wuhan: September 2008 Archives
My new Home: Bei Hu Jia Ri, Xin Hua Xia Lu, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R.China!
The Lonely Planet guide states that Wuhan is "one of China's most massive and upbeat cities...a sprawling and gargantuan alloy...with levels of money and modernity that rival Shanghai." I have spent almost the same amount of time in both cities now, and I would say that Wuhan as a whole is much more modern with respect to my personal definition of the word. The people are far more civilized when it comes to foreigners here. They hardly stare at all nor do they yell 'hellooooo!'. The stores have prices on them instead of making you bargain. The CEO for Starbucks is even coming for a special tasting next week, and today I got a special invite from the barista I have a crush on!
(Side note: Wuhan didn't have a single starbucks last year. Now they have 5.... BUY STARBUCKS STOCK!!!)
(This is the view from my hallway)
Furthermore, far more Chinese people speak English here (from I'd say 0.1% in Shanghai to at least 5% in Wuhan). These elements of what I would perceive to be modern not only make me feel more comfortable here, but it also gives the local people an appearance of being more worldly and multicultural. The mass amounts of trade via the Yangtze over the last millennium quite obviously swapped DNA as well as goods. Therefore, Wuhanese people are very visually diverse; they have more facial hair, more muscles (stronger bodies), are taller and fitter looking than any other city I have been to in China. To me, this is modern.
(the building to the far right is where I live...on the 23rd floor)
Wikipedia notes that "Wuhan has currently attracted about 50 French invested companies, over one third of French investment in China, the most among Chinese cities." And a guy I met while applying for my work visa at the police station told me that there are 6000 expatriates living in Wuhan; of which over half are Japanese and a quarter are French. The population of Wuhan is just over 9 million. Now, although I am not longer a math teacher, I can quickly grasp that the Western expatriate population accounts for less than 1% of Wuhan residents. Yet I haven't really felt out of place here like I did last year.
"Wuhan is a city with both an ancient history and a thriving present. Historic relics excavated from ancient tombs tell the city's long history dating back 3,500 years. In the period of Pre-Qin (770 B.C. - 221 B.C.), this was the land of the State of Chu (one of the seven warring states before Qin, in China's first feudal dynasty) and was the cradle of the brilliant Chu Civilization. Starting here, merchants followed the great Yangtze River and lake network to expand businesses throughout the entire country. In the Qing Dynasty, Hankou became one of the four best-known towns in the country. For centuries, this city has been the center of trade and transportation in central China. Today it is an important hub in central China and a feature of Yangtze River cruises for sightseers and businessmen traveling from Sichuan to Shanghai or Hong Kong."
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/wuhan.htm
And look, you can buy shoes for less than $5CDN! (1CDN=7RMB) One of my favorite parts of living in China. Who knew I'd become a shoe girl, let alone enjoy shopping!?
Wuhan is actually a conglomerate of three previously independent cities: Wuchang (to the East of the Yantze); Hankou (to the North of the Han river and West of the Yantze); and Hanyang (to the South of the Han river and the West of the Yantze). Needless to say, there are a lot of ferries, bridges, and water around. "Wuhan is recognized as the political, economic, financial, cultural, educational and transportation center of central China." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuhan
I live in the epicenter of this bustling concrete jungle, in Hankou. In fact, I am a block away from the world's 18th largest building. Within my fist 5 days here, I had oriented myself over the course of about 5 hours of jogging, 30 hours of walking, 5 hours in taxi's and 4 hours on the bus. I got an English(ish) map from the Shangri-la, and attempted to see every tourist spot on it. Throughout this plethora of exploration, I managed to get lost so many times that I also must have seen every local highlight as well.
On Saturday I spent the full day in Wuchang, which is where the East Lake is that I posted a rant about, but it also hosts most of the notable sights in city. In addition, most universities and foreigner stores (like Metro) are found on this side of the river.
