Category Archives: Food

Namaste from India!

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After various failed attempts at loading my blog, I have finally succeeded! I am currently in rural India, where I am writing to you from a village located in Ahmedabad district, Gujarat. I have been in India for almost seven weeks now, and am just about three weeks into my site placement at a grassroots NGO working on Dalit rights issues. Since I’m here as part of a fellowship organized by American Jewish World Service, I’ve been asked to refrain from naming the NGO I’m working with on my blog. I’m volunteering with an organization that deals with politically sensitive issues, so naming names could bring a threat of endangerment to the organization or its workers (at least that’s what I’ve been told, and it’s best to tread lightly when working in a foreign environment). So for the next 8 months, I’ll just have to refer to the place I’m working as “my NGO” or “the NGO I’m volunteering with.” Thanks for bearing with me!

Since I haven’t updated in a while, I’ve got some major backtracking to do. I’ll start with my first month in India, since that’s the easiest place to begin. I arrived to Ahmedabad in October, following a series of long and tiring flights. I’ve made many a journey across the world, but for some reason, my flight to India was particularly tiring. I’ve attributed this to the fact that I was so anxious about what was to come – would I like living in India for the next ten months? Was I going to get harassed by touts when I stepped off the plane? Were the other fellows going to like me? Was anyone going to be at the airport to meet me? Was my NGO placement going to work out? Since I was awarded the AJWS fellowship in April, a million questions had been swirling around in my head as to how this experience was actually going to turn out. Once I arrived and began to come to grips with the reality that India is finally happening, I felt like a huge weight had finally been lifted off of my shoulders.

And yet, after seven weeks in India, I still find myself missing China (and the US!). I try not to compare India and China too often, because I feel like it will only detract from my experience – sometimes, though, I just can’t help it. China and India have been declared the two next “rising giants” on the world stage, so I feel like it’s natural to weigh them against each other. The cultures are so different, though, that comparing the two can make understanding them that much harder. Judging from previous experience, I’m guessing that this comparison thing will pass as time goes by (I tend to attribute it to culture shock), and then things should get really interesting.

For the first month of my stay in India, the other fellows and I were living at Kochrab Ashram, located in Paldi district of Ahmedabad city. Kochrab Ashram is the first ashram that Mahatma Gandhi set up after his return to India from South Africa; it is from Kochrab Ashram that he first began to strategize his vision for the Indian independence movement. He later moved from Kochrab Ashram to a larger location, called Sabarmati Ashram, also in Ahmedabad; now, when tourists come to the city, they usually go to the larger Sabarmati Ashram to check out some of Gandhi’s artifacts (including a letter that Gandhi wrote to Hitler). That means that the Kochrab Ashram, while still lovingly tended, remains the more peaceful of the two – a perfect oasis set back from the bustling city roads. Besides the ashram’s residential monkeys and a local political gathering here or there, the only other occasional sites to be seen are now-elderly Gandhians who trickle in from the streets, dressed in handspun khadi, to study on the ashram grounds.

In true Gandhian style, the ashram is simple but adequate. The food we ate was all pure vegetarian, meaning that it did not include meat or eggs. (Note: in India, pure veg includes dairy; there’s little concept of veganism here). We became accustomed to bucket showers and squat toilets, the latter of which I had previously been regularly exposed to in China. Here are some photos of our accommodations:

Bedrooms, Holding Four to Five People per Room

Kitchen, Where We Held Cooking Lessons

Female Lodging Accommodations

Shower (aka Faucet/Bucket)

Bathroom (For Those Who Haven't Seen a Squat Toilet)

Kochrab Ashram Grounds

The "Gandhi Stage," a Meditation/Exercise Stage Where Our Classes Were Often Held

Luckily for me, the place I’m living now is just as peaceful as the ashram (if not more so). After a month of living a pretty basic lifestyle, I don’t know how easy it would be to adjust to the chaos of an Indian city. Of the fellows, I am the only one living and working in a rural area, which in some regards I think is much easier than living in an urban one. I don’t have to negotiate for rickshaws; my meals, while basic and lacking in variety, are healthy and provided for me; there is no pollution or garbage lining the streets; and I don’t have to worry about stepping in cow dung. Honestly, what else could I ask for?

