橙子 (chengzi): Otherwise Known as Orange Juice

We were eating breakfast at the NCUT canteen. We had obtained our vegetable filled buns at the hot food counter and were looking around for something to drink. It was a hot day. The drink locker was open, but the attendant was gone. Fine, I thought. We can pay him when he comes back. I took out two juices. A canteen worker appeared, looking decidedly unfriendly. I did not understand her words, but it was clear she thought I was stealing juice. I held out my wallet. But no, because the juice attendant was not around, it appeared we could not have juice, though it was clearly available.

Now, I accept cultural differences. But this seemed like nonsense, not culture. The juice was there, the locker was open, we had money, and the day was hot. I said so--in English of course, the language I speak best. Naturally, the attendant did not understand me. A university student came along, explaining mildly this was how things were done. "When in Rome, you should do as the Romans do." True enough. But might we buy something to drink? She suggested a supermarket not far away. She was walking that way. Fair enough. I went with her, leaving Joe at the canteen. When we arrived, it was closed. The girl said "sorry" and disappeared.

So I went back to the canteen and sought out the attendant. I took some money from my wallet, and gesticulated toward the juice case. I presume I was difficult to ignore, for my voice was well above Chinese conversational tone. Some English speaking students came along. I explained I had not been allowed to buy orange juice, though it was clearly available, that I'd been taken to the supermarket by a student, and it was closed. "Wait here!" said one.

In China, rules are fluid, and everything is subject to negotiation. This kid went to the HOT FOOD counter, and said something there. Then, she asked me to present the orange juice at the HOT FOOD counter, and that was where I paid. The incident incurred a lot of unnecessary commotion, but everyone was satisfied, except perhaps for the first attendant, who had said we could not buy juice.

Back home, it would have been different; we would have simply walked out of the place. Joe would have been embarrassed if I had made a fuss. But there was nowhere else around to get breakfast, and this is China. Sometimes, it makes sense not to accept the first answer.

No ordinary fire drill

I have learned that the "fire drill" we witnessed July 10 was no simple exersise in fire fighting. It was an anti-terrorism drill.

The government here is determined to be ready in case of security problems during the Olympics whether these emerge from foreign terrorism or domestic disaffection. The latter is of particular concern, for dissenters may view the Olympics as an opportunity to dramatize their concerns while the whole world watches.

A Matter of Interest

When I visited Rocky Mountain National Park at age 12, I was chiefly interested in feeding the chipmunks. This irritated my father, who wished me to derive greater educational benefit from the excursion. The two children I photographed at the Temple of Heaven were more interested in hiding under the kiosks than viewing the monument.

The Temple of Heaven was where ancient emperors went to pray for good harvests and offer sacrifices.

Other Duties As Assigned

In every job I've held, there have been what the contract calls "other duties as assigned"-- extra tasks which, while not part of the regular job, are from time to time required. When these become too onerous, employees call for more staff. American workers cannot be pushed beyond what they see as the limits of fairness, and our employers know this.

This is not true in every society. At the University of Shandong at Weihai, an experimental summer session was recently instituted. Faculty were required to teach in a full-time program lasting a month with no additional pay. No formal protest occurred, for this is not permitted. Universitie are agencies of government, and the professors' acquiescence, along with the attendance of students, were simply demanded. Morale is low for both teachers and students, but life goes on.

It is difficult for an Americans to understand how this situation is possible. The explanation lies in both politics and culture. Despite its economic growth, China is still an authoritarian society where one party rules. In addition, Confucian ideas stressing obedience to authority have influenced this culture for 2500 years.

Above: View of Shandong University at Weihai

Reunion Banquet

Last evening, there was a reunion banquet for Joe, me, and the teachers who participated in last year's NCUT project at ETSU. Wonderful to see everyone.

There were plans to repeat the project this year with another group of teachers. But the government has asked that any "nonessential" travel by university faculty be tabled for now so that resources can be directed to earthquake relief, which will take billions.

Lift Every Voice and Sing















Though I understood just a few of the words, I knew it was patriotic music. There were lots of horns and rousing choruses, and those assembled sang with gusto. Some of the tunes came from the early Communist era, and most of those singing were old. Our guide told us that many retirees come here to sing every day.

Graven images
When I get to the top of a pagoda, I want to pray. These structures are designed to make you feel this way. But for me, this is not entirely comfortable, as many pagodas have shrines to the Buddha at the top. It's not the different religion I object to-- it's the presence of what I've been taught to view as "graven images." I am Jewish by birth and background, and in Judaism, the taboo on statues in a house of worship is strong. As I meditated, I stood at some distance from the statues and looked at the view.


















