Being in Beijing

Thanks for all your e-mails, birthday wishes and positive vibes.


So, here I am again after a long period of silence, and a big hug to all from the country where people call their cousins sisters and brothers because they have no sisters and brothers. Well, most of them anyway. I was rather confused when Suki told me that her sister was getting married while I was pretty sure that she had no siblings.... it was her cousin.


I had a great birthday party; we were all home around 6 in the morning, though surprisingly, without hangovers. People present were Muzafer and Yufeng (ofcourse-- my best buddies since day 1 respectively day 17), mr Yang, Suki, Cindy (from work), Xiao Ya, Charlotte (students at Foreign Language Uni), Jan (the one I get to speak Dutch with), and Andrew from Australia. Ever since that night, his name is Andaru the Kangaroo--his birthday, last Saturday provoked two cakes; one with either a kangaroo in the middle, one with his name spelled out... nice.

It's kind of weird to be an expat, a foreigner; especially in a place where it is so clear that I am one. I see, hear, smell and do a lot of things I never even thought of before. I went to Beijing where I saw Tiananmen, the Temple of Heaven and CROWDS of people which prevent you from getting off the metro in the 10 seconds the doors are open; very impractical, not to mention dangerous. On the other hand, some metro stations have people in uniform directing people to arrows on the floor where they should stand in line while waiting for the metro. By the way, there are people in uniforms everywhere. Even at McDonalds, there is a guy in a uniform (with 'police' hat) who clears the tables. There are people in uniform on the street directing the traffic--if they are even heard. There are thousands of people in uniform sweeping the streets--even along the highway, with no warning signs.

I ate hotpot with my lovely Chinese colleagues from Kun Yi school-- cow's stomach (unpleasant structure) and duck blood, also called 'black tofu' (soft, not much taste) included. Another colleague from Yu Ying Li school gave me a Chinese name: Lan Ai Hua--shame I can't tell you the right tones here. A lot of Chinese people have an 'English name', to make it easier for foreigners to remember them. A lot of girls have names ending in -dy or -ie and there sure are a lot of kids named Dick, apart from the really weird names I heard about...

I opened a bank account, which required me to type in my code at least 12 times--but I did get my bank pass straight away. Last week, I saw people burning stuff on the street all the time. Turns out, they burn fake money and clothes for their ancestors, so that they will be rich and warm in heaven. They also make circles of water around their fires, so that it doesn't accidentally land with someone else.

I see beggars (toddlers, old ladies, people without limbs), yuppies, traffic accidents which becomes a source of public entertainment in no time with the drivers calling each other names and pushing each other (though rarely a real fight). I eat fruit I had never even seen before. I smell food, garbage, animals and people when outside.... Today, I saw a shark for sale at the market. I hear the neighbour's dogs and the other neighbour's piano on Saturdays and Sundays.
I hear fireworks, yelling, laughter, the pregnant lady at the market trying to sell her bread-- I can hear her "mien bao, mien bao" in my apartment in the mornings.

Of all these things, the strangest thing about being a foreigner is this: that life just goes on. It doesn't wait for you to come back, like when you're on vacation. People at home change, things happen to them. They change their haircuts, they grow older, get an other job. I go to work here like I would anywhere else, I had a haircut, I grow older, learn some Chinese and go out to dinner.


I'm quite happy with the internet; at least I can keep up with some of the changes. And you guys get to read my babbling and see cool pictures.


Love, Anne.




Pictures:
Famous hat shop in Beijing, with models made for country leaders on display.
Shark at the market
Building in Tianjin
Tiananmen, by forbidden city, with a portrait of the Chairman.
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
Old man writing poem on floor with water- yes, really.