Moving to Square One
October 30, 2006-10-31
The cold but soft wind has already started to blow very gently on early morning. It was fresh air I was inhaling but I could feel something more than that. I have realised that spring is nearby and it’s giving me an acknowledgement that I have a tough but exciting days ahead. The temperature has started to drop but I am excited because I will be enjoying the snowfall for the first time in my life although I was born in Nepal, The homeland of 8th top tallest mountain including Mount Everest.
It’s been more than a month now and I am feeling the Nanjing closer than before. Now my eyes and heart can look transparently and more clearly except speaking Chinese language. The course is becoming exciting everyday and professional, I am enjoying every day and every moment.
It was long national holiday in the beginning of this month that coincides with Thanks giving, Ramadhan and Dashain for different peoples from different quarter of life. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy our wonderful time with some of the Nepalese friend in Nanjing. It was my first experience in life, enjoying Dashain outside Nepal.
I was surprised when I saw Nepalese restaurant named “Himalayan Nepalese Restaurant” near Nanjing Normal University with Nepalese chef, flags and recipe with perfect Nepalese environment. I never thought we will have place like that as Nepal has never been the place of importance to international community not only in South-Asia but whole in Asian continent. I was really impressed as I could feel and sense something about Nepal deep inside me forever in China.
We were more than ten Nepalese students. Most of them are studying Chinese language at Nanjing Normal University, Shingulu to start medical degree next year and some were in the middle of their educational goals. But China is becoming important hub for Nepalese and other foreign students to study medicine as it is cheap and has shifted policy for foreign students.
The weird telephone card was making us crazier in operational procedures and my friends were tempted to grab it as it was very cheap card. However, we were able to sort it out after very long conversation with owner. I feel language constraints as a big barrier for foreigners in China.
We met some of the wonderful Nepalese chaps who helped us to go around Nanjing. Also, I had Mc DONALD for the first time in my life, one of the trivial but stacked in Gray matter for a long time.
I was even more impressed by the guy from Armenia, the short but very smart and smiling chap. I thought he helped me to understand some vocabularies as well as East Asian agendas on his region.
After delicious Nepalese lunch we went to Amusement park. We were enjoying the most beautiful amusement park that I have ever seen in my life. Most of those things are simply a mechanical rotor that moves in a different directions and mathematical angles in different algorithm. But the human presence over there was making it more alluring and heart-touching with different colourful lights.
On a hot sunny day there's nothing more refreshing than being flung through the air on the Flying Pharaoh. Round and round it goes as riders safely soar high above the ground in comfortable seats suspended from above that was what I have imagined and seen in the romantic Indian movies. But those feelings can only be weird imagination for some peoples.
It was true at the beginning I enjoyed a lot in slow and steady motion riding Pharaoh but it was horrible when I almost fainted at top, it was rotating too fast and I was feeling nausea.
Although I had played these rotating games a decade back and had severe problem of Nausea and vomiting. It relapsed again when I played pharaoh that evening.
I was feeling bad each time now even though only when rotors were moving. It was disgusting and irritating for me and I didn’t want to stay there for a long time. I was feeling very tired, exhausted and weak. I was lucky that I was alive.
It get even worst when I was vomiting in taxi later; giving me the flashback of those naughty days when I used to drink a beer from bottle in late teens and early 20’s and used to vomit in rest-room.
The money was gone and the imagination faded away for forever. I have re-assured myself that I was not born to play this game and have promised myself that I will never take this train again in my life.
But after I saw courage’s of beautiful Nepalese girls crushing those games with smile and boldness. I was happy. It’s hard to see courageous Nepalese woman because of orthodox and male dominated society. Finally we were at the second home and I was very exhausted and tired.
Following morning, we left our venue at seven for the ancient city of Yangzhou in the morning. As we passed through the high-ways I could see the inner side of the china. The inner fields, houses and life of farmers from the window of the bus were giving fascinating view of china.
In the mid-way, we passed through Yangtze River. The slow but gentle flow of the Yangtze River was proving that china is pacing towards economic prosperity and development. I can see some big ships for the first time from my window.
