In China, they say a generation gap occurs every 4 years. When I first heard this, I found it preposterous. I have always been friends with people 4 years my senior or 4 years my junior (more my senior than junior, but you get the idea), and even with people who have a whole decade between us, I still get along just fine with them.
However, I think it finally began to dawn on me why age groups are so clique-like in Asian countries. On Friday, I met a girl, who was merely 2 years my younger, the same as my sister's age, and yet, I felt like we were YEARS apart, as in generations apart. I guess what they say about 90后 and 80后 is true, they have a difficult time associating with one another. It wasn't that I didn't like her, nor that we didn't get along, it was that I had a hard time relating to her, or at least tolerating some of her actions.
Indeed, this probably has to do with her upbringing to a certain degree, as she was very independent and handled things her way, but I think what stood out was the level of maturity. For my sister and I, we are the bestest of best friends, and I don't see a generation gap other than the fact that I have merely experienced some things in life earlier than she did. However, this is probably because my sister is also very mature for her age, but when comparing the two, they were worlds apart. I can see now why people who are merely a year or two apart may have some difficulty getting along in Asia.
I think whenever people meet me in China, they are always surprised to find out my real age. They are shocked that I am so young. When they associate with me, most often, they cannot tell that I am perhaps 3-4 years their junior (that is if I don't act goofy or silly). They always assume that I am one of them as I have no trouble talking with them or understanding/sympathizing with many of the things they go through. This is definitely a cultural difference that has been rather startling of a revelation for me. I always thought it ridiculous to say that 4 years is a generation gap (I commonly think of it as 10), but when people in China have such giant gaps in maturity level, I can see why this saying has come about in such a gigantic population. There really isn't a need to associate with people your senior or junior, because there are plenty of people within your class to be friends with who are at the same level and on par with you. It is definitely an interesting dilemma, one of which I am not too sure I am fond of.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Kamla's Birthday + 元宵节
Good things come in small packages, or so I am told. In today's case, good things can come in a short amount of time, so I truly enjoyed the reprieve from work, though I must say that I am completely exhausted.
The previous night, we had a lot of fun at the 南京大牌档, which was loads of fun. Since it's 元宵节 today, it is the 15th day of Chinese New Year's, and it marks the "end" of the lunar new year celebrations. As a result, yesterday, there was a bunch of cultural art stands, that sold their artwork at reasonable prices (10 rmb a piece). I think this is one of my favorite aspects of China, is the little stands that contain so much culture. It's fun for me just to browse, and the street foods are always amazing. They had this lovely sugar candy that is heated up into a syrup, which they can "draw" into lovely designs/zodiac animals. I got a butterfly, and watched in amazement as the artisan poured the syrup into a skilled design, which cooled almost instantly. He slapped a stick on it, and I happily frolicked around, nibbling at the thing looking like I was 4 again with a giant lollipop in my hands. It was priceless. I was browsing at their artwork, and found one of the art styles that I've seen before back in Guilin when I was traveling 2 summers ago. It is where they have a glass vase, but paint on the inside of it instead of the outside, a reverse art that takes years of training to master the skill. I found trinkets that were much too large and impractical, but then noticed the tiny little cellphone devices they had for sale. I decided to pick the 兰花, which stands for purity in the midst of "dirtiness." Since practically speaking, I hate things that jingle on my phone, I ended up purchasing one for my sister and wrote her Chinese name on the inside (a free feature). Luckily, she was willing to write it in traditional Chinese, and I found this a much more meaningful gift than any of the other things I saw on the entire street.
Today though, after some morning errands, Kamla and I had a nice lunch at a Korean restaurant, where the sam kye tang was unfortunately not as good as Korea's (and had a lot of 鸡精 in it... MSG), but it was still good to share a nice meal outside. We traveled home on our bikes, and I chatted with my parents on Skype for a bit. It was nice to catch up and I showed them the grand chop I made as I shortened my hair by probably 6 inches. I think it's a good, fresh start for my hair to start growing back again. My hair is currently undamaged and back to its original state. I am personally relieved. This evening, we celebrated Kamla's birthday with her 50 公 and her 阿姨, and since her uncle typically cooks everything, we thought it'd be nice to show them some of our personal skills for once. I made 3 dishes, but the chicken wings didn't come out as nicely as I would've liked, nor did the mushrooms as they began to get too soggy. Argh! Darn my lack of skills, but it was good. We had cake, and far too much food (more leftovers in the fridge to last us a week or two again... *sigh* hate that). But yes, at least we celebrated in style. After our food bit, we went downstairs and lit up another bout of fireworks in celebration. Since today is 元宵节, it marks the final day that we can let off fireworks (legally), and so we let off a good number into the night sky. Currently it sounds like a war zone, as people all let off the rest of all the fireworks they can, so it's just resonating this booming sound incessantly. Oh well, it'll be nice to finally get a good night's rest of peace and quiet after this is over.
The previous night, we had a lot of fun at the 南京大牌档, which was loads of fun. Since it's 元宵节 today, it is the 15th day of Chinese New Year's, and it marks the "end" of the lunar new year celebrations. As a result, yesterday, there was a bunch of cultural art stands, that sold their artwork at reasonable prices (10 rmb a piece). I think this is one of my favorite aspects of China, is the little stands that contain so much culture. It's fun for me just to browse, and the street foods are always amazing. They had this lovely sugar candy that is heated up into a syrup, which they can "draw" into lovely designs/zodiac animals. I got a butterfly, and watched in amazement as the artisan poured the syrup into a skilled design, which cooled almost instantly. He slapped a stick on it, and I happily frolicked around, nibbling at the thing looking like I was 4 again with a giant lollipop in my hands. It was priceless. I was browsing at their artwork, and found one of the art styles that I've seen before back in Guilin when I was traveling 2 summers ago. It is where they have a glass vase, but paint on the inside of it instead of the outside, a reverse art that takes years of training to master the skill. I found trinkets that were much too large and impractical, but then noticed the tiny little cellphone devices they had for sale. I decided to pick the 兰花, which stands for purity in the midst of "dirtiness." Since practically speaking, I hate things that jingle on my phone, I ended up purchasing one for my sister and wrote her Chinese name on the inside (a free feature). Luckily, she was willing to write it in traditional Chinese, and I found this a much more meaningful gift than any of the other things I saw on the entire street.
Today though, after some morning errands, Kamla and I had a nice lunch at a Korean restaurant, where the sam kye tang was unfortunately not as good as Korea's (and had a lot of 鸡精 in it... MSG), but it was still good to share a nice meal outside. We traveled home on our bikes, and I chatted with my parents on Skype for a bit. It was nice to catch up and I showed them the grand chop I made as I shortened my hair by probably 6 inches. I think it's a good, fresh start for my hair to start growing back again. My hair is currently undamaged and back to its original state. I am personally relieved. This evening, we celebrated Kamla's birthday with her 50 公 and her 阿姨, and since her uncle typically cooks everything, we thought it'd be nice to show them some of our personal skills for once. I made 3 dishes, but the chicken wings didn't come out as nicely as I would've liked, nor did the mushrooms as they began to get too soggy. Argh! Darn my lack of skills, but it was good. We had cake, and far too much food (more leftovers in the fridge to last us a week or two again... *sigh* hate that). But yes, at least we celebrated in style. After our food bit, we went downstairs and lit up another bout of fireworks in celebration. Since today is 元宵节, it marks the final day that we can let off fireworks (legally), and so we let off a good number into the night sky. Currently it sounds like a war zone, as people all let off the rest of all the fireworks they can, so it's just resonating this booming sound incessantly. Oh well, it'll be nice to finally get a good night's rest of peace and quiet after this is over.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Internship Day 3 - Mastering Dreamweaver/Improvements
After much effort in finally acquiring Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 in China, I set to making a website for the law firm I am currently interning at. Yesterday, without much avail, I was messing around with the program the entire day, and grew rather frustrated with my lack of progress (even though all I was doing was creating mock ups of bits and pieces of what I could be doing for the official website). However, last night, I downloaded a few free templates provided by the oh-so-kind Adobe, and got to messing around with its components.
Today, I literally hacked up the website template, and made it to my liking. Although there were things that I couldn't do as shown in the tutorial, I made it work in the end. Right now, I have a fully functional (on my desktop), bilingual website. All it is missing is text and photos, of which I hope to work on tomorrow. Here's hoping my photoshop and photo-taking skills will come of use. I have to say I am fairly satisfied with the product, after hours of boring over it, though I hope it is to "professional par." I'll let my coworkers be the judge of that tomorrow. I am very nervous about this website ordeal. A part of me realizes that I am simply being 自作多情, no one asked me to create a website. But after much research, I finally found the haphazardly put-together website, whose domain made me ignore it in the first place, suspicious that it wasn't he real website. The website itself is 2 years out of date, and none of the data is actually there (much of it lost probably to the host server not caring anymore). I know it seems like such a "high" standard, but for a law firm that has earned the title of "Distinguished Law Firm" for consecutive years in Nanjing, I honestly feel they deserve a better website. Maybe my boss will like the idea if I present it to him as free! I am trying my best to utilize what resources I can, but it is killing me. I feel so useless at the law firm, though today, I must say that there has been considerable improvement.
Of all the lawyers present, I of course feel closest to the 24-year old 祁姐姐, who is simply the easiest to talk to. I discovered though that while she has already passed her examinations, since she has not be in the practice for a full year yet, she (by law I think) cannot go to court by independently, and must be accompanied by an experienced lawyer (like a 2-person representation). She informed me that she right now is considered an "intern" as well, and has little to nothing to do most of the time. She gains her experience by attending court with the other attorneys. I suppose this is how they teach in China. I never would have expected this as the intern's "job," but it is more a matter of learning from the environment than it is actually doing something. In this way, I suppose I'm not being placed in an American's definition of what an intern is like, but am truly being integrated directly into the "intern culture" in China. I am sure I will learn a lot this way.
It is somewhat sad how excited I get at the slightest opportunity to do something at the law firm, but I guess it is a matter of perspective. I suppose now I appreciate all the little things, instead of taking them for granted. For example, I may possibly get my first minor assignment tomorrow to translate a short document into English for a coworker. My boss, Head Attorney Yu, asked for my assistance with a client, and my coworker was kind enough to give me the heads up for what that meant (get the hot water and a cup for the client: he wants tea). After serving him a hot cup of tea in a paper cup, I went back to my seat, my "assignments" literally done for the day. Fortunately, Head Attorney Yu was kind enough to ask one of my co-workers to show me the case he is currently working on. It was actually one of the most enlightening parts of my day.
