Mask or No Mask?

I've safely made it to Kunming! The flight was uneventful--just the way I like it! I noticed that about 30% of the passengers on my flight were waring masks. The woman sitting next to me had her mask on for the entire 16 hours we were on the plane. The passenger on my other side asked the flight attendant for a mask and only wore it for a total of about 6 hours. She and I talked for a while in Chinese and English, after she got comfortable with me she strongly advised that I request a mask. I didn't, maybe I was foolish--we'll see. I figured I would look a bit suspicious wearing an sleeping mask over my eyes and a face mask.

When I was passing through the terminal in the Hong Kong airport I saw signs that read, "Remove your hats for thermal readings." I remember seeing a report on CNN before I left that U.S. airports were going to start buying thermal imagers to help curb the spread of epidemics. Sure enough after walking about 30 feet, I came across a bank of health officials intently scanning monitors that read the temperatures of each passenger. How does it work? Thermal images read the surface temperature of people's skin. If a passenger has higher than normal temps they are quarantined. After that? I have no idea what happens.

This swine flu is crazy. The authorities want to curb another SARS like epidemic. Coincidentally I was in Vietnam and Hong Kong back in late 2002, early 2003 when SARS first hit. I remember thinking I dodged a bullet then. SARS was going around HK, but health officials didn't really have a grasp on it till early 2003.

On my way to Kunming I was required to fill out a health declaration form that asked where I had been prior to arriving in China, how long I planned to stay, places I intended visiting, local contact information, and a list of symptoms. Shortly after we touched down, 8 health inspectors boarded the plane to check the passengers. To my surprise they took about 30 minutes scanning each passenger with a thermal scanner that they held to your forehead to record each individual's temp. OUr body temps were recorded on the forms we had filled out. We were not allowed to leave the plane until every single passenger had been cleared. Yikes! Thankfully the flight was only about a third full. I don't think anyone was quarantined, but we did have undergo another line of questioning by health inspectors after deplaning.

All this brings back memories of flying from Africa to Europe. In case you've never done it--shortly after take-off airline stewards go down each aisle holding a spray can of disinfectant in each hand spraying away. The entire cabin is filled with a mist of lemon scented germ killer. I've never experienced this on a flight from Europe, the U.S. or Asia (I don't know about Latin America). I remember the first time I saw this--I was almost in tears because it's clearly a racist practice. In essence the airlines assume passengers who've been to Africa are chocked full of bacteria and germs and therefore need to be cleaned before leaving the continent. Ironically, the various flu outbreaks that have hit Asia, Latin America and North America have missed Africa. It looks like Africa has been spared.

FYI: The Chinese consulate in the US also has visa applicants fill out health declaration forms. I didn't pay attention to it at the time, but in case you plan on traveling here, fill out the entire form.

It's the little things that leave the biggest memories

Have you ever enjoyed a song, a food, a person or a place just because it (he or she) had that special thing. The thing is an indescribable feeling that in my case can only be relayed through images, tastes, sounds and smells. That thing made you love it and sometimes hate it. In Kunming, there is this extraordinary thing I’ve found. The best way for me to share with you the energy of Kuming is via this list of “Kunmingisms.” They are a compilation of observations I’ve made here. Some things I love, hate and just plain don’t understand. I encourage you to travel to Kunming one day. In case you are not able to, here are a few things that you may find interesting.

Imagine walking around Kunming. All of the things on this list have not been isolated observations or incidents. It’s honestly part of the culture here. During an afternoon stroll, if you’re on the street for 45 minutes you may observe most if not all of these things.

Kunmingisms Part One “It’s not bad and not good—It is what it is”

Umbrellas
There is an obsession with umbrellas here. On any given street in the downtown area I would say 80% of the shops sell them. The selection is amazing. You can find plaid umbrellas, lace umbrellas, sun umbrellas, rain umbrellas, umbrellas that change colors when wet and the list goes on. The umbrellas range from US $2 to US $25. We’re in the rainy season now so I bet the umbrella culture is on hyperdrive. Okay, the sun umbrellas supposedly have fabrics that offer UV protection. Along with the mass amount of skin bleaching products sold in department stores, protection from the harmful sun rays and most of all the risk of tanning is very important for women here.

