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Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Monday, June 15, 2015
Personal Branding, an introspective on social media identity and self discovery through mindless nattering and a keyboard stream of consciousness.
The title is a run on sentence fragment. You don't have to tell me. If every entry of this blog was trying to achieve something..that something would be my personal brand. People talk about branding these days more than they talk about legacy, at least what goes through my ears. It isn't so much about future but about ***STAYING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT***. My mantra, a common theme in all of my posts, and perhaps ingrained into my being subliminally through social influence and now coming to fruition on a conscious level.
Back in the day when I was obsessed with the concept of becoming a nameless cog in corporate America, I thought about this a little. Well maybe a little more after I attended a social media marketing conference at the ripe age of 24. Which remains to this day the field I idealize. If I remembered one thing from this conference for marketing you business or startup: Find your personal brand and sell it.
My reaction after the conference was this: What is my brand? I really don't need these questions right now I am living through quarter-life crisis hell. I don't even know which way is north on my compass of life and something seems to be scrambling the poles. Obviously I want to be relevant, like the articles I like to read on BuzzFeed and Elite Daily. (Unfortunately in time Elite Daily takes a sharp turn to irrelevant once your quarter-life crisis lulls to a stop.) But relevant is not a brand, relevant is a quality, an ideology, an aspiration. You want to BE relevant, but nobody sells relevancy at the five and ten.
So who did I want to be on social media? The answer was simple. I wanted to be a cog. Turn the wheels and keep the information flowing for an awesome company, who made awesome products, with an alternative office environment that had cats, exercise ball chairs, and ping pong tables also filled with hipster types. Maybe I needed to take a step down from the clouds, because in reality I'm not that cool. I would be a nameless pants suit.
I have come to think about brand a bit more since I started this blog. I started it because I like to write and I think I am good at it. I will continue to do so until nobody finds these mindless essays relevant. I started it because I love traveling and I was finally going to live as an expat.
Brand: Curious American girl in Shenzhen, China observes Chinese customs and lifestyles
Brand: American Expat in Shenzhen, China lives the stereotypical life of an English teacher.
Brand: American Girl in Shenzhen, China adapts like a pro and observes culture shock as writing inspiration
Brand: Expat in Shenzhen, China becomes exasperated with small children
Brand: American female picks up Chinese customs and implements them into her daily life.
Brand: White girl goes to a yoga retreat in Thailand and now actually won't shut up about yoga or meditation.
I am all these things. But now that I am going to Vietnam my theme can no longer be China. Time to re-brand. I am now just an expat, nomadic, uprooted. I hardly use crayons or picture books and I hate chalk dust. PowerPoint, laser pointers, and flashcard games define my job.
But if I could choose a brand for this blog off a list it would be travel. I want to perhaps be a bit more thorough when explaining what I am up to. It only makes my blog appear higher in a Google search and makes me more relevant to the blogging and travel community. (Google search meditation and BAM, one of my pages should appear. The endless blabbering is paying off.)What activities did I do in the countries I visited? How did I get there? How horrible are overnight buses? Did street fish balls give me travelers diarrhea?
So from here on out readers, I am working to make this blog more travel themed. A balance of observing cultures and comparing my current reaction to the ones I would have had as a newbie. Because I forget how crazy, crowded, and hectic Asia can be for a newbie. Also a possible renaming because I am no longer keen on Chalk, Crayons, and Picturebooks.
Back in the day when I was obsessed with the concept of becoming a nameless cog in corporate America, I thought about this a little. Well maybe a little more after I attended a social media marketing conference at the ripe age of 24. Which remains to this day the field I idealize. If I remembered one thing from this conference for marketing you business or startup: Find your personal brand and sell it.
My reaction after the conference was this: What is my brand? I really don't need these questions right now I am living through quarter-life crisis hell. I don't even know which way is north on my compass of life and something seems to be scrambling the poles. Obviously I want to be relevant, like the articles I like to read on BuzzFeed and Elite Daily. (Unfortunately in time Elite Daily takes a sharp turn to irrelevant once your quarter-life crisis lulls to a stop.) But relevant is not a brand, relevant is a quality, an ideology, an aspiration. You want to BE relevant, but nobody sells relevancy at the five and ten.
