Tomarrow we leave for America, today is our last day, we have already eaten at our favorite hotpot restaurant. If I haven't told you about Chinese hotpot yet then read on, if I have then I apologize for the delay. The Hotpot restaurant is a stuffy room that is filled with vapors from the hot pots. But as soon as you order the meat and vegetables and spices the heat, people, and stuffiness seems to evaporate, because as long as you like vegetables, you like hotpot. You put different meats and vegetables into the pot untill the meats and veggies are cooked, and then drop it into the peanut sauce and of course it is deleicious.
Dipping the vegetables in the savory peanut sauce and eating the fresh vegetables we ate for a consibeaable amount of time for a mere six dollars before dropping by the movie stall and getting the new batman movie Dark Knight with eleven other movies, Dark Knight had come into theatres four days ago. Having completed two tasks we went home.
Their are not many things that I did in China that I regret doing, however I do regret that I did not write more blogs,however instead of blogs my sister and I worked on chinese, and now JUlia who when she first came couldn't read any chinese can now get through her first grade book, and when I came to China I could read little chinese and now I can get through Harry Potter books, though it is still a struggle for some characters. And though I love China I am excited to come back to America tomarrow.
Though my English may now need some inprovements.
By Hana
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saying Goodbye to China--LJS Article 7-27-08
Just as the world is descending on Beijing for China’s long anticipated Olympic coming out party, we are on our way back to Lincoln from our semester in Xi’an. If our experiences are any indication, the thousands of Olympic spectators, and the millions tuning in to enjoy this spectacle on television are in for quite the show.
From Beijing’s dramatic new monumental architecture that has remade the city’s skyline to the investment of billions of dollars to improve the quality of the air that will fill the athletes’ and spectators’ lungs, China’s leaders have given their capitol an Olympic makeover. Yet, extrapolating Beijing’s modernity onto the rest of China would be a mistake.
While visiting Beijing’s Olympic sites and traveling along China’s well-trodden tourist circuit, it is easy to forget that China remains a vast, developing country with a per capita GDP of around $2,500. Indeed, part of China’s allure is that it combines both of these extremes in one setting. In many ways, China is more a continent than a country, containing within its borders a diversity that rivals Europe’s. The expanse, both geographic and ideological, separating the eastern coastal boom cities that are driving so much of China’s modernization to the western provinces of Tibet and Xinjiang is immense and this, no doubt, poses one of the greatest threats to Chinese stability in the coming decades.
During our last two last trips out of Xian we tasted a bit of this diversity. We first headed northwest to Zhongwei, an outpost on the edge of the series of deserts which have historically formed part of China’s border with Mongolia. For centuries, desertification has plagued northern China and it continues today as growing population and urbanization places increasing strains on limited water supplies. Laid back Zhongwei allowed us an opportunity to combine the excitement of an overnight camel trek into the desert dunes with a leisurely afternoon river rafting excursion down the Yellow River.
Water scarcity is clearly not a problem in water-rich southern China. Our last excursion was to Dali and Lijiang, picturesque towns nestled in the lush mountains of the Yunnan province. Located at the crossroads of the Sichuan and Tibet provinces, this remote area has much in common with neighboring Laos and Burma.
While part of China for centuries, it is easy to see that many of the people in these cities are not ethnically Han Chinese, but one of China’s 55 minority groups. Around Dali, local Bai and Naxia peoples still wear bright blue or red traditional garb and buy and sell their goods in small markets with wicker baskets or babies strapped on their backs. It is a far cry from these timeless village markets and camel camps, to faraway Beijing’s Olympic stadium.
Along with geography, food was a constant reminder of China’s diversity. From Xian’s noodle-rich, somewhat saucy fare to Sichuan’s renowned spicy dishes, we found that both the general Chinese foods and the various regional specialties to be delectable, more diverse and fresher than we had imagined. In the mountain valleys of Yunnan, for example, restaurants are supplied with locally grown produce daily. After choosing our fresh vegetables, they were expertly prepared with just the right balance of garlic, ginger, vinegar, peppers and spices.
Our stay coincided with a year of challenges for the Chinese people. They struggled with uncommonly harsh winter (ice storms that paralyzed parts of the country) and spring storms (that continue to flood the south), but nothing compared to the tragedy associated with the horrific Sichuan earthquake. The Chinese resolve in the face of this tragedy was both heartfelt and inspiring.
