Things have been insanely busy here in Tianjin. Most likely, I'll get back to blogging more consistently when I return to Canada. I will keep a journal though so the memories will be fresh and authentic. I'm still alive just in case there is any doubts out there!
Upcoming topics:
Beach Vacation,
American Independence Day in China,
The Show at the Orphanage
Aaaand oh so much more.
P.S. When living in China, there's not a dull moment!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Car Clubs - All the cool kids are doing it
With China’s booming economy, the apple of everyone’s eyes seem to be cars. However, in China, car clubs take automobile appreciation to the next level. I have not heard of such clubs for “ordinary” cars in Canada though similar groups exist for antiques, hummers or other luxury vehicles.
My colleague Darleen and her husband are both members of a Tianjin car club. All of the members are fans of a certain Japanese car brand which we do not have in Canada. The logo of this car is a “1” and all of the models I have seen so far are very similar. Each member of the car club has exactly the same model of car, the only differences between member cars are colours and side decals.
The members of the car club (numbering over 1000) are from all walks of life. For example, at the wedding mentioned in an earlier post, the MC for the event was a member of the car club. Also, Darleen and her husband were invited because they are members of the car club. Thus, club thus works as a good guanxi network as exhibited by the MC who gave the wedding party a special discount price! Online, members discuss good travel and tourism areas, great restaurants within Tianjin and they frequently plan get together events at restaurants, badminton courts and KTV parlours.
Most of the cars belonging to this club have two-way radio systems installed in the dashboard. This allows members to communicate easily between all member cars when they go on an outing together. Thus, to facilitate this system, all or most of the cars have a large antenna which is affixed to the hood of the car magnetically.
From my outings with Darleen, the car club is like an extended family where all members initially share the same interests in the same model of car. This interest unites the group
who find other similar interests together that go beyond the car. It seems like a lot of good friendships have blossomed out of the appreciation for cars. Thankfully, big SUVs are not as popular in China as they are back home. I have seen three hummers so far, and other big hunks. On the bright side, I’ve seen at least 3 Toyota Prius’ zipping around. Now, I just need to find the car club for Toyota Prius’!
My Big Fat "Chinese" Wedding
I was given an amazing opportunity to attend a Chinese wedding recently. I found the event to be delightfully different from those back home in the west! This wedding also had a special Korean theme to it as the bride (who was Chinese) had worked in Korea for quite a few years.
groom perform a dance to the delight of all onlookers. Eventually, the groom is allowed to enter the room and be reunited with the awaiting bride. The couple then walks hand in hand to the bride’s parents whom they kowtow to and make a speech of gratitude.
the bride wore three different dresses of very different styles! When everyone is full and the banquet almost finished, the bride and groom visit each table to share a drink and cigarettes with their guests. The bride lights cigarettes for the men, using a special red lighter bought especially for the occasion. To add to the fun, the male guests who are having their cigarettes lit play tricks on the bride. This includes blowing out the lighter or flicking their cigarettes from side to side in their mouth, making it next to impossible for the poor bride to light.
These games are intended to help the bride and groom get to know each other even better! One of the games, for example, involved the groom sitting in a chair while the bride tried to feed him cake. The catch of this was the bride was blindfolded! The wedding guests had fun making her task more difficult by directing her spoon in ways that soon caused the groom to be covered in cake. After all the fun and games, it is now late at night and the bride and groom bid their guests farewell. My first Chinese wedding was certainly an experience to remember! I hope there will be opportunities for me to attend other such events which celebrate life in the culturally rich milieu of China!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Reflection Section 1
Wow - half of the summer gone just like that, in less time than it takes to blink. From what I've found, it seems that many things are plentiful in China, except for time. In just the past weekend, I've been overwhelmed with a wealth of new experiences, new friends and unforgettable moments.
I'll try and come up with a bullet list of what I find to be the most interesting things I've realized. Random pictures from my travels will be included for your browsing pleasure.
- China is not uniform - there are more sides to China than there are inhabitants. From walking down the road to touring the countryside, there is something new around every corner and under every roof, catching your eye after every blink and on every face that you come across. You could spend an entire lifetime here exploring, and still barely scratch the surface.
- Life goes at a breakneck speed. Things that take weeks to be done back home, take only days or hours in China time. I'm still learning more of the mechanics behind all of this. The cities are like rolling seas of development. The new rises, the old falls and soon the new becomes old which falls once more. Don't plan, don't wait for expectations to be met, and don't even blink - you've already missed out on something.
- There are great people here. From the locals I've met at work, to the foreign community I just met over the past weekend, you won't be alone. China offers you an endless selection of companionship, open ears and sources of advice.
- Opportunity is everywhere. For travel, work, fun, romance, shopping, helping, developing and the list goes on. It seems that no matter what interest brought you here, you can find yourself a cozy niche.
- The person you were before going to China will not be the same person who returns. Living here, your view of the world will change, your initial interests will be transformed and you will find yourself immersed in a rich new world. China seems to be like a crucible of creation, taking raw input and forging it into something new with every second breath.
- You can live well without knowing any Chinese, but it really really helps if you do. I've heard of people living 8+ years in China and learning only a word or two of the local languages. They get by perfectly fine provided they make the right connections which can help their wishes be translated. Learning the language will greatly help one to gain a great deal of independence which is an incredible experience - but it is not a must.
