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Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

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By Chinese New Year Dragon
December 6th 2007

Guiyuan Temple

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Proof that I am really in China

I have had an eventful December thus far (including the first of too many goodbyes, finally making it to a softball game, and going to a Christmas Market at a French street in Wuhan), but I want to write about today’s adventures while they are still fresh in my mind. Sarah, Katie, Alexes and I met with Jo and Maggie for lunch. We went to a restaurant with spicy Szechwan dishes. The dumplings and the noodles were fantastic. After lunch, we headed over to the Guiyuan temple in Hanyang. Maggie was an amazing tour guide. She translated and explained everything for [View Full Entry]

By Chinese New Year Dragon
December 5th 2007

Softball in December? Yay China!

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Ivan and Sonya

We played softball! [View Full Entry]

By Chinese New Year Dragon
December 4th 2007

Arts and Entertainment

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Will Cori Ever Make it Out of the Bamboo Maze?
...tune in next week to find out.

After weeks of good intentions (and one thwarted attempt), we finally made it to the Art Museum. It was the last day of some sort of festival in Wuhan, so we were able to get in without paying the admission fee. Even though we only had a chance to explore two of the many galleries at the museum, it was so refreshing to meander through the high exhibition halls and just let the art wash over me. This particular exhibit was mostly newer pieces. They had used some traditional techniques, but they also branched into new styles. The paintings were also [View Full Entry]

This picture actually made me laugh out loud

By Katie 923
November 29th 2007

Music

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Wuhan Conservatory Auditorium

David invited us see a traditional Chinese music concert at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music. He and Barbara had been invited by the owner of a music shop where they had previously purchased some instruments. Tuesday night six of us piled into a black market van taxi and arrived at the store where the owner was waiting to walk us to the conservatory. We found out that it was an ErHu (air hoo) concert featuring other instruments. An ErHu is a string instrument with a long neck and a small cylindrical body at the bottom where snake skin is stretched. There [View Full Entry]

By robsta
November 29th 2007

The 3 Gorges fiasco

Asia » China » Hubei » Three Gorges Dam

the 2nd gorge
Yangtse river

Its been a while now, and so much has happened!! As i said in my last blog, i have been particularly loking forward to the Yangtse river cruise, as we booked a 4* luxury liner for our 3 day/4 nighter. We actually spent a lot of money on this, and wondered if we should have taken the chinese cruise instead, which basiclly meant spending the time with loads of chinese people, a chinese speaking guide and probably a lot of hastle. We wanted to spoil ourselves a little, and we had never been on a cruise of any sort before. Our [View Full Entry]

By Chinese New Year Dragon
November 25th 2007

Giving Thanks

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Our Happy Family
"Pretend you like each other!"

For the last few weeks, I have been anticipating the holiday season. I was getting a little nervous because I knew that the excitement and novelty of living in China would wear off right around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had fully expected to be hit with some full-blown homesickness. This is officially the longest that I have been away from home and I honestly thought that I would be feeling it more. Surprisingly, I am not really homesick at all. I miss family and friends like crazy and there are nights when I would give my left arm for a cheesy [View Full Entry]

By Katie 923
November 22nd 2007

Thanksgiving

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Food

Thanksgiving was beginning to look pretty grim for us Americans living in a country where people have never even seen a turkey before let alone stuffing. We were going to make the best with what we had, until we were invited by our American friend who works at the Shang ri La to a western buffet. The seven of us and the two Seamens took the trip across the river to this really nice hotel. We were the first group there, I like to Christen buffets, and we just walked aroud in awe of the spread. The best was the cheese. [View Full Entry]

By Katie 923
November 21st 2007

November is 70 degrees?

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Banquet
The group

We have been so lucky to have had the most beautiful fall weather last week. It is amazing to walk outside and feel as though it is September at home when in reality it is the day before thanksgiving. This week we spent time with our friends Jo and Maggie. Maggie wanted to cook some traditional dishes for us and sarah makes a mean scrambler so we decided to have a "banquet" as Jo called it, at my house. Maggie made excellent fish and peppers. She also made egg and tomato, which is very popular, and cucumber, pepper and chicken. It [View Full Entry]

By Katie 923
November 18th 2007

My Ideas

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Some of Us

I haven't been doing anything of any grand importance but I have had a lot of time wandering our beautiful campus and observing people. One of the greatest parts about teaching early in the morning is that on my way to the English building I pass the park. The park has many trees and benches and a large concrete area where many people gather. Around 7 am there are about 5 different groups of people gathered to practice Dai Qi (tai chi), the art of movement of energy. Many also dance with fans or tambourines or scarves or flags. The groups [View Full Entry]

By Chinese New Year Dragon
November 18th 2007

Welcome To Wuhan!

Asia » China » Hubei » Wuhan

Leaves!
I had been lamenting the lack of colored leaves and we found these beautiful red ones right outside of the gate of our apartments.

As a part of our mini-vacation due to the sports meet on campus at the end of October, we decided to be tourists in Wuhan. We wanted to see all of the “tourist” sights that we had previously ignored as we tried to get used to the city as “locals”. We had a very ambitious list of hot spots including museums, the Yellow Crane Tower, East Lake and Mulan Mountain. The middle of the week was filled with birthday and Halloween celebrations which were followed by a few days of recovery. Our grand plans dwindled into an attempt to go to [View Full Entry]

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