Shanghai

Blog-related notes: This post is a little out of date, but I’ll be posting an entry about my first week at PIB soon. Also, I have thus far been able to read comments left on this blog, but sadly I have been unable to reply to them. If I don’t reply, it’s not because I’m snubbing you or am uninterested in your comments – in fact, I enjoy reading them immensely, and they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Finally, I will probably post some photos on this blog soon (once I have my photos organized), but in the meantime, you can still view my photos on http://picasaweb.google.com/DeepThought0042

 

Since writing the last post, Kenny and I have spent several days in Shanghai. Currently we are on an overnight train returning to Beijing, as I have to arrive at my program the day after tomorrow.

I have to admit, Shanghai exceeded my expectations. When I visited the city two years ago with my high school tour group, the primary activity was shopping on East Nanjing Street. Spending almost five days in Shanghai this time around, I think I managed to get a fuller sense of the city by exploring both the old and the new.

On the first night, Kenny and I went to the Shanghai Chabad house for Shabbat dinner, in search of good food and good company, and perhaps to experience Judaism from a different perspective than that of our reform/secular upbringing. We certainly found all three. The food was not only delicious, but also (and I’m a little ashamed to say it) a refreshing break from a steady diet of oily Chinese food. The religious experience was different, to say the least, but I won’t go in to detail, as I think it is a little off-topic. We met several interesting people, including a fellow Yalie doing the Bulldogs in Shanghai internship (small world!). Because we were enjoying conversation with the two guys at our table, Josh and Yee, we decided to meet up two days later for Sunday brunch at the Westin hotel, which, according to Yee, is somewhat of a hallowed Shanghai tradition (at least among foreigners and Shanghai’s wealthier clientele.)

At the Westin hotel, we passed over the 400 RMB brunch downstairs (unlimited steak, lobster, champagne, etc.) for the “cheaper” brunch upstairs at about a quarter the price. This brunch was unlimited Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food, so we ordered about 30 or 40 dishes, each dish being only three or four bites worth of food. Baozi, dumplings, noodles, sushi, congee, squid, century egg, chicken feet, coconut soup, anything you could imagine, filled the top of our table with the span of about five minutes. But when we waddled out of the Westin about two hours later, Yee was not finished with his tour of Shanghai’s upper crust.

The next stop was across the Huangpu River in the glitzy skyscraper side of town known as the Pudong. We first walked along the riverside, taking in views of the Puxi, the older side of town where we had just come from, and of the boats streaming by in all directions. Then we headed over towards two of the tallest skyscrapers in the world (ranked #3 and #4, I think), to get a bird’s eye view of Shanghai. The first skyscraper was the Jinmao, 87 floors tall (I think), high enough to dwarf the tallest skyscraper in almost any other city. Yet overshadowing it only a block away was the even taller World Financial Center, vanishing into the clouds at 114 stories – for Albany readers, that’s about the height of two Corning towers stacked on top of one another!

To get to the observation decks of either of these buildings costs about 150 RMB, so instead we took elevators to the second-to-highest floors in each, and loitered for a bit in the fancy bars and restaurants on these floors for free bird’s-eye view of Shanghai. At Yee’s insistence, we checked out the bathrooms at the top of the World Financial Center. I’d never thought about it before, but if a toilet could be pimped out, what we found in those restrooms would surely be it – automated lid opener, heated seats, rear washer and dryer, and other features you would only expect to find in the USS Enterprise or similarly futuristic vessel. If I were a little braver, I might have tried some of the features out, but alas, I’ll have to settle with the assumption that the buttons do not lie.

But even cooler technology was to follow. After our unofficial tour of the Pudong skyscrapers, we took the subway to the beginning of the Maglev train line. After purchasing two round trip tickets to the Pudong International Airport, we boarded the Maglev train and took off. As the train accelerated, we watched the digital speedometer rise steadily, finally hitting a peak of 301 km/hr. It was incredible to think that we could travel 20 miles in the span of eight minutes. Apparently if we’d arrived earlier in the day, the train would have hit 430 km/hr.

In the following days, we explored the older parts of Shanghai, including the French Concession and the old Jewish quarters of the city at Ohel Moishe Synagogue. During World War II, Shanghai was one of the few places in the world to accept Jews fleeing from Europe, so a sizable Jewish population grew there, establishing their own synagogues, neighborhoods, and newspapers. Interestingly, the Jews were largely spared during Japan’s invasion (although they were forced to live in ghettoes), and only left in large numbers when the uncertainties of the Cultural Revolution came, years later. It was fascinating to see the place where these Jews had lived and worshipped, and to see such striking photos as Jewish women preparing Shabbat dinner in a wok.

I am sad to see such a fun and exciting vacation come to an end, yet I cannot wait for PiB to begin. I’m sure my feelings may be slightly different once I am in the midst of memorizing hundreds of characters and writing essays, but perhaps I feel the same kind of excitement I always get at the beginning of a fresh school year. I’m looking forward to embarking upon a new challenge, making new friends, and, hopefully, having a real sense of accomplishment when it is all over. I’m sure there is an appropriate French (or Chinese?) phrase to throw in at this point, but unfortunately, I cannot think of it. Wish me luck, and I’ll keep you all posted on my progress throughout the summer!

