http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/ Washington and Lee students explore contemporary China hands-on en Copyright 2007 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:12:23 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss China, Inc.) Not to mention, many of the companies we visited had their own campus models in their in-house museums or lobbies. So with that, here are some of the better results. I will probably put many of these on Flickr later in high resolution, so I'll post the link for that when I do. Update: Photo set now on Flickr! Beijing urban development museum: Geely Automotive headquarters: Hangzhou Steel: Three Gorges Dam: -Alex Kraus]]> http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/china_in_miniature_models_phot_1.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/china_in_miniature_models_phot_1.html Photos Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:12:23 +0000 Most of us didn’t know each other before this trip. Actually, a lot of us haven’t even seen each other before this trip, which is rather lame considering the size of the campus. Yet, now we have become family. Our memories belong to a family album! The Family Album of the TIC group: The confused looks of Chinese receptionist when faced by the Issue of Prof. Pirkle and Prof. Luecke. They travel together, they eat together, they take care of kids together, but they each have a separate room? One of those receptionists tried to set our professors straight by offering them the honeymoon suite… Jess outrunning her new Chinese friends at 6:30 in the morning! While eating almonds! Alisha’s unbelievable bargaining skills she manages to pull even when her hair is “out of control”! Thomas’s Shanghai dancing moves! Bryce’s constant use of almost perfect Chinese! Amanda being the absolute player on the dance floor! Kristen’s crazy basketball skills on the Chinese courts! Christina’s sketchy meetings with “friends” outside our group, in China! Yeah right;) Alex K.’s supa-dupa cool dancing on a moving ship! Melissa’s unrequited love with conditioners and her odd desire to wash her hair 3 times with different shampoos! Sarah’s “first class” in the morning and “L.O.V.E.” in the evening! She was only singing:) Taylor’s intense concentration on the spinning meat dishes. Ryan’s unmatched skills in preparing dumplings and throwing girls over his shoulder! Matt’s incomprehensible for the Chinese American accent! Katie’s walks in her bathrobe! Caroline’s delightful loudness and (surprising;) victory in Linda’s musical chairs! Cami’s really real barking on the Great Wall. Alex W’s desire to stay true to the international experience even when he has to chose the animal the restaurant will “prepare” for his meal... Maggie’s wonderful days with the best China group in the world! Margarita Antonova http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/the_memories_of_a_chinese_fami.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/the_memories_of_a_chinese_fami.html Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:26:55 +0000 The big Chinese cities, just like big cities anywhere else in the world, look kind of the same: wide avenues, public buses, green parks and laundry out of the balconies are all part of the typical view. One certain way to distinguish between cities, however, is to pay attention to the cars people drive. An especially vivid example of how specific some cars are to some cities and thus to how decentralized the country actually is, is the differences between the taxis. In Shanghai all the cabs were VW Santana, in Wuhan – Citroën Elysee, in Beijing - Hyundai Elantra. Actually that trend reflected the fact that each model was produced by the factories of that city. The most interesting fact about the streets of China, however, is that you can see as many American cars as European. Nowhere in the world have I seen a Peugeot right next to a Buick. Peugeot and Citroën don’t even sell in the US – an understandable but also an increasingly unwise decision since the States have a higher demand for small cars, a demand mostly Japanese owned brands satisfy. And seeing a Chrysler or a Chevy in Europe is quite an event since it is almost impossible. It’s kind of funny – China has been trying to isolate itself from the world for years. Now it brings the world together! Margarita Antonvoa http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/the_cars_in_china.