avant-garde_chauvintist

Onward

avant-garde_chauvintist — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:14:00 GMT

Because my Vietnamese visa doesn't allow me into the country until August 1 and because everyone says a week in Cambodia is more than enough, I have been chillin' in Bangkok for two weeks now. By chillin' I mean doing almost nothing.

It's been amazing.

I'm glad I had a little time to just be me. I only wish it could have been on the beach as was originally planned. I've recified that, however, by changing my plans to include a couple beaches in Vietnam. Unlike Cambodia, everyone I've met says it's definitely worth it to spend more than a week in Vietnam. And so that's what I've decided to do.

But before that begins, a few last thoughts on Thailand.

I changed my mind. I could definitely enjoy this place for a longer period of time than just traveling. I'm not sure what kind of work I would do here besides teaching English (which I'm not sure I want to sing into again), but I could live here and get used to the chili for awhile.

I realized that my laziness prevented me from seeing some of the most amazing things in the world. So Thailand definitely warrants at least another visit. All that said, I couldn't be happier with the way I've spent the last two weeks. I've learned a little more about what makes this place tick, but I'm not sure I understand it wholly (or really ever will).

It's much different from China. In almost every way. It's much more Western and English-speaking. But it's still holding tightly to its own culture. If there's one thing that's made an impression on me (besides the transexuals; side note: I had a very pleasant conversation with two last night) it's the college girl uniforms.

Students wear uniforms here. The high school girls wear very big dark blue skirts with light blue button down tops. The elementary girls wear shorts with button down shirts with scalloped collars and this little scarf thing. The uniforms the boys wear are almost indistinguishable from the regular clothes.

But the college girls...a tight black mini skirt with tight translucent white button down shirts with big silver buttons. They're allowed to wear whatever shoes they want. Perhaps this is what that French guy meant about the sexiness of Thai ladies.

Oh the people

avant-garde_chauvintist — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:51:00 GMT

There is this street in Bangkok called Khao San Road. It's very famous. In fact, when I told people about my coming to Thailand, to Bangkok, most often I was asked if I would be staying around Khao San Road.

In the movie "The Beach", Leonardo DiCaprio's character stays on Khao San Road. In reality, nearly every backpacker in Southeast Asia stays on Khao San Road.

It means uncooked rice, and it used to be a market. It still is a market, but one where everyone (EVERYONE) speaks English and the only rice served is cooked and overpriced.

Khao San Road is at once exhilirating and depressing. Firstly, it's wildly encouraging to see so many people like yourself. Everyone is carrying a huge backpack. Everyone is unkempt to a certain degree. Everyone is from other parts of the world.

Secondly, there are so many different kinds of people lurking around that when you really start looking, you find things that might remind one of a David Lynch movie (that creepy underbelly that he is so good at exposing). A list:

1. The Vietnam Vet -- there are many many middle aged men here. Most people think that they served in Vietnam and never made it home. Or made it home, but didn't like it or couldn't cope with it anymore and came back. Regardless, they are graying and dredlocked and barefoot and usually with a Thai girl.

2. The Asian Wannabe -- Every variety of backpacker exists here. The common thread being only the backpack. There are those who are trying very hard to come to the center of their Asian-ness. So they wear the local clothes, attempt to speak the local language, and carry no camera, no shoes, and no sense of being ridiculed.

3. The last category I will try to generalize is the most common. Nearly every five feet on Khao San Road is a place where you can get your hair braided (a la Jamaica) or dredlocked (a la Jamaica) (they play a lot of Jamaican music here too...). And so many people are walking around looking oh so obvious with their freshly braided or dredlocked hair, wearing a tribal printed t-shirt (that they bought at the shop next to the hair braiding place), and flip flops made of leather (that they bought on the beach).

In essence, on Khao San Road, everyone is judging everyone else. There are very few actual locals because most of them are trying to make a buck or two off of you (either through trinkets or sex). There is very little that is authentically Thai (if that even exists anymore). And there is very little that feels good about wandering around Khao San Road.

It has it's reputation for a reason. No money, no honey...

If you want to have a sex change, go to Thailand

avant-garde_chauvintist — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:36:00 GMT

I started an entry about a week ago that got lost in cyberspace. Here I will try to recreate it, but I'm not sure it was have the same effect. Mostly because the other was tinged with a heavy layer of first stage culture shock (which I was happily enjoying), and I'm pretty sure I'm on to another stage at this point.

Thailand has a lot to offer to the right person. I'm not sure I'm that person. I don't ever see myself coming back.