From my understanding of the documents, the case began as a suit of one individual who was displeased with an organization's implementation of eminent domain. Basically, they were going to tear down the area, and all the tenants had to vacate for a small compensation of 40,000+ RMB. However, this tenant refused to sign the contract for compensation. What got interesting though is that this case grew into a class action, as 18 other households likewise refused to sign the contracts/agreements for compensation, though now it is down to 11 as I believe 7 of those homes are now torn down. I was curious how difficult it would be to defend this case, considering that it was a completely legal action on the organization's part, and I asked my coworker if it was difficult. He said no. To my surprise, he revealed that the case is rather straightforward in that all he has to do is look to the Law and codes to find ways of defending his client's standpoint. It is therefore simple and fairly easy to win. I was surprised. For the first time, I finally got to see Law playing a much larger role in the court system. This case literally hinged on the wording of the written Law itself, the minor clauses, and the codes of conduct in cases such as these.
I found it interesting though how this system went. It was really like a series of e-mails being debated back and forth. The representative lawyer would send a letter to the opposite's firm, listing what their claims were and what they needed to prepare within the allotted time frame of XX days. The opposite firm would then reply in suit and then state their response/defense, and then supply their alternatives and time frames. It would go back and forth, much like a debate on paper, that is, until they get into court. I think much of it is figured out outside the court hall itself, so everything is basically settled by the time they head into court. It is ultimately up to the judge on who wins on the matter (as my coworker had so kindly explained). I think I learned a lot more today, simply from this single case alone, and I would love reading some more cases along those lines. It feels like they have to handle everything, from assault disputes to the most common, spousal disputes and financial compensation. Half the time, it sounds like they're conducting a marriage consultation on the phone with these troubled marriages, but alas, it is definitely not easy being a lawyer in China. They definitely have a difficult job, considering they are so few and far between.
Today, I literally hacked up the website template, and made it to my liking. Although there were things that I couldn't do as shown in the tutorial, I made it work in the end. Right now, I have a fully functional (on my desktop), bilingual website. All it is missing is text and photos, of which I hope to work on tomorrow. Here's hoping my photoshop and photo-taking skills will come of use. I have to say I am fairly satisfied with the product, after hours of boring over it, though I hope it is to "professional par." I'll let my coworkers be the judge of that tomorrow. I am very nervous about this website ordeal. A part of me realizes that I am simply being 自作多情, no one asked me to create a website. But after much research, I finally found the haphazardly put-together website, whose domain made me ignore it in the first place, suspicious that it wasn't he real website. The website itself is 2 years out of date, and none of the data is actually there (much of it lost probably to the host server not caring anymore). I know it seems like such a "high" standard, but for a law firm that has earned the title of "Distinguished Law Firm" for consecutive years in Nanjing, I honestly feel they deserve a better website. Maybe my boss will like the idea if I present it to him as free! I am trying my best to utilize what resources I can, but it is killing me. I feel so useless at the law firm, though today, I must say that there has been considerable improvement.
Of all the lawyers present, I of course feel closest to the 24-year old 祁姐姐, who is simply the easiest to talk to. I discovered though that while she has already passed her examinations, since she has not be in the practice for a full year yet, she (by law I think) cannot go to court by independently, and must be accompanied by an experienced lawyer (like a 2-person representation). She informed me that she right now is considered an "intern" as well, and has little to nothing to do most of the time. She gains her experience by attending court with the other attorneys. I suppose this is how they teach in China. I never would have expected this as the intern's "job," but it is more a matter of learning from the environment than it is actually doing something. In this way, I suppose I'm not being placed in an American's definition of what an intern is like, but am truly being integrated directly into the "intern culture" in China. I am sure I will learn a lot this way.
It is somewhat sad how excited I get at the slightest opportunity to do something at the law firm, but I guess it is a matter of perspective. I suppose now I appreciate all the little things, instead of taking them for granted. For example, I may possibly get my first minor assignment tomorrow to translate a short document into English for a coworker. My boss, Head Attorney Yu, asked for my assistance with a client, and my coworker was kind enough to give me the heads up for what that meant (get the hot water and a cup for the client: he wants tea). After serving him a hot cup of tea in a paper cup, I went back to my seat, my "assignments" literally done for the day. Fortunately, Head Attorney Yu was kind enough to ask one of my co-workers to show me the case he is currently working on. It was actually one of the most enlightening parts of my day.
From my understanding of the documents, the case began as a suit of one individual who was displeased with an organization's implementation of eminent domain. Basically, they were going to tear down the area, and all the tenants had to vacate for a small compensation of 40,000+ RMB. However, this tenant refused to sign the contract for compensation. What got interesting though is that this case grew into a class action, as 18 other households likewise refused to sign the contracts/agreements for compensation, though now it is down to 11 as I believe 7 of those homes are now torn down. I was curious how difficult it would be to defend this case, considering that it was a completely legal action on the organization's part, and I asked my coworker if it was difficult. He said no. To my surprise, he revealed that the case is rather straightforward in that all he has to do is look to the Law and codes to find ways of defending his client's standpoint. It is therefore simple and fairly easy to win. I was surprised. For the first time, I finally got to see Law playing a much larger role in the court system. This case literally hinged on the wording of the written Law itself, the minor clauses, and the codes of conduct in cases such as these.
I found it interesting though how this system went. It was really like a series of e-mails being debated back and forth. The representative lawyer would send a letter to the opposite's firm, listing what their claims were and what they needed to prepare within the allotted time frame of XX days. The opposite firm would then reply in suit and then state their response/defense, and then supply their alternatives and time frames. It would go back and forth, much like a debate on paper, that is, until they get into court. I think much of it is figured out outside the court hall itself, so everything is basically settled by the time they head into court. It is ultimately up to the judge on who wins on the matter (as my coworker had so kindly explained). I think I learned a lot more today, simply from this single case alone, and I would love reading some more cases along those lines. It feels like they have to handle everything, from assault disputes to the most common, spousal disputes and financial compensation. Half the time, it sounds like they're conducting a marriage consultation on the phone with these troubled marriages, but alas, it is definitely not easy being a lawyer in China. They definitely have a difficult job, considering they are so few and far between.
Internship Day 2
The greatest challenge of working in an internship is not necessarily the task you are asked to perform, but rather, finding your place in context of the Chinese work place. Much of the “roles” have already been pre-established, and it feels like you’ve just walked into a new school, where everyone has already formed their own cliques, and you are just trying to find your place in that surrounding.
For me, as I currently do not have any assignments, I stare wistfully at the thermos full of hot water. I am tempted to take it around and fill everyone’s cups, but I feel like I would be messing with an office tradition. It is like meeting at the water cooler to talk. For the lawyers here, it is an excuse to walk around during their down times, stretch their legs, and chat with the other lawyers in other offices. I feel that if I took that away from them, I would be ruining this whole established office dynamic.
The lawyers here though, do indeed have a great sense of teamwork, and I do not know if that is really how lawyers work in general, or if it is an influence of the Chinese culture. With anything they do not know, they ask their coworkers around them. If they find that something is too much, another lawyer who has little to do will contribute what they can and share the workload. It is really something of a marvel.
I know lawyers have to do a lot of case prep work in the States, namely searching for a bunch of precedents, but here, I feel like I see them working harder on figuring out the specifics of the case. For example, there is a bunch of medical jargon that they have to both research and understand. While they are not doctors themselves, in some ways I find that they must be “experts” in everything, or at least feign expertise. However, one noteworthy thing is that they seem to use Baidu for everything. I do not know if it is a matter of finding sources, or simply Baidu answers, but I remain suspicious of their sense of “reliable sources” even at the legalistic level.
I think in general, I will be required to be at the peak of my observational skills in order to learn something from this law firm. There is a lot to observe, but they are all subtle things.
At the moment, they all appeared fairly busy, but when I crossed their screens, I discovered, they were simply surfing or looking at things they were interested in. Half the time, I think they are checking the news, but I think they really multitask. Since this is their “low” time of year in terms of cases, there isn’t too much to do. But once things pile on, the pressure I am sure will be intense. Granted, today seems “busier” than yesterday, as yesterday, they were simply just chatting or playing games or being on QQ. It was fairly obvious. Today, the working environment is a little “colder,” but I can still feel a sense of the camaraderie that they share.
At the moment, I am personally trying to design a website. No one has asked this of me, but if I submit a few versions to choose from (at least templates), perhaps they will see that I am not entirely useless. I feel like I’m being babysit-ed to some degree, because they seem satisfied with the fact that I am merely keeping myself busy in a desk in a corner. They do not really care what I am doing, so long as I am not a bother. I guess this goes with the territory. I will make a second attempt to find tasks to do after lunch. Perhaps it will be easier to strike up a conversation then.
For me, as I currently do not have any assignments, I stare wistfully at the thermos full of hot water. I am tempted to take it around and fill everyone’s cups, but I feel like I would be messing with an office tradition. It is like meeting at the water cooler to talk. For the lawyers here, it is an excuse to walk around during their down times, stretch their legs, and chat with the other lawyers in other offices. I feel that if I took that away from them, I would be ruining this whole established office dynamic.
The lawyers here though, do indeed have a great sense of teamwork, and I do not know if that is really how lawyers work in general, or if it is an influence of the Chinese culture. With anything they do not know, they ask their coworkers around them. If they find that something is too much, another lawyer who has little to do will contribute what they can and share the workload. It is really something of a marvel.
I know lawyers have to do a lot of case prep work in the States, namely searching for a bunch of precedents, but here, I feel like I see them working harder on figuring out the specifics of the case. For example, there is a bunch of medical jargon that they have to both research and understand. While they are not doctors themselves, in some ways I find that they must be “experts” in everything, or at least feign expertise. However, one noteworthy thing is that they seem to use Baidu for everything. I do not know if it is a matter of finding sources, or simply Baidu answers, but I remain suspicious of their sense of “reliable sources” even at the legalistic level.
I think in general, I will be required to be at the peak of my observational skills in order to learn something from this law firm. There is a lot to observe, but they are all subtle things.
At the moment, they all appeared fairly busy, but when I crossed their screens, I discovered, they were simply surfing or looking at things they were interested in. Half the time, I think they are checking the news, but I think they really multitask. Since this is their “low” time of year in terms of cases, there isn’t too much to do. But once things pile on, the pressure I am sure will be intense. Granted, today seems “busier” than yesterday, as yesterday, they were simply just chatting or playing games or being on QQ. It was fairly obvious. Today, the working environment is a little “colder,” but I can still feel a sense of the camaraderie that they share.
At the moment, I am personally trying to design a website. No one has asked this of me, but if I submit a few versions to choose from (at least templates), perhaps they will see that I am not entirely useless. I feel like I’m being babysit-ed to some degree, because they seem satisfied with the fact that I am merely keeping myself busy in a desk in a corner. They do not really care what I am doing, so long as I am not a bother. I guess this goes with the territory. I will make a second attempt to find tasks to do after lunch. Perhaps it will be easier to strike up a conversation then.
