Photo Studios – There is a Little Bit of Celebrity in Everyone

Though photo studies may exist back home, they certainly don’t exist in as great a variety as they do in Tianjin. Such studios can be found in almost every major shopping area which I have stumbled across so far. Their staff are talented in photography, photoshop, photographic printing and of course, customer service. Many of such shops specialize in wedding photography but not the same kind of wedding photography that one is used to back in the west. Couples come to the studio and purchase photo packages which specify the types of prints which will be made after their photo session. After the arrangements are sorted out, multiple costumes are donned and the couple visits various locales or sets in the studio to have a professional photographer snap shots of them while they pose. The costumes range from traditional asian clothing styles (Chinese, Korean, Indian and etc) to modern, funky and eccentric. These photos are enhanced using photoshop and are then transformed to fit various print formats. Some can be printed on rug-like wall-hangings, large format glossy prints on wood, inset in glass ornaments and countless other presentation styles. A very popular medium is to arrange photos artistically against a backdrop and to print them out in a large format hard-cover book with rigid cardboard pages. I have yet to see photos taken by professional photographers at actual wedding events! Even at the wedding I attended, such a photo studio book was passed around during the ceremony and there were no professional photographers in attendance.

Similar photo studies exist for people who just want to dress up, try a few poses and create albums to help them commemorate their younger years. These studious are capable of churning out final products that are worthy of the glossy pages of fashion magazines. My colleague Yolanda took me to a photo studio which specialized in such albums. Here, she showed me the photos they took – the effects that were applied to them were simply breathtaking! The photo studio was quite an eclectic place. It was located near a major shopping area in a former concession building that had been converted to suite the studio’s purposes. There were even two greyhound dogs that lived in the studio who were often featured in many of the studio’s works to add variety. When we visited, one was away at the at a beach locale for one of the studio’s photography expeditions. The decorations inside were a mix of both the modern and the antiquated with some unique Victorian features that were retained from the original building. Here, Yolanda browsed her album on one of the studio’s computers and recommended some changes to be made. Meanwhile, two employees staffed the computers around us and continued with their work. Here, I was given the chance to see them in action as they enhanced the original photographs. Fingers flew and mouse clicks were abundant as pictures were refined, clipped, shifted and placed into their final artistic templates. After Yolanda was satisfied with her recommendations, I got the chance to chip in an opinion or two before we left the studio. It would take two weeks to make the changes requested and get the final copy printed. In the meantime, Yolanda was given the electronic versions of the photograph which you see up on the blog. The prices of these albums were quite reasonable as well, it seems that looking like a celebrity is not confined only to the realms of the super-rich and famous.

My New Haircut: Done the Chinese Way

Before:

Photo credit: Jason

My hair was getting pretty lengthy as of late here. In addition to heat and discomfort, my colleagues took great pleasure in humouring me that I looked like a girl. I thought it time to do away with my long locks and to get a haircut the Chinese way!

Yolanda escorted me to a barbershop after work. The shop we visited looked quite fancy and it was immaculate. It had a distinct resemblance to the higher end hair salons in Canada, of course with much more reasonable prices! Yolanda informed me that the haircut would cost a grand total of 20 RMB ( less than $3 Canadian!!!). Now, the haircutting ritual in a Chinese barbershop is very different from those we are accustomed to back home.

First, you are direct to a reclining chair with a large sink at its head. Here, you recline and one of the barbers in training comes over and gives your hair a thorough washing in the basin. A towel is placed between you and the basin to make sure that your clothing does not get soaked in the process. The hair wash was very relaxing and also included a scalp massage. A towel was then wrapped turban style around my freshly washed head and I was lead to a barber’s chair.

Here, a stylishly dressed barber (Pink Jeans with large tears, coloured hair and a half-length tie) fashioned my hair with style. There was much scissor and comb flinging tricks to enjoy as my Canadian hairstyle gave way for a Chinese one. He used special scissors with a blade that looks like a comb which turned my normally flat hair, into a spiky, Chinese style hairdo. I was surprised that my hair could actually stand up straight like a local! The haircutting process took longer than those back home, but he put a lot of work into the cut, using at least 5 different scissors, a hair shaver and other implements I could not possibly name.