(side note: the Yangtze is at least a half kilometer across here. It is so daunting and massive. It blows the Columbia and the Fraser Rivers out of the water...so to speak;))
As a tourist in my own town, a notable sight I went to see was Yellow Crane Tower. It used to be a military observation post, and is now considered Wuhan's city symbol. "The Yellow Crane Tower has a very long and complicated history. It was first built in 223, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220 - 280). Due to the ideal location, it was built by Sun Quan (182 - 252, King of Wu) as a watchtower for his army. After hundreds of years, its military function was gradually forgotten and the tower was enjoyed mainly as a picturesque location" http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hubei/wuhan/yellowcrane.htm
The following day, I thought it fitting to spend my Sunday morning at the Guiyuan Temple, a Buddhist monastery, located in Hanyang. The best part was the turtle pond. Apparently in China, it's not just the people that need population control.
I guess you could say I am back to loving it here. I love the markets. I love shopping here. I love walking around at night through the alleys and startling Chinese people with my round eyes then trying new food. I LOVE buying cute shoes for 3 dollars!!!
I love Chinese people. They have such amazing energy. And Wuhanese have thus far topped them all (although the Tibetans in Zhongdian/Shagri-la come a very close second). The girls in the nail salon hold my hands and rub my tattoos and touch my eyelashes and coo over me. The taxi drivers here are so patient with me and my horrible Chinese. And the kids are so cute, too. A praying mantis and chop sticks is all they need to have fun!
Besides the boring old British men that rule the roost at my school, there are a few younger Welsh guys who've got potential. In addition, the Chinese staff is amazing and I am really looking forward to getting to know them. Here is the daunting gate to WHBC (Wuhan British College) on Wan Song Yuan Lu (street of a thousand trees) where I work.
And here are all 14 of the poor students who have to listen to my rants 20 times a week. Only 3 girls;( and one of them is hiding). Their parents pay more in tuition a year (to have a long-nosed-round-eyed-white-faced-laowai yap at them) than the average Chinese person makes in 10 years. I'm planning an starting a humanitarian club. we'll do fundraising events and stuff and they can decide who to give the money to in their community.
Lastly, my home, supplied by the school, is definitely a perk to the job. Here is the view from my bedroom.
My living room.
And my kitchen.
If you are wondering why these last few pictures seem a bit foggy, I think it is because the day I took them was so hot and humid that it was like taking pictures underwater! It is a good thing I like hot weather. We get a lot of it here.
P.S. My school is still looking for an AP English teacher. This is like first year University English. You'd need at least a degree and then maybe a teaching degree or a Master's. (Two of the 8 foreign teachers I work with here have PHD's). The pay is the best I have every heard of in China along with three month's paid holiday per year, and the school and city are great. if you're interested, just send me an email and I'll hook you up with details.
The Lonely Planet guide states that Wuhan is "one of China's most massive and upbeat cities...a sprawling and gargantuan alloy...with levels of money and modernity that rival Shanghai." I have spent almost the same amount of time in both cities now, and I would say that Wuhan as a whole is much more modern with respect to my personal definition of the word. The people are far more civilized when it comes to foreigners here. They hardly stare at all nor do they yell 'hellooooo!'. The stores have prices on them instead of making you bargain. The CEO for Starbucks is even coming for a special tasting next week, and today I got a special invite from the barista I have a crush on!
(Side note: Wuhan didn't have a single starbucks last year. Now they have 5.... BUY STARBUCKS STOCK!!!)
(This is the view from my hallway)Furthermore, far more Chinese people speak English here (from I'd say 0.1% in Shanghai to at least 5% in Wuhan). These elements of what I would perceive to be modern not only make me feel more comfortable here, but it also gives the local people an appearance of being more worldly and multicultural. The mass amounts of trade via the Yangtze over the last millennium quite obviously swapped DNA as well as goods. Therefore, Wuhanese people are very visually diverse; they have more facial hair, more muscles (stronger bodies), are taller and fitter looking than any other city I have been to in China. To me, this is modern.