It is this spirit of resolve that the government and its people have brought to the Olympic preparations. Wherever we traveled in China, we were met by unbridled enthusiasm and pride for the Olympics. The Chinese government has invested an incredible amount of energy building up the public’s anticipation for these Games as validation of the country’s place as an emerging power. And the people we met seem genuinely excited that the world is embracing China once again.
With our time here drawing to a close, we leave with a deeper appreciation for Chinese hospitality, their unfathomable fascination with Western children, but also a better understanding of the serious issues that await this country. And while it is easy to assume that China’s rise will inevitably lead to conflict with the US, we should not forget that over the past decade China and the United States have developed a deep rooted and mutually beneficial relationship that neither of us can afford to take for granted.
So, it is our hope that China’s coming out celebration this summer will be a huge success and that Americans, while cheering on our own athletes, will tip a glass and offer a traditional Chinese “gumbei” toast to celebrate the accomplishments of the Chinese -- both on the sports field and across the this amazingly diverse country, and will offer them our hope for continued peaceful growth and development in the years to come.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Lijiang and more of Dali
This area of the Yunnan province has about 5 different ethnic groups and many people travel to the mountain city of Lijiang to see the Naxia peoople, one of the last matriarchical societies in the world. Chinese and Western alike flock there because of the so called "free love" or open relationships that the Naxia women have; women make all the major decisions, own the property, and are in charge of the children. I guess the only real difference is that at least here in Yunnan they acknowledge what is true everywhere else...women rule!!
Our Dali adventures
Sometimes I don't think I know enough adjectives to describe all that we have seen and experienced in the last two weeks. Maybe some pictures will help. These were taken in the Yunnan province in China's south, at the crossroads of Burma and Tibet. We were planning to spend time elsewhere but travelling by bus and in the mountains takes a long time...and can be difficult and dangerous. So, we opted to stay in the Dali area. This is a picture of a Bai woman we bought a baby backpack from...not that we'll be needing this but it was beautiful.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
greetings from Dali
We have finally found a peaceful place in China. It is in Dali, in the Yunnan province and close to Tibet.
We first travelled from Xi'an to Chengdu (close to where the earthquake took place in May). We stayed at our favorite guesthouse in China, visited with the family and went back to see the pandas. We then took another train to the to the city of Kunming. We had read that this was the place to go if you wanted to see some of China's 55 different ethnic groups and find a place to relax.
The ride to Kunming was as picturesque as it could have been. We meandered in and out of tunnels and through valleys. Although the ride was a staggering 19 hours, it went by quickly. The trains here can be very comfortable. Since we all have beds in the same compartment, we can close the door, play cards, read our books and watch the world go by. And that's just what we did on route to Kunming. Julia is now an avid reader, which means that we can all occupy ourselves for hours and when we got bored with our books, we played bull or spades to pass the time. After a really good dinner from the food car, we settled into our soft sleeper beds and got a decent night sleep. Despite the amazing landscape the train did not lurch and groan its way through the mountains. It was smooth ride. The green mountains were interrupted only by huge powerplants or factories and depressing looking villages of several thousand and then the train continued.
By 11 the next morning (we got on at 4), we were in Kunming. The problem was the rain...it rained and rained the whole time we were there and after two short days there we decided that we would take a 5 hour bus west to Dali.
Arrving in Dali you know immediately that you've landed somewhere special...even if you are not quite sure why it is so special, though the mountains on both sides and the lake are ...[now hana is writing] quite beautiful, their are the amazing mountains rising spectacularly from nowhere and you find yourself wondering if you have ac cidentally stummbled out of china, for Dali was the firzt city in china and we say this with an hour in Dali experience, the only place is china we could truly relax in! THen there was the lake, 6th largest in china and the lake seemed to add to the mountains and perfect our view of Dali being a city that we could stay in for a while. DOn't you agree that with the mountains and the lake it immediately seemed like we were in a new and exotic place, but then out our bus window came the whirlwind of green grass and rice fields and farms bursting with all kinds of vegetables, farmed by exotically dressed people fresh from the mountains hiking along the side of the road or farming the fields in their interesting garb,. another shower of color that excited us for we had come from Kunming that had on record for the last two days stopped raining for one hour, already from this first view we liked
Dali, and we shall record the happenings in Dali in a few days, however I will tell you we were right to like Dali, for Dali had a lot more interesting things to do then you would think.