After I was satisfied with the cut, I was led back to the reclining chair to have my head washed again, before being led back to the barber who dried my hair and spiked it slightly with gel. Unfortunately, only my colleague had a camera at the time and she snapped some photos I hope to get sometime soon. I was informed that I was the first foreign customer at the shop which was quite an honour for me!

One notices that all of the barber shop employees have dyed and highly styled hair. This is because they offer their own hair up as an opportunity for budding barbers to practice. As these young attendants strutted about their shop doing their own things, I was continually kept in a state of awe – it was a very entertaining experience.

My barbershop experience was limited but at this link, you can read about a foreigner who worked in a local barbershop for a month. The barbershop itself packs a whole ton of culture, into a very reasonably priced salon environment!

After:Photo credit: Darleen

The Busy Life

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!

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.

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 new 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 menu 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 some 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.

Workday in my (safety) shoes

I noticed that there was a vote for real-life experiences, so I thought I should mention what its like living for me here in TEDA. I'll get to all of you culture folk next!

At the moment, I live at the TEDA International Hotel, a picture of this is to the left.

I wake up at 6:50 am, get dressed and head downstairs to the lobby. I eat breakfast at a place called the "California Grill" which offers a western continental breakfast or a Chinese style breakfast selection. I find the food to be both enjoyable and filling there. The walls are decorated with commemorative plaques of random movies. You can find romance posters (Titanic) random ones (Terminator) new ones (Spider man 3??) and bizare ones (Harry Potter???) the posters follow no theme except for the fact that they are all western films. I then pocket an apple or pear and make my way out on my walk to the PPG plant. For the first few days here, I took a cab until I got my bearings strait. After I tried walking to the plant one weekend, I've been walking ever since.

My walk begins by jaywalking across a busy street, cutting a parking lot in front of the Friendship Mall (sells foreign goods), Tesco's and KFC and then walking for 40 minutes strait North to the plant. Along the way I pass many industrial facilities, some of which I am not able to guess the purpose of! I pass a pharmaceuticals factory, traffic police station a car repair shop, a Tianjin car factory, KRAFT foods, dormitory for the workers of the factory, a food plant which smells delicious, another car garages, the agricultural bank and finally a coal power plant before I reach the PPG doorstep. The entire 40 minute walk is on a street that is lined on both sides by trees. I have never seen so much urban greenery before and its great! It shades me from the morning sun and keeps my walk cool at all times.

I then start work at the plant where I job-shadow my various colleagues and work on my own environmental strategies on how to make PPG's operations greener (they were already quite green before I even got here!). I don my safety shoes issued by the plant (steel toed - non-stick, and tough shoes for entering the factories) so that I am ready for whenever a plant tour invitation pops up. PPG is great in that it provides a shuttle bus service for all employees living in Tianjin. This is because the majority of the plant's workforce lives in Tianjin like many of the factories around here. A free lunch for all employees is also provided. It is served in compartmentalized metals trays and features different selections every day. What I really appreciate is the ample white rice and absence of western food. I swear that I can barely survive without rice! I resume work in the afternoon and by 4:30 its time to go.

Occasionally, I carpool with a colleague back to my hotel but most often I prefer to walk. I pass all sorts of interesting places and people. For example, there are mobile bicycle repair shops set up by people who pedal around on large three wheeled bikes. These three wheelers with a huge box on the back are a mobile garages for bicycles with problems. They can patch popped tires in minutes and also sell you a decent selection of bicycle wares. Their services are popular as I see at least 5x more cyclists than cars on my way to work. There are HUGE cycle lanes here which makes China seem far more advanced in cycling culture than Canada. I've had my fair share of cycling in Canada, weaving in and out of cars and risking one's life daily. These lane-wide cycle areas are a far safer way for the cyclists to travel. They are also separated from the cars by a divider of trees. When I'm back in the friendship mall area, I duck into a side alley for dinner. I found a Chinese restaurant which has a printed English menu which you have to ask for. Its great as there is not a single laowai in sight, the food is authentic and not to mention very well-priced! I used to eat dinners for 30 RMB a day ($4) but this place helped me get it down to 10RMB or Less. My record was a 3 RMB dinner, let's see if I can beat that someday!