(the building to the far right is where I live...on the 23rd floor)Wikipedia notes that "Wuhan has currently attracted about 50 French invested companies, over one third of French investment in China, the most among Chinese cities." And a guy I met while applying for my work visa at the police station told me that there are 6000 expatriates living in Wuhan; of which over half are Japanese and a quarter are French. The population of Wuhan is just over 9 million. Now, although I am not longer a math teacher, I can quickly grasp that the Western expatriate population accounts for less than 1% of Wuhan residents. Yet I haven't really felt out of place here like I did last year.
"Wuhan is a city with both an ancient history and a thriving present. Historic relics excavated from ancient tombs tell the city's long history dating back 3,500 years. In the period of Pre-Qin (770 B.C. - 221 B.C.), this was the land of the State of Chu (one of the seven warring states before Qin, in China's first feudal dynasty) and was the cradle of the brilliant Chu Civilization. Starting here, merchants followed the great Yangtze River and lake network to expand businesses throughout the entire country. In the Qing Dynasty, Hankou became one of the four best-known towns in the country. For centuries, this city has been the center of trade and transportation in central China. Today it is an important hub in central China and a feature of Yangtze River cruises for sightseers and businessmen traveling from Sichuan to Shanghai or Hong Kong."
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/wuhan.htm
And look, you can buy shoes for less than $5CDN! (1CDN=7RMB) One of my favorite parts of living in China. Who knew I'd become a shoe girl, let alone enjoy shopping!?
Wuhan is actually a conglomerate of three previously independent cities: Wuchang (to the East of the Yantze); Hankou (to the North of the Han river and West of the Yantze); and Hanyang (to the South of the Han river and the West of the Yantze). Needless to say, there are a lot of ferries, bridges, and water around. "Wuhan is recognized as the political, economic, financial, cultural, educational and transportation center of central China." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WuhanI live in the epicenter of this bustling concrete jungle, in Hankou. In fact, I am a block away from the world's 18th largest building. Within my fist 5 days here, I had oriented myself over the course of about 5 hours of jogging, 30 hours of walking, 5 hours in taxi's and 4 hours on the bus. I got an English(ish) map from the Shangri-la, and attempted to see every tourist spot on it. Throughout this plethora of exploration, I managed to get lost so many times that I also must have seen every local highlight as well.On Saturday I spent the full day in Wuchang, which is where the East Lake is that I posted a rant about, but it also hosts most of the notable sights in city. In addition, most universities and foreigner stores (like Metro) are found on this side of the river.
(side note: the Yangtze is at least a half kilometer across here. It is so daunting and massive. It blows the Columbia and the Fraser Rivers out of the water...so to speak;))
As a tourist in my own town, a notable sight I went to see was Yellow Crane Tower. It used to be a military observation post, and is now considered Wuhan's city symbol. "The Yellow Crane Tower has a very long and complicated history. It was first built in 223, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220 - 280). Due to the ideal location, it was built by Sun Quan (182 - 252, King of Wu) as a watchtower for his army. After hundreds of years, its military function was gradually forgotten and the tower was enjoyed mainly as a picturesque location" http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hubei/wuhan/yellowcrane.htmThe following day, I thought it fitting to spend my Sunday morning at the Guiyuan Temple, a Buddhist monastery, located in Hanyang. The best part was the turtle pond. Apparently in China, it's not just the people that need population control.
I guess you could say I am back to loving it here. I love the markets. I love shopping here. I love walking around at night through the alleys and startling Chinese people with my round eyes then trying new food. I LOVE buying cute shoes for 3 dollars!!!
