Before you Tweet…

Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to claim innocence or cast stones at the guilty.  I will be the first to admit, I am as guilty as anyone of spewing out words that I later wish I could take back, or making swift, bitter, comments in the heat of the moment without slowing down to realize the impact of my words. Therefore, I write this as a reminder to myself, as well as a reminder to others because I think we all need it from time to time.

I feel the world changed for the worse on November 6th, 2012 after a long heated season of campaigning, debating and speculation. It wasn’t the outcome of the election that was the problem – it was the instantaneous explosion on social media. For the first six days of November social media was filled with Today I’m thankful for… in the spirit of Thanksgiving netizens were using twitter, facebook and other outlets to say each day for the month of November what they are thankful for. Joy, happiness and gratitude were instantaneously spread throughout the world as millions focused on the positive.

But around 11:15pm eastern time, Obama was declared to be the next president of the United States of America and all gratitude, warm fuzzy feelings, appreciation and consideration went out the window. The world (by way of the web) exploded with exclamations of the tragedy, the horror, the end of the country we love, the agony and pain that we will experience over the next 4 years and a loss of hope as our country will surely go to ruin. On the other side, there was gloating, pride, in-your-face-suckers smirks, rubbing dirt in the face of defeated opponents.

The morning after the election when I woke up to a news feed full of ranting and raving, I posted this: so much hatred on facebook today. Seriously people? I get that half the country is pissed off, but do we have to be so bitter and hateful? Is that really going to help anything? I ♥ my friends, democrats and republicans alike. I’m glad y’all care about your country and got out to vote. So now show that you care about America and your fellow Americans by having a little respect and making the most of what we have.

Which, again, I should have prefaced with – I know I am guilty as well, just as both sides of the political realm are guilty.

But today, as I read beautifully written blog post by Jo Ashline (click here) and her view on the “Sad and Tragic Day for Our Nation“.  I began to think more about how grateful we should all be in light of, or despite of the outcome of our election. I began to think about how my own attitudes and words should be a bit more humble, a bit more appreciative and a bit more grateful. I began to think about how I should stop, think and reexamine my words before I go off on someone, or something in anger, impatience, disappointment or selfishness. How maybe I should think more about how I have been blessed and less about how much better things could be if….. (fill in the blank).

You may disagree with Obama’s politics.  You may disagree with universal healthcare, foodstamps and abortion.  You may believe that our government is falling apart and only encourages freeloaders who don’t want to work or pay for their own needs.  You can believe whatever you  want, but maybe you could consider how good you have it to be born in and to live in this country, whether Obama or Romney, Bush or Clinton, or Big Bird or Rush Limbaugh is president.

As Jo mentioned so eloquently in her blog, Some are elated tonight, and some are downright depressed, but know this: we get to pick again in 4 years. Before you bad mouth our country, try living somewhere else, where there is No choice and truly No hope. Count your blessings America, because there are many.

It is only four years, then America can choose again.  We have the right, the freedom, the ability to chose.  Four years seem like an eternity to you? Why don’t you consider this:

China – where I recently spent 14 months – is choosing a new leader soon who will serve for the next ten years along with a small elite group of individuals from China’s one political party, the communist party.  These the leaders will be chosen by 2200 delegates of the communist party in an incredibly secretive selection process in Beijing.  What about the other 1.3 billion citizens of China?  Oh well, they don’t have a say.

If those other 1.3 billion individuals do want to talk about what they think of the government and politics, they certainly can’t do it freely, not even on the internet. They live in a world where YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and countless other websites are restricted for most people, and their own social media outlets such as Weibo and Renren are heavily censored.

While I was in China, LinkedIn was suddenly shut down without reason or notice for several days, later determined to be because of talks of civilian protests online.  At one point, the Chinese name for Hillary Clinton was censored and any comments about her were blocked because of comments she made regarding human rights in China.

Whether or not you think the government should regulate healthcare and payment for healthcare, shouldn’t you be grateful that you have healthcare?  Think about the little girl that came to Shanghai to receive medical treatment in the summer of 2011 – I blogged about her and two other children here.

Lu Guo Yin, studies at Qiao Man school, has no medical record. Her eye was injured because a thorn poked into her eye. Because she lives in a very rural area, she couldn’t get treatment immediately, now she has lost her eye sight in her left eye.

Normally, to receive any sort of medical treatment these kids would have to travel over 7 hours.  Even then, the treatment would be primitive at best.

She ended up having her eye removed and received a prosthetic eye.  With access to healthcare, this would have been a minor injury, easy to recover from with full vision. She, by the graciousness of strangers, traveled for two days far far away from home and went through a traumatic surgery in a run-down Chinese hospital. Yet we complain about healthcare.

India – Another 1.2 billion people, another booming third world economy, another example of oppression, extreme poverty and lack of freedom. Before you talk about how Obama is a terrorist and having him in office is suicide for our nation. Then drive your $40,000 car to the church of your choosing on Sunday, and take $5 out of your Louis Vuitton purse to throw in the offering to do your part for those less fortunate – why don’t you go meet some of the people I met in India last year.

Go talk to the family who lived on $20 a month, and dedicated their lives to spreading the gospel. Spreading the gospel in a place where it is forbidden.  Every day facing the reality that they could be beaten, killed or thrown in jail for sharing their faith with others. Continuing to spread the word of God even after being beaten and thrown in jail, and watching the same thing happen over and over to friends and family. Continuing to pack one room shacks with one light-bulb and no plumbing full of people in villages of “untouchables” to hold church services. Go spend time with people who have absolutely nothing but their faith which they are persecuted for and then tell me how awful it is that you have to live through 4 more years of Obama.

Thailand - Did you know this is part their constitution? “The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated. No person shall expose the King to any sort of accusation or action… Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years.”

How would you like to spend 15 years in prison for mouthing off about the president? Be grateful, you don’t have to.

Burma – Did you know that only 0.2% of citizens have internet and only 1% of individuals have a cell phone?

Cambodia – Did you know they were under communist rule until the early 90′s – if you studied something other than Russian or Vietnamese you were thrown in prison.  Just over 30 years ago, a quarter of the population of the country was killed.  Killed for being educated, killed for having an opinion, killed for the sake of being killed.