I then head back to my hotel room where I have a flexible schedule. Some days I go the gym and do some exercise while watching Chinese television. I also watch Chinese cartoons with Chinese subtitles to help my reading speed. Of course, I blog and check emails as well. I've been trying to teach myself Chinese as well via web-links and a book I brought from Canada. The progress is slow but its getting there! Today I'll be leaving this place behind though as I am moving to a new place in Tianjin city. Soon, I too will be taking that big blue PPG shuttle bus.

Photo source:
http://www.holidaycity.com/teda-international-tianjin/index.htm

Crazy awesome noisy stuff - Fireworks, Firecrackers and other pyrotecnics

Right now, its high season for weddings and the sound of love is in the air - literally. One thing I've really enjoyed here is the cultural fondness for pyrotechnics to celebrate special occasions.

Just last night I was in my room typing up some new entries in this blog (I'm getting obsessed with this I know) and I heard some loud noises outside. It sounded like someone taking a hammer to a piece of metal. I thought that the culprit would let off after a while but for about 5 minutes, the hammering went on unrelented. Then I got suspicious - the next thing that hopped on my mind was fireworks! I tossed on some shoes and sprinted outside hoping to see a bit of the magic before it faded into thin air. Just outside right by my hotel - I saw a Canada day worthy fireworks display. As I neared the pyrotechnic launch location, I noticed a large crowd with firecrackers about to be set off. Soon, the cacophy from these also joined the mix and grey smoke filled the air. Yep - it was a wedding allright! I didn't feel like crashing the party so I kept a distance to enjoy the show.

In one weekend alone in China, I saw more weddings than I've spotted for my entire life in Canada - that's eight total, and to be more specific it was within one DAY. This year of 2008 with the Olympics, is an auspicious year so I am told, and couples are racing to tie the knot. I attended a Chinese wedding of my own which I hope to write about later. Up above, you see some firecrackers arranged in two hearts with an arrow through them. That fine chap is holding two confetti cannons which create an instant rainshower of glittery confetti.

Instant Audiences in China

What's this you might ask? Those are two dogs enjoying a bit of a wrestle in the street... no big deal right?

Some people seemed to find it to be a big deal! A sizeable crowd started to gather around these two furry wrestlers. This was on the Tangu Golden street - a very popular shopping area in the TEDA region. This phenomenon is quite normal from what I've heard in China, if there is something interesting, people will stop and watch - a lot of people.

I haven't seen any street performers here other than these dogs, perhaps this is what makes people interested in pausing from their busy lives and just stopping for a bit to be entertained.

A friend told me that once he was in an argument on the street and a crowd gathered for him too. From this, we learn that one has to be careful of making themselves a spectacle in China. Good news is, maybe when I have something to say in perfect Chinese, (something about recycling or the environment) all I would need to do is start doing a jig, gather a crowd then give them a speech. Sounds a lot easier than what it takes to make people listen back home (One of my strategies was to dress up like a fairy - dress, wand and all) but I think that's enough about me for now.

Work It! - A guide to outdoor fitness in China

A different kind of exercise phenomenon has taken hold here in China, its the outdoor exercise craze! In public parks, you can find machines such as these for public use. I gave them a go myself!

The parks I visited here are moderately busy during the daytime, however, during the night is when they truly shine! A friend took me on a tour of one during the night and it was a whole new world. Large groups practiced Taiji in Unison, sang songs in preparation for the Olympic games, or practiced ballroom dancing right in the open. The atmosphere was warm, friendly and highly enjoyable. We saw a few people hopping about in an amusing sort of aerobics exercise and we also saw quite a few working it on machines such as these. We gave the hip twisters and airwalker seen below a try. Though after a minute we failed to feel an exercise burn, it was a great deal of fun using these candy-coloured contraptions. We gave up our western self-concern and joined in with the public excitement. We were the only foreigners present, but I felt like I was a part of this great real-life mosaic of life in China. The communal spirit was clearly tangible and it was a wonderful feeling to be part of this fresh new atmosphere.