Internship Day 1
It may seem like a hasty generalization, but on the whole, the average citizen in China is unfamiliar with the law. It is not so much an issue of the disparity of education, as it is really a matter of the role that Law plays in China itself. I do not know how reliable observations are towards research, but from phone calls and conversations, I believe that the average Chinese finds that going to court with a case is a troublesome idea. They want guaranteed success; they do not want to lose in court (as Attorney Yu had explained to me). I think when they do end up going to court with a case, it’s a matter of getting compensation (whether it is worker’s compensation or something like assault by a spouse). Many of the individuals do not know exactly what they should be doing in the proper proceedings, and in this case, lawyers are truly the experts. They know a bit of everything, and as a lawyer, they may handle specific cases more often, but they really dabble in a bit of every type of law.
On average, cases that go up to the highest courts are very limited. In the Jiansu Province alone, there is on average only 100 cases per year, which is actually really little. In general, as Attorney Yu had so kindly explained to me, people try to privately resolve these cases.
I think Attorney Yu made a really good observation as he explained to me how Law works in China. It is not that Law does not exist. No, Law definitely exists. It is something that functions as a matter of stability and consistency for the people. However, Law is very different regionally. It is geographically influenced, by culture and by the conditions of that province or even city’s individual environment. This is the best way to serve the very culturally-diverse China, and is a reason for which Law is in fact not very strictly followed.
As I eavesdrop on conversations on the phone/conversations in the lawyers’ offices, lawyers most definitely have their client’s best interests at heart. It is much more a matter of gently explaining to the average individual about how Law necessarily works, and what they must do in order to get the best benefit from the situation.
Today was my first day of internship, and while there is literally nothing for me to do, Attorney Yu has treated me really kindly, caring for me as he would a student. He stated that in general, there is nothing for interns to do in the first few months; that my primary responsibility is getting to know the turf/environment, and to get familiar with my fellow “coworkers” (I use that term loosely, as I am not really working). I feel like I need to do something, but I think this is partially how the system works in China. We learn by observation. Granted, this is literally the second day that they have restarted work again since the lunar New Year, so there isn’t much to do, but once things start up again, they will take me to court with them to observe how things run in China. I spent most of my time familiarizing myself with the lawyers here, and was chatting with Attorney Wang at one point, who was also very kind to explain a bit of how the Chinese legal system works. I think in general, there are a lot of unspoken rules or unspoken “facts” about their bureaucratic/legal system, and it is nice that they take the time to explain it to me. I feel that they have really taken me under their wing, and thankfully, the working environment here isn’t as tense as I would have suspected. It is fairly lighthearted, and not nearly as hierarchical as I would have thought. It’s not too strict, and people just chat with one another. I think I’ll have a lot of free time while I’m here, but this could be a good thing. Maybe I’ll eventually work up the courage to design a website for this firm while I’m here, that is, if they’ll let me. I should get planning/thinking.
Ah yes, before I entirely forget, I arrived 15 minutes early today, just to be a good intern and to leave a good impression. However, for the longest time Attorney Yu did not arrive (my boss). I was thinking, “Wow, bosses really are in charge, if they can arrive whenever they want,” but then he arrived at 9:15 in crutches, so that was the reason for his tardiness. The poor man was in a wheelchair apparently over the lunar New Year break, but he was very kind and made sure to take me around to meet everyone in spite of the condition of his legs.
On average, cases that go up to the highest courts are very limited. In the Jiansu Province alone, there is on average only 100 cases per year, which is actually really little. In general, as Attorney Yu had so kindly explained to me, people try to privately resolve these cases.
I think Attorney Yu made a really good observation as he explained to me how Law works in China. It is not that Law does not exist. No, Law definitely exists. It is something that functions as a matter of stability and consistency for the people. However, Law is very different regionally. It is geographically influenced, by culture and by the conditions of that province or even city’s individual environment. This is the best way to serve the very culturally-diverse China, and is a reason for which Law is in fact not very strictly followed.
As I eavesdrop on conversations on the phone/conversations in the lawyers’ offices, lawyers most definitely have their client’s best interests at heart. It is much more a matter of gently explaining to the average individual about how Law necessarily works, and what they must do in order to get the best benefit from the situation.
Today was my first day of internship, and while there is literally nothing for me to do, Attorney Yu has treated me really kindly, caring for me as he would a student. He stated that in general, there is nothing for interns to do in the first few months; that my primary responsibility is getting to know the turf/environment, and to get familiar with my fellow “coworkers” (I use that term loosely, as I am not really working). I feel like I need to do something, but I think this is partially how the system works in China. We learn by observation. Granted, this is literally the second day that they have restarted work again since the lunar New Year, so there isn’t much to do, but once things start up again, they will take me to court with them to observe how things run in China. I spent most of my time familiarizing myself with the lawyers here, and was chatting with Attorney Wang at one point, who was also very kind to explain a bit of how the Chinese legal system works. I think in general, there are a lot of unspoken rules or unspoken “facts” about their bureaucratic/legal system, and it is nice that they take the time to explain it to me. I feel that they have really taken me under their wing, and thankfully, the working environment here isn’t as tense as I would have suspected. It is fairly lighthearted, and not nearly as hierarchical as I would have thought. It’s not too strict, and people just chat with one another. I think I’ll have a lot of free time while I’m here, but this could be a good thing. Maybe I’ll eventually work up the courage to design a website for this firm while I’m here, that is, if they’ll let me. I should get planning/thinking.
Ah yes, before I entirely forget, I arrived 15 minutes early today, just to be a good intern and to leave a good impression. However, for the longest time Attorney Yu did not arrive (my boss). I was thinking, “Wow, bosses really are in charge, if they can arrive whenever they want,” but then he arrived at 9:15 in crutches, so that was the reason for his tardiness. The poor man was in a wheelchair apparently over the lunar New Year break, but he was very kind and made sure to take me around to meet everyone in spite of the condition of his legs.
Monday, February 22, 2010
The night before my internship...
Writing has been therapeutic, and at the moment, hopefully a way to calm my nerves. I am deadly serious when I say that I am extremely nervous about my internship. I honestly don't know what to expect. In my devotions lately, I've been discovering that I do not have enough faith, and I don't execute things out of faith. Most of the time it's like, okay, I think God is telling me to go here, but I end up covering my eyes and wince as I follow. It's not really faith I guess; there's too much doubt as I go through with the actions. My heart isn't entirely there.
As a result, I have come to the conclusion that the Lord has definitely been generous with me. I have done many things that should have reaped dire consequences, but the Lord is both a merciful and gentle God. I am punished, no doubt about it, but He lays a gentle hand on me. It could have been far worse.
So, as I sit by my computer, unable to watch the men's figure skating programs that my roommate purchased on iTunes, I just needed to unwind. I feel like my mind is spinning out of control sometimes with worry and doubt, but somehow in the end, I trust that the Lord will provide. I just don't know how, and that is what worries me sometimes, the unknown. I have trouble wading into vague waters.
But for the most part, today has been a rather productive day. Granted, I probably should have relaxed, and I count the "sleeping in" portion as the relaxation part, but all in all, it was a rather successful day. I managed to mail Lauren's package of stuff. Although at the start I encountered some trouble with the rice cooker, but thankfully China Postal is a system you can bypass with pitiful looks and sheer confusion. My only concern at the moment is that it may arrive as a shattered piece of cookware, but it is out of my hands now.
I walked back to my flat, and was struck with the idea that I should time how long it takes to get from our apartment complex to the bus stop (just in case). Well, this was definitely divine inspiration, and I am thankful that the Lord reminded me, because I walked to the bus stop, but then realized it was going in the opposite direction of where I needed to be. I recalled arriving there with Uncle Dan's cousin, but since we took a taxi to the law firm, I never actually made it there by bus before. As a result, I began a long search for the proper bus stop (luckily this was not tomorrow). I finally located it, and spontaneously decided to conduct an experiment. How long does it take for the bus to arrive? From the first Bus #67, I waited for the second and timed the waiting interval. It took about 5-6 minutes. However, I wanted to at least average the results, and waited for a second bus. I waited a full 20 minutes until finally the third bus arrived, of which I decided to board and make the full trip. As Google maps had indicated, it took about 10 minutes to arrive (on the dot), and about 13 minutes to get back. During my experiment, I observed that Bus #31 is the most frequent, of which sometimes 3 came together (twice), and often 2 would come simultaneously. It was rather odd, but I pray that tomorrow I can board the bus without any issues. It was packed at one of the lowest hours of the day! I am highly concerned, and will leave a full hour before I need to get there, just to be sure.
I walked back from the bus stop, and somewhat timed the trip (though the stop watch has frequently stopped itself, so I am not sure how long it will really take). I then picked up groceries from Times Groceries, tissues from Suguo Convenience Store, and a 50 Watt light bulb from a local "everything" shop (basically, any appliances you can think of to fix something in your house is there). I began doing my devotions, when Kamla came home, and we took our bikes to get fixed. Her bike got a flat tire yesterday, and to our amazement, the 叔叔 fixed her bike in no time, and only charged her 2 RMB. I myself on the other hand, had far more problems. My left hand break would not budge, the seat was rusted over, and my wheels needed some air. However, after much work (mind you, he was very careful about everything, testing the break until he was satisfied), he only charged me 10 RMB for everything. This is when I love China! The people are so practical and find ways to help you save. I guess this is a form of customer's service in China that is actually rather 普遍 popular.
We then rode our bikes (or in my case, rather shakily rode over as I have not touched a bike since the 8th grade) over to the dry cleaner's. The lady there is super nice, and has never yelled at us once for the dirty jackets we bring her. She is extremely helpful, and I'm sure she probably charges us a little more for being foreigners, but I figure it's worth it. I'll call it my tip since she's so nice. My thighs were aching though from riding the bike. I am pretty sure it's because I'm just that out of shape, but I think part of it was that the bike was also pretty small, so it made riding rather difficult (plus there was only 1 gear). Oh well, it's good exercise, so I'll start working out those nonexistent muscles of mine!
We came back and had dinner, and I ended up finishing my devotions of the day. All in all, I would say I was pretty productive today. I'm going to turn in a scholarship online (slim chance of me getting it, plus the amount is little but it's worth a shot), and work a bit on my LSATs before heading off to bed. *sigh* I'm trying...
As a result, I have come to the conclusion that the Lord has definitely been generous with me. I have done many things that should have reaped dire consequences, but the Lord is both a merciful and gentle God. I am punished, no doubt about it, but He lays a gentle hand on me. It could have been far worse.
So, as I sit by my computer, unable to watch the men's figure skating programs that my roommate purchased on iTunes, I just needed to unwind. I feel like my mind is spinning out of control sometimes with worry and doubt, but somehow in the end, I trust that the Lord will provide. I just don't know how, and that is what worries me sometimes, the unknown. I have trouble wading into vague waters.
