Slate magazine always offers interesting stories by writers with a playful intelligence. Like Richard Cohen's piece Is James Bond responsible for the Iraq war? about the nature and authority of British intelligence reports. They also have an always interesting Explainer department that explores the answers to interesting civics guided questions. A recent explainer article is about the US Naturalization test, and how often it is updated.
So, I downloaded the test and took it myself (the explainer article's link also has a list of answers, thankfully). I passed.
The test is 10 or 12 random general knowledge civics and lite American history questions selected from a list of 100. What are the colors of the flag? What is the introduction to the Constitution called? Who is the current vice president? And so on...
These will also prove interesting for discussion in my English classes.
Take the test and see how you do!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Thursday, November 30, 2006
All sales final
Last week, before winter winds swiftly moved on the city, large stacks of Bai Cai cabbage (白菜) and other various veggies were being sold en masse on just about every street corner.
The scenes were frantic. People lined up (or didn't) and stocked up on cheap, fresh vegetables for winter soups. Likely, the farmers and sellers had many excess heads and wanted to move them before they froze, spoiled, or both.
Going for only a few cents per jin (a Chinese measurement eq. to about .5 kg), I saw wheelbarrows arrive empty and leave full. Other patrons simply strapped the bagged heads onto the back carriers of their bikes. This kept the gloved lettuce peddlers more than busy haggling over price and shucking off brown and yellow layers while moving literally tons of product.
Once people buy the greens, they often don't have the space or the freezer room to put the veggies inside, so they are left to sit outside. I'm sure this is really safe and should be encouraged. On the left is a picture of one pile chilling out in front of my apartment door. They look... delicious? Maybe?Now, outdoor markets are very common here and most produce is left out to the elements before being sold or spoiled. Never before have I seen massive piles in the streets though.
These stacks stayed outside my flat for about a week before being brought inside to their owner's freezers, perhaps slightly smaller due to evaporation and rot. Mmmm...
Bai Cai was by far the most common veggie sold. Yet, at a few corners one could pick up different varieties of onions, potatoes, gourds, carrots, and other root vegetables. These, of course, didn't require the above 200 jin scale, but a more tactful 20 jin one below.
For more pictures of these markets, visit my flickr photos. I'll post more soon.
peace, love, and tons of cabbage. paul.
Above: Large bundles of of onion stalks draws spectators and lucky buyers.
Left: Women sift through carrots and potatoes to find the season's best.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Taxi Cab Politics, Lost in Translation?
One main reason I chose to move to China's capital, Beijing, was because the environment is distinctly more political. Most people are well informed (from state run media) and willing to discuss their perspectives. For some reason, in the past week I've had interesting political conversations with red blood cells of Beijing, taxi cab drivers.
For some reason, probably my complexion, drivers can tell I'm a foreigner. After I state my destination, the logical follow up question they ask is, "What country do you come from?" I calmly reply that I'm American, and brace myself for the reaction. In the past two weeks, I've received the best reactions to date.
The first was last week. The cabbie asked me what I thought of Bush. (His Chinese name, Bu shi, sounds phonetically similar to "no" or "am not"...) "I didn't vote for him. What do you think of him?" I said.
That's when it started.
"Well," the driver started, "I think he's like Chairman Mao Ze Dong." "什么？What?" I said. "Yeah, just like Mao, Bush is 70% right and 30% wrong," he said, reporting the official government line on Mao's service to China. "Bush has done some bad things, but has there been another 9/11? All of the war has moved to Iraq! Sure, the economy isn't where it was. Even Europe isn't where it used to be, though," he said. I was blown away.
We continued talking about the state of the world for awhile, but I still couldn't shake his comparison to Mao. Bush has done some heinous things, but nothing compares to the images conjured up in my head when I think of Mao. Maybe, just maybe, Mao was more than 30% wrong.
The second conversation was yesterday morning. I missed the bus and had to take a cab. The driver asked where I was going and what country I came from. "America is very very strong*!" he said, "Very very strong*!" I nervously laughed and waited to see where he was going with this. "What do you think of Bush?" I prodded. "Bush? He's very ugly. I don't think he's a good president. Too ugly!" "难看？什么？Ugly^? What?" I said. "Yeah, too ugly. Clinton was very beautiful**! A good president and so beautiful**!" "So, he's a bad president because he's ugly? What about all of Clinton's girlfriends? Should a president have girlfriends who aren't his wife?" I asked. "BECAUSE he was beautiful** he had so many girlfriends. Lewinsky wasn't beautiful** but HE sure was! ... And a great president! Bush is too ugly to have girlfriend or be a good president!" I'm not sure whether we're talking about a leader's ability or attractiveness!
"How about [former Chinese President] Jiang Zi Men? With those large glasses, was he handsome** and a good president?" I asked. "Jiang Zi Men? He was handsome**, but Bush is too ugly^!" I had so many things to ask him, but just as my convulsive laughter allowed me to speak, we'd arrived at my school. WOW.
These conversations gave me a lot to talk and laugh about with my teachers today. Now, everytime I'm in a cab, I'm going to ask the Bush question...maybe I'll take a poll of cab drivers. I'll call it Bush: Hot or Not. Or maybe Bush: 70% or 30%? Stay tuned for the results, I'm curious to see the margin of error...
peace, love, and politics. paul.
*The word he used was: li hai 厉害，which can also mean fierce.
^Nan kan 难看, means ugly, or embarrassed.