So who did I want to be on social media? The answer was simple. I wanted to be a cog. Turn the wheels and keep the information flowing for an awesome company, who made awesome products, with an alternative office environment that had cats, exercise ball chairs, and ping pong tables also filled with hipster types. Maybe I needed to take a step down from the clouds, because in reality I'm not that cool. I would be a nameless pants suit.
I have come to think about brand a bit more since I started this blog. I started it because I like to write and I think I am good at it. I will continue to do so until nobody finds these mindless essays relevant. I started it because I love traveling and I was finally going to live as an expat.
Brand: Curious American girl in Shenzhen, China observes Chinese customs and lifestyles
Brand: American Expat in Shenzhen, China lives the stereotypical life of an English teacher.
Brand: American Girl in Shenzhen, China adapts like a pro and observes culture shock as writing inspiration
Brand: Expat in Shenzhen, China becomes exasperated with small children
Brand: American female picks up Chinese customs and implements them into her daily life.
Brand: White girl goes to a yoga retreat in Thailand and now actually won't shut up about yoga or meditation.
CHECK.CHECK. CHECK. CHECK .CHECK. CHECK.
But if I could choose a brand for this blog off a list it would be travel. I want to perhaps be a bit more thorough when explaining what I am up to. It only makes my blog appear higher in a Google search and makes me more relevant to the blogging and travel community. (Google search meditation and BAM, one of my pages should appear. The endless blabbering is paying off.)What activities did I do in the countries I visited? How did I get there? How horrible are overnight buses? Did street fish balls give me travelers diarrhea?
So from here on out readers, I am working to make this blog more travel themed. A balance of observing cultures and comparing my current reaction to the ones I would have had as a newbie. Because I forget how crazy, crowded, and hectic Asia can be for a newbie. Also a possible renaming because I am no longer keen on Chalk, Crayons, and Picturebooks.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Chinese wedding... 我相互红酒
I was really hoping to be invited to a wedding while in China. I just had to see it after learning about all the traditions from a class I took in uni. As life would have it I did get invited, but the couple did a semi-western ceremony. But still, every time I have run into "Western" things here it is somehow always misses its mark.
Let's begin with arrival. The invitation said to arrive at 5:00, which I interpreted as 5:30. Fashionably late. I arrive with my friend at 5:45 and literally NOBODY is there except for the bridal party. Embarrassingly early. The rest of our group was running late so we just waited and watched the same slideshow 20 times until they showed up. Actually that's a lie. The minute the red wine was poured we were knocking it back like juice, like a fermented grape juice.
Within the next hour people started to show up. I was told dress fancy, which I did. I looked around and so many people in just jeans and a tee shirt. I now felt somewhat overdressed, another lie. I commented to my friend that just like many Americans, Chinese do not know how to dress up for a nice occasion. I followed up with a "We look good today."
The ceremony was interesting. There was a loop of about 10 or so popular English love songs playing, all on the Bruno Mars end of the spectrum.The light show could have been used for a concert or a discotheque. The bridal party and the grooms men processed in per usual and stood next to the bride. Then as soon as this procession was done the officiant walked up and the entire group walked off the stage except the bride and groom. My friend and I turned to each other with the same comment,
"Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having groomsmen and bridesmaids?!"
"I choose you to stand beside me on my wedding day, actually to wear a dress matching of all my best friends and look pretty for part of the ceremony, then be on your way, this is my day."
The officiant rattled off a string of Chinese and then after a few minutes the couple yelled out "I DO" in English. At this point I had had a few glasses of juice and was ready to dance. But nobody danced. They served delicious fancy food and typical bitter Chinese wine. Which tasted delicious after a few glasses.
