![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Why China?
Jun. 18th, 2004 04:23 pmZcat has been to a few different countries in his/her life. Why does xhe find xerself in China now? And why the heck is xhe using this silly notation?
Firstly the notation, to respond to Whitsunday's comment. Why am I using a name which many friends know refers to both myself and my husband? Because, for one, it was the first thing that occured to me. I am working on something else - especially as by joining LJ, I will probably be disowned by said husband, and a few other friends. However, for the moment it will do. I have been one half of zcat for the past 5 years, so it kind of seemed natural. But by being zcat, I also cannot deny the other half - though he has nothing to do with this. I might yet convert him.
So zcat, being both me and he, now finds ximself abroad, again. But in one of the countries of the world that I did not really envision visiting. But when we started thinking of teaching English overseas, the other half wanted to visit China, as he had studied the language in Uni, and wanted to improve it, so he could do some further study. And given the choice, as I was, of China, Japan or Korea, I felt that China was in greater need of teachers, as they can't pay as well as the other places. However, once this year is finished, we'll go somewhere that pays better, so that on returning home, owning a house and starting a family won't just be dreams.
Also, China is an interesting experiance. To picture every-day China, at least in the area where we are, take one measure of Thailand and mix with two of India. Then remove most colours except red, and very faded dark blue.
By choice, we came to a small city (population slightly larger than that of NZ). This may have been a mistake, as there is far less available in the way of entertainment, or even fast food close to the college. But the country-side is fascinating.
Wheat-fields - everywhere you look there are wheat-fields. I had never seen them before. They kind of look like rice-fields, but not quite as pretty. Now they have been harvested, also like rice. The threshing was a new experience, though my grandmother (what, I'm talking about my grandmother in LJ?!?) said they used to do it the same way in Thailand. It's really very easy. You simply lay the wheat down on the roads, and watch the cars drive over it. After a while, toss it in the air, and repeat. No wonder we find gravel in the rice and the bread. (Not quite sure how the gravel makes it past the flour grinding process.) And the bus drives up to the school gate with wheat straw hanging from the bumpers. Also, the mule and donkey carts enjoyed it - free refueling on the way!
Pollution is a big problem. Besides wheat, this province produces concrete and coal. They have never heard of filters for the factories, and the whole place seems to be blanketed in smog for much of the time. In fact, when we first arrived we didn't see the sky for nearly 3 weeks, not even to see clouds. It was a truely weird experience.
We're working in a university, in what amounts to a rural area. Most of the students are poor, and slightly annoyed that they didn't get into one of the bigger, more prestigious universities. It's a nice change for us, though, as the Chinese we had encountered in NZ were all rich. People are the same around the world.
But we are celebrities, by virtue of being white. People want their photos taken with us. People on the street, young and old, turn and stare as we go by. It's quite fun with the older people, seeing if you can make them smile. Their faces tell a thousand stories, and I wish I could get them to tell me. Other people try out their English, ranging from very good, down to "hello-goodbye" in one breath.
Enough - for now. It's all ramble, but I'm trying to record my impressions of the place.
Firstly the notation, to respond to Whitsunday's comment. Why am I using a name which many friends know refers to both myself and my husband? Because, for one, it was the first thing that occured to me. I am working on something else - especially as by joining LJ, I will probably be disowned by said husband, and a few other friends. However, for the moment it will do. I have been one half of zcat for the past 5 years, so it kind of seemed natural. But by being zcat, I also cannot deny the other half - though he has nothing to do with this. I might yet convert him.
So zcat, being both me and he, now finds ximself abroad, again. But in one of the countries of the world that I did not really envision visiting. But when we started thinking of teaching English overseas, the other half wanted to visit China, as he had studied the language in Uni, and wanted to improve it, so he could do some further study. And given the choice, as I was, of China, Japan or Korea, I felt that China was in greater need of teachers, as they can't pay as well as the other places. However, once this year is finished, we'll go somewhere that pays better, so that on returning home, owning a house and starting a family won't just be dreams.
Also, China is an interesting experiance. To picture every-day China, at least in the area where we are, take one measure of Thailand and mix with two of India. Then remove most colours except red, and very faded dark blue.
By choice, we came to a small city (population slightly larger than that of NZ). This may have been a mistake, as there is far less available in the way of entertainment, or even fast food close to the college. But the country-side is fascinating.
Wheat-fields - everywhere you look there are wheat-fields. I had never seen them before. They kind of look like rice-fields, but not quite as pretty. Now they have been harvested, also like rice. The threshing was a new experience, though my grandmother (what, I'm talking about my grandmother in LJ?!?) said they used to do it the same way in Thailand. It's really very easy. You simply lay the wheat down on the roads, and watch the cars drive over it. After a while, toss it in the air, and repeat. No wonder we find gravel in the rice and the bread. (Not quite sure how the gravel makes it past the flour grinding process.) And the bus drives up to the school gate with wheat straw hanging from the bumpers. Also, the mule and donkey carts enjoyed it - free refueling on the way!
Pollution is a big problem. Besides wheat, this province produces concrete and coal. They have never heard of filters for the factories, and the whole place seems to be blanketed in smog for much of the time. In fact, when we first arrived we didn't see the sky for nearly 3 weeks, not even to see clouds. It was a truely weird experience.
We're working in a university, in what amounts to a rural area. Most of the students are poor, and slightly annoyed that they didn't get into one of the bigger, more prestigious universities. It's a nice change for us, though, as the Chinese we had encountered in NZ were all rich. People are the same around the world.
But we are celebrities, by virtue of being white. People want their photos taken with us. People on the street, young and old, turn and stare as we go by. It's quite fun with the older people, seeing if you can make them smile. Their faces tell a thousand stories, and I wish I could get them to tell me. Other people try out their English, ranging from very good, down to "hello-goodbye" in one breath.
Enough - for now. It's all ramble, but I'm trying to record my impressions of the place.
