Brock finally gets off his couch and ventures through China
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Things to Love about China: 39 of 100
The Beach
When I joined thirty of my fellow teachers for a three-day beach vacation, I didn’t quite know what to expect. In Wisconsin our beaches are all on lakes and in Kazakhstan… well, let’s just say it is, literally, the furthest geographical location from any ocean. So when I stepped off the bus and found a long sandy coastline with giant waves and blue water, I was a little culture-shocked. Did I really live near the ocean? The real ocean? I guess so.
The sun was out, the tide was out, and there were giant islands and monoliths jutting out of the water. My first inclination was to explore, so without any supplies (or sunblock) I ran off with my wife, my friend Matt, and an art teacher named Brittan.
We were hiking towards an inlet -or is it an outlet- at any rate my friend Matt had the need to climb a giant cliff face at the end of the beach. He figured it was about a ten-minute hike, but I could already tell that the part of his brain that estimates distance wasn’t functioning properly. To me it looked like a half-day hike.
Eventually the beach turned from sand to rock and we stopped at a little store for some beer. I also bought some sandals because I had been hiking barefoot and I somehow knew that I was in for some crazy adventure. After we threw a few back and set out, one of the store workers (who we later named Gollum) followed along.
When hiking with my friend Matt I am often reminded of a ADD teenage boy who sets out for something big without planning ahead. Though the other three of us had at least brought a shirt and a pocket full of money, Matt had left behind even these essentials. He did bring a Frisbee, but since he didn’t want to carry it he kept pawning it off on the rest of us.
When we reached the rock we had been hiking towards, Matt again showed his caution-to-the-wind attitude. “You guys climb the stairs. I’m climbing the rock face”
I was getting thirsty and my neck was starting to burn, so I wasn’t in the mood to argue. Cathy and I pushed ahead, while Matt and Brittan took the long-way-round.
For-hundred or so stairs later Cathy was feeling really dehydrated. I asked her if she wanted to turn around, but she insisted that we push on. “There will be water and a fast trail home at the top”, said she. The advice of a dehydrated woman going into panic mode, I thought.
We reached the observatory and found a lone guard inside. Cathy immediately, and without shame, banged on the door and begged for “Schway, Schway” (Water, Water). The guard came back with a nice cold bottle of water, free-of-charge, and pointed us to a magical road that would take us back to the beach. I hate being wrong, but sometimes its a good thing.
Before we got to the road, Matt and Brittan caught up with us. Our quasi-guide (slash stalker), Gollum had pointed them up the staircase so that they would not lose us. We all drank some more of the magical water that Cathy had conjured for us and then walked down the “Deus Ex Machina” path that so brilliantly saved our butts.
That night, under the harvest moon, it was all barbeques and fireworks. We sat on the beach and conversed with the locals. They wanted to hear American songs and all I could think of was “American Pie”. They reciprocated with some Rick Astlley song that had somehow made it big in China- but they thought the lyrics were “Take me to your house” instead of “Take me to your heart”.
As the night grew longer and we grew more intoxicated, I thought back to my time in Kazakhstan. I had only been in China for a week now, and already had more positive experiences with the locals than my entire two years in Kazakhstan. People in China are very friendly and approachable. They aren’t around you because they want something from you, they just want to talk, laugh, and get you to sing Rick Astley with them.
There’s something about beaches that put people on an equal playing level. Whether you are a teacher or you make LED light blubs or you are the Prince of Wales, on the beach you are just a schmo with a Hawaiian shirt and swim trunks. Maybe that’s why Kazakhs are so unrelateable- they have no beaches, just fancy sports cars and high-heeled shoes.
As the fire shrinks into coals and the Chinese begin to retreat to their tents, I gaze at the Autumn moon. I’ve gazed at that moon from many places, but never from China. I realize that there is probably no better place to be right now than under this moon on this beach. Here’s to you China- “Take me to your House”.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Things to Love about China 37 of 100: Mooncakes
Hello all. After a long summer of traveling, partying, and getting married, I have landed safely in China (and have been living two crazy weeks). There are so many experiences that I have not yet been able to capture on camera or in words, but please know that Cathy and I are very joy-filled and satisfied with our new lives.
In the next few months I have a lot to blog about as I explore this strange world called China- but when contemplating where to begin I can think of nothing better than Mooncakes.
I first discovered mooncakes when one of my little Chinese students brought a plastic-wrapped pastry to my desk and said "For you, teacher," she said.
I took the pastry, cautiously, and asked "What is it?"
She smiled and said, "Mooncake".
Often when I encounter new foods in China I pick up my chopsticks and dig-in without asking too many questions, but this Mooncake looked to me like a pandora's box - anything could be inside. I carefully took a nibble and was surprised to find that I did not despise it. It tasted, if nothing else, a little bit like Pecan Pie. Now don't get me wrong, i'd rather eat a pecan pie any day, but this little Mooncake wasn't too bad.
I took a bigger bite and ventured in further. There were seeds and nuts and some cubes of geletin-like substance. It was almost good! I kept chomping when I happened upon a small surprise: a round orange thing about the size of an egg-yolk. I didn't quite know what to do with this globular-treasure. I know that Chinese love to mix up textures as you partake (bubble tea is one example of this), but I wasn't sure about this orange ball stuck in my pecan-pie.
