So Many "Must-Dos," So Little Time!

It's just a few days away from March, and I'm filled with a sense of urgency. I feel like I have so much left to do both in the Beijing office and in Beijing itself, and I can't believe how little time I have to do it all. This quarter has flew by, and now I'm wondering where the time has gone! In January, it took a few weeks to get adjusted and then it was off to Sanya, the South of China, for a company conference. Then, at the beginning of February, I had nearly two weeks off thanks to Chinese New Year! Then, in just about a week from now, I'm off to Hong Kong for a few days. The weekend after I come back from Hong Kong, I fly to Sydney, Australia for another company conference, where I'll stay for about a week. I'll arrive back to Beijing on the 23rd of March, and then six days later, I leave China for the U.S. What a crazy quarter...

Due to this crazy upcoming schedule of mine, where I'll be flying every weekend in March starting on the 8th, I'm starting to try to plan out my few remaining weekends in China. This upcoming weekend is my last full weekend in Beijing. I think I may go to the famous English Corner at Renmin Da Xue (People's University) tomorrow night, where historically Chinese students have gone to practice their English. Now, it's evolved into a meeting place where strangers go to discuss all topics -- everything from pop culture to cultural differences and religious views. It's also gotten notorious for being a place where men try to meet female students. I'm curious and excited to see and experience this all in person. I've not had the chance to really interact with Chinese non-Googlers, and so I think this will be an excellent and substantial opportunity to do so. I would love to learn about these students' take on the US, their own country, and their opinions on everything from the Olympics to China's recent rapid rise.

Besides the English Corner, other "musts" in Beijing before I leave include:

-a few more trips to Long Island Spa for a full-body massage. I can't get enough of this place. For less than $20 USD, I get a soothing, healing 1-hour massage in a serene, beautiful, classy environment. The environs and design of this spa are on par with one of the best spas in San Francisco, Burke Williams. Too bad B.W. charges $100 more for the same service. And, at Beijing's Long Island Spa, I get my choice of limitless free drinks and snacks before and after my massage -- this totally puts B.W. to shame...
-trips to the Silk Market, Panjiayuan Market, or Wangfujing for souvenirs
-another trip to the enormous Forbidden City, as once is not enough. And I definitely wouldn't mind going back to other touristy sites such as the Summer Palace.
-a few more trips to Din Tai Fung -- a.k.a. Food Heaven, and the place that puts all other xiao long bao (soup dumpling) restaurants to shame
-gorging on the delicious bubble milk tea and egg tarts
-picking up CDs of Chinese pop singers
-checking out Bed Bar, which is located in a hutong (historic Beijing alleyway) and decorated with imperial-like beds
-eating, eating, and more eating

And that's just the short list -- there's a bunch that I haven't mentioned. Sigh, so much to do...so little time!

Oh, Home Sweet Home -- In only a little over a month...

Yay! 2 blog posts in one night -- I'm improving with my blogging consistency! :)

Thanks to Chinese New Year, the first half of this month flew by. I'm only one month and 10 days from home! Though I still have lots and lots to discover in  Beijing, I miss too much from home that I know I will be ready when my plane touches down on San Francisco. 

Just some things that I really miss:

-my family and friends, naturally
-fresh, non-polluted air
-easily crossing the street (yes, I'm being serious here. Most of the time, I cannot cross streets in Beijing by myself because of the crazy drivers here who go on 'red' and drive recklessly towards pedestrians without abandon. Feel free to check out YouTube videos on crossing the street in Beijing -- they exist!)
-being able to fully, naturally express myself in everyday conversation without too much 
thinking or straining to listen
-being a local
-not having to worry about being ripped off by taxi drivers or merchants for being a foreigner
-my car -- people might be surprised but this is something I miss a TON. You have no idea how much I miss being able to drive myself places, and being able to control how fast or crazy the car goes -- something that I surrender everyday to these crazy taxi drivers here. 
-being able to brush my teeth and wash my hard contacts directly from the bathroom faucet. Washing my contacts using the tiny potable water faucet in the kitchen is a pain -- trying to hold the faucet down with one hand while trying to properly clean the contact with the other hand is not fun!
-my apartment at home - The apartment here looks nice but has so many problems that it's given me a headache. I also dislike that Housekeeping here can come in the apartment (and do) whenever they damn well please, even when there's a "Do Not Disturb" sign prominently placed on the door
-being able to access CNN, Wikipedia, etc. without a hitch
-cooking. I still cook here occasionally, but the sauces, vegetables and noodles I use are all different than ones I use at home -- and my cooking here tastes awful
-being independent. Typically, if I want to go anywhere far in Beijing, I usually try to find someone to go with... Beijing is too huge of a city and I still feel like too much of a foreigner to dare to explore it on my own. This is completely different from who I am at home -- and who I was when I studied abroad in Europe, which was much less intimidating.