**Piao liang 漂亮, which is commonly used for beautiful women, can also mean intelligent. Shuai 帅 is handsome, and in different context, commander in chief.
For some reason, probably my complexion, drivers can tell I'm a foreigner. After I state my destination, the logical follow up question they ask is, "What country do you come from?" I calmly reply that I'm American, and brace myself for the reaction. In the past two weeks, I've received the best reactions to date.
The first was last week. The cabbie asked me what I thought of Bush. (His Chinese name, Bu shi, sounds phonetically similar to "no" or "am not"...) "I didn't vote for him. What do you think of him?" I said.
That's when it started.
"Well," the driver started, "I think he's like Chairman Mao Ze Dong." "什么？What?" I said. "Yeah, just like Mao, Bush is 70% right and 30% wrong," he said, reporting the official government line on Mao's service to China. "Bush has done some bad things, but has there been another 9/11? All of the war has moved to Iraq! Sure, the economy isn't where it was. Even Europe isn't where it used to be, though," he said. I was blown away.
We continued talking about the state of the world for awhile, but I still couldn't shake his comparison to Mao. Bush has done some heinous things, but nothing compares to the images conjured up in my head when I think of Mao. Maybe, just maybe, Mao was more than 30% wrong.
The second conversation was yesterday morning. I missed the bus and had to take a cab. The driver asked where I was going and what country I came from. "America is very very strong*!" he said, "Very very strong*!" I nervously laughed and waited to see where he was going with this. "What do you think of Bush?" I prodded. "Bush? He's very ugly. I don't think he's a good president. Too ugly!" "难看？什么？Ugly^? What?" I said. "Yeah, too ugly. Clinton was very beautiful**! A good president and so beautiful**!" "So, he's a bad president because he's ugly? What about all of Clinton's girlfriends? Should a president have girlfriends who aren't his wife?" I asked. "BECAUSE he was beautiful** he had so many girlfriends. Lewinsky wasn't beautiful** but HE sure was! ... And a great president! Bush is too ugly to have girlfriend or be a good president!" I'm not sure whether we're talking about a leader's ability or attractiveness!
"How about [former Chinese President] Jiang Zi Men? With those large glasses, was he handsome** and a good president?" I asked. "Jiang Zi Men? He was handsome**, but Bush is too ugly^!" I had so many things to ask him, but just as my convulsive laughter allowed me to speak, we'd arrived at my school. WOW.
These conversations gave me a lot to talk and laugh about with my teachers today. Now, everytime I'm in a cab, I'm going to ask the Bush question...maybe I'll take a poll of cab drivers. I'll call it Bush: Hot or Not. Or maybe Bush: 70% or 30%? Stay tuned for the results, I'm curious to see the margin of error...
peace, love, and politics. paul.
*The word he used was: li hai 厉害，which can also mean fierce.
^Nan kan 难看, means ugly, or embarrassed.
**Piao liang 漂亮, which is commonly used for beautiful women, can also mean intelligent. Shuai 帅 is handsome, and in different context, commander in chief.
My 'hood
When the weather is clear in Beijing, the color of the sky can be remarkable. This tree is in my courtyard. peace. paul.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
今天在医院。Today at the Hospital
Today I went to the hospital to get my yearly for-visa physical. It's always a hassle and this year was no exception. The clinic (hospital is a bit formal) only sees patients - foreign passport holders wanting residence in China and Chinese holders seeking visas to go abroad - from 8 - 10:30am. Crowded is an understatment.
9:28 - I arrive by taxi to long lines in the lobby. A nurse directs me to the 4th floor, where foriegners are handled. The line actually begins on the stairs of 2nd floor. I wait.
9:45 - I can see the 4th floor, and a nice Aussie woman saves my spot so I can grab a medical form and fill it out.
9:55 - I'm on the 4th floor. Only 14 people separate me from from the first clinic office. They told me not to eat before the test, so I skipped breakfast. Hunger sets in.
10:10 - Inside the clinic office now. It's more like a waiting room with the queue snaking around the walls. At least there are chairs to sit on. Tables to fill out forms are in the middle and one long table with computers posts up on the left wall. Here, 3 clerks assign everyone a sheet of labels to code our samples and to enter us into the computer network.
10:15 - Finally sitting down. Still 14 people to go before I actually make progress on my application. To the Aussie woman, I offer my condolences over her loss: Steve Irwin, Croc Hunter, dead at 44. I break it to her gently. Is that a tear? Wait, no, dust blown in through the open window got her eye. Clinics are clean here... right?
10:20 - Pounding at her keyboard and instructing me to look into the webcam, a nurse enters my information into her computer. She gives me 8 stickers with my name & serial number.
10:22 - Elapsed time with nurse: 2 min. Back in line. Standing. Now I pay for the services I haven't recieved yet. In China, you often pay for things and then get what you paid for. NOT like in the States where you recieve services and pay for what you get. Slight difference, but it's a big one...
10:30 - I've paid $43.45 for the service and have a reciept to prove it! Back in another line. Time spent with clerk: 1 min. Hunger = pain. Pain = frustration.
10:33 - See a hot Russian girl. Song, "Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me" gets stuck in my head. I wish I had a girlfriend, and that she was hot, like the Russian girl. She sees I'm wearing my CCCP zip jacket. She smiles. Wait! She's got a sister, too! Wait! She's also got a really tall (bigger than me) boyfriend with her. Deuce!