I scraped the orange thing with my teeth. Salty- an interesting flavor to find in a pie. I decided not to finish the ball and ate around it. I proceeded to find first one, then two more of the orange-mysteries and ate around them as well. When I took my last bite, all I had left were three salty spheres (later research would reveal these to be salted duck eggs)
Later, when my student saw me she asked if I had enjoyed the mooncake. I rubbed my tummy and smiled (although I wasn't quite sure if I enjoyed the experience or not). Never-the-less eight new mooncakes had arrived on my desk by the next morning. "For you," she explained.
And now I am a mooncake connoisseur. Those of you Angry-Bird players may have even spent time searching for them in the new Angry-Bird-Seasons update: "Mooncake Festival". Indeed, Mooncakes are the traditional gift given away during the Mid-Autumn festival for lunar-worship coming up next weekend- though, connoisseurs should be warned, the average mooncake packs in 800 - 1200 calories and are not friendly to those looking to drop a few pounds.
More to come!
~Brock
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Things to love about China: 36 of 100
The Chinese Zodiac
Brock's New Year
Once upon a time in China there was a race. The Jade Emperor called the twelve animals of the kingdom to him. He had wanted to assign each of the animals a position in the Chinese Zodiac and had decided that the order in which they arrived to meet him would determine their order on the calendar.
The most difficult leg of the journey was the river. The Ox being strong and mighty was able to ford the water and thought he would surely win- but the Rat, the most clever animal, managed to stowaway on his back and jump to the other side just before the Ox was able to win.
The nimble Rabbit was able to cross the river by jumping from stone to stone and when he was about to fall in –bless his luck- he was able to grab hold of a floating log. The Rabbit managed to reach the emperor fourth, right behind the strong Tiger.
The winged-Dragon came in 5th because he was busy helping all the creatures of the Earth (Which pleased the emperor). The Horse was about to take 6th place but a sneaky little Snake had been hiding in his hoof. The Horse was scared and the Snake took 6th instead.
The Goat, Monkey and Rooster were next to arrive. They had worked together and crossed the river on a raft. The Dog arrived 11th because it was too busy playing and the Pig last because it was too busy eating and sleeping.
And so, for the last five-thousand years, the twelve-year cycle has repeated: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
While most of the world considers January 1st the beginning of the New Year, it is celebrated in China in late January or early February. For a teacher, however, I am on a different calendar all together- that of the school year and my year is about to come to a close.
This year, my second year of teaching, was a big one. I proposed to my girlfriend, I received a transfer to a new country, I travelled to ten different countries and in a few months I will be legally married in the great province of Ontario.
In August my new year will start. I will have brand new friends. A brand new job. I will be far away from Kazakhstan (and Wisconsin) living in a place where it hasn’t snowed since wooly mammoths roamed the earth. Yet, I have no fears for the future. I have friends where I go and a brand new wife to travel with me and- even more- I am a Rat and I always win the race.
This video is nutso...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Things to love about China: 35 of 100
You are winding your way up a mountainous road in the California dessert. Suddenly one of the cars swerves off of the shoulder. You stop. Other cars stop. You and several strangers run down the hill and see if the driver is still alive. He is, but badly injured. Blood and dirt cover his face and he is only able to get a few words out. “Three-Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars,” he says “Buried in Santa Rosita State Park…under a Big W,”
Then, the injured man kicks the bucket (literally) and you wander back to your cars. You all agree to slowly drive down to the Mexican Border to Santa Rosita. You sit back in the driver’s seat. At first, the line of five cars make their way slowly down the pass, but suddenly someone takes off. The race is on.
This is the plot of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1963). The concept is simple, but genius. Several groups of pedestrians are racing through the world, seeking fortune. They must use planes, trains, cars, boats, and whatever other means to find it. They are out in the world, interacting with people who don’t know what they know.
The concept has been copied several times: From the American Films “Million Dollar Mystery” (1987) and “Rat Race” (2001) to Bollywood’s “Dhamaal” (2007). There is the short-lived Fox drama “Drive” and the long-running reality show “Amazing Race”. I even plotted out a version of this story when I was a kid… and again in college I wrote a similar story about my dorm friends.
Of all these versions (including my own), it is the “Amazing Race” who really turns this concept into something epic and exciting. I have to admit that I have only recently discovered the show, but it has quickly turned into my favorite reality television series. The series has run eighteen seasons, has seen seventy-six different countries, and won the first seven Emmys in Outstanding Reality Series.
Eleven teams of two people must race in the world’s biggest scavenger hunt. They must compete in challenges, solve puzzles, eat yucky things and the winners receive one million dollars. The race typically visits twelve countries in a season and has visited China in nine of its eighteen seasons, making China the number one raced-through country, other than the States.
And what’s not to love about China? It’s big and grand and there are so many climates, cultures, and cities that you can choose from. You can explore the Great Wall or wash windows in Shanghai. You can eat fish-eyes in Beijing or dodge Kung-Fu fighters in Hong Kong. Take a dive off the world’s highest sky-jump in Macau or light sky-lanterns in Taipei.
This past year, China even launched its own version of the “The Amazing Race” called “The Amazing Race: China Rush” in which teams of expatriates living in China raced around eleven Chinese cities. The show has been renewed for a second season and upon discovering this I thought, “Hey, I’m an expatriate who will be living in China, why don’t I apply?”
Of course this is just a dream, isn’t it? I mean, I have a job, I can’t stop teaching to race around China. But then I think QSI offers a year sabbatical after six years of teaching, which means I only have four years left. I could race around China or, maybe, even around the world. I could win a million dollars!
Or I could not win a million dollars. There are endless possibilities, really. My life is an amazing race. China might be but a pit-stop in that race, or it may be an extended stay, I don’t know yet. What is it that Doc Brown said? “Your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.”
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