I’m thankful that after the
absolute chaos of Saturday that I spent yesterday charlando with Ana, my friend
from Argentina who teaches Spanish in Zhengzhou, and then Julia, who I stayed
with, into the small hours of the night, relaxed and happy.
Paul and Yoko’s wedding was beautiful.
Even with the bright lights, and the loud stranger talking on the microphone
making the special moments seem like a game show. Paul seemed nervous but as
Yoko walked down the aisle and the ceremony progressed it was the most natural
setting for their love to be concreted in, a perfect union.
After the formalities, at a Chinese
wedding it is tradition for the bride and groom to visit each table as the
dinner is served and being consumed, and share a shot of BaiJiu with each of the
guests. This ends with the wedding party getting rather red in the face, and
many well wishes and red envelopes filled with cash to be showered upon the
happy couple.
As this was a mix of cultures, the foreign tables were at the
front of the large room where it all took place, and the music was dominated by
Colin, from Ireland, and soon enough our groups were mixing and delighting in
the drunken fun that is usual of a foreign celebration. Silly dancing and
general hilarity, and perhaps too much BaiJiu and beer ushered the afternoon’s
celebrations to a close. Taxis were taken, pointed toward a 'demonstration' in
the center of the city, where of course we could get up to mischief.
Everyone
got separated, and so Lien, from the UK and I were left trying to spot in
crowds of hundreds of locals, the foreigners we had lost en route. In no time a
big circle of Chinese people taking our photos surrounded us. I was laughing;
in stitches at the situation, and Lien beside me was craning his neck, trying
to see any blonde heads amongst the black ones. We moved a few meters away to
try without the crowds of flashes going off around us, and the same circle of
different people formed, five to ten raised cell phones thick. One guy, red and
angry in the face advanced on Lien shouting in enraged Mandarin who we thought
we were and what were we doing there. The situation became dangerous within
seconds and I grabbed Lien’s hand and dragged him away from the circle that had
closed in on us both, at catalyst that was the angry man charging at us. We ran
toward McDonalds, a safe house for any foreigner in the middle of China.
Re-grouped with the others at a KFC down the road, still in shock and looking
behind us constantly in wariness, our semi-drunken explanations of what had
just happened were dwarfed by the other groups story of walking down the street
with a flag waving, being the head of what sounded like an impromptu street
carnival, thousands of followers chanting for China.
Later we found out the
demonstration, which was scattered and disorganized, had something to do with
an anti-Japan movement, but I try my best to ignore the inter-Asia politics and
racism that is generally unseen in everyday life but vivid in the hearts of a
majority of Asian peoples’.
A few of us spent the afternoon
drinking at an apartment and playing ping pong and laughing at the absurd
events and fun wedding moments, waiting for the hour we were to meet the rest
at the bar for more drinking, a wedding after-party if you will. It was great
to get to the bar, connect once again with the eclectic drama-infused close-nit
group of foreigners living in Zhengzhou. Whiskey, beer and tequila were
flowing, the music blaring, this was turning into any other Friday or Saturday
night in this polluted city I had for some reason spent a whole year living in.
I had moments of ecstasy relishing the cheap and delicious chow mien and spicy mutton
skewers down the road at 2 in the morning, and some deep and life-reflective
talks with Paul, Oregonian; and Peter, Australian, and a few others who have
lived in China upwards of 5 years, not taking part in the outrageous Irish jigs
going on around us. I was escorted home by a very slurry Colin, but was able to
manage my way through the door without a glitch.
Today I went to have brunch with
Tanner, my old flat mate from the US who is a pilot here in China, before
coming to the airport a disgraceful 2 hours too early to check in. So I have
discovered the benefit of waiting for flights once again, having ample time to
write of these exciting experiences I have in my travels.
I am super glad I came back
here, and am happy I will get to see most of these awesome friends again when I
return to China next year, as I have bags and boxes of belongings stored in 3
different houses.