Written first part by Patrice and the last part by Hana
We first travelled from Xi'an to Chengdu (close to where the earthquake took place in May). We stayed at our favorite guesthouse in China, visited with the family and went back to see the pandas. We then took another train to the to the city of Kunming. We had read that this was the place to go if you wanted to see some of China's 55 different ethnic groups and find a place to relax.
The ride to Kunming was as picturesque as it could have been. We meandered in and out of tunnels and through valleys. Although the ride was a staggering 19 hours, it went by quickly. The trains here can be very comfortable. Since we all have beds in the same compartment, we can close the door, play cards, read our books and watch the world go by. And that's just what we did on route to Kunming. Julia is now an avid reader, which means that we can all occupy ourselves for hours and when we got bored with our books, we played bull or spades to pass the time. After a really good dinner from the food car, we settled into our soft sleeper beds and got a decent night sleep. Despite the amazing landscape the train did not lurch and groan its way through the mountains. It was smooth ride. The green mountains were interrupted only by huge powerplants or factories and depressing looking villages of several thousand and then the train continued.
By 11 the next morning (we got on at 4), we were in Kunming. The problem was the rain...it rained and rained the whole time we were there and after two short days there we decided that we would take a 5 hour bus west to Dali.
Arrving in Dali you know immediately that you've landed somewhere special...even if you are not quite sure why it is so special, though the mountains on both sides and the lake are ...[now hana is writing] quite beautiful, their are the amazing mountains rising spectacularly from nowhere and you find yourself wondering if you have ac cidentally stummbled out of china, for Dali was the firzt city in china and we say this with an hour in Dali experience, the only place is china we could truly relax in! THen there was the lake, 6th largest in china and the lake seemed to add to the mountains and perfect our view of Dali being a city that we could stay in for a while. DOn't you agree that with the mountains and the lake it immediately seemed like we were in a new and exotic place, but then out our bus window came the whirlwind of green grass and rice fields and farms bursting with all kinds of vegetables, farmed by exotically dressed people fresh from the mountains hiking along the side of the road or farming the fields in their interesting garb,. another shower of color that excited us for we had come from Kunming that had on record for the last two days stopped raining for one hour, already from this first view we liked
Dali, and we shall record the happenings in Dali in a few days, however I will tell you we were right to like Dali, for Dali had a lot more interesting things to do then you would think.
Written first part by Patrice and the last part by Hana
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Two Sides to a Coin
(This is something that we wrote for a website called And Now for the Good News.com)
On the first day of class, a graduate student from Xian’s Jiaotong University reminded me that, especially in China, “there are always two sides to a coin.” Experiencing China’s May 12 earthquake while living in the Xi’an with our two daughters, we have indeed seen both sides of what is beginning to be called China’s 5 12 disaster coin.
When the earthquake happened, we quickly compared it to our natural disaster reference point - Hurricane Katrina, but within a day we realized that disaster and the Chinese response was quite unlike anything that we had seen in the U.S. On television, in newspapers and through the internet, we’ve learned about the extent of the destruction, and the statistics are horrific - as of this writing, over 69,000 confirmed dead, some 20,000 still missing, over 350,000 injured and more than 15 million displaced. Given that more than one-third of the country’s population lives on about two dollars a day, responding to this level of death and destruction might seem daunting, if not impossible.
Evidently not for China and certainly not for Chinese people, who have cultivated a way of life based on overcoming the challenges they have faced over their long history. While not diminishing the human suffered stemming from this epic disaster, we have been impressed by the response of key sectors of the Chinese nation; namely, the central government, the growing non-governmental organization (NGO) sector, and, most of all, the Chinese public, all are confronting this challenge with an admirable sense of purpose and unity.
We are sure that western newspapers have covered the destruction in great detail. Hopefully, they have complimented the Chinese government for its rapid, serious response. But the underlying story of the triumph of human character is, as always, more difficult to capture. The story behind the statistics is the impact that this event has had on galvanizing the “Chinese street,” where concern and resolve are palpable. While people are transfixed by images from the disaster area that are broadcast on a variety of media, there seems to be little desperation or hopelessness. Instead, there is a “roll up the sleeves and get to work” determination, and surprisingly, deep gratitude at the outpouring of outside support.
