Gap Year

Riding, Food, and Everything in Between

Life is back to normal, but unfortunately, the honeymoon phase has ended! It’s not too bad yet; I just get occasional bouts of homesickness. My stomach is holding up well enjoying completely normal foods, well, if you consider cow intestines and stomachs normal…

Last Friday, the CIEE activity’s intern took us on an excursion to Taikang Lu, my new favorite place in Shanghai. Recently renovated, Taikang Lu is a district in the French Concession home to many cafes, art galleries, shops, and restaurants. With French architecture, it’s a great place to go to forget that you are in a huge metropolis. I not only enjoyed a cappuccino in a quaint cafe, but also I had the pleasure of looking in numerous cute shops reminiscent of Anthropology and Urban Outfitters. There is no question that I will spend a lot of time at Taikang Lu this year. In fact, I am set to return tomorrow for wonderful hand-made pasta and a wine tasting!

The rest of the weekend was also enjoyable. Saturday for lunch, we went to City Deli and had AMAZING sandwiches. A baguette with turkey, cheese, avocado, and tomatoes… Yumm. They even gave us banana bread cupcakes with chocolate frosting for no charge! After lunch, Ben, Abby, and I finally used our massages that we won from the scavenger hunt. It was incredibly relaxing and wonderful!

Sunday, I set out for my own adventure, much to my host mom’s dismay. The goal was simple: ride a horse. I’ve found four different places around Shanghai that appear to have horseback riding. I made a few calls and decided to go to the place that was easiest to get to by metro. An hour-and-a-half ride on the metro later, I arrived in Pudong. (Don’t worry, my ride was enjoyable as I had a conversation with a nice man from England. We spoke all in Chinese, and he encouraged me to make Chinese friends! Ok, I must admit, that as of yet, I don’t have Chinese friends. This is an embarrassing fact, but it’s true. I am, however, working on changing this. For example, Abby and I ate in the cafeteria one day this week and met a student. We’ve been chatting on the Internet and will see her next week at a party put on by Chinese students for international students. Making “zhongguo pengyou” is definitely on my agenda! Now back to Pudong.) Pudong, located across the river from the main part of Shanghai, has until recently been rural farmland. Getting off the metro, I was in a completely different world that reminded me more of Ghana than the Shanghai I left when I got on the metro. It was quiet with not many people and had many outdoor shops.

To get to the riding place from the station, I had to take a cab, which was an adventure in itself. At the station, there were countless cabs lined up ready for passengers. By the time I made my way to the front of the cab line, cab drivers, motorcycle drivers, and other men with no apparent identity surrounded me. I handed the address to the cab driver, but he informed me he didn’t know where it was located, even though it’s only about a ten-minute drive away. At this point, all of the drivers offered to take me there for ridiculous sums of money and began pulling on my arm. Fed up, I left and made my way back inside the station. Trying to figure out what to do, I noticed a cab parked by itself further down the street. This cab driver was very nice and took me to my destination for the correct price of 12 kuai (under $2.00).

Arriving at the horse place, I thought that perhaps, I had the wrong address, as it appeared to be a dog kennel. I entered, and a nice woman led me deep within the kennel to the barn with perhaps 30 horses. While I poked around the barn and made friends with an adorable pony, the stable hand tacked up a horse for me. With the instructors in Beijing at an equestrian exhibition, I just rented a horse for an hour. He led the horse to the mounting block and told me to have a nice ride. I rode in the indoor ring, which was incredibly small and covered by a plastic tent-like structure. The most interesting detail about my surroundings, though, was the fact that bordering the property there were countless high-rise apartment buildings under construction.

The horse I rode, though he appeared fine just from looking, was very unpleasant. He needed to learn how to go to the right (he would only go to the left! Very bizarre!) and work in a frame. I gave up trying to make him do anything and let him be in charge, deciding what to do. It was nice though to be back in the saddle. It definitely made me realize just how much I miss riding! Embarrassingly enough, the next day, I was quite sore. I see lots of no-stirrup work in my future next summer!

Last weekend, I also made breakfast for my host family. With a mix from City Shop, I made pancakes! So delicious. Both the mom and daughter liked the pancakes, but the mom wasn’t so sure about the syrup. Tonight, I made dinner for my host family. To keep things simple, I made spaghetti and meatballs and served it with bread and butter as a side. This was shocking since bread is only eaten in the mornings, or so says my host mom. Overall though, they enjoyed the meal and can’t wait until the next time I cook!