Contrary to what it may seem, I still am having an overall good time in Beijing. It's just that I know I will be ready to go home at the end of March! And, I'm confident that I'll have a long list of things that I will miss about Beijing when it comes time for me to go home. I already know one major thing that will be on it -- the amazing food here!!

Meaty Recap: Shanghai vs. Beijing and Chinese New Year!

It's been awhile since I last posted, but it's because a) I had nearly 2 weeks off thanks to Chinese New Year (!), and b) I'm not sure if anyone is still out there reading my blog anyway! (So, if you feel so inclined, please leave a comment to let me know that you still are...) So, since it's been awhile, I'll just go and get started...

As I said before, thanks to the Chinese New Year, I had nearly 2 weeks off of work! I spent this time with my parents, where we toured Shanghai and then Beijing. It was so lovely to see my parents -- I miss them so much, and I was so happy to be able to spend a good amount of time with them during what the Chinese consider the most important time of year. We were very fortunate to escape the Shanghai snowstorm by one day -- minimal flight delays, safe roadways -- very blessed. Shanghai really caught me by surprise. Before arriving, I knew very well of Shanghai's modern and cosmopolitan reputation. But, I had no idea how European Shanghai would seem! So many times during our time there, we were almost convinced that we were in Europe, thanks to its French architecture, and areas of cobbled and wide roads.

Also, not surprisingly, Shanghai's a complete 180 to Beijing. With Shanghai, I saw glitz, wealth, and modernity, a stark contrast to Beijing. Shanghai's polished and beautiful, whereas Beijing is raw and not what I would call outwardly, aesthetically "beautiful." In Shanghai, the highrises are sleek, shiny, and very much a significant part of its famous skyline; in Beijing, the highrises are usually dull, uniform, and on dusty blocks where like buildings are being constructed at a feverish pace. In Shanghai, I saw one high-end luxury car after another; in Beijing, I am used to seeing men riding rusty bicycles, with wagons attached carrying everything from children to rolls and rolls of toilet paper stacked high. In Shanghai, each neighborhood/district seemed to have a neat look to it -- streets all laid out neatly with glamorous stores, restaurants, and spas. Beijing's neighborhoods, on the other hand, are all so vast, spread out, and diverse -- you'll find a happening restaurant or bar next to a questionable alley where people are pushing rusty wagons up and down the alley. The two cities are so incredibly different that it was an especially great experience to visit Shanghai and try to compare the two cities for myself.

It's funny because I would often tell people, "Too bad my Ambassadorship isn't in Shanghai instead of Beijing." Shanghai, in my mind, always seemed to be cooler, more fashionable, and way more convenient for the Western visitor. After my visit to Shanghai, I can verify my initial impressions of Shanghai. It is cooler (at least outwardly), more fashionable, and more convenient for the average American or Westerner. But, while I do still think that Beijing is nowhere as polished, picturesque, or easily adaptable for the Western visitor compared to Shanghai, that Beijing has more soul and character. I feel like one could spend two years in Beijing, and still be getting to know the city -- whereas, Shanghai's character seems easily figured out right away.

And now, some pictures of my trip to Shanghai:

colorful lanterns in a plaza -- Chinese New Year is a wonderfully festive time to see China, where so much of cities are adorned in red and gold



the 3 pics below: the famed Bund skyline -- as beautiful in person as I had  expected. In the nighttime picture, you'll see that the Bund appears dark, hazy, and blurry. This is because the city government ordered all buildings to turn off any 
unnecessary exterior lights in order to conserve power. (Shanghai's power reserve was
tested in the awful snowstorm.) I must admit that I was disappointed not to see the beautiful
Bund lit up at night; I'm sure that would have totally taken my breath away.



another Chinese New Year display -- celebrating the Year of the Rat :)!