Stay tuned for more updates from my rural Indian adventure!

A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying Chinese Tea

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Dried Green Tea Leaves

While plenty of people from the West enjoy a cup of tea now and then, it often seems that few stop to contemplate its origins.  Tea, which is indigenous to modern-day China, has been savored for its flavor and utilized as a form of herbal medicine for thousands of years; as such, the human history of preparing and drinking it has a long and treasured tradition in the Middle Kingdom, and forms an integral part of the Chinese cultural fabric.  Chinese tea is usually classified into four distinct categories:

(1) White teas.  White teas (白茶) come from the unopened buds and young leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which are then steamed.  In China, most white teas are processed in Fujian province, located on the southern coast of the mainland; white teas have only begun to become popular in the West in very recent years, and are still not so easy to come by.  Because white teas are only very lightly processed, they are extremely rich in antioxidants.

(2) Black teas.  Black teas constitute more than 90 percent of all teas sold in the West.  As compared to the white, green and oolong varieties, they are the most highly oxidized of teas, and contain the most caffeine.  Black teas are known in the West as “black” due to the color of the oxidized leaves; in China, black tea is called “red” tea (红茶), in reference to the color of the liquid itself.

Chinese Pu'er Tea (post-fermented)

(3) Green teas.  Green tea (绿茶) remains the most widely consumed variety of tea in China, and was first consumed during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD).  Green teas are only lightly oxidized, giving them a lighter flavor than black teas.  Like white teas, green teas are rich in antioxidants (due to a lack of heavy processing); for this reason, they have become increasingly popular in the West.  China currently accounts for 81 percent of the global production of green tea.

(4) Oolong teas.  Oolong teas (乌龙茶) are partially oxidized, meaning that they have a richer flavor than most green teas and a subtler flavor than most black varieties.  The leaves used to produce oolong teas are typically allowed to wither under the sun, and are either rolled or wrapped.  The flavor and aroma of oolong tea varies greatly depending on the processing.  Renowned varieties of oolong tea are currently produced in Fujian province and Taiwan.

Chrysanthemum "Tea"

While white, black and green and oolong teas all come from the same plant, they are processed differently to obtain distinct results.  In addition to these, some experts place other varieties of Chinese tea – most notably yellow (黄茶) and pu’er (普洱茶) teas – into their own categories.  And while flower teas (花茶) have gained popularity, they are not “teas” in the traditional sense, as they are not produced from the Camellia sinensis.

Chinese teas are bought loose.  To drink, a small amount is steeped in hot water – whether to strain the tea leaves or not is really a matter of personal preference, and the leaves may be used multiple times before disposal (in fact, the full flavor of the tea typically isn’t achieved with the first cup, so keep that in mind).

You’re now on your way to enjoying your first cup of Chinese tea!  I hope you find the experience as rewarding as I have.

Restaurant Review: Spring Moon, The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong

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The Peninsula Hong Kong

The Peninsula Hong Kong, long revered by travel connoisseurs, is a symbol of timeless luxury.  As one of the oldest fashion arcades and the most historical hotel in Hong Kong, it has attracted distinguished visitors from around the world since its opening in 1928.  Not remarkably, it was with the expectation of an exquisite dining experience that my boyfriend and I arrived at Spring Moon, the hotel’s upscale specialty Chinese restaurant.

Though Spring Moon dubs itself as “traditional Shanghainese,” such a classification is misleading at best.  The décor of the restaurant indeed mimics the architectural flair of 1920s Shanghai, but Spring Moon’s menu offers a vast assortment of Cantonese, mainland Chinese and even Singaporean cuisine.  Indeed, Spring Moon is more aptly classified as an eclectic presentation of traditional Chinese cuisines from across Asia.