- If you want to make a difference on the world stage - come to China. From shaping the world of business, realizing your dreams of fame, waging a war against cancer or helping China to tackle the world's environmental woes, all roads lead to China.
- One should approach China with an open mind and not make comments on China until visiting. Even then, wait until you have enough knowledge before doing so (I'm not there yet but I'm trying my best)! The China viewed externally and internally are completely different. Sometimes, coming in as an outsider your opinions and attempts to do good may create more trouble than the good that was initially intended. It's easy to think you know China when you are on a roll,and it may be very difficult to humble yourself and realize that no matter what, there is always a thousand more things to learn. But to do so, will open up new worlds of possibilities and, hopefully, continuous excitement.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
China Wonderland - People's Park Tianjin
When Michael was visiting in June we stumbled across a very traditional Chinese park while on a walking tour. This brought back nostalgic memories of his past in China and we decided to head inside.
We paid for tickets then headed in the main gate which was near to a very large artificial lake. Nearby, there was a strategically placed docks with animal-shaped peddle and paddle boats for rent. We decided to give one a spin. We paid the 30 RMB
for a one-hour rental and put down a 100 deposit which I'm guessing is to prevent us stealing the boat (If that's humanly possible) or deciding to try and sink it in the middle of the lake! Such things were not in our intentions, of course. We hopped on board and paddled the animal shaped contraption to lands unknown. We followed the lake's perimeter and found some channels off to other areas of the park. Unfortunately, they were all blocked off, this was likely because they were too narrow to accommodate two ships going abreast. I'm sure that in the past, many boat jams must have occu
rred in these channels to merit the present blocades. As we followed the outer edges, we noticed that the outer rims of the lake were inhabited almost exclusively by young couples. As they were clearly demonstrating by their behavior, the Chinese attitudes towards public displays of affection have been changed from conservative to far more liberal. I suppose thatis likely due to the influx of western media! We passed other peddle and paddle boats as well which were making their own way leisurely across the jade-green lake.
One large cage was still in use though and housed a good variety of strutting roosters, sleeping 
pigeons and geese which waddled around making strange noises. We passed gigantic plastic cacti and other plants in addition to a people-powered roller coaster where young children and a parent pedalled around the track in open helicopter-shaped carts. The park featured Chinese pagodas, walking paths and authentic looking Chinese trees and shrubs. There were elderly couples strolling in the park as well, but surprisingly, the place was not too busy. Soon, it was time to head elsewhere and we left the park behind with fond memories in our hearts.
for a one-hour rental and put down a 100 deposit which I'm guessing is to prevent us stealing the boat (If that's humanly possible) or deciding to try and sink it in the middle of the lake! Such things were not in our intentions, of course. We hopped on board and paddled the animal shaped contraption to lands unknown. We followed the lake's perimeter and found some channels off to other areas of the park. Unfortunately, they were all blocked off, this was likely because they were too narrow to accommodate two ships going abreast. I'm sure that in the past, many boat jams must have occu
rred in these channels to merit the present blocades. As we followed the outer edges, we noticed that the outer rims of the lake were inhabited almost exclusively by young couples. As they were clearly demonstrating by their behavior, the Chinese attitudes towards public displays of affection have been changed from conservative to far more liberal. I suppose thatis likely due to the influx of western media! We passed other peddle and paddle boats as well which were making their own way leisurely across the jade-green lake.We took the time to unfold our map in the boat, unafraid to look like tourists i
n the secluded cabin. As we plotted out our next destination, we took turns paddling around individually to keep the boat in motion. Through some strange magic, if we ceased paddling, there was a current in the lake which would carry us around at random. Eventually, we abandoned ship (at the dock of course, so I could get my 100RMB back!) and went on a leisurely stroll in the park. We passed many cages which look liked they belonged to a small zoo. One could only imagine which animals once lived behind these bars.
n the secluded cabin. As we plotted out our next destination, we took turns paddling around individually to keep the boat in motion. Through some strange magic, if we ceased paddling, there was a current in the lake which would carry us around at random. Eventually, we abandoned ship (at the dock of course, so I could get my 100RMB back!) and went on a leisurely stroll in the park. We passed many cages which look liked they belonged to a small zoo. One could only imagine which animals once lived behind these bars.
pigeons and geese which waddled around making strange noises. We passed gigantic plastic cacti and other plants in addition to a people-powered roller coaster where young children and a parent pedalled around the track in open helicopter-shaped carts. The park featured Chinese pagodas, walking paths and authentic looking Chinese trees and shrubs. There were elderly couples strolling in the park as well, but surprisingly, the place was not too busy. Soon, it was time to head elsewhere and we left the park behind with fond memories in our hearts.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
China shopping: A cultural experience in itself
Here in China, an infinite amount of things can be bought. Whether you are in the market for clothing, art, souvenirs, books, anime stuff, calligraphy supplies, keepsakes or just about anything under the sun, I would venture a guess that it can be found in China. Despite many rumors spread out west, I find the quality of many goods here to be excellent, even better than some of the stuff in Canada! I think this is because that the importers in Canada desire a high markup profit and thus by cheap products which we lap up since there are no good alternatives. But in China, there are countless alternatives so the quality must be high otherwise the Chinese locals with cash will not buy it. As a result of this, you can find many things of high quality here that can be found at prices unheard of in Canada.