Firstly, I LOVE Thai food, but it has to be the spiciest food in the world. It's absolutely absurd. I've always fancied myself a pretty tolerant person of the spicy, but I'm struggling...even with Pad Thai (which, by the way, real Thai people don't really eat and is, of course, NOTHING like the Pad Thai we eat at home; it's more like Ramen noodles without the soup). I read an article that explained that Thai food is so spicy because of the hot weather. Like most hot weather places, the people adopted the practice of adding pepper to their foods to perserve them in the heat. I just can't figure out why they started adding SO MUCH pepper to the foods.

Secondly, I'm one of the biggest fans of gays. But I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the gay culture in Thailand. Because they aren't just gay, but...girls. For some reaon (there is one - hold on), there are an OUTRAGEOUS number of transexuals in Thailand. Again, I did the research. Apparently the accepting and nonjudging culture of Buddhism, which they all are, doesn't allow them to stop the practice or consider it taboo. It's the same reason (and I admit that this is a horrible comparison) that they have so many stray dogs. They don't want to do away with them for the sake of karma. They call them ladyboys, and I've seen them doing everything, but most commonly walking around the bar street in short skirts. The worst part is that most of them...don't look like girls at all.

Thirdly, what I thought would be the best, most relaxing, most pleasurable, longest, part of my vacation turned out to be quite the opposite. I left Bangkok for the beach last Friday. I arrived in the middle of a national holiday (one that I was told about but didn't even consider would ruin my plans). The island I went to is uninhabited, so no couch surfing was to be had. In fact, it's just guest houses and restaurants. Anyway, I arrived and promptly learned that everything was full...I'd met a Spanish guy in the taxi (which was really just a truck bed), and I ran into him doing the exact same thing I was doing (going from place to place without any luck). We decided to team up. We walked for about two hours before we realized we had to get some food. After eating, we were resolved to get a tent and spend the night in the "national park". As we were forlornly walking to the tent rental place, a man asked if we needed a room. We quickly accepted.

The next day was spent on the beach, where I got seriously sunburned. That was basically the end of my island vacation. I didn't want to make it worse by sitting in the sun, so I decided to cut it short and come back to Bangkok early. It was twice as expensive to spend one night there as it is in the city, and there really is nothing to do except lay on the beach and eat, so I figured it didn't make sense to stay.

I'm back in Bangkok until Sunday or so. I'm going to head to Cambodia then.

Another arrival

avant-garde_chauvintist — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:33:00 GMT

Bangkok this time. My flight was about four hours, so I tried to catch up on the sleep that I'd missed by "sleeping" in the airport the night before. It worked alright.

I arrived and bought a Thai sim card for my cell phone. However, my cell phone has decided to be the opposite of working these days. Meaning, it doesn't freaking work. So I couldn't turn it on. I was running around looking for an outlet so that I could charge it.

I noticed this guy was watching me. But pretty much everyone was watching me because I looked like a crazy person. When I finally found an outlet and was just standing there, he came to talk to me.

First in French.

"I'm sorry; I don't speak French."

"Are you Aussie?"

"No, I'm from the United States."

He then proceeded to tell me all about Thailand. He lives here. He felt it imperative, apparently, to tell me that I would like Thailand because girls aren't afraid to be sexy here...

I've already mentioned how I feel about people that I don't know telling me that I'll like something.

I'm not even sure what he based this on. My unwashed and completely dishevled hair? My well-worn and stretched out David Bowie t-shirt? My huge backpack? Whatever the reason, he thinks me and my sexiness will get along with Thailand just fine.

So far it's true. My host is a lovely, adorable, Thai girl. She's tiny (I have about six inches and 50 pounds on her), but so so sweet. We had a great time yesterday looking around the city for awhile. Today, I think we're going to a temple (which are completely different from Chinese temples and completely...magical). I hope to upload pictures soon...

The last few hours

avant-garde_chauvintist — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:27:00 GMT

I arrived in Shanghai this morning at 8:15 for my last 24-hours on Chinese soil.

It feels appropriate. Like I've come full circle. I'm leaving the same port that I arrived in 17 days short of one year ago. Twenty-five days short of the Olympics. It happens in 11.5 hours.

After I arrived, I headed to the H&M of Shanghai. I easily remembered how to get there from the last time I was in Shanghai (for my birthday). It wasn't open, though. Too early. I walked around looking for an ATM and a some breakfast.

I found the breakfast, but not the ATM. I headed back to H&M to get a swimsuit. I decided I needed a little splurge before I hit the beaches of Thailand.

I searched the first floor. I search the second floor. I FINALLY found a selection of swimsuits on the THIRD floor of the store. I choose a few that were cute and went to the fitting room.

I argued with the manager about the store rules of H&M (He was insisting that I couldn't try on swim suits. I pointed out the hygentic plastic. I told him I've been to H&Ms all over the world and I know this is not a company rule [sort of true]. I told him that it wasn't a Chinese rule either. Eventually he gave up. I didn't even have to yell.)

