One week in . . .

It’s been just over a week since I landed in Beijing, something I realized yesterday when the morning routine in the schoolyard my apartment watches over changed. Each weekday morning, I’ve watched the school assemble for mass calisthenics, coached by a teacher on the stage, pepped up by a few of their peers joining him to lead the routines and overseen by what must be class leaders or monitors, fellow who wear armbands and stand at the front of each group observing (perhaps not completely the synchronized fun I first took this for, but I’m still all for the daily exercises).

Yesterday was different, and a colleague whose apartment also oversees the school told me each Monday is the same. This time, when the music announced assembly (the day is broken up by musical interludes, which I guess mark different lesson times or breaks – they continue into the evening but the school also continues into the evening, with what look to be classes or meetings of adults), it was for a more solemn occasion. The students again formed into lines before the stage, but this time the national anthem (I assume) was played as three students raised the national flag behind the stage. There was then a type of prize-giving ceremony, with some students called to the stage where they were given what appeared to be a certificate of some sort.

It’s interesting being here as an observer, especially at this stage when I have almost none of the language with which to communicate, and I can’t help but compare and contrast what I see and am told with Korea, as well as other countries in which I have lived and traveled. I watch the students as they play and interact in the schoolyard and on the street, watch the men (it always seems to be men) play board games on the street (yesterday I passed two who had used broken brick to draw a board on the road and were using pieces of brick and torn up paper as their pieces), the grandparents and parents play with the children and family members care for the elderly. Much of life is lived on the streets, particularly in the heat of summer, and the many parks near my home and further afield are filled with people playing, talking, exercising or simply resting in the shade. Of course, there is also food everywhere, from fully-decked restaurants through shop-front eateries, take-out windows and street vendors. (There’s going to be a lot of blog posts about food – it’s an important part of my life.) It’s not unusual to see a couple or group find makeshift chairs and picnic on the sidewalk or wherever they happen to be.

Beijing is chaotic, noisy and undeniably dirty, but I feel very much at home here. There’s not the sense of pali, pali (hurry, hurry) one finds in Korea, nor do I sense the same anxiety one often encounters there. If I were to describe how the Chinese I have seen appear to live their lives, and this is definitely only a first impression, I would say they do so with gusto. They seem to grab this crazy world we all share and try to squeeze every last drop from it. I’ll be the first to admit that can cause a multitude of its own problems, but I see every day in the stories we run how the country as a whole is trying to come to terms with itself and apply reasonable limits. I watch the process with great interest.

Perhaps that is why I feel so at home here, apart from the welcome and professionalism I have experienced from my colleagues and work superiors – I am by nature an observer and there is so much to observe here. One friend teased me, when I announced I was moving here, that only I “could see moving to China as the route to freedom. Or sweetness, or even taste.” But so far, that is exactly what I am finding, the freedom to be myself without expectations from anyone else, because I am completely unknown, the freedom to work well and to the best of my ability, because that is why I was employed (it’s a sad indictment of many workplaces that that is often not the case) and the freedom and inspiration to write. As for sweetness, I find that each day in my interactions with my Chinese colleagues, neighbors and strangers on the street, who are often transformed by a simple smile and greeting from this laowai who can’t even speak their language, in watching workmates practice Tai Chi in our beautiful garden or Chinese practice in the park, and in watching the families care for each other and spend quality time together.

As for taste, that’s a whole other blog or 50, but suffice to say, I’m living well and loving life.

Positive vibes . . .

I have a sweet, young Korean friend who is about to head overseas to study and is, understandably, a little worried about leaving her home, family and friends for the unknown (and Canada seems a scary place, judging by some of the bears I’ve met from there). I and other more-traveled friends (that makes us sound shop-worn) have been reassuring her that good people attract good people and she is very definitely good people.


Another dear friend, who is neither sweet nor young but very dear to me, worried about my own decision to move to China. So too did many of my acquaintances, but most of my friends understood the move to be a positive step and one that would continue my adventure. That friend’s life experiences are vastly different than my own and I can understand why he tends to look for the danger in people and things, rather than the good and opportunities.