But for the most part, today has been a rather productive day. Granted, I probably should have relaxed, and I count the "sleeping in" portion as the relaxation part, but all in all, it was a rather successful day. I managed to mail Lauren's package of stuff. Although at the start I encountered some trouble with the rice cooker, but thankfully China Postal is a system you can bypass with pitiful looks and sheer confusion. My only concern at the moment is that it may arrive as a shattered piece of cookware, but it is out of my hands now.
I walked back to my flat, and was struck with the idea that I should time how long it takes to get from our apartment complex to the bus stop (just in case). Well, this was definitely divine inspiration, and I am thankful that the Lord reminded me, because I walked to the bus stop, but then realized it was going in the opposite direction of where I needed to be. I recalled arriving there with Uncle Dan's cousin, but since we took a taxi to the law firm, I never actually made it there by bus before. As a result, I began a long search for the proper bus stop (luckily this was not tomorrow). I finally located it, and spontaneously decided to conduct an experiment. How long does it take for the bus to arrive? From the first Bus #67, I waited for the second and timed the waiting interval. It took about 5-6 minutes. However, I wanted to at least average the results, and waited for a second bus. I waited a full 20 minutes until finally the third bus arrived, of which I decided to board and make the full trip. As Google maps had indicated, it took about 10 minutes to arrive (on the dot), and about 13 minutes to get back. During my experiment, I observed that Bus #31 is the most frequent, of which sometimes 3 came together (twice), and often 2 would come simultaneously. It was rather odd, but I pray that tomorrow I can board the bus without any issues. It was packed at one of the lowest hours of the day! I am highly concerned, and will leave a full hour before I need to get there, just to be sure.
I walked back from the bus stop, and somewhat timed the trip (though the stop watch has frequently stopped itself, so I am not sure how long it will really take). I then picked up groceries from Times Groceries, tissues from Suguo Convenience Store, and a 50 Watt light bulb from a local "everything" shop (basically, any appliances you can think of to fix something in your house is there). I began doing my devotions, when Kamla came home, and we took our bikes to get fixed. Her bike got a flat tire yesterday, and to our amazement, the 叔叔 fixed her bike in no time, and only charged her 2 RMB. I myself on the other hand, had far more problems. My left hand break would not budge, the seat was rusted over, and my wheels needed some air. However, after much work (mind you, he was very careful about everything, testing the break until he was satisfied), he only charged me 10 RMB for everything. This is when I love China! The people are so practical and find ways to help you save. I guess this is a form of customer's service in China that is actually rather 普遍 popular.
We then rode our bikes (or in my case, rather shakily rode over as I have not touched a bike since the 8th grade) over to the dry cleaner's. The lady there is super nice, and has never yelled at us once for the dirty jackets we bring her. She is extremely helpful, and I'm sure she probably charges us a little more for being foreigners, but I figure it's worth it. I'll call it my tip since she's so nice. My thighs were aching though from riding the bike. I am pretty sure it's because I'm just that out of shape, but I think part of it was that the bike was also pretty small, so it made riding rather difficult (plus there was only 1 gear). Oh well, it's good exercise, so I'll start working out those nonexistent muscles of mine!
We came back and had dinner, and I ended up finishing my devotions of the day. All in all, I would say I was pretty productive today. I'm going to turn in a scholarship online (slim chance of me getting it, plus the amount is little but it's worth a shot), and work a bit on my LSATs before heading off to bed. *sigh* I'm trying...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Contemplating
Blogging lately has been rather therapeutic for me. It helps me unwind after a long day (or short day in my current case), but just now I was struck by this feeling of "What am I doing in China?" I'm however many thousands of miles away from home, in an unknown city in China, doing some internship that was set up by "sketch" means, and I guess there was just a moment of feeling lost. What am I doing here?
But as I had journal-ed last night during my devotions, I am clearly here for a reason. The Lord brought me here and has guided me every step of the way. I simply do not have enough faith to trust Him sometimes, and that is an issue. Following the compass seems easy sometimes compared to trusting it. To follow is almost mindless at times, but to trust the compass and not doubt where it's pointing is almost twice as difficult. Granted, following and going through with where the Lord leads you is also tough, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how immature my faith really is, and that I'm still in those primary stages of walking by faith.
I'm sure we all have those moments, moments where we doubt no matter how mature we are; it is simply a matter of how we handle that moment of doubt and where we go from there.
But as I had journal-ed last night during my devotions, I am clearly here for a reason. The Lord brought me here and has guided me every step of the way. I simply do not have enough faith to trust Him sometimes, and that is an issue. Following the compass seems easy sometimes compared to trusting it. To follow is almost mindless at times, but to trust the compass and not doubt where it's pointing is almost twice as difficult. Granted, following and going through with where the Lord leads you is also tough, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how immature my faith really is, and that I'm still in those primary stages of walking by faith.
I'm sure we all have those moments, moments where we doubt no matter how mature we are; it is simply a matter of how we handle that moment of doubt and where we go from there.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Hebrews 12:29
Hebrews 12:29 "for our God is a consuming fire."
As I read through this passage last night during my devotions, this particular verse stood out to me from the rest: God is a consuming fire. What does it really mean for the Lord to be a "consuming" fire?
As a consuming fire, these set of flames completely envelop the object that it is burning. The flames completely takes over the object being burned and in some ways can be interpreted as destroyed.
If the nature of the Lord is a "consuming fire," as followers of Christ, we must allow the Lord to consume our lives. He must destroy our sense of "self," the ego in us, and our selfishness. Since we are a part of the Body, we are no longer separate as individual selves. Therefore, since we are of the Lord, we must allow Him to take over us completely; we must relinquish control of our lives. For once we are consumed by the Holy fires, are we reborn anew, refined in the fires of redemption. This is the beauteous process of a God that works in our lives to make us perfect. He is not distant, but personal. He is not just there, but he is actively present. It is this God that I have chosen to accept as my personal savior, the key word being personal. For only He alone has the ability to save me from my sins and grant me the way towards perfecting myself to be more like Him.
As I read through this passage last night during my devotions, this particular verse stood out to me from the rest: God is a consuming fire. What does it really mean for the Lord to be a "consuming" fire?
As a consuming fire, these set of flames completely envelop the object that it is burning. The flames completely takes over the object being burned and in some ways can be interpreted as destroyed.
If the nature of the Lord is a "consuming fire," as followers of Christ, we must allow the Lord to consume our lives. He must destroy our sense of "self," the ego in us, and our selfishness. Since we are a part of the Body, we are no longer separate as individual selves. Therefore, since we are of the Lord, we must allow Him to take over us completely; we must relinquish control of our lives. For once we are consumed by the Holy fires, are we reborn anew, refined in the fires of redemption. This is the beauteous process of a God that works in our lives to make us perfect. He is not distant, but personal. He is not just there, but he is actively present. It is this God that I have chosen to accept as my personal savior, the key word being personal. For only He alone has the ability to save me from my sins and grant me the way towards perfecting myself to be more like Him.
Indulging in Luxury
I spent the better part of today simply indulging in a bit of luxury. Having failed to wake up at 7 in the morning, in spite of Kamla's kind wake up call, we decided to make a trip to Ikea, after failing to find men's figure skating on CCTV5. We took the subway over to 中华门, and then caught a cab after a confusing set of instructions to the bus stop. I'm pretty sure we were completely ripped off, but I figured there was no point in arguing with the cab driver. It's hard enough finding a cab driver who is willing to go out as far as Ikea, so I just agreed to the flat fee of 20 RMB. It was just under $3, so I figure, it was worth the expense, just relaxing.
As we rushed to the downstairs section of Ikea for the hot dogs, I was struck by how un-American their hot dogs were. It was rather disappointing, all things considered, but it was cheap and good enough to satisfy my hungry stomach. I ate 2 hot dogs and had 1 ice cream cone, all of which came to a grand total of 7 RMB. Haha, I definitely enjoyed it.
There were far too many people in Ikea though. As children crawled between my legs and adults shoved past without so much as an excuse me, the far too intimate surroundings was taxing on both of us mentally. While we were fairly well rested today, we were completely exhausted by the surroundings. I recall mentioning before that it was creepy to be on the streets without any people around, but now that the city has begun to recover its original 面貌, I feel safer, but do not like being in enclosed spaces with the same number of people. I suppose it's a double standard. We purchased a bunch of what I suppose could be classified as "luxury" items, nothing we particularly "needed" but kind of just wanted to just indulge in.
After years of pining looks, I finally bought scented tea light candles. It was heavenly, and the apple-scent has just floated throughout our entire flat. It makes for such a relaxing environment after all our thorough cleaning of the place.
We bought the much dreaded scale, and I am afraid to say my weight is not as low as I would have liked it to be. We also bought a set of containers for our salt and sugar. It was something I avoided buying for the longest time, but recently the humidity has made it unbearable to salt or sugar anything, so it was worth the purchase (plus it was such a steal). We also bought a set of Tupperware for only 19.9 RMB, which was something I wish I had done 5 months ago, as it was an enormous set of top quality. My set of 3 cost about the same, when this set gave something like 6. I also bought a DVD-case for my many DVDs, and I got a messenger bag for the start of my internship. It should fit all my necessities, as well as my laptop. Kamla bought a super cheap thermos. I was tempted to do the same, but I've honestly purchased far too many beverage-holding things this year. I ought to hold off. So all in all, they were of some use to us. I would call them fairly practical purchases, though they sided on the luxury side.
We managed to catch a cab rather quickly back to our apartment, which was a delight compared to my last encounter in the area with Lauren. I suppose we could have taken the bus back to the subway, but we were exhausted just from the people.
We had originally planned for Peking Duck, but decided against it. Instead, we have decided to invest in our "healthy track" and went out and just purchased some nice, healthy foods for dinner. I enjoyed our food, less oil, less salt, healthy. It was a good day~
As we rushed to the downstairs section of Ikea for the hot dogs, I was struck by how un-American their hot dogs were. It was rather disappointing, all things considered, but it was cheap and good enough to satisfy my hungry stomach. I ate 2 hot dogs and had 1 ice cream cone, all of which came to a grand total of 7 RMB. Haha, I definitely enjoyed it.
There were far too many people in Ikea though. As children crawled between my legs and adults shoved past without so much as an excuse me, the far too intimate surroundings was taxing on both of us mentally. While we were fairly well rested today, we were completely exhausted by the surroundings. I recall mentioning before that it was creepy to be on the streets without any people around, but now that the city has begun to recover its original 面貌, I feel safer, but do not like being in enclosed spaces with the same number of people. I suppose it's a double standard. We purchased a bunch of what I suppose could be classified as "luxury" items, nothing we particularly "needed" but kind of just wanted to just indulge in.
