the right mistakes

its almost here! its finally going to happen!!

Don’t look down. Just get back up.

When i got off the plane coming from Shanghai, it was instant COLDNESS. My first thought, “how could people live here in Vancouver? It’s way too cold! Send me back on to the airplane, please” Considering that I’ve lived in Vancouver my whole life, you would think I would’ve been accustomed to it now. I tell you NO!! After coming back from China, and my one-week vacation in Vietnam, there has been a culture shock coming back.

First: Why do the streets seem empty?

Obviously, coming back to a city where the population is like 1/10 of the cities like Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing, and Vietnam. It often feels like I’m already living in luxury, as the streets are wider around me, and I have more open space to do really big hand movements.

Second: Why do people seem bigger?

This is just awkward adjustment for me to make. Everyone in China was mainly vertically and horizontally challenged. Just kidding. It was like entering a whole new world back then. Considering the amount of Asian population in Vancouver, I would get use to it. But, no. People are just different everywhere you go.

Third: Where are all my cheap candy gone to?

First thing I wanted was the an Ice Cappuccino from Tim Horton’s, but the instant I had that, I wanted my Chinese ‘cheap’ candy. But everything here in Vancouver is vastly differently. The candy I would buy in Beijing was only a quarter of the price I would buy here. On top of that, there was no tax or tax was already included. But here tax is the amount we see after picking it off the shelf. 

Fourth: We are really lazy people

While studying at some the partnering schools, they appear to have a really large campus and multiple levels, that Capilano University doesn’t have. I think by the time I got back, I appreciated our 4 leveled buildings. Although we should look at everything as our benefit. More stairs do equal exercise which then equals to better health! The vice versa could be said about the less amount of stairs which equal laziness!!!

Fifth: Relationships

The Chinese students were very open to making friends with Canadian students. Their interest and their questions had taken me back at times. It was quite endearing how goodbyes had been said and done. As I’ve only replied to some of my ‘love calls’ from China, but hopefully it would last a long time. I think with their ‘one child policy’ makes it both hard and easy for students to make friends. The fact that they seem to trust and respect people before they really get to know them. At the same time, because they had only been growing up by themselves with their parents that it makes it hard for them to understand where other students are coming from.

Sixth: Schooling

As read in books, there is large amount respect given in more traditional hierarchical system. The Chinese students were more outspoken about certain types of question than I had initially thought. I thought it was unique how the foreign teachers who were already teaching there used a different method of teaching to the students there.

Seventh: Language

For the most part at times I did enjoy the language barrier, but other times, it did make most of the trip hard. Except when we went to the bartering market. There was quite a contrast in different cities ranging from Tianjin to Hong Kong. At the same time, I think most us enjoyed and utilized what we remembered then referring to a dictionary to help us.

Lastly: Bartering

Bartering was profound sport that I found attractive but tiring at the same time. Sometimes I felt that I found a good price, but thought back to it if it was a good bargaining price at all. Practice, practice, practice! That’s what helped us with bartering or sometimes build a good relationship with the workers there. My lesson learned is to be firm on your ground and the price you’re willing to pay.

- Cindy out -

No, unfortunately I did not see it on the airplane ride over. But I’m sure you can somewhat can.

News Report: Sunny with no chance of rain! Clear skies and a perfect day to hike the Great Wall!!

Finally!

I came. I saw. I conquered. - Julius Caeser

I finally climbed the Great wall. The experience was thrilling and eye opening. The richness and the historical value I received from the hike was amazing.

Check list:

    1. Climb the Great Wall

    2. The Forbidden City

    …..

I was really amazed that my peers were able to push themselves higher, better, and longer. I climbed half the hike with some of my peers, and then everyone was started to leave one by one. I didn’t mind so much. It was personal experience and growth kind of thing. The luge was amazing but the couple in front of me on the way down did dampen my mood. Here are the highlights of that day. (Not necessarily in chronological order)

• who would’ve thought I’d find a donkey on the wall
• I met a friend there who is from Bangkok, Thailand. Then hand lunch with her.
• they only sold drinks and candy bars for an insane amount
• met lots of other people from other countries
• bought a subway sandwhich that slightly melted in my bag
• received an awkward tan
• tried bargaining and being firm - not so successful

The entire day was full of up’s and down’s (literally) but what done is done. I’ve accomplished my part of the Great Wall

- Cindy out -

So finally we have arrived at our last destination – Beijing! It’s crazy that time has gone by so fast and it feels as if I’ve fast forwarded my physical self to the capital of China. In every direction I look, the culture, history, and economic transformation builds up the adrenaline in me – minus the nosebleeds accidents. The journey thus far has been an eye-opening and also an unforgettable experience. Ultimately I feel that this tour has given me a better understanding of China outside the textbooks I’ve read at school. First stop, the Tiananmen Square and the ‘Forbidden City’ as known as the forbidden palace. The biggest square in the world that holds many of China’s historical moments with great meaning. However, on the other side, it’s a square full of tourists from all different walks of life. After figuring our way around to the front entrance of the Forbidden City, I believe the group [Capilano Students] had lost all sense of direction in there. The tour guide had told us that we only visited one third of the palace that was allowed for visitation (which is equivalent to only one-sixth of the entire palace that we trekked). I am not sure how two hours had passed by in there but it did. CRAZY! We went through the throne room, the garden, and many other rooms that began to mesh all into one memory. I mean there are 9999 and a half rooms in the whole entire palace. Just getting a panoramic view of the city was breath-taking in itself.