The aggressiveness of vendors varies across China. For all of the places I have been in Tianjin, the vendors keep to themselves, and only talk quietly to you about bargains they
may have on at the time. In Beijing they are more aggressive in that they call out loudly to you and may make a grab at your hand to pull you closer. I haven't run into a situation I couldn't handle though and have always managed to get away unscathed. Here we see a street vendor selling barbequed goods - the specialty being barbequed seahorses and scorpions which were still wriggling on the skewer! In short, the shopping experience is a deeply ingrained and highly valuable show of the incredible culture that China has on offer to the world.
There are quite a few places where on can shop: Malls, small street side shops, markets Friendship malls and street vendors of all sorts.
I'll first start things off with the familiar: The friendship mall and other malls filled almost
exclusively with only western brand clothing. Here, you can find western goods at western prices. As you can probably guess, I've bought nothing from a friendship mall. However, quite a good selection of quality Chinese ornaments and handicrafts can be found here as well as Chinese made-watches. Despite selling western-brand goods, the selection of these malls are infinitely better than any North American one. I think that the Chinese have a very discriminating fashion sense as most of the clothing here is not ugly nor boring (a common sight back home). There are whole floors of clothing for men, unlike the small sections that men are used to back in the western world. In these malls, there are also a great variety of women's clothes for all ages.
exclusively with only western brand clothing. Here, you can find western goods at western prices. As you can probably guess, I've bought nothing from a friendship mall. However, quite a good selection of quality Chinese ornaments and handicrafts can be found here as well as Chinese made-watches. Despite selling western-brand goods, the selection of these malls are infinitely better than any North American one. I think that the Chinese have a very discriminating fashion sense as most of the clothing here is not ugly nor boring (a common sight back home). There are whole floors of clothing for men, unlike the small sections that men are used to back in the western world. In these malls, there are also a great variety of women's clothes for all ages.The Chinese malls are quite a different story and they come in all shapes and sizes. From mall to mall, selection varies even in the same brands of stores. The general selection includes sports goods floors, young women's clothing floors, older women's clothing floors, 
men's clothing floors, and miscellaneous goods floors. If you buy anything, the store clerk issues you a receipt which you take to a payment booth. Here, you are given a receipt which is stamped which you must return to the booth you bought from in order to claim your goods. In these malls, most credit cards are accepted no problem. You'll see all sorts of interesting brands, some familiar but most of them will be Chinese or Hong Kong brands. There are also unlikely clothing manufacturers such as Caterpillar (heavy machinery) and Jeep! Perhaps these are spin-off companies as if Caterpillar and Jeep do not register their trademark for clothing, an entrepreneur can use their logos and start a store under their name, this is fair game over here! At malls like these, attendants are always available. As you walk by they will talk to you about the sales in place. I half feel like responding back, but this is not required. It is perfectly acceptable to walk right past them even if they are talking to you! If you walk into the shop, the server will often follow right in your footsteps offering advice and suggestions frequently. Service is of excellent quality here and the salespeople will go out of their way to enhance your shopping experience. An example of this is when I went to a mall with two of my colleagues. One wanted to try out some hair accessories. The attendant
s styled her hair for free in multiple professoinal ways and applied the hair accessories at her request. Though she did not buy, if she did they attendants told her that they style her hair for free whenever she dropped by. Such is the service over here! The malls I've seen like these are abundant on very famous streets. In Tangu, there is the gorgeous and very famous Golden Street and there is an equivalent in Tianjin where about 8 of these malls in a row are situated. All are air conditioned and to save energy, they have plastic flaps hanging down in the entranceway. This acts like a moveable plastic curtain which traps the cool air inside. One merely pushes the curtain aside to gain entry into an air conditioned shopping paradise.
men's clothing floors, and miscellaneous goods floors. If you buy anything, the store clerk issues you a receipt which you take to a payment booth. Here, you are given a receipt which is stamped which you must return to the booth you bought from in order to claim your goods. In these malls, most credit cards are accepted no problem. You'll see all sorts of interesting brands, some familiar but most of them will be Chinese or Hong Kong brands. There are also unlikely clothing manufacturers such as Caterpillar (heavy machinery) and Jeep! Perhaps these are spin-off companies as if Caterpillar and Jeep do not register their trademark for clothing, an entrepreneur can use their logos and start a store under their name, this is fair game over here! At malls like these, attendants are always available. As you walk by they will talk to you about the sales in place. I half feel like responding back, but this is not required. It is perfectly acceptable to walk right past them even if they are talking to you! If you walk into the shop, the server will often follow right in your footsteps offering advice and suggestions frequently. Service is of excellent quality here and the salespeople will go out of their way to enhance your shopping experience. An example of this is when I went to a mall with two of my colleagues. One wanted to try out some hair accessories. The attendant
s styled her hair for free in multiple professoinal ways and applied the hair accessories at her request. Though she did not buy, if she did they attendants told her that they style her hair for free whenever she dropped by. Such is the service over here! The malls I've seen like these are abundant on very famous streets. In Tangu, there is the gorgeous and very famous Golden Street and there is an equivalent in Tianjin where about 8 of these malls in a row are situated. All are air conditioned and to save energy, they have plastic flaps hanging down in the entranceway. This acts like a moveable plastic curtain which traps the cool air inside. One merely pushes the curtain aside to gain entry into an air conditioned shopping paradise. Near to the Tianjin Golden Street, there is a street full of multiple small shops. I took a browse here with my colleague Yolanda. The majority (95%) of the shops here were women's clothing from Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and local products. Each shop was completely different and had an incredible varieties of style I've never seen before. China is lightyears ahead of Canada in terms of fashion sense and variety, I would expect some of these fresh styles to make their way back home in maybe 5 years or so (ayah!). As expected in China, where the shop's owner is the one selling you goods, you can bargain as much or as little as you like. Often, the price their give is high, but it is still quite a good deal compared to Canadian clothing standards. Of course if you want to buy the real Chinese way, make sure to brush up on an arsenal of bargaining tactics to get yourself a sweet deal.
