A love of all things Bling

One thing is clear - the Chinese love bling.  Any kind of bling.  Gold, gilt, rhinestones, crystals, sparkles, satin.  And they like bling on everything - clothes, furniture, wallpaper, nails, shoes...

It is really quite remarkable.  And I can't stop staring at it.  I am slowly being initiated into all things bling courtesy of my team - they are all women and mostly young.  And each of them displays a love of all things shiny that I am coming to understand is the Chinese aesthetic.   Here are some glimpses of the bling I have encountered:

This is the cell phone cover from one of the girls on my team.  It is relatively mild as far as these things go.  I am planning a separate blog on cell phone covers in China.

We like to call this style of decor Chinese Baroque - it is an homage to the ornate, gilded decor of another era - and prevalent in so many Chinese homes I have seen.  Many of the apartment choices we see have an over abundance of this style.  We have taken to asking to only see apartments in Ikea Style.

Two areas where I see the most "bling" are in shoes (particularly sandals) and nails.  The sandals range from the simple flip flop with rhinestones/ crystals on them to elaborately beaded designs. Here are a selection from my team (with one observed at the nail salon).  These shoes are part of every day wear and do not seem to come out only on dress-up occasions.  In fact, the girls on my team keep these sandals under their desk to wear when their "office shoes" hurt their feet.  

                                                 

Absolutely the best place to observe the bling is in the nail art that so many Chinese women wear.  I understand this is a trend that spans the globe but I do think that the Chinese do this best.  You can have glitter and diamonds and bows stuck on your nails - in any colour imaginable.  In fact, I am becoming a little bit local - the red nails below (with the gold sparkles below) are my "Happy National Day" nails since they rock the colours of the Chinese flag. 

I will admit that my team has been pushing me towards these and even now I feel very uncomfortable with them - they are way more bling that is really me.  They seem to be wearing me down though and the next time you see me I may be sporting some diamonds and bows.

Some of the choices in the nail salon.

My current bling

The lovely Sophia rocking some bows on her fingers, including a bow on that finger!

A bit hard to see but she has a row of crystals along her cuticle.

Adding on some bows - notice the pinky is all glitter too

And some on the toes!

It is really remarkable what they can put glitter on.  And I afraid I am starting to like it.

The Weather Forecast in China

As Shenzhen sits and waits to see the impact of Super Typhoon Usagi (it is expected to hit Hong KOng head-on, we usually feel a lesser impact because Hong Kong and the new territories shelter us from the brunt of the storm but we are on yellow alert) I think about the weather in Shenzhen.

By and large it is mostly hot in Shenzhen.  And Humid.  Today for instance is 36C, 48C with the humidity.  And in the winter it doesn't get too cold.  By 10C people have pulled out their parkas.  In a place that is perpetually damp and has no central heating the cold does get into your bones.

I have also noticed that weather forecasts are generally as reliable here as they are anywhere in the world.  By and large most weather forecasting outlets are not to be trusted.  I have found that my friend Mike over in HK usually has the most accurate storm updates.  Other than that I have to rely on the system I have developed after a year of living here.  It goes like this:

• Men & Women using umbrellas - it is raining
• Women using umbrellas - it is sunny
• People carrying umbrellas and not using them - they are smart and know the weather here can change at any moment.
• People wearing sweaters - it is probably around 20C
• People wearing parkas - it is probably around 10C - note, this does not apply to babies and small children who seem to be swaddle in multiple layers whatever the weather - poor kiddies can't move their arms.
• Foreigners sweating profusely - it is probably above 15C but humid.

The most accurate weather gauge I have found is with men and their shirts.  It works like this:

• wearing a sweater - about 20C
• wearing a t-shirt only - it is a warm, comfortable day - probably 25C
• same t-shirt is rolled up to expose their belly - it's getting warmer, nearing 30C

• same t-shirt lifted up and tucked behind their head it is hitting 30C (like this picture but all the way behind the head - sorry for the picture, I couldn't find a reference photo but I did find this awesome fun in my search - Babies Wearing Watermelons)

• And you know it is hot when the shirt is off & flung over the shoulder or tucked in the back of the pants

The men's t-shirt approach of weather forecasting does not discriminate on body type - the bigger the belly the more you rub it seems to be the only difference.  