The internet has changed our lives, for better or worse.  With social media thousands of people around the world can hear your thoughts and opinions within seconds. Your words have a lasting impact on people near and far. I know we have differing opinions, beliefs, priorities and desires, but would it be too much to ask to just stop and think before your next rant online. Let’s go back to being thankful, thankful for being born in a country that provides us with more freedoms than most of the world could even imagine. Let’s be thankful for democracy, even with it’s imperfections. Let’s be thankful for the right to vote and be heard. Let’s be thankful for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Or, don’t. Complain, rant, insult, be hateful, bitter and ungrateful. That works too. Because you have freedom of speech and can say whatever you want.

I am a Slingshot

I discovered a few days ago that I am a human slingshot.  Just go with me for a minute, okay?

When I was nine years old, my family moved from Vermont to Hungary, where my mom taught English for a year.  When we return to the States, after a short stop in Vermont, we drove across the country and moved to Oregon.  Where I have spent the majority of my days.

Now, fast forward almost TWENTY years, I just got back from 14 months of teaching English in China.  After a couple month stay at home in Oregon, I am driving across the country to move to Nashville, TN.  Yes, that is correct I am moving to the southeast United States.  Once again, uprooting myself, taking on a new city where I don’t know (hardly) anyone and continuing this adventure we like to call life.  At least they speak English in Nashville – I just need to work on my drawl.

What does this have to do with a slingshot?  Visualize it for a second… I was in Vermont – then was pulled back, across the Atlantic Ocean to Hungary – after a year, I was flung back across the ocean, past where I started, to the opposite coast of the USA.

This time, I was pulled the other way… the human slingshot stretched me back across the Pacific Ocean to Shanghai, China and I’m continuing to be hurled across the country again, until I land and settle in Tennessee.

A human slingshot.  So… if I ever decide to make my way back to living on the West Coast (which I would love to do sometime because I still don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to live in the glorious Pacific Northwest), I might just have to spend a year in Africa or something first.

This all being said… people keep asking if I’m going to continue blogging.  Well, about what?  Life in America surrounded by a bunch of Americans just isn’t as entertaining, challenging, exciting and blog-worthy as living in Shanghai.  On the other hand… I’m moving to Tennessee, I’m a Pacific NW girl, who just spent how long in Asia?  Yea, Tennessee might present me with some culture shock.   That and I just enjoy writing and having an avenue to ramble on about things for longer than the typical Facebook status message.

I cannot, however, write about life in Nashville on a blog named “Life in China” which is why I am here to announce I am starting a new blog… Life in Crazy Town that is juliakeepswriting.wordpress.com.  So please subscribe to my new blog, and continue following my life’s adventures post China.

Thoughts upon returning…

Have I really been back in the States for over 3 weeks?  My how time flies.  Culture shock is to be expected when you leave your homeland and travel abroad; yet, culture shock also works in reverse. After spending a significant amount of time in a culture different than your own, you return and are shocked at how strange things seem; things that are oh-so-familiar just seem odd.

Here are a few of the thoughts that have crossed my mind in the last weeks of being home.

Wow.  There are SO MANY white people here!  And the words ‘so many’ are relative to other ethnicities because really there is hardly anyone here.

It is empty… the airports are empty, the streets are empty, the stores are empty.

Portland is SO quiet, peaceful, clean! The air smells so good! I’m so overwhelmed!

Shhh… you hear that?  NOTHING, oh wait, there is a bird… silence is amazing.

Everyone is so friendly!

There are so many conversations to eavesdrop on… Everyone is speaking English!  I can understand it all!

Where are all the Chinese characters?

Portland (which until 2011 was the biggest city I had ever lived in) is so SMALL & cute!  Look at those quaint little buildings downtown that think they are skyscrapers… how adorable.

Clouds are so cool.  I could spend hours staring at the clouds.  They are all different types, shapes, sizes, colors… they are magnificent and beautiful.  Some bring rain, some don’t… Some are wispy, white and whimsically float through the air.  Some are big, billowing, beastly and loom over the valleys.  In China, it was often cloudy… or just smoggy, but I realized I never really saw the clouds.  In Shanghai, you get one type of cloud – the monotone, all encompassing, sheet of gray – with a hint of brown.  There is no variation, no beauty, no personality in the clouds.  But here… oh, clouds are mind bogglingly fascinating.

Can’t I just swipe my Shanghai subway card? (When looking for cash to pay for a public bus ride in Portland. Fact, a ride on the bus in Portland is about the same as the starting fare for a taxi in Shanghai.)

The freedom to drive and the open road – LOVE IT!

Wow, us Americans spend a LOT of time in the car.

People are fat.

Does everyone in America always wear that much make-up?

Holy crap this place is expensive! (When I find myself converting everything back to RMB in my mind.)

Seeing Asian babies and children makes me happy… like, an “I feel at home” sort of happy.

Was I really in China for over a year?  Was that just a dream?

I hate small talk.  Small talk after returning from Asia sucks.

“Oh wow, you were in CHINA?  For HOW LONG?”

“Yup, 14 months.”

“Wow! How was CHINA?”

Seriously?  How does one respond to that?  We have 30 seconds for small talk and you want to know how China was?  Here’s an idea… read my 96 blog posts.  Then ask me a better question.

Bubble tea in Portland sucks.  I want to go back.

You say “Chinese food” but I don’t think you mean Chinese food… at every Chinese restaurant I go by… I know they are only there to disappoint me, so I don’t bother going in.

You are 3-D? (My response to seeing my boyfriend after 4 months of video-chatting online and not seeing each other in person.)

I’m BORED… Unemployment is no fun.

I watched more TV in 3 days than I did in the past year.

Grocery stores – AWESOME.  They are huge, they have so-so-sooo much selection.  They are neat, they are organized, they have so many familiar things.  It is sort of like heaven… but a grocery store.

Smile, say thank you.  Cashiers at grocery stores and other places here don’t just glare at you or completely ignore you, so you can be nice back.

What?  My ID?  Why do you want to see my ID?  Oh yea… we control who buys alcoholic beverages in this country.

Public restrooms – they have toilet paper, they have soap, many have paper towels, they don’t smell all that bad… and I even dare to sit on the seat occasionally.  Seriously, a girl could get used to this!