I love Chinese people. They have such amazing energy. And Wuhanese have thus far topped them all (although the Tibetans in Zhongdian/Shagri-la come a very close second). The girls in the nail salon hold my hands and rub my tattoos and touch my eyelashes and coo over me. The taxi drivers here are so patient with me and my horrible Chinese. And the kids are so cute, too. A praying mantis and chop sticks is all they need to have fun!Besides the boring old British men that rule the roost at my school, there are a few younger Welsh guys who've got potential. In addition, the Chinese staff is amazing and I am really looking forward to getting to know them. Here is the daunting gate to WHBC (Wuhan British College) on Wan Song Yuan Lu (street of a thousand trees) where I work. My walk to work and back is just over half an hour and is really pretty; through parks and along the tree-lined road. I go through a main park where the entire city seems to show up to dance in the mornings for exercise.
And get this, there is a random roller coaster in the park! I figure it will be a good stress relief on Friday afternoons.
Here is the office I work in. My principal is the man standing up. My desk is farther right of the picture where the Chinese staff are all supposed to sit. It was a little too 'white' for me over on the left side of the room. Plus I work closer with the Chinese staff than I do with other foreign teachers so it made sense to me to sit with them. Though tradition does not approve of it.
And get this, there is a random roller coaster in the park! I figure it will be a good stress relief on Friday afternoons.
Here is the office I work in. My principal is the man standing up. My desk is farther right of the picture where the Chinese staff are all supposed to sit. It was a little too 'white' for me over on the left side of the room. Plus I work closer with the Chinese staff than I do with other foreign teachers so it made sense to me to sit with them. Though tradition does not approve of it.And here are all 14 of the poor students who have to listen to my rants 20 times a week. Only 3 girls;( and one of them is hiding). Their parents pay more in tuition a year (to have a long-nosed-round-eyed-white-faced-laowai yap at them) than the average Chinese person makes in 10 years. I'm planning an starting a humanitarian club. we'll do fundraising events and stuff and they can decide who to give the money to in their community.Lastly, my home, supplied by the school, is definitely a perk to the job. Here is the view from my bedroom.
My living room.
And my kitchen.
If you are wondering why these last few pictures seem a bit foggy, I think it is because the day I took them was so hot and humid that it was like taking pictures underwater! It is a good thing I like hot weather. We get a lot of it here. P.S. My school is still looking for an AP English teacher. This is like first year University English. You'd need at least a degree and then maybe a teaching degree or a Master's. (Two of the 8 foreign teachers I work with here have PHD's). The pay is the best I have every heard of in China along with three month's paid holiday per year, and the school and city are great. if you're interested, just send me an email and I'll hook you up with details.
I must warn you...I'm not in the greatest mood as I write this. What's more, I had hoped my first blog on my new home would be full of wonderful news and smelling of potpourri. Unfortunately, the events of my day have left me saddened and reflective. Subsequently, the Chinese-government-approved version of the details of my daily life here in Wuhan will have to wait for another day. First, this story must be told.
After a good sleep-in, some yoga, and a coffee, I took the city bus an hour East of my house to explore the area known as Wuchang; and more specifically, it's famed East Lake. On route, I began to feel a little depressed, as I wondered to myself if Chinese people even know that the sky is blue. I fantasized about trying to teach a physics class where I describe that water is blue because it reflects the blue sky - and look up to see dumbfounded faces on all of my students. They would ask me, "teacher, are you colour blind? The sky is not blue!"
But I tried to shake myself from the bitterness. I repeated several mantras to myself such as: the earth will take care of itself; we're all at fault, it's not 'us' vs. 'them'; and, it's not like Chinese people are maliciously ruining the environment.
But....the thing is...they ARE.
East Lake is touted as the largest lake within any city boundary in China. The tourism literature online notes it is "characterized by a beautiful landscape, abundant plants, and unique gardens..." however, it fails to mention a number of darker attributes to the 87 square km of water area.
First and foremost, the thousands of fish lying belly up on the banks, greeting you upon arrival.
Or the fact that you can't see farther than 100m in front of you without wondering if you suddenly need glasses.