As nuts are a common starter in China, our waiter first presented us with a small dish of candied cashews.  After sifting through the lengthy menu, we ordered two cups of soup – one of hot and sour with lobster, and the other of sweet corn with crab meat.  Though the sweet corn soup was decidedly Western in flavor (it was impossible to escape the resemblance to corn chowder), the hot and sour soup was distinctly Chinese.  Spicy yet sour and served at just the right temperature, the addition of lobster added a unique twist to an otherwise traditional dish.

Spring Moon, The Peninsula Hong Kong

Following ordinary Chinese custom, my boyfriend and I ordered several main dishes to share.  For our main course, we chose the sautéed lamb fillet with bean curd, crispy chicken coated in almonds with lemon sauce, sautéed spinach with diced garlic, and Singaporean-style fried vermicelli.  The lamb, chicken and spinach dishes were all cooked to perfection, and the lamb and spinach were particularly delectable.  Unfortunately, the Singaporean-style fried vermicelli was a culinary disaster – almost identical in taste and appearance to cheap cafeteria-style noodles available in Singapore’s Chinatown, they were a positive disappointment to an otherwise enjoyable dining experience.

To finish our meal, we ordered the mango pudding, the baked sago pudding with chestnut paste, and two cups of osmanthus tea.  The tea was exquisite and quite similar in to that found in Guilin, a city renowned across the Chinese mainland for its osmanthus tea and pastries (though I must admit, osmanthus tea of the same quality can be found in Guilin for only a small fraction of the price).  The sago pudding, akin to tapioca, was textually distinct and appealing flavor-wise, while the mango pudding was tasty yet predictable.

Though I would recommend Spring Moon to those who truly appreciate and understand Chinese cuisine, Westerners without basic exposure to traditional Chinese food are likely to find the experience pricey and unsatisfying.  For a more affordable sampling of authentic and delicious Chinese food, Hong Kong offers a multitude of great eateries.  Enthusiasts, however, will certainly appreciate the fresh take on fine Chinese dining that Spring Moon provides.

Experiencing Chinese Village Life in Ma’an

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During the annual Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, friends and family gather to celebrate the fall harvest and anticipate the arrival of the autumn equinox, when the moon is typically at its fullest and brightest.  This year, a few friends and I gathered in the Dong minority village of Ma’an to eat moon cakes and experience the true meaning of Mid-Autumn Festival alongside the local population.  From enjoying Dong song and dance to sampling minority specialty dishes, we were certainly fortunate to take part in such a unique cultural opportunity.

In addition to celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, we had the privilege of lodging in a traditional Dong long house, typically constructed from timber by local Dong villagers and often requiring months – or even years – of labor.  Though the weather was less-than-ideal, we enjoyed a clear panoramic view of Ma’an from a nearby mountaintop and spent a few late nights chatting over steaming cups of tea.

The village of Ma’an is home to the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, a wooden bridge that took local Dong residents over 12 years to build.  Completed at the turn of the last century, it stands as a symbol of the distinctiveness of Chinese minority architecture.

Conveniently, Ma’an is located only a few hours by bus from Guilin, and makes for an easy overnight trip outside the city:

Ma'an Village, Guangxi Province

Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, Ma'an Village

Dong Long House, Ma'an Village

Seeing that I will no longer be residing in the Middle Kingdom when the next Mid-Autumn Festival rolls around, I felt very much at peace knowing that my second and last Mid-Autumn Festival celebration was spent in the company of Chinese locals.  Who knows what next autumn will bring?

Guangxi’s Yangshuo: Must-See Countryside Scenery

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Yangshuo's Countryside Landscape

About a week ago, my boyfriend and I accompanied a group of 16 students and 4 faculty from Virginia Polytechnic and State University (commonly known in the US as Virginia Tech) to Yangshuo (阳朔), a countryside jumping point and backpackers’ retreat located about two hours outside of Guilin.  As I have visited Yangshuo quite a few times previously, I knew exactly what to expect from the trip – that being said, I have yet to be let down by what the town has to offer.  Boasting some of the most exquisite scenery seen anywhere in the world, Yangshuo thrives off of both domestic and international tourism; to be certain, there is no shortage of foreigners in this once quaint town.  On the other hand, simply because there are more tourists in Yangshuo than other areas of Guangxi, it is also home to some of the best sightseeing, dining, and shopping experiences I’ve had since moving to China.

