January 2, 2008
Today is my Father’s birthday. He would have turned 72 today. He had no idea I wanted to come to China. Though he was the one years ago, that had suggested I study Mandarin as my foreign language. I chose Italian then Spanish, after studying German in high school. I've retained about 0% of all of those choices. And now, here I am with a fall's worth of after work Mandarin classes, struggling to say, "take out, please." I'm sure in some small way he would have been excited to know about my trip here.
In my first week, I have managed to gravitate towards places that feel like home: Wal-Mart and Ikea. The big box phenomenon has infected China with its must have impulse items and affordable living ideas. These two places take credit cards, but the whole idea of plastic is still very rare. One must carry cold cash for most day-to-day expenditures. Food, drink, taxi, shopping, film developing, and even to pay bills. I stood in line at a local bank for about 30 minutes waiting for my number to flash above a teller’s window to help Henry pay his Internet bill. I have become so accustomed to using plastic; I hardly carry cash in New York because inevitably it disappears! Here, I walked into the equivalent to a local deli and chose a new cell phone number from a hand written list, with the lucky number numbers being more expensive and first to be selected, I chose one closest to Henry's. With the number you have a set plan and a new SIM card. It's incredible how easy SIM cards make travel. Henry has a stack of them, each holding a different country's identity and local contacts. The card even remembers your old messages when you have been away for years at a time. Your iPhones have them. So do most of T-mobiles phones.
Anyhow, there is a difference in being here as a visitor and staying here with some intention of investing some time. I am constantly amazed at the westerners who have managed to learn enough Mandarin to live here. It gives me hope that I could, if I decided to be here for a while. But staying here for longer than a short visit presents some problems. Like today, I went to the Police Station to register as a foreign temporary resident. Henry has to register me, but because his registration information wasn't complete, we were turned away. The real injustice was in their lack of record of something he had come in on two separate occasions to complete! So goes the bureaucratic red tape. You just have to resign yourself to a slower pace of things when it comes to government agencies. It makes it more exciting if you imagine you are in a Kafka story. Just go with it.
But on the other hand, hard labor is cheap and efficient.
Within one hour of ordering the equivalent of a 5-gallon container of drinking water on a Saturday night, a young man stood at our door with our water. The construction workers that are erecting all the new Olympic other government buildings work day and night, living on-site in temporary housing. The night skyline, when you can see it through the smog is beautiful and full of neon lights and sparks in the dark spaces where new buildings are coming up overnight.
Equivalents
$1 = 7.3 RMB approx
2 seasonal coffees at Starbucks = 58 RMB = approx $8
the cheapest adult bike at Wal Mart
199 RMB approximately equivalent to $27 US
(photo will be made available soon)
order of 12 steamed buns = 4 RMB = $0.55
bottle of Jamesons 128 RMB = approx $17.50
prices of cocktails can vary like prices for massages*
upmarket expat bars can charge almost as much as a drink in Brooklyn
even the fanciest bar I've seen, the LAN Club, a Stark designed explosion of opulence, a bevy will only put you back about $8 each.
Check it out:
http://www.lanbeijing.com
(turn the volume down if you are in the office or
have "BOS" - boss over shoulder!)
