Made in China

Yet, another long overdue blog. This one is quite lengthy, but hopefully it’s worth the read. It’s a bit of a comparison between my experience in El Salvador and my experience here in China.

The people: It’s hard to really compare the people. It’s not just comparing culture, it is comparing villagers and city folk.  No matter the culture, there are still huge differences between the two. Some similarities I have found: Like Salvadorians, the Chinese also think it’s okay to call someone fat. It is not offensive. Some Chinese are even on a “diet” to become fatter. In both places, they just feed and feed you. “You hardly ate anything,” they will tell you after you just finished two plates of food. They always insist you eat more, then afterwards they will call you fat. They don’t consider it offensive to  ask how much something cost, how much you make for a living, or how much you weigh.

In El Salvador I was the zoo exhibit, the alien, the one who got asked all the questions. While there, I remember spending a lot of time trying to figure out where they are coming from.  Trying to understand how the looks of me could be THAT fascinating. Or what is so interesting about some of my household items. I felt like I spent most of my time there answering their foolish questions like, “In your land, do you have lightning?” “What do you eat if you don’t eat tortillas?” and “Do husbands cheat on their wives?” The roles have switched, I am here, learning about the Chinese culture, and am more intrigued by their thoughts and actions then I ever was with the Salvadorians. They are superstitious about everything. For example; the number 4 (which in Mandarin, also sounds like death) Often, there is no fourth floor in a hotel. They do not give presents in quantities of 4.  If a baby cries for no reason, the Chinese believe that there must be ghosts close by and the child is disturbed by ghosts. The list could go on…..

But yet, on their wedding day, the husband and wife are at the entrance together greeting their guests together while holding a tray of cigarettes or candy. Apparently that’s not bad luck.

Safety and Security: In San Salvador, you don’t dare step outside your house past dark. During my time there I saw 2 dead bodies (gang related deaths by gun shots) and I was held at gunpoint once. We’d receive at least a biweekly email reminding us of the precautions we need to take while traveling in the country. I feared for my life every time I got on the bus.

From a place with one of the highest homicide rate per capita in the world to a place where I have yet to see a gun.  In China, there are always groups of people on the street, no matter where or what time of the day.   The only concern about walking home at 2:00 in the morning is giving into the temptation to buying the mystery meat on the stick sold by the street vendors. Rat, horse, dog, whatever it may be it all tastes oh so yummy after a night out.

Western Comforts: One thing that I didn't have much of in El Salvador were Western comforts. There is a pretty large expat population in Kunming, so there is always someone around who you can find yourself relating to on a cultural level. There is usually an opportunity to meet up with other foreigners in the city and be entertained. The extent of entertainment in El Sal were soccer games on Saturdays, softball games on Wednesday, and nightly chats over cups of coffee with my neighbors. All of us having to take turns holding the antenna so that we could watch TV on occasion.

Here in China, I don’t spend much time alone. Part of me misses those feelings of isolation. I had time to think, process, and go on a little journey with myself. I struggled, I grew, and at the time I didn’t understand, but looking back at it, now I understand. I don’t regret any of those nights in darkness sitting alone (well if you don’t count the tarantulas, scorpions, mice, frogs, bats, etc.) with a pen in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

It’s comfortable here in China (well for the most part). My diet consists of food other than rice and beans. People actually go to the bathroom inside a building, and not along the side of their houses. I can be around Western people and Western comforts as much as I want. There is usually something going on, and even when I start to feel slightly bored, I just go outside and people watch. The people (from local minority groups dressed in their colorful traditional clothing to business men frantically trying to get to work on time), there is always something to see.

However there is something about the simple life in El Salvador that I miss.  There’s something comforting about planting your food, killing your own animals, and knowing what you are eating. The only job to the people in my community was just that. They worked in the fields all day so they can provide food on the table for their family.  Because food is the only thing they need to survive, everything else that money provides is only luxury (and in their eyes, unnecessary.) It was nice to be around people who had no money in the pockets, yet still so content, stress-free, complaint free,and happy.  Their only worry being was if their crops were getting enough water.

Fashion: If the residents of this city moved to a city in the US, they would be confused for  homosexuals. The men, with their stylish hair that spikes up a bit then falls to one side, with a red tint to it (from their best attempt to dye it blonde) The men carrying their Gucci male bag on one arm with their other arm wrapped around the neck of their male friend. If they aren’t carrying their own “murse,” then they are proudly carrying their girlfriends pink purse. It is very common to see woman holding hands with each other or locking arms at the elbow. For a place that isn’t accepting of homosexuality, it is just a bit shocking to see. Or perhaps it’s me coming from a culture where we need at least a 10 inch space bubble. It may be a bit shocking for an American to see, but it’s still so nice to see the affection and friendliness.

One of the biggest fashion statements here are glasses. Well, not just any ordinary glasses. Glasses without the lenses in them, just the frame. The larger and more colorful the frame, the more fashionable. Matching outfits (especially amongst couples) is very popular too. Some of the outfits even make a sentence, for example, “This love will….” (on the girl) “last forever” (on the guy)

Even the toddlers have their own style.  Let me introduce you to the “open crotch pants” (a replacement for diapers) (still trying to get a picture; but for the meantime, google image it!) Pants with the back part completely cut out, with their butts showing making it easier to pop a squat anywhere you want. At first I thought the pants were ripped and the parents were too poor to afford new ones until I saw these kids walking around my school (one of the most expensive in Kunming), and noticed how the pants are made just like that.