Shrine to the Buddha














Wall of 10,000 Buddhas. I don't know if the number "10,000" is meant to be taken literally, but there were a lot of them.

Ascent to Heaven
Climbing a pagoda symbolizes the journey from earth to heaven. There is considerable effort involved. Though it was a hot day, I felt compelled to climb the pagoda at Beijing's Summer Palace. Joe never cares one way or another how high we climb, but he always humors me and does it as well, and with much more ease.

Chinese Fire Drill
There is an electric excitement in Beijing as China prepares to receive the world. At all the parks and tourist spots, English-speaking volunteers abound. There is a great emphasis on emergency preparedness, perhaps intensified by the recent earthquake.














The Summer Palace, China's largest and best preserved imperial garden features an artificial lake which one may cross in a dragon boat, motor boat, or pedal boat.















To insure the safety of the boat area, a fire drill was held this morning.
















Not everything floats. This marble vessel, commissioned by China's last empress, could be used for parties only.

Fruits
Beijing is abuzz with preparations for the Olympics. Here on the campus of NCUT where we are staying, the flurry of activity is especially evident, for the campus is in the heart of Beijing.
Hundreds of volunteers have been recruited, and they are given a rigorous training in English language and foreign customs. Teachers with foreign experience are being pressed into service to assist. Several of these are the NCUT faculty trained at ETSU last summer. Very gratifying.

Do Not Ask What Is It















The US is full of Chinese restaurants which do not serve Chinese food. Real Chinese food is alien and more varied. The Chinese serve animal parts we don't normally eat-- claws, faces, male genitalia. They eat all manner of sea food-- for example sea cucumber (above). Joe and I are fairly adventurous eaters, and much of the strange food is delicious. But poorly prepared food, strange or not, can cause problems. Here in Weihai, our friends made sure we went to safe places. But I sometimes made mistakes in Nanjing and suffered the consequences.

Toys and Reasons

Girls the world over like to jump rope, but in urban one child families, the game must be arranged differently, for there are no siblings to participate by turning ropes. Dianyu Zhang's daughter plays jump rope in her parents' apartment by leaping over strings tied to heavy chairs.
She enjoys working with playdough, like many of our own children, but of course the objects she creates reflect her culture.

Following Chinese custom, Joe and I are called "grandpa" and "grandma"by our Chinese friends' children. These titles are markers of intimacy and closeness. This was disconcerting at first, for in America, calling an unrelated woman "grandma" is not exactly a sign of respect. But it's different here. When Dianyu told his daughter I was "grandma," she immediately invited me to play with her. Between her primary school English and my emergent Chinese, we understood each other.















Dianyu's daughter playing solitaire jump rope





















Play reflects culture:
Using playdough, we created a complete dinner plate: Several varieties of Chinese dumplings, rice, rice bowls, chopsticks, and shouzi (Chinese soup spoons).

The Russians are coming!


















The seaside community of Weihai where we are now staying is on the Yellow Sea, just across from the Korean Pennisula (see map). Russia is to the North, and many Russian families vacation here. The areas by the beach are multi-lingual, with many signs in Russian and Korean, as well as in Chinese and English.

Russian tourists often speak to me in Russian. Upon reflection, I realized why this is so-- my ancestry is East European, and I look like them!




















bi-lingual sign in Chinese and Russian.
















Common genotype: The reader will note a decided resemblance between these Russian ladies and yours truly

Two Chinas, two childhoods.
China is enjoying a new prosperity, but this does not affect everyone. Especially in rural communities, poverty persists. The schools in the affluent urban areas are better. Those in rural communities lag behind. No country I have visited (including my own) has solved the problem of offering equal opportunity to all of its children.
In some areas, children attend excellently equipped public schools; in others, there is a lack of basic schools supplies. The Chinese government is aware of the difficulty, but like the US government, it has difficulty addressing it.















Children at the Confucius Elementary School in Nanjing.

















At a visit to He Feang, a rural community outside Nanjing, we presented school supplies to a girl who attained top grades this year. She is twelve, but is the size of an American seven year old.
Nutrition is probably an issue The parents are dead, and she lives with her grandfather, a subsistence farmer.

















For affluent children, the Nanjing Kentucky Fried Chicken is a celebration spot, especially for birthdays.