Though we were not practiced enough to give the taji a go nor sing an Olympic hymn, all was a great deal of fun to soak it. The enthusiasm of the people literally rippled through the air. Kids ran around or used their scooters happily and seas of evening walking folk enjoyed taking in the scenery. Youths our age were there too. I certainly hope that more westerners can give up evening TV Internet and indoor activities and can join in on this daily outdoor festival.

The people are always bustling about doing something interesting in the cities, there is a clear vibe that I'm beginning to feel and will hopefully join in with one day too. Oh, things are just so great here.

The TEDA Flood

Although I did not take this photo, scenes such as the one to the right are quite common in the south of China where there have been horrible rains. This adds to the complications due to the earthquake recently. I do hope that everyone down south makes their way through all of these recent calamities.

I think the storm hitting the south came up North to this area in a less severe form. I was at work and the day seemed pretty normal, the sky was bright in the morning which persisted until about two in the afternoon. Suddenly the sky turned a very dark hue of grey, so dark that it was almost night. At first, the rain began to fall softly. This didn't last and as it grew in strength, the office which I worked in was filled with the drumming of a thousand raindrops falling on the roof. I checked outside about halfway through the storm (It lasted an hour) to find tiny chunks of ice on the ground about twice the size of peas. It was a truly bizarre occurrence. Luckily, the rain stopped just before it was time for me to leave work.

TEDA seemed to have weathered the storm fairly well, there were a few large puddles here and there but they were being drained away rapidly by the storm-drain system. During the rainstorm, from what I could see, some areas were flooded with water that was about calf high. This occurred even in places right above storm drains which speaks volumes about the amount of rain falling. There were a few scattered showers during the following few days but the storm seems to passed us by here in the most part.

Photo source:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/floods-prompt-mass-evacuation-in-china/2007/06/08/1181089306168.html

The Pet Department Store

I haven't seen a PetsMart (Canadian Pet Store) here in China, but I will do my best to detail the Chinese equivalent. As seen to the left, pets of all sorts in China are rapidly gaining popularity!

My colleague brought me to this pet store when she was shopping to buy some treats for her darling Schnauzer. On the first floor, we first ran into a mini seaworld. This part of the department store was full of tanks full of fish of various shapes, sizes and colours. There were also more exotic creatures thrown into the mix - one could find baby ducks (seen below), frogs, strange fish and alien looking turtles in the various shops. This pet place felt more like a shopping mall as there were vendors who each had their own little shop full of whatever wares and creatures they have decided to sell.

Ascending up to the second floor, we left the land under the sea to the land of above-ground fuzzies. Everything in sight was fuzzy, from tiny siberian hamsters, to bunnies with extra long fur to the occasional dog or cat in a cage, there was an animal to meet your pet-craving needs. There were rows of stores especially for cats, dogs and multiple different kinds of rodents. There were both common and rare animals up there for perusal. The rarest ones I saw where snow white chinchillas as well as a snow white ferret. In some places, stores had a mascot cat or dog which sat in the doorway to attract customers. At one of the stands, about 8 puppies were running around on top of their cage and could be petted by passerbies. Surprisingly, they did not jump off of their cage and run away, maybe the two foot drop acted as a bit of a deterrence for them! The interaction concept was prevalent as quite a few places allowed you to pet and interact with the pets they had for sale. There was also a dog grooming salon set up in one of the small shop spaces. Here, a Schnauzer and a well groomed Bichon Frise sat on grooming tables advertising the grooming services. One could tel that these were some very pampered pets! Quite a few of these stores were well-kept and appeared to offer great services to customers. Of course, Chinese language skills are a must, thus I think I'll hold off on buying a pet in China for a loooong time.

Those Asian Cell Phones

Though I have yet to see any like the ones on the right, Chinese cellphone technology is light years ahead of anything I've seen in Canada.

As soon as you get here, the ringtones are the first cue you'll hear that lets you know you are in Asia. The age old rings of Canadian cellphones are hardly heard here due to the preference for ringtones that are actually popular songs. One can hear a good variety of both Chinese and English songs blaring when someone gets a call. Unfortunately, some song ringtones get very old, very fast.