Bathrooms: While on that note, I have to say I prefer the bathrooms in El Salvador, even if they were outside, full of cockroaches and essentially peeing in a hole in the ground. Here the bathrooms are a squat “toilet” on the floor. Some foreigners prefer it to the toilet, and find it more sanitary since you really shouldn't be sitting on a toilet seat in a public place anyway. However, most of these Chinese toilets don’t have splash guards, always leaving the ankles a little wet. Yuk. I can deal with the cockroaches and flies in the outhouse if that means my ankles will stay pee-free 

Food:  Here in China, typically in family style restaurants, everyone is served a bowl of white rice, and the other dishes are placed on the spinning round table which is then shared by everyone. Rice is their staple food (where in El Salvador it is the tortilla), so if you don’t have rice with your meal you haven’t eaten. Peanut butter and jelly is just a snack, and to just about everyone else in the world, excluding Americans, it is the most unheard of thing to mix the two.

Proper Chinese etiquette number 1: don’t stick your chopsticks straight up in a bowl. To them, it signifies burning essence, which is done in this manner at a funeral.

At a restaurant in China, they usually hand you one menu even if you are a party of 4. At times, they even wait at the table until you are ready to order. Whereas, the comedors in El Salvador usually only offer about 5 items (beans, tortilla, eggs, plantains, and coffee) all of which I end up ordering since it only costs $1.75.

Transportation:  I miss riding in the back of a pickup in El Salvador with 40 of my fellow villagers. Slowly creeping up the dirt path to my village admiring the volcanoes, lakes, and El Salvador’s beautiful lush green country side.

 However, China has introduced me to electric scooters.  Walking out my door, and paying a lady a few dollars to take me where I want to go. It’s often a game here. It’s a war zone out there. Traffic jams no longer consist of a group of cows and chickens crossing the road. Weaving in and out of traffic, cars beeping and moving every which way. I even saw a car driving nonchalantly on the sidewalk the other day. People making their best attempt to get where they need to be in a timely fashion. Riding on the back of a scooter or driving my bicycle, whatever my mode of transportation may be, once reaching my destination I always get such an adrenaline rush. Success! I won the game.  After completing Peace Corps, I thought, now if I can do that, I can do anything. Since moving to China that has changed. If I can survive biking around a Chinese city, then I can do anything!

Another plus side to China is I can get wherever I want to be whenever I want to go. Unlike El Salvador, if I missed the 7:00 am pickup I had to wait until early afternoon to get out of the village. Some days transportation didn’t even come; which signified someone was shot in a gang related death, and my pick-up drivers were too afraid to drive that day.

More interesting facts of Chinese: 

  * They go to the hospital for everything. Someone asked me if I will go to the hospital after complaining about a few zits that appeared overnight.

 * They can be pretty pushy. It’s no wonder why. There are so many of them, so whether you are walking, driving, or taking the bus, you need to push your way in there. If you don’t you will never get where you are going. Drivers in Chinese cities are probably some of the best drivers in the world.  With their lightning fast reflexes, they can stop on a coin if a pedestrian gets in their way

* The elderly are quite interesting. You will see them early in the morning at the nearby park doing their morning exercises, which consists of walking backwards, clapping their hands, hitting or massaging body parts. According to CTM (Chinese Traditional Medicine), massaging the correct pressure points with increase blood flow throughout the body with in turn brings vital nutrients and helps your body get rid of extra toxins. It’s all part of maintaining that “qi” what the Chinese believe to be the active principle forming part of any living thing (aka, “life energy” or “energy flow”)

-     *  The Chinese are actually taught in school that they evolved from a different species than the rest of the world

 *  Chinese love flying kites, playing badminton and ping pong (hands down the most popular sport here)

 *   As you know, Chinese are only allowed to have one child. So that means only one thing; that one child is spoiled to pieces, and is also filled with pressure to be the best in everything! Monday-violin lessons, Tuesday-English class, Wednesday-Kung Fu, and so on and so on. They are involved in everything and high expectations are set for them. I feel bad when they come to class, and tell me… “teacher, no homework please, no sleep last night.” Meanwhile their parents are giving me a hard time for not assigning more homework.   So that means, they will often spoil their dogs too. Occasionally, you’ll see dogs dressed in sweaters, head bow ties, and booties. It is quite silly to see. Yet, no leashes. This means crossing a busy intersection with their owner and no leash.

-   *  They are all about “face” here. Looking good, and holding strong to their dignity.  Losing face, saving face, and giving face is very important and while hanging out with my Chinese friends in a group I am always a bit conscientious about this. (Trying to not to say something to them or doing something that will humiliate them in front of other people) What I may think of as a sarcastic joke to a Western friend may not be taking as lightly from a Chinese. Anything from ordering 8 plates of food for 2 people (to show off their wealth, or rather their parents wealth), or cooking 8 plates of food for 2 people, they just want to “look good.” Losing your temper, putting someone on the spot, or failing to accord proper respect can cause a loss of face. One’s status in dictates how one treats others and is treated by others. Saying “no” can cause loss of face and disrupt. So like in El Salvador, I must accept every offer.

Traffic jams that consist of more than a group of cows. Walking these busy Chinese streets full of unfamiliar faces. I look up the tall buildings around of Chinese flashing characters; none of which I understand. I look in the restaurants of people slurping their noodles. A sea of dark haired, slanted eyed people. I look around for a familiar face; instead I am getting stared at by these unfamiliar faces. In my village in El Sal everyone knew my name and I knew theirs. In this jammed pack city in China, I doubt I’ll ever cross paths with the same person again (excluding on “foreign street”, and other Western bars.) Both places have their good points and bad points, but it all works out. Although completely different, both are amazing experiences that I will take with me for the rest of my life.