Then, it was time for my parents and I to return to Beijing! We all had a lot of fun in Beijing, visiting the traditional touristy sites, such as the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and Wangfujing, Forbidden City, Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Silk Street Market, and Temple of Heaven. My parents immensely enjoyed Beijing -- they also felt that Shanghai lacked Beijing's character and charm. I'd say that the biggest highlight out of all the touristy sites
we visited was without a doubt, the Great Wall. It was an exhilarating experience climbing the Wall, 
seeing and experiencing something firsthand that I had always thought I *might* see decades later in my life. Throughout my climb, I was awestruck at the thought of millions of workers constructing this spectacular structure, knowing that they could fall to their death at any moment. One thing though -- I would advise people not to climb the Great Wall in the winter unless they can't avoid it! It was so bitterly cold at the Great Wall, that my hands would go numb if I took them out from my gloves for just a moment to take a picture. I also got a really bad cold from the Great Wall. Luckily, my parents did not catch a cold from our Great Wall trip!

In Beijing, my parents and I also discovered how much the Chinese here LOVE their firecrackers. Honestly, it got quite annoying and scary to hear and see firecrackers go off 50 feet away from us, night after night. Whenever my parents and I were out walking on the streets, we would rush back to my apartment as we just felt unsafe given the close proximity of the firecrackers going off. The Chinese believe that firecrackers will help ward off evil spirits; given the amount of firecrackers put off, I'm hoping that means that we'll have a wonderful year. Haha. Firecrackers aside, though, observing Chinese New Year in China was a very cool experience. 
Both Beijing and Shanghai were super colorful, with doors, windows, ceilings, and sidewalks adorned with shiny red and gold. There were also many performances, and people everywhere were in festive moods and outfits. I feel like Chinese New Year is bigger in China than Christmas in the U.S.! 

When it came time for my parents to go back to the U.S., I felt instantly homesick. While being in Beijing has been an amazing experience, seeing my parents strongly reminded me just how much I miss them and home. But, I am so glad they came to visit me -- I loved showing them my apartment, neighborhood, and favorite restaurants!

Pictures of our time in Beijing: the first two pics are of the Great Wall; then, Tiananmen Square with my Dad; the Forbidden City with my Mom; and the last three pics are at the Summer Palace.

February is here already...

It's exactly one month from when I arrived in Beijing in January. My, has time flown by! As I'm starting to realize how little time I have left in Beijing, I feel pressed for time. I've seen so little of Beijing, and yet, my time is up when I leave for the US at the end of March. From tourist sites such as the Great Wall to getting to know Beijing's different neighborhoods more intimately, I have so much left to do and see. I will admit that for the first 3 or so weeks here in Beijing, I was extremely homesick and even frustrated at times. Yep, so many times during those first few weeks, I wanted to go home and was sick and tired of the cultural and language barriers, rude and pushy strangers, crazy taxi experiences, different way of living, and culture shock. But now, I am starting to slowly but surely accept that 1) yes, China is full of rude and pushy strangers, but the friends that I have made here are so incredibly warm and welcoming; 2) although the language and cultural barriers have been frustrating, I've pushed myself to new limits; and 3) that while I perceive certain things such as the way of driving, line queueing, and spitting on the streets here as crazy and nonsensical, that's how things are here and I must let go some of my American perceptions and habits.

And so, as my time here is dwindling down, I hope to take advantage of every opportunity to get to know the city better. I have a good feeling that when it comes time to leave, I will be very sad -- something that, during my first few weeks here, I would have never anticipated happening.

Fingers Crossed in the Midst of Chaos

In just a few days, Spring Festival 2008 officially starts. Each year, Spring Festival (or Chinese New Year) is said to mark one of the biggest mass movements of humanity in the world. Hundreds of millions of people travel home to see their families; often, this is the only time of the year that Chinese people see their family. And so, the worst winter snowstorm afflicting China in 50 years couldn't come at a worse time. Millions upon millions of people are stranded at train stations, airports, bus stations, and so on. Some of those at Guangzhou Train Station have been stranded for a week. At work, much of the conversation centers around if coworkers will be able to travel home and see their family. Usually, each Spring Festival is a horribly chaotic time of year already, with people frantically trying to get train tickets home. But, this year, my coworkers are not only fretting about being able to get the tickets, but also how they will actually arrive at their destination. Already, China has lost an estimated $3 Billion USD economy-wise to this storm.