After a good sleep-in, some yoga, and a coffee, I took the city bus an hour East of my house to explore the area known as Wuchang; and more specifically, it's famed East Lake. On route, I began to feel a little depressed, as I wondered to myself if Chinese people even know that the sky is blue. I fantasized about trying to teach a physics class where I describe that water is blue because it reflects the blue sky - and look up to see dumbfounded faces on all of my students. They would ask me, "teacher, are you colour blind? The sky is not blue!"But I tried to shake myself from the bitterness. I repeated several mantras to myself such as: the earth will take care of itself; we're all at fault, it's not 'us' vs. 'them'; and, it's not like Chinese people are maliciously ruining the environment.
But....the thing is...they ARE.
East Lake is touted as the largest lake within any city boundary in China. The tourism literature online notes it is "characterized by a beautiful landscape, abundant plants, and unique gardens..." however, it fails to mention a number of darker attributes to the 87 square km of water area.
First and foremost, the thousands of fish lying belly up on the banks, greeting you upon arrival.
Or the fact that you can't see farther than 100m in front of you without wondering if you suddenly need glasses.
I mean, it had the potential to be very serene and picturesque. However, my camera's inability to see through smog made it nearly impossible to show you the underlying beauty. Maybe that is the next step in camera technology - of course, specifically targeted to the Chinese market.
As I took this picture, I could hardly hold back tears. (That's Wuhan only 10km away in the background!) Then I spent a few hours walking along the banks, wondering really what it was that bothered me about the whole situation.
Ignorance is bliss. But it's not an excuse.
And what's even worse, is indifference.
In a country where the most technologically advanced infrastructure in the world is being built, and at record speed, the passivity of it's people is allowing an opportunity for others to demolish the environment at the expense of making more money. And what's worse, is it is their government - who is charged with the best interest of it's people - who tell this mob to think in this way; or not think, in this case.
The current environmental state in China is ludicrous. Furthermore, at a time when there is so much money and education and technology to actually do something about it, it is only getting worse. I wonder if they are just too lazy to bother to care (certainly many Canadians are with regards to our own social issues for example).
And granted, the majority in China is still impoverish to the point of not being able to afford to care. But am I asking too much? I'd just like to be able to wake up in the morning without a sore throat. I'd like to go for a run and not wonder if I am doing more harm to my body than good. I'd like to be able to clearly see this gorgeous, lakeside pagoda. I'd like to be proud of the country I live in. But, specifically when it comes to it's environment, I am devastated by where I have chosen to live.
As I took this picture, I could hardly hold back tears. (That's Wuhan only 10km away in the background!) Then I spent a few hours walking along the banks, wondering really what it was that bothered me about the whole situation.
Ignorance is bliss. But it's not an excuse. And what's even worse, is indifference.
In a country where the most technologically advanced infrastructure in the world is being built, and at record speed, the passivity of it's people is allowing an opportunity for others to demolish the environment at the expense of making more money. And what's worse, is it is their government - who is charged with the best interest of it's people - who tell this mob to think in this way; or not think, in this case.
The current environmental state in China is ludicrous. Furthermore, at a time when there is so much money and education and technology to actually do something about it, it is only getting worse. I wonder if they are just too lazy to bother to care (certainly many Canadians are with regards to our own social issues for example).
And granted, the majority in China is still impoverish to the point of not being able to afford to care. But am I asking too much? I'd just like to be able to wake up in the morning without a sore throat. I'd like to go for a run and not wonder if I am doing more harm to my body than good. I'd like to be able to clearly see this gorgeous, lakeside pagoda. I'd like to be proud of the country I live in. But, specifically when it comes to it's environment, I am devastated by where I have chosen to live.
Since I am quite familiar with culturation, and the process required (which follows much of the same steps as grief or loss), I know the previously mentioned opinions are not necessarily representative of me or the situation as a whole. I am discernably at the 'rejection' phase of culturating to China. I feel frustrated with anything different right now (which is everything here) and it is just a matter of getting past this phase before I can enter the acceptance and assimilation stages.
