More of the local flavor...

Yum! Duck Head! 

Ok, so I didn't actually eat it, don't worry mom. I can hear her from here... "Amanda, you didn't!?!" 

But actually, duck head is a delicacy. You can order the bird without it for less. But then, you would not get the whole experience, would you?

Beauty

I had the opportunity to visit an elderly home near my hometown. The first picture is one of me visiting a bed-stricken woman. She loved taking pictures with foreigners. Totally made her day.

But I really want to write a little something about this second picture. She is only 55 years old and has Downs Syndrome. She loved to sing songs with use (note the song books we brought along- she really wanted a picture holding them.) 

She said something that struck me. She become very sad at one point during our visit. I caught her looking around at myself, a few other foreigners and young national students. She said, "I'm not beautiful. I want to be beautiful. I want long hair like you." 

I don't know why it affected me so much. Her room was, well, small, dirty, and cluttered. Her life consisted of a monotonous routine. Still, what struck me was her desire to be beautiful in the eyes of others. 

I wanted to say something to her, to let her know that I thought she was beautiful, but it was like my voice was gone. I could only think,  Wow, I can't believe it, everyone actually feels like this. 

I don't know why on earth it took me so off guard. My home here in the east, much like the U.S. is obsessed with image. I have heard my friends here complain that they are too fat, or too short, or not pretty enough. In every heart there is the longing to be loved, to be called beautiful. Its on the three-story billboards I see everyday, and in a small elderly home in dirty, on story flats. 

A new take on viable flavors

Chocolate, vanilla, Rocky Road, and pea? Yup- pea ice cream treats. Only to be topped off with blueberry Lays chips and Corn flavored frozen yogurt cups. If you think I am joking, I dare you to try the meat candy. Looks like chocolate, tastes like smoked beef. And if you are still hankerin for a good snack, try a lovely canned peanut drink and refresh your palette with crisp parsley gum. 

My version of "normal" flavors has totally flown out the door! To simply have the chip choices of ranch, bbq, and plain seems so closed-minded. There must be something about the Asian consumer that is more adventurous in trying new flavors. The realm of possibility is much wider here- and more creative. And by the way, the blueberry chips and parsley gum are fantastic, though the others I probably wont try again. 

Rule number 1: avoid standing liquid

This is the first in a series of blogs... probably a long and full series. I want to let you in on some of the totally normal things in my world!

First one: split pants. 

Diapers are not so normal here- letting children use an "outdoor toilet" is very much so. While this seems to violate every public sanitary norm I have, the logic makes sense, too. Why on earth would you want your child to sit in his own .... you get the picture. 

For this reason, one of the first rules I quickly adopted was to avoid standing liquid. You just never know if it is water... or something else. Do you think these would go over well in the U.S.? I heard that when children are learning to be potty trained, they start asking for their parents to "take them to the grass" rather than the indoor toilet. Well- it's closer usually!

the big day is here... i mean, almost

So, I am pretty excited that the longest election season ever is finally ending. The day of reckoning, if you will. Of course for me... it actually happens tomorrow, but whatever.

I recently had a conversation with one of my classmates about the election. He is from Russia. I was surprised how much he knew, and how much he didn't know- all at the same time.

For one, I admit that I rarely follow the elections of other countries. Rarely. But yet, I would say that he had obviously been paying attention. He also knew about how both candidates felt towards his home country. Ok, I was impressed. 

On the other hand, his entire basis for the election was one easy four-letter word: Bush. Either we would get more of Bush or a change. I mean, he's not that far off of how many Americans think of this election. 

In the end, it was a very enlightening conversation for me. I am immensely enjoying an "outsiders" view of America. The US sends a very loud message to the rest of the world. I haven't fully deciphered this matrix of communication and understanding, but I am very glad to have the opportunity to watch from here. This is a perfect time to get the "world's opinion" of the U.S. while we are in the spotlight with the election. It's just enlightening to see some from their perspective. 

"Express" Your Vote

So today I voted thanks to FedEx and the Overseas Vote Foundation. Turns out, you can vote from your current residence abroad by sending in your ballot from any conveniently located FedEx branch.

Sounded easy enough to me and my friend Marc as embarked on our mission to "make democracy work." Forgetting that nothing is convenient in this city for foreigners, I figured that I could fulfill my civic duty and still be back before lunchtime. Not so much.

We found the nearest FedEx branch pretty easily. It was like a little piece of America welcoming us with open arms. However, they informed us in broken English don't do this exact service. Ok, and all we had to do next was take a bus about 30 minutes north to another location. At this point, you can probably imagine my annoyance. "What do you mean you don't do this?!? Its already paid for- just ship it with the rest of your stuff. Really, really?"

