, the Expo village in itself is such a cool thing, it really is a village. The whole thing is gated off from surrounding Pudong, and it has spa's, coffee shops, restaurants, pizza parlors, convenience stores, everything, really, that you could want in your own mini village. Plus, it's incredibly safe, you have to go through a metal detector before you can even get in. All around, a pretty neat place.
Of course, then there's the Expo itself, which is slowly starting to dawn on me, how massive this whole thing is going to be. I mean, we're only on the "soft opening" right now, and the crowds are ridiculous, surging through the expo with their cell phones and camera's, the pushing and shoving in the bus alone is enough to make you cringe, but then there's the mayhem that often occurs waiting in line for these Pavilions. The line's are ridiculous, they wrap around the pavilions, and can last up to 4 hours or more. Thank goodness, there's somewhat of a ( another soft word) "soft agreement" between all the ambassadors, that we'll let each other bypass the lines. Hopefully we can get this to work so I can see these AMAZING pavilions. We're talking, INCREDIBLE mind-blowing structures, the pictures I posted don't even begin to describe the intricacy, and massiveness of these things. I could stare at the UK ( the one that looks like a porcupine) all day long and still not wrap my mind around the fact that what I'm staring at is actually real. Everything is so surreal...and just utterly massive.
Another great thing about this trip, is how warm and inviting all the Expats and people at the Consulate have been. Yesterday we went to the U.S consulate for lunch, an American-style BBQ complete with baked beans and Krispie Kreme donuts. The consulate is in the center of Shanghai, and is completly walled in, it's the strangest thing to walk from the bustling, noisy downtown Shanghai into a little green, shady, tree-lined oasis of the U.S Consulate, with it's Old South style mansion and large green lawn. Very American, but with very Chinese elements still. Anyways, all of the officers were very welcoming and friendly and gave us their business cards, shook our hands, offered advice, and we got to meet Consul General Beatrice Camp.
In other news, we all have the day off tomorrow, but soon the real work will start, and we will all begin our jobs of manning the masses, some downtairs, and others ( like me) up in the VIP lounge. I know this is a great oppurtunity to meet people as well as practice my Chinese, but to be honest, all I want to do is stroll around Shanghai, periodically stopping to eat delicious Chinese food, and really doing nothing at all. But...I guess I'm not getting my million dollar apartment for free....
Of course, then there's the Expo itself, which is slowly starting to dawn on me, how massive this whole thing is going to be. I mean, we're only on the "soft opening" right now, and the crowds are ridiculous, surging through the expo with their cell phones and camera's, the pushing and shoving in the bus alone is enough to make you cringe, but then there's the mayhem that often occurs waiting in line for these Pavilions. The line's are ridiculous, they wrap around the pavilions, and can last up to 4 hours or more. Thank goodness, there's somewhat of a ( another soft word) "soft agreement" between all the ambassadors, that we'll let each other bypass the lines. Hopefully we can get this to work so I can see these AMAZING pavilions. We're talking, INCREDIBLE mind-blowing structures, the pictures I posted don't even begin to describe the intricacy, and massiveness of these things. I could stare at the UK ( the one that looks like a porcupine) all day long and still not wrap my mind around the fact that what I'm staring at is actually real. Everything is so surreal...and just utterly massive.
Another great thing about this trip, is how warm and inviting all the Expats and people at the Consulate have been. Yesterday we went to the U.S consulate for lunch, an American-style BBQ complete with baked beans and Krispie Kreme donuts. The consulate is in the center of Shanghai, and is completly walled in, it's the strangest thing to walk from the bustling, noisy downtown Shanghai into a little green, shady, tree-lined oasis of the U.S Consulate, with it's Old South style mansion and large green lawn. Very American, but with very Chinese elements still. Anyways, all of the officers were very welcoming and friendly and gave us their business cards, shook our hands, offered advice, and we got to meet Consul General Beatrice Camp.
In other news, we all have the day off tomorrow, but soon the real work will start, and we will all begin our jobs of manning the masses, some downtairs, and others ( like me) up in the VIP lounge. I know this is a great oppurtunity to meet people as well as practice my Chinese, but to be honest, all I want to do is stroll around Shanghai, periodically stopping to eat delicious Chinese food, and really doing nothing at all. But...I guess I'm not getting my million dollar apartment for free....