As for me, I not only believe good people attract good people (and I am far from good, often) but that if you expect the universe to treat you well, then it will, at least for the majority of the time. The times that it doesn’t, in my view, are just a necessary dark backdrop to set off the brilliance of when it does. If life were perfect, we’d neglect to notice how good it is and I, for one, would get bored very quickly.

All of which is a long lead in to the fact that the Kiwi-cat seems to have landed on her feet yet again.

Job-wise, I am still highly impressed by the professionalism and caring of the people I am working for and I look forward to quickly learning the quirks of the system and the style wanted so I can repay their appreciation of me.

Personally, I’ve already met some amazing people, a few of whom I can already tell will become lifetime friends. I sat with one of my colleagues at dinner my first night working (we have a canteen that serves reasonably good food, if you like Chinese, of course, with lots of vegetable dishes and fruit to end each meal) and met another colleague who will leave at the end of this week. He offered me his ironing board and some guide books and maps and steered me to his blog if I want to venture off the beaten path. As a fellow traveler, writer, journalist, blogger and adventurer, we recognized each other as like minds and he spent the time to give me excellent directions to many places tourists seldom go, as well as his personal phrase book/bus compendium that he put together over his two years here. I’m starting off ahead of the crowd already.

Another two people I was lucky to have arrived just after, so we spent much of the week together as the staff took us to do medical checks, get phones, Internet, bank accounts and other necessities, lived here about 18 months ago so know the employer, job, neighborhood, city and much of the country. They’re also Australian, so we speak the same language. I’ve just returned home from an enjoyable day with them where we ventured out in the rain with one minor mission in mind and a more major mission to explore and have fun. Which we did, amazingly well. After almost six hours of walking, herbal tea and a light lunch at an amazing restaurant to which I plan to take my house guests (don’t forget to book, friends – first come, first hosted), I’m at home tired and hungry, but very content.

Time to make some dinner, then a little light reading before I fall into bed . . .

Hot and sour soup at Xiaowang’s Home Restaurant in RiTan Park. The single person serving came in a tureen so small I felt I was at a doll’s tea party, but it was just enough for a snack and wonderfully tasty.

Synchronized Fun . . .

On my first morning living in Beijing, I went on an early morning walk, exploring the neighborhood that will be my home for the next year and possibly longer. I saw one local shepherding his two young daughters out of their apartment, one wearing a fairy princess dress as if she was going to a party. I’d noticed when I visited China before that families, and especially children, are very important here. In that, they don’t differ much from Koreans, but the Chinese seem to make more time to play with their kids. My first and most lasting memory of Tiananmen Square in person was of the many family groups flying kites together.

A little later on my first full day, while on my way to the local supermarket for more of the necessities one needs when setting up a new home, I heard loud music and saw a crowd of people gathered on the street. I joined them, expecting to see a party, but instead found the local kindergarten doing their morning exercises, with almost perfect choreography. The most noticeable thing, as they ran and danced and jumped, was the huge grin on each child’s face. This was no mass calisthenics a la the southern neighbor’s Mass games, but a game the children were enjoying and a great way to get them exercising at an early age.

This morning, my second day of waking here, I saw a similar thing at the high school that my 7^th Floor apartment overlooks. I had wondered what the structure in front of the basketball courts was, and realized this morning it is a stage. What appeared to be the whole school was doing routines together, some led by their student peers on the stage. Imagine, if you can, a cheerleading practice that includes the entire school, not just the “cool” kids.

I have yet to visit one of the parks that hosts morning tai chi routines but have seen many Chinese and others doing the same thing in Sydney parks, and hope very much to find somewhere that has the Chi Kung (Qigong) form I used to practice myself while in Sydney. I’ll happily join the group for that . . .

All's well on the Eastern Front . . .

Dusk is falling on my first afternoon in China. The streets are teeming with people eating out and the yard of the China Daily has families playing. A young girl is playing badminton with her grandmother while two small boys play with their trains while their mothers chat – one has the classic Thomas while the other has a sleek hi-tech hi-speed model.