After years of pining looks, I finally bought scented tea light candles. It was heavenly, and the apple-scent has just floated throughout our entire flat. It makes for such a relaxing environment after all our thorough cleaning of the place.
We bought the much dreaded scale, and I am afraid to say my weight is not as low as I would have liked it to be. We also bought a set of containers for our salt and sugar. It was something I avoided buying for the longest time, but recently the humidity has made it unbearable to salt or sugar anything, so it was worth the purchase (plus it was such a steal). We also bought a set of Tupperware for only 19.9 RMB, which was something I wish I had done 5 months ago, as it was an enormous set of top quality. My set of 3 cost about the same, when this set gave something like 6. I also bought a DVD-case for my many DVDs, and I got a messenger bag for the start of my internship. It should fit all my necessities, as well as my laptop. Kamla bought a super cheap thermos. I was tempted to do the same, but I've honestly purchased far too many beverage-holding things this year. I ought to hold off. So all in all, they were of some use to us. I would call them fairly practical purchases, though they sided on the luxury side.
We managed to catch a cab rather quickly back to our apartment, which was a delight compared to my last encounter in the area with Lauren. I suppose we could have taken the bus back to the subway, but we were exhausted just from the people.
We had originally planned for Peking Duck, but decided against it. Instead, we have decided to invest in our "healthy track" and went out and just purchased some nice, healthy foods for dinner. I enjoyed our food, less oil, less salt, healthy. It was a good day~
Thursday, February 18, 2010
"Spring" Cleaning
It is the lunar new year, and that marks the dawn of "Spring," though technically it really isn't spring just yet. Today, I spent the entire day just cleaning out my room and cleaning the house. After the dust-fiasco yesterday with the lamp leaves, I finally got Kamla's help in removing the center piece and washed that out as well. Now, my room shines brightly as it should, and everything is well lit.
I believe my allergies are acting up again with all the dust that I stirred up, but it was good to clean it all out. I wiped everything down, and cleaned up the thick layers of dust that was everywhere. In some ways, I feel bad that my landlord had witnessed the poor state of my room. I've just been such a mess lately. Clothes everywhere, unkempt bed, socks on the floor, it was not a pretty sight. Our living room was just overflowing with snacks every where, and our fridge was festering some kind of mold from all the spoiled foods we kept in there. Today was indeed a day where we just cleaned out everything and wiped everything down. It's a good start to a new "term" of work. I'm glad, and feel rather accomplished, though I'm a little worn for wear.
I did 2 loads of laundry just to wash out all the dirty clothes I've managed to accumulate. I'm beginning to pack up a small box of things that were intended for my parents that I should send home. I am still stressing how I will get my stack of DVDs home, but oh well, I'll cross that bridge as I come to it. The house is spic and span now, the floors are clean, dust-less/hair-less, and the toilet is also sanitary once again. Heh heh. Our pantry shelves are completely organized now, and the fridge is now empty enough to use once again. The tupperware is clean (free of festering food), and all the trash has been removed. It feels good to be on the right track.
I believe my allergies are acting up again with all the dust that I stirred up, but it was good to clean it all out. I wiped everything down, and cleaned up the thick layers of dust that was everywhere. In some ways, I feel bad that my landlord had witnessed the poor state of my room. I've just been such a mess lately. Clothes everywhere, unkempt bed, socks on the floor, it was not a pretty sight. Our living room was just overflowing with snacks every where, and our fridge was festering some kind of mold from all the spoiled foods we kept in there. Today was indeed a day where we just cleaned out everything and wiped everything down. It's a good start to a new "term" of work. I'm glad, and feel rather accomplished, though I'm a little worn for wear.
I did 2 loads of laundry just to wash out all the dirty clothes I've managed to accumulate. I'm beginning to pack up a small box of things that were intended for my parents that I should send home. I am still stressing how I will get my stack of DVDs home, but oh well, I'll cross that bridge as I come to it. The house is spic and span now, the floors are clean, dust-less/hair-less, and the toilet is also sanitary once again. Heh heh. Our pantry shelves are completely organized now, and the fridge is now empty enough to use once again. The tupperware is clean (free of festering food), and all the trash has been removed. It feels good to be on the right track.
Fireworks Bonanza!
Today, Kamla's 50 公 was super sweet and bought a bunch of fireworks for the two of us silly Americans to light up. As his friend put it, show them Americans how we Chinese really celebrate~
I guess this is the most festive part of the holidays that I really finally get a feel of. Unlike the US, where our holidays typically last 1-2 days, in China, Chinese New Years is honestly a long holiday, spanning some 10-12 days. While I thought the initial bout of fireworks were intense on Chinese New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year's day, no, I was clearly mistaken as they only began selling the intense fireworks starting today, the 5th day of the celebrations. Since people are reopening their businesses starting tomorrow, all the big fireworks are lit up today in hopes of garnering enough fortune in their business for the new year, 财富, as it were. For us two, it was simply for fun.
Since Kamla lives in Arizona, state law mandates that you must have a fireworks license in order to be able to burn them in Arizona, due to the dry climate and arid terrain. For me, I don't think I've really seen "firecrackers" until today. It was intense fun. As we lit up probably only $20-$30 dollars worth of fireworks (which is a lot in China, but is cheap compared to the US), it was exciting, and I felt like I was a kid again darting back and forth lighting and watching the whole rain of fireworks unfold before me. I have to say, this was one of the most enjoyable bits of the whole lunar new year's ordeal. Granted, when it's midnight or 2 in the morning and people are STILL lighting up fireworks next to my window, I am not nearly so appreciative, but for the moment, it was definitely worth it.
I guess this is the most festive part of the holidays that I really finally get a feel of. Unlike the US, where our holidays typically last 1-2 days, in China, Chinese New Years is honestly a long holiday, spanning some 10-12 days. While I thought the initial bout of fireworks were intense on Chinese New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year's day, no, I was clearly mistaken as they only began selling the intense fireworks starting today, the 5th day of the celebrations. Since people are reopening their businesses starting tomorrow, all the big fireworks are lit up today in hopes of garnering enough fortune in their business for the new year, 财富, as it were. For us two, it was simply for fun.
Since Kamla lives in Arizona, state law mandates that you must have a fireworks license in order to be able to burn them in Arizona, due to the dry climate and arid terrain. For me, I don't think I've really seen "firecrackers" until today. It was intense fun. As we lit up probably only $20-$30 dollars worth of fireworks (which is a lot in China, but is cheap compared to the US), it was exciting, and I felt like I was a kid again darting back and forth lighting and watching the whole rain of fireworks unfold before me. I have to say, this was one of the most enjoyable bits of the whole lunar new year's ordeal. Granted, when it's midnight or 2 in the morning and people are STILL lighting up fireworks next to my window, I am not nearly so appreciative, but for the moment, it was definitely worth it.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Dust Bunnies
There is dust, and then there is dust in China. I recall reading in a book somewhere that there is dust and then dust that produces dust babies. Or as I would put it, dust bunnies that then reproduce at a rapid pace to create more dust bunnies. Well, China's dust "bunnies" are more like dust monsters, and could eat up any of the dust bunnies from the states. They repopulate at such a rate that it's horrifying, and needless to say, these Chinese dust bunnies are the ancestors of all dust bunnies, because they got some age on 'em.
Today, I finally could not stand that my room was so dark any more. Thinking it was the burnt out light bulb that I was too lazy to change, I finally mustered up some energy and worked with Kamla to install this new light bulb in (something my short stature could not reach even when climbing on the bed). To my annoyance, the room was still rather dim, in spite of six perfectly good light bulbs lighting up the darn room. What could be the issue? And then, I looked at the lamp itself. It has 5 "leafs" or "petals" (whatever you will), and each was a nice brown-ish color. I had made the attempt to clean them before, but deemed the task too precarious to my health and left it alone. Well, after some analysis, Kamla and I finally removed them down. I saw that it was filled with dust and used my handy Swiffer wipes as best I could to wipe the fixture itself, and moved to wash these glass "leaves." I assumed they would be a sort of beige-ish color, but no, it was supposed to be a clear, frosted white. As the layers of aged dust washed off into a tub of water, I was disgusted to say the least. But now, having reinstalled them, my room shines brightly and I can see without feeling like it's midday and the lights are interfering with the sunlight. Perhaps tomorrow, I will venture to remove the center piece and wash that out as well, reinstalling the seventh and final light bulb to the mix. I'm sure I would appreciate it in the long run, as would my landlord. Honestly, I've fixed so many things in this darn apartment, the landlord should be paying me to do this work.
Today, I finally could not stand that my room was so dark any more. Thinking it was the burnt out light bulb that I was too lazy to change, I finally mustered up some energy and worked with Kamla to install this new light bulb in (something my short stature could not reach even when climbing on the bed). To my annoyance, the room was still rather dim, in spite of six perfectly good light bulbs lighting up the darn room. What could be the issue? And then, I looked at the lamp itself. It has 5 "leafs" or "petals" (whatever you will), and each was a nice brown-ish color. I had made the attempt to clean them before, but deemed the task too precarious to my health and left it alone. Well, after some analysis, Kamla and I finally removed them down. I saw that it was filled with dust and used my handy Swiffer wipes as best I could to wipe the fixture itself, and moved to wash these glass "leaves." I assumed they would be a sort of beige-ish color, but no, it was supposed to be a clear, frosted white. As the layers of aged dust washed off into a tub of water, I was disgusted to say the least. But now, having reinstalled them, my room shines brightly and I can see without feeling like it's midday and the lights are interfering with the sunlight. Perhaps tomorrow, I will venture to remove the center piece and wash that out as well, reinstalling the seventh and final light bulb to the mix. I'm sure I would appreciate it in the long run, as would my landlord. Honestly, I've fixed so many things in this darn apartment, the landlord should be paying me to do this work.
Free Time
After 4 days of family-packed, food-filled days, Kamla and I finally had a day off to ourselves in the new years. Last night was nice, as we spent the time at Aqua City shopping. I could tell that everyone was pretty much suffering from cabin fever, going insane from being suck in one place all day and all night, that practically half the city was out shopping with us. It was nice though to be around people again. I think Nanjing is too creepy without all the hustle and bustle of people. The city feels dead without that usual boisterousness of the locals, so it was definitely nice to be around some of that familiar bustle again.
We had a simple dinner, which was such a relief from all the oily, excessive dinners we had. I had my first margarita, and while better than the daquiri, I must say that I have decided that alcohol is not the beverage for me. I would much prefer my juices and smoothies. I have decided I want to eat much healthier from now on, and invested in a Japanese-styled lunchbox for much more than I probably should have, but it was worth it. I'll think of it as investing in my health. Less oils, less sugars, less salt.
