Anything Can Become a KFC

What I'm told is the former home office of the Китайско-Восточная Железная Дорога or Chinese Eastern Railway just off of Hongbo Square, now repurposed as a KFC. And if it weren't a KFC, then it would probably be a McDonald's or a Pizza Hut! Economic development sure is accompanied by some weird things!

Back to the Past

I went wandering along some of the smaller streets east of Xidazhi Street and came across a few old houses that appear to date from the city's earlier, Russian era. Some of them were pretty close to collapse and most of them will no doubt be replaced with soulless, ugly apartment buildings sooner or later, but it was heartwarming to see so many of them standing so long after their heyday.

So Wrong It Must Be Right?

There are times the English used in advertisements and displays here in Harbin is so appalling I just can't help taking a picture. It's a little hard to tell from the angle, but this is a Christmas display at a mall here of what appears to be Santa Claus and Madonna hanging out in a hot tub. Madonna of course can't help asking Santa, "Have you go to Christmas?" To which Santa somewhat surprisingly replies, "I don't cares..." So awesome, so China!

Make New Traditions and Keep the Old

There's a lovely song about friendship, with the line "make new friends, but keep the old," which is definitely worth doing! I've found it's also worth doing with household traditions. My family moved a fair amount when I was growing up, but my parents always tried to keep some continuity in our family's celebration of North American holidays. Christmas might not always have been white, but it was still Christmas! Certain desserts were always around, gifts were exchanged, and as far as I remember there was always some sort of tree.

I'm not sure I fully appreciated the work my parents did to give our family that sort of continuity. I've been doing some reading lately about immigrants' experiences in other countries, and all too often it's just too difficult to even try to keep up holidays from 'the old country,' wherever that may be. I must confess to have done a fair amount of coasting myself after secondary school. As the moves kept coming after university, however, I realized that there had to be some sort of continuity in my life since people and places weren't always it.

Since that realization I've done my best - through the disruptions and the moves - to keep the holidays that are dear to my heart. Some are cultural, others are religious. The celebrations vary drastically from year to year. I've made Indian food for Thanksgiving dinner and I often double up on Christmas celebrations due to family and social obligations. But something happens, because keeping to some form of my personal traditions gives my life a structure and rootedness it needs. And while my traditions give me some much needed rootedness, my calendar's always open. If a time and a place become dear to me through a new holiday in a new place, then that holiday will likely join my personal pantheon. I fully expect Lunar New Year or the Mid-Autumn Festival or some other Chinese holiday to become part of my personal culture, if not while I'm resident here in Harbin, then after I've moved on to my next home.

Wherever you are or wherever you're headed, I'd encourage you to think about what holidays and traditions are important to you. Think about ways you can maintain them. Be flexible! Not being able to get this or that shouldn't make or break a holiday for you, 'cause there are plenty of places where what's normal to you may be exotic and impossible to find. And if you're moving far from where you consider to be home to a new country and culture, don't trust that you'll have other Americans or Zulu or Chinese or whoever already there to connect with around your special days. The burden may be on you to keep what's yours, and it's better to be prepared to take the lead than to wake up on Christmas morning bummed out about being in an undecorated apartment with no plans to celebrate the day even with something as simple as a plate of cookies.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Crowds: The Chinese Queue

There's nothing like trying to get on a crowded bus at a crowded bus stop, especially during the winter. Suddenly your personal space goes from minimal to non-existent as everyone from grannies to children start shoving their way to the bus door. There is no queuing (if only!). Even once you've gotten to the door there's no yielding - I've seen grown men both try to fit through at the same time, which just does not work! (The bus entrance doors really are only wide enough for one.) Occasionally the very old or very young will get some mercy, but even this is often not the case. And strangely enough, you will endure the same pushing and shoving if you try to get on an empty bus at an

only slightly crowded bus stop - there is no concept of lining up, of making the whole process easier and quicker. Instead people skip straight to difficult as they elbow their way towards the bus door.