In Tangu there is a Foreign goods market which is quite famous in China. I took a look myself and found it to be fascinating. There were two large storehouse areas which were positively teeming with booths. The selection seemed focused primarily on fake watches, belts and sunglasses but there were a good variety of clothing shops thrown into the mix. One could also find army surplus stores selling American army surplus equipment and also some toy stores and purse/murse stores. The selection was quite good but I was just looking for a cultural experience and not a browse. There was also a pet store with adorable fuzzy bunnies in tiny cages as well as a selection of other popular pets.
The street vendors can be found just about anywhere in China. They either set out a cloth with their goods on top, have a booth set up or have their goods on display on the backs of their bikes. Their goods vary ranging from women's underwear to fake Dolce and Gabanna belts.
The aggressiveness of vendors varies across China. For all of the places I have been in Tianjin, the vendors keep to themselves, and only talk quietly to you about bargains they
may have on at the time. In Beijing they are more aggressive in that they call out loudly to you and may make a grab at your hand to pull you closer. I haven't run into a situation I couldn't handle though and have always managed to get away unscathed. Here we see a street vendor selling barbequed goods - the specialty being barbequed seahorses and scorpions which were still wriggling on the skewer! In short, the shopping experience is a deeply ingrained and highly valuable show of the incredible culture that China has on offer to the world.I must be in Heaven
As for that short post yesterday, the excitement I had was overwhelming. I moved from a great place in TEDA to Tianjin where I will be staying in an amazing new place.
TEDA is a great section of Tianjin. It was comfortable, easy to navigate and had a good variety of things to do. It is a fresh ne
w face that China presents to the world, all built in the last 10 - 20 years which is quite a feat of rapid development! It was a perfect environment for business as proven by the multiple foreign-owned companies that had set up shop there. There was also the large Tesco's right next to TEDA international hotel which I will surely miss for its convenience. What I miss most of all are the friends I made at the won-ton restaurant. I enjoyed being greeted by extra large smiles daily, choosing from the English menu they always had ready for me and talking to them in a mix of Chinese and English. Through this, I hope their English improved because my Chinese certainly did! I ate there nearly every day during the week.
I first became fond of this place on a bright and sunny Saturday a month ago. I was going to go out soon but wanted to grab some lunch quickly. I wanted an authentic Chinese experience so I wandered down an alley next to Tesco where I found the won top shop. The m
enu was all in Chinese but somehow, they had a translated English menu that was worn from many years of use but still legible (I don't know who would use it other than me though, I was the only Laowai I ever saw there!). I ordered two large bowls of won tons by mistake thinking they were dumplings. I ate them anyway and found them to be more than delicious. After my meal, an attendant who I had not seen on the way in came up and started talking to me in fairly good English. His name was Cooper and he welcomed me back again! I did return diligently and saw him three times after that. I think he's moved on since because I stopped seeing him after a while. However, I started seeing one of the Kitchen staff who's English was just as good as Cooper's. Another funny young man in the kitchen would always cry out "HellooOOoOH!" with a huge smile and an incredibly funny accent that would make everyone laugh, myself included!
I got off topic, sorry about that! So yesterday, my EHS Colleague Yolanda helped me load up all of my huge ( and very Canadian) Roots bags (go Canada!) into a taxi cab which we had taken from work to the hotel. We had enlisted a nice bellboy to help us. I made sure to tip him as I realized TEDA International Hotel was used to the western tipping customs. Yolanda and I rode the cab from TEDA to Tianjin. We arrived at our new building which was a bit confusing because it offered both hotel accomodations and service apartments. Yolanda went inside to check at the desk as to which entrance we have to drive to for unloading. After getting lost a few times and heading the wrong way, we eventually found it. We pulled up a baggage cart, loaded it up, paid the friendly taxi driver and headed into the service apartment lobby.