Thursday, April 22, 2010
To all my dear, dear readers
Hey quick post. I just wanted to say thank you so much for reading! I don't know how to respond to comments, I don't think it let's me comment on my own post, but to second session ambassadors I will try and tell you as much as I can about this session, I really think you're going to love it, even if it is taxing. And then to all my friends, I love you and miss you! And if you want to talk to me and hear me respond, email me. Yay Kathy for finding my blog...finally. Ok, off to Karoke Bar!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
My hair-cut adventure
Today I accidentally gave a lesbian my number.
Let me explain:
It all started when I went to get my haircut. I caught the 758 bus on Pudong Road and stopped at a salon that looked reasonably nice. I was graciously taken to the back where they washed and conditioned my hair in delicious smelling soaps and then a wonderful massage, all the while I practiced my Chinese….while they laughed at me. Then this very gay Chinese man gave me a terrific haircut, which was impressive since my only hair-cut vocabulary words are “short” and “long” and “yes, I have red hair, yes, thank you, yes.” And then, in response to my broken sentences and pitiful attempts the whole store joined in to help me, an 11 year old boy was thrust in my face and in response to my “can you tell him I want bangs?” repeated over and over “I am in middle school, where you live please?” while everyone looked eagerly from him to me and then to him again. Finally, this one girl figured out the answer, she texted in Chinese on my phone (it’s much easier for me to read Chinese sometimes than to understand it spoken) and to everyone’s great happiness, I was able to communicate “side bangs with layers please, but keep the length.” Ta Da! However…..somehow in the chaos I told this girl (who was dressed like a boy for a reason) that it was alright for her to enter my number (remember she was holding my phone trying to communicate with me) into her phone. By the time I realized 1. she was a lesbian and 2. she was possibly trying to hit on me, scrap that, DEFINITELY trying to hit on me…..the damage was done. And when I finally made it back to my apartment I just received a nice little “ 你到了世博公寓了吗？or “ did you make it back to you’re apartment?” Yep. That’s right. And when I ignored it, she CALLED me. Why does this always happen to me?? Plus, she doesn’t speak English, and I don’t really know how to say in Chinese “you seem very nice, but not my type…I like men, thank you though, I’m flattered really, but if you could actually erase my number and never contact me again, that would be so nice, xie xie ni.”
In other news. Another full day at the U.S pavilion, my Chinese is improving, but slowly. It’s frustrating to say the same things over and over, and never have the time to have more in-depth conversations at the turnstiles. And then, when I do go out on my own ( like today) and try and learn from people around me, it seems they think I’m either hitting on them or crazy or need help and panic or walk away. Sad. But nevertheless, I’m not giving up! I am texting in Chinese, talking to my ambassador friends in Chinese, to the bus driver, pedestrians, little dogs, babies, friendly old women, I am forcing everyone to help me learn this language!
Let me explain:
It all started when I went to get my haircut. I caught the 758 bus on Pudong Road and stopped at a salon that looked reasonably nice. I was graciously taken to the back where they washed and conditioned my hair in delicious smelling soaps and then a wonderful massage, all the while I practiced my Chinese….while they laughed at me. Then this very gay Chinese man gave me a terrific haircut, which was impressive since my only hair-cut vocabulary words are “short” and “long” and “yes, I have red hair, yes, thank you, yes.” And then, in response to my broken sentences and pitiful attempts the whole store joined in to help me, an 11 year old boy was thrust in my face and in response to my “can you tell him I want bangs?” repeated over and over “I am in middle school, where you live please?” while everyone looked eagerly from him to me and then to him again. Finally, this one girl figured out the answer, she texted in Chinese on my phone (it’s much easier for me to read Chinese sometimes than to understand it spoken) and to everyone’s great happiness, I was able to communicate “side bangs with layers please, but keep the length.” Ta Da! However…..somehow in the chaos I told this girl (who was dressed like a boy for a reason) that it was alright for her to enter my number (remember she was holding my phone trying to communicate with me) into her phone. By the time I realized 1. she was a lesbian and 2. she was possibly trying to hit on me, scrap that, DEFINITELY trying to hit on me…..the damage was done. And when I finally made it back to my apartment I just received a nice little “ 你到了世博公寓了吗？or “ did you make it back to you’re apartment?” Yep. That’s right. And when I ignored it, she CALLED me. Why does this always happen to me?? Plus, she doesn’t speak English, and I don’t really know how to say in Chinese “you seem very nice, but not my type…I like men, thank you though, I’m flattered really, but if you could actually erase my number and never contact me again, that would be so nice, xie xie ni.”
