30 Million Singles...
I came across an interesting article in the China Daily this weekend about the increasing number of single men in China. With the one child policy a lot of families, especially in the south and in rural areas, prefer to have a male child over a female child. Currently for every 100 female children there are 118.6 males, which may not sound like a lot but spread that over the huge population in China and it becomes greatly magnified. By 2020 it is expected that 30 million males will be unable to find wives (almost the whole population of Canada) due to the imbalance.
That will of course cause a lot of unstability in a country where being married is incredibly important on many levels.
The article goes on to say that China's population should peak in 2033 with a population of 1.5 billion allowing China "to build itself into a well-off society" that "will not be short of manpower". Of course we should ignore the fact that at present up to 60% of university graduates face unemployment and that the north of China is rapidly running out of water which could lead to massive famines. But I'll leave that for another post.
In any case, it'll be an interesting problem for the Chinese government to try to solve.
January 14, 2007
Sweet Taro Pie...
McDonald's in China doesn't have apple pie (at least not in my city), but they do have Sweet Taro Pie! I'm not too sure about the unnatural purple colour, but it did actually taste good. The taro flavour wasn't too pronounced, and the lumpy bits weren't too chewy. The outside was nicely deep fried and still warm when I got it with my cup of hot chocolate.
I'm less curious about trying the green bean pie (I don't like green beans), but I think I'll try the taro root pie again.
McDonald's in China doesn't have apple pie (at least not in my city), but they do have Sweet Taro Pie! I'm not too sure about the unnatural purple colour, but it did actually taste good. The taro flavour wasn't too pronounced, and the lumpy bits weren't too chewy. The outside was nicely deep fried and still warm when I got it with my cup of hot chocolate.
I'm less curious about trying the green bean pie (I don't like green beans), but I think I'll try the taro root pie again.
January 13, 2007
Circuit Breakers...
For at least the fifth time in two weeks and twice today, my plugs were without power and I had to get the ladies at the front of the building to reset the circuit breakers. Turns out that my plugs can't handle having my computer plugged in and the kettle running at the same time.
Should I mention to them that there's a plug outlet in my shower? How safe can that be?
For at least the fifth time in two weeks and twice today, my plugs were without power and I had to get the ladies at the front of the building to reset the circuit breakers. Turns out that my plugs can't handle having my computer plugged in and the kettle running at the same time.
Should I mention to them that there's a plug outlet in my shower? How safe can that be?
January 12, 2007
Inspiring Quote...
I've asked my 2,000 students to come up with three New Year's Resolutions as part of an activity this week and next. One of the inspiring resolutions told to me by a student comes as a quote from Comrade Mao:
"Good good study day day up."
I'm going to try to study more Mandarin this year, and this quote is just the inspiration I need to good good study.
I've asked my 2,000 students to come up with three New Year's Resolutions as part of an activity this week and next. One of the inspiring resolutions told to me by a student comes as a quote from Comrade Mao:
"Good good study day day up."
I'm going to try to study more Mandarin this year, and this quote is just the inspiration I need to good good study.
January 11, 2007
No Electricity, No Heat, No Hot Water...
I woke up shaking because I was so cold at 5AM yesterday under my three blankets. I went to turn the light on only to find out that there was no electricity. Wonderful. Of course it would have to start snowing to top things off. I mean, why have no electricity, no heat, and no hot water if you can't have a few flakes of snow to enjoy them in.
On the plus side, I didn't have to worry about the food in my fridge rotting!
I woke up shaking because I was so cold at 5AM yesterday under my three blankets. I went to turn the light on only to find out that there was no electricity. Wonderful. Of course it would have to start snowing to top things off. I mean, why have no electricity, no heat, and no hot water if you can't have a few flakes of snow to enjoy them in.
On the plus side, I didn't have to worry about the food in my fridge rotting!
January 09, 2007
Saying Goodbyes...