If TEDA hotel was five star, the place (Tianjin International Building) must have been a ten star. The lobby was gorgeously decorated, with marble, mirrors and vases. We talked to the attendants who took my passport and sorted out the room key which turned out to be a swipe card. One of the attendants then accompanied us up to the service apartment. When I reached my room up high on the 29th floor, I was absolutely floored. The apartment was as big as a house. There was a full kitchen, bike storage closet, a large connected dining and living room, a guest bathroom, an office, a bedroom and a walk in closet. It was a luxury suite! The floor was rich hardwood, the lobby was marble, a massive widescreen tv in the living room, the office desk was made of glass and the master bedroom had a toilet with a 
Japanese bidet (heated seat and all which I turned off to save electricity) and a shower and bath fully enclosed by glass. What really got me the most was the amazing views offered by the huge windows in the living room, office and the smaller ones in the bedroom. It was the nicest apartment I have ever seen in my life - hands down. Such is the business life in China, those doing business are treated like Kings. I was completely surprised by this, I was expecting a traditional Chinese apartment like the wonderful one I stayed in while I was in Beijing. I'm not sure if any foreigners my age are as lucky to have such an experience. I'm was thrilled again to wake up this morning in the same apartment and realizing that I was not dreaming.
Yolanda and I then went out for dinner, there was an amazing Korean restaurant right outside of the building. I helped her choose some very Chinese food (I have Chinese food tastes). We had liver and bone marrow which was cooked on a Korean barbeque (which used live, red hot charcoal) right in front of us. As side dishes, we had some spicy vegetable which looked like asparagus, some vegetables that were fried Korean style and a bowl of cold noodes each. It was one of the best meals in my life, which further added to the excitement of my new living quarters.
The excitement alone is not just for the apartment, it was also primarily for being part of the life of the big city Tianjin. As I arranged things before going to bed, I played Chinese music (traditional and revolutionary on s
ome speakers that were for my use in the apartment). As I looked out my window before falling asleep, it was clear that this city had a different vibe than those back home. Though the third largest city in China (10 Million people I believe) there were less lights to be seen than Toronto. Power saving seems to be huge in China as all of the office towers were completely black, which is unheard of back home! There was significantly less light pollution as well and the sky was nice and black as it should be. The sky was not filled by high rises and office towers and things had a unique Chinese flavour to them as I looked out the window. I adore it here, and being a bit more part of the Chinese culture. TEDA was business culture but Tianjin is more real life culture. Before you leap on how western my living quarters are, I know and accept that they are not the true Chinese living experience. However, when I leave that apartment, the experience is genuine.
Today, I took the PPG coach bus with my fellow employees. It was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and something that I'm sure not many foreigners get the chance to experience. The employees at PPG really are like a large family. They take the same bus (like a large family minivan), work together, eat together, play games together (PPG runs soccer tournaments between working groups and labs, and also rents out badminton courts on the weekends for employees) and share their all aspects of their lives with each other (Weddings, birthdays and etc). This Chinese family-work environment is a delight to be part of. I think that now I am in a more convenient location, I will be attending more after work experiences with my Chinese colleagues. From all of my experiences so far, it is the Chinese people, especially my colleagues who make me feel at home, and so welcomed to wonderful China. I definitely feel we share a lot in common which helps bridge and break down the language barier brick by brick. We share laughs, experiences and many many good times the Chinese way. These common ties draw me closer to China and are helping me too become one its very own. Day by day, moment by moment and joy after joy I am becoming more Chinese inside.
TEDA is a great section of Tianjin. It was comfortable, easy to navigate and had a good variety of things to do. It is a fresh ne
w face that China presents to the world, all built in the last 10 - 20 years which is quite a feat of rapid development! It was a perfect environment for business as proven by the multiple foreign-owned companies that had set up shop there. There was also the large Tesco's right next to TEDA international hotel which I will surely miss for its convenience. What I miss most of all are the friends I made at the won-ton restaurant. I enjoyed being greeted by extra large smiles daily, choosing from the English menu they always had ready for me and talking to them in a mix of Chinese and English. Through this, I hope their English improved because my Chinese certainly did! I ate there nearly every day during the week.I first became fond of this place on a bright and sunny Saturday a month ago. I was going to go out soon but wanted to grab some lunch quickly. I wanted an authentic Chinese experience so I wandered down an alley next to Tesco where I found the won top shop. The m
enu was all in Chinese but somehow, they had a translated English menu that was worn from many years of use but still legible (I don't know who would use it other than me though, I was the only Laowai I ever saw there!). I ordered two large bowls of won tons by mistake thinking they were dumplings. I ate them anyway and found them to be more than delicious. After my meal, an attendant who I had not seen on the way in came up and started talking to me in fairly good English. His name was Cooper and he welcomed me back again! I did return diligently and saw him three times after that. I think he's moved on since because I stopped seeing him after a while. However, I started seeing one of the Kitchen staff who's English was just as good as Cooper's. Another funny young man in the kitchen would always cry out "HellooOOoOH!" with a huge smile and an incredibly funny accent that would make everyone laugh, myself included!I got off topic, sorry about that! So yesterday, my EHS Colleague Yolanda helped me load up all of my huge ( and very Canadian) Roots bags (go Canada!) into a taxi cab which we had taken from work to the hotel. We had enlisted a nice bellboy to help us. I made sure to tip him as I realized TEDA International Hotel was used to the western tipping customs. Yolanda and I rode the cab from TEDA to Tianjin. We arrived at our new building which was a bit confusing because it offered both hotel accomodations and service apartments. Yolanda went inside to check at the desk as to which entrance we have to drive to for unloading. After getting lost a few times and heading the wrong way, we eventually found it. We pulled up a baggage cart, loaded it up, paid the friendly taxi driver and headed into the service apartment lobby.