Acclaimed as the mother river of China, the Yangtze River divides the country both geographically and culturally. Bounded by picturesque natural scenery and ancient cultural heritage, this region is a key tourist place to visit.
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and third longest in the world beside Nile and Amazon. The headwaters of the Yangtze are situated at an elevation of about 16,000 feet in the Kunlun Mountains in the south-western part of Qinghai. Approximately 350 million people inhabit the region of the Yangtze.
In 1995 construction began on the Three Gorges Dam near Yichang and is scheduled for completion in 2009. The dam will measure about 600 feet and about 1.5 miles wide. The dam is expected to help control the flooding of the Yangtze River Valley.
Flooding along the river has been a major problem. The rainy season in China is May and June in areas south of Yangtze River, and July and August in areas north of river. The huge river system receives water both from southern and northern flanks, which causes its flood season to extend from May to August.
The dam will contain twice the amount of concrete of the Itaipu Dam in Brazil, currently the world’s largest.
In the course of this valley, the river's elevation drops from above 5000 m to less than 1000 m. The Yangtze receives more water from thousands of lakes as it pass by.
Historically, the mighty Yangtze river became the political boundary between north China and south China several times because of the difficulty of crossing the river. A lot of battles took place along the river.
Politically, Nanjing was the capital of China several times, although most of the time its territory only covered the south-eastern part of China.
It is also a loading point for coal barges on the Yangtze River for 28 cities including Nanjing and Shanghai.
Snaking its way 6,300 kilometres from western China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea, the Yangtze River stretches nine provinces and serves as a drain for 695,000 square miles of land. It spans so many regions that it has acquired half a dozen names.
A quarter of China’s ocean-going cargo enters the river between Shanghai and the sea.
Shanghai is known as the gateway to the Yangzte, spanning the Huangpu tributary just south of the river’s mouth.
Nanjing has become associated with calamity since the Japanese devastated it in 1937. Destruction, mass murder, and torture desecrated this prized city ultimately claiming 150,000 civilian lives.
Nanjing now boasts some of China’s most advanced technology and a prestigious university. The city stands as a symbol of Chinese strength and self-sufficiency, a monument of the people on their great river.
Every year the Yangtze deposits massive amounts of silt that helps make up the Jiangsu Province, a large plain used to grow rice. The fertile plains provide one of the most profitable areas of agriculture in China. Today China accounts for 35% of the world’s rice production.
Rice is the world's single most important food crop and a primary food for more than a third of the world's population.
The common Chinese saying, ‘If you haven’t travelled up the mighty Yangtze, you haven’t been anywhere’, well describes the river’s range of picturesque landscapes and geo-political importance.
The ancient city of Yangzhou was settled over 2,400 years ago. Located northwest of Shanghai in the Yangtze River delta, Yangzhou is well known for its fine cuisine, jade carving, and beautiful gardens, lakes and canals.
Yanghzou has history of more than two thousand years; a leading economic and cultural centre and major port of foreign trade and external exchange since ancient time in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe rivers
Slender West Lake is one of the places we visited in the northwest suburb of Yangzhou City. With continuous harnessing through the dynasties, it gradually became a scenic area with many enchanting lake scenes. It is located to the west of the city and is slim in its shape, so people named it Slender West Lake.
We spend almost a day in this place, we never feel that time was moving fast. The beauty was amazing and heart touching. We could see monuments, natural beauties and ferries across the lake. The beautiful flowers and bridges were more interesting things to notice.
One of the characterstics I have noticed in the china is that every city is very populous and crowded. I have even noticed that chinese peoples loves to enjoy holiday and inner tourism has gain momentum in china as chinese economy is becoming prosperous each day.
But one of my chinese friend was telling me that only the rich peoples can afford to go for vacation so it seems that majority of chinese peoples are struggling hard as china continues to prosper.
Slender West Lake is 4.3 kilometres in total length with an area of over 30 hectares. The lake boasts many famous scenic spots, such as the White Pagoda, the Five Pavilion Bridge, and Xiaojin Hill.