Thanks to our good ole American tenacity we persevered. Marc and I were resolute in our desire to exercise our RIGHT to vote- and vote with as little monetary cost as possible. See, in my mind, paying for an taxi in order to mail my ballot seemed to violate the very foundations of democracy- we don't PAY to vote, right? Right.

So we jumped on the cheap bus north to the elusive FedEx branch with the magical powers to send my ballot abroad that other branches simply do not possess. After wandering around a bunch of corporate complexes, we finally found the right building, and around the backside was a FedEx loading dock- yes loading dock- and a small "World Connection Center" sign. Success! After all the obstacles, and about 2 and a half hours, we beat the system!

And then we voted. And that was it. All that work for one vote. At that victorious moment, I remembered my my political science classes. It's completely irrational to vote. All the work of taking time off, traveling there... the cost to citizens to vote is greater than the benefit derived from one vote. One vote won't change an election. When considering our odyssey, I felt we were pretty foolish. 

Still, I have no regrets for voting, it's more about the principle. While traveling, I have met many people who don't have the freedoms I enjoy on a daily basis, or some have endured much much worse for this privilege. With a better perspective (and food in my stomach), the little "inconveniences" I endured pale in comparison. The fact of the matter is, I am willing to sacrifice to vote- and just the fact that I have the right to vote is enough to make my long day worth it. Oh, and be I sure won't complain for standing in line in 2010!

Obamania...haunts me even in the Far East

I stumbled on this young kid playing video games while waiting for VISA photos in a local copy shop. My discovery was so good I had to share.

Picture it with me: I'm in an obscure, tiny shop in Asia away from everything American and familiar. A kid, who I am assuming is the shop owner's offspring, is intensely playing computer games on an unused desktop. His activity is not surprising in the least, considering that video games are becoming a normal part of childhood in this culture. It took me a few minutes to notice, though, that he was not playing just any Asian video game- but he was in the battle of OUR nation's time- Hilary vs. Obama. 

There they were- two of our most well-known politicians- introduced to my young Asian friend as opposing forces in a paintball shoot out in the White House corridors. The whole experience was so out of place for me, I had to document it. Oh, and naturally, he was Obama. 

One of the Seven Wonders of the World... and for tonight, my bed

For those of you who know me, know that camping is not really my thing. Give me hiking, boating, and whatever else outdoorsy stuff- as long as there is a bed waiting for me, I am, to use the phrase, a happy camper. 

But, in China there is a famous phrase that goes something like this: "you are not a real man until you climb the Great Wall." So, hearing this charge, our plan was to spend the night camping ON the Great Wall of China and climb up an unrestored portion in the morning. And that was that- off to the Wall we went. 

How on earth could this be possible you may ask. Well... see, our campsite was actually some fellow's backyard. He basically earns his livelihood by allowing groups like ours access to the wall for a small price per person (the equivalent to about $1.25/person). So we paid the guy and hiked toward the huge structure. 

We only hiked for a short time, thankfully. I was not used to walking with a big hiking backpack. This was my first experience to bring ALL my own supplies on my back- water, food, etc. As you can see in the first picture, we set up camp, literally on a small flat portion of the Great Wall. 

Needless to say, my bed was as hard and uncomfortable as I expected. Ancient old brick and mortar does not make for a welcoming bed. Regardless, throughout the long night of little sleep, I kept reminding myself- hey, I'm sleeping on the Great Wall, at least try to enjoy it! 

The next morning, I woke up and climbed up a portion of the Wall. Because this section is unrestored, some parts were partially destroyed by wear and tear, and these required serious climbing skills. It was a little intimidating without the security of ropes and harness, but in the end, the view was worth it. From the top, I could get a better picture of the awesomeness of the Great Wall- it stretched as a far as I could see, over mountains and down into valleys (picture 2). 

On the one hand, the Wall is a picture of man's willpower and capability to accomplish incredible feats. Still, thanks to history's record we know the real story. Most of the Great Wall was built to protect ancient Beijing against invasion from the North, and after 40-some years of fighting, a dissatisfied gatekeeper allowed the invaders through his pass. Beijing was captured and so began the last ruling dynasty- the Manchu (or Qing) Dynasty lasting over 300 years. So think with me, consider the monumental amount of work, not to mention the estimated 4 million lives lost, that went into building the Wall, only to let the invaders in the front door- rather ironic. 

In retrospect, I am still having a hard time believing that I actually camped on the Great Wall. After I told my dad about my grand adventure he smartly remarked, "Well, it took a world wonder to get you to camp. Now you have 6 more possibilities." Ha. So true. And so worth sleeping on the ground.