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Published: April 19th 2015
It is early in the morning and the sun is already radiating its hot heat through my body. It is another beautiful day on campus and I am on route to meet some old friends in the garden that occupies the center of the university. As I turn the corner and make my way down a pebbled path, I take a seat at my usual bench shaded by a cluster of tall trees.
I look around and see my old friends surrounding me. To my right is the huge stone bust of Marx and next to him, the imposing statue of Lao Tzu. Not far away is Confucius, still deep in thought, and my very dear friend Shakespeare is to my left. Just beyond Shakespeare is Beethoven and in front of me the grand thinker Da Vinci. Einstein tends to stay more to himself, though he too joins us in the park this fine morning. With everyone present, we contemplate in silence.
Erin and I have been in China for eight months and with just fourteen weeks before the end of our tour, I have begun to reflect on the things I am most looking forward to returning to.
It is the little things that we take for granted that I miss the most!
Here is my top 5 list of things I am looking forward to in North America (in no particular order):
Conversation – You would think that with two billion people I would have no problem finding someone to talk with, right? Nope! English is an extremely foreign tongue among the Chinese, and while I have taken weekly Chinese classes, not speaking fluently makes it nearly impossible to independently navigate the streets of China.
I am one of those people who enjoy the simple conversations with cashiers at the grocery store, or the friendly words exchanged when ordering a tea through the take-out window. I miss the banter at the local pub and the passing comment that a stranger makes about the weather. We take for granted the importance of conversation and the smile that a simple hello and thank you can bring!
The Internet – Don’t get me started on this one! While I do not spend my time engaged in social media, I do rely on the computer to conduct business and communicate with
customers, family and friends. So what’s the problem?
For those who are not aware, the Internet – as is all the media in China – is heavily censored by the government. What this means is that ‘Googling’ something is not so simple… actually it is impossible. Google – like Youtube, Facebook and most other common sites – are blocked.
Knowing this beforehand, we bought software in Canada that disguises the location of our computers thereby allowing us to access sites outside of China, but be prepared to wait! All online data goes through an extensive series of filters which means that even checking email results in lengthy delays. Who said modern technology is convenient?
Wine – My heart will forever stay strong, thanks in part to my love of wine… As for those hurting mornings with friends, well, that’s another story. But worry not, that is a problem of the past, for despite my best efforts, I have given up my search for wine in China. Don’t get me wrong, if you are willing to settle for something that tastes like fermented piss in a bottle, or are willing to pay upwards of $100
Canton Tower
Taller than the CN Tower, you can rarely see the top half of this tower through the pollution even while standing at its base.for a barely drinkable bottle of something that rotted during the Cultural Revolution, then you can find “wine”. In the meantime, I will stick to the cheap local beer!
Environment – The environment has been a big one for both Erin and I. Coming from Canada, we take for granted the fact that you can see the sky… yes, I mean it. There are few clouds in China for the sky is an endless haze, and the tops of buildings are covered in a thick pollution that covers the horizon. We forget that it is a gift to dive into a clear, cool lake, drink the water from a stream, or walk the streets of Canada’s biggest cities and never see a piece of trash on the ground. China sees the land as very separate from its people, something to be used and abused with no regard for its future. I certainly hope that we in Canada never create a divide between man and nature.
Food – I have to admit, as long as you are okay with a diet of rice and noodles, vegetables and fish, the food is pretty great
in China. Nonetheless, there are few things that can replace a half-pound Canadian beef burger or a one inch thick T-bone steak! It has been eight months since I have had a real burger or anything resembling steak, and oddly enough, I miss standing in sub-zero weather over the BBQ enjoying the sizzling sound of beef and fragrant aroma of food cooking over an open flame. Perhaps I will wander down the market for a pound or two of fresh ground dog, or a helping of the Cream-of-Sum-Yung-Guy, a delicacy in Bangkok that made its way to mainland China not so long ago!
Breaking from my thoughts I look over to Einstein hoping he can offer me some solitude in what Erin suggests is my quiet desire for home. He suggests that if I “Look deep into nature, I will understand everything better”. What the hell does that mean anyway? That doesn’t help me at all! Thanks a lot Einstein… what does he know anyway?
What about you Shakespeare? Are you also feeling a little lost so far from home? A bird has recently shit on his shoulder and I imagine he is not impressed. As I walk over to clean his shirt, he reminds me that “this above all; to thine own self be true”. Hmm, yes, I suppose this is true.
While I am enjoying my experience more than I can express, I suppose I will always cherish those things that are so much a part of me, my culture and the elements of myself that I know so well. In the meantime, I am cherishing the final weeks of this adventure knowing that in no time I will be able to sit outside with friends, surrounded by good food, fine wine and conversation, all the while streaming our favourite tunes from the Internet!
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Cheri
non-member comment
14 weeks
I have so enjoyed reading both of your blog posts I too am looking forward to your return. I am looking forward to actually being able to see and talk to you both. Enjoy the last weeks of your adventure and see you soon!