10:40 - Still in line. Still have "hot like me..." repeating in my head. Her boyfriend would crush me. At least I'm already at the hospital.
10:45 - A nurse realizes that the lines are too long. Ya think?!? Pulling 14 of us aside, she directs us to parts 2,3,4 of the check-up. Things move quickly now.
10:50 - ECG. Four suction cups are strapped to my chest, looking at my guts and monitoring pulse. Know what she WON'T find in there? Food. I'm starving.
10:55 - At the general health room. Questionarre would be a better word for it than 'check up.' A doctor asks me if my vision is ok, what my height and weight are. He checks my blood pressure and my heart rate. He smiles and I'm done.
11:00 - The X Ray machine is like a bad ride at the MN State Fair. Standing on a platform, the nurse pulls a lead apron over my waist and fastens it to the otherside like a restraining belt. Whurring, the machine moves up and down and side to side pausing at each point for a quick 'click.' Thank you. I'm done!
11:05 - Back in line. Now I've got to turn the form in to the main office along with a photo. There are 14 people in front of me. A different group than before.
11:26 - I'm all done... well mostly. The results will take 2 days to process, so I've got to return back then. Next time, I'm bringing a breakfast AND lunch with me.
Being that this is the only clinic in Beijing to do this kind of work, you'd think they'd try to streamline the process. Unfortunatly, I didn't see a comment box. Then again, don't believe I've seen one anywhere in China...
Sorry if this long tale of bueracracy bored you. If it did, then perhaps my point was made. In all, the ordeal took me 2 hours - only about 15 of which was actually spent with a 'professional'. Next time you visit the doctor's office, while you sit in a clean room listening to Kenny G and reading Golfer's Digest, please think of me... and just how lucky you are.
peace. paul.
9:28 - I arrive by taxi to long lines in the lobby. A nurse directs me to the 4th floor, where foriegners are handled. The line actually begins on the stairs of 2nd floor. I wait.
9:45 - I can see the 4th floor, and a nice Aussie woman saves my spot so I can grab a medical form and fill it out.
9:55 - I'm on the 4th floor. Only 14 people separate me from from the first clinic office. They told me not to eat before the test, so I skipped breakfast. Hunger sets in.
10:10 - Inside the clinic office now. It's more like a waiting room with the queue snaking around the walls. At least there are chairs to sit on. Tables to fill out forms are in the middle and one long table with computers posts up on the left wall. Here, 3 clerks assign everyone a sheet of labels to code our samples and to enter us into the computer network.
10:15 - Finally sitting down. Still 14 people to go before I actually make progress on my application. To the Aussie woman, I offer my condolences over her loss: Steve Irwin, Croc Hunter, dead at 44. I break it to her gently. Is that a tear? Wait, no, dust blown in through the open window got her eye. Clinics are clean here... right?
10:20 - Pounding at her keyboard and instructing me to look into the webcam, a nurse enters my information into her computer. She gives me 8 stickers with my name & serial number.
10:22 - Elapsed time with nurse: 2 min. Back in line. Standing. Now I pay for the services I haven't recieved yet. In China, you often pay for things and then get what you paid for. NOT like in the States where you recieve services and pay for what you get. Slight difference, but it's a big one...
10:30 - I've paid $43.45 for the service and have a reciept to prove it! Back in another line. Time spent with clerk: 1 min. Hunger = pain. Pain = frustration.
10:33 - See a hot Russian girl. Song, "Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me" gets stuck in my head. I wish I had a girlfriend, and that she was hot, like the Russian girl. She sees I'm wearing my CCCP zip jacket. She smiles. Wait! She's got a sister, too! Wait! She's also got a really tall (bigger than me) boyfriend with her. Deuce!
10:40 - Still in line. Still have "hot like me..." repeating in my head. Her boyfriend would crush me. At least I'm already at the hospital.
10:45 - A nurse realizes that the lines are too long. Ya think?!? Pulling 14 of us aside, she directs us to parts 2,3,4 of the check-up. Things move quickly now.
10:50 - ECG. Four suction cups are strapped to my chest, looking at my guts and monitoring pulse. Know what she WON'T find in there? Food. I'm starving.
10:55 - At the general health room. Questionarre would be a better word for it than 'check up.' A doctor asks me if my vision is ok, what my height and weight are. He checks my blood pressure and my heart rate. He smiles and I'm done.
11:00 - The X Ray machine is like a bad ride at the MN State Fair. Standing on a platform, the nurse pulls a lead apron over my waist and fastens it to the otherside like a restraining belt. Whurring, the machine moves up and down and side to side pausing at each point for a quick 'click.' Thank you. I'm done!
11:05 - Back in line. Now I've got to turn the form in to the main office along with a photo. There are 14 people in front of me. A different group than before.
11:26 - I'm all done... well mostly. The results will take 2 days to process, so I've got to return back then. Next time, I'm bringing a breakfast AND lunch with me.
Being that this is the only clinic in Beijing to do this kind of work, you'd think they'd try to streamline the process. Unfortunatly, I didn't see a comment box. Then again, don't believe I've seen one anywhere in China...
