Markets and Media in 21st Century China

I spent some significant time alone today for the first time since the beginning of the trip.

After dropping what seemed like a fortune at the "Gray Market" (after conversion, I only spent about $60 US), I took the subway toward ECNU. As it ends up, I went about a stop too far and ended up at the Jiangsu Road station.

I decided to stop for dinner near the station and decided on an upscale-looking restaurant which was called the New China Bistro. I was still relatively full from our lunch feast provided by the Shanghai Securities News, so I only got one dish, Black Pepper Calf.

Even before we arrived in China, our professors warned us to be prepared to be stared at. Indeed, I have noticed more than my share of stray glances in the past week and a half. But nothing could compare to tonight.

The looks I got were not just curious glances. They were full-on, honestly-do-you-mind, can-I-help-you-with-something gapes. As the local clientele passed my table, they would literally stop for a few seconds facing me before continuing on their way. One man aimlessless wandered back for a second gawk, and then leaned over the table to inspect what my American taste buds picked off of the menu. Buddy, if you want a bite, just say so.

I'm not sure what looked stranger them -- the fact that I was eating a communal dish all by myself or using chopsticks with my left hand. (Everything John Pomfret said about getting teased for our right-brain tendencies definitely still applies.)

As awkward as all of this might sound in a typical American setting, context here is a huge buffer for what would otherwise be intolerable. I really didn't mind being the odd conversation piece in the room, and it was only after I left that I thought how strange it would be at home to be the subject of so much attention. Many of us have already written about Chinese personal space (or lack thereof), and as long as you keep in mind that none of it is ill-spirited, you can stay pretty mellow -- no matter how cramped the bus is or how clingly the shopkeeper.

Alex Kraus

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The fresh tanks in front of a restaurant we ate at, Alex was a big fan of the bullfrog.
Posted by: Ryan MacPhee

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I had an amazing meal last night at a restaurant called Uncle Shanghai, located in the Shanghai Centre near the Bund. It was recommended as one of the best for Shanghai style cuisine in Prof. Luecke's guidebook, so we went out searching for it.

To say the place was fancy was a bit of an understatement. The decor was covered in rich, red velvet with gold trim, and gold beaded curtains to separate the many banquet rooms. It was a huge space -- "cavernous" as Prof. Pirkle aptly described it -- with rooms ranging from single tables to open lounge space.

Needless to say, I felt a bit underdressed in shorts and a T-shirt, but the many Chinese customers weren't exactly dressed up either. I noticed some Japanese groups and one or two Westerners, but the fact that the other four tables in our room filled up with Chinese customers was a pretty good sign, I think.

One of the dishes I ordered -- black pepper pork or beef thigh -- was simply incredible. It tasted like a pot roast that had been simmering for days. I had the first taste (which made me almost involuntarily exclaim, "Oh my God!"), and I got second, third, and fourth waves of vicarious pleasure watching everyone else's eyes bulge as they took their first bites.

I almost ordered the unintentionally funny "The Beef Curry You Ever Had?" but I decided I really ought to go for something more Chinese, and I'm happy I did.

-Alex Kraus

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Given that most of us don't know Chinese very well, one of the funniest experiences of our trip so far has been adjusting to the huge language barrier.

While our one-hour Chinese classes every morning have lessened our struggles, we continue to have some problems with shopping/traveling/eating to name a few:

Just yesterday we went shopping on the Bund in search of some quality fake Gucci/Chanel/Prada etc. merchandise. Though most Chinese can speak at least a little English, it was still difficult to convey what prices we were willing to pay. 600 yuan! No, 50 yuan (my starting price under $10). The haggling went on, quite hilariously as we each attempted for complete understanding.

Traveling brought on similar issues. Our first experience with purchasing subway tickets left us baffled as we tried to navigate the characters on the screen. Luckily we figured out that there was an English button and the language barrier was gone (for the moment).

Finally, our eating experiences have undoubtedly been the most frustrating, though entertaining. At the Hibachi restaurant we went to last night, we spent quite a bit of time trying to communicate that we did not want the tongue dish, or other items, and would stick with the noodles instead.

With that said, overcoming the language barriers is all a part of our Chinese experience.

Caroline Davis

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So far the food has been great. I expected the meals to absolutely blow my mind, but I can honestly say that they are not too crazy. The cafeteria food here at East China Normal University is not that great, but one can certainly manage. I would recommend going outside of the university's walls to discover some very nice restaurants. In fact, I have found that several restaurants outside the "second gate" of the university are extremely good. They surprisingly have a hint of American style chinese taste while remaining authentic to the Chinese ways.

Though the food is great, you have to have an open mind to some extent. Many dishes you try will have mystery meats, as I call them. I know on Tues. April 30th, we ate at a restaurant and a few of us though a dish was duck, where as I was skeptical, and looking back on it, the meat may have been frog. Nonetheless, it was very good. Anyone coming to China should come here with the knowledge that if they want to experience Chinese food, they must be ready to try new types of food... meats that may sound weird to American culture, but are very natural here in China. I have found that certain things I previously wouldn't have tried are actually very good.

This is week one of my eating experience and I believe that my thoughts are slightly skewed based on the fact that I am in Shanghai, a very culturally diverse area. It has been influenced by Western culture and may cater a little more to my taste than other areas. I will have to wait and see how things go when we go out to the country in the coming weeks... How will I feel about the food then?

Yours truly,
Thomas Hubka

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We had our first taste of Chinese food last night, from the Crystal Restaurant. Steamed dumplings were excellent!

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