Page 3 of Where Did the Real Go Travel Blog Posts


Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou January 5th 2015

Upon coming to China, the idea of living in a Communist country had a mysterious ring to it. I had this impression of a world structured by order and rigid obedience, where I would step off the airplane into 1984, forced to censor my thoughts and feelings, terrified that I was being spied on by everyone around me. While there are indeed some semblances of those ideas, it is much more subtle than what I had expected. Today’s China has evolved from the typical Communist ideologies that shaped the world during the Cold War, to a point where – I would argue – China is much less Communist than it is Capitalist. While the Communist Party still dictates China and there is a definite reluctance to challenge the status quo, ... read more
Marx
School of Marxism

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou December 28th 2014

Dear Erin, I'm so inspired by the story of you and Sean!!! How great it is to find someone you love, and love you, to make the commitment of spending the rest of your lives together, to sell everything, to be together, off on an adventure. This is definitely the dream!!! Your student, Lily I close the email and sit in front of my computer musing. Lily’s synopsis of our adventure is a perfect reflection of those simple values Sean and I committed to when we married almost a year ago. Love each other. Be together. Have an adventure. Although I have traveled extensively on my own, having Sean with me has lent a depth that I would not have realized on my own. Our conversation continues from one day to the next as we comment ... read more
Hot Pink Velour Pants
Monsieur Pants
Sean at our Friday Night Hot Pot

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou December 18th 2014

Recently, Erin and I were invited to read poetry at a well publicized event to promote Chinese literary culture. The event featured Yang Lian, a prominent Chinese poet who was exiled for his criticisms against the Chinese government in the 1980s and the famous German literary scholar Wolfgang Kubin, who gained notoriety in China as a result of his controversial perspectives on Chinese culture. We were in good company! Visiting authors from foreign countries is a rarity in China and something carefully censored, so for a weekend, we were treated like royalty and our every need was meticulously catered to. On the day of the event, Erin and I were ushered to our seats front and centre, patiently waiting to read the words of the poets who sat beside us. First on the agenda, Yang Lian ... read more
Erin's poetry reading
Wolfgang Kubin - Famous literary scholar
Poetry with Sean

Asia » China » Guangdong December 13th 2014

“You know how our teachers teach us classical western literature?’ Sophy waved her arm in the arm as her voice rang out across the restaurant. We were having breakfast with her after attending a poetry convention the previous evening. We had been paid very well to show up and read a bit of poetry to a Chinese audience. “Well, I guess it depends on what you consider classical literature.” I answered slowly, catching Sean’s eye. Just because Sophy was part of the most elite poetry clan in China and an expert translator for some of the most preeminent authors in the country did not mean that she knew good western classical literature. “Like Whitman, you know, Whitman?” She flung her hair back, smiled at me while stuffing a piece of dragon fruit into her mouth. “You ... read more
This has nothing to do with learning good...
The New Taxi of Guangzhou
Hangzhou Trip

Asia » Hong Kong » Kowloon December 6th 2014

Stepping off the train, Erin and I strained our necks as we looked up, up at the jungle that stretched its branches high into the hazy gray sky. We were immersed in smells and sounds, crowded by a beautiful yet dangerous world that could devour us in a heartbeat. The train rolled off behind us and we found ourselves isolated, but far from alone. Strange sounds encircled us and we looked in all directions, not sure which way to move; each way looked the same and extended as far as the eye could see... read more
Hong Kong:  Concrete Jungle
A sea of neon lights
Heyyyy good lookin'...

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou November 23rd 2014

Teacher, Leave us Kids Alone Upon arriving in China, I was surrounded by so many new sights, smells and sounds, but as the days turned into weeks, I knew something was not quite right… Alas, I realized as I reflected on the thoughts of Wilde, “I am not young enough to know everything”. What was I to do? Aging is such a flaw to growing old, but despite this, I did not want that to hinder the fact that I am still not old enough to know nothing! So with that ambitious thought in mind, I decided I must enroll in a course and learn Chinese! So that is what I did. I found a course offered by the university and enrolled in basic Chinese classes, and as I entered class on the first day, I ... read more
My classmates... kidding!
Time for recess!
Hot wheels!

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou November 9th 2014

As we prepare for our four day mediation course in the jungles of Northern Thailand, I have started reflecting on some Buddhist philosophies on life and meditation. From what I can tell, a monk’s life is anything but easy, and it doesn’t seem like they have much fun. Most of their days are spent living a very simple existence as they aim to clear the mind through meditation and accept that life is little more that a constant state of suffering. The monk who wrote the book I am reading, however, states that although every day is not a party, there is much to be grateful for. Buddhists believe in the idea of samsara and reincarnation; they believe that the first thing everyone should be grateful for is the fact that they are born human. In ... read more
A Chinese man with his sea turtle

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou October 30th 2014

Did the real ever exist? As Erin and I sat discussing life – as we often do – I stopped and asked her, “Did the real ever exist?” Now that I am settled in China, it seems as if the search for the real is about as metaphorically difficult as finding the last unicorn (‘The Last Unicorn’ is one of Erin’s favourite movies). What does seem evident, however, is that the errors of humanity defy culture, race, belief and ideologies; in short, humankind is very much the same no matter where you are. In one of my past posts I suggested the simplicity of the people here, and while that perception is genuine, I realize that it only appears simple relative to the life I knew in Canada. The lives of the Chinese is in fact ... read more
Sitting in the park
Street vendor
Riding a bike

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou October 20th 2014

One of my all time favorite Shakespeare moments has to be from Hamlet. In it, Polonius gives some last minute advice to his son Laertes before he heads off for an adventure in Paris. He is a little long winded about it but ultimately he advises his son, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” While this quote has been so overused that it is almost cliché, it is still great advice, so much so, that I have spent a lot of time thinking about how applicable that particular quote is, not only to my overall life, but also to my feet. As my parents will tell you, I was born with bad feet. Actually, to be more precise—I was born crippled and I was exceedingly lucky to be born in Canada where they ... read more
traditional footwear does this to your feet
walking the Chinese rock path

Asia » China » Guangdong » Guangzhou October 12th 2014

Wake Up… I woke up today with the lyrics of a friend’s song playing in the back of my mind – “Wake up, let me tell you the story of the things that I’ve done…” – and realized how quickly the days and weeks are passing. It has already been ten weeks since we left our home, though it feels like it was just days ago that we were organizing the details that would send us toward our next journey… well, here we are! Despite the many new and exciting experiences in China, I have felt comfortable since day one. But what makes each day so powerful, is having my other half Erin with me to enjoy the adventure with. Each day I wake up more and more grateful to be next to Erin, the one ... read more
Picnic Party
Forest Adventure
Desert Adventure




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