On Saturday afternoon, we traveled by bamboo raft down the Li River to Xingping, a historic and charming countryside town located only 39 miles from Guilin.   That night, we wandered along Yangshuo’s West Street and checked out the restaurant scene – much to my delight, I discovered Kelly’s Place, a Western lounge that serves the most delicious veggie burger I’ve ever tasted in my entire life.  The next day, we went on a relaxing 4-hour bike ride through the outskirts of Yangshuo; along the way, we stopped to take a peek inside the Yangshuo Butterfly Scenic Zone, a brilliantly lit stalactite cave and countryside viewing point.

The Striking Lights of Yangshuo's Butterfly Cave

Before returning to Guilin on Sunday night, we bought tickets to see Liu Sanjie, a light show performed only in Yangshuo that was directed and produced by acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers).  70 minutes long and featuring over 600 performers, most of whom are members of China’s ethnic minority population, Liu Sanjie is a poignant display of Guangxi’s unique cultural heritage and a particularly moving showcase of Zhuang identity.

All in all, I’m extremely pleased to say that the visiting Virginia Tech students tremendously enjoyed Yangshuo and its surroundings.  When traveling through southern China, an up-close glance at the breathtaking scenery to be witnessed in Yangshuo is definitely not to be missed!

Backpacking to Hong Kong: Part Four

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After exploring both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island on Saturday, I woke up on Sunday morning to perfect sunshine and improved health.  Ecstatic that I had at last won my battle with food poisoning, I headed across the harbor in search of an authentic Western breakfast.  Rambling along Hong Kong Island’s alleyways and peeking in bakery windows, I finally entered a small cafe and ordered a bagel with cream cheese.  Enjoying the morning scenery, I sipped a tall glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice and soaked in the view of passersby strolling down Hong Kong’s narrow lanes.

Now stuffed, I sat for a few minutes browsing the Internet.  It struck me then that although Hong Kong is technically part of China, it is not subject to any of the cyberspace restrictions currently gripping the mainland.  Amazed by how quickly and easily I could search the web, I logged onto Facebook and YouTube simply because I could.  For a minute, I felt the sensation of uninhibited access to information – I had forgotten what that kind of freedom felt like, and had tacitly accepted Chinese Internet censorship as a daily norm.

Soho: Colonial Charm with a Modern Feel

Nonetheless, I knew that I hadn’t come all the way to Hong Kong to spend my time on the computer.  So, I slowly made my way back outside and meandered the streets of Hong Kong’s well-preserved Soho district.  Home to mid- to high-end shops and boutiques, most of the items for sale in Soho are out of my price range.  Nonetheless, Soho tops the list as one of the island’s most charming shopping and dining zones; even for those on a tight budget, Soho has much to offer.  Its less-traveled side streets are home to  a variety of little-known bargains, and its bars and nightclubs are some of the most vivacious and eclectic in Hong Kong.

Crossing back over to Kowloon, my boyfriend and I walked along Hong Kong’s Avenue of Stars and admired the hand prints of a few of China’s most famous actors, including Jet Li and Jackie Chan.  Afterwards, we had the opportunity to witness an event that neither of us have ever witnessed on the Chinese mainland – a political demonstration.

In 1999, the Chinese government banned the practice of Falun Gong and began a nationwide campaign to weed out its followers.  Founded in 1992, Falun Gong is a series of meditative practices and spiritual exercises that has incorporated and synthesized elements from both the Buddhist and Taoist belief systems.  Falun Gong has adopted the focus on energy movement that characterizes Chinese qi gong, and places a high emphasis on the tenets of morality and compassion.  Throughout the 1990s, the practice of Falun Gong grew in popularity both on the Chinese mainland and throughout the rest of Asia; by the turn of the century, however, Beijing had labeled the movement as a cult and denounced it as a force for social instability.  International reports of mistreatment, harassment, arbitrary arrest, and torture of Falun Gong believers have been surfacing ever since.