AHHH, I’m gonna die!  Oh wait, people STOP for pedestrians here.  Random… I mean, I know I do have the right of way, but you actually stopped for me?!?

Don’t run into people, don’t run into people… I know they are in your way, but you are in America, you need to be nice.  You can’t just bump people out of your way here.  Be polite, Julia.

Darnit… we have to tip.  The no tipping custom in China is an easy one to get used to.

Yes, I’m home.  Home in a place that sometimes seems so foreign, but only because something truly foreign became such a home.  It’s definitely an adventure, whether you are coming or going.

In Transit

I’m sitting in the Vancouver, BC airport.  It is 6:22am, Tuesday in Shanghai, and 3:22pm, Monday in Vancouver.

I woke up over 22 hours ago, stressing, worked up, anxious.  Got everything packed and ready to go.  Had an amazing lunch with a couple good friends and then had a lovely, relaxing, just what I needed, 60 minute massage, before leaving for the airport. (I think I need another one post flight!)

My flight was good, despite only getting about an hour of broken-up, interrupted, uncomfortable sleep, the 10.5 hours went by fairly quickly.

As my plane took off from Shanghai, I was full of emotions.  A mix of emotions.  A season of my life is ending, my life in China.  It was an amazing adventure, an unforgettable 14 months.  I enjoyed life to the fullest, I made connections and friends that I will never forget, I saw so much, learned so much, grew so much.  I’m sad to leave it behind, but I’m excited for the new adventures awaiting me.  I’m anxious to see what is next, where life will take me, all of the new things that are in store.

I felt it was appropriate to update the world on my life from the Vancouver Airport, I do have a history of blogging from this airport.  Normally, it is on my way TO China though, and I’m much more awake and coherent.  One year, two months and nine days ago, I sat in the Vancouver airport awaiting a flight to Hong Kong before my China adventure began, I had just learned of my grandfather’s passing minutes before getting on the plane from Portland to Vancouver and I wrote: Saying Goodbye.  Eight months and nine days ago was the last time I was in North America, as I awaited my flight out of Vancouver, I reminisced on the beauty of my sister’s wedding and my quick two weeks at home in And I’m Out.

Transitions… that is what airports are all about, right?  We think we just transfer from country to country, city to city, gate to gate, plane to plane, but really, we are transferring, transitioning from one journey to the next, one adventure to another. As one chapter of our lives ends another begins, and we find ourselves flying in a new direction, looking towards the horizon, wondering what awaits.

Just don’t forget, there may be long layovers, there may be delays (like my flight outta here), sometimes you may lose your luggage (or your mind) but enjoy the journey – cause sometimes it isn’t all about the destination.

In my window

Other than my bed, there is probably one place where I have spent more time than any other single place in the past 13 months.  My very favorite spot in Shanghai, my favorite spot in my apartment, is sitting on the wide window sill of my bedroom window.  Made comfortable with blankets and pillows from Ikea, the small desk with my laptop next to me, or sitting with my laptop on my lap.  On the 28th floor, looking at the Shanghai skyline, lit up in gorgeous colors on clear nights, looking down the river to Nanpu Bridge, or sometimes just looking at smog.  I could check to see when people were walking up towards my apartment if I gave them directions from the subway stop, I can look down and see if my fruit guy is selling fruit from the back of his van.

The apartment gate, my fruit guy and a man selling DVD's, my typical view

I watched lightening storms here, I spent hours on skype with family and friends here, I wrote almost all of my blogs sitting here, I watched fireworks on Chinese New Year here, I watched giant snowflakes floating through the air here, I watched the progress of the (soon to be) second tallest building in the world being built here. I cried here, I watched movies and TV on my laptop here, I read here, I drank my morning coffee and ate dinner here.  It is my little spot. I love my little spot.

Snowing in Shanghai, watching giant snowflakes from my window

Today, I sit in my little spot for the last time.  I look out over the Shanghai on a cloudy day for the last time.  I close my eyes and envision the lights for the last time.  I look down and see my fruit guy for the last time.  I see taxis, buses, cars, bikes, scooters and people on the main road just half a block away for the last time.  Today I’m leaving my apartment, my wonderful roommate, and my sweet kitten.

My last day view...

In 45 minutes, I have to be at work.  When I come home I’m grabbing my stuff and heading to a friends house.  I will be bouncing from house to house for the next 19 days until I leave China. I’m moving back to the States, my Life in China is, for now at least, coming to an end.

Cloudy and smoggy, but always pretty...

When I think back, I have many memories, may adventures, many stories.  But honestly, it is this spot right here, sitting in my window, looking out over the 26 million people in my city of Shanghai, where I spent so much of my time.  It is such a perfect spot.  I will miss it.

My spot

Top 11 in 2011

2011 was a crazy and adventurous year for me.  11 days into 2011, I embarked on a journey which not only inspired this blog, but has changed my life.  On January 11, 2011, I said good-bye to family and friends and left for a year (or more) in Shanghai.  As my first year in China and 2011 come to an end, I want to reflect on some of the memories I have from the last year of my life (in China).

Of course, I will include links to my blogs which originally recorded these memories in case you missed them.

1. Hong Kong-

Hong Kong

After taking off from the States, before arriving at my destination for the year, I spent five days in beautiful Hong Kong.  Traveling alone is never easy, but I had a couple motives for being there.  First, to get my visa for China.  I left on a plane to Asia before actually having my Chinese visa needed to enter the country.  Secondly,  I managed to time my trip and my move to China to coincide with my friend Irene’s wedding in Hong Kong.

Sightseeing on my own!

When I walked off the plane in Hong Kong, alone, in a city and country I didn’t know, where they spoke a language I didn’t know, with two huge suitcases full of everything I thought I needed for a year abroad, I remember having this thought, “What the expletive did I just get myself into?”

The LONG cable car ride!

2. Chinese New Year (another post) -

Shortly after arriving in China and starting my job teaching at Kid Castle, I had 11 days off of work for the Chinese New Year holiday.  It was a difficult time as the few people I had met in Shanghai had left town, and I was in a strange place by myself with nothing to do.  But it gave me the chance to explore my new home, write lots of blogs and experience what Shanghai had to offer.  And, naturally, gaze in wonder and delight at the millions, or billions of fireworks lit off around Shanghai for the occasion.  The most remarkable fireworks I have ever seen, and they went on for hours and hours, and days and days…

Fireworks below my bedroom window!