Sorry if this long tale of bueracracy bored you. If it did, then perhaps my point was made. In all, the ordeal took me 2 hours - only about 15 of which was actually spent with a 'professional'. Next time you visit the doctor's office, while you sit in a clean room listening to Kenny G and reading Golfer's Digest, please think of me... and just how lucky you are.
peace. paul.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Road Work - Nan Luogu Xiang Hutong, Beijing
"Preserve the style of the ancient capital / everybody has responsibility"
Road work on the hutong streets... making them wider. Good - because now they'll be even and more astetically appealing. Bad - because that means more car traffic and slightly less character.
peace. paul.
Road work on the hutong streets... making them wider. Good - because now they'll be even and more astetically appealing. Bad - because that means more car traffic and slightly less character.
peace. paul.
Back to Blogging, Beijing style
Truly inspired by my good friend jeremy's voyage to Taiwan, I've decided that it's finally time to put down the China Daily and pick up with my blog. To that end, I'll give a quick update on my life and times here in the capital of China, Beijing.
My days have oscillated between relaxing and ridiculous since I've returned to China after a wonderful 3 week stay in the US. I've been waking up early and getting everything lined up for my student visa (my current one expires in 3 weeks, so no rush). However, every time that I make an inch of progress, they tell me I have another yard to go.
Yesterday I showed up at the Public Security Bureau. That's the police station. They handle visas and visa extensions. Interesting. With my passport and university invitations in hand, I thought everything was in line. I had no idea. As it would happen, I need these documents, plus a form from my local PSB as proof of residence, plus a medical form telling them I'm healthy and don't have leperacy, plus another sheet from my uni (which they can only give me after I've completed the afformentioned 2 steps). The plot thickens.
So, I ask the PSB clerk, "Where do I get the physical." (BTW: I've had one every year I've been in China... if only they worried about their own citizens' health as much as foreign immigrants'.) She tells me the clinic name, and the phone number to get directions. I turn to leave. "But," she said, "the clinic is only open from 8-10:30am, so you'll have to wait until Monday." Great, a brick wall. I'll wait until Monday. I call my landlord about the local PSB visit.
My landlord is a very fast talker. Mustering the best Chinese I can, I call her and explain the situation, "To live in China, I must get visa. For visa, you and me go to police to tell them I in Beijing live. You can help me when?" Then she starts talking really quickly in Chinese, "I can... but then... 7 day... maybe we can... ok?" What?!? Sheepishly, I say ok, thank her and hang up. No idea what it all means. It will take 7 days to process? In 7 days she can go with me? Totally lost.
My friend Jeff speaks Chinese very well. I ask him if he wants to get some lunch. A clever ploy... After lunch, I enlist Jeff to translate and figure out what she means. Apparantly, she said that she knows where the office is and that it will take 7 MINUTES, not days to complete. Relief sets in. We schedule a time this weekend when she can take me. One form pending, 2 more to go...
Seeing as I couldn't really do much more work on my visa, I sat down with 2 of the greatest movies of all time: Rocky III and Rocky IV. That's right, Clubber Lang AND Ivan Drago, back to back. Watching Rocky fight Drago and Soviet bureaucracy with his fists, I felt peaceful. It was a good ending to a frustrating day.
More to come... hopefully shorter posts too...
be well. peace. paul.
My days have oscillated between relaxing and ridiculous since I've returned to China after a wonderful 3 week stay in the US. I've been waking up early and getting everything lined up for my student visa (my current one expires in 3 weeks, so no rush). However, every time that I make an inch of progress, they tell me I have another yard to go.
Yesterday I showed up at the Public Security Bureau. That's the police station. They handle visas and visa extensions. Interesting. With my passport and university invitations in hand, I thought everything was in line. I had no idea. As it would happen, I need these documents, plus a form from my local PSB as proof of residence, plus a medical form telling them I'm healthy and don't have leperacy, plus another sheet from my uni (which they can only give me after I've completed the afformentioned 2 steps). The plot thickens.
So, I ask the PSB clerk, "Where do I get the physical." (BTW: I've had one every year I've been in China... if only they worried about their own citizens' health as much as foreign immigrants'.) She tells me the clinic name, and the phone number to get directions. I turn to leave. "But," she said, "the clinic is only open from 8-10:30am, so you'll have to wait until Monday." Great, a brick wall. I'll wait until Monday. I call my landlord about the local PSB visit.
My landlord is a very fast talker. Mustering the best Chinese I can, I call her and explain the situation, "To live in China, I must get visa. For visa, you and me go to police to tell them I in Beijing live. You can help me when?" Then she starts talking really quickly in Chinese, "I can... but then... 7 day... maybe we can... ok?" What?!? Sheepishly, I say ok, thank her and hang up. No idea what it all means. It will take 7 days to process? In 7 days she can go with me? Totally lost.
My friend Jeff speaks Chinese very well. I ask him if he wants to get some lunch. A clever ploy... After lunch, I enlist Jeff to translate and figure out what she means. Apparantly, she said that she knows where the office is and that it will take 7 MINUTES, not days to complete. Relief sets in. We schedule a time this weekend when she can take me. One form pending, 2 more to go...
Seeing as I couldn't really do much more work on my visa, I sat down with 2 of the greatest movies of all time: Rocky III and Rocky IV. That's right, Clubber Lang AND Ivan Drago, back to back. Watching Rocky fight Drago and Soviet bureaucracy with his fists, I felt peaceful. It was a good ending to a frustrating day.