In Hong Kong, my boyfriend and I encountered Falun Gong followers protesting the harsh actions of the Chinese government through silent meditation and media campaigning.  In addition, we viewed full-size information panels condemning the CCP for its role in the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 and in perpetrating violent political crimes during the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution:

Tiananmen Square Massacre, 1989

The Legacy of China's Cultural Revolution

As a mainland resident, I can’t even imagine seeing anything of this nature posted in public in China proper.  Not only would this kind of information be promptly disposed of by a local security official, but any citizen who chose to display such beliefs would swiftly be castigated.  In a country that does not place much value on the freedom of expression or right to information access of its citizens, the ability to challenge the government’s official history is not open to the public.  To say the least, I was surprised and even proud to see such an open display of criticism leveled directly against the Chinese government – not firstly because of my personal views of the CCP, but because of a deep-rooted conviction in favor of unrestricted freedom of speech.

Around 5pm, I headed back to Shenzhen to catch an 8pm flight to Guilin.  On the subway ride to the Chinese border, I began to feel lightheaded and nauseous – believing that I was simply suffering from motion sickness, I thought that my health would be just fine once I stepped off the subway car.  It was not until two days later that I would realize I had begun to experience the primary stages of phototoxicity.

The story may be almost over, but it’s not done yet!  Just when I thought I was on my way back to Guilin in the best of health, I was about to enter my longest and most serious health battle in China yet.  You thought food poisoning was bad?  Think again!  Stay tuned for the next addition to my “Backpacking to Hong Kong” saga.

Backpacking to Hong Kong: Part Three

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Chungking Mansions: Multiculturalism at Its Boldest

On Saturday afternoon, my boyfriend and I finally arrived at Chungking Mansions, one of Hong Kong’s most ubiquitous commercial and residential landmarks.  Constructed in 1961 and located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Chunking Mansions stretches 17 stories high and contains more guest houses than any other Hong Kong establishment.  In addition, the Mansions are home to low-cost curry restaurants, currency exchange kiosks, export packaging warehouses, and convenience stores carrying all shades of Middle Eastern and South Asian consumer goods.  Chungking Mansions houses some 4,000 people from all over the globe at any given time; though guest house accommodations are minuscule in size and provide only basic amenities, in all of my travels I have never visited a place quite like this one.  Whether looking for a cheap room for a night’s stay or purely seeking a one-of-a-kind tourist experience, a visit to Chungking Mansions is a definite must for anyone seeking to uncover Hong Kong’s true cultural charm.  In fact, TIME Magazine has rated Chungking Mansions as the world’s best example of globalization in action.

Despite the fact that I was still suffering from a (now mildly) serious case of food poisoning, I managed to devour an oversize plate of Pakistani food after dropping off my backpack inside the Mansions.  Wandering outside, my boyfriend and I were immediately confronted by street vendors of all colors and ages peddling every good imaginable, especially tailor-made suits and counterfeit watches.  As Hong Kong’s most densely populated island, Kowloon is wildly more compact and chaotic than any other tourist destination I’ve traveled to thus far.  Home to high-end fashion malls and dirt cheap bargains alike, the island is but a metropolitan jungle set in the midst of southern China’s sparkling natural landscape.