And that is how I tell the weather in Shenzhen.  Judging by view out my window,  it hot.

Happy 中秋节 - Enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival

I love holidays.  Especially any holiday that gives you 3 days off in the middle of the week.  Mid-Autumn festival is a beautifully timed break coming 3 weeks after my 2 week home leave to Canada.  Of course like everything in China there is a complicated logic that is attached to this time off.

This year the 15th day of the 8th lunar month falls on a Thursday.  And it is a statutory day off in many Asian countries.  In most countries we would have to take the day off and then return to work the next day.  Mid-week celebrations of Canada Day always felt unfair to me.  Fortunately the Chinese government is much more sympathetic to it's people.  Instead of leaving the day off floating in the middle of the week or making people use precious vacation days to make a long weekend, the Chinese government wisely performs a "weekend shift".  This means we have Thursday, Friday and Saturday off but have to go to work on Sunday.  It sucks to have a 6 day work week the next week but the weekend shift makes it easier for people to travel back home to their families to celebrate the holiday.  It also means chaos at border crossings, airports, train stations and major highways...and some really complicated tracking of days off.

I know, it is confusing.  But I am extremely grateful for the abundance of time off.  Most of us expats spend a lot of our time being exhausted.  Work is tough and just living is a challenge because of language barriers.

It is also a nice chance to learn more about the Chinese culture. According to Wikipedia, the Mid- Autumn Festival Also know as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, MAF (as we call it in Walmart) celebrates three fundamental concepts which are closely tied to one another:

• gathering - such as family and friends coming together, or harvesting crops

• thanksgiving - to give thanks for the harvest, or for harmonious unions

• praying - (asking for conceptual or material satisfaction), such as for babies, a spouse, beauty, longevity, or for a good future

So really MAF is the Chinese version of thanksgiving with moon cakes instead of turkey. 

Moon cakes are the traditional gift for this holiday and family rituals are built around the moon cake.  You should eat your moon cake with pomelo under the new Harvest moon as a family unit.  The oldest member of the family will cut up the moon cake and share the pieces amongs the family.  Here is a picture of the traditional moon cake with an egg inside:

They are beautifully crafted, with elaborate designs and come in many flavours.  Looking at them you are really tempted to take a big bite.  And as a newcomer to China you could easily believe that they were a favourite delicacy - the shelves of stores are filled with massive amounts of moon cakes in all sizes, many being displayed in beautiful decorative tins.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that Moon Cakes are the fruitcake of Asia.  There are stories of moon cakes being regifted for years, moving from family to family and co-worker to co-worker.  And most are never eaten.  Because most people feel they taste terribly - a co-worker likened them to the taste of death.  Fortunately my team has told me I don't need to eat the moon cakes - it is okay to thank the giver profusely and then throw them out.  If more people adopted this approach we would end the re-gifting epidemic once and for all.

Of course Walmart China adheres to tradition and is part of the moon cake conspiracy.  We received (from the Union - I should really blog about that soon) moon cakes as part of the wonderful gift pack we received.  In addition to two types of moon cakes (BlackBerry and Durian - which really smells like ass) we logically received 3 litres of milk, a bottle of French Wine and a cutlery set.

So I threw out the moon cakes (no one wanted them), gave the milk to team members with kids and took home the cutlery set and the bottle of wine.  And instead of following the Chinese tradition I toasted the Harvest Moon with some Canadians, sitting at an Irish Pub, eating Greek Salad and Hummus.  At least I was in China and took a look at the moon.  Right?

For a bit more on the mythology of MAF see the following excerpts from Lihui Yang's Handbook of Chinese Mythology:^[8]

In the ancient past, there was a hero named [Hou] Yi who was excellent at shooting. His wife was Chang'e. One year, the ten suns rose in the sky together, causing great disaster to people. Yi shot down nine of the suns and left only one to provide light. An immortal admired Yi and sent him the elixir of immortality. Yi did not want to leave Chang'e and be immortal without her, so he let Chang'e keep the elixir. But Feng Meng, one of his apprentices, knew this secret. So, on the fifteenth of August in the lunar calendar, when Yi went hunting, Feng Meng broke into Yi's house and forced Chang'e to give the elixir to him. Chang'e refused to do so. Instead, she swallowed it and flew into the sky. Since she loved her husband very much and hoped to live nearby, she chose the moon for her residence. When Yi came back and learned what had happened, he felt so sad that he displayed the fruits and cakes Chang'e liked in the yard and gave sacrifices to his wife. People soon learned about these activities, and since they also were sympathetic to Chang'e they participated in these sacrifices with Yi.