We watched a movie in the Aqua City theaters, 《大兵小将》. Minus the B.O.-smelling theater, the movie was simply wonderful! By far one of the more entertaining of the movies I've watched as of late, I had a good laugh and enjoyed the chemistry between the lead roles, Wang Leehom and Jackie Chan.
Today, we spent our afternoon at 陶陶巷. I had another QQ 鸡蛋仔, which is always relaxing for Kamla and I; ah the solace that food provides, a remedy for the weary soul. Anyhow, we were shopping and none of the clothing appealed to me this time. I think I grow tired of this "cheap" clothing that is of poor quality, so I focused on little trinkets that I really couldn't get elsewhere. I got 2 stamps, some stickers that will be useful as cards, portable chopsticks (for work, practical purposes), and a stuffed animal massager. It's in the shape of a "tofu," and is actually rather cute, but it vibrates and targets your lower back and calves. My lower back has been aching terribly of late, and is always stiff, so this is a good temporary remedy. I am considering acupuncture if this continues. My back just *really* hurts, and cracking it only will further aggravate the problem. I ought to get it treated.
Anyhow I digress, we had a lovely dinner at 京都 the hot pot place, which was a nice 清淡 dinner for a change. I think the lack of oils did my stomach a LOT of good. We then traveled to a DVD store, where I bought "Julia and Julie," which was a delightfully entertaining movie. It was lighthearted, and Meryl Streep really shone in her role. I enjoyed it and it was light enough for me. I think I've had enough of dark movies as of late, so it was good to get a nice laugh. This movie though has re-inspired me to cook once again, so I think we're going all out tomorrow~
Ah, cooking, how you inspire me! Perhaps I will begin on some bento box plans~ More keran mari, tamagoyaki, and whatever else I can muster up. I should fry up some pumpkin and dip it in honey!!! Hee hee. Healthy, healthy healthy! Must get back into shape.
We had a simple dinner, which was such a relief from all the oily, excessive dinners we had. I had my first margarita, and while better than the daquiri, I must say that I have decided that alcohol is not the beverage for me. I would much prefer my juices and smoothies. I have decided I want to eat much healthier from now on, and invested in a Japanese-styled lunchbox for much more than I probably should have, but it was worth it. I'll think of it as investing in my health. Less oils, less sugars, less salt.
We watched a movie in the Aqua City theaters, 《大兵小将》. Minus the B.O.-smelling theater, the movie was simply wonderful! By far one of the more entertaining of the movies I've watched as of late, I had a good laugh and enjoyed the chemistry between the lead roles, Wang Leehom and Jackie Chan.
Today, we spent our afternoon at 陶陶巷. I had another QQ 鸡蛋仔, which is always relaxing for Kamla and I; ah the solace that food provides, a remedy for the weary soul. Anyhow, we were shopping and none of the clothing appealed to me this time. I think I grow tired of this "cheap" clothing that is of poor quality, so I focused on little trinkets that I really couldn't get elsewhere. I got 2 stamps, some stickers that will be useful as cards, portable chopsticks (for work, practical purposes), and a stuffed animal massager. It's in the shape of a "tofu," and is actually rather cute, but it vibrates and targets your lower back and calves. My lower back has been aching terribly of late, and is always stiff, so this is a good temporary remedy. I am considering acupuncture if this continues. My back just *really* hurts, and cracking it only will further aggravate the problem. I ought to get it treated.
Anyhow I digress, we had a lovely dinner at 京都 the hot pot place, which was a nice 清淡 dinner for a change. I think the lack of oils did my stomach a LOT of good. We then traveled to a DVD store, where I bought "Julia and Julie," which was a delightfully entertaining movie. It was lighthearted, and Meryl Streep really shone in her role. I enjoyed it and it was light enough for me. I think I've had enough of dark movies as of late, so it was good to get a nice laugh. This movie though has re-inspired me to cook once again, so I think we're going all out tomorrow~
Ah, cooking, how you inspire me! Perhaps I will begin on some bento box plans~ More keran mari, tamagoyaki, and whatever else I can muster up. I should fry up some pumpkin and dip it in honey!!! Hee hee. Healthy, healthy healthy! Must get back into shape.
Revelations and reflections
It is always a good thing to do a bit of self-reflection, and now that I actually have the time to sit down and think, I realize I haven't been carrying myself in the best behavior lately. Some might blame it on fatigue, but the more I think about it, "being tired" is simply an excuse for myself. No, I think that the Enemy has been working hard at me lately. Whether it is the earful I get from the annoying uncle on my right, or the negativity from a weary heart, I cannot excuse myself of my behavior as of late. I have been very angry, angry and frustrated. About what exactly, I'm not even sure, but there is a rage boiling inside of me, and I need to be careful of what I say and do. I am praying that the Lord will quell this fire inside me with the calm only He can provide. It doesn't even make sense. I'm just angry about nothing in particular, and that alone disturbs me. May the Lord remove this shadow from my heart.
Granted, I am never a friendly person to be around when you annoy me. It is one of my greatest pet peeves when someone interrupts me in the middle of a movie or a TV show, or a broadcast of any sort, particularly broadcasts, because they only show once. You can't pause it and replay those things again, which is probably why I almost snapped this week, but still, that was inexcusable. Simply the thought alone and the not so subtle eye roll was sin enough. Oh the vulgarity that goes in my head. I pray that the Lord cleanses my mind.
On another note, more deep thinking, but I have come to realize the more I am by myself, the more timid I grow. I think it even extends to prayer. The Bible says "ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find," but for me, I am often too afraid to ask, because I fear being rejected. I guess as a person, I fear failure, perhaps a little too much so. Even with prayer, I fear being turned down by the Lord, and do not even bother asking. On the one hand, it is a lack of confidence in myself, and on the other, I lack faith. I doubt whether the Lord will really answer me if I ask, and that alone is troublesome in itself. This is a great achilles heel at the moment. May the Lord change me.
Granted, I am never a friendly person to be around when you annoy me. It is one of my greatest pet peeves when someone interrupts me in the middle of a movie or a TV show, or a broadcast of any sort, particularly broadcasts, because they only show once. You can't pause it and replay those things again, which is probably why I almost snapped this week, but still, that was inexcusable. Simply the thought alone and the not so subtle eye roll was sin enough. Oh the vulgarity that goes in my head. I pray that the Lord cleanses my mind.
On another note, more deep thinking, but I have come to realize the more I am by myself, the more timid I grow. I think it even extends to prayer. The Bible says "ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find," but for me, I am often too afraid to ask, because I fear being rejected. I guess as a person, I fear failure, perhaps a little too much so. Even with prayer, I fear being turned down by the Lord, and do not even bother asking. On the one hand, it is a lack of confidence in myself, and on the other, I lack faith. I doubt whether the Lord will really answer me if I ask, and that alone is troublesome in itself. This is a great achilles heel at the moment. May the Lord change me.
Monday, February 15, 2010
More on Chinese New Year's
So I've found that I actually really enjoy writing, as nerdy as that sounds. It's nice to get some of these thoughts off my chest. Though it makes me more pensive, and perhaps even more introverted, somehow I think it gives me a greater insight into things when I analyze it, or even get things off my chest. I feel somewhat more positive. This was indeed a "good" move, even if no one reads it.
Anyhow, more about the New Year's. Today, Kamla and I lit up a few fireworks ourselves and finally joined in on the festivity of the "war zone-like" firecrackers. I must admit, for the price of fireworks, and the beauty that the pyro in me appreciates, it is rather addictive. I can see why the Chinese enjoy it so much.
On another note, I truly miss having rice with my meal, as opposed to afterwards. It made such an enormous difference today when I had lunch with rice at the table. It made the food so warm, and easy to swallow. I have to say rice is a necessary part of my palette, and it must go with my side dishes, not after the fact. I am truly Cantonese indeed.
I am growing truly obese from all this food I'm eating. I honestly can't eat anymore and constantly feel bloated. I must learn the art of saying "no" gracefully and respectfully so that my bowl doesn't constantly end up full to the brim.
I think I understand why I don't find China's New Year's nearly as festive as the US: it's because there aren't any people on the streets. The streets are eerily empty, and while reminiscent of the U.S., I think I have grown used to the boisterous business of the streets that is Nanjing. Since everyone has "gone home" to their families, all that should remain in the city are the locals. Everywhere I go, especially in the taxi cabs, I hear 南京話, which is definitely something that remains a challenge to me in spite of 5 months of being here. I think they find it odd that I do not converse with them in the local language. Little do they know, I'm not from around here. But, as we go on the streets and travel on the bus, the most busy locations are honestly points of transportation. Where you can catch a taxi, there are people waiting. If there is a bus stop, there are people waiting. Since cars are not the most expendable and easily accessible form of transportation, taxiing and buses still remain the only means of getting from point A to point B. I recall seeing an old lady, probably 80 get off the bus. She was being supported on one side by her daughter, but a part of me pitied the sight of an old woman having to hobble around on public transportation in the cold. This must be the filial piety in me screaming that she needed to be chauffeured to her desired destination, but thus is the "economic/financial" situation of the average family in China. Their standard of living simply hasn't reached the same state as ours in the states, though I think with the convenience of their public transportation system, cars for every family would simply be too excessive.
(Random: But I just recalled what Kamla's 50 公 said. He was thinking that he finally wanted to test for a driver's license, even though he used to be a truck driver, my guess was an unlicensed one. There is no "mandate" per se that you have to have a license to drive. It's just if you happen to feel like it, and feel compelled enough to do so, you go through the hassle of doing things properly and by the law. Somehow this seemed amusing and altogether hilarious to me, but perhaps I have just grown accustomed to China and have found my own sense of humor in its backwards ways.)
Anyhow, more about the New Year's. Today, Kamla and I lit up a few fireworks ourselves and finally joined in on the festivity of the "war zone-like" firecrackers. I must admit, for the price of fireworks, and the beauty that the pyro in me appreciates, it is rather addictive. I can see why the Chinese enjoy it so much.
On another note, I truly miss having rice with my meal, as opposed to afterwards. It made such an enormous difference today when I had lunch with rice at the table. It made the food so warm, and easy to swallow. I have to say rice is a necessary part of my palette, and it must go with my side dishes, not after the fact. I am truly Cantonese indeed.
I am growing truly obese from all this food I'm eating. I honestly can't eat anymore and constantly feel bloated. I must learn the art of saying "no" gracefully and respectfully so that my bowl doesn't constantly end up full to the brim.