Low key dinner out for two is about 50 RMB < $7 Nice dinner costs for two is under 100 RMB < $15 Supper fancy dinner for two can cost over 200 RMB < $30 (and there is no tipping here) Small dogs being walked in New York are often dressed in booties and rainjackets or tracksuits or hoodies. In Beijing, the small dogs also don outfits for their evening strolls, but like allot of things here, are a little dirtier than New York counterparts. "DL" in the States means Down low, as in the scoop. Here "DL" is code for the one who shall not be named. Survival Mandarin Boo Yao = Not interested! Ni Hao = Hi, how are you? Hen hao = Very well, thanks. Zaijian = See ya! Duibuqi = Pardon me. Mei guanxi = Ain’t no big thing. No apologies necessary. Wo bu shi Zhonguoren = I am not a Chinese person. Daizou = to go, as in take-out. Jiao... = My name is... Mei Dan = Check, please. January 8, 2008 What I have seen: 1) The increasingly infamous 798 Dashanzi Art Zone: Far more extensive than I could have imagined. The area is full of galleries, cafes, studios, stores, and TBD in transition spaces. The level of work varies and there is an attitude of not separating high and low art or commercial or contemporary art practice here. The entire are has an art school experimental vibe and you can see work from local and international artists, with work selling for serious art market prices. The market here is totally inflated, but the fact that this space exists is a real testament to the critical mass of locals interested in cultural production like never before! You’ll spot lots of westerns, scouting… www.798space.com 2) Just west of Tiananmen Square, The new National Grand Theatre designed by French architect Paul Andreu, who also designed Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport and a terminal of the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris called Paris Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1: This ginormous titanium half oval is made complete by in the shallow reflection pool that serves as both moat and mirror. As you circumnavigate this space age looking structure, you might be at a loss for an access point. It takes about 15 minutes to stroll around this building. It might take the same to find an entrance, then when you do, you will just be met with a barrier of metal detectors and find out that no further entrance will be permitted without purchase of a ticket costing way too much and sold out anyway for months! I had heard a rumor about 30 RMB standing room only tickets for locals, but can’t confirm. (if you can read Chinese, no English version available) http://www.chncpa.org http://www.china.org.cn/english/2005/Feb/120675.htm 3) Glimpses of sites at the Olympic park being called the Olympic Green: + The National Stadium aka “The Birds Nest” Olympic Stadium designed by Swiss-based Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with local artist Ai Weiwei + The National Aquatics Center aka “The Water Cube” created by Australian-based architects PTW and engineering firm Ove Arup Check out the Official site: http://en.beijing2008.cn/cptvenues/ What I have learned: 1) Titanium is not indestructible. 2) When journeying over the wild oceans waters and seeing potential danger, never call a Mayday distress signal unless you are ready to abandon ship. And when doing so, there is an exact protocol to follow, including calling “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” 3 times.
3) Back in the day, diplomats living in Beijing were only allowed to use a special currency accepted at specific locations for all their needs and commerce, called Foreign Exchange Certificates, or FEC's. The Friendship Store was created for foreigners to offer familiar products from home that was not until recently made available to the greater public. Follow this link to find out more or make a purchase!
A recent NYT article talks about currency and FECs. I personally didn’t realize that FECs were floating around and have never seen any product marked with prices in FEC and RMB, but what do I know.
Some basic facts you ought to know:
There are many dialects in China such as Beijingese and Shanghainese, for every province, but Mandarin in the National Language of Mainland China. Though people may not understand each other’s speech, everyone can read the same text, even in the traditionally Cantonese speaking areas such as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Written Chinese is a pictorial and poetic language. As the symbol for China looks like and means “Center of the Earth” (Earth symbolized by the square), the symbol for depression is the symbol for love with a cage around it and the symbol for marriage are two characters for happiness side by side, more commonly referred to as “Double Happiness.”
Bei means Northern + Jing means Capital = “Northern Capital”
Tiananmen translates to “Gate of Heavenly Peace”
RMB = “currency of the people”
A recent New Yorker article talks about the new generation of car drivers in Beijing, driving like they walk, an observation I made upon first arrival here. If you’ve ever found yourself in the hustle and bustle of any Chinatown, USA or beyond, you may have a taste of the laws that govern that movement…
In most cases Chinese culture promotes shying away from confrontation, but the laws of nature in regard to resources and need seem to have overflowed onto the highways. Being a nation of billions vying for limited resources have taught these urban Chinese to be more aggressive and not give way for anyone whether in cars, bicycles or on foot! Full speed ahead seems to be the motto, using the horn to communicate to people as one might a heard of animals you might encounter in the countryside. Cyclists seem to give way more than car drivers as there usually is space to swerve around obstacles, but with the speed of the automobile and the number of vehicles that occupy the lanes, the inexperienced and more aggressive driver temps fate only pressing harder on the gas.
Health update:
After an almost instant upper respiratory infection upon arrival, I spend a week feeling like I couldn't stop coughing and catch my breath. After a visit from Henry's parents, both MDs, I got what I needed: a round of antibiotics, a steroid inhaler, and a fast acting inhaler to clam my asthmatic fits. Feeling better and more energetic, but not quite ready to hit the smoke filled bars.
The target="_blank">real DL on the "Blue Skys" in Beijing.
Signing off
Love Beijing
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