Actually, bread is a very interesting topic. My host mom insists on keeping the bread she buys for me in the refrigerator on a plate with no plastic. You know where this is going. I currently have my secret bread stash in my closet (along with my granola and chocolate) that I use to make PB&J sandwiches. Although I never ate them in the U.S., I’ve now found a new favorite. Perhaps it’s because it’s the best way to eat bread without a toaster or butter…

Another interesting note about food is that Chinese typically prefer vegetables to meat; however, in my host family, thanks to the dad and daughter, this isn’t the case. Both dad and daughter dislike vegetables, preferring meat, just as I did growing up. Shockingly, I now prefer vegetables; I’ve made my preference for vegetables known (my host mom found me hiding in my room eating a whole carrot!), so most of the time, there are some vegetables for dinner.

Next week, CIEE is taking us to the Fujian province for four days. It should be an educational and enjoyable trip! My next post will probably be after I return.

Now to end the post, I would like to explain an interesting aspect of China that became clear to me today when I almost fell flat on my face while walking on the sidewalk. China does not have the U.S equivalent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to protect against work-related injuries. Consequently, walking on the sidewalk in China can prove dangerous!

First, in many parts of the city where Expo renovations are in full swing, bamboo scaffolding lines the sidewalks. Workers stand on flimsy scaffolding, and pedestrians must somehow pass through the area without someone or something hitting them! Second, loud, shrill sounds regularly pierce the air, deafening the ears. Finally, workers weld in the middle of the sidewalk with no face or eye protection. This is what almost got me today! As I was walking to Coco for my milk tea, my foot got caught in a rope connected to metal strips that a man was welding. I almost fell on my face as the guy welding in the middle of the sidewalk glared at me for moving his work. It will be interesting to see when China eventually implements laws to enforce occupational safety.

Until next time! 再见!

National Day and Beijing

Greetings from… HOME!! I spent Monday in the hospital so that the doctors could make sure my body could handle foods, but Tuesday afternoon, I was discharged!

Many thanks are in order for helping me get through my illness. CIEE was amazing, helping to communicate with the doctors and staying by my side when it mattered most. Abby also went beyond the call of duty and stayed with me all of Saturday. For everyone back home who sent caring emails or Skyped with me, thank you! I appreciate you all. You helped me endure staying at the hospital.

Now, on to more exciting updates such as the National Day Holiday. This year’s National Day marked the 60^th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, and since the Chinese lunar calendar operates in cycles of 60 years, the 60^th anniversary was a VERY big deal. On the 1^st, there was a massive parade around Tiananmen Square area, which I watched from my living room in Shanghai. It featured the military, more tanks and artillery than I’ve ever seen in my life, floats from different regions of China, air force flyovers, and thousands of college students who were required to stay in Beijing over the summer to practice for the event.

It’s probably the most incredible thing I’ve seen in my life, a huge feat of coordination. It was like watching a carefully choreographed movie. I am still trying to grasp this incredible display of power and unity since my American mindset has trouble understanding such a display. Never in a million years would we in America parade our military force down the streets of Washington D.C. to celebrate the Fourth of July. In China, however, it was a huge source of national pride.

Almost more interesting than the parade itself was the reaction, which ranged from jubilantly patriotic to apparently apathetic. My host family, for example, displayed loyal patriotism. At the start of the parade, my host sister jumped up from the couch and ran to grab her red scarf that is part of her school uniform to boost her patriotism; my host mom literally bounced on the couch in excitement; and, at the beginning of the national anthem, they stood up and sang along. From talking with other students, it appears that my family is a bit more patriotic than others. Other families took little interest and even went so far as to mock parts.

I feel this event is too hard to describe with words. Here is a link to see for yourself. Probably not since the end of WWII has our country celebrated such national unity and patriotism. I cannot help but wonder about the trajectory of the universal anti-American, American attitude contrasted with the carefully orchestrated effort to portray the PRC as a proud and united community.

For the holiday, we, along with all of China, headed for Beijing. Even with the massive crowds, we still managed to enjoy ourselves and see most of the major tourist attractions. I won’t go into every detail, but here are some highlights.

Yuan Ming Yuan or the Old Summer Palace: Yuan Ming Yuan was built by Jesuit monks in the 18^th and 19^th in the Greco/Roman style and was sacked by the British and French during the Second Opium War. It’s kind of ironic that Westerners destroyed a Western castle. As we discovered, there is still great tension over this event. While viewing the ruins, we were approached by a young man who asked us what we felt while viewing the attraction. He informed us that for the Chinese, the history is too heavy to find the remains beautiful. Interesting to note as hundreds of tourists mingled in the area snapping pictures.