More to come... hopefully shorter posts too...
be well. peace. paul.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Everyone's a Doctor
Last weekend, while playing in our final soccer match, I took a spill on the astroturf and roughed up my knee. It's nothing too serious. Most soccer players are accustomed to having rug burns or 'raspberries' on their legs or arms after a tough indoor match. Many of my soccer playing students also have these battle wounds so I feel less clumsy and less alone. What I've found in the treatment of my simple rug burn is that everyone in China is a doctor.
At the beginning of my classes this week, I've had every student gasp at my leg and wonder what happed. After my tall-taled conclusion (I always tell them that I got into a fight with a shark while swimming in the Pearl River... And you should see the shark!), the students often tell me what I need to do to make it heal faster. One sophomore student, Wing, approached me after class on Tuesday and gave me a note. It read, "Paul, Take care! To make your leg healing faster you must not eating these foods: goose, mushroom, egg, beef. Trust me, it works! Please, listen to me and take care!" Her concern was genuine and touching.
Chinese medicine is firm about abstaining from certain 'hot or cold' foods to bring a desired medical effect and to restore balance to one's Qi (often misspelled as "Chi")- the body's health force. Since Wing's note, I have drastically cut goose out of my meal (to be honest, I've eaten it only once in my 20 months here). To be sure, I have abstained from the other foods Wing mentioned as well, and have kept up with ibuprofin just to balance the Eastern philosophy with good old Western pharmaceuticals. Chinese medicine has been around for 5,000 years, why not give it a try?
Some have even prevented me from buying their 'hot' foods, in respect to my leg. As I approached my favorite fruit vendor, who sells amazing whole, cut pineapples for 1 RMB (US $0.12), she noticed my rug burn. I asked her for 2 fresh pineapples. She said, "No." No,? Why not? "Pineapple is a hot food and your leg will not feel better if you eat it. You cannot by pineapple," she firmly explained. But, I'm thirsty and I want pineapple! "No," she said, ending the debate. I conceded the point and decided instead to buy some fresh mangos at 2 RMB a piece. "No. Mangos are also hot. I will not sell you mangos," she firmly replied. Argh! You win! No citrus fruits! I asked her about green apples. Green apples aren't a hot food, are they? "Ok," she said, "I will sell you green apples." She plopped 3 in a bag for me. How much? "9 RMB, please," she said. I paid her and as I walked away, I was amazed at how firm she was in protecting me from buying pineapples and mango. Then, I did the quick math. Pineapples were 1 RMB. Mango were 2 RMB. She protected my health and sold me apples for 9 RMB. As she's been fair in the past, I'm sure her desire to see me fit outweighed her quest for profit.
Then, at the request of my students, I went to the campus clinic to see what the doctor would prescribe. The doctor first cleaned the exposed area with hydrochloric acid and rinsed it with a neutralizing liquid. He then painted my leg with 红药水 (red medicine water - it's honest technical name) to accelerate the scab and growth process. He also gave me some amoxicillin pills to ward off infection. To be distress of some purists, many modern doctors supplement Chinese medicine with western drugs. The 红药水 left a light red water-color stain on my skin for a day or so and made my wound look like it was bleeding profusely. My students were all the more terrified at the sight of it. Prompting them to tell me other things to cut out of my diet, like coffee (you're killing me here!), and to increase my intake of cold teas and turtle Jello (a herbal medicine in gelatin form made in part with turtle).
Slowly my leg is improving and with the help of my friends' common wisdom of Chinese traditional medicine I've been assured a speedy recovery. Now, when students ask me about it, I keep the facts positive, "Well, it's getting better everyday. I don't think they'll have to amputate it afterall." They smile and nod diffidently, not sure if I'm being serious or not, and then continue to write their list of what 'hot' foods I should avoid.
peace, love, and red medicine water. paul.
At the beginning of my classes this week, I've had every student gasp at my leg and wonder what happed. After my tall-taled conclusion (I always tell them that I got into a fight with a shark while swimming in the Pearl River... And you should see the shark!), the students often tell me what I need to do to make it heal faster. One sophomore student, Wing, approached me after class on Tuesday and gave me a note. It read, "Paul, Take care! To make your leg healing faster you must not eating these foods: goose, mushroom, egg, beef. Trust me, it works! Please, listen to me and take care!" Her concern was genuine and touching.
Chinese medicine is firm about abstaining from certain 'hot or cold' foods to bring a desired medical effect and to restore balance to one's Qi (often misspelled as "Chi")- the body's health force. Since Wing's note, I have drastically cut goose out of my meal (to be honest, I've eaten it only once in my 20 months here). To be sure, I have abstained from the other foods Wing mentioned as well, and have kept up with ibuprofin just to balance the Eastern philosophy with good old Western pharmaceuticals. Chinese medicine has been around for 5,000 years, why not give it a try?
Some have even prevented me from buying their 'hot' foods, in respect to my leg. As I approached my favorite fruit vendor, who sells amazing whole, cut pineapples for 1 RMB (US $0.12), she noticed my rug burn. I asked her for 2 fresh pineapples. She said, "No." No,? Why not? "Pineapple is a hot food and your leg will not feel better if you eat it. You cannot by pineapple," she firmly explained. But, I'm thirsty and I want pineapple! "No," she said, ending the debate. I conceded the point and decided instead to buy some fresh mangos at 2 RMB a piece. "No. Mangos are also hot. I will not sell you mangos," she firmly replied. Argh! You win! No citrus fruits! I asked her about green apples. Green apples aren't a hot food, are they? "Ok," she said, "I will sell you green apples." She plopped 3 in a bag for me. How much? "9 RMB, please," she said. I paid her and as I walked away, I was amazed at how firm she was in protecting me from buying pineapples and mango. Then, I did the quick math. Pineapples were 1 RMB. Mango were 2 RMB. She protected my health and sold me apples for 9 RMB. As she's been fair in the past, I'm sure her desire to see me fit outweighed her quest for profit.
