"We aren't at any poor schools," the other volunteer said to me from across the table. Poor schools? By whose standards? When your classrooms are missing chalkboards, there is a funding problem.
"Chinese people don't vote." Another quote testing my patience. The reality is that the Chinese do vote, elections have been taking place for several years. In what capacity they are held is unknown.
"There are no poor schools, only corruption in the government." How is that any different from the United States? This was the question I posed. "Well (we) know that corruption takes place. We vote." Do we really know the corruption that takes place? Yeah, in 2004, the USA was on top of that in the General Election.
"They (the Chinese) do shitty jobs when their government promises them a better life." Doesn't ours do the same?
The American perspective in China is both irritating and needed. However, I have found that the conflict this creates, this quest to hold China to the same standards as America, is unruly and unrealistic. Things operate differently here and the way of life is held to a Chinese standard, not an American one.
First of all, the jobs the Chinese do are done for a reason. Just like back home. Not (just) because some of them may have to do those jobs but because the Chinese have a different attitude towards life. The Chinese seem happy in what appears to Americans as a chaotic, dysfunctional state of last minute decision making and insurmountable bureaucracy.
For all the development, the changing of the guard, the cultural unfamiliarities, China is guided by the same Universal principles as any other people. People want a better life for themselves, for them and their families. The battle for equality is constant. The battle for a better life is constant. Government will always be a skeptical part of any society, unable to please everyone at the same time.
There are stark differences between our two nations. But there are similarities in the way our lives have been shaped by our government that are the same. It may have taken different parties, different regimes and different philosophies to do so but the principles are the same, in many places, the impacts are the same. Americans are not on a pedestal and the person that tells you this needs to realize that life is relative to the situation you are in.
Yes, comparatively, we do have more money and more materials and better transportation and plumbing than China BUT we also have 1/4 of the people. What is desperate to us, is based on our standards and do not readily apply to a nation that could use a good lesson on basic hand washing techniques.
China is a phenomenon. Growing, grumbling, churning and imposing. The things that move it forward are more similar to America during our Industrial Revolution than people know. What is irritating is that all of this perspective is dismissed and many (Americans) judge it solely based on where it is comparatively with the States at this moment.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Little Things
The little things are what make the difference. In nearly every facet of life, they are what separate greatness from mediocrity. They also have the ability to create the greatest amount of gratitude for what you no longer have access to. The latter I have found especially true in China.
Yesterday, the little things came through big for me. It is the little things I miss about America. Not being able to find push pins for example had me frustrated for quite a while. Until I saw them last night at the local store. Aaaaah, my shining beacon in the school supplies aisle. The smile lasted for two hours.
Little things are what separate us from each other. Little things keep us respectfully distant, keep us secure and keep our dreams possible. Going that extra step, taking one more look around the corner, staying one more minute.
All of these little things that occur in our lives. Our favorite radio station, cereal, efficiency in nearly every area of our lives. Too much of it is taken for granted in the states. The truth is that these little things are what keep us together, keep us stable and insure the chance to have happiness. Without them, we are gridlocked.
Yesterday, the little things came through big for me. It is the little things I miss about America. Not being able to find push pins for example had me frustrated for quite a while. Until I saw them last night at the local store. Aaaaah, my shining beacon in the school supplies aisle. The smile lasted for two hours.
Little things are what separate us from each other. Little things keep us respectfully distant, keep us secure and keep our dreams possible. Going that extra step, taking one more look around the corner, staying one more minute.
All of these little things that occur in our lives. Our favorite radio station, cereal, efficiency in nearly every area of our lives. Too much of it is taken for granted in the states. The truth is that these little things are what keep us together, keep us stable and insure the chance to have happiness. Without them, we are gridlocked.
Coming to China or Leaving America?
What goes through your head on that long walk to the airplane is one of many things. Undoubtedly, these thoughts are different to each individual. For the opportunity to live in China is built on a bed of expectations. Quickly, I discovered that expectations would be shattered, unrealistic or abandoned altogether.
Case in point: I expected sun not rain when the flight landed. I expected to be practically detained while going through customs but breezed through without a glance. I expected to be the only volunteer going to law school in the future, instead I was one of several.
I have quickly learned that expectations are what nightmares are made of. There is no need to expect what you believe the unknown to be. Especially here.
I have been in China for 28 days, my longest time spent out of America. Already, the stress of daily Chinese life is noticeable and contagious. A clunky, noisy, congested city full of anywhere from 2.1 to 6 million people depending on who you ask. My lungs have burned from pollution and the impact of 1.3 billion people living in close proximity. The fireworks, the constant honking of passing cars, people dodging in and out of traffic and the seemingly incessant speech of entrepreneurs trying to sell you things from pig intestines to piccolos. This is China and nothing is out of the ordinary.
The language barrier, the smells, the sounds, all of them prove daunting tasks to face. The spicy food, sits well on my stomach only for 2-3 days at a time before I crave bread and milk.
Through all of this, the dust, people traffic and noise, I am happy to have found that the Chinese people are fulfilled my expectation that they would be almost relentlessly friendly.
Already, I have been shepherded around the city by an English tutor, been lead to the train station by three girls at my school, been shown the sights of a Bhuddist temple by a fluent English-speaking monk.
To no end, the Chinese have their eyes set on me and on my behavior. I find that even though that can be upsetting or annoying as it has become over the past week, if I asked that individual a question, I would be greeted with a response and a smile, even if I couldn't understand it.
So maybe it is good to have expectations about things but I am slowly learning that to do so in China is unrealistic. For the pace, the people and the flow of life, dictate things in a way that make you feel powerless. It brings a whole new meaning to the word, flexibility.
Case in point: I expected sun not rain when the flight landed. I expected to be practically detained while going through customs but breezed through without a glance. I expected to be the only volunteer going to law school in the future, instead I was one of several.
I have quickly learned that expectations are what nightmares are made of. There is no need to expect what you believe the unknown to be. Especially here.
I have been in China for 28 days, my longest time spent out of America. Already, the stress of daily Chinese life is noticeable and contagious. A clunky, noisy, congested city full of anywhere from 2.1 to 6 million people depending on who you ask. My lungs have burned from pollution and the impact of 1.3 billion people living in close proximity. The fireworks, the constant honking of passing cars, people dodging in and out of traffic and the seemingly incessant speech of entrepreneurs trying to sell you things from pig intestines to piccolos. This is China and nothing is out of the ordinary.
The language barrier, the smells, the sounds, all of them prove daunting tasks to face. The spicy food, sits well on my stomach only for 2-3 days at a time before I crave bread and milk.
Through all of this, the dust, people traffic and noise, I am happy to have found that the Chinese people are fulfilled my expectation that they would be almost relentlessly friendly.
Already, I have been shepherded around the city by an English tutor, been lead to the train station by three girls at my school, been shown the sights of a Bhuddist temple by a fluent English-speaking monk.
To no end, the Chinese have their eyes set on me and on my behavior. I find that even though that can be upsetting or annoying as it has become over the past week, if I asked that individual a question, I would be greeted with a response and a smile, even if I couldn't understand it.
So maybe it is good to have expectations about things but I am slowly learning that to do so in China is unrealistic. For the pace, the people and the flow of life, dictate things in a way that make you feel powerless. It brings a whole new meaning to the word, flexibility.
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