When it rains or when it’s sunny I’ve seen people riding on motorbikes with one hand on the handles (barely avoiding each other) and the other hand holding the most important accessory, an umbrella. You can imagine my horror as I attempt to cross streets and both bike riders and motorbike drivers are weaving around me with their one-handed driving.

Injections
The folks here really are into medicine--pills, elixirs, teas and my personal favorite injections. I was sick with food poisoning about a month ago. I was strongly encouraged by my friend to go to the hospital and get an injection. I had a few mosquito bites and I was encouraged to get an injection. I had a small cold, and what treatment was recommended? AN INJECTION. A classmate at the school actually went and got an injection for her cold. I don’t think she feels any better. All of this was confirmed when I went to a Karaoke (a.k.a) KTV club over the weekend. People can rent rooms by the hour and have karaoke party. They have a little convenience/liquor store on the first floor where folks can load up on Chivas Regal, Absolute Vodka, Bombay Sapphire and what????? Glucose injections. Yes, they had vials of glucose on the shelf, the label on the box read “GLUCOSE INJECTIONS.” I was surprised to say the least.

Noodles, Noodles, Noodles
The Yunnan Province is known for its Over the Bridge Noodles or Cross Bridge Noodles. There are tons of noodle shops here. You can build your own noodle dishes. It’s like the Chinese version of Chipotle. I love it. The broth is amazing, I’ve tasted anything like it before. It’s like the heavens brewed up broth made of the best ingredients ever—garlic, onion, beef stock, chili and a bunch of other stuff I don’t know the English names for. And from the clouds it poured into my bowl. Throw some noodles in and we’re set. After a night of dancing at the club there is nothing like a bowl of hot noodle soup.

The most popular noodle joint is called “The Brother’s Jiang.” The system for ordering is quite complex for a foreigner like me. First, you go up to an order window and order (in Chinese only) what type of noodles you want. In case you don’t understand the menu and are feeling adventurous—just point. You pay and you are given a printed ticket. Depending on what you ordered you go to another section give the cook your ticket and choose the specific ingredients you want added. I don’t understand why the ordering is a two step process but it is. Step three is finding a seat. When it is crowded one must literally fight for seats. It is best to stand over people while they’re eating. Just hover over until they are finished eating and when the last drop of broth is being slurped, lean in like you are about to sit down and appropriate the space. I did not do this because my Mom would not approve. But my friend did! The Over the Bridge Noodles are delivered to you. You get different foods on little plates along with a big bowl of broth. First add the raw egg, then the pork, veggies and finally noodles. The broth is so hot it cooks the food in a flash. After like 7 minutes you can eat. You don’t have to eat the meat but it enhances the flavor.

Is there an Asian scramble for Africa?

I'm not sure what the coverage of the African Union Summit has been like in the U.S. but China's CCTV has had quite a bit of coverage on it. I've also seen two political talk shows devote entire episodes to Sino-Sudan relations and Asian-African relations. I just want to share some of my observations on the Chinese media’s framing of Sino-African relations. Media and diplomacy go hand-in-hand. Governments frame (and/or spin) issues according to what will resonate with public opinion. I know that’s hard to grasp under the current U.S. administration's policies (since they have pursued unilateral policies and have consistently defied public opinion polls).

According to Chinese scholars who study international relations, China has helped Sudan reach high growth rates. China’s non-interference policy states that China will not get involved with a country’s domestic affairs and respect territorial integrity. This is in contrast to Western countries that place restrictions on development aid. China prides itself in not dictating or imposing its values on to other countries. This sounds rational right? However, after saying all this, the explanation given on the Darfur conflict is very interesting.

The experts claim that the Darfur conflict is greatly exaggerated by Western media. The Western media has “changed its tone” on the numbers of people killed. The Chinese experts argue that the number of those claimed to have died are “greatly exaggerated” and in fact it is unlikely that even 300,000 people have been killed let alone 100,000 because the region is so sparsely populated. Because of the low population density the numbers of those claimed to be killed is false. The “regional disputes” that are taking place in Darfur is between “blacks and Arabs” fighting over water during the dry season.