I've only been here for 4.5 months, but I've been saying goodbyes already. I'm not going anywhere, but a lot of the foreigners that I've met here are at the end of their 6 month or 1 year contracts/study semesters, so they're heading home or on to another city. There have already been a few goodbyes, with more to come over the next month. It's a shame really, since I know that I'll never see some of the people again. Things aren't helped by the fact that I'm still the only foreigner at my school, way out on the edge of town. Here's hoping that the school finds another foreigner or two for next semester.
I've only been here for 4.5 months, but I've been saying goodbyes already. I'm not going anywhere, but a lot of the foreigners that I've met here are at the end of their 6 month or 1 year contracts/study semesters, so they're heading home or on to another city. There have already been a few goodbyes, with more to come over the next month. It's a shame really, since I know that I'll never see some of the people again. Things aren't helped by the fact that I'm still the only foreigner at my school, way out on the edge of town. Here's hoping that the school finds another foreigner or two for next semester.
January 08, 2007
Mr.Bond Coffee...
In homage to the new James Bond movie, available in China on DVD for over a month now, I thought I'd post a photo of Mr.Bond Coffee.
I know the label is small, but it says:
Mr.
Bond
Coffee Drink
American pattern
>>I'm young..I'm coffee
Skip the "Bond, James Bond", and go for American pattern young coffee. It wasn't half bad either.
In homage to the new James Bond movie, available in China on DVD for over a month now, I thought I'd post a photo of Mr.Bond Coffee.
I know the label is small, but it says:Mr.
Bond
Coffee Drink
American pattern
>>I'm young..I'm coffee
Skip the "Bond, James Bond", and go for American pattern young coffee. It wasn't half bad either.
January 06, 2007
Random (Inflation) Conversation...
When I was recently in Beijing I stopped at a small place near the hostel to get some meat baozi (steamed buns filled with meat), which cost 3RMB for one tray. The next day I went back with two friends to get some for breakfast. This time we bought a tray of baozi and one of steamed jiaozi.
Seller: 一共十块钱。 (Altogether it's 10RMB)
Me: 等一下。 这铁包子多少钱？ (Wait a second, how much is this tray?)
Seller: 五块钱。 (5RMB)
Me: 哪，昨天是三块钱。 (Yesterday it was 3RMB)
Seller: 什么？ (What?)
Me: 昨天这是三块钱。 (Yesterday this was 3RMB)
Seller: 呵呵。 (Haha)
Then he gives us back 2RMB change.
When I was recently in Beijing I stopped at a small place near the hostel to get some meat baozi (steamed buns filled with meat), which cost 3RMB for one tray. The next day I went back with two friends to get some for breakfast. This time we bought a tray of baozi and one of steamed jiaozi.
Seller: 一共十块钱。 (Altogether it's 10RMB)
Me: 等一下。 这铁包子多少钱？ (Wait a second, how much is this tray?)
Seller: 五块钱。 (5RMB)
Me: 哪，昨天是三块钱。 (Yesterday it was 3RMB)
Seller: 什么？ (What?)
Me: 昨天这是三块钱。 (Yesterday this was 3RMB)
Seller: 呵呵。 (Haha)
Then he gives us back 2RMB change.
January 05, 2007
Random Emails Continued...
In the last installment of Random Emails you were left wondering if we would have a table inside or outside. Here's the conclusion of the saga, which is even funnier than the first few emails! Of course I don't know the exact words, but they go something like this (as close as I can remember).
If you want a table it will cost you $10,000 United States Dollars.
Suzie
You must be on drugs Suzie because we don't want to buy the place. I don't think you understand my English. Maybe you should find someone who does.
Sorry, my English is not good. Maybe you can help me to improve it by email? I can reserve a table for you for only 3000RMB. [$450CAD]
Sincerely, Suzie Wong
Suzie,
I will come in before New Years to clear up the misunderstanding.
So on the New Years Eve the law prof goes in the afternoon and pounds on the club door to get in. Playing the stupid foreigner, he's let in by the migrant workers putting up decorations. There was only a single Australian lady sitting at the bar, who obviously hadn't gone home yet. After a minute or two of conversation she offers to call the assistant manager, a friend of hers. Soon another call is made, and the manager is woken up.
