China Escapades

I've barely had a moment to catch my breath the past couple weeks, except to take a frantic look at my agenda and notice that I leave for China and Japan in three weeks. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, until one realizes that between now and then I have a) my last week of classes b) finals c) commencement and d) the times spent breathing and eating that need normally to be associated with living. Whew. I will likely not get an opportunity to do the shopping I need to for this trip until a day or two right before the trip.

Part of what prompted the first frantic dash to the agenda was all the studying and reading up that I've been doing in preparation for the trip. We are scheduled to visit about ten different companies in both of the countries, as well as numerous planned cultural visits. Consequently, we've been encouraged to print a small tree's worth of articles about and analyses of these companies and the areas they're in. I feel like I have a pretty good image in my mind now of what Shanghai, Beijing and Xi'an look like, only I know that the minute I get there, that tidy little image will be blown out of the water. Still, I can take comfort in the thought that I certainly know Beijing and Shanghai and Xi'an better than I did before. I'm also going to see if I can't whittle a piece of the Great Wall and smuggle it past customs disguised as an incidentally acquired pebble. I feel that this will add greatly to my historical and cultural understanding. Although with all the news about China's crackdown on dissidence of all kinds in the run-up to the Olympics, this may not be the best time to challenge the Chinese customs officials. I have little desire to see the inside of any jail, let alone that of one in a communist country whose government isn't fond of mine. The professors leading this trip gravely reminded us that we would not be permitted to bring along all of our Free Tibet tee shirts, jewelry or knickknacks, thinking somehow that any of us were prepared to be that daring. I think I want to see a bit of the world before I am ready to get arrested trying to protest in part of it. I could be wrong about my assumptions, you see, and would have no way of knowing it without the benefits of added perception that traveling bring.

In addition to all the news articles on the present state of business, consumers and the Olympics in China, I have also managed to pick up some random and entertaining facts about that country. For example, did you know that despite its size and east-west spread, the Chinese government refuses to acknowledge more than one time zone? Russia, with a similar location, has 11. Also, there are more English speakers in China than in the U.S. That's what happens when you have 1.3 billion people. Also, the Chinese really like American Idol. Go figure.

So I hope with all this information stored in a hopefully accessible part of my brain, and the ability to count to ten in Chinese, I can get through my trip and back into the U.S. tanner, wiser, (and heavier by one suspicious looking pebble).