Friday, May 1, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Article on culture
Dr. Londino
Article on Culture
As soon as we got off the plane, We could not help but be submerged into the Chinese Culture. No research or news could have prepared me for what I was about to experience on this amazing trip. The first thing I noticed in route to our hotel in Beijing was the amount of Buildings. It is like a steel heaven. This country is so densly populated. I saw from the outskirt of Beijing beautiful high rise apartments to shacks right outside our hotel in the middle of the city. Many of the streets are filled with Markets where you can by anything from designer brands to little souvenier trinkets. I can’t tell you how many times I heard, Pretty lady want a…
At the Markets and on the streets it amazed me how random people would look at us as a rare commodity. A lot of Chinese people, especially the older generation have yet to experience America and it’s people. People would walk up to you stare, touch you, pull your hair, and overall invade your personal space. At first this really made me uncomfortable but I got over it really quick. In China there is not much diversity when it comes to skin tone or non asian people so I can understand why we were a site to see.
The language barrier did not make it easy for us either. We relied on business cards to tell the cab drivers where to take us and calculators to purchase our new found treasures. I was also taken back when a cab driver handed me my tip back and would not accept it even when I tried not to take it. In this culture it is not customary to tip. Not only with cabs but in restaurants and bars as well.
This Ancient culture is unbelievable. Walking through the Forbidden City, The Great Wall, The Summer Palace truly opened my eyes to how old the Chinese heritage is. Thousands of years and pride is built into China’s City and it shows. The streets are very clean and well taken care of. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a man sweeping the side of a highway with a wooden broom.
Unfortunatley like New york, there are many homeless people walking the streets begging for money. What bothered me is, is that many of them were children doing the work while an adult watched them trying to guilt you into giving them money. One night it was about 4:30 in the morning, coming out of Shang Hai Night club, a little boy wrapped his entire body around my legs, like a kaola to a tree. It was so sad. I wound up picking him up and spinning him around. The smile I got from him was pure joy. So I gave 50 Yuan, so maybe I did get persuaded into giving him money. However I feel like he needed it more than I did.
The food here was very interesting as well. Markets filled with gourmet items like sacadas, scorpians, sea horses, baby chickens, dog and many more things I was not daring enough to try. I also was surprised to see items such as noodles and dumplings out for breakfast at our hotels. In China things they eat are much different in the United States. I wonder what they would think of our Chinese food.
I loved how all the streets were filled with Bicycles and reckless drivers. There was no true traffic patterns in some areas, which made for scary taxi cab experiences. I even saw a few cars driving on the side walk. Suprisingly I saw only one accident and it wasn’t in a traffic are like this, it was on a deserted high way. Go Figure.
With all my new exposure to the Chinese culture, it truly gave me a different perspective on how the United States is so different. We are very lucky to live in a place where all cultures have a chance to coexist without too much judgement. However I do admire the heritage and pride that is truly deserved over this ancient society. I am glad to be home.
Day 8 & 9
In the mornig we had to meet back at the hotel at 1230 to leave for Shang Hai!
With the time we had we before we left we did some shopping in another market!
We finally get to Shanghai and immediately we are taken to dinner in a beautiful hotel.
Day #9
The Jade Buddha Temple
The silk Factory
The Bund
Yu Yan Garden
Day #7
Today The Media students visited the Zheijing University where we had the opportunity to sit and speak with some of there Students! It was a beautiful campus. There media Depatment had a beautiful Set with great lighting and a blue screen. This is where Kevin and I did a pseudo broadcast! A little nerving for me to talkand improv in front of everyone but a wonderful experience. They then took us to see there control room where they had many large screens playing different tv channels all at once. After that we headed to there Sound and production room also filled with a sound board and screens directly in front of the sound board. After seeing there department we had lunch with the stuents in their cafeteria. I had the girls I was with pick out my food, because I wanted to eat what they thought was good. One of the girls informed me that the food in Hang Zhou tends to be sweeter then the other regions of China, and it was!
After the School we got to take a tour of Zheijing Television stations. We entered into a board room when we first got there where we were able to speak with the big wigs of the station. They taught us how the station is ran and how the company was ran. Here we also met anchors William and Angela who were very nice to take their time to show us around. We actually got to sit behind a professional set and also got to see their sound proof studio used not onky for Tv but musical performers as well!
We then had an intimate dinner at the stations restaurant with everyone we met from the studio! It was by far one of the most memorable days!
Day #6 Hang Zhou
After about a 3 hour drive we finally arrive in Hang Zhou ! Home of the West Lake and wonderful shopping! We quickly visited the West Lake took a few pictures and went to dinner! We ate at a restaurant close to a shopping are, so we took the opurtunity to walk down a street filled with stores. You can find anything here from designer, to knok offs, and souveniers. I definitely reached into my pockets on this walk back to our Hotel.