Cantonese-Style Dim Sum: A Hong Kong Specialty

Though I wish I could claim to have sampled some dim sum for dinner on Saturday night, my boyfriend I instead headed straight to the Spaghetti House, an American-Italian restaurant serving up the most authentic salad and pasta I have tasted in China thus far.  Authentic Western food is difficult to come by in Guilin – not only that, but the general dining atmosphere in Guilin is very unlike that which to which most Westerners are accustomed.  The Spaghetti House offers a wide variety of tasty options, as well as tomato sauce that is indeed not made from ketchup; mood lighting, soothing music, and quiet but friendly service are valued experiences which I don’t have the opportunity to enjoy all too often.  While most tourists come from countries far away to sample Hong Kong’s renowned Cantonese food, I certainly relished the chance to drool over the island’s Western specialties.  Hong Kong’s selection of fusion food and its unique take on traditional Western dishes provide an entire dining experience of their own.

One of Hong Kong Island's Countless Skyscrapers

Feeling nearly 100% health-wise, I took the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbor to catch a view of Hong Kong’s tallest skyscrapers by night.  As was to be expected, I was entirely breath-taken by the sheer scale of architectural development on Hong Kong Island.  Not only does the subway stretch under the harbor to link Kowloon with Hong Kong Island, but the buildings, streets, and even narrow alleyways all remain extremely well-maintained.  In my mind, comparing the New York City skyline to that of Hong Kong felt like traveling back in time – while I truly admire New York for a whole variety of reasons, its aesthetic power has surely been dwarfed by the magnitude of Hong Kong’s urban landscape.  Best of all, it never costs more than US$1 to ride the Star Ferry, a true value in one of China’s most expensive cities and a great excuse to enjoy Hong Kong’s coastal breeze.

On Saturday night, I fell asleep fully confident that the worst of the battle for a return to good health was entirely over.  I woke up the next morning slightly tired, but otherwise content.  Little did I know, I was in for an enormous surprise.

Don’t forget to read Parts One and Two of my “Backpacking to Hong Kong” series, and be sure to check back in a few days for the latest addition to the adventure!

How (Not) To Make Chinese Dumplings

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Is It Time to Eat Yet?

Last Saturday, several members of the foreign community, as well as a handful of Chinese friends, came over to enjoy some homemade Chinese dumplings.  I think it was one of the first times that I ever cooked anything from scratch.  While the Chinese love their meat, especially pork, among the foreign crowd there are both vegetarians and vegans; so, we had to make both meat and vegetable dumplings.  Between rolling the dough, creating the filling, stuffing the dumplings, and cooking them, we must have spent over two hours preparing food.  Lucky for us, we got to eat all of our creations afterward, even if some of the dumplings were pretty sorry-looking.

As was to be expected, all of the dumplings made by the Chinese attendees were both beautifully crafted and delicious.  They didn’t fall apart when placed into boiling water, and they even stayed put when we picked them up with chopsticks.  The dumplings created by the foreign crowd, however, were another story.  Making dumplings is an art form – there must be a certain amount of filling, you have to fold the dumplings the right way, and they’re supposed to take on a certain shape.  In true Western style, however, the foreigners decided that our dumplings were going to take on all shapes and sizes, from raviolis to empanadas.  I’m not sure that our Chinese friends appreciated our creativity.

Making Dumplings - Not My Forte

While I’m no skilled dumpling chef, at least I can now say that I have successfully learned to prepare one of China’s most popular and traditional dishes.  I’ve also recently learned to cook a few Thai and Indian items, a proud accomplishment after four years of living off Kraft macaroni and cheese.  Cooking dumplings with friends at the apartment may not be quite as thrilling as visiting the surrounding landscapes of Yangshuo or Longsheng, but it is certainly a true cultural experience.  Unlike Americans, the Chinese don’t usually consume pre-packaged or frozen foods during mealtime – a habit that, while inconvenient when pressed for time, is healthier in the long run.

So, who wants to come over for dinner?

New York State of Mind

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After being pummeled by snow in Leesburg, Virginia and Washington, DC for over a week, I finally made it to New York City!  I arrived in NYC last Friday, and I’ve been having a blast ever since.  Though I’m a loyal Bostonian at heart, I have to admit that NYC is one of my favorite places to visit – the people aren’t the friendliest, the weather isn’t always the best, and the fast pace of life can be a bit overwhelming, but New York City is truly a cultural nexus that brings together people from all corners of the globe.  NYC is not just an American city, but an international one.  From artwork to music, cuisine to nightlife, New York City is a steadfast representation of America as a nation of many peoples and traditions; it’s also a reminder of the continuing globalization of world cultures and economies.