Yang describes another version of the tale which provides a different reason for Chang'e ascending to the moon:

After the hero Houyi shot down nine of the ten suns, he was pronounced king by the thankful people. However, he soon became a conceited and tyrannical ruler. In order to live long without death, he asked for the elixir from Xiwangmu. But his wife, Chang'e, stole it on the fifteenth of August because she did not want the cruel king to live long and hurt more people. She took the magic potion to prevent her husband from becoming immortal. Houyi was so angry when discovered that Chang'e took the elixir, he shot at his wife as she flew toward the moon, though he missed. Chang'e fled to the moon and became the spirit of the moon. Houyi died soon because he was overcome with great anger. Thereafter, people offer a sacrifice to Chang'e on every lunar fifteenth of August to commemorate Chang'e's action.

Who says the Chinese aren't Innovative?

My first year in China has consisted of two things - figuring out how to live here and readjusting the stereotypes of China that were so firmly planted in my mind.

Probably the biggest misconception was that the Chinese are not innovative.  They are geniuses at copying/duplicating/standardizing.  Give them instructions or direction and they will relentlessly execute without question.

The Economist - How Innovative is China

I call bullshit to the stereotypes.  Anyone who has lived here can tell you the Chinese are extremely inventive.

Nowhere is Chinese innovation more on display than on a rainy day.  I have witnessed some of the best examples of innovation on the rainy streets of Shenzhen.  My particular favourites:

1. Rain Ponchos with a clear panel to let your scooter light shine through while you protect the items inside your front basket
2. Double headed ponchos - allowing two people to sit on a scooter and be protected from the rain.
3. Bicycle/Motorcycle Umbrellas - to be fair these are also used extensively in the sun to protect the rider from tanning.  The more sophisticated umbrellas are slightly elongated on one side - so they cover off your back.  True innovation is the guy who puts one across the handlebars of his bike like a rain screen - he is too frugal to buy the rain poncho listed above.
4. Children's raincoat with a Backback pop-out

Not to mention the myriad of ways garbage bags can be used as rainwear.  Among the variety I have seen - as a skirt, a hat, wrapped around a hat, as a jacket, as a shawl...here is a glimpse of what kinds of things you see  Beijing Garbage Bag fashion

It is really amazing to behold.

Back in the Saddle

I am back by popular demand!  Well, two people asked about my blog and I don't want to disappoint.  

I have been enjoying life here and continue to make notes on what I see and experience.  Unfortunately because of some very dire circumstances I was unable to access my Blog.  There is even a slightly entertaining story as to why I couldn't access it that actually says a lot about my life in China.    

It all started when I spilt Orange Soda on the keyboard of my MacBook.  I was drinking Orange Soda because I had a bout of "Shenzhen Stomach".  Shenzhen stomach is similar to Bali Belly, Beijing Belly, Montezuma's Revenge...you get the picture - that unexplained digestive illness often related to environmental causes.  

Why Orange Soda you ask?  I know it is not a good thing to drink when you are sick - I was actually craving good old Gingerale like my Momma used to give me when I was sick (preferably in a blue plastic tupperware cup, stirred with a spoon).  Unfortunately I was trapped in my apartment (I did not want to venture too far away from a western toilet), the online grocery delivery place (www.nogogo.com) was without GingerAle and I don't know the Chinese word for GingerAle.  As often happens in these situations we foreigners default to something else because it is too hard for us to explain what we want or what we mean.  In this case, I had a bottle of orange soda left over from a team party...I thought I would give it a try.

I am not the most graceful of people and illness doesn't improve on that state.  As I reached for a pen I spilled the Orange Soda all over my keyboard, desk, floor, clothing - well everywhere.  It was an epic spill.  It was also when I realised that the particular brand of orange soda I was drinking (which is a Chinese Brand) contains a a lot of dye.  Orange dye of course.  And it is pretty strong.  There was now a whole section of my apartment tinted orange.