When we got back we changed clothes and went out for some fun Bar Hopping along the West Lake! Passing from bar to bar you hear live music playing at each one to attract people into them. We stopped at 2 bars, One called Sex in Da City. Leave it to us to find New York in China!
Day #5
Today we Flew to Xi’an. A short Flight thankfully. When we landed we immediately went into tour mode and was driven to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum! There we learned about the Terra Cotta Warriors! Life size warriors made during the Qin’s dynasty to protect his tomb. Not only just warriors were made but also Horses and Charriots! The Empereor was only 13 years old when he had men build these warriors! It tookroughly 40 years to finish them. When we actually entered the dig site It was Breath Taking! It is one of the most unbelievable things to see in real life.
Day# 4 Beijing Zoo & Temple of Heaven
This morning we went to a the market that we went to the night we landed! More Shopping!! We all later met up and took a ride on the subway! It amazes me that the subway only cost 40 cents to the general public and they let Senior citizens ride for free. We arrive close to our Destination The Beijing Zoo. One cab ride away and were there!
At the Beijing Zoo we saw many animals the Panda, lion, tigers and bears, Oh my! They had an American section which was on a lake! There Anderson and I sat down to relax for a bit, there were swans, ducks, black birds, and many other types of birds!
After the Zoo we Visited the Temple of Heave a temple where sacrifices were made and prayers to the gods were placed to ensure Rain and Good Harvest! It was mystical.
Today I actually lost my voice, I think it’s because of the polluted air because I am not not feeling well . You see women walking around in with face masks on and I wondered why? Now I know, I think.
Day #3 The Great Wall, The Tea House, Hu Tong
Recap of Day 3
The Great Wall was amazing! Leala, Neil, Ashley and I climbed all the way to the top! I was actually surprised about how steep it was. The Badaling section of the Great Wall that we visited is in northern Beijing It is the most well preserved area of the great wall. The great wall was built to protect China ‘s perimeter from the invasion of nomadic tribes. With the Severity of the incline and the steep steps up to the top, I can see how this was used to guard against the enemy.
The Tea House was nice. A women, a conassiuer of Tea if you will taught us about Tea in China. She showed us how to prepare it and also taught us that they use to for Medicinal Purposes. I am happy to find out that Black tea ppromotes Wait Loss. Guess which Tea I bought. ( Haha)
Market – Pretty Lady! Pretty Lady! This market was inbelivably big, a few floor actually ,like a mall. However you can bargain with everyone! I was a little intimidated at first but after a few transactions you really get the hang of low ballin the prices to get it where you want it to be. One women actually hit me with a shoe trying to get my attention, to look at her shoes! After that I needed to leave! It was getting to be a little overwhelming! But A great experience.
We went to the Hu Tong and honestly it was my least favorite part of the day. We went on a Rickshaw ride through the lanes of the Hutong however I felt uneasy about that. We road through narrow roads that were busy with people. It was actually kind of uncomfortable for me because I felt like, Here we are looking at your poor community on a Rickshaw. I don’t know maybe I shouldn’t have felt that way. But the people just stared at us and I just felt as thought we didn’t belong there. The Rickshaw took us to a locals home, which was pretty neat because we got to see how they lived. It had Two separate structures with a courtyard in the middle. It was very messy outside, empty bottles everywhere, laundry hanging out to dry, Cats and birds all around, potatos hanging from there pavilion, nothing I’m accustomed to. Inside was clean and tidy and followed the patterns of Feng Shui for example it is to good to keep watere in the front of the home , so they had a big bowl with some fish in the front door area. I found out that some house do not actually have toilets in them and they use a communal bathroom.
Day# 2 Beijing...Tianamen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace, The National Olympic Stadium
The first place we visited today was Tianamen Square.This square is the largest city square in world! Here in this square you will see many people taking pictures in front of the the masoleum of Chairman Mao and also in front of the Forbidden City entrance!
Inside The Forbidden City, was beautiful! Buildings with such Beautiful detail. This Imperial palace is welly taken care of an preserved. It is the largest palatial site in the world! This was home to emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties! More the 24 emperors have lived there!
After the Forbidden City we went to check out a Demo on how they shuck oysters for pearls. To my surprise not only 1 pearl is in an oyster like I thought. There is more like 20!
Summer Palace
The summer palace was another amazing place to go! We enjoyed a walk in this garden along the water.
The Birds Nest
After our LOOOOng day, we took a short trip to take pictures outside the The National Stadium! It was fun! I am glad we got to see the Birds Nest because ever since the Olympics, Whenever I hear about Beijing I always seem to picture in my head Beijing as the Bird’s Nest…Ha