Manhattan, New York City

While I returned to America a bit disillusioned by the seeming deterioration of the US political system and the erosion of America’s social values, I feel as though the time I’ve spent in New York City has restored my faith in the economic capabilities and cultural strength of the American people.  In comparing NYC to Chinese cities such as Shanghai or Beijing, New York is significantly more diverse in terms of its cultural composition.  Not only that, but New York seems to wield a level of creative strength that can’t be found in China.  While the Chinese economy is growing by the day, its urban centers have heretofore been dominated primarily by the manufacturing and export industries.  The Chinese financial sector is growing rapidly as well, but cultural ingenuity as viewed through modern art, literature, fashion design, cuisine, and even commercial innovation remains highly underdeveloped.  In New York City, it seems that every street corner offers some inspired cultural reminder - whether it be the graffiti-streaked storefronts of Harlem, men belting out their favorite blues tunes for tips at the subway station, or hipsters showing off the latest fashion trends as they stroll through the East Village.  Listening to the conversations of perfect strangers, spending time browsing through books at Barnes & Noble, and seeing businessmen and women rush to and from work on the subway, New York City has reminded me how hard Americans work and just how resourceful we are when it comes to creating and marketing new products and ideas.  That being said, China has transformed itself from an isolated communist backwater to an up-and-coming economic powerhouse in a mere thirty years; Chinese culture is one of the oldest and richest in the world, and its historical heritage is probably one of the globe’s most remarkable.  Nonetheless, its modern identity remains mostly unarticulated, and its human capital is largely unexploited.  Unlike New York City, Chinese cities have not yet managed to create particularly large or notable civil societies.

Statue of Liberty, New York City

Since I’ve been in New York City, I’ve wandered through the Lower East Side and downtown Manhattan.  I spent some time in the East Village and Harlem, took the ferry to Staten Island, and saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time.  I visited some old friends renting out a one-of-a-kind warehouse apartment in the Bronx, and together we checked out some popular bars in Brooklyn.  My boyfriend and I dined at some truly delicious local restaurants, including Tony’s Di Napoli, Blockheads, and Khyber Pass.  Tony’s Di Napoli specializes in authentic family-style Italian cooking, while Blockheads serves up some of the best margaritas and vegetarian burritos I’ve ever eaten.  Khyber Pass is a cozy Afghani restaurant located in the heart of the East Village, and offers hookahs for $15-25, tasty cocktails made with traditional Afghani milk tea, as well as a variety of Middle Eastern and Indian-inspired dishes.

Tomorrow, I’m heading back to Boston to spend another week with my family.  After that, I’ll be hopping a flight to Guilin.  I can’t believe that I’ve already been home for three weeks or so – time flies!

Reflections of the USA

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The Boston Customs House on a Frigid January Afternoon

After almost a week back home in the United States, I’ve started to think quite a bit about my personal and professional experiences thus far in China.  When I moved to the Middle Kingdom last June, I initially went through a tremendous amount of culture shock and encountered some pretty substantial difficulties in adjusting to a new and different lifestyle.  I finally found myself accepting China for what it is – the good and bad alike – and have since then grown to appreciate Chinese civilization and culture far more than I ever could have as a tourist.  I’ve visited and lived in many places around the world in the past few years, but China has perhaps provided the most challenging environment to which I have had to adapt.  That being said, I am so grateful that I have learned to love China and its people, and couldn’t be happier that I made the decision to move abroad after graduation from college.