It turns out that tickets are only 150RMB each and that we could get them at the door without any problem. Later that evening (or the next morning, since we got there around 1AM), the tickets were 200RMB ($30). They had put a sticker over the original price announcing the new and improved (i.e. higher) price.
In the last installment of Random Emails you were left wondering if we would have a table inside or outside. Here's the conclusion of the saga, which is even funnier than the first few emails! Of course I don't know the exact words, but they go something like this (as close as I can remember).
If you want a table it will cost you $10,000 United States Dollars.
Suzie
You must be on drugs Suzie because we don't want to buy the place. I don't think you understand my English. Maybe you should find someone who does.
Sorry, my English is not good. Maybe you can help me to improve it by email? I can reserve a table for you for only 3000RMB. [$450CAD]
Sincerely, Suzie Wong
Suzie,
I will come in before New Years to clear up the misunderstanding.
So on the New Years Eve the law prof goes in the afternoon and pounds on the club door to get in. Playing the stupid foreigner, he's let in by the migrant workers putting up decorations. There was only a single Australian lady sitting at the bar, who obviously hadn't gone home yet. After a minute or two of conversation she offers to call the assistant manager, a friend of hers. Soon another call is made, and the manager is woken up.
It turns out that tickets are only 150RMB each and that we could get them at the door without any problem. Later that evening (or the next morning, since we got there around 1AM), the tickets were 200RMB ($30). They had put a sticker over the original price announcing the new and improved (i.e. higher) price.
January 03, 2007
A Beijing New Years...
I took off for Beijing on Saturday morning, in the snow. There was snow in Beijing, but not nearly as much as here in Baoding.
First on the agenda was a much needed Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, which I've been dreaming about for far too long now (over the weekend I had two of them, as well as a Starbucks cappuccino). We came across a happy SnowMao as we made our way to the Silk Market to check out all the fake/cheap goods.
I finally bought the green and brown 'fur' army winter hat that I wanted with (a removable) red star on the front. The starting price was 80RMB, but I got it for 20RMB ($3), which makes you wonder how much it really cost and what a Chinese person could get it for! Dinner was an amazing hamburger, with real cheese and onions! Oh how I've missed my dear friend the hamburger.
The next morning a few of us we headed to the Lama Temple, which was converted from a Prince's residence to a lamasery in 1744. It's the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Beijing, and we had a chance to briefly chat with a monk from Tibet when he blessed a little jade Buddha. According to the sign at the front, the temple had fallen into disrepair until the benevolent Communist Party took control and restored the temple, protecting it "during the 'so-called' Cultural Revolution", and finally opening it to tourists a few years ago.
We got to Tian'anmen Square at 11:45 PM on New Years Eve, and saw a maximum of 200 foreigners in front of Mao's portrait on the Gate of Heavenly Peace. At about 5 minutes to midnight a van of extra police pulled up through the gate (to keep the already present police, soldiers, and undercover cops company). At 3 minutes to midnight the lights were turned off on the gate.
We had our own countdown and the police jumped to attention when the corks on a couple bottles of champagne popped open at midnight. We lit some small sparklers, the kind that kids play with and wave around. I guess the police weren't too happy about that because they came running over and shouted at us to put them out. They kept shouting "Hurry Up!" at us in Chinese until we finally stomped the pathetic sparklers to death.
By 1:00 we made it to Suzie Wong's and paid the inflated price to get in (more on that in another post). We danced until 5:30, got some fries at McDonald's to start off 2007 in style, then got back to the hostel at 7:00AM for two hours of sleep.
We didn't do much the next day, just some wandering around with a coffee and cake break.
On Tuesday morning a few of us headed to the Underground City, constructed between 1969 and 1979 to protect citizens from an attack by the Russians or the Americans. It extends all under Beijing, though most of it is in disrepair now. The guide rushed us through, and wouldn't have told us anything interesting if we didn't ask. Along the route, we walked through a silk shop where we could buy products!
