I'm Still Here! - Packing and Getting Ready to Go

The Bird's Nest Stadium!

I recently just returned from an incredible trip to Beijing, full of friends, Olympic games and adventures of Olympic proportions.

The Men's 100m final where Jamaica took the gold - I was there!

For anyone checking into this or sending me emails, I may not be posting or replying for up to a week. This is because I am in a frenzy of packing and sorting out last minute details before my return to Canada. When I return, I have to practice for a driving test and start getting ready for University once more. Keep checking back as I will continue posting during the school year and will start a photo album that spans the three months that I was in China. In the meantime, do send post requests and opinions so that I know what to focus on writing when I get a spare moment. And of course, do try to keep things green, and if you would like tips for that, I could most certainly post some up here as well!

Fun at the art gallery in an old factory district

Name Change!

My colleague just informed me that, apparently, green dragons have very very scary connotations in China. I trust her judgement, she's lived here her whole life! Hopefully the new name flies with all of you readers. For anyone coming on board late, the name of this blog went from "Green Dragon in Red China" to "Golden Dragon - Red China - Green Life". Sadly, the url is set in stone, but I guess that is something we will all have to live with (don't be scared).

My mom gave me the name Golden Dragon as apparently, I was born in the year of the golden dragon (1988). Much to my amusement, golden dragon is also a coach bus manufacturer. Some of my colleagues thought that I gave myself the name golden dragon because I liked the coach buses! From what I've heard, a mayor of Beijing also has the same name as me. I hope this name sticks, is culturally sensitive and doesn't ruffle any feathers (or scales) the wrong way.

**UPDATE** Sooo something was lost in translation. Apparently green dragons are not evil, they are just less common than black, silver and golden dragons. Thus, I am happy to announce that it is now safe to return to the old name - Green Dragon in Red China lives again!

Photo source:
http://www.core77.com/blog/images/chinese-dragon-red.jpg

Introduction

Enter the Dragon – Cheesy title, real implications

China – does anyone really understand it completely? I had the opportunity to come to China in the summer of 2008 as an Environmental Health and Safety Intern at the PPG Tianjin facility. Despite my half-Chinese background, my knowledge of China was extremely limited and essentially composed of a mishmash of biased media presentations, angry derisions from classmates at my university and the disrespectful pot-shots from westerners who believe they know everything about this great, mysterious land. However, nothing could have prepared me for the real China. Upon arrival, my expectations were exceeded, ideas changed and admiration heightened. In this blog, I hope to paint you a picture of a real experience of China, without all of those condescending biases which seem to be so often applied. I just want to say it outright that I adore China, and hopefully you’re interested in finding out why this is the case.

As for the title of the blog, I came to China with an environmentalist’s background. I am currently studying Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences at Queen’s University in Kingston. As you might have guessed, my education and surroundings often convey the idea that corporations are large and evil polluters, and that China is a scourge upon the world’s environment. Those certainly are strong and overtly biased lessons, but they seem to be stamped in many people’s minds over in the west. Conversely, as a green leaf blowing in the great winds of China’s change, I am more than pleased with the progress over here! I believe that China is taking great strides to improve its ecological footprint and is quickly becoming a world leader of environmental conservation. In this blog, I hope to communicate my daily experiences and powerful moments which have helped convince me that this is the case. I hope that this blog can stimulate debate, change minds and open eyes to the place I’m now experiencing. There certainly is a smokescreen up around China. I’m not sure why it is there, but I certainly hope that this blog will change things. Hopefully, my experiences will help cast off the shadowy veil of groundless, negative opinions that so many have used over time to blanket China. Hopefully, this blog can be a step towards more mutual East - West cooperation and understanding.