Then, at the request of my students, I went to the campus clinic to see what the doctor would prescribe. The doctor first cleaned the exposed area with hydrochloric acid and rinsed it with a neutralizing liquid. He then painted my leg with 红药水 (red medicine water - it's honest technical name) to accelerate the scab and growth process. He also gave me some amoxicillin pills to ward off infection. To be distress of some purists, many modern doctors supplement Chinese medicine with western drugs. The 红药水 left a light red water-color stain on my skin for a day or so and made my wound look like it was bleeding profusely. My students were all the more terrified at the sight of it. Prompting them to tell me other things to cut out of my diet, like coffee (you're killing me here!), and to increase my intake of cold teas and turtle Jello (a herbal medicine in gelatin form made in part with turtle).
Slowly my leg is improving and with the help of my friends' common wisdom of Chinese traditional medicine I've been assured a speedy recovery. Now, when students ask me about it, I keep the facts positive, "Well, it's getting better everyday. I don't think they'll have to amputate it afterall." They smile and nod diffidently, not sure if I'm being serious or not, and then continue to write their list of what 'hot' foods I should avoid.
peace, love, and red medicine water. paul.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Podcast mania
Living in China has it's many perks, but I still really miss diverse, objective, and tenacious journalism and media... which is definitely not available here. Or is it?
For my daily fix of news, features, and general what not, I've become a podcast connoisseur. These TiVo'ed radio shows for your iPod provide me with more than enough to listen to (I don't have a video iPod... yet). At first, I was skeptical because I believed that it was only for techie nerds by techie nerds. Now, I'm realizing that it's the next generation of radio where HAMM broadcasters can fight for the same listeners and bandwidth as the major stations.
So much more than just news updates, today alone I was able to study Chinese. learn new grammar for the GRE and win Carl Cassell's voice on my home answering machine (the last one's only theoretically).
Yet, few major radio stations have made the jump to pure original programming sponsored specifically for the podcast listeners, there are still quite a few gems out there to keep me interested and informed about a wide range of topics during my walk to class in the am.
Some of my favorites:
Slate Magazine podcast. Daily one-story podcasts from Slate magazine reporters offer a brief and interesting view on topics from Bush's foreign policy to the 80s show Moonlighting. Under ten minutes, the clips are succinct and interesting. Their gabfest round table discussions are great too. www.slate.com
SciAm podcast. A weekly podcast from the Scientific American magazine offers a 20min look into that week in science. I don't know jack about science, but I'll listen to it to try to change that. If it's not that interesting, I just delete it. www.sciam.com
NPR: Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me!. My favorite weekly show from Chicago public radio is now free to me online. This is how I spend my saturday mornings. Just like home. Yet, calling in would be a hassle, so I doubt Carl will do my answering machine message. Wait, I don't have an answering machine.
History Channel and Discovery Channel also put out their own podcasts, so they're interesting to listen to on a long train ride or a long walk to a coffee shop to study. Which brings me to GRE and Chinese study guides. I can learn Shanghainese AND improve my English language discourse with these programs.
I'm hooked. Most of the 'outside' world has probably already picked up on just how sweet podcasts are, but like China, I'm a little behind.
For my daily fix of news, features, and general what not, I've become a podcast connoisseur. These TiVo'ed radio shows for your iPod provide me with more than enough to listen to (I don't have a video iPod... yet). At first, I was skeptical because I believed that it was only for techie nerds by techie nerds. Now, I'm realizing that it's the next generation of radio where HAMM broadcasters can fight for the same listeners and bandwidth as the major stations.
So much more than just news updates, today alone I was able to study Chinese. learn new grammar for the GRE and win Carl Cassell's voice on my home answering machine (the last one's only theoretically).
Yet, few major radio stations have made the jump to pure original programming sponsored specifically for the podcast listeners, there are still quite a few gems out there to keep me interested and informed about a wide range of topics during my walk to class in the am.
Some of my favorites:
Slate Magazine podcast. Daily one-story podcasts from Slate magazine reporters offer a brief and interesting view on topics from Bush's foreign policy to the 80s show Moonlighting. Under ten minutes, the clips are succinct and interesting. Their gabfest round table discussions are great too. www.slate.com
SciAm podcast. A weekly podcast from the Scientific American magazine offers a 20min look into that week in science. I don't know jack about science, but I'll listen to it to try to change that. If it's not that interesting, I just delete it. www.sciam.com
NPR: Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me!. My favorite weekly show from Chicago public radio is now free to me online. This is how I spend my saturday mornings. Just like home. Yet, calling in would be a hassle, so I doubt Carl will do my answering machine message. Wait, I don't have an answering machine.
History Channel and Discovery Channel also put out their own podcasts, so they're interesting to listen to on a long train ride or a long walk to a coffee shop to study. Which brings me to GRE and Chinese study guides. I can learn Shanghainese AND improve my English language discourse with these programs.
I'm hooked. Most of the 'outside' world has probably already picked up on just how sweet podcasts are, but like China, I'm a little behind.
Immigration to the U.S.
