This will be somewhat of a "catch-up" post, as I've failed of late in the diligence department when it comes to making regular updates. So, last week I finally started my data collection (yes, the actual reason I came to China in the first place), which involved visiting three elementary schools in the rural countryside surrounding the city of Changsha. Our mission included obtaining height and weight measurements for all fourth grade students at each school, followed by distribution of a questionnaire for the students to take home to their parents.
On Thursday, the "big day" on which I was to begin my research, I woke up feeling excited but a bit groggy due to difficulty sleeping the night before. Why, you ask? Well, let's just say that that rainy, humid, and frankly somewhat miserable climate which typifies Changsha at this time of year provides the ideal breeding ground for our dear friends the mosquitoes. During Wednesday night alone, I acquired 5 new mosquito bites on my arms and legs, and one additional bite in what is quite possibly the worst imaginable place. See exhibit A:
Thankfully, my giant swollen eyelid was not as swollen by day's end (it was definitely still noticeable, but had gone from a "10" to maybe a "3" or "4"). Still, I'm fairly confident that the many Chinese schoolchildren I met that day thought I was even more strange-looking given my unfortunate physical deformity. As it was, I was already somewhat of an "odd duck" in their minds, what with my tall stature and big blue eyes. In fact, I'm quite sure that the simple sight of me may have been the highlight of many a child's day, so much so that one of them quite adorably approached me and asked in broken English for my email address. Most, though, were only able to utter an enthusiastic "Hello!" before laughing and pointing at me and running in the opposite direction.
Here's a pic with me and some of the kiddos:
After our research activities for the day had concluded, my advisor and her colleagues took me THE place to go in Changsha when one has something to celebrate... KTV!! For the uninitiated, KTV = Karaoke... but a much cooler version than one experiences in most places in the US as you get your own private room in which to make a fool of yourself in front of your friends (as opposed to having to do it in front of an entire bar full of people in the US version). So, at 2pm on a Thursday, there I was, with my research colleagues enjoying what may be their favorite pastime. I must admit, I was a bit surprised at how seriously my Chinese friends took their KTV... especially given that there was not a drop of alcohol involved. To put it simply, they were into it! I was quite impressed by their vocal stylings.
Afterwards, my advisor graciously took me to get what may be one of the greatest inventions of all time... a "Glade Plug-In"-style mosquito repelling device that has since become my best friend. Behold...
So far, I haven't gotten a single other mosquito bite in my room! Hallelujah.
Finally, to wrap up this post, I will give a brief synopsis of the Dragon Boat festivities I experienced earlier this week. Basically, Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in China each year on "the fifth day of the fifth lunar month" to honor a famous poet who lived in the days of the Emperors. As the story goes, "Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. A wise and articulate man, he was loved by the common people. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court -- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service." Soon after this, Qu Yuan "fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou river. As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi into the water to feed the braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body."
Great story, huh? In some Chinese cities, they actually hold Dragon Boat races to celebrate the holiday. But in Changsha, the modern-day celebration of Dragon Boat Festival mainly consists of getting the day off from work to consume massive quantities of zong zi, which basically consist of sticky rice and various fillings (beans, dates, fruit, meat, etc. depending on the region of China) wrapped in corn leaves, and look like this:
But perhaps the highlight of the Dragon Boat Festival festivities included a trip to our local "hot pot" restaurant. This is a very communal style of eating that basically involves ordering all kinds of meats and veggies and cooking them in a boiling broth. Here's a pic of our crew partaking in the joys of hot pot:
Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
No comments:
Post a Comment