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/the_cars_in_china.html Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:25:47 +0000 The Chinese are a rather shy nation, except when they have cheap colorful things to sell you. Then they forget all inhibitions and approach you fearlessly, even when you are moving at 15 miles an hour! We were enjoying our rickshaw ride through the Hutong area of old houses in Beijing when the tour guide made us stop and get together to hear a short history of the place. The streets in the Hutong are very narrow and there is hardly any room between the houses. Nevertheless we were immediately surrounded by an army of sellers. They were all equipped with big bags full of everything they thought we might want to buy: bags, bags for the bags, purses, chopsticks… Saying “no, I don’t want” or “bu yao” didn’t help. We thought we were safe once we got on the rickshaws again and our riders sped away. Suddenly, as if they were hiding them in their huge bags, the sellers got on bicycles and started chasing after us. China definitely makes you feel like a star! When they caught up with my rickshaw, the Chinese lady pulled out two sets of 10 pairs of chopsticks. “Eighty!” she said. Was she mad? We were moving! She hardly had her hands on the bike! “Lady, lady,” she said again, “fifty!” I looked ahead. The tall brick fences were closing up making the street probably 3 feet wide. The lady disappeared, so I thought she had given up. The moment the fences opened up some more space she appeared again “Twenty, lady, twenty!” Someone in the group said once that in China you buy even the things you don’t want just because they give a price you can’t refuse. Twenty Yuan for twenty sets of chopsticks was my price. My fear of collision between our rickshaw and the bicycle also contributed to my decision to take the deal. I only had a fifty though. So there we were moving through the narrow street along with the seller on her bike. I gave her my fifty, she gave me the chopsticks and somehow without losing her balance on the bike or anything, reached into her pocket and gave me my change. It was the most intense purchase I have ever done! Margarita Antonova http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/extreme_shopping_in_beijing.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/06/extreme_shopping_in_beijing.html Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:24:49 +0000 And one of my favorites... -Alex Kraus]]> http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/the_best_of_chinglish_series.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/the_best_of_chinglish_series.html Chinglish Photos Thu, 31 May 2007 20:18:35 +0000 It is my last day in China and I’m ready to go home. This has been the greatest experience of my life. I walked into this trip dreading the idea that I would be surrounded by a culture that I have been avoiding for my entire college career. It made me a bit apprehensive about actually going on the trip. No, I’m not talking about China; I’m talking about Washington & Lee’s social culture. After this trip, I feel I can graduate with no regrets. I am happy that I came to China with this group of people. Being in a foreign country has forced me to interact socially with W&L students that I had never met before and had never even bothered to notice. Although I am elated to leave China and go home, I am sad to leave my newfound friends. Like Ryan said in a previous blog entry, we have become a very tight knit family. The people on this trip have made my last days as a student the most memorable days of my life and I am thankful for each one of them. I will cherish the memories of each person on this trip for years to come. Even if I can’t remember all the names of the places we visited here, I will never forget the 19 people that made this trip the climax of my college career. If I had not come to China, how would I have ever known Caroline’s free spirit, Momma Katie’s helpful hints, Danner’s inner child, Ryan’s hair toss, Bryce’s chatty side (only in certain situations), Amanda’s connection to a family friend, Alex Kraus’s paparazzi-like photo skills, Alex Webber’s famous line “Hey baby,” Taylor’s love of basketball, Jess’s sincere concern for anyone that she meets, Maggie’s love for Australia, Kristin’s sarcasm, Melissa’s love for mothering, Sarah’s beautiful voice, Thomas’s awesome dance moves, Professor Luecke and Alisha’s love for personal guided nature walks, and Professor Pirkle’s adoration for our favorite tour guide Philip. And to my favorite roomie ever, Christina Dixon, I love the feisty personality that is hidden by your innocence. I am going home to graduate with no regrets. And thanks to the China ’07 group, I will leave campus with nineteen new friends! With Love, Cami Morrison Minister of Hotness for T.I.C. (This Is China) Washington & Lee University ‘07 http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/reflections.