I bought the choosen one and went to meet some friends. One of my couch surfers is in Shanghai right now because she's going to Europe this summer. She's taking a few days rest before crossing the continent. We had lunch and spent the day tooling around the city.

A very pleasant final day in China. On the way to the airport, I recognized the first things I ever saw in China. I remembered looking for the upturned eaves so stereotypical of Asian architecture. I remember finding only apartment complexes that looked so similar to The Venue.

It was like picking up the little bits of popcorn that I'd strewn about so I could find my way home. It certainly won't be a direct route, but I've made my peace with China.

Until next time, Zhong Guo, I'll be thinking of you...

One week in (day 7)

avant-garde_chauvintist — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:20:00 GMT

Tonight, I had conflicted interests. I spent the day wandering around a lovely restored part of town called Ping Jiang (Peace River) and the Couple's Garden (a classical Chinese garden). It started to rain, so I planted myself in a coffee shop for hours reading an on-hand book about Vietnamese history and drinking a rather unimpressive iced mocha.

When I realized I was hungry, I set out in the rain to find a famous pedestrian street that had been eluding me. I randomly turned down the right street and found it almost instantly. And here's where my dilemma found me.

I wanted a cheap dinner -- four kuai, noodles, fried. I wanted a nice atmosphere -- dim lighting, soft talking, moody music. I wanted a martini -- dirty, vodka.

These are three things that mix as well as Chinese and Japanese. A fear of heights and flights. High culture and pop culture.

Eventually, I let my desires favor my wallet and went for the cheap Chinese. I guess I only have a few more days to enjoy it. And I'll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy over-priced, adult, vodka based beverages...

More musings...

avant-garde_chauvintist — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:13:00 GMT

In the U.S., I've often thought that employers try to stretch their employees too thin. Instead of being a cashier, one becomes a cashier/floor cleaner/shelf straightener/item getter/item putter away/problem solver/customer greeter. There is always another task to do, another procedure to learn, another reason to work harder and stay later.

In China, they have a ridiculously massive amount of extra people. Since I arrived, I wondered about the people doing seemingly pointless jobs or just doing nothing in a uniform.

Today, in Suzhou, the last city I will visit in China, I finally realized the beauty and horror of it all.

American and other foreign companies are no different in their use of the large population. Where one or two American employees might work, there are usually five or six Chinese ones.

Today, sitting in a coffee shop, there were four people visible at any moment. I was the only customer. One was just standing. One seemed to be the manager. Two were taking orders. I was the only customer. Two people took my order.

From time to time, two or three more appeared. They were cleaning, mopping, or doing other odd jobs.

I usedto work in a coffee shop that had its moments of business. There was never, ever more than two people working doing all of the aforementioned tasks. Knowing that it wasn't nearly too much work (I often read while at work), I can't imagine why a similar and less busy store in China should need so many employees. Even though it definitely would have been nice at closing time.

I can only imagine (with that horrific realization face) that paying five or six people in China is equivalent to paying one or two in the United States.

Yay globalization...

To Suzhou! (day 4)

avant-garde_chauvintist — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:06:00 GMT

I'm impressed. Not only did Susan show me much more than I'd ever intended to see in her city, but she insisted on paying for most of it. I'm at a complete loss as to WHY? If I'd paid for all my couch surfers, I wouldn't be on this trip. In fact, more often than not, my surfers would pay for ME as a way of paying me back for hosting. But I couldn't convince her that her way didn't make any sense.

The city was wonderful, but often it made me feel strange. It's a much bigger city, but in a lot of ways, it's exactly like Dongyang, the first city I lived in. Every little thing that reminded me of that town made me feel exactly like I felt during my first month in China.

Especially the smell.

I'd completely forgotten what China smelled like to the unaccustomed nose. It must be stronger here. Each and every time I caught a whiff of "China" (decaying chicken bones mixed with spoiled milk, dog shit, and a little watermelon) I got an ache in my stomach wondering, "Did I do the right thing?"

I'm sure it's just the link between memory and scent (thank you four-year-old Axe commercial), but it was so intense that those long resolved musings about my decision to move to China separated from my content like the silt from the river water of my fifth grade 4-H project.

All in all, Nanjing was a very interesting place to visit. I think I saw more there than I did in Beijing...And I highly doubt I'll see that much of a city on the rest of my trip.

But a huge thanks to Susan (and her parents) for truly being GREAT hosts!

Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre

avant-garde_chauvintist — Sun, 6 Jul 2008 12:50:00 GMT

Susan, my couch host, doesn't really know much history about her hometown. In fact, she doesn't even know as much as I learned from reading the Lonely Planet.

