CHINA
Country Overview:
“Love the food, hate the government”
I arrived in China in May 2013 and left August 2020. I taught English for awhile, did my master’s of politics & foreign policy at Tsinghua University, worked for a year at China Today, and then two years at Xinhua News Agency. I spent most of my time in Beijing, but also traveled to Shanghai, Wuhan, Inner Mongolia, Shenzhen, Panjin, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Qingdao, Xi’an, Sanya, Macau, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Guangzhou 3
Visited a temple in Guangzhou this afternoon and felt a little guilty taking pictures. Chinese people usually never take pictures of temples. I loved Guangzhou. It has a nice mix of a new and modern downtown, as well as a traditional sort of feel. With a population of 13 million, it really didn't feel like it. No one honked their horns, no traffic pile ups, not a lot of electric scooters or bicycles, and the atmosphere felt more welcoming. There were significantly more trees and greenery probably due to the higher quantities of rain, but as such, and with its proximity to the ocean, it was humid and hot. I couldn't imagine what it would be like in the summer. However, only after 2 days here, it's looking like an option after graduation. Although Beijing is the epicenter of politics for China, living there after graduation frankly seems undoable. I need a change and Shenzhen and Guangzhou were options to begin with, but this trip has moved them higher up the list. The food was terrific, both smaller populations than Beijing, cleaner air, closer to the ocean - which means better seafood and easier hubs for trips to Southeast Asia, and a warmer atmosphere. I think I liked Guangzhou so much because it didn't feel like China at all. To clarify, I wan't reminded that I was in China with every exchange. For example, people spit in napkins and then threw them away, compared to just spitting on the ground. People were also more interested in talking, whereas in Beijing, everyone is solely focused on their own life.
Lunch in Guangzhou
Alrighty, so we've got some steamed shrimp balls, fried wontons, shrimp wontons in noodles, pork and salami over rice, bbq pork puffed dumplings, and fried shrimp wrapped in something with a peanut sauce. I could easily see myself living in Guangzhou if just for the food alone.
Sun Yat-sen
This was the memorial hall built for Sun Yat-sen, one of China's first presidents. Not so exciting inside, but the balance of the layout outside was beautiful