We were able to have a glance of romantic activities of a couple in the park that was proving that new generation is moving towards westernization and is opening up.
Finally, we were at the top of the beautiful Nine-Storey Da Ming Temple. The storey was very difficult and tiring as it was too stiff. But we were competing to reach at the top so that we can see everything. Also, everywhere electronic cameras were installed for the safety reasons.
Inside it, every floor has the Buddha’s statue that seems bit different than in Nepal. In Nepal, we don’t have any crown or caps in Buddha’s statue. At top, we could see everything; it was very exciting and alluring sceneries.
I can see how the religious parameter deviates with time and place. After finishing the trip we were taken to one of the Chinese vegetarian restaurant named “Daminssi Vegetarian Restaurant”.
When we were inside the restaurant, it seemed crowded because we were almost 100 foreigners at a time. Peoples were glancing at us. We were curious what we were going to eat there.
But they brought completely weird and Chinese dishes. There were round tables and dishes were served in it and we have to rotate the table to get the specific cuisine. They brought many types of food although it was a vegetarian restaurant.
We were inevitable to use chopsticks in our lunch. I tried to use chopsticks for the first time but I failed and was in frustration and in despair as I was so hungry. There were many dishes of the food in the table but were not sure what we were eating. After seeing others in despair I didn’t made an attempt to use it again. But I have decided that I will buy a pair of chopsticks and try to learn it as it seems necessary if you want to dig china.
But we were expecting desperately for the spoon and fork to arrive. However, there was havoc for a long before they bring it. At the middle of lunch, they gave us the spoon and fork. Now peoples were more tempted as they find the fork and spoons and were enjoying food perfectly after a long pause although it was weird and sceptical.
Finally we were back in our apartment after the tiring but exciting day. Fortunately, I was able to taste KFC for our supper.
The other day we went to Wal-Mart and KFC at Xin Jie Kou and bought some sportswear to play football. These days I started to like sports ever than before.
At evening we went to explore Chinese night life. In Nanjing, the 1912 street is popular place for night jockeys and freaks to enjoy colourful lights, music and dance. Although I am not a night life freak nor I have seen these things except in Bangkok on 2004 and in local streets of thamel, tourist hub of Kathmandu.
I was able to memorise some of key words of places we were been that includes Rothenberg, the Scarlet, the red club, 7th club and locked door.
I was surprised when I entered the bars, everywhere English song was there from Hip-Hop to blues. The environment was perfect with wonderful music, DJ’s and colourful light. I was happier when I heard Hotel California. I could even see other foreigners and security patrols moving to and fro in the place.
Again we had to rush for our place as we were afraid of the old man who locks door in our apartment after 10.
We left the place for the next time convincing our selves that we would able to freak out some other day to enjoy it fully in one or other way at mid night.
Other day ,we were surprised when we got four different types of round cake in our dinner on Oct 26,2006. Fortunately, it also ends the festival of Dashain in Nepal. I was wondering why we were given four different types of round cakes in the full moon day. Later I realised that the day was about reunion in Chinese culture. On this very day all Chinese peoples gather together and have a dinner in the evening.
I may explain the significance of full moon day in the future if I get opportunity to know about it.
On the other part of the globe many interesting as well as shocking things happened this month.
One of the prominent Russian woman journalists was shot dead. Google was buying You tube, North Korea has tested Nuclear power, world got Ban, a South Korean as a new Secretary General of UN.
Finally October was saying goodbye and November was in the door-way. My fingers were tired and I realised that I have to take a long rest again before I start new one.