Instead of the bride and groom talking to each person they came around and toasted each table, killing many birds with one stone. Wouldn't life be so easy? Shortly after dinner everyone left. Shortest party ever.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Comfort Zone 现在，我普通话说的很好。
I recently came to the realization that I have reached the stage of nearly worry-free comfort when going places and doing things here. This catharsis came a couple days ago when a friend told me , "You're about to start at square one again in Vietnam." Dammit, this is true. 现在，我普通话说的很好。
It will take me months to construct such sentences in Vietnamese. Unless I start using the Pimsleurs I downloaded, but that isn't likely. I am going to philander like a fish out of water the first few weeks kicking myself for not learning some basics. Maybe even hoping that people will know English， 普通话， or Spanish.
Before I booked my ticket here I did not have solo travel experience. The flights to Hong Kong and Guangzhou were significantly cheaper than the Shenzhen flights. I was given instructions on how to come to Shenzhen from these places, but I was literally too afraid. I didn't speak the language and I imagined it being very difficult without the airport pickup my company provided. I ate the extra cost for peace of mind.
Now with my current knowledge of the ease of train travel in China I would have flown to Guangzhou, hopped on the train and then cabbed to the hotel for training. So easy. I never imagined it would be so easy to live in a county and barely speak the language. I now take back all rude the comments I have made about Americans who don't speak English, especially ones that live in the north. Because you don't really need it. Between the charades, translator app, and showing searched words in the dictionary one can more than get by. For this reason learning Vietnamese is on the back burner for me. I did perfectly terrible in the Beijing airport only knowing 你好，我是美国人。So I think I will be fine knowing less. Flawed logic, but logic nonetheless.
As far as comfort goes I was thinking about how I used to meet up with my friends in the city.
Level 1: OMG where is the metro and how do I find it? 我看不懂中文
Level 2: Let's meet at the exit of this metro and take the train together.
Level 3: Meet me at the exit, we're adults and can take the train alone. Unless you're going to the other ass end of the city, in that case some company is nice.
Level 4: Here are the directions from such and such exit.
Level 5: How the hell do you not know where this is?
Level 6: Throwing public transport out the window and hopping in a cab and telling the driver directions in Chinese.
Level 6 took awhile. But once I got there I was not even aware of it. Yesterday I had a long ride on the metro and ran into an expat who told me "You seem extremely comfortable here." Which is true yes, but if I were to always ponder all the things that made me uncomfortable that would be my state of being. I often forget how hard it is to be an expat. I enjoy it about 97% of the time. And then I have a day where I want to smack the next person to blare their motorbike horn, play their megaphone on a loop, or let their kid ride bicycles in the street and smack into me when I am walking. Some days I feel like nobody has basic manners, but then there are plenty of Americans who have terrible manners.
On that note, today during my news reading binge I found out only 38% of Americans have left the United States, that figure could be wrong. That is the number with a passport. I wouldn't consider Canada really, since you still have all the comfort foods, mass televised sporting events, and English in most parts. Culture shock is nearly non-existent. Not to say that it wouldn't, but I have never found the two places to be so strikingly different. I'm adaptable, I don't see that going away.
Adaptability is a major reason why I have chosen to go to Vietnam. The larger reason is that I am bored here. Is that weird? I am in such a routine here I think I would be even more bored next year. I used to really love writing about all the new and interesting things I was up to on here and now, well you can imagine. I tutor all the time which leaves me exhausted, too tired to go out, so I have become somewhat of a social hermit. Luckily my good friends here tutor as much or more than me so our little free time is spent together having lazy days. On weekends I teach yoga classes or go hiking. Two years ago I would have scoffed at such a dull schedule, but now that I am living it I quite like it. I wouldn't have it any other way.
So I will have to wait and see how long it takes me to get to the same level of comfort I have here in Hanoi, Vietnam. How long till I can order food in a restaurant, ask basic questions and understand the answer, navigate my way around and learn to cook the traditional food. Luckily the question now is not how, because I know it will happen in due time, but when?
It will take me months to construct such sentences in Vietnamese. Unless I start using the Pimsleurs I downloaded, but that isn't likely. I am going to philander like a fish out of water the first few weeks kicking myself for not learning some basics. Maybe even hoping that people will know English， 普通话， or Spanish.