If TEDA hotel was five star, the place (Tianjin International Building) must have been a ten star. The lobby was gorgeously decorated, with marble, mirrors and vases. We talked to the attendants who took my passport and sorted out the room key which turned out to be a swipe card. One of the attendants then accompanied us up to the service apartment. When I reached my room up high on the 29th floor, I was absolutely floored. The apartment was as big as a house. There was a full kitchen, bike storage closet, a large connected dining and living room, a guest bathroom, an office, a bedroom and a walk in closet. It was a luxury suite! The floor was rich hardwood, the lobby was marble, a massive widescreen tv in the living room, the office desk was made of glass and the master bedroom had a toilet with a 
Japanese bidet (heated seat and all which I turned off to save electricity) and a shower and bath fully enclosed by glass. What really got me the most was the amazing views offered by the huge windows in the living room, office and the smaller ones in the bedroom. It was the nicest apartment I have ever seen in my life - hands down. Such is the business life in China, those doing business are treated like Kings. I was completely surprised by this, I was expecting a traditional Chinese apartment like the wonderful one I stayed in while I was in Beijing. I'm not sure if any foreigners my age are as lucky to have such an experience. I'm was thrilled again to wake up this morning in the same apartment and realizing that I was not dreaming.Yolanda and I then went out for dinner, there was an amazing Korean restaurant right outside of the building. I helped her choose some very Chinese food (I have Chinese food tastes). We had liver and bone marrow which was cooked on a Korean barbeque (which used live, red hot charcoal) right in front of us. As side dishes, we had some spicy vegetable which looked like asparagus, some vegetables that were fried Korean style and a bowl of cold noodes each. It was one of the best meals in my life, which further added to the excitement of my new living quarters.
The excitement alone is not just for the apartment, it was also primarily for being part of the life of the big city Tianjin. As I arranged things before going to bed, I played Chinese music (traditional and revolutionary on s
ome speakers that were for my use in the apartment). As I looked out my window before falling asleep, it was clear that this city had a different vibe than those back home. Though the third largest city in China (10 Million people I believe) there were less lights to be seen than Toronto. Power saving seems to be huge in China as all of the office towers were completely black, which is unheard of back home! There was significantly less light pollution as well and the sky was nice and black as it should be. The sky was not filled by high rises and office towers and things had a unique Chinese flavour to them as I looked out the window. I adore it here, and being a bit more part of the Chinese culture. TEDA was business culture but Tianjin is more real life culture. Before you leap on how western my living quarters are, I know and accept that they are not the true Chinese living experience. However, when I leave that apartment, the experience is genuine.Today, I took the PPG coach bus with my fellow employees. It was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and something that I'm sure not many foreigners get the chance to experience. The employees at PPG really are like a large family. They take the same bus (like a large family minivan), work together, eat together, play games together (PPG runs soccer tournaments between working groups and labs, and also rents out badminton courts on the weekends for employees) and share their all aspects of their lives with each other (Weddings, birthdays and etc). This Chinese family-work environment is a delight to be part of. I think that now I am in a more convenient location, I will be attending more after work experiences with my Chinese colleagues. From all of my experiences so far, it is the Chinese people, especially my colleagues who make me feel at home, and so welcomed to wonderful China. I definitely feel we share a lot in common which helps bridge and break down the language barier brick by brick. We share laughs, experiences and many many good times the Chinese way. These common ties draw me closer to China and are helping me too become one its very own. Day by day, moment by moment and joy after joy I am becoming more Chinese inside.
Stowaways on a Russian Aircraft Carrier
While Michael was visiting from Shanghai in June, one of the things we decided to check out for kicks was the Binhai Aircraft Carrier Amusement Park. Sounds bizarre? Well, I'm just getting started. We spotted this in a tourist map which Michael bought showing the best attractions for the Tianjin area. Upon further investigation of online materials, we were surprised to see the description clearly stating that simulated battles take place at the ship and visitors can fire missile launchers. We just had to see these missile launches and battles for ourselves didn't we?
We boarded a taxi cab in TEDA and drove for at least half an hour. Leaving the city outskirts, we passed by massive buildings such as the TEDA soccer stadium and an international meeting center. Soon, the greenery and buildings of TEDA gave way to barren, dusty empty land which was crawling with countless construction machines. We predicted that soon, these miles of empty space will become filled with new development as TEDA grows to become a bustling hub of economic activity. Along the way, we passed what appeared to be a shipbreaking yard as well as a huge storage space for shipping containers. There were large shipping crates piled up as tall as mid-sized buildings! There was also a verdant green golf course-community set right in the middle of nowhere! Right before the park, we passed a large school for nautical studies which had a massive anchor set out right in front of it.
We passed an equally enormous sign advertising the p
ark (maybe it could be seen via Google Earth) and the driver swerved into a grass and tree lined boulevard. This road went on for about a kilometer passing empty buildings and old military hardware along the roadside which was on display. There were MiG fighter jets, various mobile artillery units and some large tanks. Soon, the massive aircraft carrier loomed into sight and signs of other human life was abundant. We were worried that there would be no cabs ferry us back, but to our relief, there was an abundance of cabs in the parking lot that were ready to take customers back to TEDA.
