Consider this a soft opening of sorts for my blog. I've fallen far behind in my attempts to document my experiences since arriving in China on Thursday, August 5. In terms of reasons/excuses, I offer two:
First, Blogspot is blocked in China. I didn't find this out until I tried to create this blog using the unpredictable internet connection in my apartment here. Facebook is also blocked. Thank goodness for Yale's VPN connection, which I will be able to use until about October.
Second, my days have been so jam-packed here that I've had nary a moment to sit down and write.
Since there is so much to write about, and I need to head off to work in a minute, I'll simply offer a skeletal outline of my days in China thus far, with the promise that I will elaborate on the adventure in my next (few) posts.
Thu. Aug. 5 – Arrived at Shanghai's Pudong Airport on Air Canada from Los Angeles via Vancouver.
Was picked up at the airport by Fangda Xiong, my friend Lin's dad. Later that night, we hung out in downtown Shanghai.
Fri. Aug. 6 – Went to the World Expo from 10am-10pm. Shanghai by metro is very convenient.
Sat. Aug. 7 – Worked on my friend Taylour Chang's film set at the Shanghai Imagemaker Studio.
Sun. Aug. 8 – Visited Nanjing Road (a major shopping district in Shanghai), the Bund, and Shanghai's new financial district. It was Taiwanese "Father's Day" because 8-8 is ba-ba in Chinese, which sounds like father (ba-ba).
Mon. Aug. 9 – Worked on Taylour's film set again.
Tues. Aug. 10 – Took a flight from Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport on Shanghai Airlines to Jinggangshan Airport. Was picked up, along with New York-based Chinese-American filmmaker Kevin Lee, by IFCHINA founders Jian Yi and Eva Song. Conducted a group interview with a local Farmer's Theater Troupe.
Wed. Aug. 11 – Jian Yi's former English student Guan Shanwei, currently an art sociology PhD candidate in Paris, visited. Went on a brief tour of Ji'an, including to Bailuzhou Middle/High School, the oldest and most prestigious school in Ji'an, some small Ji'an neighborhoods, an old abandoned power plant, and Qingyuanshan Zen Temple.
Thu. Aug. 12 – Had meetings about each of the projects at IFChina, including Theater, Film, Documentary, Rural Architecture, Oral History, and Rice Connection.
Fri. Aug. 13 – Visited several ancient villages in rural areas near Ji'an, including Meibei, Beixia, Baiyun Shan, and the grave of an ancient Chinese scholar. Had dinner with Jian Yi's family.
Sat. Aug. 14 – Explored Ji'an a bit on foot, went to a local supermarket, cleaned the apartment all day.
Sun. Aug. 15 – Did some work, explored the local night life around the university campus.
Mon. Aug. 16 – A day at the office. We worked on the website and blog, as well as strategies for expanding the Rice Connection initiative. Explored the People's Square in Ji'an at night. It was Chinese "Valentine's Day" because it was 7-7 by the lunar calendar (chi-chi) so lots of the girls had flowers.
ps: If you want to find out more about why I'm in China in the first place, check out my profile section.