3. Day trips & Exploring -

Whether exploring Shanghai on my own, going to Suzhou with friends or Hangzhou with my mom & Matt, I’ve had a lot of fun seeing China through little day trips and outings to explore my city and the surrounding areas.

Suzhou

Sitting on a bus with my friend Roger, counting the minutes until our train leaves, wondering if the bus driver will ever pull into the Suzhou train station he is circling, then running as fast as we can through the station only to miss our train was one of the most hilarious moments I can remember this year.  The hilarity was only magnified  as Roger captured the whole event on video on his iphone.

Finding greenery, nature and the cherry blossoms of spring in a park in Shanghai, outside the hustle and bustle of the center of the city with Adam, Yumi and friends from their school.

Zhujiajiao

Wandering around the beautiful, ancient water town of Zhujiajiao with my mom and Matt, negotiating with a rickshaw driver to get us into the center of town, finding amazing hole in the wall restaurants, taking loads of pictures, buying souvenirs and people watching.

4. Food and Beer -

I once heard that there are over 45,000 restaurants in Shanghai.  I believe it.  And there are probably two new ones opening, and one closing down just about every day.  You can get a meal for under a dollar in Shanghai, or you can pay over $100 (USD) per person.  I have eaten street food (which doesn’t even count as a restaurant) for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I bought breakfast for three for under $2. I have paid about $8 for a cup of coffee, not espresso, nothing fancy just a boring cup of bad coffee.  I have paid over $12 for a glass of wine and $10 for a beer.

Coffee

Shanghai has amazing cuisine from all over China.  If, right now, you are sitting in the US thinking to yourself “I don’t like Chinese food”, you have never been to China.  Chinese food could be anything!  There are so many different amazing, delectable, weird and perhaps disgusting foods that originate from all over China.  I love Chinese food, there is so much variety in Chinese food.  The girl who never could tolerate spicy food in the first 28 years of her life picked a Sichuan restaurant for her 29th birthday dinner, and ordered bullfrog!

Pomegranate flowers

Craving something different?  Shanghai is an international city, the choices of cuisine are endless.  I have eaten French, German, Greek, Korean, Jamaican, Mexican, American, Nepali, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Thai, Taiwanese and Turkish food in Shanghai.

I love to eat, I love good food and I love good drinks.  So many great memories are formed over delicious food and beverages.

Cheers!

I have my favorites, I have my go-to comfort food locations, I have the locations that are convenient for quick meals while I’m working, but there are so many more places to explore and try!

5. Qingdao -

For the Dragon Boat Festival in June, I was able to get out of the big city of Shanghai for a couple days and visit  the little town of Qingdao (population 8.7 million) with a couple of my friends and co-workers.  It was a great time, despite dreary wet weather, to see another part of this huge country, hang out with friends, and enjoy the beer capital of China.

Yes, this is China - Not Europe. Qingdao!

We explored the town of Qingdao, got a ride from a stranger in a downpour and thunderstorm when there were no taxis to be found, ate Shandong cuisine, drank beer from a plastic bag, explored the famous Laoshan (Lao Mountain or 崂山) and did some shopping.

Fun on the beach in Qingdao

6. Familiar Faces -

Moving halfway across the world by yourself is nerve-wracking, even for the bravest and most adventurous souls. While I have met many people in Shanghai and made many friends, it was a great pleasure to have some familiar faces in Shanghai with me for most of my first year in China.

Adam and Yumi Bray were here the longest.  Adam and Yumi both graduated from Portland State’s Master’s of International Management program with me in 2010.   They actually met in the program and afterwards got married and moved to Shanghai to study Chinese.  While we were never close during the MIM program we became great friends while living in Shanghai.  I loved going shopping and getting massages with Yumi, and when Adam was around there was always beer to drink and trouble to cause.  Unfortunately, (for me) Adam and Yumi moved back to the States just before Christmas, but they will always be a part of my 2011 memories.

Salman was also in the MIM program with us.  He came over on the same program as Adam and Yumi to learn Chinese. After about 5 months in Shanghai, Salman moved to Beijing to pursue employment opportunities there.  I miss the laughter that always comes with hanging out with Salman, but I know he isn’t too far away.  I will always remember seeing him walking towards me on Wangfujing in the middle of Beijing and telling my mom, amidst thousands of Asian faces, “He is the one right there, with the dark hair!” when my mom, May and I met up with him in September for some delicious hot pot.

Junyi is originally from Beijing, and moved back to Beijing this past year (also after graduating from the MIM with Adam, Yumi, Salman and me).  Being in a different part of the country didn’t keep him for coming down and visiting us in Shanghai, from calling me at 2am or from being a familiar face for me in China.  He showed us around Beijing, and always provides fun, excitement and laughter.

The 5 MIMers eating Sichuan food and drinking beer for my birthday in Shanghai!

I was so happy to have my early birthday dinner in Shanghai with four of my friends from grad school!

7. My Sister’s Wedding -

The biggest event of the year! And it wasn’t in China.  The end of June, I flew back to Portland, Oregon to spend two rushed, busy, crazy weeks with family and friends.  Birthdays, the fourth of July, a bachelorette party and the most amazing wedding I have ever attended.  On July 9th, 2011, my big sister married the man of her dreams.

A happy bride and groom

Gorgeous girls!

Not only was the setting beautiful, the decorations beautiful, the bride beautiful and the wedding party looking pretty hot, but it was an awesome time with spent with family and new extended family, friends and loved ones.

8. Mommy!

Another highlight of my year, was having my mom and her husband Matt come visit me in China for about 12 days.  It was really a dream come true for all of us.  My mom and Matt had both long dreamed of someday visiting China, my mom of course also has always wanted to come visit me in the places I have gone.  It was my dream to have family come see my life here, show them around and introduce them to the things and places which are part of my everyday life that I have grown to love.

Nothing was as exciting as the moment my mom and Matt appeared in the subway station by my house, me waiting anxiously to greet them! (Excuse my blurry cell phone pic)

It was an action-packed vacation!  No rest for the jet-lagged! On their first day of travel they journeyed by private car, plane, high speed train, subway, public bus, taxi and foot.