The aircraft carrier named, Kiev (written on the side of the ship in Cyrilic) is Russian made and was bought by the TEDA development group some time ago. Though TED
A is very close to the sea, I have no idea how this hulk of Russian engineering was brought to this location. The basin that it sat in was far too shallow for sailing the juggernaught and it was closed off on all sides. Either this ship was driven here when there was more water or it was airlifted by some miracle of science. Though called an amusement park, there was only the ship there present in the park area. Perhaps more rides and other items of interest will pop up soon as TEDA expands. Near the ship, there were amphibious military vehicles one could pay to take a ride in around the ship or some speed boats which would give you a thrill in the shallow basin.
Michael and I paid for tickets to the ship then headed into the looming hulk of steel. Inside, things were heavily renovated and very Chinese-tourist friendly. I could tell that this was not an attraction for foreigners (Who goes to China to see a Russian Ai
rcraft Carrier, really now?) due to the absence of English. Michael and I toured the ship, making our way through anchor rooms, ammunition storage rooms, crew living quarters, aircraft storage hangers, on the flight deck, the control deck and we also toured the bow where the heavy missile launchers were. There were huge replica plastic missiles in all of the right locations. The areas open for tourists were well renovated and pleasing to the eye. We could tell that these areas were renovated because we stumbled across a section that had been left in its original state. It was heavily rusted, dark and ominous and was barred off by a gate. We discovered that the gate could be forced open. Michael courageously stepped inside while I looked was on the lookout for guards. He dropped his cellphone in the dark area while browsing, and it almost fell down a deep, dark hatch. We both wondered that if it did fall down the hole (it was only a foot away from doing so) if it would be lost forever. At this point, both 
him and I decided that further exploration in the abandoned section would not be a good idea. There were a countless number of military fatigue-clad ship personnel around for helping visitors and making sure that people kept out of trouble. However, unlike many people's experiences, these guards were not intrusive at all. They did not follow us, cast angry glances our way or berate us during our visit. I was terrified that one of these nice individuals would come around the corner any second as Michael groped around in the dark assembling the cellphone after its fall. Some footsteps I heard though were only another park visitor as we were relieved to discover.
One could pay to stay on the ship overnight in the officer's quarters. We had the chance to look at one of such genuine rooms. It reminded me a lot of my r
oom in University residence in first year! It wasn't all that bad, it was well furnished with a single bed, desk and plush chair. It also had a TV in it that definitely was not from the cold-war era unlike the rest of the ship's authentic technology. All of the essential wiring had been completely destroyed as we could see what used to be thick stands of wires that were cut and missing large sections. I suppose this was just to ensure that no one in China decides to start sailing the ship around again. While on the flight deck, we had the treat of watching a performance. The performers were certainly not Han-Chinese and looked more like Russian-Chinese mixes. Michael informed me that they were Uygers who were likely brought to the ship especially for performances. They performed a comic military-styl
e marching show. All of the performers were female except for two men. One of them was there for comic relief and the other performed spectacular feats with his ear. He twirled a heavy bucket full off water using a strange pulley-like device he attached to his ear. He also pulled one of the military planes on deck using this strange device! It was a memorable show and seeing some more mixed-chinese-ish people helped me feel more at home. These people were not exploited nor sad in any way, the smiled genuinely during the show and performed in a natural way. I can usually tell when a smile or actions are forced but these people seemed very happy and quite comfortable with their environment.
We took plenty of photos with various random things, striking poses just like the local Chinese. This posing at every occasion for a photo is a very foreign concept to me, but I'm slowly but surely getting more comfortable with it. There were no live battles on display yet as school was still in session at the time in China. Apparently, during peak season the park gets
3 -4 thousand visitors dialy. We passed the missile launchers four visitor use, they were inside and certainly not what we expected. They were electronic ones set up in front of a huge video screen. One could pay 10 RMB to blow up a digitally generated tank as it rolled across the battlefield on the screen. I half expected to see giant nerf-guns instead of these high-tech contraptions! There were also abundant galleries on the inside which presented information and pictures on Chinese military history, aircraft carrier development through the ages and put various military hardware both ancient and modern on display. Soon enough, after at least 3 hours on ship, it was time to castoff. Michael had to catch his train back to Shanghai and I had some email checking to get to. We boarded up one of the taxis in the parking lot who drove us back at an incredibly fast (and very exciting pace). We saluted the ship goodbye as it disappeared into the distance, our trip to a modern amusement park for new age Chinese was one to remember. Dasvidania Comrade Kiev!
We boarded a taxi cab in TEDA and drove for at least half an hour. Leaving the city outskirts, we passed by massive buildings such as the TEDA soccer stadium and an international meeting center. Soon, the greenery and buildings of TEDA gave way to barren, dusty empty land which was crawling with countless construction machines. We predicted that soon, these miles of empty space will become filled with new development as TEDA grows to become a bustling hub of economic activity. Along the way, we passed what appeared to be a shipbreaking yard as well as a huge storage space for shipping containers. There were large shipping crates piled up as tall as mid-sized buildings! There was also a verdant green golf course-community set right in the middle of nowhere! Right before the park, we passed a large school for nautical studies which had a massive anchor set out right in front of it.
