Water has such a huge impact on the way I live my life in China. First of all, I have to boil water before I can drink it. There is no such thing as clean water here. I try not to think about the things that are killed when it’s boiled…
Not only that, but I only have hot water from the faucet certain hours per day: 7-8:30 am and 9-11 pm. Unfortunately, since I live on the top floor of the building, I don’t get water until about 30 minutes after it’s supposed to start. And I can’t take a shower in the morning because I’ll be late for class. Every evening I eat a late dinner with my friends; we keep a close eye on the clock and leave to take showers around 10:30. Sometimes we all come back to hang out some more after 11.
A few times there has been no water at all, hot or cold. On these days, I wash my face in bottled water. I think about how ridiculous this is to both extremes. On one hand, I feel spoiled to be using bottled water, like those people who give their pets bottled water to drink, or who water their plants with it. Seriously, guys? But on the other hand, I’m in freaking China and I don’t have a single drop of water from the faucet, and if I did it would be contaminated. So either way I look at it, I can’t believe I wash with bottled water…
Anyway, I’m used to washing my hands, etc., in cold water now, but showers are another matter. I’ve had my share of cold showers this semester. I thought I was getting pretty tough, until I realized that every time I get a cold, it’s the day after a freezing shower. Wives tales? Listen to them.
Showing posts with label international students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label international students. Show all posts
15 October 2009
Islam
My friend from Uzbekistan, Rustam, is teaching me about Islam. I’ve taken two classes on Islam at Muskingum, and I’ve read several books and numerous articles dealing with the religion, but seeing how one Muslim lives his life every day is a whole different matter.
Rustam prays five times every day. He knows the Koran well. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He’s not allowed to hug or kiss a girl. One time Rustam told me, “I am human. Of course I want to do these things. But living my life the way that I know is right is the most important thing.”
I know many other Muslims who are not so strict about their lifestyles. I appreciate learning about Islam from someone who is not only a close friend, but is someone who knows what he believes, why he believes it, and lives accordingly.
We have talked about what Christians think of Islam, and what Muslims think of Christianity. Basically, one simply has to decide which teachings to believe. Both sides think the other started out correct, but then went down the wrong path.
I can’t stop thinking about one thing… Both Christianity and Islam cannot be right. If what I’ve been taught my whole life is true, does God not hear Rustam’s prayers? Why would God listen to me, a horrible person, and not Rustam, who is so pure and sincere in his faith? My heart hurts when I think about this, and I have to believe that God does listen.
Rustam prays five times every day. He knows the Koran well. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He’s not allowed to hug or kiss a girl. One time Rustam told me, “I am human. Of course I want to do these things. But living my life the way that I know is right is the most important thing.”
I know many other Muslims who are not so strict about their lifestyles. I appreciate learning about Islam from someone who is not only a close friend, but is someone who knows what he believes, why he believes it, and lives accordingly.
We have talked about what Christians think of Islam, and what Muslims think of Christianity. Basically, one simply has to decide which teachings to believe. Both sides think the other started out correct, but then went down the wrong path.
I can’t stop thinking about one thing… Both Christianity and Islam cannot be right. If what I’ve been taught my whole life is true, does God not hear Rustam’s prayers? Why would God listen to me, a horrible person, and not Rustam, who is so pure and sincere in his faith? My heart hurts when I think about this, and I have to believe that God does listen.
29 June 2008
The Roommate Dialect
My roommate Aidana and I always do our best to speak in Chinese- it's easier since she speaks Russian and I speak English. Aidana is knows much more Chinese than I do, but is just half a level ahead of me in the Chinese courses here at Lanzhou University, so there are tons of words that we don't know how to say. Chinese grammar is simple, but I'm sure we make many mistakes.
Also, we have this bad habit of not looking up how to say the names of objects. Instead, we use an adjective and then the Chinese word for "thing." Sometimes we add hand motions. At one point we didn't know the word for hairdryer, so we said (translated) "hair-dry-thing." The actual word for hairdryer translates to "blow-wind-machine," and I think our description is much better. The thing is, though, if we used our made-up word for hairdryer in a store, they would think for a second and then point us to the hairdryers, so I think it works just fine.
Maybe it's not really Chinese, but our own dialect. Our "Roommate Dialect" has English and Russian accents, odd grammar, and objects usually don't have actual names.
Also, we have this bad habit of not looking up how to say the names of objects. Instead, we use an adjective and then the Chinese word for "thing." Sometimes we add hand motions. At one point we didn't know the word for hairdryer, so we said (translated) "hair-dry-thing." The actual word for hairdryer translates to "blow-wind-machine," and I think our description is much better. The thing is, though, if we used our made-up word for hairdryer in a store, they would think for a second and then point us to the hairdryers, so I think it works just fine.
Maybe it's not really Chinese, but our own dialect. Our "Roommate Dialect" has English and Russian accents, odd grammar, and objects usually don't have actual names.
12 June 2008
The End Is Near-er
Last week, several dozen international students took their final exams early and returned to their home countries. As far as I understand it, the early exam was allowed because of the earthquake. Regardless, Zhuan Jia Lou is much quieter and I miss the friends who left.
Normally, I wouldn't think about leaving until it's time to leave, but since some friends have already left, it's been on my mind.