I arrived about 1430 after a mildly turbulent but uneventful two-hour flight from Seoul – probably the shortest distance traveled to get here by any of the foreign experts, I was told. (I’ve gone from being a registered alien in Korea to a foreign expert here and it certainly feels like a promotion, so far.) Jingwei, the admin girl I’ve been communicating with to arrange everything met me at the airport with a car and driver – another sign I’ll be valued more here than at my last gig.

 My apartment is a little tattier than I expected but is perfectly serviceable, once I work out a few logistical problems. The last occupant obviously had a cat and wasn’t too hot on cleaning so my first trip to the supermarket just down the block was to stock up on cleaning supplies. I’m working my way through cleaning the rooms one at a time – the bedroom and spare room/living room/study are reasonable but the kitchen needed a good scrub and all the floors needed sweeping. Browsing the market also made me realize I probably do need to learn more Chinese than I did Korean, just to know what I’m buying.

I’ll probably do a lot of my own cooking once I’m content with the state of my kitchen, and was pleasantly surprised at the variety of fruit and produce available. Lots of amazing sauces, also, some of which I recognize, so I’ll have no problem doing stir-frys that are heavy on the veg component.

I’d been impressed with the professionalism of everyone on staff I’d spoken to and dealt with since I was first considered for the job, and today has only made me more so. Jingwei had stocked the fridge with bottled water, milk, bread, sausage and pears, and also bought some ramen, a toothbrush, toothpaste, tissues, toilet tissue and soap. She also gave me “pocket money.” Tomorrow morning she will take me to open a bank account, set up an Internet collection and prepare to get my residence permit. She has made everything as easy as is possible, and I appreciate her care immensely.

After dropping off my luggage and getting my key, I accompanied her back to the office (the building next door, which has a beautiful garden and a wonderful lobby) to get my bearings and say hello, and was again impressed by everyone I met. The chief copy editor (who Jingwei said told them to employ me as soon as he got off the phone interview I had with him) invited me to sit in on the evening news meeting and I was asked for my opinion on the stories discussed. I very much look forward to working with him. The international desk head also seems a highly capable journalist, and the fact she is female makes me even more positive I won’t have to deal with the sexism prevalent in Korea.

The air quality, today at least, seemed better than Seoul, or perhaps it’s just that there are different things that trigger my allergies there. I’ve been warned it won’t stay that way in winter, but will try to minimize any ill effects as best I can. Both the apartment and office building are non-smoking, and I react to cigarette smoke more than anything else.

I’m not naïve enough to believe everything will be idyllic, but I’m happy I will be working with people who care about their product and actively want me to help make it better. On top of that, I get to live in one of the most fascinating countries for a writer to be at the moment, as it grows and evolves. Even the stories talked about for tomorrow’s edition excite me, as the country positively and consciously seeks a balance between maintaining its rapid growth and looking after its residents and beauty. Yes, mistakes will be made along the way, but no country is free of mistakes.

Relationship 101 . . .

I'm going through this interesting phase right now, where I'm still head over heels in love with the wrong person. The wrong person for me - we're all the wrong person, it's just a matter of finding flaws that mesh. But still head over heels, and trying to get the friendship back. Not going too well, judging by this morning's e-mail, but I'm stubborn.

So, having established that I know zero about retaining a relationship, I know lots about how to lose one. 

Here's what not to do (and few of these are aimed at you, dearling)

Don't be stalky

If the guy, gal or goat you are interested in indicates disinterest, step away. Do not share sexual comments with them (this may be okay with the goat), do not tell/allow them who they may be with instead, simply step away. It's much more classy.

Do not treat them as less than friends

Seriously? Let's just be friends? 

Friends give each other much more leeway and tolerance than significant others often do. 

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I don't want to commit to somebody who isn't my friend.

Do not, I repeat NOT, give their fecking pets away

Okay, accepted, I'm not the best gal in the world at staying around to water and feed. 

BUT, do not give the pet away without consulting me. Just don't.

The first engagement did this and, in justification, said he had tried to call me. He probably did - I was in a Korean hospital recovering from a subdural hematoma and surgery and did not have my phone or mind. When I regained both, I was pissed.