Before I booked my ticket here I did not have solo travel experience. The flights to Hong Kong and Guangzhou were significantly cheaper than the Shenzhen flights. I was given instructions on how to come to Shenzhen from these places, but I was literally too afraid. I didn't speak the language and I imagined it being very difficult without the airport pickup my company provided. I ate the extra cost for peace of mind.
Now with my current knowledge of the ease of train travel in China I would have flown to Guangzhou, hopped on the train and then cabbed to the hotel for training. So easy. I never imagined it would be so easy to live in a county and barely speak the language. I now take back all rude the comments I have made about Americans who don't speak English, especially ones that live in the north. Because you don't really need it. Between the charades, translator app, and showing searched words in the dictionary one can more than get by. For this reason learning Vietnamese is on the back burner for me. I did perfectly terrible in the Beijing airport only knowing 你好，我是美国人。So I think I will be fine knowing less. Flawed logic, but logic nonetheless.
As far as comfort goes I was thinking about how I used to meet up with my friends in the city.
Level 1: OMG where is the metro and how do I find it? 我看不懂中文
Level 2: Let's meet at the exit of this metro and take the train together.
Level 3: Meet me at the exit, we're adults and can take the train alone. Unless you're going to the other ass end of the city, in that case some company is nice.
Level 4: Here are the directions from such and such exit.
Level 5: How the hell do you not know where this is?
Level 6: Throwing public transport out the window and hopping in a cab and telling the driver directions in Chinese.
Level 6 took awhile. But once I got there I was not even aware of it. Yesterday I had a long ride on the metro and ran into an expat who told me "You seem extremely comfortable here." Which is true yes, but if I were to always ponder all the things that made me uncomfortable that would be my state of being. I often forget how hard it is to be an expat. I enjoy it about 97% of the time. And then I have a day where I want to smack the next person to blare their motorbike horn, play their megaphone on a loop, or let their kid ride bicycles in the street and smack into me when I am walking. Some days I feel like nobody has basic manners, but then there are plenty of Americans who have terrible manners.
On that note, today during my news reading binge I found out only 38% of Americans have left the United States, that figure could be wrong. That is the number with a passport. I wouldn't consider Canada really, since you still have all the comfort foods, mass televised sporting events, and English in most parts. Culture shock is nearly non-existent. Not to say that it wouldn't, but I have never found the two places to be so strikingly different. I'm adaptable, I don't see that going away.
Adaptability is a major reason why I have chosen to go to Vietnam. The larger reason is that I am bored here. Is that weird? I am in such a routine here I think I would be even more bored next year. I used to really love writing about all the new and interesting things I was up to on here and now, well you can imagine. I tutor all the time which leaves me exhausted, too tired to go out, so I have become somewhat of a social hermit. Luckily my good friends here tutor as much or more than me so our little free time is spent together having lazy days. On weekends I teach yoga classes or go hiking. Two years ago I would have scoffed at such a dull schedule, but now that I am living it I quite like it. I wouldn't have it any other way.
So I will have to wait and see how long it takes me to get to the same level of comfort I have here in Hanoi, Vietnam. How long till I can order food in a restaurant, ask basic questions and understand the answer, navigate my way around and learn to cook the traditional food. Luckily the question now is not how, because I know it will happen in due time, but when?
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Idea Land and Finding Peace in a Frenzy
I've I let a lot of things go when I moved here. I did sincerely give up my bubble of personal space, the concept of personal questions, and even time. On certain days however it becomes too hard for me. I want to walk down the street and not be run into by ten people who are too busy on their phones to pay attention. I don't want to listen to motor bikes and their incessant honking. I don't want to be asked to tutor more kids or be told I have a meeting that I simply don't care to attend. Usually when I feel like this I turn off my phone and watch a Netflix movie. Because a little me time is quite beneficial. I do however begin to feel antisocial after a few rounds of this activity and feel a strong sense of dread when having to reenter the real world. It took me no more than a few times to realize there were healthier ways to deal with this problem: Go somewhere that isn't crowded. Kind of difficult but indeed achievable.