Just months before Hu Jin Tao's visit to Seattle and D.C., this is very interesting leader buried in the NY Times. A container was found to be 'too light' at the Seattle's Harbor Island port terminal. It's cargo: 18 Chinese men and 4 Chinese women. Oh yeah, and inside the container were also water bottles, food, blankets, and toilets. Some load!
The term for those who smuggle humans from Asia are called 'snakeheads', this of course is different than those from Central and South America called 'coyotes'. (There's a great book by Ted Conover by that name.)
The Seattle Times reported that these 'snakeheads' can make $30,000 to $60,000 per head. Not too cheap, especially when converted into RMB ~250,000 or 500,000. These were people with some money, equivelant to China's middle to upper middle class. The 22 individuals spent 15 DAYS in the container. Geez, I get restless after 15 HOURS in Northwest's coach class...
Regardless of money or method, they're in Seattle. Now what to do with them? Well, the Seattle Times article concludes: "The 22 stowaways have a few options regarding their future in this country. With stowaways, the government can invoke immediate removal.
The immigrants can also seek asylum, in which they would need to establish a credible fear of returning to their home country.
"If they have relatives in the U.S., then they [the relatives] can petition for them to remain here in the U.S.," Milne said. "They may also be held as material witnesses in a criminal human-smuggling operation."
After this hoopla, I'm guessing they have a credible fear of returning to China. In an interesting power-play, Bush could toy with giving them immunity. This, of course, would infuriate Hu before his visit, but may be productive to sway the release of the NYTimes journalist Zhao Yan who was imprisioned 6 mo. ago. This scenario would be tricky, with immigration and amnesty a firey topic in the Senate right now (Read LA Times article in their immigration coverage series). Yet it might underscore the hard rhetoric that Bush and Rice have been doling out about China's abhorrant human rights record.
***As it's been a while since I've posted, I've tried to add as many links as possible to this piece.
The term for those who smuggle humans from Asia are called 'snakeheads', this of course is different than those from Central and South America called 'coyotes'. (There's a great book by Ted Conover by that name.)
The Seattle Times reported that these 'snakeheads' can make $30,000 to $60,000 per head. Not too cheap, especially when converted into RMB ~250,000 or 500,000. These were people with some money, equivelant to China's middle to upper middle class. The 22 individuals spent 15 DAYS in the container. Geez, I get restless after 15 HOURS in Northwest's coach class...
Regardless of money or method, they're in Seattle. Now what to do with them? Well, the Seattle Times article concludes: "The 22 stowaways have a few options regarding their future in this country. With stowaways, the government can invoke immediate removal.
The immigrants can also seek asylum, in which they would need to establish a credible fear of returning to their home country.
"If they have relatives in the U.S., then they [the relatives] can petition for them to remain here in the U.S.," Milne said. "They may also be held as material witnesses in a criminal human-smuggling operation."
After this hoopla, I'm guessing they have a credible fear of returning to China. In an interesting power-play, Bush could toy with giving them immunity. This, of course, would infuriate Hu before his visit, but may be productive to sway the release of the NYTimes journalist Zhao Yan who was imprisioned 6 mo. ago. This scenario would be tricky, with immigration and amnesty a firey topic in the Senate right now (Read LA Times article in their immigration coverage series). Yet it might underscore the hard rhetoric that Bush and Rice have been doling out about China's abhorrant human rights record.
***As it's been a while since I've posted, I've tried to add as many links as possible to this piece.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
On the road again
For the last two weeks or so, some friends, fellow teachers, and I have trekked through Yunnan province in S.W. China, boardering Tibet, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos. It has been amazing beyong words. First we hiked through the mountain region called the Tiger Leaping Gorge (China's Grand Canyon, often mentioned by Tom Friedman) and it was not for the faint of heart. At one point we were hiking at almost a 75% slope through crags and mountain rock. It was great! The map said that there were '28 bends' or turns on the trail, but they cruelly lied to us. It was more like '48 bends.' The sight at the top was as breathtaking as the hike, however, and it made the trip all the more worthwhile. That night we met some British guys (also teaching in China) who's path we seemed to cross at every stop. Good fun.
After that, we relaxed in the town of Kunming for a few days before heading south to the XiShuangBanNa region on the Chinese boarder with Lao and Myanmar.This invloved staying in minority villages tucked into the jungle. It was an amazing experience. We didn't have a map, so we had to reconfirm our path with every passer-by. That made it all the more exciting. By night, we were invited into a villager's home for a meal and a sleeping pad. Over dinner we spoke in (my) broken Chinese. If the individual words did not come across, at least the meaning did, as we were all fascinated with each other. I felt like I was on a National Geographic tour!
Village women painted their teeth black, which they believed made them more attractive, and wore traditional clothing. Most men joined a Buddist monestary for a year or two during their youth... much like my CCD except that St. Odelia didn't shave my head. Like us, religion and family play paramount roles in their lives. They had never seen a map before, so they had many questions about Chinese geography. They also had no concept of an int'l time difference. (Which I explained as: "Right now, we in China eat dinner meal, after, go to bed. Right now, my Dad in USA eat morning meal, after, go to work. Now, here, sun goes to sleep. Now, there, sun wake up.") Yet, they settled all of our differences in one easy question: "Are your stars the same as ours?" Instantly, the 5 year old came out in me and I thought of the cartoon American Tale, when Feivel looks at the stars and sings to his sister looking at the same stars. Sappy, I know, but it was a moment... In the morning they treated us to a simple meal of ramen, rice, eggs, and vegetables and gave us a warm send off.