Great Wall: On Monday we went to the Great Wall. To avoid the throngs of tourists we decided to hike along the wall from Jinshanling to Simatai, a portion of the wall that is much less touristy. The eight-mile hike was difficult, steep and rocky in many parts, but the pain was worth it for the amazing views. It was the first time since arriving in China that I’ve felt surrounded by nature, which was a welcomed change. The mountains in the area are gorgeous. Somehow, I ended up with the guys who wanted to go as fast as possible; we finished what should have been a four-hour hike in about two and a half hours! Luckily, I still had time to take in the surroundings, since there were many breaks to catch our breath. To get down from the mountains, we took a zip line over a river. Somewhat frightening but totally worth it!

798 Art Zone: After the day on the wall, most of the group decided they wanted a morning off, so Abby and I headed off to 798, a wonderful area of modern art galleries, shops, and cafes, all housed in an old industrial complex. I still can’t believe such an area exists in China. It was so hip and young, and you could almost imagine you were in New York City. My favorite exhibit was by artist Ma Baozhang, which featured the changes overtime of Dong Xiwen’s painting “Founding of the PRC.” After 1953, the painting was subtly altered to fit with the political climate of the time. The exhibit showed all of the phases and described the changes. The exhibit was like witnessing 1984 in real life, Big Brother trying to change history. The art zone was well worth getting out of bed early!

Temple of Heaven Park: Though the park includes multiple complexes, the highlight for me was The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests because I suddenly felt very at home. It turns out that after it burned to the ground in 1889, it was reconstructed with none other than Oregon firs!!!!!! Who knew that one of the main tourist attractions in Beijing was actually built with wood from my home! So weird. Another interesting fact about the hall is that it was constructed without using a single nail. Quite a feat!

Food: Away from our host families and in charge of our own meals, we went on a mission to quench our craving for Western food. I was able to eat two burritos, Pad Thai, a ham bagel sandwich, wonderful French pastries, a chocolate crepe, and nachos. Basically, I ate more Western food in one week than I have in seven! Of course, we also tried many Chinese dishes. We went to the renowned Qianmen Quanjude restaurant for Peking duck. It was INCREDIBLE. Our group ordered three ducks, which were carved at the table. To eat, you put slices of duck in a steamed pancake with a sweet sauce and a few other garnishes. Absolutely delicious.

Even with this yummy food, I managed to do my stomach no favors by eating street food multiple times. We went to Wangfujing Snack Street and the Donghuamen Night Market, so I had to try cool foods! Scorpion for instance is actually very good with a nice salty crunch. Snake on the other hand is much too chewy for my taste. Maybe I should have been nicer to my stomach…

The People: Multiple times in Beijing I was shocked at people’s kindness. The cab drivers were much friendlier than in Shanghai allowing us to practice our conversational skills; one college student befriended us on the train and even offered to show us around; and sometimes, when you asked someone for directions, they would actually walk you to the place. I must say that I have a dear place in my heart for most Beijingrens.

In sharp contrast to the kind Beijingrens were the throngs of tourists who would run you down if you were in their way. The worst crowd occurred getting off the subway on Saturday. It felt as if we were in a mosh pit. Pretty much anywhere around Tiananmen was packed. These hordes of tourists also displayed their patriotism. Numerous people walked around holding Chinese flags and wearing medals around their necks with a picture of Chairman Mao celebrating the 60^th anniversary. It was again a display of patriotism that is unknown in America.

We visited other attractions such as the Forbidden City, which I actually found too large and impersonal to be very enjoyable, Tiananmen Square, which was filled with floats from the National Day Parade, and the zoo, which has super cute pandas. I was even able to meet up with Olivia, a young woman who has also deferred from Stanford and is spending her gap year in Beijing. She is incredibly nice, and I can’t wait for her to visit her brother in Shanghai!

That’s Beijing in a nutshell. Now I must return to normal life. I don’t know when I will go back to school. I slept in today and met with my tutor this afternoon. I think I may try to go to class tomorrow, but I will not set my alarm because I am still exhausted!

Until next time! Oh and pictures are up on Facebook from Beijing. Look on the right under photos for the links.

The Hospital

Greetings from Huashan Hospital! Okay, so that actually shouldn’t be enthusiastic. I am going to postpone writing about the National Day Holiday and my trip to Beijing and just fill everyone in on my current situation.