My friend and I one day took the afternoon off and she took me to this magical street called Idea Land. Idea Land is an oasis in a crowded city, and a ten minute walk from my apartment. It is a long pedestrian street filled with cute coffee shops, start ups, and anything cute/ artsy you can could want. There are trees, colorful artwork, and it is quiet. Yes this was the mental break I needed from the frenzy of Shenzhen. We found a place with 30RMB glasses of wine and had a break from crazy China life. (30RMB is about $5).
I always find myself suggesting this place when making plans. "Let's go walk around Idea Land, it is quiet and has anything you could want to drink." "Let's go to Idea Land and look at the artwork." "Let's go to Idea Land, the start ups have kittens we can play with." Obviously living here I feel very cat deprived. I got used to my cat sleeping next to me every night, all of my friends have cats. I come to China, no cats. The cat lady/animal lover struggle is real.
I think my adoration for this place is related to my love of art, culture, and surrounding yourself with the simple pleasures of life. On certain week nights I used to go watch and discuss films at an art museum then go out for fancy beers with the people in charge. I loved driving 1.5 hours to the Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo, New York, or an afternoon at Whole Foods in Cleveland, Ohio sampling wine finished off by a grilled cheese at The Melt. I loved kayaking on the peninsula on a sunny Saturday followed up by cocktails by the water while a summer breeze blew my hair into a million knots. How idealized was that life? Well those events were nothing short of wonderful, but nearly everything else was a literal hell so I had to give up the little things for a life in Asia.
It is not that I don't have the things I love here. I have actually found new things to fall in love with.
1. My Job- My reason for moving 1,000's of miles across land and ocean, I really do love my job. After spending all of my life in customer service if I can never go back. Working in sales I dealt with people who were too stupid to know that phones need to be plugged in to work to people who only came in to yell at me about how I have somehow ruined their existence by selling them this phone. Then working at Panera Bread I ruined many people's day/week because I somehow personally discontinued a menu item or failed to tell them that macaroni and cheese has gluten. Here it is quite the opposite and maybe not even anything in between. My students are my greatest joy at at the other end of the spectrum my greatest stress.
I remember being that age and into all the "fad toys" including yo-yo's, trading cards, weave bracelets, color by number etc etc. They seem to think that the BEST POSSIBLE TIME to practice yo-yo tricks, make bracelets and fight their Pokemon is during my class. I get annoyed, but then I remember how exciting those things were to me at that age. There are days I get so pissed I crumple up and throw out the notes or pictures that are not essential to learning in my class. Then when the bell rings I have a stack of pictures with Chinese characters that the students drew just for me. One day I was giving a lesson to grade 5 and caught a girl folding paper cranes, I approached her as she finished the last one and she said "Teacher! It is for you!" I still have them, people have made me artistic things but nothing so time-consuming and complicated. It is moments like these that I really enjoy this job.
2. My Activities- I have gotten really into anything nature. Nothing is more refreshing than a hike, even if it is an eight hour Chinese stair hike that leaves your legs trembling like jello. I also love to lounge on my playground and read on my tablet on a sunny weekend. I am more into reading than I have ever been. I think part of the reason is because English books are harder to get. Logically we want things we can't have. The loophole is my Kindle app and Google Play Books all at your fingertips via VPN. I also spend a great deal of time exercising.
3. My lifestyle- I honestly don't know how I could leave a place where I can spoil myself so much. But reality exists across the ocean. Call me vain but I love how I don't ever have to think twice about shopping, going out to dinner, or taking holidays. Maybe because living on your own off a low paying job in America is REALLY HARD, not being able to treat yourself without feeling guilty and second guessing constantly. I can't live with that kind of stress ever again, not happening.
In all honestly when I say spoil myself I am not even overly frivolous. It is things as simple as getting myself a proper outfit for a Chinese wedding I was invited to. (You'll hear about this ridiculousness soon.)
4. Being Active- I find myself more active here than I have ever been ever. Here I am always seeking out ways to go out and enjoy nature, I started teaching a yoga classes, and whenever I can exploring the city. I think my old lifestyle was far too sedentary and lacking the healthy Vitamin D.