Next stop was the pearl factory visit. Exciting? I would say that most of us weren’t too crazy about the idea. It was more like ‘buy our goods, cause it’s real and we guarantee the quality’. I wanted to buy one pearl cream but the sales lady was forcing me to buy three at every turn I tried to deny her. When I look back at the experience, I take it as a government cultural experience – if that even makes any sense?

Anyways, now and then I look back at the time I have spent here and the value I’m receiving by doing this tour, it has put me in awe.  I know that this entire experience is contributing to my personal growth. The more knowledge I gain, adds more questions about my thoughts about China. Do I really understand China? Or have I been looking through the wrong lens my whole life till now? As I continue the last leg of this journey, I hope to continue to absorb the culture but at the same time, try to find the answers to my questions one at a time.

Let me first say this! I have obtained a great hatred for Huizhou mosquitoes. They are quick, don’t die easily, and bite you bad. On another note, this is how it went down.

We were picked up from tour bus with two lovely students from the partnering institutions - Casey and Jack. The 3 hour bus ride was fulfilling, as we got to know the students more and more. We got to know how they thought and how they did things in Huizhou. Their level of English was greatly appreciated. Another highlight of the bus ride, was the amount of mosquitoes we all killed. I think my record was 5! I was quite content with the number but not with the number of bites they gave me before their life ended.

I thought visiting the high and low tech factory was a big eye-opener for me. I was able to understand the difference of what students read and get to know are quite different from the reality of it. The competition of how factory workers are getting highers. For example, the benefits that the company has to provide attracting benefits and higher wage in order for them to sustain the attractiveness of the company. The reason why they have to do this is because as factory workers go home for the holidays, more and more factories are being built closer to their hometowns.

The dynamics of the high tech company was considerably different as they had a mix of cultures working for the company. What was interesting was how they faced the different dynamics of the group and its employees. I have a new profound like for LED lights after visiting the high-tech company. =)

We also got to attend an English Corner that was made for students to have a place to practice their english usage. We all felt like celebrities that were very, VERY important people. When we broke apart to smaller groups, it almost felt intimidating because I felt like the students were expecting a lot from me in terms of answering their question. At the same time, trying to remembering their name felt like my memory going into a high-grade blender!!! It was mentally exhausting, but the satisfaction of meeting the students was exceedingly high.

I’m getting slowly tired from the past of couple days.

- Cindy out -

I did little research and got tidbits from my co-worker from Urban Barn about the Canton Fair. I do not think her explanation did the place justice. Honestly, I was thinking about a large building with multiple levels. When my eyes first landed on the map of the exhibition, it really blew my mind away. However, let’s begin the details of that day:

9 AM - Leave the hotel

10 - 11 AM - Arrive at the Canton Site

1 PM - Enter Canton Site and have a tour

1.30 PM - 4PM - Run wild and find our vendors!

4.30 PM - Meet back at the bus

While we were all standing outside the gate waiting for our passes and passports to arrive back, it was amazingly humid. There were sweaty pits, and wet backs. We were all dressed in business attire, so you could pretty much imagine what was going on.

After entering the venue, we were immediately rushed towards the booth about the history of the Canton Fair. My thought: interesting and long. After we were all let to run wild and look for someone to interview as a potential seller. It was a massive place to be running through. My favourite aspect of the Canton Fair was the food cafeteria mainly meant for the employees there. It was a rush of atmosphere and the language did not really come into affect. The particular etiquette of dealing with business is in China, is to not waste anyone’s time. Be certain of what you want, and find out the prices. After getting the necessities done for my assignment, it began doing the Vancouver thing - that’s right, you guessed it! IT RAINED and RAINED!

I was kind of glad that it began to rain, as the humidity did dip a bit as we were heading back to the hotel. That’s it for today!

- Cindy out -

I got a chance to look at the group photo that we all took at the Guangzhou domestic airport. Boy, do we look tired, stressed, and hot. Did I mention, how dark I was in that photo. I will re-post it when I get a copy of the photo. I was the darkest person there! I think I really stood out as being a farmer, or a worker from the village, because in the whole group there was no one in comparison in that photo.

When we arrived at our hotel, we all were impressed! A total upgrade from our previous Inn. There was even a massage parlour - which I bet could possible give a happy ending (I’ll let your imagination run free on that). I did hear screams and moans coming from that direction of the lobby in particular. =) I was told that some people from our group had gone to check it out. The hotel had been set up to cater to foreigners, you could tell by the breakfast that they provided. Toast, coffee, anyone?

The locals appeared to be awe when the foreigners with the fair skin walked out and walked the street. The food was great, and it didn’t feel far off from the city. Maybe a little less people and English used there. I was kind of glad that we were in a Canton area, as I could understand a bit of Cantonese being thrown around there.

In terms of local business, people did not mind bringing toddlers or younger to come play at their businesses. Sometimes, when I see over here, the kids are very mature and obedient. I didn’t get to see too much of the interaction between the family. Mind you, I have a language barrier. I found that people were really open to change and different people from different walks of life. But then again, business is business. Gotta be a way to put food on the table one way or another.

- Cindy out -