I grew up in places where this sort of masochism is the norm, so most of the time it doesn't bother me. When I find myself in such a situation I just pick my mascot in the crowd - someone to use as a wedge to get me in the door - and use my height and weight to push them along until we're in. But there are days I find the whole situation exhausting. It is all so incredibly unnecessary! Why the rudeness, when you could just queue up and enter the bus without the danger of being knocked flat on the icy ground? (Or, once in, the slushy bus floor!) If Chinese culture cares so much for children and expects people to honor the elderly, then why not at the very least send them to the front of the crowd? I think in some circles it is fashionable to speak of the West as being the place where it's all about the individual and individuals' selfish pursuits of what benefits them, but what is all of this rudeness - from granny and hipster alike - if not selfishness?

I wish it were only buses where this sort of thing is the norm, but unfortunately it extends to leaving the bus, getting in (and out) of elevators, entering and leaving buildings, and lines (often "lines") in stores. (And no doubt many other places!) It is all the more surprising given how friendly and warm I've found coworkers and strangers alike to be here in Harbin. All the same, the crowd "queue" craziness is something to be aware of, whether you're planning a visit or a move to this wonderful Ice City!

Frost Art

I just love the patterns the frost makes on the bus windows in the mornings - such an ornate, natural beauty in the midst of Harbin's frozen urban jungle!

Novoye Cemetery Church

Winter offers a starker, less obstructed view of Holy Dormition, the old church of what used to be Harbin's Novoye Cemetery and is now an amusement park.

Early Winter on Zhongyang

It snowed a bit yesterday - a nice compliment to our 'real feel' -26 degree [Celsius] weather - and the light dusting everywhere made the downtown quite magical...and also scarily slippery. (I'm pretty cautious in snow and ice and I still bit it pretty hard while I was out and about.)

Late Fall

The Majiagou River (seen here where it crosses Zhongshan Road) is starting to freeze over. I'm told it won't be long before the Songhua itself does the same! Winter's comin'!

Winter's Coming

It seems preparations are underway at the school near my apartment complex for an ice skating rink - winter's coming!

Xiangfang Mosque

Harbin's Xiangfang Mosque on Songshan Road, just a little southeast of the Dragon Tower. The Ice Festival website has a page for the mosque, but from what I can tell only the name and location information are correct - the mosque pictured and described on the page looks like the Daowai Mosque on the north side of Harbin.

Time Management

Time management is one of the many things most of us take for granted. In North America keeping to a schedule - sometimes down to the minute, as was the case when I worked as a cashier and got 15-minute breaks (and disciplinary action if those ran over) - is viewed as part of how you show respect to others. In that culture and worldview you show how much you value family, friends, and/or work by honoring your time commitments. If you say you will meet someone at 9am, at the very least you must show up at 9am. Many people think that means showing up 10 or 15 minutes early if at all possible. And for some of us, just keeping an abstract set of rules has its own appeal. Show up at 9am. Leave at exactly 9:45am. Start the next scheduled activity at exactly 10am. Et cetera. If you're going to cancel something, if at all possible you do it as soon as possible - even the day before can be considered too late and somewhat rude.

If this is what you're used to and you move to Switzerland with its famous watches and trains you likely won't have much adjusting to do. If, however, you move somewhere like China you may well find yourself a little lost! I'm told that in some circles a more Western approach to time has been established - perhaps thanks to China's extensive economic involvement with the West - but I've found that time here is often treated the way it was where I grew up in Africa. You start something and then you ride it out till it's done, and then the next thing happens. Or you run into someone who is important to you that you haven't seen in a long time and you go with that. Or at the end of your last errand you discover a store with some things you can't find anywhere else, and go shopping for a while. Or that brunch with an old friend turns deep and personal and you can't cut it short, you just have to talk it out and be late to the doctor's office or dinner or what have you.