However, the main difference is found when you call someone else's cellphone. Instead of hearing a ringing noise (which has supposedly annoyed many people in China) music and advertisement messages are played instead. This is great, especially if that person you're calling is taking forever to pick up on the other end. Sometimes, the songs ringtones or the ones I hear while waiting for a call of mine are so good, I am loathe for the person to pick up the phone and start talking to me!

I don't hear too much about telephone service companies. Cellphones are run quite differently from in Canada judging from what I have seen. You can buy cellphones for a lot or a little depending on what you want. After you get the cell phone, it is easy to find a SIM card (provided you speak Chinese). You just plug this simcard into the phone and you're making calls and playing song ringtones within seconds.

Photo credit:http://modemlooper.com/transformer-cell-phone-madness/

The Water Cooler - Come and get some while its HOT

You know, I haven't seen a water "cooler" in China yet, the cultural preference seems to be geared towards water boilers like the ones on the left! Contrary to Canadian water coolers that dispense cold or room-temperature water, their Chinese counterparts dispense lukewarm or boiling water.

I'm not sure how these things work exactly, but the water they provide is HOT and perfect for tea which most people seem to use them for! These can be found in public buildings, offices and just about everywhere working people are found. Thankfully, these encourage the use of mugs and thermoses instead of disposable cups. The reason for this is simple: Boiling water + thin paper cups with tea leaves = burnt fingers. There is a strong tea culture in the workplace where disposable Starbucks coffee cups have yet to penetrate.

On that note, Michael and I went to a Tea shop in Beijing which was gorgeous on the inside. The decorations, seating and, of course, the tea reflected a true Chinese cultural experience. To our surprise, this splendidly decorate teashop was nearly deserted. Conversely, the Starbucks, and its "standard" decor a few stores away was packed full of local Chinese flocking to experience a bit of Western "high class" culture. I have no problem with the Chinese people and their fondness of new things, my only hope is that they will always have an inner fondness for their own culture, lest it be lost in favour of a more "western" one.

Image credit: http://www.filtersource.co.nz/popup_image.php?pID=95&osCsid=5e956329ef3259042b4d02aa449c981b

About Buses - People Mountain People Sea

Now about that strange title, the translation for the word "crowded" in Chinese is 人山人海。 However, the literal translation of this is "people mountain people sea"! My colleague and I had a good laugh about this. Apparently, a misinformed store used the literal translation instead of the actual one!

I have had the chance to ride on a private Chinese bus twice. Because of its private nature, the bus driver tries to maximize ridership by stopping, yelling at people on the street to hop on, arguing with other bus drivers and is seen stepping out to generously help shove people inside to fill any spare space remaining. I didn't find the experience all that unpleasant but, of course, it was just a tad bit more of a people mountain than Canadian buses! I would not recommend these buses for those who become easily motion-sick as they are quite jerky and even had me (who has never gotten motion sickness before) feeling just a bit queasy! For the cost of only 2 RMB a ride, and provided that you can speak Chinese, these buses are quite the bargain for a real cultural experience!

I have recently been informed by a colleague that the private buses are a TEDA phenomenon. Apparently the buses in Beijing are public ones and will not stop if you try to flag them down. You can get on one of these at bus stations only. I hope to check one out sometimes, I wonder what they will be like!

I walk to work most days and I have to watch out for large vehicles such as these. I don't worry that they will hit me, I trust their driving skills which are quite good, but rather their extremely loud horns. The Chinese driving manner is to use the horn frequently to provide a gentle warning to other drivers and pedestrians that you are coming through. Because of this, the streets are often a cacophony of beeping of which, large trucks and buses such as these are the loudest. To give you an idea of how loud they are, take the loudest horn you have heard in Canada (mine was a firetruck which almost burst my ear drums) and multiply it by two! My worst experience was when I crossed the street once and one of these big guys came up behind me blaring. I think the passengers had a good laugh when I jumped at least two feet into the air before sprinting the rest of the way across the road. Now, whenever I cross the street, I make sure to stare at any vehicles coming my way. When I do this, the drivers never beep as they see that I know very well that they are coming and a curtesy honk is not needed. My strategy has worked as I have not had any other surprise horn experiences!