Yesterday morning, I was on the overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai. Unable to sleep for most of the night, at 5:00 am, I became very nauseous. I excused myself from the sleeper car and sat next to the window, hoping that it was simply from the motion of the train. I wish! By 5:30 I vomited, and by 8:00, when the train arrived, I was vomiting every ten minutes with diarrhea.

Instead of going home to enjoy a wonderful relaxing day that I had mentally planned, Abby and I jumped in a cab and headed to the nearest hospital on our emergency CIEE card, which happened to be Huashan Hospital run by Fudan University. After finding the foreigner’s clinic and filling out the necessary paperwork, I explained everything to the doctor who then poked around on my stomach, which caused pain. She decided it could be appendicitis and ordered that I go for an ultrasound. Her plan changed, though, when I began vomiting again. Instead, she gave me a shot to stop the vomiting and hooked me up to an IV. I fell asleep for a bit, and when I awoke, I suddenly remembered I had forgotten Abby. The nurse let her in, and I continued my treatment in and out of sleep.

The next event, the ultrasound, came around 1:30 pm. The results suggested a strong possibility that I had appendicitis, so a specialist doctor was called to come and examine me. He finally arrived around 3:00 pm and performed the physical test, pushing around on my stomach; however, I did not react as expected if it were an acute case of appendicitis. He told me I had two options, surgery or antibiotic therapy. Wanting to buy more time before they unnecessarily removed my appendix, I chose the antibiotic option. By this time, the CIEE China program director was calling me, one of the gap year coordinators was at the hospital, and my parents were wide awake in the middle of the night. As they began the antibiotics, a nurse checked my temperature, only to discover I now had a fever of 101.6°F.

Panic!! With a fever, the risk of the appendix rupturing is much greater. Numerous phone calls around the globe and lots of tears later, we decided that removing the appendix was the safest bet and that it was not wise to waste time and transport for a second opinion. Meanwhile, my host mom, who arrived around 2:00 pm, left. She was not in favor of the surgery and suggested I just stick to antibiotics. The CIEE China director explained to me that Chinese people often have a different view of medicine. They are much more conservative, and in the case of the appendicitis, for example, they don’t view it with the same urgency as we in America.

Conservative tendencies, however, proved to be in my favor. While waiting to be summoned to surgery, I was abruptly informed they wanted to perform a CT Scan to confirm the diagnosis. The scan results differed from the ultrasound. This time, something in the area was wrong, but it wasn’t necessarily the appendix. They thought it could perhaps be the ovaries, so 12 hours after getting to the hospital, I relocated. At this time, Abby left. Yes, that’s right. She was with me all day! It was so nice of her. I honestly couldn’t imagine the day without her.

My new location was a local OB/GYN 24 hour clinic. Let’s just say the standard of care and facility quality decreased, but so did the price. I had an ultrasound that found two small ovarian cysts, similar to the cysts I had last March. These were certainly not the cause of my illness, so after another call cycle around the globe, I went back to Huashan Hospital.

Since hours had past since my initial examination, I was pleased to find a new doctor, one variety of a second opinion. After looking at all the tests, including my original blood test that revealed everything to be either high or low, and poking on my stomach, he decided that most likely it wasn’t appendicitis after all! He diagnosed a gastronomical infection, which is easily treated with antibiotics and by resting your intestines.

At about 11:00 pm, I was checked into my new room, which is VERY nice complete with a flat screen TV and Wi-Fi. The CIEE lady who had been with me all day left, and another one came and spent the night with me. Throughout the night, I was hooked to an IV. I managed to sleep a bit between IV changing and blood tests, but I am wiped out.

Today has been pretty relaxed. My host mom and both CIEE ladies were here in the morning; Abby brought me some necessities around noon; and, another CIEE student came for a visit. A bit later, the last of the CIEE people left, so I am currently alone. Did you know being in a hospital room alone is very lonesome?

I’ve felt much better today. I haven’t vomited and the diarrhea has decreased dramatically. At the moment, my stomach is growling as I haven’t had food in 48 hours. I am also quite thirsty as I am not allowed to drink. All of my nutrients come from the IV so that my intestines rest. My fever broke at about 11:00 am, so hopefully, tomorrow I will be able to return home and perhaps be back at school by Wednesday.

I am so thankful that someone had the idea to perform the CT Scan. I can proudly say my appendix is still intact! It’s certainly been an experience, not one that I ever want to repeat. For the rest of the evening, I will try and amuse myself without going on Facebook since I’ve found that just makes me homesick. I will try to post another update tomorrow. Peace!