And although right now I feel like it might be a while before I get there, I can work towards it by trying to see the other side of the story.
Ultimately, I could (and did) come to Canada and be equally as judgmental. There is no doubt that our countries deal with things differently. It is unfair to say one is right and therefore one is wrong.
For example, in Canada it is illegal to litter. Littering is considered very rude and you can receive a fine of up to $2000 if you are caught doing so. On the other hand, China allows littering; in fact, it is so prevalent I was hit twice today by flying garbage. But they deal with this quite efficiently by employing at least 1 road cleaner to every thousand people. And I bet if I watched a piece of litter on the sidewalk, it would be gone within ten minutes.
Furthermore, in Canada, there are a bizzilion driving rules of the road. These are supposed to keep drivers and passengers safe. Not abiding by these rules may cost you a few hundred dollars, and possibly revocation of your license if the infractions occur too often. In contrast, there are no rules to the road in China. There are lines and there are lights. But they are a guideline at best. In fact, the road rules here are best described as similar to those of the game Chicken.
Lastly, Canadians over-consume to the point where their bellies are laden with flab; they over drink to the point of death in some cases (and later on in life, many cases); they exercise merely so they can eat more. The biggest killer in Canada is heart failure and stroke due to gluttony. Chinese people, on the other hand, are very nimble, fit and trim. But, their synonymous sin is they smoke like chimneys and burn their garbage. Thus, leading to more than a third of the deaths in China being lung disease related.
Neither situation is better than the other. What bothers me the most right now, is that our environment encompasses more than just one country, a continent, or even simply us as humans. Pollution leads to the obvious like dying fish and holes in the ozone. These are not good things! The decisions we make regarding how the environment's health is maintained isn't like the decisions we make that simply affect our own health. It's bigger then that. Our responsibility as the species on earth with the knowledge to destroy the planet and save it at the same time is not being taken seriously by all involved.
And although right now I feel like it might be a while before I get there, I can work towards it by trying to see the other side of the story.
Ultimately, I could (and did) come to Canada and be equally as judgmental. There is no doubt that our countries deal with things differently. It is unfair to say one is right and therefore one is wrong.
For example, in Canada it is illegal to litter. Littering is considered very rude and you can receive a fine of up to $2000 if you are caught doing so. On the other hand, China allows littering; in fact, it is so prevalent I was hit twice today by flying garbage. But they deal with this quite efficiently by employing at least 1 road cleaner to every thousand people. And I bet if I watched a piece of litter on the sidewalk, it would be gone within ten minutes.
Furthermore, in Canada, there are a bizzilion driving rules of the road. These are supposed to keep drivers and passengers safe. Not abiding by these rules may cost you a few hundred dollars, and possibly revocation of your license if the infractions occur too often. In contrast, there are no rules to the road in China. There are lines and there are lights. But they are a guideline at best. In fact, the road rules here are best described as similar to those of the game Chicken.
Lastly, Canadians over-consume to the point where their bellies are laden with flab; they over drink to the point of death in some cases (and later on in life, many cases); they exercise merely so they can eat more. The biggest killer in Canada is heart failure and stroke due to gluttony. Chinese people, on the other hand, are very nimble, fit and trim. But, their synonymous sin is they smoke like chimneys and burn their garbage. Thus, leading to more than a third of the deaths in China being lung disease related.
Neither situation is better than the other. What bothers me the most right now, is that our environment encompasses more than just one country, a continent, or even simply us as humans. Pollution leads to the obvious like dying fish and holes in the ozone. These are not good things! The decisions we make regarding how the environment's health is maintained isn't like the decisions we make that simply affect our own health. It's bigger then that. Our responsibility as the species on earth with the knowledge to destroy the planet and save it at the same time is not being taken seriously by all involved.