The Foreign Tourists Hate Me

For some reason, my interaction with 95% of the foreigners I have met so far in China have been very negative.

My finest example is when I was in Beijing. I was taking a stroll down Wangfujing, a bustling shopping area with surprisingly few tourists. I noticed a boy about my age who was also alone and was walking in the opposite direction. When I passed him, I gave a bright smile and said hello in my best English (sarcasm). Strangely, the guy just stared back at me, stone cold. Perhaps he doesn't understand hello, but at least return the smile! The awkward thing was I passed him twice later, still alone. However it comes as no surprise to me that he's having trouble making a friend or two.

This experience is not all that unique. The foreigners I have come across are generally far older than me and look at me in a sort of condescending way. They strut around, going only to the western Coffe shops and restaurants, wearing a condescending look on their face that really shows that in their head, they think they own the place. They seldom embrace local cultures, and new tastes (eg. Teahouses), always opting instead for things that one can find back at home (*cough* Starbucks *cough*).

I have seen foreigners become impatient with Chinese clerks who try their best to help them, and swear rudely in the street. On that famous Wangfujing, I passed by a group of foreigners gawking at one of the new structures going up. One of them had the nerve to comment in a purely condescending manner "There is no way that is going to be finished before the Olympics". I wish that I could have stopped him right there and told him it will probably be finished in a week or two, a full month before the Olympics! Moments like these really reveal how little even foreigners inside China know about the place.

When in Tianjin, I was talking a leisurely walk with a colleague down a street when suddenly, a foreigner emerged from a barbershop swearing at the top of his voice about how they "messed up my [CENSORED] hair. What kind of cultural ambassadors are these foreigners being? This occured on a crowded street full of Chinese locals, this can't reflect well on western culture.

Don't get me wrong, I have met some very nice and extremely friendly foreigners while I have been here. Its just unfortunate that the nice ones seems to in a very small minority.

In short, all that I can hope is that foreigners will improve their politeness, demeanor and openness to the Chinese culture. It would be nice if they could start returning my hello's as well, but I'm willing to let that one slide.

Drawing credit: http://www.kimrichter.com/Blog/2006_12_01_archive.html

Great Stuff at Unbelievable Prices

In China it seems, just about everything with the exception of foreign goods are for sale at great prices. It makes me wonder at times - why in the world is Canada more expensive for stuff that is not quite as good? At right we see a souvenir and antiques market in Tianjin where good prices can be found on anything from the famous Erhu (Chinese musical instrument) to telescopic police batons.

For example, I eat a good meal at a local Chinese restaurant for 10 RMB. That is less than $2 for a meal! One can also feed two for a comfortable 30 RMB or about $4 Canadian! I know that I've definitely had worse meals in Canada at a price of $10+.

This trend does not apply to food alone but also for a variety of consumer goods. A set of two gorgeous T-shirts with Chinese logos emblazoned on the front cost 55 RMB for two, that is about $8 Canadian for the pair. Wheras the best t-shirts I see in Canada cost at least $30 or 310 RMB, absolutely ridiculous. There have been claims that when clothing is sold cheaply, its because someone is working like a slave in a third world country. From my experience, I would have to debate this.

This is because the cheap clothing and the expensive clothing can be of the same quality, the difference is the massive markup. For example, in a news article a sweatshop in India was examined. this T-shirt was renowned in England for being the Primark 2-pound ($4 Canadian dollar T-shirt). T-shirts like this and the one in China are about the same quality and style as the expensive $30 ones. I can attest to this because I've washed one of the T-shirts I bought here and it is in good stead. Thus, the difference is not that the 2-pound T shirt is made in the sweatshop and the expensive one is not, both are made in sweatshops in the same areas but one is sold at a much inflated price! Thus, for people back in the west who claim buying more expensive clothing avoids sweatshops, I don't think this is the answer. What really helps is buying fair trade, organic and all of that good stuff as it gets to the core issues. Also, it seems like industries in China are improving greatly due to stricter government regulations and new laws put in place.