On this side of things, it is often the now that is most important, not the what might be. People and relationships are important. During my first semester at university in North America I was late to a number of classes. In one particularly egregious incident I missed a class because a light conversation with one of my new professors turned deeply personal and I chose to let them talk it out rather than interrupt them and tell them I had another class I was already late for. Their needs and the nature of the conversation trumped my getting to my next class, no question. And in a world where relationships and the now matter more than the abstract, things work out. You're running half an hour late to your lunch meeting? No problem, so is whoever you're meeting!

I've since worked in several very time-focused environments and my inner German has been unleashed. Now when I get notice of a significant change in my work schedule or when someone's late to a meeting I get frustrated. I've discovered the great benefit of a time-focused worldview to introverts, the foreknowledge (or presumed foreknowledge) of an event and time to internally prepare for it, whether it's a one-on-one lunch with a friend or a party. (Both of which can be very draining to an introvert, albeit in different ways.) But I am still a product of my birthplace and life experiences, and when I can prioritize others and their needs by adjusting my own personal schedule, I do. And that involves more than a little repression of my inner German, who does nothing but glance at the clock and in doing so tells whoever I'm interacting with how unimportant they are to me.

The search for balance goes on, and I'm deeply grateful to China for reminding me of the need for a bit of both worldviews in my life. Valuing the time of someone you're scheduled with and thereby valuing them is important, but so too is knowing when to prioritize the now and your connection with whoever you're spending that now with. Living here in Harbin is proving to be a much needed opportunity for me to learn that balance better, and another great reason (if you're looking to move) to consider life in China's Ice City!

First Snowfall

We had our first significant, beautiful snowfall today, with mid-evening 'real feel' temperatures at -17° Celsius. (Thanks for that, wind chill!)

Babushka Kvas

Officially the cutest kvas bottle ever! I recently discovered kvas (格瓦斯 or géwǎsī in Chinese) is yet another of the local Russian-derived favorites - just one more great reason to consider moving to the Ice City!

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cathedral on Dongdazhi Street, the Harbin diocesan cathedral of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

Dragon Tower

Harbin's Lóng Tǎ (Dragon Tower) - the world's second tallest freestanding lattice tower - at night. There's a lovely Indian place (Peacock Indian Restaurant) just around the corner on Xuanhe Jie.

Jingwei/Jihong Monument

What this is I do not know, but it's near a train station, has wings, and looks remarkably like a Christmas tree ornament. So. Much. Randomness.

Our Lady of Iveron Church

What remains of Our Lady of Iveron Orthodox Church just north of Harbin's central train station and off of Gongchang Hutong. I've read that the city plans to renovate the church as part of the construction of a northern entrance to the train station, but since most of that dated back to the early 2000s I'm a little skeptical it's actually in the works...

Passersby Beware!

This has got to be a safety hazard! Never a dull moment...

Post-Apocalyptic Harbin

Some days the heaviness of the air pollution give Harbin an almost beautiful, post-apocalyptic feel. Except, of course, that life goes on, albeit with a somewhat noticeable uptick in the number of people wearing face masks.

Compare and Contrast

The view of the city from my apartment building on a nice day. (Air pollution readings in the 40s - the 60s or 70s at the worst.)

The view of the city from my apartment building on a day when the air pollution is off the charts. (My app doesn't tell me the numbers after the pollution readings pass the 500 mark.) 

Exercise with Chinese Characteristics

Of all the tai chi groups that practice in my apartment complex, this one is far and away my favorite! Tai chi with swords? Sign me up!

It's A Car's World

I'm enjoying a car-free life myself, but the car certainly does seem to be king here in Harbin - this is actually one of the less ridiculous examples of sidewalk parking I've seen here in the city. So much craziness every day...

Fall in Harbin

This was the view looking north from my apartment complex a couple of days ago. Grim and getting grimmer as the weather cools off. We're having a lovely day today - air pollution readings in the 40s - but they've generally been over 200 lately, and often over 300 or 400. I'm told this year the city is gradually turning on the heating plants - hence the slowed plunge into air pollution - but all the same it's going to get worse the closer we get to November. Welcome to fall in Harbin!