On their first full day in China, I had them out of bed and on the road before 7am, I don’t think I stopped going until after they were back in the States!  Hangzhou, Shanghai, Zhujiajiao, a bullet train to Beijing and the Great Wall.  Villages, cities, temples, gardens, historical sites, modern China, food, beer, coffee and probably a zillion photographs between the three of us shutterbugs.

My mom and me at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing

Two of my greatest weeks in China were spent with my mom, showing her around and discovering new places with her.  Now, she just needs to come back so we can do it again!

Climbing the Great Wall

9. Taiwan -

Another National holiday, another week off work, another chance to see the world!  In October, I escaped the millions of Chinese traveling for National Day and landed in Taiwan.  Whether or not Taiwan is in fact the same country as China, I will let you debate on your own.  But I happen to know they do not celebrate or recognize October 1st, the date of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, I found it the perfect opportunity to go visit friends and be shown around the beautiful island of Taiwan.

Sun Moon Lake

Five days in not enough to see all Taiwan has to offer, and it certainly isn’t enough to eat all the food they have to offer (although I tried…) Despite being a quick trip, I was able to enjoy a relaxing vacation in Taiwan.  I saw bits of Taipei (even though the weather tried to keep me from it), I had dinner with more MIM alumni living in Taiwan, I visited Taichung (the home town of my friend May who I was traveling with), I explored the village and surrounding area of Houli by bike, I saw my co-worker and friend Osteen’s home town of Caotun, the beautiful Sun Moon Lake and the town of Jiji, famous for being rocked by a horrific earthquake in 1999.

10. New Friends -

I have met so many wonderful people in Shanghai.  Chinese and foreigners like me.  Some grew up here, some came for a short time, some came for a long time, some have come and gone in the year that I have been here.  I have gotten to know amazing co-workers at Kid Castle, like my Chinese colleagues who always make me laugh, and the other foreign teachers who are each on their own adventure in a place so different from their homes.

Some co-workers and me at Qiandao Lake

May and me on the Bund

I have created amazing friendships and a church family through both of the churches I have attended in Shanghai, Shanghai Community Fellowship and Abundant Grace International Fellowship.  They have been my support and my lifeline in 2011 and I know I have found some lifelong friends in them.

I stumbled upon the perfect apartment on smartshanghai.com and in doing so found a great friend and roommate who I have lived with for the past 11 months.

All my new friends in Shanghai have given me wonderful memories of 2011!

11. My Kids -

I came to China with a job, a job to teach Chinese kids English.  I had never taught before in my life, I had been around kids, worked with kids, dealt with kids, but never had to control a classroom of 20 children that didn’t understand my language.  My students have been a huge part of my life for the past year.  They have made me smile and laugh, they have made me angry and frustrated, they have made me cry and they have made my day.

How can you not love this face? He is also about the sweetest most loving boy in the world.

There are students who I only taught for a short time, subbing for another teacher, there are students who I have taught all year.  There are students I will greatly miss when I’m not longer teaching them, and students that I honestly probably won’t remember.

Brian, Howard, Gland, James, Jerry, Henry, Judie, Amy, Alina, Maxine and Lisa!

I have students who run across the school screaming my name to give me a hug every time they see me.  They can be delightful, they can be little spoiled brats, they can test my patience like nothing else, they can cause me to lose my voice.  Some of them I don’t think have ever retained or learned a word I told them, others are so smart they blow me away each day.

My year was full of memories at work with all my little Chinese students and my fantastic co-workers who made my job worthwhile.

I hope 2012 brings more memories and fantastic adventures in China and where ever life may take me.  Happy New Year!  I wish the best for you and your families this year as well!

A Christmas Gift

Once again, time has been flying by, and I just realized it has been three weeks since I even thought about writing a blog.  The holidays are here, and despite living in a place where Christmas isn’t a holiday, and it is hardly recognized by the majority of the country, I have been busy.  Nothing in particular, I guess it is just a go-go-go time of year where ever you may be.

I haven’t done any sort of traveling or exploring recently to share about or post pictures of, just been caught up in LIFE.  Work, friends, school, church, trying to keep in touch with family, holiday parties, trying to start working out again for the first time in…. (let’s say way too long).

However, it is the Christmas season and since most of my readers are friends and family who won’t be celebrating Christmas with me, won’t be exchanging gifts by a tree with me, singing Christmas songs and drinking eggnog with me, or ringing in the New Year with me, I figured I might as well write up a Merry Christmas blog.

I will miss my mom's Christmas tree - complete with a cyclist instead of an angel tree topper

Christmas time in Shanghai is strange, granted I have been blessed with friends, co-workers and a church that have helped it feel a little like Christmas with merriment, gift exchanges, classical Christmas hymns and such.  It doesn’t really feel like Christmas, though.  There stores aren’t overwhelmed with Christmas decorations and holiday advertisements.  The hustle and bustle that comes with the season isn’t felt in the air.  There is no mad rush to buy a thousand gifts for everyone you know.  No neighborhoods full of beautiful Christmas lights to drive slowly through and gawk at. No vacation from work (for those of us who work at Chinese/Taiwanese companies). No sales people telling you, “Happy Holidays” in attempts to be PC.  No Christmas cards flooding the mailbox.

However, in (one of the many) big shopping malls by People’s Square which is completely decorated for the holidays, they were playing Joy to the World and Hark the Herald Angels Sing the other day.  I personally feel Christmas music conveying the TRUE reason for the season being pumped out of speakers in a country without freedom of religion is quite cool.

I never got a tree, or decorated a tree.  I will be working all day Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  (But will be attending a service at church on Christmas Eve and dinner with friends on Christmas Day).  I am not buying gifts.  Other than the couple gift exchanges, I’m not planning on opening any presents.  I don’t get to see my family, eat my mom’s delicious food, drink her recent attempts at homemade eggnog, or open stockings in my pajamas. Starbucks doesn’t even have peppermint mochas in China!

