16/8/2007 - And this is something I really don't like

Volunteers are always a hot topic these days, especially for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. It is not something that I hold against the volunteers but I think it is focused on too much and that they are not the only people who can and will help and then get praised. There are a lot of people on the street speaking English and other languages and willing to help. They are overshadowed by these 'official' volunteers whoes job is actually quite confined to taking place in stadiums and during matches. And not only foreign athelets need some help, but the massive amount of foreign tourists also need some assistance. And this assistance relies on us, the 'unofficial passers-by'. 

Now the posters for promoting the voluntary movement have prevailed in Beijing and there is a Chinlish term on the posters as well: 'name card', ming pian (meaning business cards in English). Probably the designers/organizers think it is of Beijing Characteristic to have a Chinlish word. In this particular poster below, they have got a foreign boy to advertise the smile of the volunteers. And I have to say China, once again, uses foreigners as an entertaining and promoting tool for its own culture.  

What is even worse is that the motto 'the smile of the volunteers is the best name card of Beijing' - the mian pian should be sincerity and decency, which most Chinese people don't have towards foreign people.    

15/8/2007 - Finally, Beijing did something creative...and I like

I feel quite surprised at seeing these pictures of the new subway stations under construction at the moment.

It's certainly creative to carve (or print) scenes of the old Beijing onto the bricks. And it is a harmonious combination between the history and the modern infrastructure. I don't really wanna use 'harmonious' since it's overused by the Chinese government but I like the design a lot:) and this is probably the first thing I have actually liked since the crazed Beijing Olympic construction movement started.

13/8/2007 - Nature is definitely mysterious...

22/5/2007 - Renewal of my blog

The other day I received an email from one of my best friends. She had a scornful but caring tone, asking me why I hadn't put up any new post yet.

I was so happy to learn that I have her as my permanent reader. I was perparing to write some posts with good topics; however, I have been really busy with work and I just want to have a rest and refuse to use my brain on the weekend.

Actually, there is another quite important reason which prevents me from writing any new post - I have found myself an extremist or a Nazi in my personal campaign against WAIDI Ren and I am afraid that any further writing may turn out to be fascist propaganda.

I am trying not to feel disgusted at WAIDI Ren and try to appreciate their contributions to Beijing, which used to be MY city. Nevertheless, I always feel it so difficult for me to think in a positive way. Yesterday, standing in a packed bus heading home, I overheard the conversation between two WAIDI people:

- 'The traffic is so bad in Beijing. And there are so many people.'

- 'It won't be livable in three years!'

Sure, we have too many WAIDI ren here in Beijing who buy cars, apartments, use water and take our job opportunities. I had a look at their working cards hanging around from their necks - insurance salespeople, which is the easiest job WAIDI ren can find here to stay in Beijing. IRONIC! They didn't realize that they are the very criminals who are making Beijing unlivable. SAD!

So now you see why I stopped writing.

I will try to move my attention to less racist or fascist topics and I am trying...

27/3/2007 - It's all fashion's fault!

Zhang Ziyi along with Chinese director Feng Xiaogang, Actress Zhou Xun and Actor Daniel Wu attended the Venice Film Festival to promote the notorious movie The Banquet. No need to mention the negative responses from foreign journalists about the movie, Zhang Ziyi did quite a shameful mistake at the news conference. The mistake all actresses fear to make - she wore an Emporio Armani dress that was worn by China's most famous blogger Xu Jinglei at the news conferece for her movie Confession of Pain (Shang Cheng in Chinese).

Obviously, Emporio Armani didn't take them seriously enough and Zhang Ziyi didn't watch TV or particularly others' movie news conferences.

20/3/2007 - I feel exhilarated!

This is the greatest news I have ever heard in this era. It is more important than anything else.

The truth is that I got a job! A decent job! A diplomatic job!

I was so happy after I found that out myself. I gave the interviewer a call half an hour ago after three and a half days¡¯ wait. Ms Zhong said they had already decided to employ me instead of any of the other three candidates but they hadn¡¯t figured out a time for me to start working. She told me that she would call me this Thursday or Friday when the things get well arranged.