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/reflections.html Retrospectives Wed, 30 May 2007 02:26:31 +0000 In our five weeks in China, we have seen the most beggars in Beijing. It seems as if they are flocking to touristy areas. In Tiananmen Square, they all seemed to be children or teenagers. But they looked very different from all the beggars I have seen in other parts of China. Imagine seeing a child that is deformed. Not just any deformity, but one you have never seen before. He has all of his extremities and they are proportional to his body, but his legs don’t have any bones. His arms work just fine and help him to push himself around on a scooter. You watch him bend his legs into contortions to serve as arm rests or just as play toys while he begs for money. There is another scooter. This time, it looks like a teenage boy. He is using his hands to get around. You notice that his legs are mangled too. They have bones but they have grown together as if they were stuffed into something. I asked our guide, Pen Pen, why I was seeing so many children with these types of deformities begging in the same place. She told me a very sad story. Begging is part of organized crime in China. People kidnap babies and young children in order to put them to work as their beggars. These children are sometimes stuffed into vats in order to make them grow with birth defects so that they can collect more money. -Cami Morrison http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/organized_crime.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/organized_crime.html Beijing Wed, 30 May 2007 02:24:46 +0000 Great Wall Group 3! Awesome scenic view on the Great Wall Great Wall again Looking down on the Wall from one of the numerous treacherous staircases we climbed. Katie and I posing on the hike up to the Wall Bryce and I before our hardcore hike on the Great Wall! We saw this sign before we camped out on the Great Wall that night. Oops haha. Getting a glimpse of the sun coming up after our sleepover on the wall Random picture but I saw this little baby in the Forbidden City and couldn't resist snapping the shot. The Forbidden City definitely has a Starbucks inside its gates. Here are a bunch of us enjoying our frappachinos! Danner, Bryce, Katie and I in Tiananmen Square together. ]]> http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/snapshots_of_china_great_wall.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/snapshots_of_china_great_wall.html Beijing Great Wall Photos Tue, 29 May 2007 18:20:19 +0000 Hot water, almost too hot, has been abundant in China. All hot things, for that matter, have been accessible. Very cold drinks are hard to come by. This is opposite of what I am used to. Americans like a very cold drink on a hot day. Chinese, however, like warm things. Many believe that cold drinks are bad for you. Instead, on a hot day, some hot tea would make you sweat even more releasing toxins and any evil spirits. This probably corresponds to how hot the Chinese can get their water. In Henglu, the water given to us to drink and for brushing our teeth was too hot to use for the first hour. It was placed in a very well insulated bottle that kept the water hot for hours. If you used it to brush your teeth straight from the bottle, you would burn yourself. We would let it sit in the insulated bottle until the morning and the water would still be warm! I don't know how they got the water so hot. The shower water also displays this characteristic. In the States, I turn the nozzle for the shower water almost to the hottest temperature. In China, I can't even turn it halfway. It is on the cold side and the water is hot. A couple times I would get out of the shower and turn the water fully to hot. It would steam immediately and form a sauna in the bathroom. I never realized the reason why or how the water was able to get that hot. -Bryce Foster http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/hot_water.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/hot_water.html Culture Tue, 29 May 2007 18:02:21 +0000 One of the last days in Beijing we were taken to one of the famous shopping places. Because Caroline and I had no money and were actually in debt, we had to hit up the Bank of China to get some yuan. This took about 45 minutes and then we were off. Most of the vendors are aggressive, to say the least. They have no problem grabbing your arm and pulling you into the store. The first thing I looked at was a shirt. Of course, the girl started her price ridiculously high and I claimed that I would only pay for a very small price. Then the bargaining began. Her price was still too high for what I was willing to buy. Therefore, I told her I didn't want it and walked away. This was when she started accusing me of being ugly and stupid. She also said Caroline was too good for me and should be with someone more handsome. I replied back that she wasn't a good salesperson. One of the more memorable shopping experiences happened when I was looking at a coat. About four girls worked at this place. I had tried it on and decided on a price. I pulled out 100 yuan from my pocket and paid. One girl, seeing where my money came from, decided to try to go into my pocket to go after more money. I grabbed her arms and we started to sort of wrestle. She wouldn't stop so I decided to pick her up from her legs. I lifted her about six inches off the ground until I knew that I had scared her. I put her down and she proceeded to sit on the ground, happy to be grounded. Need I say she didn't try to go after my money again. Hair is rare in China. My arms have been rubbed at least six times in China, by people in awe of how hairy my arms are. Yesterday, my beard was rubbed by one of the vendors. (So was Caroline's.) We tried to rub the vendor's face back, but she wouldn't let us. One time, one of the men who rode me around in a cart, wanted to compare arms, legs, and chest. It was very entertaining for both of us. -Bryce Foster http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/hair_is_rare.