Life in Nanjing, China for a Month
Date: Sep 30 2006It was a beautiful evening in the month of June 2006, when I was nominated for a 10-month professional computing course in China. Obviously, I was wondering and dreaming about China – One of the modern but unexplored world and hidden society. Even though, this was not first Journey in Life but travelling abroad has been my fantasy from the time I was a kid. As we left Kathmandu in morning, it took couple of hours when Aircraft started to decrease its altitude and was near to the vicinity of the Hong Kong Airport. The sparkling view I could peep from the window of airplane was spectacular. The Hong Kong Airport is wonderful and very beautiful, an airport surrounded by the sea. The glistening and gleaming rays on the horizon were more alluring as it flashes through tributaries of my mind. I was also experiencing one of the most sophisticated and high-tech airports in this part of the world.
Hon Kong was very prosperous and ruled by the British for many years before it was handed to Chinese authority in late 90’s. But from ancient time, Hong Kong along with Shanghai, Beijing, and Dalian are historic and prosperous cities of China.
Once I stepped down at the Hong Kong airport I found everything amazing. Peoples were very different and amazing for me. Initially, I thought I was not from Milky Way. But I realise that diverse peoples have home in this globe. Am I giving the lecture of Anthropology and Astrology?
Seeing the Chinese woman in front of me in Chinese land at first time make me feel that they are like a doll in the shop of the ancient city of Kathmandu; The capital of Nepal, resembling like a cloned sheep.
In the future, I have to re-engineer my social philosophy about Chinese women (...and about many things as civilization is evolutionary process). I used to think that Chinese people are short and have very straight hairs although I never give much importance to physical existence of material or human body. I used to think they are skinny (like me), but after being here I realised myself that I was behind black curtain and was shouting in vain.
The journey was moving. We had to board a plane for the flight to Beijing; the capital of China, the biggest nation in the world with population of 1.28 billion. Before getting boarding pass, I quickly made use of ICT at Hong Kong Airport and emailed my family about safe existence in a different land. After a tiring and hectic flight we arrived finally in Beijing, but I didn’t find it to be any “complex gizmo”. The sun was already saying good night when arrived.
We were warmly received at the airport by the officials of Chinese PLA (People’s Liberation Army) and were taken to hotel. I took a shower and was giving little space for various cells of my body. The next morning we have to leave for Nanjing, place where I will stay for 10.5 months of my life (more than 1%!). But, same old things were hunting me eccentrically, the Chinese people and Nanjing, the Science and Engineering University of PLA and the course-contents? What would I find?
Finally, we arrived at Nanjing. I couldn’t see drastic differences compared to Beijing because it has also big highways, sky-scrapers, buildings and everything else tourists see. Nanjing has been capital of China eleven times in history, so it is culturally rich and strategically very important place. This piece of China lies near Shanghai, the global hub for international trade and business. Our University lies in the outskirts of the city, not very far away from the core. The place is wonderful and astonishing.
There are many Chinese students who are also studying different technical subjects in this University. Once these students graduate, they will be recruited as an Officer in the People's Liberation Army, one of the biggest army in the world. The environment is perfect, if not excellent.
I wish to see swimming pool, but its not here as I have always tried and dreamed about learning to swim and improving my spoken English, it has significant importance for me. Every weekend we are taken to the different corners of city and we see her beauty.
Now I have realised that I can’t live without drinking Cola, one of the best things I adore. Thanks Cola Company, Every day I am drinking it when I have long breaks in between classes, or I feel too hot. These days I have a cold, so I am moving to hot orange.
I don’t hesitate to watch Jennifer Aniston in “Friends” or hear “Like a Virgin- Madonna” as I have many collections in my tiny black box.I am always desperate and love to logon into my Google customized homepage where I can play PCMAN (I played this game 15 years back for first time), or play SUDOKU and even sometimes classical TETRIS!
Also, I like the classical music from 70’s, or party music to shake my ass when I have free time. This is how I kill times when I have nothing to do!
Thanks to MSN and YAHOO, they have made my life easier and they are helping me to restrain financial constraints. I can talk and chat with my friends all around the world at minimal cost. I am using these industrial strengths software as much as I can and I know their power and weakness.
There are more than 50 students in my class and it’s a completely multicultural and transcontinental environment with peoples from different walks of life.