I had spent my lifetime and energy looking for a satisfying and suitable job before I was confronted with this one. Now it is walking to me and will stand in front of me in two days. I feel very grateful for the fate¡¯s arrangement, the interviewers¡¯ choice and the inside of myself. I kept myself true in the interview and showed my best side if we don¡¯t count the virtue of modesty.

Now I am fully recharged for this job and I am gonna be damned good at this job and work damned hard!  

16/3/2007 - Olympic Wenming

A non-profit commercial about Olympics Games always appears on BTV channels these days. A schoolgirl explains in an innocent but proud tone what happens in her family after the IOC¡¯s historic decision. "My dad is a taxi driver and he is learning English to serve the foreign passengers when Olympics come. My mum is smiling to every customer visiting her counter at the shopping mall. And my granny is making pieces of Olympics craftwork at home!"

I thought people should have done these things when China started opening up to the world and when the great man Deng Xiaoping said that China, as a socialist country, should pay equal attention to materialist civilization (wuzhi wenming - to have better commodities and facilities) and spiritual civilization (jingshen wenming - to have high morals).

There have already been heaps and heaps of foreign guests in China and they actually constitute a large percentage of the taxi passengers. My dad, as well as his workmates, who used to be a Beijing taxi driver in the early 1980s spoke English to foreign visitors. However, not many taxi drivers can speak understandable English at present. So have the 20 years between his time and our time been a blank of English? When our great chairman Mao was alive, he presented an award of honour to a shop assistant selling candies at Baihuo Dalou and his name is Zhang Binggui. His service was reputed to be magnificent and he was able to measure the weight of the candies with his hands instead of a balance. Now his statue is still standing in front of the shopping mall on Wangfujing Street. As for the granny, if she is good at making traditional artistic works, why didn¡¯t she make some before and give them to the old, the lonely and the homeless?

Though it is a piece of non-commercial TV ad, yet it shows our life has been absolutely commercialised by the Olympics Games. How many shows on BTV channel talk about Olympics Games? How many concerts have been held in the name of Olympics Games? How many junk and ugly Olympics mascots have been consumed? How many so-called volunteers have appeared for the Olympics?

I have been perplexed by the present over-heated situation. What would people watch after the 2008 Olympic Games finishes? What would people do if they don¡¯t have a grand name to devote their energy to? Where are we going to?

16/3/2007 - A Piece of Elevator Story

My family ate out at a nearby restaurant which is located on the fourth floor of a building. We entered the building¡¯s elevator after another group of four people. Then a woman of the group suddenly asked: ¡°which floor?¡± when I stepped into the elevator.

I replied with a smile: ¡°the fourth floor.¡±

The woman was surprised with a scornful tone: ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you. I am not an elevator attendant.¡±

I said: ¡°I know you are not an attendant.¡±

The woman said with a teasing smile: ¡°why did you think I asked you then? I was asking my family.¡±

I simply replied: ¡°oh, I thought you asked me simply out of politeness.¡±

Then the elevator reached the fourth floor and we walked out.

18/1/2007 - What's on SOS International's mind?

I always think westerners never cheat especially professionals in doing business. And I received good service at shops in Australia, which enhanced the image in my heart.

However, a recent event has torn it into pieces.

My husband prefers to go to western clinics due to unreasonable racism against white people at some Chinese hospitals. Therefore, once again, he chose SOS international located at Sanlitun area in Beijing to have his itchy bottom examined yesterday. As is known to all, the bottom fee to see a western doctor is 100 US Dollars if you are not a member or don¡¯t have any insurance. In my opinion, the fee is too high but I¡¯d prefer to see my husband¡¯s smiling face. So I give my consent of this expenditure. Nevertheless, the cost of the medicine prescribed by the doctor undoubtedly shocked me. One tablet cost two US Dollars. And there were six tablets. I did not know it was western medicine produced by a Chinese pharmaceutical factory till my husband brought it home. Then I thought ¨C Gees, this medicine must cost over 30 kuai (4 US Dollars); otherwise the SOS pharmacy wouldn¡¯t have charged two times more (12 US Dollars).