Christmas and all the hustle and bustle that goes along with it in the States in wonderful.  I love Christmas time in the States.  However, there is often so much going on, so many other things that get us down at Christmas.  Traffic is awful, you can’t find a parking spot within a mile of the store you need to buy a gift in, stores are crowded, lines are long, money is tight, but you spend more than you plan to anyways.  You don’t get the exact gift you wanted, the biggest box under the tree went to your sister instead of you, someone ruined a surprise, the wrong thing was said at the dinner table and the Christmas is spent in awkward silence…

Christmas gets lost in the States, sometimes we are expecting so much, wanting so much, focusing so much on what we need to buy, what we want to get, how we need to look for the holiday party, what we are going to eat, and then just being disappointed when it is all said and done because it isn’t exactly as you had planned.

This Christmas, I have no expectations.  I plan on working, I hope to have a good time with some friends who are dear to me.  And most of all, I want to remember why this season is important.  Family is important, yes.  I would absolutely love to be with my family for Christmas.  However, more important than that is the birth of Christ.  A couple thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was born to the virgin Mary.  God’s only son came on to earth in human form for one reason and one reason alone -  because of His Love and His desire to save us from our sins.  He didn’t come to earth because he wanted to get a Christmas tree.  He didn’t come to earth for the presents.  He didn’t come to earth for the big dinner, the cookies, eggnog and endless drinks.  He came to earth to save us.  He came to earth to give us the biggest and best present we could ever imagine, salvation.

While you are celebrating this Christmas, I hope you have a fabulous time.  I hope your Christmas meets your expectations, that it is merry, filled with the warmth and comfort of delicious food, drink and those dear to you.  But I also hope, that during this busy season you stop and think about the reason behind the season.  Stop and think about the one gift that will never disappoint you, that will always exceed your expectations and that unlike anything you have here on earth, will last for all eternity.

I started this blog this evening not knowing what I was going to write, I just wrote what is in my heart.  To end, I just want to say once again Merry, Merry Christmas to all of my family and friends! Have a blessed Christmas, from China with love.  Julia

A Busy, Blog-less November

I realize I have been completely slacking on blogging recently.  In fact, I think this may be the longest I have gone without posting since I moved to Shanghai over 10 months ago!  I decided to write up a quick (or maybe not so quick) post to let all my faithful readers (Hi Mom, Hi Dad!) know that I am: a) still alive b) still busy enjoying life in Shanghai and c) just lacking inspiration or motivation to write/be creative.

The last post was about a trip that happened a month ago!  Wow… time flies.  So here are some highlights of my November.

First of all, I have been attending a Saturday evening church service since mid-August or so.  It is in Pudong (across the river, the part of town where I formerly never went), but it is worth the trek to be able to attend a church service.  Before finding out about AGIF’s (Abundant Grace International Fellowship) Saturday evening service, I wasn’t attending church regularly as I work all day Saturday and Sunday.  Of course, the fact that Saturday night features amazing worship with a very talented team, great sermons from down-t0-earth, relate-able speakers and is the home of many newly developed friendships, helps motivate me to go after my long Saturdays at work.

I have also become part of the ‘Core Team’ at Grace Extended (AGIF’s Saturday night service is called Grace Extended), the core team consists of some of the people who had the idea and the initiative to start up a Saturday evening service and others who are willing to serve to make it possible.  Grace Extended is less than a year old and this past Saturday night we had a record 259 attendees.  So my Tuesday nights are now spent with the Grace Extended team in fellowship, bible study and planning of Saturday services.

(Check out www.adventconspiracy.org to learn about what we are focusing on this Advent season.)

Because of Grace Extended and my new found friendships there, I learned about and was inspired to attend GLS, the Global Leadership Summit on November 10th and 11th.  GLS is an annual two-day leadership training event which was started by the Willow Creek Association.  As stated on the GLS website: The Global Leadership Summit is a two day event featuring world class speakers, along with live worship, music, and drama created especially for leaders. With state-of-the-art video and huge projection screens, the Global Leadership Summit brings together the hearts and minds of tens of thousands in an amazing, Spirit-filled way.

GLS is held at locations all over the world, in 70 countries actually.  Shanghai is lucky enough to host the conference and I was blessed to be able to take two days off of work to attend.  It was an incredibly motivating, educational and inspiring two days of speakers such as Wess Stafford (President of Compassion International), Steven Furtick (Elevation Church), Michelle Rhee (Founder of Studentfirst.org), Cory Booker (Mayor of Newark, NJ) to name a few.

GLS also featured awesome worship with the worship team from Grace Extended who was accompanied by Jodi King and her band.  Jodi King is an up and coming artist from Canada who is incredibly gifted.  I got the chance to hang out with Jodi and her band a bit before they took off for the Philippines on tour. They are a pretty awesome & fun group, doing what they can to spread the love of Christ with their musical talents. (Check out Jodi’s music on her website: www.jodiking.com.)

Another something-something I was apart of in November actually was a by-product of my blog!  Not only did I have my busiest day/week/month EVER after being featured on WordPress.com’s Freshly Pressed, but even before that my blog got a little recognition from a filmmaker in New York. I was quite astonished when I saw the comment from Ruth on my post Beijing – A love/hate asking for my help on a film she is working on.

Ruth, Director/Producer at Horns and Tails Productions, was headed to China and wanted to do some filming here for two of her projects, one on street sweepers and one on how emotions, specifically tears, are expressed and perceived in different cultures.  Since I live in Shanghai and she was going to be in the city, she asked me to gather together some Chinese people who were willing to be interviewed about their emotions, how they are expressed, the last time they cried, etc.

My co-worker, Emma, brought her 7 month old daughter along for the interview. Yo-yo produced some genuine Chinese tears for the film.

I met Ruth at the place where she was staying, just two subway stops away from me in Tianzifang, and spent about 6 hours with her discussing emotions and tears.  It was quite interesting, and that afternoon/evening she interviewed and filmed 9 people (including me).  Seven Chinese, and two Americans.  It was a really fun, new and totally different experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product when it comes together.

The following week, I had two visitors!  One expected, and one not so much.  My good friend David, from grad school, has been living in Shenzhen, China (down south near Hong Kong) since May; however, I hadn’t seen him since I left the states last January.  David is working for EF (English First) and had to come to Shanghai for a week of training.  Of course he was very busy working all week, but he arrived Sunday evening, so we were able to grab some dinner and drinks Sunday before his work began.

I prove to David that China does have good beer at Boxing Cat Brewery!

