I used to have a personal website, where I had a section for my thoughts and opinions. The website's gone, but I still have some of the writings. So thought I'd put them here and give my current take on whatever I was talking about: in this case, it's my trip to China.
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Interesting Observations (May '03)
Watermelon
With the food in China, you'd think their national fruit was watermelon! There was watermelon for breakfast, watermelon for lunch, watermelon for dinner, watermelon on the street markets, watermelon in the supermarkets, watermelon everywhere! But funny thing is that the watermelons in China were no where near as sweet as the ones in Canada. Conversely, however, the watermelons in China are no where near as genetically modified as the ones in Canada. =)
With the food in China, you'd think their national fruit was watermelon! There was watermelon for breakfast, watermelon for lunch, watermelon for dinner, watermelon on the street markets, watermelon in the supermarkets, watermelon everywhere! But funny thing is that the watermelons in China were no where near as sweet as the ones in Canada. Conversely, however, the watermelons in China are no where near as genetically modified as the ones in Canada. =)
Stigma of Chinese Food
I think this is the biggest thing that I'll remember about my trip. All my life, I have heard of the stigma of how the chinese eat dog and other crap like that. Before, I wouldn't really say much about it, because even though I admittedly found it a big disgusting, there really isn't much of a difference between eating a cow and eating a dog. But after going to China, I have a better apprectiation of the stigma. The people of China are poor. There are some that aren't too poor, and some that are more poor than others. But for the most part, the majority of China's population is poor. And so I found it very despicable of me, to criticise or have an opinion on people who eat dog, when I have never been in there shoes. And conversely, I have a better idea of how I should respond the next time I hear someone talking about the chinese eating dog.
I think this is the biggest thing that I'll remember about my trip. All my life, I have heard of the stigma of how the chinese eat dog and other crap like that. Before, I wouldn't really say much about it, because even though I admittedly found it a big disgusting, there really isn't much of a difference between eating a cow and eating a dog. But after going to China, I have a better apprectiation of the stigma. The people of China are poor. There are some that aren't too poor, and some that are more poor than others. But for the most part, the majority of China's population is poor. And so I found it very despicable of me, to criticise or have an opinion on people who eat dog, when I have never been in there shoes. And conversely, I have a better idea of how I should respond the next time I hear someone talking about the chinese eating dog.
Skin Complexion
To those ignorami who think that chinese people only have white to yellow skin complexion should go to China. Spending just 5 minutes in PR China, and they'll see a huge spectrum of skin complexions -- almost from black to white.
To those ignorami who think that chinese people only have white to yellow skin complexion should go to China. Spending just 5 minutes in PR China, and they'll see a huge spectrum of skin complexions -- almost from black to white.
Car Widths
If anyone has ever seen a Suzuki Sidekick, and has noticed how narrow that vehicle is, they will have a very good idea of how wide cars are in China. Although, I guess it makes sense: there are more than a billion people in China, if everyone was driving cars as wide as the ones in North America....well, you'd get chaos. Unless you're quite wealthy, you'll never be able to afford a car that looks better than a '92 Corolla, and is wider than a Suzuki Sidekick.
If anyone has ever seen a Suzuki Sidekick, and has noticed how narrow that vehicle is, they will have a very good idea of how wide cars are in China. Although, I guess it makes sense: there are more than a billion people in China, if everyone was driving cars as wide as the ones in North America....well, you'd get chaos. Unless you're quite wealthy, you'll never be able to afford a car that looks better than a '92 Corolla, and is wider than a Suzuki Sidekick.
Traffic
Speaking of chaos, you already have it in a lot of it in China, especially in the major cities. I even dare to say that the traffic in Hong Kong is better than the traffic in some chinese cities. Nobody really has the right of way on the streets: not pedestrians, not bicyclists, and not motorized vehicles. Also, a red light doesn't mean stop; it means slowly inch out onto the street until you can make a left or right turn without getting rammed into. Amazingly, I only saw ONE traffic accident while in China. After going to China, it's hard for me to imagine how there can be a stigma about chinese drivers being slow...
Speaking of chaos, you already have it in a lot of it in China, especially in the major cities. I even dare to say that the traffic in Hong Kong is better than the traffic in some chinese cities. Nobody really has the right of way on the streets: not pedestrians, not bicyclists, and not motorized vehicles. Also, a red light doesn't mean stop; it means slowly inch out onto the street until you can make a left or right turn without getting rammed into. Amazingly, I only saw ONE traffic accident while in China. After going to China, it's hard for me to imagine how there can be a stigma about chinese drivers being slow...
Brakes and Suspensions
The breaks on some of the buses are so screechy, that scratching a chalkboard with nails would seem like a 5-star vacation. Before I went to China, I always thought that all cars would have a suspension system. While sitting in the buses, my butt spent more time in the air, than on the bus seat. If chinese vehicles actually had suspension systems, you wouldn't know it from sitting in them.
The breaks on some of the buses are so screechy, that scratching a chalkboard with nails would seem like a 5-star vacation. Before I went to China, I always thought that all cars would have a suspension system. While sitting in the buses, my butt spent more time in the air, than on the bus seat. If chinese vehicles actually had suspension systems, you wouldn't know it from sitting in them.
Humidity
If Canadians want to know how hot it can get in China, they should wait for the month of July, park their car under the sun, take the keys out, close all the windows, and sit in there for about an hour. Then they'll know how hot it can get in China.
If Canadians want to know how hot it can get in China, they should wait for the month of July, park their car under the sun, take the keys out, close all the windows, and sit in there for about an hour. Then they'll know how hot it can get in China.
Pollution
The emissions from motor vehicles in China are terrible. I seriously think the chinese are getting stiffed in the air quality department, at least in the cities. Avoid city walking if at all possible, if not, make sure you have a tissue or something to cover your mouth and nose.
The emissions from motor vehicles in China are terrible. I seriously think the chinese are getting stiffed in the air quality department, at least in the cities. Avoid city walking if at all possible, if not, make sure you have a tissue or something to cover your mouth and nose.
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The trip was back in '02. Six years is a long time, especially in China years, so I'm sure a lot as changed, with many things still being exactly the same...