In other news. Another full day at the U.S pavilion, my Chinese is improving, but slowly. It’s frustrating to say the same things over and over, and never have the time to have more in-depth conversations at the turnstiles. And then, when I do go out on my own ( like today) and try and learn from people around me, it seems they think I’m either hitting on them or crazy or need help and panic or walk away. Sad. But nevertheless, I’m not giving up! I am texting in Chinese, talking to my ambassador friends in Chinese, to the bus driver, pedestrians, little dogs, babies, friendly old women, I am forcing everyone to help me learn this language!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Today was a looong day full of training, and rain and really uncomfortable shoes. We opened the U.S pavilion today to a small group of only(yeah right)200,000 Chinese people. Which seems like it would be great fun, which it
was a bit, saying 你好 and 谢谢来过没过关 a million times to smiling Chinese people and they're cherubic babies....except when it wasn't fun at all and they started pushing and yelling about the long lines and demanding to know why we weren't opening the whole pavilion and then an 80 year old Chinese grandma cursed you out...in three different dialects. Or when the bus stopped working ( NOTHING is reliable in China) and we had to walk back in the rain 3 miles.
Anyways! Let's see, on the flip side, I went out to another club last night full of more movie star people. One of my ambassador friends called the club scene "conspicuous consumption" as in, Chinese clubbing is all about looking the part, drinking the top shelf vodka, name brand plastered where all can see, chain smoking cigarettes, tossing your expensive haircut as you lounge in the pink cushions that light up somehow with a girl in a white and black striped dress perched on your arm looking disdainfully down at the rabble around you both, and then one more long drag on you're Chinese clove that is rotting your lungs but it's worth it because you just.look.so.cool.
But I love the clubs. Lord, there was this one part where a girl ( or guy? you can never tell in the
clubbb) did this thing to loud music where she danced and "played" a keyboard ( that looked like a guitar?) and it shot out sparking fireworks from the end. And. it.got.on.me. not kidding! It freakin burned me and left black char on my arm! Which was freaking awesome! Really kinda added to the whole experience, like yeahh dance to this
musicc, shortie call 91- what the heck! That girl's got fireworks!! THey're everywhere!! Look how pretty they are, fireworks inside, who woulda thoug- Holy F@#$ I'm on F@#$ing fire!!!( and then I'm screaming and swatting my arm like a crazy person) urhmm. Yeah, embarrassingly enough, that's kinda how it went down.
Ok. too tired to breathe. must go to bed. night.
was a bit, saying 你好 and 谢谢来过没过关 a million times to smiling Chinese people and they're cherubic babies....except when it wasn't fun at all and they started pushing and yelling about the long lines and demanding to know why we weren't opening the whole pavilion and then an 80 year old Chinese grandma cursed you out...in three different dialects. Or when the bus stopped working ( NOTHING is reliable in China) and we had to walk back in the rain 3 miles.
Anyways! Let's see, on the flip side, I went out to another club last night full of more movie star people. One of my ambassador friends called the club scene "conspicuous consumption" as in, Chinese clubbing is all about looking the part, drinking the top shelf vodka, name brand plastered where all can see, chain smoking cigarettes, tossing your expensive haircut as you lounge in the pink cushions that light up somehow with a girl in a white and black striped dress perched on your arm looking disdainfully down at the rabble around you both, and then one more long drag on you're Chinese clove that is rotting your lungs but it's worth it because you just.look.so.cool.
But I love the clubs. Lord, there was this one part where a girl ( or guy? you can never tell in the
clubbb) did this thing to loud music where she danced and "played" a keyboard ( that looked like a guitar?) and it shot out sparking fireworks from the end. And. it.got.on.me. not kidding! It freakin burned me and left black char on my arm! Which was freaking awesome! Really kinda added to the whole experience, like yeahh dance to this
musicc, shortie call 91- what the heck! That girl's got fireworks!! THey're everywhere!! Look how pretty they are, fireworks inside, who woulda thoug- Holy F@#$ I'm on F@#$ing fire!!!( and then I'm screaming and swatting my arm like a crazy person) urhmm. Yeah, embarrassingly enough, that's kinda how it went down.
Ok. too tired to breathe. must go to bed. night.