I think I understand why I don't find China's New Year's nearly as festive as the US: it's because there aren't any people on the streets. The streets are eerily empty, and while reminiscent of the U.S., I think I have grown used to the boisterous business of the streets that is Nanjing. Since everyone has "gone home" to their families, all that should remain in the city are the locals. Everywhere I go, especially in the taxi cabs, I hear 南京話, which is definitely something that remains a challenge to me in spite of 5 months of being here. I think they find it odd that I do not converse with them in the local language. Little do they know, I'm not from around here. But, as we go on the streets and travel on the bus, the most busy locations are honestly points of transportation. Where you can catch a taxi, there are people waiting. If there is a bus stop, there are people waiting. Since cars are not the most expendable and easily accessible form of transportation, taxiing and buses still remain the only means of getting from point A to point B. I recall seeing an old lady, probably 80 get off the bus. She was being supported on one side by her daughter, but a part of me pitied the sight of an old woman having to hobble around on public transportation in the cold. This must be the filial piety in me screaming that she needed to be chauffeured to her desired destination, but thus is the "economic/financial" situation of the average family in China. Their standard of living simply hasn't reached the same state as ours in the states, though I think with the convenience of their public transportation system, cars for every family would simply be too excessive.
(Random: But I just recalled what Kamla's 50 公 said. He was thinking that he finally wanted to test for a driver's license, even though he used to be a truck driver, my guess was an unlicensed one. There is no "mandate" per se that you have to have a license to drive. It's just if you happen to feel like it, and feel compelled enough to do so, you go through the hassle of doing things properly and by the law. Somehow this seemed amusing and altogether hilarious to me, but perhaps I have just grown accustomed to China and have found my own sense of humor in its backwards ways.)
Understanding China
I think that the longer I am here, the more I come to understand China for real. It's no longer a skin-deep relationship. I'm so used to hearing all this superficial stuff, facades that the general public puts up for the "outsiders." It is not inaccurate to call China xenophobic, because I think in many ways, our culture is somewhat built that way in spite of our Confucian roots. But I think what I've come to realize is that it is not that the Chinese don't dare to say anything or don't have a desire, it's just that they all know this as an unchangeable fact and it's not worth mentioning.
What is this "this" that I speak of? It's actually rather sobering now that I have come to realize this. China is in a bad state. By that I mean as a society. As a nation, they are growing rapidly, gaining ground in the international world, but as a society, they are stuck in a rut and can't seem to have a means of climbing out. It is sad, and rather tragic when I think about it.
The people recognize this. They *know* that their society has become so messed up for lack of a better term. While my NJU professors tried everything in their power to maintain the party line, I have a hard time believing them now that I have come to understand China on a more "inside" level. Today at another new year's dinner celebration (thankfully smaller), while chatting around the table, Kamla's relatives recognized the flaws within their society. As a society, they were becoming amoral, they don't care for their fellow "neighbor" anymore, not as they used to. We have the Cultural Revolution to thank for that. I don't mean this as a criticism of China. Contrary to that, I actually feel a great level of sympathy for them, because with the path China chose to get where it is today, the people had little choice but to become what they are now.
Their children, now only single children, are pampered like little emperors and little empresses. This syndrome is creating a a society of spoiled brats, for lack of a better word, and they all don't know how to care for themselves, because their parents do not allow for their independence.
And the saddest fact of all that I discovered tonight was that they *know* they were lied to within their education. In their own words, some of the "facts" and stories were 篇出來的, meaning, these historical figures, some good or bad were highly exaggerated or never did some of the things that the government approved textbooks say they did. For example, some of these "bad" historical figures actually were part of the revolutionary movement in China and actually helped the party, but since they were a 知識分子 (intellectual), they were later deemed an enemy of the state. But the conclusion was that even though they didn't like these things, it was a reality and there was nothing they could do to change it.
In some ways, this was the sad fact that it is true on a certain level, that this is such a deeply rooted problem within their country now that it is nearly impossible to change: the nonchalance, the uncivilized behavior, the corruption. But at the same time, perhaps it is also this thought that keeps them where they are today, that "stuck in a rut" state. I don't know if this is just an opinion held among the older generation that remembers the revolution and working in the fields, the many years of bitterness and hard labor, but in my interactions with others here, it seems that this is actually a rather popular sentiment: You can't change something that is so 根深蒂固. It is in fact one of the most sobering revelations I've had about China thus far to date.
Of course, once again, I must emphasize that I hope this isn't mis-perceived as a criticism of China. No, rather I feel such sadness for China as it is an observation I've made that is extremely prevalent in their current society. It is tragic, and that's really all I can say.
What is this "this" that I speak of? It's actually rather sobering now that I have come to realize this. China is in a bad state. By that I mean as a society. As a nation, they are growing rapidly, gaining ground in the international world, but as a society, they are stuck in a rut and can't seem to have a means of climbing out. It is sad, and rather tragic when I think about it.
The people recognize this. They *know* that their society has become so messed up for lack of a better term. While my NJU professors tried everything in their power to maintain the party line, I have a hard time believing them now that I have come to understand China on a more "inside" level. Today at another new year's dinner celebration (thankfully smaller), while chatting around the table, Kamla's relatives recognized the flaws within their society. As a society, they were becoming amoral, they don't care for their fellow "neighbor" anymore, not as they used to. We have the Cultural Revolution to thank for that. I don't mean this as a criticism of China. Contrary to that, I actually feel a great level of sympathy for them, because with the path China chose to get where it is today, the people had little choice but to become what they are now.
Their children, now only single children, are pampered like little emperors and little empresses. This syndrome is creating a a society of spoiled brats, for lack of a better word, and they all don't know how to care for themselves, because their parents do not allow for their independence.
And the saddest fact of all that I discovered tonight was that they *know* they were lied to within their education. In their own words, some of the "facts" and stories were 篇出來的, meaning, these historical figures, some good or bad were highly exaggerated or never did some of the things that the government approved textbooks say they did. For example, some of these "bad" historical figures actually were part of the revolutionary movement in China and actually helped the party, but since they were a 知識分子 (intellectual), they were later deemed an enemy of the state. But the conclusion was that even though they didn't like these things, it was a reality and there was nothing they could do to change it.
In some ways, this was the sad fact that it is true on a certain level, that this is such a deeply rooted problem within their country now that it is nearly impossible to change: the nonchalance, the uncivilized behavior, the corruption. But at the same time, perhaps it is also this thought that keeps them where they are today, that "stuck in a rut" state. I don't know if this is just an opinion held among the older generation that remembers the revolution and working in the fields, the many years of bitterness and hard labor, but in my interactions with others here, it seems that this is actually a rather popular sentiment: You can't change something that is so 根深蒂固. It is in fact one of the most sobering revelations I've had about China thus far to date.
Of course, once again, I must emphasize that I hope this isn't mis-perceived as a criticism of China. No, rather I feel such sadness for China as it is an observation I've made that is extremely prevalent in their current society. It is tragic, and that's really all I can say.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Dawdling
It seems I have an innate ability to waste time, or at least to ignore all the issues of importance and to spend a lot of time on something completely useless. I guess this makes me return to the timeless question of whether the ends justify the means. I always regret the time wasted, though I find myself rather pleased with the outcome. Is this a good or bad thing? Or is it simply another paradox that is within me?
I just spent the better part of an hour, or even more than that working on the header of this blog. Needless to say, Photoshop has never been my forte, so it took me a good while to recollect how exactly I was to piece things together, and to rework the coloration of it. I must say I'm quite pleased with the outcome; granted, the font could use some work, but other than that, the rest of it looks alright. Thank you Google images and the people who post amazing pictures~
So, I really want to make some lifestyle changes. Whether it is dress, eating habits (health), or practices (devotions/LSAT prep), I feel moved to really do something about this. I guess I'm starting to feel a bit more nervous about these LSAT exams, but I think there's still this fear of getting into it. I'll admit that I fear failure more than the next person, but it's come to a point in which I can't really procrastinate any longer. I need to get on top of this, or I will never be ready. *sigh* If only things were so simple.
On another note, today was the first day of Chinese New Year's. I spent my lunch with Uncle Dan's cousins and family, which was relatively pleasant. Strangely enough, it wasn't nearly as awkward as being with Kamla's family. I guess there's a part of me that feels out of place when I am with them. While they are extremely welcoming and gracious, I struggle to really strike a conversation with them. Perhaps it's because Uncle Dan's family has been to the US, so at least there are some things we can talk about, or maybe it's just that I feel a closer tie with them, but I felt relatively at ease. Uncle Dan's aunt (I call her 奶奶) is such a sweetheart. I guess I miss elderly people who are very warmhearted and welcoming. It was easy to converse with her, and she treated me like I was her own grandchild. Perhaps this was what made things better for me in a place so distant from my own home. It helped that there was an adorable baby who had silly antics to entertain me in the midst of all these adults, but it was good. However, I think I've had my fair share of large dinners. I'm ready for a simple sit-down meal comprised of some plain dishes. I guess I just miss the flavor of Cantonese food myself. I guess you could call it the "flavor of home."
At the moment, I am blogging, relaxing to the sound of Brian Joo's album Manifold. Good album I must say, and very fitting for my mood today, mellow. I think I'll get onto a few more scholarship applications, fill them out and get some productive things done (like dinner and LSATs, or my devotions~).
I just spent the better part of an hour, or even more than that working on the header of this blog. Needless to say, Photoshop has never been my forte, so it took me a good while to recollect how exactly I was to piece things together, and to rework the coloration of it. I must say I'm quite pleased with the outcome; granted, the font could use some work, but other than that, the rest of it looks alright. Thank you Google images and the people who post amazing pictures~
So, I really want to make some lifestyle changes. Whether it is dress, eating habits (health), or practices (devotions/LSAT prep), I feel moved to really do something about this. I guess I'm starting to feel a bit more nervous about these LSAT exams, but I think there's still this fear of getting into it. I'll admit that I fear failure more than the next person, but it's come to a point in which I can't really procrastinate any longer. I need to get on top of this, or I will never be ready. *sigh* If only things were so simple.
On another note, today was the first day of Chinese New Year's. I spent my lunch with Uncle Dan's cousins and family, which was relatively pleasant. Strangely enough, it wasn't nearly as awkward as being with Kamla's family. I guess there's a part of me that feels out of place when I am with them. While they are extremely welcoming and gracious, I struggle to really strike a conversation with them. Perhaps it's because Uncle Dan's family has been to the US, so at least there are some things we can talk about, or maybe it's just that I feel a closer tie with them, but I felt relatively at ease. Uncle Dan's aunt (I call her 奶奶) is such a sweetheart. I guess I miss elderly people who are very warmhearted and welcoming. It was easy to converse with her, and she treated me like I was her own grandchild. Perhaps this was what made things better for me in a place so distant from my own home. It helped that there was an adorable baby who had silly antics to entertain me in the midst of all these adults, but it was good. However, I think I've had my fair share of large dinners. I'm ready for a simple sit-down meal comprised of some plain dishes. I guess I just miss the flavor of Cantonese food myself. I guess you could call it the "flavor of home."
At the moment, I am blogging, relaxing to the sound of Brian Joo's album Manifold. Good album I must say, and very fitting for my mood today, mellow. I think I'll get onto a few more scholarship applications, fill them out and get some productive things done (like dinner and LSATs, or my devotions~).