I asked my mum to have the medicine prescribed at a Chinese hospital this morning in case my husband needs more. To my amazement, the pack of the medicine containing six tablets only cost two kuai (30 US cents) at a Chinese hospital!! The receipt of the SOS pharmacy fell off my hands. So did the great image collapse.

I used to think that SOS aimed at saving and helping people but now I¡¯ve realised that its principle is to make as much profit as possible out of its patients! I can¡¯t figure out how they price the medicine. How can they set up the price 39 times more than its original price? Do we have to pay for the bosses¡¯ holidays as well?

Both my husband and I made calls to the SOS pharmacy for a refund right after we realised that we were robbed. A Chinese worker at the pharmacy said he would report to the manager tomorrow because he was on holiday today. So my question is: will the boss be back tomorrow?

This highway robbery (the term my husband used in his SMS to me) is not simply a matter of money; our innocence and trust has been robbed of us as well. If I were not Chinese, I would never find out the robbery because foreign people rarely go to a Chinese hospital or a Chinese pharmacy. Now obviously, the SOS has to target at foreign people in Beijing and they make huge profit out of their country mates who trust SOS so much.

21/12/2006 - To Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne

My fiancé messaged me this morning, telling me that Shane Warne has announced his retirement after The Ashes. When I saw the news about Glenn McGrath’s retirement announcement minutes ago, I decided to do something for them, for their great performances throughout their cricket career.

I never knew what cricket was till my fiancé introduced it to me. This is his favourite sport! Still, after two years’ study about cricket, I can’t completely understand its difficult rules and complicated time schedules. The point is that I can’t figure out why they have to be established like that. Why a game has to play for such a long time??? It’s bizarre to me. However, influenced by my beloved fiancé, I have started to pay attention to it and try to understand it.

The first real time for me to touch cricket is last Christmas. I bought The Ashes 2005 for him to feed his cricket hunger. Through the DVDs, I have known a lot of players and at that time, my favourite player was Brett Lee and I didn’t like Shane Warne because of his bad sexual behaviours. I also play a bit cricket game with my fiancé. But I can never be as calm as him. I am always afraid of losing a wicket or letting the opponent get a six.

Last month, we received some newspaper from Australia, reporting on The Ashes ongoing in Australia. The newspaper listed all the players of the Aussie team along with their photos. Then, I suddenly realised that Shane Warne was the best-looking one! My fiancé was surprised and I was a bit startled as well. Meanwhile, I thought Glenn McGrath looked alright as well.

But now these two good-looking players are going to retire. Australia will lose its two greatest cricket players. I thought they would stay longer despite their ages. I know that many more people are writing more sensible, professional and touching stories about them; however, this is what a cricket Xinshou thinks and I sincerely wish them all the best and hopefully, Shane Warne will stop sleeping around!

14/12/2006 - Welcome the Aussie values test!

I am a subscriber to www.news.com.au to know more about this beloved country. I receive daily news highlights. One of the articles appealed me today is about the Aussie values test under discussion. This test will be made for PR holders on their way to apply for the Australian nationality. This test consists of three parts:

1.      A requirement for new citizens, permanent residents and holders of visas valid for more than 12 months to sign a pledge to Aussie values.

2.      People applying to be citizens also face a tougher English language test and 30-question quiz on Australian values and customs.

3.      A four-year waiting period between receiving permanent residency and applying for citizenship - passed through Parliament this month.

This has induced thousands of permanent residents to rush to be Aussie citizens in the past two months to beat the tough new English language test and Aussis values quiz.

John Howard said, "I think there is a view in the community, a very strong view, that we need a greater emphasis on the things that unite us rather than the things that make us different."

I totally agree with him about this issue (though the opposition leader Mr. Rudd thinks it was not the proper time for doing this and that the John Howard Administration didn’t have compassion).

