So the Olympics… I got to see beach volleyball, fencing, and track. Some of my classmates really packed in the events the last week of classes, seeing up to 10-15 different events. I would have loved to see gymnastics but the tickets were impossible to get. I was pretty happy with my track tickets though! I got to see prelims for women’s pole vaulting, 100, 400, and long jump, along with men’s discus. And it’s ridiculous how easy it was to get the tickets – one day before class I had about ten minutes to spare so decided to look at this ticket website that was being emailed around my class. In a few minutes I was able to find two track tickets for US$40. Turns out my seats were SECOND ROW – literally, the coaches seats were the row in front of us. I could have touched the athletes if I extended my arm. I’d say $40 is on the more expensive end for tickets, but given how late I purchased them and the quality of my seats, it was definitely worth it. Some of my friends got tickets for as cheap as 35rmb, which is like US$5. Prices don’t make sense in China…
But the bird’s nest, (the building where the track is and the opening ceremony was held), is possibly the coolest venue I’ve ever been in. The Olympic Village in general is very impressive. In addition to the nest, the aquatic center is the other main attraction in terms of both swimming as a sport and the building’s architecture. Overall, I was very impressed with Beijing during the Olympics. While there was some scandal over the opening ceremonies, (in regard to the fake fireworks and the little girl singing), the traffic, pollution, and order in the city improved drastically. I guess I could first tell the difference when I got back from Shanghai about a month ago, but serious changes really picked up within the last two weeks. Around BeiYu, for example, the track was shut down, security was heightened, Olympic signs and banners appeared everywhere, and the construction in Wudaokou finally finished. And I swear, every time I went to Sanlitun, another store or shopping mall magically appeared. I have NO idea how the Sanlitun Village, (a new upscale shopping area with Adidas, American Apparel, Mac store, etc.), appeared so suddenly. On one hand, everything changed so quickly right before the Opening Ceremony, but on the other hand this has been such a long awaited, highly anticipated event for the past 8 years. The night of the Opening Ceremony really highlighted this excitement. I was at a bar in Sanlitun with both Chinese locals and foreigners. When the ceremony started, it took maybe five minutes before the crowd started chanting “中国，中国” and the English speakers soon contributed a “China, China” chant. Flags flew over the crowd and news reporters captured the excitement, which didn’t stop for the entire ceremony. The city was absolutely DEAD that night because if you weren’t at the bird’s nest, you were either at home or at a bar watching the TV screen. The Olympics really bring this city so much pride and hope for the future and these hopes are clearly evident in every Beijing citizen.
Coming back to the US, a few things stand out. First of all, I almost feel sad falling back into my old lifestyle because a lot of the things I do or see seem overly extravagant and just plain unnecessary. Secondly, while the quality of life is much better in the US, this seems to bring more complexity and consequently more problems. Life in Beijing seems so much simpler and thus almost creates a more relaxed, carefree life. I’m not sure if this is just the nature of HBA and my personal routine there, (I know many 老百姓do not have “carefree and easy” lives,) but in some ways life in Beijing beats life in the US. Thinking about it now, maybe it’s just that everyday problems in the two countries are different, but because a lot of American problems arise out of more complex situations, they seem more ridiculous or self-perpetuated. I think it’s also important to note that I see these differences only because I grew up in the US and am thus quick point out its flaws. If I had to choose, I’d still pick living in the US over China any day… These are just interesting points worth mentioning.
Another interesting social commentary on life in Beijing is the relationship between rules and rebellion. Obviously, China’s history is rich with rebellion and communist suppression and as a result most 老百姓today are strict, law-abiding citizens who love their government. But after analyzing the situation with a friend, we joked that over the past nine weeks, something we had come to realize was that any time a Chinese person, like a 服务员or somebody, refused us something or disagreed or something, if we just challenged them again they would eventually concede. The small act of rebellion really intimidates Chinese and because they rarely see it, I think when foreigners, especially Americans, argue to prove a point, the Chinese freak out a bit. I just find it so weird how argument, a very natural part of American lifestyle, is so rare in Beijing. This is also evident in the educational system. After talking with some of my teachers, I discovered classes in China are all lecture based and involve little, if any, discussion. I once asked a teacher what she though of our in-class debate earlier that day and she said it was really interesting because she’d never participated in one before. Could you imagine?
HBA was not the most fun thing I could have done this summer, but I feel confident saying it was one of the most worthwhile experiences of my life. Its impact on my language ability alone is enough to make me want to do the program again. The teaching quality is truly amazing – the teachers put so much effort into preparing class each day and go out of their way to help you with whatever you need. While I had a great summer and am even starting to miss life at 北语, I’m glad classes ended when they did and I have two weeks off before filling my head with more 生词 at Yale. Nevertheless, this summer has really confirmed my commitment to learning Chinese and hopefully becoming even more fluent in the next few years! Thank you again, Light Fellowship, for giving me this amazing opportunity.
PICTURES:
1. With one of my favorite teachers! 张一萍
2. At the nest for track
3. Inside the nest!
4. With a fuwa outside beach volleyball
5. Watching the Opening Ceremony in Sanlitun