The National Bird of China

The national bird of China: The crane! (Har har, I know!) But seriously, I'm not sure you can go anywhere in China and not see a crane (or ten) somewhere nearby. I spotted this one on Zhongshan Road not far from where I have Chinese lessons.

Beware the Barcode

This is a random picture to have up, but I was reminded again today of what has turned out to be a surprisingly frequent occurrence in my life here: The torn (or missing) barcode! You wouldn't think this would be such a big deal. In North America if a barcode's missing the cashier either manually enters the price or calls back to the relevant department for the barcode. Not here in Harbin though! Here you either abandon the item, wait for someone from the front of the store to wander back and find an item with the barcode still attached, or go back for the missing barcode yourself (generally while the cashier makes everyone in line behind you wait, 'cause that just makes you feel even more awesome about the whole situation!). So, learn from my failings and when you're in the supermarket check every item for a barcode! You won't regret it!

Airport Shuttle

Harbin's Taiping International Airport is quite a ways out of the city, so taking a taxi isn't terribly practical unless you're traveling with a lot of luggage. Fortunately, there's an airport shuttle with four lines that pick up and drop off at various points in the city. I'm lucky enough to have a stop not too far from my apartment complex, so for ¥1 ($0.16) I'm able to catch a bus to the shuttle stop and for another ¥20 ($3.25) I'm able to get out to the airport. The shuttle drops off and picks up at the departures and arrivals doors of Taiping's domestic terminal.

On the way to the airport you pay the driver just before boarding, but leaving the airport for the city you pay at a kiosk located next to the doors out to the buses. (You can't miss it leaving domestic arrivals baggage claim - the signs will be for "BUS," but lead to the shuttles. Make sure you get on the right line for where you're headed in the city!) I think there are plans for the Harbin Metro's Line 5 to connect to the airport, but given that we only have Line 1 up and running right now it might be a while before that's up and running. Until then the shuttle is the most convenient 'economy' way of getting to Taiping Airport!

Fall in Manchuria

The weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow - tomorrow's high will be 9°C. (That's just barely over 48°F.) 'It's beginning to look a lot like winter...' Although it is the end of September in Manchuria - we were probably overdue for this kind of weather!

Zhongshan Lu

A view east(ish) down Zhonghan Road, near what I'm told was the first Walmart to open in Harbin. Walmart here is similar in some ways to Walmart in North America, and entirely different in others. (Size for one - the Walmart on Zhongshan is crammed into three stories and doesn't even occupy the whole of the building it's in.)

Majiagou Riverfront

The Majiagou Riverfront is a beautifully developed stretch of riverfront walkway where Guogeli Dajie crosses the Majiagou River, between Hegou Jie and Xinyonghe Jie. It's remarkably quiet given that it's right next to bustling Guogeli Dajie, and is a wonderful place to sit and rest, enjoy a coffee from one of the riverfront cafes, and read a book. (Unless one of the kiosks starts blaring C-pop from their speakers, which happened about 20 minutes into my visit today. Apparently there was just too much peace and quiet for the locals to handle!)

St. Alexis of Moscow Church

The former St. Alexis of Moscow Orthodox Church just off of Guogeli Dajie, now in use by the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association in Harbin. Unfortunately at some point the church was divided into two floors with offices and multipurpose rooms, so there's really no point to trying to check out the inside.

Space Flowers

Another of Harbin's decidedly odd adornments, the Space Flowers (not their official name). This one is rather a step up from Hongbo Square though to be sure!

Money Transfers

"Okay, wait!" These are quite possibly the two most spoken English words in China. (In my experience anyways!) In so many ways life in China is so much more convenient and normal than my life in the United States was, but then there are the many ways in which it is unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming, or just plain impossible.

My impossibility of the week was transferring money back to North America. I have student loans I'm paying off and a couple of other things I decided to maintain while abroad, and so when my last paycheck was deposited to my bank account here in China earlier this month I decided I'd better transfer some of it back to my North American account. I went online, checked the Western Union website, and found that I could send money directly to my account and that there were 5 or 6 locations near where I work. Great, right?