When we turn off the television and discuss what we as a family have learned from the events of the last two weeks, we find ourselves marveling at how the Chinese are confidently if quietly dealing with this unprecedented tragedy – a disaster that continues with every aftershock, mudslide and potential flood.
It seems like every school, organization and business is raising money for Sichuan, and young people all over the country are out in the streets looking for donations or giving blood at the many mobile blood vans that are out in full force. Those who cannot give, like the 75 year old woman from Sichuan, are volunteering or giving in other ways. A tear-evoking example is in the Sichuan policewoman with a newborn child who was nursing multiple infants whose mothers were either killed in the quake or too traumatized to care for their children. The deeply felt national concern over the fate of affected children has been moving. On 22 May, there were 1,697 orphans, but just a day later, the number dropped to 494; and rest assured, despite the country’s developing status, there are more people willing to adopt than there are orphans from Sichuan.
And then there are the heartbreaking, but inspiring stories told by people who have lost the most; a man who lost his wife and daughter but thanked everyone who has helped him deal with his loss; or parents who wrote in the local paper that as sad as they are that their only son was lost, they are grateful that one of his teachers was so devoted to her class that she ran back into the school to save more children. The teacher was found pinned underneath the school holding two of her students. Or, the parents who responded to the death of their only child by expressing gratitude for he six years of joy that they had with him.
Although parents and the country as a whole mourn their losses, life goes on in China at its normal breakneck pace. Children in Sichuan are back in school and high school graduates are taking their college entrance exams in tents. Relief efforts are already transitioning to reconstruction and within a week, there will be temporary shelter for between 50,000-100,000 people. The central government has promised that within three months there will be temporary houses for at least 1 million people. Factories throughout China have been working 24-7 to ensure that food and shelter are provided for the victims. Over 100,000 thousand people in uniform remain deployed throughout the region to move boulders, clear clogged lakes and carry in food, water and other emergency supplies, despite the instability caused by aftershocks and flooding in the region.
On the international front, the government’s openness to this scale of this disaster resulted in an unprecedented outpouring of aid, with relief assistance coming from more than 40 countries. China’s 5 12 has also helped bring Taiwan and China closer than they have ever been, with China’s President noting how moved he was by the “brotherly love and care” shown by the Taiwanese. Similarly, relief efforts have also created an opportunity for China and Japan to reexamine their age old conflicts.
Domestically, the earthquake may also prove to be a watershed event for the Chinese government, which has displayed remarkable openness and honesty concerning the events, the extent of devastation and the difficulties ahead. It has also opened the door to cooperation between the government and non-governmental relief and aid organizations. China has long hoped to develop this sector more fully and the scope of this disaster seems to have provided the stimulus the government needed to more fully engage this group. If a more robust NGO sector is an eventual outcome of this tragedy, it is quite likely that it will lead to a higher quality of life for all Chinese and even more international engagement.
So, while no country or person ever welcomes tragedy, especially something of this magnitude, the earthquake has taught us a great deal about China’s true character and its people’s resilience. It has also reminded us that the other side of even a dark coin may hold the promise of a brighter future.
Patrice McMahon is a Visiting Professor at Jiaotong University in Xi’an, China. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska.
Jeff Cole is the Associate Vice President of the School-Community Partnerships at the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
On the first day of class, a graduate student from Xian’s Jiaotong University reminded me that, especially in China, “there are always two sides to a coin.” Experiencing China’s May 12 earthquake while living in the Xi’an with our two daughters, we have indeed seen both sides of what is beginning to be called China’s 5 12 disaster coin.
When the earthquake happened, we quickly compared it to our natural disaster reference point - Hurricane Katrina, but within a day we realized that disaster and the Chinese response was quite unlike anything that we had seen in the U.S. On television, in newspapers and through the internet, we’ve learned about the extent of the destruction, and the statistics are horrific - as of this writing, over 69,000 confirmed dead, some 20,000 still missing, over 350,000 injured and more than 15 million displaced. Given that more than one-third of the country’s population lives on about two dollars a day, responding to this level of death and destruction might seem daunting, if not impossible.