China’s interests in Sudan were barely mentioned during the show. It was mentioned once that China is Sudan’s largest trading partner. There were images of bridges and roads being built by the Chinese, but the picture that was painted was of Chinese generosity, not necessarily of mutual trade. Chinese oil companies are sending engineers to Sudan, to secure the uninterrupted flow of oil to China. China not only builds roads and bridges, but also sends small arms to the Khartoum government. Sudan is not at war with any external powers—right? Sudan’s government is at war with its own citizenry. Chinese manufactured weapons that are being used to terrorize civilians is indeed an interference. To whom? The lives of tens of thousands of refugees.

The Chinese experts claim that they want to see a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan and argue sanctions are not the solution. The problem is that some Chinese politicians and scholars view the issue as a tribal conflict—not a serious human security issue. It’s as if China’s rhetoric means that they have the right to wipe their hands clean in the midst of bloodshed because their diplomatic principles state that the domestic issues of other states are not any of their concern. I personally think that any government that provides arms to the Khartoum regime is interfering in domestic affairs, especially since most of the international community has trade sanctions and the United Nations has a ban on arms trade.

China also argues that they must step-up their role in Africa because India and Japan are also gaining ground in the scramble for resources and allies. India and Japan have hosted summits—in India in March 2008 and Japan in May 2008. The issue of energy security appears to be the most important factor in the Asian scramble.

At the end of the day, Africans must forge an agenda that will best fit the interests of communities and individuals. What that looks like, I’m not sure—but we can no longer be passive reactants in the energy free-for-all. Unfortunately many of Africa’s heads of state are looking out for their individual interests not the interests of their citizenry. This situation will only lead to further exploitation. Our people were not sitting at the table at the 1884 Berlin Conference, let’s say never again.

The Best Ticket in Town!

I have a new appreciation for public parks now. Green Lake Park is by far the most exciting public park I've ever been to (sorry it beats Druid Hill Park and Central Park). On Saturday and Sunday's tons of people sit back and enjoy the water, the shade and the cool breeze. I've observed so many amazing things in Green Lake Park (Cui Hu). Along the bank of the lake there is a two foot wall alongside a walking path that serves at stages and seating areas for dozens of mini musical jam sessions. Every 10 feet or so there are folks playing instruments and singing folks songs or Chinese opera. Some of the bands have an amplifier and mic and that makes the experience all the better, as you almost hear a medley of different music forms as you stroll. Groups of people also dance (my favorite). There is line dancing, ballroom dance, traditional dance, improvisational dance and martial arts. I've seen groups of women coordinated in matching hot pink and black leisure suits getting down!!!!! Men dance too and that is also quite interesting.

When I traveled to Kunming in 2003 I hade to pay 5 元 to enter Green Lake Park. It was a ghost town back then. Two years ago the entry fee was eliminated and now it is a Kunming hot spot.

The park culture here in China and also in Chinatown S.F. is very interesting. One theory I heard years ago was that since many people live in crowded apartments, sometimes with three generations under one roof, people seek fresh air and open space in parks; thus the large numbers of families relaxing, chatting, doing tai chi chuan in the mornings and evenings.

Watch more footage on YouTube of Green Lake Park entertainment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVZhduxla8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IkrOjpYlHg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOUl5jiD5dE

I love libraries!!! 每图书馆都我最爱。

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love libraries. I went to the Yunnan provincial library this week--enough said!!! The trip was exactly what I needed to motivate me to begin my research. I was issued a temporary card which allows be to browse the stacks. I can't check books out but I hope I can make arrangements to photocopy some chapters of books. I was amazed at the number of people, young and old, at the library. The library is four floors with two large study halls that were packed. I went on a Saturday and a Monday and there was not a noticeable difference in the numbers. In the study halls people can order food, chat with friends, talk on the phone, buy soft drinks, refill tea jars with boiling water and so on. So pretty much one can stay there all day and be totally satisfied--books, tea and stir fry--what else could one want right? Maybe wireless internet:) The library has different reading rooms such as, Yunnan historical documents, Kunming historical documents, government documents, English language texts etc. I must say that the collection does not appear to be that large.