Monday, April 19, 2010
First of all, Lauren, you cannot even say these pavilions are ugly, ok so maybe the picture background is a little dark ( it was raining) and gloomy and there is clutter everywhere, but these pavilions are amazing. The China pavilion is so extravagantly large you have to blink your eyes a few times to make sure you're not dreaming. And alright, so maybe the U.S pavilion is a little underwhelming ( a few cracks I've heard, outlet mall, movie theater...), but still, pretty neat in that all of these pavilions will be completely torn down in 9 months. Ironic huh? An exposition that's theme is sustainable living and respecting the environment is TEARING down hundreds of buildings after using them for only 9 months. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of buildings...bulldozed. Go Earth.
Anyways, today we spent the whole day training on protocol. In China there are so many rules to approaching dealing with officials and people of importance, and each other in general. Terms like "guanxi" and "mianzi" control all aspects of relationships, that is offering favors and saving face. But aside from China, I don't think that we Americans ( or people from the States) even understand the complexity of U.S government officials. Our government is made up of so many different rankings, it's like being a movie star but with power people don't see as easily. Yeah, it's a lot like being like a movie star actually, officials have large entourages, they expect very preferential treatment, they have certain titles, gift-giving is expected, one must greet one official with another official of the same or higher ranking, the list goes on. I guess this is the real world, it's all about who you are, who you know, and in China....who get's the best gift. And in the midst of all this, I will be quietly in the background holding their coats and umbrellas. But at least I'll be taller :)
Anyways, today we spent the whole day training on protocol. In China there are so many rules to approaching dealing with officials and people of importance, and each other in general. Terms like "guanxi" and "mianzi" control all aspects of relationships, that is offering favors and saving face. But aside from China, I don't think that we Americans ( or people from the States) even understand the complexity of U.S government officials. Our government is made up of so many different rankings, it's like being a movie star but with power people don't see as easily. Yeah, it's a lot like being like a movie star actually, officials have large entourages, they expect very preferential treatment, they have certain titles, gift-giving is expected, one must greet one official with another official of the same or higher ranking, the list goes on. I guess this is the real world, it's all about who you are, who you know, and in China....who get's the best gift. And in the midst of all this, I will be quietly in the background holding their coats and umbrellas. But at least I'll be taller :)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
A night in Shanghai
你们好！Hello again, thank you for your comments, I'm so happy people are reading my blog ( well at least 3) haha. Just to let you know, I can't use facebook, so don't expect any posts or comments from me on there :( I can only communicate with this blog, webmail, and skype, but that's enough right? Why can I not post pictures right now?? So annoying. I want to post pics of some of the expo sites! Ok, that will just have to come later then.
Let's see, well, I went out two nights ago. To a Chinese Club in downtown Shanghai. It was insane. I.can.not.even.explain.it There were several times I had to pinch myself and say, am I really here? Is this happening?? Let me try to explain it, first of all ridiculous glittering magnificence everywhere, from the glowing bar counter top, to the sparkling chandaliers, to the bubbling jacuzzi in the club, and of course tens of fabulous looking chinese girls in their full get up and Chinese men in their suits looking super dapper. And did I mention these Chinese men really love american women? I'm not trying to be conceited, it's just really true. Probably because we're novel, it's just the same with American girls and Australian men, right? Anyways, they invited us back to the VIP lounge where we drank green tea with whiskey and did shots, and talked about international travel, and each other's businesses and thoughts on the economy ( which for me, despite my major, are very little). And then, leaving the club at 4 am with our group of 10, grabbing a taxi and driving through the city, ablaze with lights as far as I could see, and leaning up against the window, my head still pulsating from the techno music, and my body warm from shots of unnamed fiery liquids ( sorry Mom). Well, I just felt so damn cool.