These new things are all wonderful actually. I want to continue my new habits. However when it came time to resign my contract I felt myself resisting. If everything remains the same then how will my life here continue to be an adventure, always discovering new things. It won't.
So I am pleased to announce that I signed for a job in Hanoi, Vietnam! I will be doing the same thing as I do here, teaching primary school. But this time with a change of scenery. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. It has a population of 6.5 million (only half a million less than Shenzhen) and is rich in Vietnamese history and culture. I fall in love with the place a little more every time I Google it.
My friend and I one day took the afternoon off and she took me to this magical street called Idea Land. Idea Land is an oasis in a crowded city, and a ten minute walk from my apartment. It is a long pedestrian street filled with cute coffee shops, start ups, and anything cute/ artsy you can could want. There are trees, colorful artwork, and it is quiet. Yes this was the mental break I needed from the frenzy of Shenzhen. We found a place with 30RMB glasses of wine and had a break from crazy China life. (30RMB is about $5).
I always find myself suggesting this place when making plans. "Let's go walk around Idea Land, it is quiet and has anything you could want to drink." "Let's go to Idea Land and look at the artwork." "Let's go to Idea Land, the start ups have kittens we can play with." Obviously living here I feel very cat deprived. I got used to my cat sleeping next to me every night, all of my friends have cats. I come to China, no cats. The cat lady/animal lover struggle is real.
I think my adoration for this place is related to my love of art, culture, and surrounding yourself with the simple pleasures of life. On certain week nights I used to go watch and discuss films at an art museum then go out for fancy beers with the people in charge. I loved driving 1.5 hours to the Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo, New York, or an afternoon at Whole Foods in Cleveland, Ohio sampling wine finished off by a grilled cheese at The Melt. I loved kayaking on the peninsula on a sunny Saturday followed up by cocktails by the water while a summer breeze blew my hair into a million knots. How idealized was that life? Well those events were nothing short of wonderful, but nearly everything else was a literal hell so I had to give up the little things for a life in Asia.
It is not that I don't have the things I love here. I have actually found new things to fall in love with.
1. My Job- My reason for moving 1,000's of miles across land and ocean, I really do love my job. After spending all of my life in customer service if I can never go back. Working in sales I dealt with people who were too stupid to know that phones need to be plugged in to work to people who only came in to yell at me about how I have somehow ruined their existence by selling them this phone. Then working at Panera Bread I ruined many people's day/week because I somehow personally discontinued a menu item or failed to tell them that macaroni and cheese has gluten. Here it is quite the opposite and maybe not even anything in between. My students are my greatest joy at at the other end of the spectrum my greatest stress.
I remember being that age and into all the "fad toys" including yo-yo's, trading cards, weave bracelets, color by number etc etc. They seem to think that the BEST POSSIBLE TIME to practice yo-yo tricks, make bracelets and fight their Pokemon is during my class. I get annoyed, but then I remember how exciting those things were to me at that age. There are days I get so pissed I crumple up and throw out the notes or pictures that are not essential to learning in my class. Then when the bell rings I have a stack of pictures with Chinese characters that the students drew just for me. One day I was giving a lesson to grade 5 and caught a girl folding paper cranes, I approached her as she finished the last one and she said "Teacher! It is for you!" I still have them, people have made me artistic things but nothing so time-consuming and complicated. It is moments like these that I really enjoy this job.
2. My Activities- I have gotten really into anything nature. Nothing is more refreshing than a hike, even if it is an eight hour Chinese stair hike that leaves your legs trembling like jello. I also love to lounge on my playground and read on my tablet on a sunny weekend. I am more into reading than I have ever been. I think part of the reason is because English books are harder to get. Logically we want things we can't have. The loophole is my Kindle app and Google Play Books all at your fingertips via VPN. I also spend a great deal of time exercising.
3. My lifestyle- I honestly don't know how I could leave a place where I can spoil myself so much. But reality exists across the ocean. Call me vain but I love how I don't ever have to think twice about shopping, going out to dinner, or taking holidays. Maybe because living on your own off a low paying job in America is REALLY HARD, not being able to treat yourself without feeling guilty and second guessing constantly. I can't live with that kind of stress ever again, not happening.