My teacher Quiyan and I did a basic computer search of the card catalog. A search of "Africa" yielded 10 English texts from the 1970s. The library has about 4 volumes of the UNESCO General History of Africa. After more a more detailed computer search of international affairs I found some interesting texts that I plan on photocopying next week. I found a few texts in the stacks that had chapters on Sino-African relations (in English by Chinese authors). Of course I was extremely excited. My teacher found one book for me on 非洲和中国关系 (Africa-China Relations). She led me to the reading room with the text and pretty much told me I was on my own. I enjoyed it. Since I could not read 99% of the words, I copied the table of contents. I plan on translating that before I leave. I figure it will give me a strong foundation in international relations vocabulary.

One more thing...A very interesting thing happened at the library. The first time we went there to check it out (last Saturday) I walked up to a bank of card catalogs. I randomly opened a drawer because I wanted to check out the classification system. My teacher and I with one flip turned to the card entry for Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. I nearly flipped out. Of all of the drawers I could have opened (there were at least 100) I happened to open that drawer and flip to that entry. A text by an African author--it's a sign!!!!

My Routine in Kunming

I know it’s been a while, but better late than never! So what have I been doing everyday here in Kunming? There is lots to do here—as evidenced by the fact that I don’t make time to write my blog. I am studying at the Keats school, it’s Chinese name is Ji Ci Xue Xiao. The school specializes in offering one on one instruction to foreign learners of Chinese. I live at the school which is located near downtown Kunming. Now I want to make it clear that Kunming is a large city of about 6 million. Folks claim there is a downtown, but I have yet to grasp the idea of a city like this having a “downtown.” To me, is seems like there are a few districts, all with their own mini city center. Kunming is a sprawling city, and a recent visit to the City Museum of Urban Planning showed me how ridiculously large it is. The school occupies about three floors of a 20 story building. My dorm room is on the 15th floor and my classes are on the 16th.

Every morning I wake up at 7:00 and draw the shades to let in the morning sun (just kidding). When I wake up the first thing I do is turn on my computer with the hopes that a family member or friend will call me on Skype! Since there is exactly a 12 hour difference between Kunming and the U.S. East Coast, the crucial hour between 7:00 am and 8:00 am is my time to connect with those I love. Most of the time I am doing the calling, trying to track down a familiar voice….hint hint.

I’ve become addicted to instant Nescafe coffee with creamer. I’ve been experimenting with my levels of dependence and my teacher, Ms. Huang, now assigns a recurring homework assignment (in Chinese): “Every morning, you should drink coffee.” “每天早上你得喝咖啡” You can guess why. I opted to eat three meals a day at school, so I eat my first at 8:00. It is pretty consistent, a fried egg, rice porridge, sliced apples and mangoes, mantou (rice bun), fresh warm soymilk, and other assorted Chinese pastries. I eat my meals with about a half a dozen other students at the school. We make small talk, exchange Kunming stories and discuss out latest DVD finds.

At 8:30 I report to class. For four hours my teacher and I review new vocabulary words, learn one or two new lessons in my text book titled “Speed-up Chinese.” I love have one-on-one instruction because the classes are specifically tailored for my needs. It can hard (the days I stopped drinking coffee because I thought I was becoming dependent) sitting in a 9x7 foot room (a little bigger than a cubicle) every day, learning a foreign language. That is why I love my teacher! She makes class exciting. My favorite activity is role-playing different scenarios. She loves it when I pretend to be a difficult American, which isn’t hard. Case in point the lesson titled, “At the Restaurant.” She drilled me on four different ways to communicate that I don’t eat meat. At first I thought it was excessive, but I soon realized why she stressed that I be able to communicate my dietary needs using varying levels of politeness.

Ordering food in China
Step one: Ask for a menu and ask to see the section with vegetables and fish. Point to each dish I am interested in and ask if it is made with meat. If not, proceed with ordering.

Step two: Before the fu wu yuan (server) places the order say the following, “I do not eat meat, I only eat vegetables, fish and eggs.” Server will most likely open the menu again and point to a dish that is truly vegetarian (so you think). You both settle on a more appropriate dish.

Step three: You tell the fu wu yuan, I do not eat beef, pork or chicken. She/he nods in acknowledgement and leaves to the place the order.

Step four: Inspect the dish. You see ground pieces of brown stuff over the dish. You pause and think is that tofu? You use the chopsticks pick up the stuff and smell it, can’t tell if it is meat or not.