The next morning, I was on a break between Chinese classes, when my phone rang.  When my friend Roger, who used to work at Kid Castle but moved back to London in June, was on the other line, I didn’t seem to grasp the fact that he was calling from a Chinese number.  I was shocked enough to hear from him, but I had received a call from London in the past and thought he was just catching up.  When I asked what he was up to, he responded by saying, “I’m in front of the H&M on Huaihai Lu.” (Huaihai Lu is in Shanghai, not London…)  This is about the time that I probably shocked a few dozen people in the vicinity as I proceeded to scream in excitement, exuberance and disbelief.  Needless to say, I was very happy to hang out in Shanghai with Roger for a Monday afternoon.  Unfortunately, he was also only here for a week and equally busy.

Rog and I chow down on Chinese food at some hole in the wall. The interesting dish of the day: Carmelized Eggplant. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

I was very thankful to get to hang out with two very good friends who were both visiting Shanghai that week, though.  The day before Thanksgiving, my boys in town and I went out to a late evening meal, hot pot, chocolates Roger brought me from England and lots of laughter.

My Thanksgiving day in China was somewhat uneventful, I worked in the evening and ate pepperoni pizza from Papa Johns with a cheap Chinese beer for dinner at 10:30pm.  Not really the holiday I am accustom to when in the states.

Thanksgiving Dinner

So that is (in a rather large nutshell) the recap of my November, other than the things mentioned above, I spent my time at work, school and pondering (aka stressing over) the question of my life, “What to I want to do with my life?”  My year contract at Kid Castle ends on January 18th, 2012 and with that my visa expires.  I’ve been questioning “what to do” since about May of this year when this time comes, and as of today, I honestly can’t tell you what I will be doing.  The planner Julia has no plans…

And a little Chinglish for your day, remember to parch your hands after washing them.

Beijing – A love/hate

Beijing and Shanghai are different worlds.  When I first came to China, just to visit, with the MIM program in 2010, I enjoyed the history, historical sites and tourist attractions in Beijing.  But when we got to Shanghai, I was blown away.  Shanghai is an awesome city.  Even at that time, after spending only about 5 days in each city, I said, “If I were to even live in Beijing or Shanghai, I would live in Shanghai.  Beijing is great to visit, but I would rather live in Shanghai.”

The Temple of Heaven! A rare shot without a million other tourists.

Well, fast forward 18 months, I’m living in Shanghai and when M&M (mom and Matt) are in town, I take my second ever trip to Beijing.  Another 4 days in Beijing and I draw the same conclusion.  I much rather be in Shanghai.

The air was awful in Beijing, not that I can hold that against them – chances are if you pick four random days out of the year to visit Shanghai you won’t be blessed with blue skies either.  Foreigners aren’t as plentiful, which isn’t a bad thing while living in a city – but I think Beijing gets enough foreign visitors who don’t know anything, that everyone assumes you can just screw over and rip off every foreigner you see.  In Shanghai, there is such a large expat community, with people from all over the world that LIVE here.  There are plenty of laowai (foreigners) in Shanghai that have been here for 3, 5, 10 years, who speak Chinese, who know what they are doing.  I don’t think Beijing is as used to that large of a community of foreign residents.  So taking a taxi, for example, becomes a major headache unless you look and speak like them.

I hated taxis in Beijing.  The worst cab riding experiences ever!  And if you think you can top me, just tell me this: Have you ever had a cabbie stop to get gas (when their tank was half full) AND go take a leak while you were on the meter?  Plus, he was coughing like crazy and spitting constantly, he told May he had been sick for the past few days but was back at work because he needed the money.  I love taking cabs in Shanghai.  I hate taking cabs in Beijing.  Even if you can manage to flag one down (empty cabs drive by and just ignore you constantly), it doesn’t mean they will be willing to take you to your destination, or they don’t want to rip you off by bargaining a price and not using their meter.

Do I need to say where this is? It is at 慕田峪 actually.

This being said, everyone – if given the chance – should visit Beijing (and eat the roast duck).  The Forbidden City, Tiananmen, the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and the access to many locations on the Great Wall are fantastic, beautiful and historic sight seeing opportunities.  Even with hazy skies, you can get stunning pictures.  The culture runs deep and history surrounds you – unlike the westernized, modern, metropolitan Shanghai.

Obligitory Forbidden City photo

My favorite part of Beijing though – was not at the historic wall to keep out the mongols, it was not in the palaces and forbidden gardens of past emperors which survived the many dynasties. My favorite part of Beijing – the part of Beijing that I loved, that I wish Shanghai had – were the huotongs.   Hutong (胡同 – translation alley or lane) are small, old alleys, passageways of historic homes and buildings that make up large areas in Beijing and have been protected by the government so they are not torn down and replaced by skyscrapers and tall apartment complexes. I thought it was just one area of town when I first went to Beijing, but I quickly learned there are hutong all over Beijing – each a huge network of these small alleys, waiting to be explored and full of treasures to discover.

Wandering thru a 胡同

I loved walking around in, getting lost in, finding new places in the hutong.  May and I went to a bar one night to meet a friend of hers from the UK – he gave us instructions on how to get there.  As we turned off the main road into this teeny, dark alleyway, about the width of a car, we wondered if there was actually anything down there.  It was about a ten minute walk down this alleyway to the bar.  At one point we saw some neon lights and signs of restaurants, but the bar (Yes Bar or 好吧) was not there.  A few more minutes of dark houses and no sign of anything that looked like a place of business we found it – a little teeny bar, stuck in the middle of an seemingly abandoned hutong – with a selection of beers from all over the world.  We went back again the next night.  In the two nights we were there, we were the only customers  and we just hung out and talked with the bartender from Xinjiang, China (the far northwest province in China).

Way back tucked away in another hutong – in a nearby part of town – is another killer find for any beer loving American tourist. Thanks to MJ, brewmaster at my all time favorite, Boxing Cat Brewery, I knew of this little treasure in Beijing.  A microbrewery run by a bunch of Americans that has been brewing and selling beer out of a location in a Beijing hutong for less than a year.  Great Leap Brewery was one of the top things on our to do list in Beijing.  It took some time to find – both times we went – but it was well worth it.  With 9 freshly brewed, local mircobrews on tap, a killer garden setting to sit and relax in, and the owners there to chat with you can’t complain!  Oh, yea – and the beers were FANTASTIC too.  If you are ever looking for beer in Beijing, I highly, highly, recommend checking them out!  (see link here – they are also on Facebook.)