In all honestly when I say spoil myself I am not even overly frivolous. It is things as simple as getting myself a proper outfit for a Chinese wedding I was invited to. (You'll hear about this ridiculousness soon.)
4. Being Active- I find myself more active here than I have ever been ever. Here I am always seeking out ways to go out and enjoy nature, I started teaching a yoga classes, and whenever I can exploring the city. I think my old lifestyle was far too sedentary and lacking the healthy Vitamin D.
These new things are all wonderful actually. I want to continue my new habits. However when it came time to resign my contract I felt myself resisting. If everything remains the same then how will my life here continue to be an adventure, always discovering new things. It won't.
So I am pleased to announce that I signed for a job in Hanoi, Vietnam! I will be doing the same thing as I do here, teaching primary school. But this time with a change of scenery. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. It has a population of 6.5 million (only half a million less than Shenzhen) and is rich in Vietnamese history and culture. I fall in love with the place a little more every time I Google it.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Cycling in Rural China- Kaiping (开平碉楼)
At the prospect of a long weekend I typically do things last minute. I build up this idea in my head of Netflix binging and socializing mostly over WhatsApp and WeChat. On this particular occasion I was invited to go cycling in Kaiping (a small town in Guangdong Province.) Kaiping is known as the ancestral homeland of many overseas Chinese. It is well known for the multi-story fortified stone towers or the Daiolu (碉樓) built in the Quing Dynasty. The town hit their peak in the 1920's-1930's. If you are an architecture nerd like me you will notice instantly. Much of the town seemed frozen in time architecturally juxtaposed by the modernity of scattered convenience stores, restaurants, and a supermarket. Like anywhere you go in China it was crowded, had questionable sanitary practices, and people who acted like they had never seen a foreigner before.
These first three shots are from right when we got off the bus.
I particularly liked all of the stone balconies now covered in foliage. They has a certain glamour to them. I tried to imagine this town during its boom. Did people entertain on the balconies? Or did they just throw rubbish over it and never sit in the sun?
This was down a little alleyway. To the left was the most darling coffee shop facade I have ever seen. The inside was basic and lacking cuteness.
The main strip of town was filled with street vendors selling fruit and dried sea creatures. I am not sure in what way these dried muscles,shrimp, and little fish are good for me. I think eating them comes with the assurance that I will not be kissed for at least 24 hours after consumption. With this I could dodge any chances of getting mono or the common cold. Crisis averted?
This bridge was near the main strip. So crowded we could hardly take pictures.
This restaurant had a "pet" pig. I won't even allow my mouth or mind to run wild with this one.
Then we ran into this curious building. Since all of the signs were in Chinglish we are not sure if this is an actual movie set for "The Grandmaster" or a recreation of a movie set. Either way the architecture and history nerd in me loved this place. Down to the fake parquet floors and imitation Tiffany glass it was a marvel in and of itself.
This was a view from the balcony.
All the windows had this intricate wrought iron. Once again, I stepped into another time and I was in awe.
The following are from the cycling portion of the trip. Renting the bikes was easy and absurdly cheap. We set off on a six hour adventure. Below are the rice paddys.
If there was one picture I hoped to take in China these are it. The two below are people working in the rice paddys. These pictures are by no means in chronological order. People did not begin work in the paddys until about 4:00. It was too hot during the day, but the heat did not stop us from cycling.
These are the Daiolu (碉樓). They are mansions in comparison to what city-dwelling Chinese live in. They are indeed mansions by any standards. In their heyday they were single family homes. Now they are unoccupied and somewhat difficult to get to. In proper laowai (老外, foreigner) fashion we did not stay on the path. If something twisted off the main road we had to answer the question, "Where does this go?" This is obviously where you encounter the best stuff and the least number of people.
This was tomb-sweeping day. Equivalent to the American Memorial Day holiday. Chinese visit the tombs of their ancestors and offer prayers, incense, and fruit. We got to see some of the tombs. The tombs were on the family's land. Also interesting. As far as I know this practice was done in colonial America and the old South.
Duck farm!
This place was too picturesque to not snap a few.
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