...except that none of the locations on Western Union's website had Western Union. (Trust me, I spent nearly 3 hours traipsing about from one to the other and then to a few possible locations suggested to me by helpful bank tellers and none of them had Western Union.) Then I serendipitously stumbled across a bank with Western Union and started filling out the forms necessary to get the transfer to my account setup...and was told that of course I can't send money to my bank account abroad, only Chinese citizens can do that! Because, you know, expatriates living in China should have no need whatsoever to send money to a bank account abroad, right? Right! So why on earth should they be allowed to do such a ridiculous thing?

I'm not going to lie, I could have both cried and chewed the poor bank teller out at that point. She was only doing her job of course, but I wasn't feeling terribly rational after wasting so much time on a wild goose chase. (Thank goodness I did neither!) As it turns out I can't send my money to my bank account, but I can send it to someone else. (Go figure.) So, after two days of working on getting money sent home I've finally gotten it sorted, but instead of quickly and conveniently sending my money to my bank account in North America I've had to inconvenience a dear friend, who will be getting the money and then running it over to my bank. (Thank goodness I don't have one of those bizarre banks that doesn't let non-account holders deposit money!)

Since all of this went down I've chatted with different people here and been told that a Chinese citizen can often transfer money directly from their bank account in China to a bank account abroad, whereas foreigners have to deal with the situation above. So if you're considering a move to China I would suggest, firstly, talking to your potential employer here to see if there's any way they can deposit part or all of your paycheck in your bank account abroad. (I certainly wish my employer would!) You might have to deal with ATM withdrawal fees that way, but I've found those to generally be under $1 here (depending on the bank), whereas I had to pay $15 to use Western Union. If that's not an option I would recommend making friends here fast and going with a Chinese friend to their bank to transfer your money to your bank. (This obviously requires a lot of trust.) And lastly, if neither of the above is possible I would suggest trying to work something out with family or friends near your bank back home to be your Western Union/bank go between. (A pain to be sure, but less of one when it's set up and planned out ahead of time I'm sure!)

And be prepared, as always, to be told, "Okay, wait!" No matter how quick or routine you think something ought to be, there's always the chance that it'll take a couple of hours (or days!) here in China!

Heilongjiang Forest Botanical Garden

A view of Harbin's Heilongjiang Forest Botanical Garden, the largest urban botanical garden in China. It makes for a lovely break from the hustle and bustle of the city and has a number of lovely areas where you can sit and relax, have a picnic, et cetera. There are vendors scattered throughout with drinks and snacks, and the lake (pictured above) has paddle boats you can rent and ride. Admission is ¥15 during the summer and ¥8 during the winter. (According to the entrance sign anyways - I've also read that the Garden is closed during the winter.)

Harbin Cultural Park

The Electronic Amusement Hall at the Harbin Cultural Park, founded in 1908 as Holy Dormition Orthodox Church. I don't normally associate cemeteries with amusement parks, but for whatever reason the Harbin Cultural Park was built on the site of the city's Novoye Cemetery. Admission is ¥5, while the rides generally cost around ¥40 or ¥50.

Stalin Park

Stalin Park was laid out in 1953 along the Songhua River, just west of Holy Annunciation Church (now the New Gloria Garden Plaza Hotel), to commemorate the friendship of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. That friendship turned out to be fairly short-lived, yet somehow the park's name survived the break in relations. Today the Park is a refreshing break from the concrete jungle of Harbin, with broad tree-lined walkways (pictured here) and lovely views of the Songhua and Sun Island.

Daowai Mosque

Harbin's Daowai Mosque, founded in 1897 and rebuilt and enlarged in 1935.

Harbin Metro

One of the lovely entryways to the Harbin Metro, which currently only has one line. What a line it is though! It's double the cost of the bus (¥2), but much faster of course. I've read that there are plans to extend the system, but so far the only work I've seen is along the existing line. The entryway pictured leads to the Xuefulu Metro Station.