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/hair_is_rare.html Beijing Shopping Tue, 29 May 2007 17:41:30 +0000 When we were served lunch on the domestic flight from Chongqing to Beijing, I didn't realize my rice was dining for two. On the initial flight from Chicago to Shanghai, the American man next to me warned me about domestic flights. Landings, he said, were a bit like skipping a rock across a pond. Great, I thought. So I was prepared for a bumpy ride, but not much else. It was early afternoon, and our domestic flight company Sichuan Airlines (which we nervously joked that we never heard of before) served us lunch. Luckily, our faithful guide Pen-Pen made sure that we had lunch earlier. (At a "registered tourist site," no less. That's become a bit of a running joke among our group since then.) In retrospect, I'm glad I had some good food before the flight. The airline lunch consisted of pork and rice heated in an aluminum tray, plus a bento-like box of breads, fruits, and some other unidentifiable pouches. I rarely turn down free food, so I went ahead and pecked at the rice. It wasn't particularly good. As I got down to the last few mounds of rice, I noticed a little black "special extra" in the rounded corner of the dish. I ignored it at first, thinking it was some kind of seasoning. It's not unusual for us to get all kinds of inedible seasonings stuck into broths and noodles. But the second time I noticed the long black oval was not a seasoning, but rather a long-dead roach, I let out a long string of "Oh my God"s that killed whatever conversation Alex Weber and I were having at the time. Alex inspected it also. It made him laugh. It made me a little green. If this had been the United States, I would have made such a stink with the flight attendants that I would have free flights for a lifetime. But... "This is China," as we like to say as our all-encompassing, legitimizing, grin-and-bear-it motto, and so I put the lid back on what was left of my rice and roach and tried my best to enjoy the rest of the flight. Wishing he could forget, Alex Kraus]]> http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/waiter_theres_a_bug_in_my_flig.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/waiter_theres_a_bug_in_my_flig.html Beijing Tue, 29 May 2007 17:10:27 +0000 Good-bye blog. We've had a good run at it. Our relationship probably wasn't as good as it could have been seing that this is only my eighth posting, exactly the number we are required for class. Maybe blogging just isn't my thing, but you did help me get out my most interesting moments in China to the entire world. So all those always anxiously awaiting to hear my gripping Chinese tales, this is the end and I bid you farewell for tomorrow I head off into the Chinese sunset. Or maybe it's the sunrise, I still don't really understand that whole time difference thing. I've come so far since first setting foot in the great city of Shanghai where it took me a good half an hour or so to cross the busy streets and where I paid more than double what I should have for a fake Polo. I'll miss the wonderful countryside of Henglu where I met my other Chinese half in a young girl named Jenny, who might be the kindest soul I've ever met. I honestly can't say much about Hangzhou and Wuhan because honestly I really just didn't like those cities. Sorry to all you Hangzhouinians and Wuhanites -- it's nothing personal, your cities just aren't that much fun. Beijing, however, has been phenominal to me and I hope to return. I am finally able to cross the road at my leisure like a pure blood Chinese, my haggling skills have improved significantly and I've even made some close friends in this crazy adventure that has been China. I definitely will miss this exotic country, but I certainly will not miss this blog nearly as much. Perhaps I will return some day and if you are lucky maybe I will blog about it, but don't get your hopes up. So signing off from China.... Your Favorite Blogger, Matt Danner http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/good_bye_blog_and_good_bye_chi.