For lunch we decided to head to IKEA and I revelled in the Swedish meatballs
(complete with flag to distinguish them from all those knock-off Swedish meatballs) and fries. I had a chocolate mousse cake for dessert with 3 cups of Swedish coffee. Much needed let me tell you.
It was four pretty intense days of eating Western food (and the occasional Beijing roast duck), drinking coffee, sight seeing, and dancing, but it was worth every Yuan.
I took off for Beijing on Saturday morning, in the snow. There was snow in Beijing, but not nearly as much as here in Baoding.First on the agenda was a much needed Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, which I've been dreaming about for far too long now (over the weekend I had two of them, as well as a Starbucks cappuccino). We came across a happy SnowMao as we made our way to the Silk Market to check out all the fake/cheap goods.
I finally bought the green and brown 'fur' army winter hat that I wanted with (a removable) red star on the front. The starting price was 80RMB, but I got it for 20RMB ($3), which makes you wonder how much it really cost and what a Chinese person could get it for! Dinner was an amazing hamburger, with real cheese and onions! Oh how I've missed my dear friend the hamburger.
The next morning a few of us we headed to the Lama Temple, which was converted from a Prince's residence to a lamasery in 1744. It's the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Beijing, and we had a chance to briefly chat with a monk from Tibet when he blessed a little jade Buddha. According to the sign at the front, the temple had fallen into disrepair until the benevolent Communist Party took control and restored the temple, protecting it "during the 'so-called' Cultural Revolution", and finally opening it to tourists a few years ago.We got to Tian'anmen Square at 11:45 PM on New Years Eve, and saw a maximum of 200 foreigners in front of Mao's portrait on the Gate of Heavenly Peace. At about 5 minutes to midnight a van of extra police pulled up through the gate (to keep the already present police, soldiers, and undercover cops company). At 3 minutes to midnight the lights were turned off on the gate.
We had our own countdown and the police jumped to attention when the corks on a couple bottles of champagne popped open at midnight. We lit some small sparklers, the kind that kids play with and wave around. I guess the police weren't too happy about that because they came running over and shouted at us to put them out. They kept shouting "Hurry Up!" at us in Chinese until we finally stomped the pathetic sparklers to death.
By 1:00 we made it to Suzie Wong's and paid the inflated price to get in (more on that in another post). We danced until 5:30, got some fries at McDonald's to start off 2007 in style, then got back to the hostel at 7:00AM for two hours of sleep.We didn't do much the next day, just some wandering around with a coffee and cake break.
On Tuesday morning a few of us headed to the Underground City, constructed between 1969 and 1979 to protect citizens from an attack by the Russians or the Americans. It extends all under Beijing, though most of it is in disrepair now. The guide rushed us through, and wouldn't have told us anything interesting if we didn't ask. Along the route, we walked through a silk shop where we could buy products!For lunch we decided to head to IKEA and I revelled in the Swedish meatballs
(complete with flag to distinguish them from all those knock-off Swedish meatballs) and fries. I had a chocolate mousse cake for dessert with 3 cups of Swedish coffee. Much needed let me tell you.
It was four pretty intense days of eating Western food (and the occasional Beijing roast duck), drinking coffee, sight seeing, and dancing, but it was worth every Yuan.
January 02, 2007
Happy 2007...
Just thought I'd let you know that I'm back from New Years Eve weekend in Beijing. I'm 1000Yuan lighter, but I had a great time -lots of coffee, cakes, dancing, Western food, and into trouble with the police in Tian'anmen Square on New Years Eve. But more on all of that when I'm not so tired and I've got some photos to put up.
Just thought I'd let you know that I'm back from New Years Eve weekend in Beijing. I'm 1000Yuan lighter, but I had a great time -lots of coffee, cakes, dancing, Western food, and into trouble with the police in Tian'anmen Square on New Years Eve. But more on all of that when I'm not so tired and I've got some photos to put up.
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