Dragon Park

This is hands down the awesomest park sculpture I've ever seen! I can't find the name of the park, but it's at the meeting of Dongdazhi and Yiman Streets, just north of the ABC College of Foreign Languages on Dongdazhi and Kuancheng Streets. I'm guessing it's called Dragon Park, but one never knows...

Temple of Confucius

One of the gateways of Harbin's Temple of Confucius on Wenmiao Street, built under the Republic of China in 1926. The main hall of the Temple is still set aside for worship, but its other halls now house exhibits of the Heilongjiang Museum of Nationalities. Admission is free with a passport or local ID.

Kaide Mall

A mall just isn't a mall without flamingos apparently!

Holy Protection Church

Holy Protection Chinese Orthodox Church on Dongdazhi Jie, formerly the parish church of Harbin's Ukrainian residents. Across the street is a Roman Catholic cathedral, while just north of the parish stands a church belonging to the Three-Self Patriotic Movement. A little further north I believe a mosque can be found - throw in a Buddhist temple and this section of Dongdazhi would pretty much have everything covered!

Hongbo Square

A view of Hongbo Square in central Harbin. Sometimes Harbin has the most delightful architectural features and monuments...and then there's whatever this is. The city's iconic St. Nicholas Cathedral used to stand in Hongbo, but were obviously removed at some point. (A replica of the cathedral now stands in Harbin's Volga Manor resort as its art gallery.)

Cost of Living in Harbin

Here's a basic list of costs to go off of if you're looking at how much it costs to live here in Harbin. I wouldn't claim these are the lowest prices you can find since I do a great deal of my shopping at the Carrefour down the street from my apartment for convenience's sake, but they'll still give you an idea of the cost of living here! I'll continue updating this post as time goes on.

There is another basic listing of living costs here, but I didn't find it to be entirely helpful when I was getting ready to move here (hence this list!). All the dollar prices listed here are in US dollars.


Living Costs in Harbin

Appliances
Bread maker (midrange) = ¥500.00 / $81.15
Coffee maker (drip / small) = ¥318.00 / $51.61
Electric kettle = ¥80.00 / $12.98
French press (small) = ¥50.00 / $8.04
Iron (midrange) = ¥40.00 / $6.49
Ironing board (small) = ¥110.00 / $17.85
Toaster oven (midrange) = ¥300.00 / $48.69

Beverages
Beer (local / 500ml) = ¥3.90 / $0.63
Fruit juice (local / 1L) = ¥12 / $1.95 (approximately)
Latte (Bomele 1931) = ¥24.00 / $3.90
Water (Nongfu Spring / 4L) = ¥7.50 / $1.22
Wine (Yellow Tail / 750ml) = ¥125 / $20.29

Cleaning Supplies
Dishwashing detergent (local / 500ml) = ¥3.50 / $0.57

Clothes
Winter scarf = ¥40 / $6.53 (approximately)

Food
Coconut milk (400ml) = ¥11.00 / $1.77
Egg (chicken) = ¥0.90 / $0.15 (approximately)
Extra virgin olive oil (imported / 1L) = ¥60.00 / $9.74 (approximately)
Ice cream (500g) = ¥34.50 / $5.60
Ketchup (Heinz / 300g) = ¥9.00 / $1.46
Nutella (350g) = ¥35.00 / $5.68
Oreos (130g) = ¥5.10 / $0.83
Pringles (regular-size) = ¥8.90 / $1.44
Rice (short-grain / 1kg) = ¥4.60 / $0.75
Sausage (local / 1 link) = ¥5.00 / $0.81 (approximately)
Snickers (regular-size) = ¥4.00 / $0.65
Soy sauce (local / 500ml) = ¥5.30 / $0.86
Sweet potatoes (1kg) = ¥3.80 / $0.62
Vegetable oil (5L) = ¥38.90 / $6.31
Vinegar (local / 420ml) = ¥4.00 / $0.65
Yogurt (flavored / 260g) = ¥5.90 / $0.96

