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.
8 comments:
Hi There! Saw your profile in Tianjin expat as well.. just wanted to say hi. I'm 42 year old Korean, new to china... when I start my blog on China, I'll let you know... but this time anonymous?
안녕하세요! Welcome to Tianjin as well, I hope that you enjoy your time over here. Do let me know when you get a blog up, I can't wait to read it.
It's a shame that I lost some part of young enthusiam about anything, which I've just realized reading your blog... thanks... smile to your saying Korean 안녕하세요 as well... Was lovely...kay2628 at tianjinexpats
I don't think its too late to get some of that enthusiasm back! Maybe you should take up something new like Kung Fu or the erhu. I think that coming to a new city as well can definitely help get you excited!
So, China today sided with Russia and vetoed a UN proposal to impose greater sanctions on Zimbabwe's authoritarian government after Mugabe's sham re-election. Just another example in a long pattern of China's foreign policy with respect to Africa... yes, the West's negative view of China really is baseless isn't it?
But perhaps you're right; I wonder if I visited the country I would reevaluate my opinion of it... probably not, I'd like to think I'm not so easily swayed...
- former Ash student
Could you post up a news article on that one please? Have you ever visited China? Give it a go, but give that last point in the blog post a reread before you do.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/world/africa/15sudan.html?scp=5&sq=China%20Sudan&st=cse
and an editorial on the topic:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/opinion/15tue2.html?scp=3&sq=China%20Sudan&st=cse
It's nice to paint one nation as 'bad' - makes things simpler.
Unfortunately things are not quite so black and white in the real world. There are no 'good' or 'bad' countries in the world - there are some shitty governments, some good ones, but to say that the West's negative view towards China is justified is a rather ignorant comment to make.
Yes there are a lot of things about the Chinese government - the suppression of free speech, restriction of rights, and the terrible crimes against humanity they have and continue to do - that are bad. A lot of these do not even get reported in the media, western or not.
And yes, China does appear to be making moves on Africa (it already has), aiming to use it in the future for resources, labour perhaps.
So what does that make North America then? For the last 40 years major corporations owned and operated by Canadians and Americans have exploited the cheap labour in China, Indonesia, and parts of South America, working people on 16 shifts for next to nothing because they can get away with it. The factories in many of these countries follow no environmental regulations of any kind.
The US government imposes trade sanctions and taxes in order to damage other economies in developing nations in order to keep down agricultural competition in these countries.
They are also one of the few countries to refuse to sign the Kyoto protocol.
How are any of these actions any better than what China has and is doing. China becomes less communist by the day, and America introduces the Patriot Act.
Do not get me wrong, I am not a big fan of the Chinese government. But it comes with its pluses and minuses like many other superpowers do, and to label them as bad without recognizing the stupidity that is our own administrations is unfair. And the Chinese government does NOT reflect accurately upon the Chinese people, culture, or their individual actions.
Try to see a bit more of the world and open your mind a bit before you start judging people. And for god sakes, take everything that the western media says with a huge grain of salt. They report only what they think will make a good story. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year in Africa from disease, war, and millions of atrocities are committed - but the death of a celebrity in America gets more air time in a year than any of these stories do. Do you feel that represents how much you care about Africa and the rest of the world?
For the record - I think its bad news that China is busy making moves on Africa, supporting totalitarian governments and use of terror as a control method, just so that they playing field will be ready for them as they expand into there to take advantage of that populace too. If successful, Africa is going to face another hundred years of hell. I hope you take your concern and passion and try to do something about it in your life - just make sure you know who you are fighting, because many of the enemies are at home and you will find many allies in China and other countries too.
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