Great prices can be found for just about everything, from souvenirs, to decorations to normal everyday goods. A good pair of shoes can cost 120 RMB which is less than $20. The only expensive things are the foreign brands. Despite the fact that they are made in China, in the same factories by likely the same people, their costs can be up to 100x high than the Chinese brand equivalent. Of course, the name must be a lot and those foreign brands are certainly trying to bulldoze over solid Chinese brands that are making the same things. Effective marketing is key and Chinese brands are putting up a good fight. There are Chinese equivalents of Nike and other sports firms which are fighting the good fight, making solid products and producing exceptional advertisements that rival the world giants we are so familiar with back home.

The price dichotomies between China and the west are a double edged sword. It makes it very cheap for foreigners to shop and live in China. Unfortunately, western prices make it very difficult for hardworking Chinese to travel overseas to vacation. Hopefully, this dichotomy will soon be evened out so more Chinese can get the chance to travel, and bring their learnings home for the enrichment of China! Likewise, I do hope that more foreigners will get the chance to travel to China and return with stories of the wonderful times to be had in China!

Taxi Experiences in China

All of the taxis that I have taken in China so far have been clean, well-kept and notoriously efficient at getting me from point A to B. There are a good variety of options to choose from as well!

As you can see on the left, there are new cabs such as the one shown. This is a Beijing cab which has a different colour scheme from the ones in Tianjin (Which are brilliant sky blue) or any other city. There are many new taxis in the cities I have been so far, all with identical colour schemes. The only way to tell differences between taxi companies is via the Chinese writing on the front doors. There are older taxis as well which are obviously the older looking cars you see driving around. They come in solid beige or red hues and are not all that bad for a ride as well. Of course, they will be just a tad dirtier than the new ones. Both cabs go for the same transport price despite their age. Base price in Tianjin is 8 RMB or 10 RMB for Beijing to which expenses per kilometer are added. All of the seats are covered with a cloth cover of sorts and some even have fancy additions to the seat for your enjoyment. Knowing Chinese is a good idea for most cabs but some drivers I have come across speak excellent English.

In Tianjin, there are a great deal of female taxi drivers as well. To date, Tianjin is the only place in the world where I have seen so many female taxi drivers (With the exception of one I had a ride from in Kingston who drove a Toyota Prius!). Also, there is absolutely NO smoking in all cabs. This can explain why the cabs are all so clean here. Each cab also has a cage system to protect the driver and your safety. The cage is usually in the form of a grille between the front and back seat but some older cabs have a sort of cage enclosing the passenger side seat as well. One thing to note about driving in China is that almost nobody wears seatbelts. This is the same story for Japan as well. Taxis are no exception to the rule. Sometimes, there are no seatbelts, or the belt is present but the buckle is missing. Once, I tried to put on a seat belt for the front seat but the driver patted my hand until I eventually relinquished my efforts (I think that he took my desire to wear a seat belt as an insult to his driving!). Coming from Canada, you'll have to give up that seatbelt habit if you're going to fit in seamlessly in Asia's driving world!

The drivers are also quite adept at getting through tight spaces and getting you from point A to B fast. A friend of mine told me that one of the cabs she has taken drove up on the sidewalk to skirt a red light! There is also the potential to bargain with the drivers. They usually turn on the meter and give you a receipt but this money will go to the company. You can bargain by getting into a cab, telling the driver where you want to go and then naming your price. If they agree, they begin to drive, but if not, they look confused (if you are a foreigner) or get mad (if you look like you are from China). With me, I think they are so surprised that I speak chinese that they go a bit easier on me with deals! So far, my best deal is getting a 12 yuan trip for 10 yuan. I'm hesitant to go lower and risk getting a hard-working driver angry!