"Ask a boy. Boys are good at history," she said.

I guess the talents of the genders vary across the continents...

Not only does she not know much history, but she doesn't really seem interested in learning it. Nanjing was the capital of China several times. The most recent was under the Republic of China led by Sun Yat Sen (Sun Zhong Shan in Chinese). He led the Kuomingtang (Guomingtang), which was the enemy and chief rival of the Communists. Eventually, Mao's cunning smile and the idea of no poverty overtook the Nationalists (while somehow maintaining the idea of Nationalism). Mao is the hero and Sun Yat Sen was help hostage in the Chinese embassy in London (where he'd sought refuge).

BUT! There is a huge mausoleum for him in Nanjing. It's much, much MUCH bigger than that of Mao in Tiananmen. It has 392 steps to climb (one for each MILLION people that were in China at the time). And it's got a wonderful blue Chinese style roof on several little buildings that make up the complex. Best of all, it has the Nationalist flag in a mosaic on the ceiling.

Susan just smiled when I asked why this exists if he didn't win. Either she didn't understand or didn't care.

She didn't come along today when I visited the Memorial Site of the Nanjing Massacre. I tried to ask her about it several times. I mentioned a movie about it. I mentioned another museum I've been to that was about it. Eventually, she just looked me straight in the face and said, "I don't want to know everything about it. It was a terrible time in history."

I sort of let it drop, but not before responding with something along the lines of if we don't remember it, we're bound to repeat it.

That was basically the theme of the museum today. Each little plaque said something like, "...lest we forget."

It was not very neutral. Almost every plaque also mentioned something aobut the "awful Japanese". It's no wonder the Chinese young folk readily admit to hating the Japanese. I can easily see how an exhibit like that (with actual skeletons displayed) can lead to intense feelings. And potentiallyy skinhead subcultures.

One thing the museum neglected to mention that the L. P. talks about in some detail was how it started. A weak China was invaded by a much stronger Japan. Nanjing was the capital at the time surrounded by a city wall. The government officials left, but not before saying that it was better for the people to stay and fight. And then LOCKING THE CITY GATES. Essentially, they locked their own people into a prison of torture and murder.

And all the blame gets placed on the Japanese.

I'm not defending it. Killing 300,000 people is outrageous under any circumstances, but you don't see any memorials for the people who died duringthe Great Leap Forward (which some estimate to be upwards of 30 million), and they did that to themselves.

Nanjing (day 1)

avant-garde_chauvintist — Sat, 5 Jul 2008 09:50:00 GMT

With the opportunity to write far sooner than I ever thought, I'm taking advantage.

I arrived in the Southern Capital (that literally what the characters Nan Jing translate to) at 4am. I mentioned earlier that I managed to screw up my train ticket after purchasing a string of successful ones. Anyway, the screwed up ticket was for an amazing train because I arrived a full hour and a half before scheduled. I decided to make the best of it.

I immediately got in line to try to purchase my second to last ticket in China. Either I learned a hearty lesson from my last debacle or the Nanjing accent agrees with me because this one went off without a hitch.

I'm headed for Suzhou on Wednesday. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After the ticket was purchased, I went to a nearby 24 hour McDonald's and waited for it to become 5am so I could buy some breakfast. Turns out they had no intention of making breakfast, and I had to point out the signs everywhere that said breakfast started at 5am. They made me my damn breakfast.

As I was eating, I noticed a park with a lake and a cityscape and a sun rise happening about a 100 yards from the McDonald's. I　downed the rest of my coffee, and went for it.

It was absolutely beautiful. The sun was rising facing the buildings, so the reflection was on the water and there were people fishing and there was a college girl who spoke English. She started a very pleasant conversation with me.

Around 6am, I decided to go see about the bus situation. I got on, messaged my couch host, and enjoyed the 20 minute ride to the other side of town. Immediately upon entering her house, she and her parents started planning the day. It was about 6:30am.

We were out the door by 7am. I did a whirlwind tour of the city of Nanjing today, in a way I very much didn't plan to do. She took me to things I had read about but decided not to see. She didn't get hungry until about 3pm, so that's when we ate lunch. I was/am very grateful for her hospitality, but I decided to do this trip alone for a reason. And being dragged around a ragingly hot city without food all day does not fit into that reason.

We've decided to sleep in tomorrow (much needed as I've been officially awake since 4am, and unofficially awake since about midnight because I was worried I'd miss the stop). And hopefully we won't attempt to do so much in such hot weather again. She's a lovely girl, but she wants me to see every damn thing in the city in four days. I'm not sure how to explain that not only do I not want that, but I don't think it's enjoyable AT ALL.

To be continued...