Evidently not for China and certainly not for Chinese people, who have cultivated a way of life based on overcoming the challenges they have faced over their long history. While not diminishing the human suffered stemming from this epic disaster, we have been impressed by the response of key sectors of the Chinese nation; namely, the central government, the growing non-governmental organization (NGO) sector, and, most of all, the Chinese public, all are confronting this challenge with an admirable sense of purpose and unity.
We are sure that western newspapers have covered the destruction in great detail. Hopefully, they have complimented the Chinese government for its rapid, serious response. But the underlying story of the triumph of human character is, as always, more difficult to capture. The story behind the statistics is the impact that this event has had on galvanizing the “Chinese street,” where concern and resolve are palpable. While people are transfixed by images from the disaster area that are broadcast on a variety of media, there seems to be little desperation or hopelessness. Instead, there is a “roll up the sleeves and get to work” determination, and surprisingly, deep gratitude at the outpouring of outside support.
When we turn off the television and discuss what we as a family have learned from the events of the last two weeks, we find ourselves marveling at how the Chinese are confidently if quietly dealing with this unprecedented tragedy – a disaster that continues with every aftershock, mudslide and potential flood.
It seems like every school, organization and business is raising money for Sichuan, and young people all over the country are out in the streets looking for donations or giving blood at the many mobile blood vans that are out in full force. Those who cannot give, like the 75 year old woman from Sichuan, are volunteering or giving in other ways. A tear-evoking example is in the Sichuan policewoman with a newborn child who was nursing multiple infants whose mothers were either killed in the quake or too traumatized to care for their children. The deeply felt national concern over the fate of affected children has been moving. On 22 May, there were 1,697 orphans, but just a day later, the number dropped to 494; and rest assured, despite the country’s developing status, there are more people willing to adopt than there are orphans from Sichuan.
And then there are the heartbreaking, but inspiring stories told by people who have lost the most; a man who lost his wife and daughter but thanked everyone who has helped him deal with his loss; or parents who wrote in the local paper that as sad as they are that their only son was lost, they are grateful that one of his teachers was so devoted to her class that she ran back into the school to save more children. The teacher was found pinned underneath the school holding two of her students. Or, the parents who responded to the death of their only child by expressing gratitude for he six years of joy that they had with him.
Although parents and the country as a whole mourn their losses, life goes on in China at its normal breakneck pace. Children in Sichuan are back in school and high school graduates are taking their college entrance exams in tents. Relief efforts are already transitioning to reconstruction and within a week, there will be temporary shelter for between 50,000-100,000 people. The central government has promised that within three months there will be temporary houses for at least 1 million people. Factories throughout China have been working 24-7 to ensure that food and shelter are provided for the victims. Over 100,000 thousand people in uniform remain deployed throughout the region to move boulders, clear clogged lakes and carry in food, water and other emergency supplies, despite the instability caused by aftershocks and flooding in the region.
On the international front, the government’s openness to this scale of this disaster resulted in an unprecedented outpouring of aid, with relief assistance coming from more than 40 countries. China’s 5 12 has also helped bring Taiwan and China closer than they have ever been, with China’s President noting how moved he was by the “brotherly love and care” shown by the Taiwanese. Similarly, relief efforts have also created an opportunity for China and Japan to reexamine their age old conflicts.
Domestically, the earthquake may also prove to be a watershed event for the Chinese government, which has displayed remarkable openness and honesty concerning the events, the extent of devastation and the difficulties ahead. It has also opened the door to cooperation between the government and non-governmental relief and aid organizations. China has long hoped to develop this sector more fully and the scope of this disaster seems to have provided the stimulus the government needed to more fully engage this group. If a more robust NGO sector is an eventual outcome of this tragedy, it is quite likely that it will lead to a higher quality of life for all Chinese and even more international engagement.
So, while no country or person ever welcomes tragedy, especially something of this magnitude, the earthquake has taught us a great deal about China’s true character and its people’s resilience. It has also reminded us that the other side of even a dark coin may hold the promise of a brighter future.
Patrice McMahon is a Visiting Professor at Jiaotong University in Xi’an, China. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska.
Jeff Cole is the Associate Vice President of the School-Community Partnerships at the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
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