"we learn english so someday you can learn chinese"

---

Wow, so a lot has been going on here lately. And not a lot, too.

Beijing has changed. Like we say, the only constant in Beijing is change! Always people coming and going, moving here moving away, buildings being torn down so new ones can be built, roads being widened, and new subway lines opening. Restaurants and bars that were here last year have moved locations, sometimes twice already! It is rare to find a bar in this area that has been stable for five years.

And China seems more open. In the past week since I arrived, I've had conversations about abortion, about my thoughts on Tibet, on Americans in China, on Chinese media censorship, and on Muslims and the Chinese thoughts about Sept 11.

And all of these conversations were with native Beijingers! With Chinese people! Admittedly, in English, but STILL.

I met with Moya last night for dinner and drinks and catching up and I was telling her about all of these conversations I'd had in the past week and how utterly ODD it has been to talk about these things openly and seriously in China... admittedly with friends and with Chinese people who are used to working with foreigners, but STILL.

This has been odd.

I've been thinking about Americans in Beijing a lot lately.

First, my roommate A** has told me many times that I don't seem American. She had only met one American, and she thought all girls were like this: From Utah with 11 brothers and sisters, stuck up, only wants to marry for money, won't deign to teach English in China, only will accept high paying corporate jobs in Beijing, and always goes after foreign men wearing suits.

This descibes A's only other American contact. I think I'm about as opposite of this other American as you can get. We've also been talking a lot about American politics and us voting in either a half black man with a Muslim sounding name, or a woman. A** says I am more like a Canadian than an American.

So I am glad she now has a better opinion of Americans.

My next convo was with M**, who works for Expertise in the International Dept and who I've kept up with on and off since last year. I had lunch with her and the other M** and went back to their new office to talk about business.

We were talking about the number of foreign teachers that they employ and the number of kindergartens in Beijing where these teachers are placed , and how the great majority of these teachers are American... and the conversation eventually came around to the problems the schools have with American teachers, to be discussed shortly...

We were actually walking back from lunch to the office when we were talking about the tightened security in Beijing, which she noted began with the "issue with Tibet" and then started to ask me my opinions about the Dalai Lama. I ummed and ahhed a minute before deciding what to say and how open I should be about it.

I finally decided to tell the truth. I said that in America we have freedom of religion and I generally think that, even though China is an atheist state, that there should be freedom of religion. But that is my bias coming from a democratic country.

And we talked about religious leaders like the Pope and the Dalai Lama and how they're seen as outside leaders, and China doesn't deal well with that. I also said that having travelled to India to where the Dalai Lama is exiled, the story there is very different from the story in China.

But I also said that I think most people in the west who are shouting about freedom and who are part of "free tibet" have never been to Tibet, to China, or to India! They sit at home and watch the news and become outraged, but the news in the US versus news in China versus news in India is all very different and very skewed toward its own people.

M agreed and cited many instances where the western media has blown things out of porportion regarding China, which briefly brought up the Sichuan earthquake and the differences in how China has handled their natural disaster versus how Myanmar has handled theirs.

Then I started thinking aloud about the differences between America and China and musing as to why Americans, myself included last year, find it so hard to DEAL with China.

America is a young country. Our whole foundation is based apon being a free country, upon fighting for our freedom from England, and about being Independent from outside rule. Our mantra is about choosing our own destiny and having opportunity and about being "indepdent". Especially for recent college grads and our generation, it's about gaining independence from our parents and finding our own way in the world. This is just the culture of America.

Then there's China. A country built on dynasties and heirarchy. A culture built around family; having five generations under one roof is considered the pinnacle of achievment. China is all about the collective good of its citizens. It is better to follow the leader than break away because then you are alone. There is strength in numbers.

Now tell me that an American who is thrust into China won't have some issues! It's no wonder Americans especially have problems adjusting! Our cultures and ways of thinking about the world are so completely and totally different!

Then M told me about one of their kindergartens. This kindergarten has three branches in the same district, and they hired Americans from Expertise. All of these Americans lived in the same apartment and there were problems. After their contracts ended, this school has told Expertise that they will no longer hire Americans to work there. Ever. Again.

I think it's horrible that now these three kindergartens, all the parents of the children at these kindergartens, all the teachers, and all the administrators now have this idea about Americans. These teachers were probably their first contact with anyone from the USA, and look what they've done! They've alienated three communities and given in to every stereotype the Chinese have about the USA!!

It pisses me off! Come on, ambassadors! Surprise, when you travel it's not only about you! You are probably one of the only, if not THE only, waigouren people have met and gotten to know. And even if you travel and never talk to the locals, THEY'RE STILL WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE and judging America by you.

The Chinese are cordial to Americans. But, honestly, it's a bit uneasy... which I never realized last year. But after reading so many articles over this past year, and seeing things in a new light this year, I've realized that the uneasiness goes both ways.

America is threatened by China. It's just that simple. We think we're number one in the world, and we have been for quite some time. China is just SO FOREIGN and so unknown and so ... unfathomable for most Americans. But we see our jobs being sent here. We see a sea of black hair and slanted eyes and all of the economic hullabaloo and the upcoming Olympics and we see them becoming a world superpower, and it threatens our sense of security in being number one.

China also believes they are number one. The translation of "China" is "Zhongguo" which literally means "Middle Kingdom".. the center of the universe around which everything else revolves. They are just as egocentric as the USA, if not more.

And when Mao took over with the communists in 1949, China became even MORE centered on itself. Ouside influence - especially Japan and America as a result of the newly finished WWII - was looked down upon. "Smash the foreign devils" was the word of the day. Our war in Vietnam was more means for anti-Americanism as we fought the North Vietnamese communists, close allies of the Chinese.

When Mao died in '76 and Deng Xiao Ping took over, China began to once again open to the West and Deng realized that capitalism would be a good thing for China.

Then there was that little Cold War and the Communist Bloc, which didn't help put Americans in a good light.

And while things have changed A LOT and the new generations no longer think as much like Mao, America is still a threat to China, too.

We support Taiwan. China believes Taiwan is theirs. We support South Korea. North Korea and Russia are China's two greatest allies. We greatly ignore Africa. China is busy giving aid and supporting business trade with Africa. We support freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press. China doesn't.

So there are my thoughts about US China relations. And I still maintain that China is the worst enemy we could EVER make. A tenuous relationship, yes, as long as it gets better before it gets worse, things will be fine.

Yesterday the US Embassy in Beijing sent us an email. It was mostly about passport renewals, things to watch for during the Olympics, who to contact if you have problems, new websites for students studying abroad, etc. And at the end of the newsletter email, it says please feel free to pass on this letter to other Americans in your company or to any other Americans you know here.

And I thought about it. And I don't know any Americans in Beijing. I'm the only one at this hostel. Saul is American, and I passed it on to him. But, like, that's it. And it was odd, not knowing any Americans. I know we're here and I'll meet many many more this summer, but....

Okay, well, this is waaaaaay long enough!

---

Comments

[Cassi]

Bom Dia
i just wanted to say hi from brasil. i haven't had time to keep up with mbb's continuing adventures in china, but hopefully i will soon. my time here has also been very political, but in a totall different way. i'll have to explain later. peace from South America.