As were the best friend couple who owned the brother of the Sukhi cat, and the father of the best friend whose cat had birthed Sukhi. Any of them would have happily taken her. Instead, she was given to a friend of the new girlfriend (yep, apparently he tried to call me about that also) and none of us had visiting rights.

I'm not going to talk about the pup or the next cat, but it shows how much you consider my opinion if you don't consult me (did I mention I view engagements and not-quite-engagements as testing periods?).

Do not be mean

 There's enough of that in the world. It's not what anyone needs to come home for.

Do not expect the significant other to complete you

If you can't manage that yourself, you're kinda lost.

- more to come, have to go collect the visa, lunch, ship stuff, dinner . . . 

Future Adventures, Part III . . .

Having had enough cynicism and political debate this morning over the Snowden/Manning betrayals and the lack of privacy we opt into when we share everything about ourselves on social networks, it's time for a little more wide-eyed anticipation of the wonders that await in my older, more experienced kingdom . . .

16: Hiking Jiangxi

China has some serious hiking trails, with spectacular scenery and lots to see. I'm thinking lots of mini-trips to such spots may be the perfect complement to the hubble/bubble of Beijing. Matt and Delores - this is just west of Shanghai - want to go see the Taoist spires of Sanqing Shan?

And yes, it's another UNESCO World Heritage site . . .

17: Yuangyang Rice Terraces, Yunan

WOW! Google this for images - it is spectacular!

I may have to buy a real camera but I'm always conflicted about that. If I have visual pictures, I may not paint word pictures. For this landscape, it might be worth it.

18: Li River Scenery, Guangxi

Oh. My. Buddha. The images for this are equally stunning, in a different way. Stunning karst mountain backdrops to scenes of rural domesticity - water buffalo, farmers, fishermen.

The point and shoot may not do this justice, though I do have a few photographer friends who want to visit. I may just have to schedule trips accordingly.

19: The Great Buddha, Leshan, Sichuan

Another UNESCO World Heritage site, but one I may choose to skip. It's impressive for many, many reasons, but a little dour for my taste.

I prefer my Buddha to be happy . . .

20: Taichi

I will definitely watch and photograph this martial art form, but want to return to one I practiced while in Sydney many years ago, with the most charismatic Chinese master one could imagine (who looked a little similar to the buddha above - old, with a bit of a belly and an easy smile. I've also seen him take down a group of young Kung Fu students without seeming to even move, just a gentle sway, an acceptance of their attack and a tap to render them immobile.

Qigong, or Chi Kung, is similar to taichi but adds the focus on moving the qi/chi around the body and is used primarily as a healing art. Every move is also a block or attack if speeded up, and China is the perfect place to start learning this again.

Martial, medical and spiritual - sounds like a perfect balance to me.

Too much awesome . . .

I (kinda) apologize if the blog has bored you of late, but I'm excited, a little daunted and also a little scared about the next step in the adventure, so I'm overplanning what I may or may not do.

I'm also a little pissed off . . .

I'm tired of people, particularly American people, telling me all the reasons I should NOT go to China.

Mostly, they are people who know nothing more of the world than what they watch on FOX or read on their facebook feeds.

Heads up, America, China owns most of your foreign debt. Mainly because you ("the people") wanted to own more than you needed and pay less than you needed. It's okay, China is unlikely to call that debt in, because it knows you can't pay and a bankrupt America is no more what China wants than a failed-state North Korea. But, really . .. .

As for the other main reasons - the pollution and the state control . . .

China knows it has a problem with pollution. It does care and it is trying. It's a huge problem, and they know it. And are doing everything possible to fix it. Phasing out charcoal in favor of gas, bringing in electric vehicles rather than petrol.

I'm not quite sure the country that gave us the Exxon Valdez and the Gulf spill have the right to lecture.

State control/censorship?

Yes, I know. Because that was part of the negotiation/interviews for the job. I've been working elsewhere lately where they are not so open about the fact.

Then we go back to America - FOX, CNN. MSNBC - do you really believe what they're telling you?

And how is your current (and former) administration going with that personal privacy thing?

Maybe you should travel a little more - may I recommend China . . .