Although both the Gorge and XiShuangBanNa are 'protected' as UN World Heritage sites, development will vastly change this area in the coming years. The Gorge is being surveyed for a dam (terrible idea) and XiShuangBanNa will soon become a commercial land passage to S.E. Asia, so the trail we were on will soon be a 2 lane paved highway. I'm just happy I was able to have seen these sites before the dynamite does...
more to come, more to be added later.
paul.
After that, we relaxed in the town of Kunming for a few days before heading south to the XiShuangBanNa region on the Chinese boarder with Lao and Myanmar.This invloved staying in minority villages tucked into the jungle. It was an amazing experience. We didn't have a map, so we had to reconfirm our path with every passer-by. That made it all the more exciting. By night, we were invited into a villager's home for a meal and a sleeping pad. Over dinner we spoke in (my) broken Chinese. If the individual words did not come across, at least the meaning did, as we were all fascinated with each other. I felt like I was on a National Geographic tour!
Village women painted their teeth black, which they believed made them more attractive, and wore traditional clothing. Most men joined a Buddist monestary for a year or two during their youth... much like my CCD except that St. Odelia didn't shave my head. Like us, religion and family play paramount roles in their lives. They had never seen a map before, so they had many questions about Chinese geography. They also had no concept of an int'l time difference. (Which I explained as: "Right now, we in China eat dinner meal, after, go to bed. Right now, my Dad in USA eat morning meal, after, go to work. Now, here, sun goes to sleep. Now, there, sun wake up.") Yet, they settled all of our differences in one easy question: "Are your stars the same as ours?" Instantly, the 5 year old came out in me and I thought of the cartoon American Tale, when Feivel looks at the stars and sings to his sister looking at the same stars. Sappy, I know, but it was a moment... In the morning they treated us to a simple meal of ramen, rice, eggs, and vegetables and gave us a warm send off.
Although both the Gorge and XiShuangBanNa are 'protected' as UN World Heritage sites, development will vastly change this area in the coming years. The Gorge is being surveyed for a dam (terrible idea) and XiShuangBanNa will soon become a commercial land passage to S.E. Asia, so the trail we were on will soon be a 2 lane paved highway. I'm just happy I was able to have seen these sites before the dynamite does...
more to come, more to be added later.
paul.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Trouble is afoot in the Middle Mountain
Zhongshan is the peaceful yet booming coast town in China's Guangdong province that I have called home for the past year and a half. In the past ten days, Zhongshan has been the tipping point for the struggle between rural peasents and their affluent neighbors. This has been a quiet, yet ongoing struggle in much of Guangdong and the highly developed eastern coast. I never thought it would hit so close to home.
Recently, two government officials were released for the way they've handled this growing unrest. Last Saturday, a 13 year old girl was killed - almost certainly by police forces trying to disperse group protesters - and many others were beaten.
Here is a premium story from the South China Morning Post (SCMP.com) detailing the dismissal...
Officials to pay price for teen's death
KRISTINE KWOK
Two party officials in Zhongshan, Guangdong, face dismissal and another is likely to be jailed over the death of a schoolgirl last week during a crackdown on protests over land seizures.
A source said he was told by officials that it was likely that Zhongshan city party secretary Cui Guochao and Sanjiao township party secretary Guan Jianxiang would be sacked over the handling of the unrest.
Protesters blocked a section of the Nansan highway 10 days ago in protest against inadequate compensation for farmland that was forcibly seized a decade ago in a number of villages.
The crowd swelled to about 3,000 last Saturday, when police used stun batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Feng Meiying , 15, was said to have been beaten to death and up to 100 protesters injured.
Word of the possible official shake-up came after Guangdong party secretary Zhang Dejiang repeated his warning to officials on Thursday to acquire land through proper procedures or face investigation and dismissal.
Hu Dahai , party secretary of Panlong village, where most of the protesters were from, was also expected to be jailed.
"He was arrested a few days ago," the source said.
But a Panlong government worker denied the arrest.
Recently, two government officials were released for the way they've handled this growing unrest. Last Saturday, a 13 year old girl was killed - almost certainly by police forces trying to disperse group protesters - and many others were beaten.
Here is a premium story from the South China Morning Post (SCMP.com) detailing the dismissal...
Officials to pay price for teen's death
KRISTINE KWOK
Two party officials in Zhongshan, Guangdong, face dismissal and another is likely to be jailed over the death of a schoolgirl last week during a crackdown on protests over land seizures.
A source said he was told by officials that it was likely that Zhongshan city party secretary Cui Guochao and Sanjiao township party secretary Guan Jianxiang would be sacked over the handling of the unrest.
Protesters blocked a section of the Nansan highway 10 days ago in protest against inadequate compensation for farmland that was forcibly seized a decade ago in a number of villages.
The crowd swelled to about 3,000 last Saturday, when police used stun batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Feng Meiying , 15, was said to have been beaten to death and up to 100 protesters injured.
Word of the possible official shake-up came after Guangdong party secretary Zhang Dejiang repeated his warning to officials on Thursday to acquire land through proper procedures or face investigation and dismissal.
Hu Dahai , party secretary of Panlong village, where most of the protesters were from, was also expected to be jailed.
"He was arrested a few days ago," the source said.
But a Panlong government worker denied the arrest.
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