I was able to mop up most of the spill from my computer and miraculously it still worked.  Okay, some of the keys were VERY sticky - and there were some words that it became too much of an effort to type.  Fortunately I have a thesaurus, a somewhat varied vocabulary and a natural laziness that was okay with finding other words to use.  I was at least able to surf the internet and use my mouse to click on things.

Then the ants came.  I noticed them on the desk first.  A lot of them.  I decided to follow their trail (ants are very organized and follow the same path as the ants that go before).  There was a virtual army of ants (thankfully not army ants) all marching in a very orderly manner to the outside balcony.  Having identified their point of origin I decided to find out what they were looking for and returned to my desk.  

The desk seemed to be the location of their target.  They did not venture past the desk towards the kitchen or dining area.  Now I admit, I sometimes eat at my desk while I play online.  I live alone and didn't have cable - don't judge me.  Since the desk was the apparent hotspot I decided that a through scrub was in order.  I cleaned the desk off with cleaner, checked the drawers for food and figured I was good.  The cleaning did stop the march of ants...temporarily.

A few days later I was back on my computer and noticed ants running across my screen.  Little tiny ants.  And then I noticed the ants were also coming out from my keyboard, in between my keys.  Figuring they were after crumbs from my previous meals I used canned air and sticky tape to clean any crumbs.  Mission accomplished, I had once again vanquished the ants.  Or so I thought

Anyone who has experienced ants in their house know that ants are very persistent.  Sure enough the next day there were more bloody ants than ever before - and the march was on in full swing.  They were climbing around in my keyboard, on the screen and on my desk.  And then it dawned on me - the orange soda.  Apparently these ants loved the dye and the sugar.  

After seeking advice online I decided to take the laptop to the newly opened Apple Store in town.  Now, anyone who has travelled to Asia knows what chaos an Apple store is.  I battled through the 200,000 people browsing the iPads to make my way to the Genius bar.  In my wonderfully inept Chinese I was unable to convey to them what had happened.  And they said my computer worked (which it did).  Sigh.

So I bought a new one (the computer was old anyway - and I was tired of the ants), ordering it online and delivering to friends in Fayetteville. It is significantly less expensive to buy Apple products in the US even though they are made down the road from Shenzhen.  I blissfully set it up and started using my shiny new MacBook while I was back in the US - it was perfect.  I transferred my iTunes over, added some programs I loved and forgot about my iPad for a few days.  Unfortunately I forgot an important thing.  I forgot to install a VPN program.  In the US with your unfettered access to the internet and your speedy internet speeds lulled me back to better times - life in a high speed, all access world.  And I forgot.  I blame you America.

Anyone who has lived in China knows that a VPN is necessary to access things like Google, Social Media, Blogs...and since my Blog is on Blogger (which hits 3 of those banned items - Social Media, Blog and Google) I was not able to access.  

So I waited until my trip back to Canada, hauled my laptop back with me (its an MacBook Air so using the word hauled is a trifle dramatic), installed a VPN on my computer and hauled it back...

Only to discover that apparently the Chinese government has removed restrictions on things like Facebook and Blogger....so I can access them freely...

Sigh.  My life in China.  

To Squat or Not...

I am back...sorry for my long hiatus from this blog.  There are no excuses except laziness. I have been collecting ideas and pulling together resources to share with you all though.  I have tried to focus on the mostly positive things about living in China.  This serves two purposes - it helps lure prospective visitors and it keeps me focused on the fun.  So many ExPats just like to complain about the things they hate and I find this leads me down a tunnel of home sickness and misery.

But I think the time has finally come for me to discuss one of the more challenging aspects of living in Culture.  That is the squat toilet

The squat toilet is a common sight here in China.  The picture of a very clean but pretty standard squat toilet above was taken in my office.  On each floor the majority of bathrooms have 1 western toilet and the rest squat toilets like this one.

Using these toilets can be tricky and requires some coordination.   Squatting is especially challenging for most North Americans because it is so different from what we are used to.  It requires balance, strong thighs and some aim.  I have to confess these things scare the hell out of me.  I know they are common throughout the world and are said to promote better intestinal health than conventional North American toilets.  But they do scare me.

The squat vs. sit toilet is also a clear marker between Asian Culture and Western Culture.  Western sitting toilets are found in most western establishments (Starbucks, McDonald's, Most ExPat restaurants) but they pose a difficulty for Asians.  They are used to squatting and will attempt to squat on the edge of the toilets (see the picture below).