Saturday, February 13, 2010
2010 Year of the Tiger
Disclaimer: In no way should this be misconceived as complaining, as I am rather grateful for the opportunities I have here. I am merely noting some observations.
Today has been raining firecrackers. It's like being in a war zone, or being stuck in the middle of some war movie. There is the constant sound of firecrackers going off in the distance or up close. I cannot fathom how people must feel in war-torn areas. It must be terrifying. Thankfully I know that none of this is out of malice, but rather a celebratory action, but still, it makes for a rather noisy environment. The Chinese have always been known as a boisterous people, and this merely confirms it.
I spent New Year's Eve with Kamla's family (or those on her maternal side of the family), and I must note that there are significant differences between every subculture of "Chinese." Though "southern" as well, I found myself rather unaccustomed to the food and the environment. While they are more "festive" in some ways, they lack the same traditional air that I am used to. Instead of dressing up, people are wrapped in their thick quilted pajamas, and in some cases, their down-sized jackets. They all look like marshmallows and kind of in some ways waddle around like penguins (or at least the children do). Needless to say I was somewhat miserable while eating dinner, partially due to the fact that I was freezing and my hands were starting to cramp up while holding chopsticks, but mainly because they were serving 80% cold dishes (凉拌菜）. It was bad enough that their single portable heater was not functioning properly, and that I could feel the draft behind me from the 阳台, but the dishes were cold, and I was drinking cold orange juice concentrate with fake pulp. Needless to say, it didn't sit well with my stomach. But granted, the dishes were very abundant, and all tasted wonderfully, but the Cantonese in me was wishing for a nice hot plate of stir-fried veggies, or a hot dish of soy-sauce chicken. I think the dishes would have been more suited for the summer than winter. I now understand though why northerners eat such spicy foods. It really does generate heat in the body. While I normally find spicy foods insufferable, this was the only circumstance in which I appreciated a hot spicy plate of kungpao chicken. Haha, boy do I miss Cantonese foods.
Another thing I observed that was significantly different, was that the Chinese do not seem to decorate as much as we Cantonese do, or at least what we do back home in the States. Perhaps this was due to frugality and practicality, but I kind of missed my mother's efforts in color-coordinating everything and having 对联s posted on every corner of the house. It made the whole festivity of new year's seem lacking, though I don't think Kamla noticed because I don't think she celebrates it nearly as traditionally as my family does. What I really missed was the 过年盒 filled with sweets and goodies inside. This is definitely a Guangdong tradition that other parts of China lack, and I missed it dearly. Granted, they had all the traditional nuts and stuff, but it lacked presentation and was simply in plastic bags lying on the coffee table. I miss my family's way of celebrating the new years, and I definitely miss the food. Somehow this dinner was lacking, but hopefully tomorrow's lunch will be better. I am eager to meet Huang 叔叔 and his family. Hopefully I won't have to spend too much time there, but I'm sure it'll be pleasant nonetheless.
Today has been raining firecrackers. It's like being in a war zone, or being stuck in the middle of some war movie. There is the constant sound of firecrackers going off in the distance or up close. I cannot fathom how people must feel in war-torn areas. It must be terrifying. Thankfully I know that none of this is out of malice, but rather a celebratory action, but still, it makes for a rather noisy environment. The Chinese have always been known as a boisterous people, and this merely confirms it.
I spent New Year's Eve with Kamla's family (or those on her maternal side of the family), and I must note that there are significant differences between every subculture of "Chinese." Though "southern" as well, I found myself rather unaccustomed to the food and the environment. While they are more "festive" in some ways, they lack the same traditional air that I am used to. Instead of dressing up, people are wrapped in their thick quilted pajamas, and in some cases, their down-sized jackets. They all look like marshmallows and kind of in some ways waddle around like penguins (or at least the children do). Needless to say I was somewhat miserable while eating dinner, partially due to the fact that I was freezing and my hands were starting to cramp up while holding chopsticks, but mainly because they were serving 80% cold dishes (凉拌菜）. It was bad enough that their single portable heater was not functioning properly, and that I could feel the draft behind me from the 阳台, but the dishes were cold, and I was drinking cold orange juice concentrate with fake pulp. Needless to say, it didn't sit well with my stomach. But granted, the dishes were very abundant, and all tasted wonderfully, but the Cantonese in me was wishing for a nice hot plate of stir-fried veggies, or a hot dish of soy-sauce chicken. I think the dishes would have been more suited for the summer than winter. I now understand though why northerners eat such spicy foods. It really does generate heat in the body. While I normally find spicy foods insufferable, this was the only circumstance in which I appreciated a hot spicy plate of kungpao chicken. Haha, boy do I miss Cantonese foods.
Another thing I observed that was significantly different, was that the Chinese do not seem to decorate as much as we Cantonese do, or at least what we do back home in the States. Perhaps this was due to frugality and practicality, but I kind of missed my mother's efforts in color-coordinating everything and having 对联s posted on every corner of the house. It made the whole festivity of new year's seem lacking, though I don't think Kamla noticed because I don't think she celebrates it nearly as traditionally as my family does. What I really missed was the 过年盒 filled with sweets and goodies inside. This is definitely a Guangdong tradition that other parts of China lack, and I missed it dearly. Granted, they had all the traditional nuts and stuff, but it lacked presentation and was simply in plastic bags lying on the coffee table. I miss my family's way of celebrating the new years, and I definitely miss the food. Somehow this dinner was lacking, but hopefully tomorrow's lunch will be better. I am eager to meet Huang 叔叔 and his family. Hopefully I won't have to spend too much time there, but I'm sure it'll be pleasant nonetheless.
Musings on starting this blog
It is shocking to think that 5 months have flown by in the blink of an eye. As my year here draws nearer to a close, I have begun to mull over the idea of a blog. Yes, indeed, there are personal things that I would much rather have in a private journal of sorts, accessible only by me and can easily be "wiped of evidence" should I ever run into a situation that requires it, but somehow technology has become such an inseparable part of myself, that I find it difficult to express myself by hand. There are errors, cross-outs, and whiteouts; somehow it's just incomparable to the convenience of typing. I guess I am a child born within the new era of technology. So as a result, acknowledging this fact I suppose has led me here to this blog's nascence/creation.
I've tried blogs before in the past, and I suppose that those were never successful enough, probably explaining my hesitancy, but somehow I need to get back into the habit of writing, something I feel I have long since forgotten... and the skill seems to be escaping me the longer I remain in China.
So, on to the explanation for why I would name my blog as "trusting the compass." As I think back to my mission in Taiwan, now almost 3 years ago, what stuck in my mind was our debriefing session in Gaoxiong. The leader spoke of a book that refers to the Lord's direction as a compass. As humans, we do not like relying on the indefinite nature of a compass. Compasses simply point in a single direction (N) and you have no idea where it will lead you. There is a level of trust that is required. Yet, what we would like is a map, with clear instructions, probably like mapquest that even tells you the miles, how many minutes it will take and what the traffic conditions may be like (if you are so lucky as to find such definite instructions). Inasmuch as we do not like this level of uncertainty, I think when we apply this analogy to Christians, we struggle with this same concept. We like certainty as people, but as Christians, faith requires us to simply believe. The Lord gives us a direction to travel, and tells us "Go!" But I think we often lack the faith to follow, because we don't know where he'll lead us and how that journey will go. We may have an idea of the ultimate destination, at times we don't, but it is this uncertainty of how to get there that troubles us as a people.
I think that's why I chose the name "Trusting the Compass." This year in China has shown me that the Lord indeed has been guiding me since day one when I started college. I was always so negative, because there was constant uncertainty. What if I couldn't handle the classes? What if I can't situate myself in China? What if they won't be able to find me an internship? And even now, what if my job is completely too hard or too easy? But if I trust in the Lord and follow the direction He has pointed out, the outcome is always far better than I could imagine. Being here has been a blessing. Whether it is scholarships, my roommate, the friendships I've built, the networks I've lain, all of it has been in the Lord's will. I can't even begin to count my blessings, and I think I've even forgotten so many along the way. The Lord has been good to me, and I truly desire this as a motto for myself, to trust in the compass that is the Lord. If he calls me, I will follow. I need not know where He calls me to, but I need to trust that He has His purpose and that the Father's decision/direction is best for me.
At the moment, I do not know what this blog will serve as, but hopefully it will remind me of the Great things the Lord has done for me along the way. I want to document each bit, if even it is just an experience, may they all play out in a way that brings glory to the Lord.
I've tried blogs before in the past, and I suppose that those were never successful enough, probably explaining my hesitancy, but somehow I need to get back into the habit of writing, something I feel I have long since forgotten... and the skill seems to be escaping me the longer I remain in China.
So, on to the explanation for why I would name my blog as "trusting the compass." As I think back to my mission in Taiwan, now almost 3 years ago, what stuck in my mind was our debriefing session in Gaoxiong. The leader spoke of a book that refers to the Lord's direction as a compass. As humans, we do not like relying on the indefinite nature of a compass. Compasses simply point in a single direction (N) and you have no idea where it will lead you. There is a level of trust that is required. Yet, what we would like is a map, with clear instructions, probably like mapquest that even tells you the miles, how many minutes it will take and what the traffic conditions may be like (if you are so lucky as to find such definite instructions). Inasmuch as we do not like this level of uncertainty, I think when we apply this analogy to Christians, we struggle with this same concept. We like certainty as people, but as Christians, faith requires us to simply believe. The Lord gives us a direction to travel, and tells us "Go!" But I think we often lack the faith to follow, because we don't know where he'll lead us and how that journey will go. We may have an idea of the ultimate destination, at times we don't, but it is this uncertainty of how to get there that troubles us as a people.
I think that's why I chose the name "Trusting the Compass." This year in China has shown me that the Lord indeed has been guiding me since day one when I started college. I was always so negative, because there was constant uncertainty. What if I couldn't handle the classes? What if I can't situate myself in China? What if they won't be able to find me an internship? And even now, what if my job is completely too hard or too easy? But if I trust in the Lord and follow the direction He has pointed out, the outcome is always far better than I could imagine. Being here has been a blessing. Whether it is scholarships, my roommate, the friendships I've built, the networks I've lain, all of it has been in the Lord's will. I can't even begin to count my blessings, and I think I've even forgotten so many along the way. The Lord has been good to me, and I truly desire this as a motto for myself, to trust in the compass that is the Lord. If he calls me, I will follow. I need not know where He calls me to, but I need to trust that He has His purpose and that the Father's decision/direction is best for me.
At the moment, I do not know what this blog will serve as, but hopefully it will remind me of the Great things the Lord has done for me along the way. I want to document each bit, if even it is just an experience, may they all play out in a way that brings glory to the Lord.
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