I learned SO much today. As a foreigner, the division between the East and the West is quite clear. So many things are different, which I expected, but it's a lot more than I thought. This is a picture of Nanjing in the morning. It is the smog which stings and burns your eyes! Interesting to see how bad the smog is considering how everyone rides their bike or moped everywhere. When walking around you don't need to worry about cars (which btw, pedestrians do NOT have the right of way anywhere!) you need to worry about the bikers and moped-ers running you over. They don't slow down or even say anything to you, they simply honk their horn and speed up! Goodness has that been a change to get used to.
I can't even tell you what I've eaten b.c. I honestly have no clue! I had rice with all meals but surprisingly it is served at the end of the meal to fill you up from what your main meal did not. By the time you get to the rice you don't even want it b.c. you're already full. I eat less here but I'm essentially slowed up by the chopsticks which makes me realize I'm full quicker! Dr. Cheng (the professor who's idea this institute was) said that you use 70-something muscles using chopsticks whereas you only use 7 muscles with a fork! It's how you "work out" while you eat here with chopsticks, whereas Westerners have the tendency to shove their faces full of food! (lol. That was in my own words, of course!) There are no forks or knives even available here, only chopsticks. Pretty neat.
We went on a tour this afternoon of campus which was pretty neat. The only thing was that it was the hottest I've been in a LONG time and people were about to pass out! Let's just put it this way-- I'm not a "glistener" (or for those blatant folks: a "person who perspires") and I had to put deodorant on 5 times!!! My shirt was SOAKED. I at least was a sport, unlike some other "complainants", and actually enjoyed the hike. It was eye-opening and hey-it's China for goodness sakes!! While on our walk we saw the Nandu (as they call "Nanjing University") gym, library, track!, museum, dorms, etc.
There was actually a man who's job it is to make sure people don't walk on the grass! wow. what a job! He took his job very seriously, esp. with us Westerners who walk right through the grass to shortcut the paved walkways. I'm sure this is one reason why the grass is spectacular looking.Another interesting difference is that Americans really are spoiled with luxuries that the Chinese don't even think about. For instance, Air conditioning. We Floridians esp. value our AC and go to great lengths to avoid the insanely hot and humid outside weather. The heat and humidity is worse here and yet, there's no AC!!! Now the gym I go to invests large amounts of money in keeping the gym cold for those of us "perspiring", however, you walk into the gym here and it's like walking into a sauna!! my goodness. Coming from background, I can't imagine life w.o such a thing but I can understand why the Chinese don't invest in such a luxury b.c. with so many people everywhere it would be difficult to afford and maintain it. It's weird though b.c. they don't even like it! So different, So different. (also, just as a sidenote: they don't quite believe in deodorant either!! It's near impossible to find here b.c. there's no emphasis on it in their society.. so imagine that!)
We went to the Nandu Museum and saw things like the Marx Engels' "Communist Manifesto"-- the basis to socialism and communism (China's government) and an example of a master's diploma. You'll see the Xs on the diploma b.c. during the Cultural Revolution in China (1960s) Mao's government was against scholarship which in turn caused them to destroy many representations of such education.
Sebastian (our guide) spoke rather openly about the Cultural Revolution and the Nanking Massacre (more on that later). I found it rather surprising since in the Communist society the government controls what their people know and can talk about. (Then again, Sebastian is rather educated in comparison to many Chinese)
Another interesting thing are the very frequent condom machines on the side of the streets!! I assume this is a way to help control the population, but wow! how interesting! One guy with our group tested it out (how the machine worked, not the condom, lol) and sure enough for something that is equivalent to our quarter- you get a condom on the side of the road!! lol. So funny. I enjoy that.
There's SO much more to share but I'm severely suffering from jetlag and the literally, rock-hard beds so it's off to my rock! I will share so much tomorrow.
Until then,
Wan-An (Goodnight!)