 

~Rachel

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From One Capital to the Next

Note: This entry is particularly long because it covers my first five days in China, so I've broken it up into sections. Everything is still chronological. Also, I apologize for any formatting issues as I'm not posting directly onto the blog.

到北京 (Arrival in Beijing)

            Kenny and I arrived in Beijing on Friday June 5, and, upon leaving the airport, boarded a cab to our hotel. Immediately, my Chinese skills were put to the test. Our taxi driver had never heard of our hotel, nor the street it was on. I explained it was on a street to the east of Tiananmen but to the west of Wangfujing (a big shopping street.) That got us most of the way there. The ride was exciting, and a little scary. I'd almost forgotten the crazy driving customs (or lack thereof) found in china. Cars swerve left and right without signaling, and lanes (as well as turn signals) are reduced to mere suggestions. Pedestrians and bicyclists also seem to be regarded as obstacles – things to be navigated around as efficiently (and with as little margin) as possible. I have yet to figure out the safest mode of transportation…

            The rest of our stay in Beijing was a mix of street wandering, tourist sites, and culinary delights (I have now tasted donkey and ox tendon). The first night, in an attempt to avoid falling asleep at 4 PM China time, we walked around the Wangfujing shopping area, just a block from our hotel. Two things strike me about shopping and advertisements in China. The first is the use of bright, unmuted colors. Who would have thought bright pink awnings would make someone want to buy snacks or a book? But the more I see of these colorful storefronts with their crayola-colored goods, the more I am drawn to them. I will have to watch my pocketbook. The other thing I've noticed is the preponderance of tiny shops that all sell identical products, be it bottled drinks or battery-powered stuffed lions and donkeys that wobble and shake violently in their shoes. Perhaps this is an example of a market in which there is perfect competition?

万里长城 (The Great Wall)

            After Kenny and I were relatively adjusted to the time difference, we took a trip to the Great Wall. Because I had been to Simatai two years previously, we decided to see the portion of the Great Wall at the newly opened Mutianyu site. Mutianyu is a much easier climb than Simatai because the steps have been paved over with relatively even black tiles of tar and you can take a cable car part-way up the mountain (or a toboggan down the mountain, if you are so inclined). These additions made the experience seem somewhat less authentic, but the landscape was absolutely gorgeous. I'm glad I got to see both sites, because they are very different, but worthwhile experiences.

到南京 (Arrival in Nanjing)

            On Monday, we left Beijing for a new city. After nixing Chengdu and Guilin (too far/expensive and too rainy, respectively), we decided on Nanjing, which is only a short three hour ride from our final destination, Shanghai. Our arrival in Nanjing was a little stressful, due to the last-minute nature of the decision. The people at the elong.com stand (the Chinese version of expedia) helped me get a near-budget price for a room at a three star hotel in a bustling part of town called 夫子庙 (fuzimiao). (Side note: If you're ever at an airport in China and in need of a hotel, talk to these guys – they're really helpful! Just be prepared to use your Chinese, and they'll haggle with the hotel for you until you have a decent price.)

Crazy Taxi!

Perhaps it was the relief of having found a place to sleep for the night, or perhaps it was just sheer stupidity, but, having decided to splurge an extra 20RMB for a taxi instead of the bus, we stepped up to the nearest available taxi. This taxi was inevitably not one of the licensed and reputable taxis waiting in line, just a few yards behind us. I only realized my mistake once our suitcases were in the trunk and we were seated, but again, I was too naïve to assert myself and get out of the taxi. And so, the scariest taxi ride of my life ensued. Once the driver convinced me not to use the fare meter (打表) and instead accept a ridiculously inflated flat rate (a tell-tale sign that you are being ripped off, by the way) he began to drive like a mad man, speeding down a deserted and unlit road off of the highway, running just about every red light, and even bypassing an entire toll booth. To make matters worse, he was talking madly on his cell phone in a dialect I had no prayer of understanding, to people that I could only assume were a part of the scam. At one point, he even rolled down the window to talk to some of his colleagues, who were standing by a taxi parked in the middle of the road. I recognized only one word of their conversation – 打表. In the end, we arrived safely at our hotel and paid him the exorbitant fee. By that point, Kenny and I didn't even care about the money. We were just glad to be alive, have all of our stuff, and be out of the taxi. It was a truly terrifying experience, not knowing where we were going, and not knowing if our driver merely intended to rip us off, or if he and his partners in crime had something worse in store.

I hate to make this blog overly preachy or advice-ridden, but I feel that if anyone can learn from my experience without making the same mistake, it's worth it. So my advice is as follows: If you're at an airport, look for the official line of taxis. Even if the driver has not come up to you to try to take your luggage, if they're waiting out of line, they're probably not legitimate. Also, look for identification on the dashboard. (Side story: the next day, I wound up with a female cab driver whose poor attempts at covering the ID on the dashboard concealed only half a masculine face. I have no idea what that was about, but at least she was willing to use the meter.) Finally, don't be afraid or embarrassed to change your mind if you think you've gotten into a disreputable cab. You can always tell the driver you have no money, and he should immediately lose interest in you.

Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall

During our first full day in Nanjing, we went to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall. Its look and feel was strongly reminiscent of Holocaust museums I've been to in the United States, but I felt there was a subtle difference. I think that a good memorial museum ought to try to present facts in as unbiased a way as possible, and let those facts speak for themselves, allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions. This museum seemed to push viewers simultaneously towards a hatred of the Japanese, and a patriotic love of China, by using words like "tenacious" to describe the Chinese, and words like "wanton," "evil," and "whiskers," to describe the Japanese. I'm not saying that one ought not describe the actions of many Japanese soldiers during the rape of Nanjing as thoroughly morally reprehensible, but I think it makes more of an impact to let the viewer come to such conclusions on one's own. The capstone to all this was the final display with a quotation about the importance of "patriotic education" for today's youth of China. To be fair, perhaps western memorial museums have the same kind of bias, but I just don't notice it because it is, not coincidentally, already in alignment with my world beliefs. I will have to wait to wait to return to the US before I can make a fair comparison.

说中文 (Speaking Chinese)

As a large purpose of this blog is to informally track the progress of my Chinese, I'll make a few observations about my communication skills as they stand now. I have been relatively pleased with my ability to convey thoughts, questions, and needs, and to be understood by most people. For most things that I would like to say, I am able to find a way, even if it involves some ineloquent work-arounds. On the other hand, I have great difficulty in understanding the replies. I think that whenever I initiate conversations in Chinese, the person I am talking to assumes my level of Chinese is much higher than it actually is. The results in a lot of 'dui bu qi's, 'bu dong's, 'bu ming bai's, and 'shuo shenme?'s. Many conversations are almost 20 questions-like, with me asking questions that attempt to elicit simple "dui" or "bu dui"-type answers. (Yes-no answers.) I'm sure these frequent, real-world conversations are helping my Chinese, but I think the pace will accelerate greatly once I am at PiB and studying the language formally under a language pledge, in addition to these street conversations.

照片 (Photographs)

            Since I'm updating this blog via email, and it seems I'm currently unable to email photos, it looks like I'll have to figure out another way to post photos in blog entries. In the mean time, I'm uploading photos to this website:

http://picasaweb.google.com/DeepThought0042

 

That's all for now!

 

~Rachel

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Test

I've heard that blogger.com has recently been blocked again in China
(within the past week or so), so I'm testing an alternative method of
posting to this blog - via email! If any other Light Fellows going to
China are reading this post and have blogs on blogger.com, you can try
this out under Settings --> Email & Mobile. I'm also testing my
ability to post photos. (If it works, this photo will have nothing to
do with China.) That's it for now - leaving tomorrow morning!
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Pre-departure

Hello! My name is 瑞秀晴 (Rui4 Xiu4 Qing2), but you can call me by my English name, Rachel. I am a freshman (well, almost sophomore) at Yale University and, thanks to the generosity of the Richard U. Light Fellowship, I will be studying Mandarin Chinese with the Princeton in Beijing (PiB) program on the campus of Beijing Normal University (北师大) this summer. During this time, I plan to update this blog at least once a week (if I don't get lazy) with stories, thoughts, and hopefully some pictures.

I'm leaving for Beijing this Thursday, June 4. PiB doesn't start until June 19, but I'm going early to do some traveling. Kenny, my older brother, is coming along for this part of the trip. We have reservations at a hotel in Beijing for three nights, and are planning to go to Chengdu and Shanghai, but all the other details remain to be worked out - or improvised, as the case may be. This trip to China is going to be very different from the one I took in eleventh grade with my high school classmates. There won't be any tour company telling me what sites I'm going to see, which tour bus to get on, or even where I'm sleeping for the night. There are benefits to that kind of luxury, but it's not the kind of experience I want this time around. For me, there's kind of a high that comes with figuring stuff out on my own, like the feeling I had when I navigated the New York City subway by myself for the first time, or hailed my first taxi. I think this trip will bear many experiences of just this sort. Of course, I'm a little nervous about this kind of self-reliance, too. Will my Chinese be good enough to book train tickets? As a conspicuous foreigner, how can I ensure I won't be scammed or pick-pocketed? Will we be able to find a place to stay every night? Perhaps at least some of these uncertainties are just another part of the excitement.

When the two weeks are up, I will head back to Beijing for the start of PiB. In some ways, I'm more nervous about this program than the traveling beforehand. I'm trying not to let PiB's reputation (you know, "Prison in Beijing") get to me too much. I received one of my textbooks, "All Things Considered," in the mail several weeks ago. While its size is formidable, the content looks interesting and possibly even funny (in a Chinese textbook kind of way). The first time I opened it, I flipped past a chapter entitled something like "总统有了一个女朋友,” which roughly translates to "The President has a girlfriend." Even though I know an extraordinarily large amount of work lies ahead, I'm excited for all that I'll be learning and experiencing in those eight weeks. I'm pumped for the marathon.

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