Most of the people are from the African continent, and few from Asian continent. It is very true that most of countries here are from the least developed and developing countries. Still there are many severe problems in these parts of the world where genocide as well as severe disease exists and social conflict is ruining the human civilization in 21st century.
One thing that I find very surprising as well as disgusting about African people is that they can speak English very fluently(sometimes I think that I am talking with colour folks from Texas), but their abilities to read and write are not so impressive. Most of them believe in muscles and their physical build-up (maybe they are military) and very sceptical to others. That’s different side of coin of life for me as I see things from middle. Surprisingly, students from Asia seem more calm and serious although they do have severe problems with English language.
The remarkable and memorable experience in my life is about sharing my room for the first time - and with the colourful folk from Africa! Francs, I am sure he can dance well, a very typical African dance. He is very nice, tall and large, a giant! Guy in 30’s from Namibia. He regrets himself about education. But, he loves drinking beer in free time and worrying about his family. I know he is feeling homesick, and he often shows me family album.
I was also able to make few Chinese friends, both inside the premises and in cyber world. One of them is Qi, my best friend. I don’t know his full name. It’s very very complex for me. He is very wonderful, thin and skinny young man but he wears glasses. He is studying computing. Also another Chinese guy, Simon, majoring English and have English name. Simon loves sleeping and smiling because he is fat and maybe he wants to loose a few calories! – A real Joke.
The classrooms are outstanding and well equipped, the problem is communication and unstructured course and audiences but we can bridge gaps of communication with the help of modern teaching resources. The software and environment is excellent and doesn’t give any space for us to comment.
I can see the strong co-relation that exists between ICT and quality education for better instructional pedagogy. Its importance and application in least developed countries is need of an hour where education system has always been in the limbo and fragile, thus, giving us an ample opportunity to bridge the gap and enhance our system.
I spend my time with guy from Cambodia in class. His name is Chau Soke. He is very wonderful and smiling guy. The problem with this guy is English. He works very hard to cope what the teacher teaches us in class. I am confident that he will succeed in days ahead with his strong determination and hard-work.
Chinese girls seem very orthodox at present; there could be two reasons; the girls we most often meet are students of military school, and they are highly disciplined. Another reason could be the language barrier and influx with foreigners.
But something I like about Chinese girls is their hair. It’s very straight and complex. But I was surprised when one of the Chinese girls told me that the fashion is out of date and they have something new from Korea in town at present. I am not a hair specialist nor a girl specialist, so I couldn’t exactly grab what she meant in depth. But as westernisation is affecting globally, Chinese girls are very open in relationship and fashion compared to most of the girls from this region.
Other misconceptions regarding them melted away when I saw more girls in the Nanjing foreigner’s festival in mid-September. They are very sober and beautiful girls - although they look like a stick; having something at a top but nothing at the middle, a different and weird physique.
Chinese youths are very different compared to others in this region. Most of them have studied patriotic and nationalistic education in their secondary schools and high-schools. Many young Chinese people also love to study English and go abroad. Young peoples are very conscious about international brands in clothes, cars and sports. The interesting fact is that while these young people love their country very much they also like Australia at first followed by Canada, UK, Germany and at last US.
Most of the Chinese youngsters have a craze in basketball because Chinese players are now playing for NBA. You can see a basketball court on every street corner! The reason has to do with the fact that 400 million "branded pieces" of National Basketball Association products, from jerseys to basketballs, were distributed in China last year. They are giving immense prominence to this game, as Olympic is close to Beijing in 2008.
I am sure we are going to enjoy Nanjing more than ever before in future. People are crazy to go to the Pubs and Disco’s of Nanjing although we were not allowed to go outside after 6 p.m. at first. But from the third week of September, they have opened new vistas as they have allowed us to go out till 10 pm on Saturday. Guys are really curious and counting their fingers to experience and enjoy the nightlife of this beautiful city.
Chinese people are the most dedicated people I have ever seen in my life. They are worried more about their professionalism than insignificant stuffs. I was surprised when Lt. Col. was happy to give lessons on drill and parade for international students.