I myself am supposed to get to Shanghai on Saturday to meet my parents, but Shanghai is one of those major cities affected by this storm. So...am hoping that I will be one of those seemingly lucky few who get to make it to their intended destination.

Food Firsts + The Best Meal I've Ever Had

Tonight, I had a delightful dinner with Elisa, Shiwei, Zhexia, and Tim -- it was full of good food, laughter and jokes (I even got to practice my newfound ability to swear and insult in Chinese!). After dinner, I realized that I've had a lot of "exotic food firsts" here in China, eating things that I've never had the opportunity to sample in the States.

Some of them include...

pig's intestine
pig's neck
pig's foot (didn't like this one)
duck liver
frog
pigeon

I hope to add to this list as my time in Beijing goes on! Of course, I've have the opportunity to have amazing food that's not as exotic, too. Yesterday, I went with Chi to the legendary Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese establishment that's now expanded to such cities as Beijing, Shanghai, and even Arcadia, California (lucky Arcadia!!). The New York Times has named Din Tai Fung one of the Top Ten Best Restaurants in the World. I can safely say that I've never had such delicious food in my life. This makes my meals in France, which I had then considered the best, pale in comparison. Din Tai Fung's main specialty is the delicate soup dumpling, known as 'xiao long bao' (or 'XLB' for short). After eating Din Tai Fung's XLBs, it's depressing to even think of having XLBs in the Bay Area when I return. XLBs in the Bay Area, in my humble opinion, are woefully unauthentic, and Din Tai Fung's XLBs really magnifies that. The XLBs at Din Tai Fung were perfect -- having just the right amount of broth, flavor, and texture. I could have gorged myself just on the XLBs alone, but I also had the pleasure of having vermicelli and fried tofu soup (the broth had the exact amount of heartiness and flavor), dan dan mien (sesame noodles), vegetable and pork dumplings, and sauteed beansprouts. After all this goodness, it was time for dessert. Din Tai Fung is ingenious; they took the success of their savory, meat-filled XLBs and created a form of XLB suitable for dessert. Instead of a soup-filled dumpling, the delicate steamed dumpling is filled with smooth red bean paste. The steamed red bean paste dumpling, along with their world famous soup-filled XLBs, were the highlights of my dinner there. The restaurant is quite far from my apartment hotel -- 30 minutes w/o traffic, and with traffic, I don't want to even think about it! But, my goal is to get out to Din Tai Fung every 1 and a half week or so. Can't get enough!! I know that when it's time for me to go back home to the US, I will miss the food here in Beijing tons...

I regret that I didn't have my camera with me last night to take pictures of Din Tai Fung Goodness, but here are some links to whet your appetite (or trigger your appetite!):

http://dintaifung.com.cn/English/product.asp?typeid=17 - steamed red bean paste dumpling
http://dintaifung.com.cn/English/product.asp?typeid=4 - XLBs

Partying in Beijing!

Tonight after dinner (that consisted of literally flaming carp and pig intestine), we headed off to go clubbing. First, we headed to Banana, which turned out to be way too crowded with lame music. So off we went to Vic's, apparently a mainstay club for Beijingers and expats alike. It's well-known for its hip hop music, which is hard to come by in Beijing. And now, they should be famous for their strong drinks!! It's 4 am and I'm not sleepy at all -- way too tipsy. I just had 3 drinks but they were quite strong: brandy, Jagermeister shot (seriously, tastes like cough medicine, BLECH), and a very potent lychee martini (that was stronger than the pure Jagermeister shot....hmmm). Think I'll probably watch loads of crap TV before heading to bed, and drink a lot of water! I usually hate to dance, but even at Vic's, I had quite a lot of fun. It really helped too that they had good music! Kanye, Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, Timbaland, MIM, Dr. Dre, etc. -- I feel like w/ the alcohol in me, I could have kept on dancing til 6 am! I quite like the nightlife in Beijing. Had tons of fun last week at Face Bar, and tonight with Vic's. Cannot wait to check out other bars and clubs in Beijing -- especially Bed Bar, which has (you guessed it) traditional Chinese beds, amongst an imperial setting. And it's also located in a hutong, which is a historic, traditional Beijing alley.

Pics from the night...(the first two are of the flaming carp and of pig intestine. The pig intestine was interestingly wrapped up just like a sushi roll. Hmm. Definitely not as good though ;)