After stepping over rusty duct vents and pipes and avoiding weather-decayed satellite dishes, a posse of us foreigners made it to a rooftop. There, it was surprisingly quiet. With a view of the Pearl Delta River, and the slight commotion of whirring motorbikes on the street below, we sipped our drinks. I wondered then, how often do we attribute our human relationships to cultural or class differences, when really it comes down the person you're interacting with and whether or not you gel with their personality traits. It made me realize, then, that a lot of the time when people say 'this is what they do' and 'this is what we do,' a lot of it comes down to maybe it's what 'I do' and 'you do,' and because we misunderstand one another, it's easier to say 'we' and 'them.' Although none of our conversations encompassed those ideas that night, it was clear we had all come together from Europe, North America and Australia to maybe experience these differences. All of us being Westerners, we were having very similar experiences with some of the culture shock. However, I learned, me being Chinese may frame the experience a little differently, because I am not treated like a foreigner most of the time. Maybe I'll learn about it in more detail the longer I stay here ...

I didn't let these thoughts take from the awesomeness that was a surprise roof shindig, though.

This is a wonderful side street that is a plethora of colour and noise, punctuated with sights one would never be exposed to in North America. Several stands on the side of the street have freshly chopped ingredients to make stir fries right before your eyes. There are small carts selling preserved items or tofu on sticks. Motorbikes weave between passersby. Chickens sometimes walk up and down the streets. I had the "pleasure," too, to learn of a "chicken house." That is, a prostitution den, just steps away. The drone of foreign languages, the sticky weather, the sense of displacement, the anonymity...These are the things that give a place character. These are the reasons I travel.

I don't have a very serious comment on this, except that I find this ad hilarious. Maybe it's because I fail to understand the cultural connotations here, as an outsider...but it brings into mind a lot of things that are funny to a Westerner (perhaps just me??). For example, badly translated Chinese names. People choose names that sound like their Chinese moniker (usually 3 words long)..but that has funny results such as "Elvis Chan". I should also add that badly translated Chinese often results in grammatically incorrect T-shirts, also with funny results. What did I see the other day..."friends we must be play in rain"...something like that. But for that, there is always www.engrish.com. For the rest, it is just accepting that things lost in translation have funny results.

This is yet another eye-opening scene. It's a well-groomed street reminiscent of clean-cut suburban living in North America. Yet, it is where the well-to-do in this little city I live in reside. This is in major contrast to my last post, which showed the hard facts of day-to-day labour. Here, the streets are peppered with security men, gardeners, and a huge protection of the residents. To make it clear, I have never lived in a gated community, but have only driven by places like that (eg Bridle Path in Toronto). A sense of displacement results enough from moving to another country, but the disparity between classes is huge. You will have a factory worker that makes 2000RMB a month (less than $300 CAN), and the people in my community who make millions of RMB. Myself, I am not making millions, and will probably go back to living in a rented apt once back in downtown TO, but this definitely opens my eyes.

The next area I want to comment on is the social structure. It is not as clear-cut while going about everyday activities (eg buying groceries, riding on a bus), but it is crystal clear at work. The managers eat in a separate area embellished with white linen tablecloths and chairs. They are not to be addressed directly unless they address you. There is a reason for their glass doors. There is respect and then there is absolute separation between "rank"...and it just accentuates what I'm saying here about living differences. It's interesting to see...definitely a different society.

This summarizes well the nature of the pace of life here. Where I live, Beijiao, is a large production mecca for furniture and 'white goods' (appliances). Each day, there are people on the streets going about day-to-day activity to support the industry. In fact, there are several factories in this city. Having toured one at my company, where I could see "made in China" with my own eyes, has indeed opened them to the reality of labor and export. In fact, many of the workers come from inland China, work to save up enough money, and only travel home once a year, Chinese New Year. It puts all our little cushy North American lifestyles into perspective.

I found this basket of dead flowers to be rather intriguing. It seemed to have been cut freshly from that day. A little rustic, yet contrasted by the modern waste bins in the background

Well well, I finally got back onto blogger, as it's been blocked here in China. Connection is shifty at best, so I am going to back post a bit, starting with my first week in China.

Here it is, May 22:

A 16 hr flight, 2 hr ferry and 1 hr car ride later, and I made it to Beijaio, a lovely city just outside of Guangzhou. It is peppered with palm trees, gardens and rivers, and has some mountains, too. I threw all my things in the hotel, and within hours I had to be at work the day I got there! I was surprised to learn a lot of the locals spoke Cantonese, which I speak, so it makes it easier to get around. However, in the workplace, very very few people speak Cantonese; the business language is Mandarin. So it is quite often that people have whole conversations and I'm completely in the dark as to what's going on.

The company I work for now, I learned, basically drives the entire economy of the area which it populates, and a significant portion of China's economy as well. Everywhere I go in this city, the company's logo is slapped on everything...from the appliances that they make, to the land and buildings they own (large portions).

That is another cultural difference I learned. Corporate life is very different here. They expect you to live, breathe, eat and sleep the company. You work long hours, come in before the boss and leave after they leave, and are expected to take all your work home to finish. In North America there is a huge separation between work and social life. Here, there is not. The company sponsors vacation getaways and weekend gatherings with coworkers to 'strengthen morale'. My personal opinion is no thanks on that part, but I am trying keeping an open mind.

The censorship of the media and internet makes it hard not to feel disconnected while in a strange and foreign place. However, there are some things that are contrary to popular belief. For example, Google does exist here, and so does Facebook, but it is only localized to China (so I cannot use it).

There are definite differences in the way things are done--like bus schedules don't exist, so you just show up and guess. What else...some things are very revolting to a Westerner, such as people spitting all over the streets very loudly. However, to dispel some of the negative stereotypes here--China is actually cleaner than I expected (MUCH cleaner than South America) and even parts of Chinatown in Toronto. People here are well-mannered and very respectful, and even though I live just outside a major city in a communist country, things are VERY Westernized. There are still McDonald's, Starbuck's (for all you addicts) and Wal-marts!

Here is another interesting detail. Since the cost of living is 1/6 of what it is back at home, I can live very comfortably here and afford things I could not at home. Foreigners apparently do earn more than locals (I haven't figured out why that is yet), and it gives a lot of leeway. Right now, I can afford to live in a gated community in a 2 bedroom bachelor overlooking golf course...something I could NEVER do back at home...so I'm just going to enjoy it while I can...haha because it's back to pauperdom when at home. See above picture for view from apt...

The thing I haven't really found on my radar so far is an alternative art scene...I think I may have to venture into the major city on the weekends for that. But I'm on it--don't think I can survive without art! And while I hide my red hair at work, it gets stared down on streets...people can't stop looking. And I don't think people here have ever seen a tattoo...or a punky chick. It's pretty funny :)

Well, that's it for now, more updates to come as time goes on!