A few quick things: I got assigned working in the VIP lounge at the US pavilion which is awesome because I'll be dealing with celebrities, dignitaries, other ambassadors, and all around pretty important people. I might even get to meet Michelle Obama! Secondly, Kong Pao Chicken is my new favorite dish ( the peanuts are delicious) and lastly, I miss my friends so much :( and I wish you were all here to experience this with me, ( Michael what's your email address so I can write you!?). On that note, 再见！
Let's see, well, I went out two nights ago. To a Chinese Club in downtown Shanghai. It was insane. I.can.not.even.explain.it There were several times I had to pinch myself and say, am I really here? Is this happening?? Let me try to explain it, first of all ridiculous glittering magnificence everywhere, from the glowing bar counter top, to the sparkling chandaliers, to the bubbling jacuzzi in the club, and of course tens of fabulous looking chinese girls in their full get up and Chinese men in their suits looking super dapper. And did I mention these Chinese men really love american women? I'm not trying to be conceited, it's just really true. Probably because we're novel, it's just the same with American girls and Australian men, right? Anyways, they invited us back to the VIP lounge where we drank green tea with whiskey and did shots, and talked about international travel, and each other's businesses and thoughts on the economy ( which for me, despite my major, are very little). And then, leaving the club at 4 am with our group of 10, grabbing a taxi and driving through the city, ablaze with lights as far as I could see, and leaning up against the window, my head still pulsating from the techno music, and my body warm from shots of unnamed fiery liquids ( sorry Mom). Well, I just felt so damn cool.
A few quick things: I got assigned working in the VIP lounge at the US pavilion which is awesome because I'll be dealing with celebrities, dignitaries, other ambassadors, and all around pretty important people. I might even get to meet Michelle Obama! Secondly, Kong Pao Chicken is my new favorite dish ( the peanuts are delicious) and lastly, I miss my friends so much :( and I wish you were all here to experience this with me, ( Michael what's your email address so I can write you!?). On that note, 再见！
Saturday, April 17, 2010
A quick word
Saturday,
My sleeping is all messed up. I wish I could be strong, like the others, and battle through till a decent hour like 8 or 9 pm. I wish that I had held to my plans tonight, meet in the lobby at 6, go to China Mobile, get a phone, go get a fabulous Chinese dinner, instead of: falling into bed at 5 for a “nap” then wordlessly frantically shooing away my friends when they came to wake me and snuggling deeper into my pillows only to wake up at 9, having missed it all. And that would also explain why I’m wide awake at 3 am. I have GOT to get better at this.
So, about China. First of all I can’t believe I’m here. And secondly I really should stop saying that aloud, because apparently I’m the only one in this group who hasn’t been before so then they look at me with shocked expressions: you’ve never been to China?! And then will follow, “Have you ever been on an international flight?! Do you ever leave the country? Have you left South Carolina before?!!! As if not being to China and not leaving the farm are distinctly connected. So, I try not to mention this too much, and if I do I might say, Wow China sure is different from Thailand! You know, my OTHER world travel trip, just to go ahead and cut the crap quick.
China to me, is a little like a slightly more cartoonish world. Well, obviously it’s more than that, it’s a major world power, with some very intimidating buildings, and very important people, but all that aside it really is very much like a cartoon. Firstly, it might be because “Haibao” the little Expo mascot is plastered up on walls everywhere, his bright blue toothpaste self smiling down at me from every spare inch of China. Or the fact that over here it is perfectly normal to have signs in round, pink lettering, on a little squat convenience store, lining a little squat street that all also have round or square lettering in similar cartoon colors. Bikes are everywhere, piled with people, children and huge piles of wood. And also, another MAJOR fact about what I always dreamed a cartoon world would be like, everyone here likes me! At least I’m pretty sure, I mean, they all smile at me, albeit sometimes that smiling is laughing behind their hands while I struggle to hold a chopstick, but it all seems very friendly, and nice, and like they think I’m cute, maybe a little too tall, but cute. And then, I haven’t even mentioned the Exposition itself! It’s like one magnificent cartoon (granted I haven’t seen it for myself yet) but all the pictures and models and explanations I’ve heard in training describes the Expo as nothing but these magnificent colored buildings that offer incredible surround sound media and mind-blowing visual stimuli and MORE friendly people and A LOT MORE colorful signs in round lettering, the perfect cartoon world. Ok, too much on this analogy, moving on.
I’ve heard now, from a few people, what their first trip to China was like. To sum it up, when they got off the airplane it was to get into a train that took them to their small hostel or dorm where they didn’t know anyone, and their room was too small and they were struggling with a map, and to understand Chinese to survive, and to make friends and…well. This wasn’t’ how it has been for this student ambassador group at all. On the contrary, it has rather been like Heaven. We got picked up by a large bus, by the very warm, welcoming management team from the U.S Pavilion, our luggage was taken care of for us, and then we were taken to the RIDICULOUSLY nice Expo village, handed our keys, and presented to our beautiful apartments. Where everything we could want was already on the gleaming, just installed counter, from the bright, white towels in our closet, to the sparkling new pots and pans in the kitchen, the flashlights and soap and shampoo and water bottles all waiting for us like little practical welcoming gifts, that in my excited, frenzied state gave me a feeling not unlike Christmas morning. .