In larger cities there are also more amusing types of cabs for the enjoyment of locals and tourists. According to my colleague, pedicabs such as the one to the right are mainly a big hit with tourists! I had the priveledge of riding the one in the photo in Tianjin with my friend Michael. There are a good variety of pedicabs as well. There are the motorized type as seen here and also the pedal variety which of course I prefer due to their lack of carbon dioxide emissions (Not counting the cycling driver's breathing!). There are a range of seat configurations for the pedicab as well. From four seaters to single seaters, there is an ample range of configurations to meet your travel needs. However, like taxi cabs these pedicabs will not satisfly a seatbelt craving! The advantage of these smaller pedicabs is that they can go where no cab dares to venture. They can easily take you down crowded side streets or through popular shopping areas, weaving between people and honking to part the red sea of people between you and your destination.

Hospital of heaven - made in China

On Monday this week, I had the misfortune of falling ill with a Chinese cold. I'm fairly sure that it is not one of its Canadian counterparts as it is quite a different sensation. Strangely enough, it is not quite as miserable as its Canadian cousins which are always far more severe and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, it was significant enough that I decided not to head into work. One of my colleagues, who takes a great interest in my personal well being, insisted that I go to the hospital just in case my ailment was more than just a cold.

Thinking of hospitals back home, lengthy wait lines and more severe cases than my own, I insisted that I need not go. However, this was met with equal if not greater insistence and eventually agreed to go with her. We rode in a cab together to a large, marble clad edifice with a prominent sign with the inscription "TEDA Hospital". This building was certainly different from the hospitals one would initially expect to see in China. A large, artistic statue was outside, next to an expansive parking lot. Upon entering the facility, I observed that not a single surface was clad in a material inferior in quality to the marble that covered everything in sight. This had the effect making the entire inside area even fancier than even North America's top malls. The use of marble was not unusual. As its seems in China, most surfaces, from sidewalks to subways to bank headquarters are clad almost exclusively in marble. My colleague registered me with an efficient nurse in the reception lobby. This lobby was not like the ones I had become used to in Canadian hospitals. With its short lines and efficient service, it was far more like something one would expect to find in a hotel. My colleague then led me upstairs via an escalator which ascended to the second floor in front of a wall of glass that revealed a lush garden courtyard beyond the window. She led me to a room which consisted of an arcade of doorways. We tucked into one of these where a doctor attended to me right away. The doctor was a young woman, dressed in an immaculate lab coat. She gave my throat an examination and wrote some prescriptions for me on a sheet of paper. This paper we took downstairs back to the reception where a pharmacist attended to us immediately. While my medication was being gathered by the pharmacist, I noticed a very obvious foreigner behind me talking to one of the hospital staff. Fortunately for her, from what I could hear the staff member was speaking perfect english.

The overall experience was pleasant, rapid and left me completly awe struck. I find it incredible that my common cold was attended to in less than ten minutes wheras when I had a fainting spell back in Ottawa it took nearly a five hours wait before I was given any service.

Big Bad BBC

While writing my last entry I came across and article in the BBC that I find grossly misconstrues the state of China's media reporting. The original article may be found here. Essentially, this article is smearing the Chinese Government with a claim that it censors everything the media has to say. An article such as this is obviously meant to lead the reader to believe that as a result, nothing bad is said about China. I'd like to say that I find this article to be insulting to the quality of the Chinese media and also overtly biased. In fact, I've been browsing Chinese news websites for the past few days which openly report on the problems that led up to the quake or the aftermath. I read open reports from the Chinese media which acknowledged that building contractors were to blame for faulty construction and that corrupt officials which embezzled some money were found and punished. I also read a balanced report on how some party officials were caught embezzling relief money. This money was recovered fortunately and the officials suitably punished. I found an up to date example of such reporting here. Note: If China was anything like BBC claims it to be, any mention of quake relief embezzlement would not be mentioned because stuff like that is obviously not good for government appeal. Note as well, this is on CCTV, the news body that BBC claims to be so censored.

In short, I find the BBC to be a tad unreliable for honest information about China. This is because from its articles, I do not see much evidence of on the ground reporting on events such as the bag ban. I'm surprised that I can repudiate some of the claims of the BBC from just reading the Internet and Chinese newspapers which is the real groundwork required to write an article about China. I sincerely hope that the BBC, which I have loyally accepted as my source of news for at least five years now, reforms its way to become far more balanced and fair to the Chinese people, media and government.