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/good_bye_blog_and_good_bye_chi.html Retrospectives Tue, 29 May 2007 15:17:39 +0000 I have finally gathered enough strength to write this blog after being on my deathbed for the last two days. Oh no, it wasn’t the Chinese food that had me heading for the bathroom, it was Outback Steakhouse. You’ve been warned. Of course it would be the only American food I’ve had in weeks that would make me restrict my diet to water and white rice for the past few days. For the past five weeks we have eaten everything from the stomach lining of a pig to little fish bodies. I’ve even picked at chicken brain. I’ve eaten strawberries from a vender off the street of Shanghai, rinsed with a little bottled water, and lived to walk another day. And I know most of us have become big fans of the sea cucumber (sarcasm). Since Pen-Pen has joined us we haven’t had to question the quality of the meals placed in front of us, so I’ve been willing to experiment with whatever has been set within reach of my chopsticks (even though my chopstick skills seem to still be relatively shaky). Lesson learned: should have had Pen-Pen sitting next to me at dinner at Outback because maybe she would have instructed me to go a step beyond medium-done steak. This trip hasn’t just opened up to me a new world of experimenting with new foods but also to the Chinese culture focused on concepts such as saving face, competitive entrepreneurialism, and of course the art of bargaining; however, exposure to those last three haven’t left me sick to my stomach. Prof. Luecke has nursed me back to health, Sarah McCarville http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/as_alanis_would_say_isnt_it_ir.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/as_alanis_would_say_isnt_it_ir.html Tue, 29 May 2007 15:14:29 +0000 As our final day in China comes to a close, I cannot help but be so unbelievably SAD. Although I cannot wait to breathe fresh air and see all those left behind in the States, I am not yet ready to leave China. This experience has been an unforgettable one from the cruise down the Yangtze to the 9-mile hike on the Great Wall. I'll really miss the crazy bikers, yummy food (well, if Pen-Pen orders), Chinglish, designer everything (believe it or not, there is a whole floor in the Silk Market dedicated to Dolce and Gabbana undies...weird, huh?), and everything else Caroline mentioned. I'll also really miss bargaining for a 5 Yuan reduction in my silk robe, only to walk away 2 minutes later and realize I just bargained over a measly 70 cents. Hey, that’s China for you. It cannot wait to get back to W&L and the speaking tradition, and not have to worry about “hello” being misunderstood for, “hello, please tell me your life story.” One must be careful in China of saying “Neeee haooo” to a stranger. If that stranger knows English, beware, they will follow you and ask you endless questions in an attempt to strengthen their English. Oh China, how I love thee! These 5 weeks have been an experience that will be difficult to match. How often do you get to travel for an extended period of time to a country half way across the world, while studying what you love? I’d say not very often. I am so glad this opportunity presented itself, and will always hold a special place in my heart for China and the members of this trip. Going to miss the Ni Hao's, Kristen Krouchick http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/zai_jian_china.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/zai_jian_china.html Retrospectives Tue, 29 May 2007 14:33:27 +0000 The class had the pleasure of having foreign correspondents from the Miami Herald, NPR, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. It was unique, and not just because I used one of their articles in my original research paper. Their visit gave us an opportunity to talk to people who have the opportunity to research and travel within China more than any other Westerner. Even business majors were intrigued by the stories that they tell. They told stories of evading authorities, working within the confines of an authoritarian government, and of choosing the best story to write, because they're so many to choose from. I enjoyed their talk, because they were an expert on any subject we inquired about -- organic food, the property market, rural revolts -- they knew everything. At the same time, we've noticed that just about every foreigner who's lived in the country for a long time echoes the Chinese government's position on human rights, economic development, etc. Perhaps there's something to that -- I've noticed some of it myself. Perhaps there's some wisdom to building the Three Gorges, perhaps the government is wise for emphasizing a "harmonious society" over a democratic one, perhaps China is working to curb pollution. Or, we could just be internalizing state propaganda in our daily papers, daily newscasts, and from anyone we talk to. Perhaps this is why foreign correspondents are required to move every three years -- it's easy to adopt the view of the billion people who live in the country in which you work. I've enjoyed my time in China and have learned much about the country. It will be even more interesting to reflect on the trip when the Beijing 2008 Olympics and 2010 Shanghai World Expo take place. Will we adopt the view of protectionists and pro-democracy advocates when we're back in the States? Or will we stay committed to the China Daily editorial line? Talk to me in 3 years. http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/foreign_correspondents.html http://bloggery.wlu.edu/chinablog/2007/05/foreign_correspondents.html People Tue, 29 May 2007 10:58:22 +0000