Ok, will write more later. Here are some pics of my apartment, enjoy! Zai jian!
My sleeping is all messed up. I wish I could be strong, like the others, and battle through till a decent hour like 8 or 9 pm. I wish that I had held to my plans tonight, meet in the lobby at 6, go to China Mobile, get a phone, go get a fabulous Chinese dinner, instead of: falling into bed at 5 for a “nap” then wordlessly frantically shooing away my friends when they came to wake me and snuggling deeper into my pillows only to wake up at 9, having missed it all. And that would also explain why I’m wide awake at 3 am. I have GOT to get better at this.
So, about China. First of all I can’t believe I’m here. And secondly I really should stop saying that aloud, because apparently I’m the only one in this group who hasn’t been before so then they look at me with shocked expressions: you’ve never been to China?! And then will follow, “Have you ever been on an international flight?! Do you ever leave the country? Have you left South Carolina before?!!! As if not being to China and not leaving the farm are distinctly connected. So, I try not to mention this too much, and if I do I might say, Wow China sure is different from Thailand! You know, my OTHER world travel trip, just to go ahead and cut the crap quick.
China to me, is a little like a slightly more cartoonish world. Well, obviously it’s more than that, it’s a major world power, with some very intimidating buildings, and very important people, but all that aside it really is very much like a cartoon. Firstly, it might be because “Haibao” the little Expo mascot is plastered up on walls everywhere, his bright blue toothpaste self smiling down at me from every spare inch of China. Or the fact that over here it is perfectly normal to have signs in round, pink lettering, on a little squat convenience store, lining a little squat street that all also have round or square lettering in similar cartoon colors. Bikes are everywhere, piled with people, children and huge piles of wood. And also, another MAJOR fact about what I always dreamed a cartoon world would be like, everyone here likes me! At least I’m pretty sure, I mean, they all smile at me, albeit sometimes that smiling is laughing behind their hands while I struggle to hold a chopstick, but it all seems very friendly, and nice, and like they think I’m cute, maybe a little too tall, but cute. And then, I haven’t even mentioned the Exposition itself! It’s like one magnificent cartoon (granted I haven’t seen it for myself yet) but all the pictures and models and explanations I’ve heard in training describes the Expo as nothing but these magnificent colored buildings that offer incredible surround sound media and mind-blowing visual stimuli and MORE friendly people and A LOT MORE colorful signs in round lettering, the perfect cartoon world. Ok, too much on this analogy, moving on.
I’ve heard now, from a few people, what their first trip to China was like. To sum it up, when they got off the airplane it was to get into a train that took them to their small hostel or dorm where they didn’t know anyone, and their room was too small and they were struggling with a map, and to understand Chinese to survive, and to make friends and…well. This wasn’t’ how it has been for this student ambassador group at all. On the contrary, it has rather been like Heaven. We got picked up by a large bus, by the very warm, welcoming management team from the U.S Pavilion, our luggage was taken care of for us, and then we were taken to the RIDICULOUSLY nice Expo village, handed our keys, and presented to our beautiful apartments. Where everything we could want was already on the gleaming, just installed counter, from the bright, white towels in our closet, to the sparkling new pots and pans in the kitchen, the flashlights and soap and shampoo and water bottles all waiting for us like little practical welcoming gifts, that in my excited, frenzied state gave me a feeling not unlike Christmas morning. .
Ok, will write more later. Here are some pics of my apartment, enjoy! Zai jian!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Anticipation
First Blog start now. I have eight days till I leave for Shanghai, and to be honest, all I can think about are my exams....and possibly getting a pulmonary embolism on the flight over???( yeah, my compassionate friends have been very kindly planting possibility's in my mind.) Ironically, I'm writing this blog while sitting in a Chinese class....a class I should probably be paying rapt attention to, I mean, I only need to be fluent in eight days, and giving fluent tours in Chinese, and possibly my life will depend on my language ability if I get lost in the city, or maybe someones ELSE'S life could depend on my Chinese ability, like a lost tourist, who got lost on their way to the Australian exhibit, but happened to trip over a runaway cat and has broken their leg and if I had only listened that fateful Tuesday in that fateful class I could be helping...ok. that's it. I'm out.
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