One is required to pledge with one hand on his heart to be loyal to the United States of America when he is granted with the US citizenship. Loyalty is the most important thing in a citizen. No country would like to see its citizens betray for another country, including their birth-countries.

In my opinion of this particular case, to speak English is the initial requirement to live in Australia, an English speaking country (if we don’t count aboriginal languages now). Speaking English is by all means good for those non English native speakers to learn more about the English speaking culture and it’s easy for them to live a harmonious life in this foreign country. It’s like a multi-cultural couple. If I didn’t speak English, I would never understand my fiancé that well. Values are another crucial issue for one to grasp what your Aussie neighbours say. The four-year waiting time can verify those PR holders and their fondness and loyalty to Australia. I am sure that a lot of people don’t appreciate Australia or like Australia while living there and enjoying its welfare.

I embrace these measures though they are less important than the drought problem in Australia at the moment. I think Beijing government should do this to people who are here and those who wanna be here. These measures will prevent people from harming Beijing and Beijingers who are exposed to invasion and danger.

I haven’t planned to become an Australian citizen yet but I am 100% sure that I will pass the above test and be a qualified AUSSIE!

14/12/2006 - Eight days to go!

It’s hard to believe that we are going to Australia so soon! We are very excited at the moment! My fiancé hasn’t come back to his hometown for more than two years and I haven’t been to Australia before. Gees! A big move for us. We have prepared plenty of gifts for his family and I have nicely wrapped them up. It may sound selfish or greedy but I hope we will get nice gifts too! What’s more important, we are looking forward to bear hugs and big smiles from his family and relatives. It is gonna be the most exciting and beautiful trip for me because Australia is a wonderful country according to my fiance’s dad and his family are very nice people according to my fiancé!

27/11/2006 - Facade about Carrefour

My fianc?and I went to Carrefour yesterday. We didn't buy much stuff but we found out some hilarious facts about the popular hypermarket.

1.     Lays potato chips were on sale. The new crinkle cut was priced RMB 5.4 per pack. I would've thought it were cheaper than before if I hadn't purchased one two days ago. I bought the same one at Jing Ke Long at the Sanlitun Area last Friday. The price was only RMB 4.9.

2.     Red tags at Carrefour indicate the merchandise is cheaper than before. We'd like to buy cheaper products for sure. We wanted to buy some body wash. I spotted one Fa body wash which was only sold at the price of RMB 13.7 at the time. I almost grabbed it from the shelf before I saw the actual original price ?RMB 13.8.

3.     No clear directions. We asked a shop assistant where canned tuna was displayed. She said, "it's located where it is displayed!" oh yeah, I thought so too.

4.     I remember when I went there on a weekday ages ago and bought some biscuits. For some reason I can't remember now, I went there again on that weekend as well. The biscuits I bought on the weekday were on sale then. I kinda regretted having bought them so early. Then I found out the price on sale was actually higher than before.

In case some people would misunderstand my true and kind intention once again, I won’t leave any one of my own opinions for this post.

27/11/2006 - I have got my visa to Australia!

I had been so worried about my visa to Australia for the last week. I couldn¡¯t fall asleep as quickly as before; neither could my fianc¨¦. The Shanghai Immigration Office of Australia is mailing my passport back to me today. Right now I can feel free to prepare our trip to Australia. So since it comes to preparation, I will have to buy a lot of stuff. Now a new category is created: Shoppingholic!

16/11/2006 - Am I a local colorist or a local racist?

My last post has brought me to an old topic, waidiren in Beijing, which I have written about more than once in my blog. I am forced to write about/complain about them again here because they simply can't be justified.

I don't wanna go out these days because the streets in Beijing are packed with waidiren. More and more waidiren have said on TV that they will DEFINITELY come to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games. I almost faint at hearing this. My fiance calms me down, saying that
the central goverment/Beijing government would not allow waidiren to enter Beijing at that time to maintain good road conditions and security here.