Also, I was shocked that you can wear sandals in military Uniform, and even the civilians wear the military dress! This was amazing for me.
I think that they care more about their grey-matter that has never been the key integrity for most of the orthodox military in the world.
But I must praise their professionalism. I was surprised to see the Warrant Officer talking to the Colonel with a cigarette in his hand! I think it’s much more similar to Sergeant (who is the hero of the American movie!), talking with the Captain. I like it..! even though most conventional soldier oppose it.
Chinese language was one of the worst parts in my life. They taught us Chinese language for two weeks, but I am scared I won’t be able to even write my name and pronounce it in Chinese - even if I stay here for 10 months. As I was not prepared to learn Chinese language before and am not interested in learning the Chinese language at all because I am scared it will degrade my English skills although linguist says that it won’t. English is integral for my future. I can learn Chinese whenever I feel necessary. Good luck for rest who find it interesting and love to study Chinese. It is the truth that if you know Chinese it would be easier to go and do shopping, but also even without it you can accomplish your goals very easily with drawings, body gestures and a soft smile.
The food was something different for me as I was brought up in an eastern culture; I believe China is the juxtaposition of Eastern and Western culture. Here, you can taste everything of life of Eastern or Western culture. In the Northern part, the food is very different because of the climate. The Chinese people’s life in big and modern cities shows a leaning towards westernization.
Most Chinese foods are actually boiled and are soups and noodles served with chopsticks, without much spices and oils. Although the taste is not good for me at first, I believe this food contains all the constituents that are necessary for human bodies and my cells are getting enough of it for physiological needs.
Another interesting thing about China is culture and religion. There are many different tribes of Chinese peoples and their language differs from regions to regions and from provinces to provinces. It is even difficult for Chinese people to communicate with one another when they are from a different province, but they have standardised their written language so that all people can read it easily.
The wonderful part of China is related with Hong Kong and Macau. These are not called mainland China, but now they are controlled by the central government of China. Also, Tibet is a wonderful part of the China that has always been an area of interest for global world. I even recall my book and the movie "Seven Years in Tibet". I wish I could see and read it again so it would have clear and memorable manuscript in my mind forever. Tibet is the highest plateau in the world; it is the roof of the world.
The most amazing thing about China is most of the people are non-religious, or they don’t believe in religion, or they can only preach their religion inside their community, not in a public place. I am still searching for the answer!!
I always salute ideas of being secularism by person’s will, but not by the state, as freedom of human life has always been the key issue in this civilized world, hasn’t it?
As I believe myself as a secular guy, so I think this idea converges near to my belief but there are wide deviation. But in some northern part of the china, they believe in Islam and Christianity. In fact, the followers of Buddhism resemble the largest population of China and most Buddhist monasteries and temples are located in Northern part of China.
The time is running fast and it’s almost been a month. Life is changing for me, and I am adapting the new environment like birds migrating in the winter. I was never far from my home for this long period of time. I used to always dream about the materialistic world where humans are clones of machines. It’s almost like that although I do have plenty of time in the afternoon and in the evening. But again the clock is striking fast for me.
We are waiting for weeklong holidays in early October. Co-incidentally, at the same time we do have grand holidays in Nepal for a week. It’s Dashain, the biggest festival of Hindu. I am missing it this time, but I am not feeling it at all because I am enjoying my life here. Many are enjoying the Thanksgiving party, while others must be enjoying Ramadan for a month.
But at crossroad, I am able to differentiate the impact that has been generating in poor countries among the rich and the poor with the widening gap on accessing basic resources. This hampers human civilization, and denies basic freedom of life and the basic resources they ought to be with.
World leaders should build up holistic and comprehensive approach to address these issues, as it creates multi -polar societies with have and haven’t that is prone to conflict and security.
These feelings and thoughts emerging and rejuvenating in my mind are implicitly personal manifestation. You are free to comment as this is an art, not physic.
Finally, like the end of day, the first beautiful month vanishes like the sun into the dusk. I am waiting for beautiful dawn, but I know before that I have to go miles before I rest.