Fruits
Grapefruit = ¥5.00 / $0.81 (approximately)
Papaya (whole) = ¥10.00 / $1.61
Peach (medium-large) = ¥3.00 / $0.49 (approximately)
Watermelon = ¥10.00 / $1.62 (approximately)

Furniture and Furnishings
Room divider (wicker / cheap) = ¥150 / $24.35
Stool = ¥49 / $8.00
Trash can (plastic / small) = ¥4.90 / $0.80

Personal Care
Bar soap (local) = ¥3.90 / $0.63
Bath towel = ¥109.00 / $17.69
Face mask (with filter insert) = ¥9.90 / $1.61
Facial tissues (local) = ¥2.00 / $0.33
Hand towel = ¥29.90 / $4.85
Shampoo (local / 380ml) = ¥26.50 / $4.30
Washcloth = ¥14.90 / $2.42

Services
Haircut (with wash) = ¥20 / $3.20

Transportation
Bus (no transfers) = ¥1.00 / $0.16
Metro (multiple stops) = ¥2.00 / $0.33
Taxi (1.8km / 1.12mi) = ¥9.00 / $1.46

Bomele 1931

The lovely Bomele 1931 cafe downtown on Zhongyang Avenue. (A brief article on this particular branch can be found here.) Bomele 1931 is a nice local alternative to Starbucks, and a cheaper one at that! It's not cheap by local standards (a latte costs ¥24), but that's a better deal than the local Starbucks!

Body Image and Size in China

This is a warning: If you have body image issues, you might not want to move to China! I cannot recall the last time I was told I was fat to my face, much less so frequently. A Chinese coworker was walking me through a lesson plan and telling me we could compare me with my students' former teacher, and said something along the lines of, 'Since you are so fat, you could not run so fast, but since so and so is very thin, he could run very fast!' She proceeded to discuss how to plug that example into the grammar being covered in the lesson. When I start teaching a new class the students consistently tell me how tall and fat I am. New acquaintances sometimes tell me the same thing.

I came to China prepared for a less reserved approach to discussing weight. It's the same in many other parts of the world. In some of them telling a person they're fat is a compliment, and fatness can even be a sort of status symbol! (After all, in most of the world being overweight is tied to prosperity and upper class jobs, not poverty and un or under-employment.) Here it's not that at all. (For a good survey of the body image issues this can cause in the Asian-American community check this article out.) Thinness is the norm here, and the preferred one too, which I've found a little surprising given how many overweight and obese people I've seen out and about here in Harbin.

For someone as tall as I am there are daily reminders that I am several sizes too big to fit in here. I'm constantly ducking my head to keep from hitting it on doorways and decorations. Navigating the sidewalks, supermarkets, and malls most other people squeeze through spaces I have to turn sideways to fit through. (If I can fit through them at all!) I have trouble not stepping on people's toes on the bus 'cause I wear a US size 15. (I just looked up a conversion chart and there weren't even equivalent Chinese shoe sizes listed - apparently those only go up to the equivalent of a US size 13!) I'm practically bent in two when I wash the dishes at home. And then on top of it all I've had almost daily reminders at work about how much larger I am than the norm.

And yet in a way I've appreciated the blasé way weight is brought up. In a way being able to discuss it with almost-strangers is very freeing. Some of the shame is taken away from being overweight when it's just another topic of discussion. Conversely, too many more reminders and I'm sure it won't feel so freeing anymore! But in the scheme of things, given my height and frame I'm not horrifically overweight. I'm no marathon runner anymore, but I'm functionally fit, and I have yet to have any heart or weight-related issues turn up at the doctor's. (Beyond my weight itself being too high of course.)

All the same, it sure can feel like I'm horrifically overweight here. For every obese person I pass on the streets I pass a hundred others who are practically skin and bones. (Sometimes in that stomach-turning way that so many Western models are skinny.) And that in and of itself can be pretty discouraging for someone trying to work on eating healthier and exercising more, and yet not achieving many results. Then again, perhaps given my height and frame, I always will be perceived as gargantuan here, even if I do reach the ideal weight for my height and age. That thought can be pretty discouraging too. So, a word to the wise, if you're in a similar boat and considering a move to China, decide first whether you can handle the above before you make the move!