Of course, the fact that I’ve been living in China for the past seven months has caused me to view the US in a completely new light.  As is to be expected, I returned home tremendously excited to eat American food – dairy products are not easy to come by in Guilin, good bread is even more difficult to find, and Guilin’s restaurant scene is still a bit underdeveloped.  I’m glad that I’ve also had the opportunity to visit with my family, since living so far away from loved ones can often bring bouts of homesickness.  However, I’m not sure that I’ve ever returned to America from a long trip with such disapproving feelings concerning the country’s direction and progress.  Let me elaborate.

For one, about a year ago now the American people elected Barack Obama as our next President.  Living under an authoritarian regime in a ‘communist’ country, I have truly come to appreciate all that President Obama stands for and am grateful that we, as a people, have the capability to alter the political future of our nation.  In America, our voices are heard, which is a privilege that most people worldwide don’t have.  Naturally, then, I have supported President Obama’s efforts to chart a new path for our country and its people; after eight years of failed presidential leadership, I am optimistic that the United States will renew its legacy of greatness.  What I didn’t expect is that I would come home to Massachusetts, turn on the television, and watch news network after news network endlessly criticize the President for this or that policy effort.  While I know that every American has his or her own opinion on government, and while I also believe that educated debate on political subjects is a necessary component of our democracy, it’s disheartening to see such bitter partisanship and lack of cooperation tear America apart at a time when we need to be working together towards a brighter future.  There are many problems that lie ahead of our nation, including global climate change, the financial crisis, unemployment, the rising deficit, lack of adequate healthcare, and rising tuition costs – not to mention Iran’s nuclear agenda, Islamic radicalism, or the forthcoming rise of China.  If we can’t move past pettiness and blue-red bantering, how can the President be expected to move us towards a better day?  More importantly, how can we hope to hold our ground as the world’s greatest superpower in the coming centuries?

There are other issues that living in China has caused me to think more about.  Two of them are school violence and teen pregnancy.  As a teacher in Guilin, I know firsthand that these sorts of issues are only of minor concern in Chinese schools, especially when compared to their American counterparts; Chinese laypeople do not have ready access to guns, and American students are often exposed to sexually explicit content at a much younger age than Chinese students.  To be honest, it is simply unfathomable for me to think of one of my students killing another in the classroom, just as it is unheard of that one of my students would become pregnant.  Some of this has to do with governmental policy, but it is also a reflection of social and cultural values.  America would do well for itself to rethink its children’s behavior and devise a series of more comprehensive strategies towards engaging its youth in constructive activity.

The last issues that I’ve really begun to think long and hard about are obesity and quality of life.  Considering that China has very, very few people who are severely overweight, you can imagine that I was completely taken aback when I arrived in America and witnessed the sheer number of obese people going about their business.  So many people in America either somewhat or extremely overweight, which to me reflects a problem that runs deeper than just food

A Silent Killer: Obesity in America

consumption.  It is true that much American food is dense and heavily packed with calories; at the same time, many Americans snack heavily, consume oversize portions, and don’t exercise regularly.  Excessive eating can be induced by unhappiness or stress, among other things, and it’s my belief that Americans don’t comprise a particularly happy society.  Many are overburdened with debt, work long hours, don’t have enough time to relax each day, and come home to stressful family lives – along that strain of thinking, it makes sense that so many Americans are fat.  If I’ve learned anything in the past few years, though, it’s that happiness comes along with rewarding and purposeful work – it seems to me, then, that a good portion of Americans need to reevaluate the importance of the almighty dollar sign and think again about where their most essential values lay.  Problems like school violence, teen pregnancy, and obesity, among others, are a product of distorted social and cultural norms, a corruption of American values.  On average, Chinese people may have less than Americans in the way of material possessions; viewing both societies through the naked eye, though, it seems that the Chinese are perhaps happier, and certainly healthier.

Ultimately, America will always be my home and I know how lucky I am to have been born here.  The founding principles of our nation are all that I need to remind me of America’s strength and greatness – but, peering out into the ever-expanding Shanghai skyline and feeling China’s future before me, I think it’s time that America rethinks its social and cultural principles, moves beyond do-nothing political gridlock, and sets in place an agenda based on tangible and real national progress.