 If there there are no platforms on the sides of the toilet bowl serious accidents are a likelihood.  People's feet slip off the edge, toilet's topple over and in all likelihood you are going to have to touch the bathroom floor.  Squatting also increases the likelihood that the toilet will break.  Common problems are tipping, cracking or shifting them off their moorings.  This is an example of a platform that can sit alongside a conventional Western Style toilet, allowing safety and freedom to choose your defecating preference.

Walmart had built some Distribution Centres in China and the leader, a Westerner, approved putting in Western Style toilets.  Within a few months they were all broken because there were no "squatting alternatives".  So we pulled them out and installed squat toilets, leaving one sitting toilet for disabled and western usage.  It is usually where they store the mops because it is used so infrequently.

Starbucks in China even has an official sign ensuring the safety of it's patrons and the longevity of it's porcelain thrones.

This is not to say the Chinese do not enjoy the Western Toilet.  They have come to appreciate it's presence in the western locations and have also found other uses for them...I attach pictures from two of Shenzhen's Toilet Restaurants:

I will let the pictures of the Toilet Restaurants speak for themselves...because there are no words.

I have lived in China since July and I have only had to "squat" once - when I had my health check.  Since that was technically before I moved here that means I have actually never squatted since arriving.  I maintain a long list of restaurants/bars/hotels that have Western Style toilets to avoid the squat and I am proud of my no squat status.  And no worries though friends, if you come an visit I will honour your freedom to choose to Squat or Not...

I love you China but please stop picking your nose in public.

One of the questions I am asked most frequently by locals and foreigners alike is "how do you like China?".  Coming back to Shenzhen from Vancouver, chatting with some Walmart visitors from the US and meeting some ex-pats here has reinforced in my mind that I actually like China.  It's not Canada, Arkansas, Ireland, England, Poland or any of a number of countries that have captured my soul in the past.  But I do like it...and it is carving out its place in my soul too.

It amazes me how people who have lived here for years hate China so much.  Or if they actually do like it you wouldn't know for all the complaining they do.  They hate the food, the people, the way things are done and the fact that no one understands what they are saying.  Here is my view on it

• It is unreasonable to come to a foreign country (any country) and be disappointed or let down because they don't have enough normal food for you.  This is China people.  The "normal" food here is Chinese.
• So you think the Western Food is not as good as back home.  There are exceptions to this of course but in general one of the biggest complaints I hear is that "XX food is not as good as back home" or McDonald's doesn't taste the same.  Newsflash folks.  Chinese food in North America (outside of China Towns in large metro cities) does not taste the same as back home in China.  I have been blown away by the flavour and variety of food here...and nary a Chicken Ball in sight
• It is unreasonable to expect people to understand you when speak English (especially when you speak really fast).  I know it is frustrating to not be able to communicate and it definitely makes things harder but people in China speak Chinese.  It is their native language.  And according to the HSBC posters in the Vancouver airport there are more people learning English in China than live in the entire country of England.  Learn some Chinese people (oh my, I am becoming a Chinese red-neck).  

The best part of my experience here so far are the people.  I have met funny, warm, ambitious, smart engaged people here.  Yep, they don't do things in the same way I do (which can be quite funny or frustrating sometimes) but I have learned a couple of lessons - there is more than one way to do things and we don't have to always do it my way.  

I think as long as I keep remembering I am a visitor here and I have as much (if not more) to learn from the Chinese as they do from me I should be fine and avoid the black hole of bitterness amongst some I have met.  That being said I do have some requests please:

• STOP PICKING YOUR NOSE IN PUBLIC - and this includes in my Taxi (you know who you are Taxi Driver from Sunday night), on the bus, metro, in a meeting, in the office, in a store...IT IS GROSSING ME OUT!
• Also please don't pick other parts of your body in front of me including toes, scabs, ears, zits...
• Do not horn up a big loogie and spit it on the ground in front of me (or worse, on my toes).
• You don't all have to fit into one elevator.  There will be others.  There always are.  The same goes for Metro Cars.

Most importantly, keep reminding me that there is joy in our differences - and frequently humour.  As long as we remember this we will be fine.