PAUSE—Do you call the fu wu yuan over to ask or do you taste first to discern the ground up brown substance? Hmmmm. What does Anita do? Anita takes a bite—it is meat—I presume ground beef (niu rou). I ask the server 这是什么, ”What is this?” She says 猪肉, ”It’s pork.” I smile, shrug, pick up my chopsticks and chow down.

My friend from California later told me, in “For Chinese, if it doesn’t look like meat, it is not considered meat.” I always said I didn’t eat two legged or four legged animals, when the ground pork came to my table that day it had no animal like features whatsoever! Hey I’m in China I can’t complain! I told my teacher the story, and she made me write out a full paragraph in Chinese (of course) explaining what I eat and what I don’t. She had me stuff it in my wallet to have on hand for my future restaurant adventures. I obliged, but I have yet to use it.

After class I report to lunch at 12:30 (the photo to the right of the food is a typical lunch--delicious) and after lunch I usually take a walk around the city. The rule the first month was that I travel a new direction or new boulevard everyday. The first few weeks I was obsessed with DVD shopping. You can’t beat 90 cents a DVD right? That got old really fast. Now I am exploring street markets. It seems there is a market hidden in every alley, nook and cranny of this city. I love it. I return to my dorm by 5 to take a rest and report to dinner at 6:30. After dinner I watch CCTV and do my homework.

Please view my photo albums at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38875&l=3e1ef&id=811464465

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=36853&l=78292&id=811464465

The Spring City

I visit China amidst great tragedy and excitement with the devastating aftermath of the May 13th Sichuan earthquake (and subsequent aftershocks) and the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Kunming is a bit removed from both events, but it's hard to open this blog without some reflection. On the plane ride from Vancouver to Hong Kong (HK), I had an enlightening conversation with a Mr. Ho, a businessman in the mining industry in Canada. Originally from Guangzhou, he told me that he feels a deep connection to China because the fundamental relationship between an individual to her/his family and the state is rooted in Chinese culture. The Chinese word for country (I think there are a few variations of the term country) guo jia, literally translates to nation-family. I recall him telling me this as I watch CCTV (China's state run media network) images of school children emptying their piggy banks and stuffing yuan (dollars) into collection boxes for the victims of the May 13th earthquake. Hundreds of volunteers are flocking to the Sichuan province to help. One policewoman is breastfeeding babies orphaned during the quake, she is heralded as a national hero for her selflessness.

Looking at the media coverage, albeit images because the reporters speak so fast in Mandarin I can barely pick up two words a sentence, the relief efforts appear to be carried out with military-like precision and purpose. Massive evacuations, temporary housing construction, medical services and food distribution are being carried out. Some people are saying they are eating better now after the quake than before the disaster. The military is spraying chilled disinfectant in tent cities to prevent infection and disease. The government says that the disinfectant poses no threat to humans. Watching the soldiers in Beichuan spray disinfectant reminded me of the summer of 2000 when the New York City health department sent trucks into neighborhoods to spray insecticide to kill mosquitoes during the West Nile virus episode. The coverage of the quake also brought to mind the U.S. government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. The Chinese government’s response to the May 13th natural disaster makes the President Bush’s response to Katrina look like a fruitless fishing trip. The Chinese government’s immediate reaction seemed very fast. On television, the people (including President Wen Jiabao) were very emotional about the situation. The idea of guo jia made sense to me after looking at the response of the citizenry, military and government to the disaster. Newspaper articles (in English) lay out detailed plans that the government is taking to address people’s needs and prevent further problems with epidemics. I have even seen forums where people are able to criticize or praise the response of the Chinese government.

Side note: I recommend that FEMA start taking cues from their colleagues in China. It is sad that FEMA’s response to Katrina is comparable to that of Myanmar’s response to the cyclone catastrophe.

In my dorm room I receive 33 channels on television, all of which are a part of the CCTV network. No less than 10 channels run news of the earthquake around the clock. A few channels, including the English language news channel, mostly focuses on preparation for the Olympics. A significant amount of coverage is spent on sustainability and the environmental impact of waste and consumption in Beijing. I’ve never traveled to the city, but I’ve been told that it is hard to see 10 feet in front of you sometimes because the pollution is so dense. I don’t know if that is the case, if so, I am happy to be in Kunming right now.