We passed an equally enormous sign advertising the p
ark (maybe it could be seen via Google Earth) and the driver swerved into a grass and tree lined boulevard. This road went on for about a kilometer passing empty buildings and old military hardware along the roadside which was on display. There were MiG fighter jets, various mobile artillery units and some large tanks. Soon, the massive aircraft carrier loomed into sight and signs of other human life was abundant. We were worried that there would be no cabs ferry us back, but to our relief, there was an abundance of cabs in the parking lot that were ready to take customers back to TEDA.The aircraft carrier named, Kiev (written on the side of the ship in Cyrilic) is Russian made and was bought by the TEDA development group some time ago. Though TED
A is very close to the sea, I have no idea how this hulk of Russian engineering was brought to this location. The basin that it sat in was far too shallow for sailing the juggernaught and it was closed off on all sides. Either this ship was driven here when there was more water or it was airlifted by some miracle of science. Though called an amusement park, there was only the ship there present in the park area. Perhaps more rides and other items of interest will pop up soon as TEDA expands. Near the ship, there were amphibious military vehicles one could pay to take a ride in around the ship or some speed boats which would give you a thrill in the shallow basin.Michael and I paid for tickets to the ship then headed into the looming hulk of steel. Inside, things were heavily renovated and very Chinese-tourist friendly. I could tell that this was not an attraction for foreigners (Who goes to China to see a Russian Ai
rcraft Carrier, really now?) due to the absence of English. Michael and I toured the ship, making our way through anchor rooms, ammunition storage rooms, crew living quarters, aircraft storage hangers, on the flight deck, the control deck and we also toured the bow where the heavy missile launchers were. There were huge replica plastic missiles in all of the right locations. The areas open for tourists were well renovated and pleasing to the eye. We could tell that these areas were renovated because we stumbled across a section that had been left in its original state. It was heavily rusted, dark and ominous and was barred off by a gate. We discovered that the gate could be forced open. Michael courageously stepped inside while I looked was on the lookout for guards. He dropped his cellphone in the dark area while browsing, and it almost fell down a deep, dark hatch. We both wondered that if it did fall down the hole (it was only a foot away from doing so) if it would be lost forever. At this point, both 
him and I decided that further exploration in the abandoned section would not be a good idea. There were a countless number of military fatigue-clad ship personnel around for helping visitors and making sure that people kept out of trouble. However, unlike many people's experiences, these guards were not intrusive at all. They did not follow us, cast angry glances our way or berate us during our visit. I was terrified that one of these nice individuals would come around the corner any second as Michael groped around in the dark assembling the cellphone after its fall. Some footsteps I heard though were only another park visitor as we were relieved to discover.One could pay to stay on the ship overnight in the officer's quarters. We had the chance to look at one of such genuine rooms. It reminded me a lot of my r
oom in University residence in first year! It wasn't all that bad, it was well furnished with a single bed, desk and plush chair. It also had a TV in it that definitely was not from the cold-war era unlike the rest of the ship's authentic technology. All of the essential wiring had been completely destroyed as we could see what used to be thick stands of wires that were cut and missing large sections. I suppose this was just to ensure that no one in China decides to start sailing the ship around again. While on the flight deck, we had the treat of watching a performance. The performers were certainly not Han-Chinese and looked more like Russian-Chinese mixes. Michael informed me that they were Uygers who were likely brought to the ship especially for performances. They performed a comic military-styl
e marching show. All of the performers were female except for two men. One of them was there for comic relief and the other performed spectacular feats with his ear. He twirled a heavy bucket full off water using a strange pulley-like device he attached to his ear. He also pulled one of the military planes on deck using this strange device! It was a memorable show and seeing some more mixed-chinese-ish people helped me feel more at home. These people were not exploited nor sad in any way, the smiled genuinely during the show and performed in a natural way. I can usually tell when a smile or actions are forced but these people seemed very happy and quite comfortable with their environment.We took plenty of photos with various random things, striking poses just like the local Chinese. This posing at every occasion for a photo is a very foreign concept to me, but I'm slowly but surely getting more comfortable with it. There were no live battles on display yet as school was still in session at the time in China. Apparently, during peak season the park gets
3 -4 thousand visitors dialy. We passed the missile launchers four visitor use, they were inside and certainly not what we expected. They were electronic ones set up in front of a huge video screen. One could pay 10 RMB to blow up a digitally generated tank as it rolled across the battlefield on the screen. I half expected to see giant nerf-guns instead of these high-tech contraptions! There were also abundant galleries on the inside which presented information and pictures on Chinese military history, aircraft carrier development through the ages and put various military hardware both ancient and modern on display. Soon enough, after at least 3 hours on ship, it was time to castoff. Michael had to catch his train back to Shanghai and I had some email checking to get to. We boarded up one of the taxis in the parking lot who drove us back at an incredibly fast (and very exciting pace). We saluted the ship goodbye as it disappeared into the distance, our trip to a modern amusement park for new age Chinese was one to remember. Dasvidania Comrade Kiev!
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