Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Benefits of living next to the Russian Embassy in Beijing
In both Beijing and Washington DC, I lived very close to the Russian embassy. In Beijing, I literally live .2 miles from it, meaning that I am more fortunate than the rest of my fellow expats, in that when I need to quickly run to a little shop for snacks, instead of having to choose between a selection of chicken feet, dried meat jerky, fried fruit and green tea, I have a selection of caviar, dried salmon, cmyetyana and caramel/fruit tea, foods that I have come to adore since my study abroad in Russia. Most importantly, the basic expat essentials: coffee, milk, unsweetened bread ( yes, sweetened bread is the norm in China) and cheese, are the most reasonably priced in the two tiny Russian shops, as compared to the rest of the expat shops. It seems that the only foreigners that are not regularily upcharged in China are Russians. When I was traveling through Manzhouli and Hailaier, the prices I received when they believe that I was a Russian were substantially lower in comparison when they believed I was an American.
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Isn't the Russian embassy pretty? At night, when it is lit up, it reminds me of a library. So pretty!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Part 1: An Ode to China
As all goods things, must, I suppose, come to an end, my time in China is finishing up. It's been a little bit hard, very unexpected and completely out of my control, but I am very happy that I was able to return to China to leave my job and say my goodbyes properly.
Today, as I walked out of my job for the last time, a rickshaw cut me off, as they always do, and I thought, only three more weeks until I never see a rickshaw again. And then I realized, I only have three more weeks in China. A favorite hobby of expats is to complain about the things we don't like about China. Most foreigners don't do it maliciously, we make fun of it the way we would mock things about our own hometown, but it is a topic that bonds expatriates together and thus, it comes up a lot. So, for the next few weeks, I am going to talk about all the things I have loved about China and my life here.
1. Music. Everywhere. All the time. At this moment, a fife or recorder is playing a lone strand of a sad, disjointed song. Last night? Don't Stop Believing by Journey was being played on repeat, I think at the Naga Business karoke club/harem that I live next to. At least twice a week, my heart suddenly gets heavy and I experience melancholy, caused by the serene chords Moonlight Sonatra drifting into my living room. Music can be heard everywhere, at any time, in Beijing. It was the first thing my mother noticed about China when she came to visit me. I love it, it is similar to putting the radio on scan and just waiting to see what random music will come on, only, all I am doing is walking down the street
2. Transportation. They just do it better here. Trains? on time and cheap. Planes? On time, and cheap. Buses. Horrible, crowded, but so cheap. Bicycles with little motors? Scooters? Free and the best way to travel around the city. I wish so much that I could go back to Beijing circa 1991, before Beijing had become gridlocked from all of the cars that no one here needs or can truly afford, but buy anyway. Also, fail all that? Cabs are fast and cheap, but come with the hassle of dealing with cabdrivers.
3. Huo Guo (hot pot). What is that you ask? Imagine that you are hungry, but too lazy to prepare anything. So you make a spicy broth, and throw all of your favorite ingredients in it to eat. Yes, I know it sounds like soup, but that is because I haven't gotten to the last part: you get to make your own sauce, and then take all of your veggies and meats out of the broth, dip it in the sauce and eat it. It is, by far, the best winter food you could ever ask for. Hot and broth-y to warm your chilled bones, spicy enough to open all of your pores and make your skin feel alive again.
(...to be continued)
Today, as I walked out of my job for the last time, a rickshaw cut me off, as they always do, and I thought, only three more weeks until I never see a rickshaw again. And then I realized, I only have three more weeks in China. A favorite hobby of expats is to complain about the things we don't like about China. Most foreigners don't do it maliciously, we make fun of it the way we would mock things about our own hometown, but it is a topic that bonds expatriates together and thus, it comes up a lot. So, for the next few weeks, I am going to talk about all the things I have loved about China and my life here.
1. Music. Everywhere. All the time. At this moment, a fife or recorder is playing a lone strand of a sad, disjointed song. Last night? Don't Stop Believing by Journey was being played on repeat, I think at the Naga Business karoke club/harem that I live next to. At least twice a week, my heart suddenly gets heavy and I experience melancholy, caused by the serene chords Moonlight Sonatra drifting into my living room. Music can be heard everywhere, at any time, in Beijing. It was the first thing my mother noticed about China when she came to visit me. I love it, it is similar to putting the radio on scan and just waiting to see what random music will come on, only, all I am doing is walking down the street
2. Transportation. They just do it better here. Trains? on time and cheap. Planes? On time, and cheap. Buses. Horrible, crowded, but so cheap. Bicycles with little motors? Scooters? Free and the best way to travel around the city. I wish so much that I could go back to Beijing circa 1991, before Beijing had become gridlocked from all of the cars that no one here needs or can truly afford, but buy anyway. Also, fail all that? Cabs are fast and cheap, but come with the hassle of dealing with cabdrivers.
3. Huo Guo (hot pot). What is that you ask? Imagine that you are hungry, but too lazy to prepare anything. So you make a spicy broth, and throw all of your favorite ingredients in it to eat. Yes, I know it sounds like soup, but that is because I haven't gotten to the last part: you get to make your own sauce, and then take all of your veggies and meats out of the broth, dip it in the sauce and eat it. It is, by far, the best winter food you could ever ask for. Hot and broth-y to warm your chilled bones, spicy enough to open all of your pores and make your skin feel alive again.
(...to be continued)
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Commuting in Beijing
Does Beijing have so much traffic that it forces cabdrivers to bring reading materials or is it that the morning reading of cabdrivers causes the traffic?
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"Reading the morning paper...while driving. Yes, his car was on and in driving gear.
40 minute Flash flood= Disaster of Dongzhimen
The importance of proper urban planning: so that every mildly heavy rainfall isn't moments away from drowning thousands of people on the metro station.
This water was actually at a low point in this picture. It took me approximately 60 minutes to fight the waves of water (...in downtown beijing) to walk the 1/4th of a mile to my apartment. One 40 minute flash flood turned all of Dongzhimen into a filthy, sewage-y chinese version of venice without boats, as the water was up to my calves. 4 scathing hot showers later, I could still smell Beijing on my skin.
And yes, the girl on the right is wearing plastic bags over her shoes.
This water was actually at a low point in this picture. It took me approximately 60 minutes to fight the waves of water (...in downtown beijing) to walk the 1/4th of a mile to my apartment. One 40 minute flash flood turned all of Dongzhimen into a filthy, sewage-y chinese version of venice without boats, as the water was up to my calves. 4 scathing hot showers later, I could still smell Beijing on my skin.
And yes, the girl on the right is wearing plastic bags over her shoes.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Beijing Fruit Market
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cheap, delicious,potentially injected with chemicals/water to make it heavier, but if not, organic and very good for you.
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