Shanghai: History, Culture, and Art: Archives

SARA KOPKE writes: Before I left for China I knew I couldn't anticipate what it would be like. I knew it would be strange is ways I couldn't even anticipate. Oh how right I was. The first thing I noticed driving to our hotel from the air port was the immense scale of the city. Not only was it simply huge but this city is filled to the brim with glossy, alien, colorful neon-lit skyscrapers. The smell was different, the plants were different and I know it sounds silly to say but everyone was Chinese. I have traveled to Europe and Mexico, but there I never quite felt like the minority I do here. It would probably be even more intense if I was not traveling with a group of westerners like myself. We must be quite the site, 12 students and 3 teachers, most of us with lighter hair and big eyes. We attract quite a bit of attention too! In China there is no cultural taboo against staring. In Chicago we must walk strait down the side walk, giving one another about 2-3 feet of space at least. If your eyes meet, for that one second they do, it is admittedly awkward moment. In China we have had complete strangers walk up to us and stair, holding nothing back. You are also invited to stare, and I have gotten very used to this exchange. Its actually nice and I feel a lot more comfortable around myself and others when subconsciously I don't need to think about where my eyes should be looking. On more than one occasion I have had a little girl or boy run up to me and say "Hello". I say "Ni Hao" and they get a large grin and dart back behind their mothers. The attention I get here for being different, and most of my colleagues agree, is very charming and flattering.

I would also like to note how much I like the sense of community in China. I am sure much of this must be due to Communism but also cultural norms. Here in Shanghai, early in the morning, both genders and every age come out to the parks. They will dance, talk, play games such as badminton, and do Ti Chi. It is easy to see why the older generations are so capable here. The are much more social and active. They get out and do thing. They also live in a communities where everyone knows each other. This may mean a lack of privacy but it also means that individuals are a lot less lonely. I can really appreciate this since I cannot think of how many times I have felt lonely in a city as big as Chicago.

I may miss this openness of Chinese culture, being able to stare as well as the sense of community. However I do miss the heated buildings and ease of doing simple things back home, such as crossing the road. Many times here in Shanghai I have been crossing the road, when I have the right of way, and had a barrage of bikes, mopeds, cars turning right and people nearly mow me down. The attitude here is not "Oh my, pardon me" its "You are in my way." Fortunately, none of us have been hit. I would not contribute it to the courtesy of others, but to the agility and nimbleness of my peers. If I had to assume why a car feels that it would only need to stop inches from me rather than feet I would attribute it to the following reasons. 1, Cars and the highway only really appeared in Shanghai over the last 20 years, maybe it was harder to develop a stricter sense of courtesy over a short period of time. 2, There are so many people in china there is not really enough time during the day for everyone to yield to one another constantly. Finally, its just kinda the "personality" of China. The Chinese do not find the invasion of space a personal offense, even when they are in fast 4 ton cars.

I look forward to going off and learning more about cultural differences. I am sure I will over the next week or so, but for now I need to go eat breakfast.

SARA KOPKE writes: China is wonderful. I can't even explain how I have fallen in love with this place and its people. Monday evening when we get on the plane, I may be holding back tears. It is hard to think what home is going to be like again, it feels very far away. I also don't like the idea of leaving this place and not knowing when I will come back. I guess I can find comfort knowing that I will be taking many of my new friends with me. I will also be coming home to the friends I left back in Chicago, something that isn't even comparable to my love of Shanghai.

I would like note how much is lost without translation here. I have noticed how countless times I have been off in a corner, distracted, only to have a commotion of laughter come from Lin, Elena and a waitress. There have also been times when we have been out to dinner with some of the Chinese students have been talking up quite a storm and when I ask what it is they were talking about and they will wave their hand "don't worry about it."

The other night we decided to go to a place called Top Dumpling. These dumplings were steamed with noodle like shells and your choice of meet or vegetable filling. They were also served with vinegar soy sauce. When they came to the table they were steaming hot glistening with broth. Taking my chopsticks I lifted one to my mouth. The waitress who had served me them yelped and grabbed my forearm while another waitress put a tiny black dish in front of me. I sat there confused as Elena laughed. She told me I was eating the dumpling wrong. I had to poke a hole, and suck out the juices inside the dumpling. Once it was dry I could dip it in the vinegar soy sauce and eat it. I placed the dumpling on my plate and poked a hole in it and ate the dumpling as advised. I ate a few this way and then glanced over at the waitresses. They all were staring at me, with very wide smiles. Not long after the waitresses came over to Elena in a concerned commotion. Elena rushed over to the other table. When they came back I asked what was going on. Elena told me she had to go help the other table since they were eating the dumplings wrong. I found it very amusing how important this was to the employees of Top Dumping, but also endearing. Later on Lin informed me that they were so proud of us that they passed on a free set of dumplings to take home to sick Diana.

I have a meeting to go to now, but I will have to update again later.

Sarah Kopke writes: We are flying home right now. This flight is a shorter one since we must catch a faster wind on the way back. Its 12 hours opposed to 14 and I'm very grateful for that small difference. I feel extremely sad leaving China but I'm also slightly relieved. I have gotten sick while I've been here and had a cough most of the trip. Its going to be very difficult to sit on the plane sick but I have my cache of NyQuil to fix that. I am also sitting next to Shaman Renee Krystek who said she'd help me with her herbal remedies on the plane.

Everyone keeps asking what I will relish most of all from this trip most of all. Obviously I will cherish all my experiences, exploring gardens and trying strange foods. Most of all though I think my whole experience was made more valuable and enriching by the people we met. From my peers and teachers to the students from Tongji. Not only would it have been a nightmare to get around without them but I feel like they helped me look at China from multiple angles. The students of Tongji would say things I wouldn't have noticed or thought to ask otherwise. The night we all made pot-stickers and American food was a big eye opener to this. Lala stepped into the kitchen while I was washing my hands. She remarked at my soap asking why I was using it. I looked at her slightly confused and told her "to kill the germs" to which she replied "ohh.." Then she walked right over and opened the door to the oven saying "and what is this" to which I answered "thats an oven?... You cook food in there like casseroles." Lala nodded and left the room. It wouldn't even have occurred to me that the Chinese didn't use hand soap or ovens. I hadn't yet seen a baked dish but I had seen a few pastries but those were in bakeries and I can only assume the place in china you see ovens is limited to a bake shop. There were plenty of other moments like this where Cheng told me girls preferred vegetables and men preferred meat. Or when Leo taught us a game called emperor that involved a "king" who made rules that applied to a random collection of "subjects". These subjects were selected by chance, a die number or a playing card. Many of the rules were more like dares, ranging from risky to goofy. We also realized that the alcohol tolerance of our Chinese friends was very low. Instead of going out and partying the way most college students did back in the US they went to a bar and drank virgin drinks and played Emperor. They also played a lot of pool and karaoke. Over all we learned about many cultural differences like how to have fun... the Chinese way.