The only reason that I love McDonald's and Pizza Hut so much here is that they only employ people with a Beijing Hukou, (although a lot of waidiren bribe officials or marry Beijingers to obtain a Beijing Hukou) and I can still feel the friendliness, frankness and quickness of Beijingers at McDonald's and Pizza Hut.

Liu Guang, the Bei Wai student I mentioned in my last post, has felt inferior to those from cities and taken his origin too seriously. Only when waidiren themselves feel so do Beijingers have to look down upon them. We Beijingers are always nice and frank to others. But they seek for fame and wealth in a ungraceful way.

If you watch Chinese news, you can figure out that over 80% of crimes in Beijing are committed by waidiren. And TV anchormen always warn people of their property and safety before the Chinese New Year Day comes because waidiren need to go home and this needs funds they don't have.

I remember when I was 15 and my family had a car, my relatives always reminded us of being careful when we unlocked our car. At that time, there were people from northeastern China who hit people on the head from behind with wooden sticks.

We have no seat on buses,  get squeesed on subway, share less and less clean drinking water with them, listen to hard-to-understand dialets and smell their bad B.O., most importantly, suffer from their far-more-strange way of thinking.

Waidiren come and go. They never treasure Beijing, our city. They come for opportunities without caring about the city at all. I can fully understand why John Howard has had harsh opinions/words regarding immigrants to Australia, thought the case in Australia is even more complicated - it involves nationalities, races, religions and politics, even terrorism.

I got a phonecall from a survey committee under the National Statistics Bureau one month ago. It was a random call and the woman on the phone asked for my opinions of China's or Beijing's govermental departments. The last question was what department I was most dissatisfied with. I replied "the planning committee". She inquired the reasons of course. I only pointed out one reason before she said "thank you and this is fininshed". The reason is the governemt has been destroying Beijing without knowing it. Beijing has become a test field for high-level officials. They wanna build up their political achievements here. However, what they have done to my Beijing is damage. How can they say that it is for keeping Beijing's tradition and originality by knocking down those traditional and historic buildings? How can you preserve a culture and history by building up look-the-same buildings? You can refer to Richard Spencer's photos of Dongsi Area. I heard this has happened to Xuanwumen Area too. It is gonna happen in the famous Qianmen Area as well. I cannot recognise those shops in Dongsi I had been visiting. I was living in there for almost 15 years and I have never seen it so ugly before. The area matches the Pingan Da Jie near it though. A gray street, looking dead and lifeless, which is Jiangzemin's masterpiece. There is also no limit in how many waidiren can come to Beijing. BTV has broadcast that the drinking water sources can not afford this amount of people here in Beijing (15 million people here!). But people are still coming. Of course, the woman on the phone could not understand my feelings and probably thought that I didn't appreciate the governemt work because she was a waidiren, probably holding a Beijing Hukou now.

My university best friend is from Shenyang, Liaoning Province. I alaways had the idea to ask her to have a look at my blog but I still haven't given her the address cuz I don't want her to see my complaints about waidiren. I have never said so before her. However, I want her to see it now because I can't stand her waidi way of thinking (my uni classmate from Hunan even went to Suzhou for cheaper wedding dresses. She bought one which only cost RMB250. Not to mention its poor quality, didn't she think the RMB hundreds traintickets would've been part of the basic cost as well? And to make a nice wedding dress in Beijing only costs RMB1500, only RMB500 more than hers, if we include the nearly RMB 1000 traintickets!) And my Shenyang friend even looks down upon other waidiren. What a joke! She is not open-minded enough to live with other waidiren.

So my question is: do you expect Beijingers to live with them as well despite the fact that we are friendly and open enough?

I understand that a city which needs develping demands labor, which is called urbanization. A country needs labor as well. I watched a TV program on CCTV 12 today, praising Chinese people for their effort to help build New Zealand. I can also understand that immigrants need to preserve their own cultures/roots. However, I refuse to embrace those waidiren who are destroying Beijing.

I have only one requirement: would they please help preserve our Beijing culture and treat the city well while making money here?

I beg you.