It's going to be so difficult to say goodbye to some of my friends here. I'm really going to miss my western friends, especially Dustin. We have similar goals and reasons for coming to China, we traveled all over together, and he's taught me so much. It's going to be even harder to say goodbye to some of my Korean friends. How do you thank someone for being patient enough to make friends with you even though you can't speak the same language, for staying up until two in the morning several times a week to teach you Chinese, and for teaching you about the culture, history, and customs of another country? It might be most difficult, though, to say goodbye to my roommate Aidana. When I first got here, she showed me everything I needed to get settled in Lanzhou. She took care of me when I was sick, listened to my horrible Chinese as I talked for hours, was always up for my ridiculous ideas, and put up with my crazy music and my messy side of the room. She isn't just my roommate; she's my good friend and I love her.
I don't have to say goodbye quite yet, but the end of the semester is getting closer and closer.
Normally, I wouldn't think about leaving until it's time to leave, but since some friends have already left, it's been on my mind.
It's going to be so difficult to say goodbye to some of my friends here. I'm really going to miss my western friends, especially Dustin. We have similar goals and reasons for coming to China, we traveled all over together, and he's taught me so much. It's going to be even harder to say goodbye to some of my Korean friends. How do you thank someone for being patient enough to make friends with you even though you can't speak the same language, for staying up until two in the morning several times a week to teach you Chinese, and for teaching you about the culture, history, and customs of another country? It might be most difficult, though, to say goodbye to my roommate Aidana. When I first got here, she showed me everything I needed to get settled in Lanzhou. She took care of me when I was sick, listened to my horrible Chinese as I talked for hours, was always up for my ridiculous ideas, and put up with my crazy music and my messy side of the room. She isn't just my roommate; she's my good friend and I love her.
I don't have to say goodbye quite yet, but the end of the semester is getting closer and closer.
31 March 2008
Popularity
Maybe you don't realize how lucky you are to be an American. I don't say that to insult you, but I know I didn't understand. Really, I still can't.
You've heard it all before about how rich Americans are compared to the rest of the world. You've heard about all the opportunities that Americans have. You've heard about the freedoms in America. Well, it's all true, but I don't want to write about any of that. There's so much more...
In China, I knew I would stand out because I'm a foreigner. But it's not just being Caucasian with blue eyes, light hair, and straight teeth from braces. Some of the other international students fall into those categories.
Simply because I'm an American, people think I'm awesome and want to hang out with me. I don't even have to try to make friends.
Upper-level Chinese language students want to study with me and help me learn Chinese. Sure, they want to improve their English, but because I'm from America, my English is "perfect." Most other international students can speak English, but they spent years and years of hard work studying it. Really, they're still learning. I just naturally speak it.
I had dinner with some Chinese students, and afterward I had to visit each of their dorm rooms so their roommates, floor mates, and everyone around would know that they were super-cool to have an American friend.
On the street, people I don't know say "hello" (in English) to me. In America, strangers may greet each other, especially in small towns. But in China, this is very odd; my friends always ask if I know who said hi to me. It is also unusual that strangers in China give up their seat on the bus for me. People I don't know tell me I'm pretty, or talk to my guy friends about me. It's different in China; they don't have romantic intentions. But I always think, "Just because you've only seen, like, three Caucasian girls in your lifetime..."
A friend told me that my roommate is totally thrilled to be living with an American. I have done nothing to earn her adoration. I always feel guilty about little things- she cleans the room while I'm asleep because she doesn't want me to help, for example. She has made my bed for me in the morning while I'm taking a shower. She offers me everything she has. She would do anything to help me.
I can't stand myself sometimes. Everyone thinks I'm someone I'm not. And I didn't do anything to earn any of this.
04 March 2008
International Students
I can't say for sure what it's like at other American colleges and universities, but at my home college, the international students stick together. It's not that they don't want to meet Americans or that none of their friends are Americans. But they spent their first days in America together, they live together, they go to class together, etc.
Well now I'm one of “them."
I have made several Chinese friends, but I spend much more time with the other international students. We all live in the same building and are so different from those around us that we have much in common. We talk about learning Chinese, traveling in China, our impressions of the country, missing our family and friends, and what it is like in our home countries.
Also, the way Chinese language classes are set up isolates us from the other students. Most of my classes are in a classroom on the floor where I live. The other students in my class are beginning Chinese international students as well. My roommate and the other girls we hang out with took the beginning courses last semester, so are taking the intermediate courses together now.
And, finally, many of the Chinese students are too shy to speak to me. Many stare at me and laugh if I say hi to them, but not nearly to the degree I experienced while in Fugu.
Hopefully I will get to spend more time with the Chinese students as the semester moves along. But honestly, I enjoy learning about Korea, Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Mongolia, Australia, and Uzbekistan while enjoying the culture and customs of China. It's the best of both worlds, or should I say, the whole world?
Well now I'm one of “them."
I have made several Chinese friends, but I spend much more time with the other international students. We all live in the same building and are so different from those around us that we have much in common. We talk about learning Chinese, traveling in China, our impressions of the country, missing our family and friends, and what it is like in our home countries.
Also, the way Chinese language classes are set up isolates us from the other students. Most of my classes are in a classroom on the floor where I live. The other students in my class are beginning Chinese international students as well. My roommate and the other girls we hang out with took the beginning courses last semester, so are taking the intermediate courses together now.
And, finally, many of the Chinese students are too shy to speak to me. Many stare at me and laugh if I say hi to them, but not nearly to the degree I experienced while in Fugu.
Hopefully I will get to spend more time with the Chinese students as the semester moves along. But honestly, I enjoy learning about Korea, Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Mongolia, Australia, and Uzbekistan while enjoying the culture and customs of China. It's the best of both worlds, or should I say, the whole world?
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