We found it! The door to the best beer in Beijing!

The view from the door of Great Leap Brewing - this isn't on some big, busy street!

The menu - 9 delicious beers on tap! (Actually, I think I only tasted 6 of the 9)

BEER! I believe this was the Danshan Wheat, a wheat beer brewed with tea leaves for a very unique but refreshing flavor.

The hutongs are old houses, communities. Not big fancy houses but little small rooms (which now can be extremely expensive to rent or buy) where Chinese families grew up and many still live.  Things are simpler in the hutongs and things like, well, your own bathroom, aren’t necessarily available.  My mom was shocked with the number of public toilets everywhere in China – but especially in the hutong.  After I witnessed an older woman coming and dumping a bucket with her days “waste” in one of the public toilets, we inquired about it.  My friend (and fellow MIM alum) Junyi, who grew up in a hutong near the Yes Bar, confirmed our suspicions.  Most homes within the hutong don’t have their own bathroom.  They use the public toilets and probably bathe in a sponge bath manner.  Some of the nicer residences, with the help of a larger income and lots of official paperwork, may have added bathrooms to their homes.  The majority, however, even the businesses and restaurants, rely on the public toilets.

Life in Beijing takes place in the hutong.  I would go back to Beijing, despite my many frustrations with the city, just to explore hutongs.  And of course, take more pictures.  Below are a bunch of the shots I got of life in a Beijing hutong.

Cleaning

A front door

We wandered into this little area - several families probably live here.

Front gates left open allow you to see into people's lives.

Sitting on the roof, watching the birds

Playing in the street

Selling a variety of eggs

Veggies on the street

Along a touristy/popular hutong

By Mom

I asked my mom and Matt to share about their China experience on my blog.  Here is what my mom had to say and some of her photos.

Jodi’s China Blog

China!  Wow .  It is another world.  It was better and worse than I had expected.

I have to say, in moving to Eugene, Oregon a year ago after about 18 years in the Rogue Valley, I was overwhelmed with the BIG city of Eugene and its 156,185 people.  Let’s just say my perspective has changed a bit.  Shanghai has about 23 million people, the most populous city in the world.  The number is too big for my little brain to wrap around.   That’s New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio and maybe San Diego all put together.  (Disclaimer – finding reliable, recent statistics online that specify the cities proper versus the metro areas is a bit of a challenge, so don’t quote me on this!)

From Shanghai we went to Beijing with a mere 12 million, though arriving in Beijing and going to tourist sites on a Chinese holiday, I wasn’t aware of the massive drop in population.  But what was amazing to me in all this massive humanity is just that – the humanity of the people.  Julia has mentioned the pushiness of people when it comes to lines and subways.  Sure, we saw that.  But we also saw people laughing, smiling, eating, humming, sleeping, cleaning, going to work, taking children to school.  The same activities we all do.  People living their everyday lives.

Impressively, with so many people everywhere, we were actually amazed at how civil everyone was.  Sure, there were people cutting blatantly into lines at the train station.  But as cars, cyclists, bus drivers, pedestrians, taxis and scooters all vied to get into the same lane at the same time, no one seemed to get upset.  I didn’t see anyone yelling or swearing or flipping anyone off at being cut off.  Being cut off is just part of the fabric of society.  Just keep nosing into the vaguest hint of a gap, and you’ll get there.   What’s to get upset about? It was actually rather refreshing.

In this millennium, Westerners are quite common in the big cities of Beijing and especially the very commercial Shanghai.  We saw other westerners everywhere we went.  We definitely are not a novelty in China any more.  So it was quite a surprise as we were out at the touristy places to find Chinese clandestinely (or not) taking pictures of us.  I suppose it serves us right as we were snapping photos of cute little kids, the food vendors, the bricklayer and cyclists pedaling down the streets.

Bricks in a Beijing Hutong

Julia has gotten a bit used to Chinese taking her picture.  But then she’s a good-looking blond young women.  Our very first day out, numerous Chinese would pull their cameras out from across the pagoda or out on the walkway to get a picture of Matt or me – the old people!   Near Tiananmen Square, a middle-aged gentleman in a worn suit (perhaps a man from out in the countryside, first trip to the Big City, a tourist himself), sidled right up to Matt and indicated that he wanted a picture with Matt, which of course turned into me,  the man and his whole entourage in the picture.

Posing for a picture near Tianamen Square (Julia's picture - M&M were busy!)

The award for best tourist attraction has to be Matt.  In Beijing’s Summer Palace, as Matt and Julia were sitting on a rock wall waiting for me to come back from the toilets (better left un-described!), a man came up to Matt, indicating interest in the camera (mine) Matt was holding.  (Wouldn’t want to lose a lens cap in those toilets, for sure.)  After a little incomprehensible small talk, the man started poking Matt’s knee.  It being a warm day, Matt was in shorts.  The man giggled a bit and then reached down to Matt’s calf, delighted to feel the hair on Matt’s legs.  While Matt thought people had been looking at his Keen sandals, they were apparently just impressed with nice, hairy western (male) legs!

The street scene:  Matt has described the traffic, both on the roads and the sidewalks.  But there is so much more than traffic on the sidewalks.  The sidewalks are where life is lived.  Yes, there are the vendors vending their food or flowers or trinkets, but this is where services are also rendered.  The bicycle repair guy has his “shop” set up on the sidewalk just around the corner from Julia’s apartment.  His shop consists of a rickety plywood box with old worn tires and rags underneath it.   Need your car detailed?  Just drive it up on the sidewalk in the middle of the busy block at the detailing guy’s place and he’ll do it there for you.

Making our breakfast! Notice the hand in the tin near the front, that is a do it yourself cash register!

Wonderful street food!

For many of these businesses, people seem to just set up shop outside their home.  Open the front door and set up shop on the step.  Closing hours don’t really exist.  If it’s a hot summer evening, what else is there to do but sit on your front step and talk to the neighbors?  If you’re just sitting out on your front step, might as well keep the business open.  10:30 at night and you could still buy mangoes, cabbage, squash and quail eggs or have about anything repaired.

Veggies on the street

Definitely another world.