Personal Space

Americans sometimes joke about having personal space bubbles around them and not being comfortable with people invading that bubble by standing too closely, being too touchy or huggy, or sitting too close. When I moved to the States a little over a decade ago I found these bubbles to be sad and alienating, and was rather discouraged by how distant Americans were. I went from cultures and countries where physical closeness was normative to one where most people were islands. I actually chose which church to attend based largely on how many Eastern

Crowded Zhongyang Dajie.

European immigrants attended it already. Their kisses - a normal part of greetings in many parts of the world - and Old World manners helped ease my homesickness and loneliness a great deal.

That being the case, as I've settled into Harbin it's come as a surprise to me to discover how much of a bubble I've developed over the past few years! Even with short-term moves to Eastern Europe and Africa I've still managed to develop a zone of physical space within which I'm comfortable, and which I'm uncomfortable having violated. And it is violated on a daily basis here! In the elevator, on the bus, walking down the street, shopping at the grocery store - everywhere you go there are people popping out of the woodwork it seems, and precious little personal space to go around.

Something refreshing about all of this change - uncomfortable as it has been - is seeing how relaxed people are with the presence of others. When someone gets on the elevator they don't stand in the corner opposite from me, more often than not they're right next me. Likewise on the bus, where people will often settle their children on strangers' laps if there's no seating available for them. And if I bump into someone by accident pretty much anywhere there's no need for the Canadian sorries and apologies that spring to my lips - it happens all the time, and is a complete non-event. (Hugs and greeting kisses seem to be another thing entirely - I haven't seen much of either since arriving here. To each their own though!)

It's been strange discovering that I've developed a bubble, and awkwardly delightful deconstructing it bit by bit over the past month. If nothing else Harbin has reminded me of who I was and is helping me reclaim it, and for that I am grateful!

Beer Garden

One of the outdoor, covered beer gardens (is there a better kind of garden?!) along Harbin's Zhongyang Dajie. The local beers are pretty decent and a 500ml-bottle (roughly a pint) generally only costs around ¥4 ($0.65), which is pretty epic!

Flood Control Monument

The Flood Control Monument at the center of Stalin Park and the head of Zhongyang Dajie, Harbin's pedestrian street. Stalin Park was laid out in 1953 to commemorate the friendship of the Soviet Union and China, whilst the Flood Control Monument commemorates the successful control of a massive flood in 1957 and the victims of another flood in 1998.

Past and Present Collide

The former bell tower of Holy Dormition Orthodox Church, built as the cemetery church of Novoye Cemetery, one of Harbin's Orthodox Christian burial grounds. The bell tower is now an entryway to the Harbin Cultural Park, while the old church is now the Park's Electronic Amusement Hall.

Monastery Meets Modernity

A picture of one of the entryways to a courtyard of Harbin's Jile Temple with the ferris wheel of the neighboring Harbin Cultural Park - formerly Novoye Cemetery, one of the burial grounds for the city's Orthodox Christians - in the background. It was a bit surreal to be in such a quiet, peaceful place and yet still at various points be able to see the apartment buildings and ferris wheel towering above its walls!

Expecting the Unexpected

I so wish I'd had the nerve to take a picture of the overweight 60-year old man wearing a form-fitting mesh shirt I passed earlier - it was both a shock and a delight to see! Of all the random things I've encountered so far, that was far and away the most random. And it reminded me that if China's taught me anything so far, it's to expect the unexpected!

I moved here thinking I would be able to find familiar herbs in the spice/herb aisle of the local grocery store. My local Carrefour goes so far as to stock the McCormick brand in its spice aisle, but only in endless varieties of powdered black pepper and cumin. I've been here three weeks now and still haven't found anything recognizable to me as basil or parsley. Cilantro - something I neither expected to use nor planned to miss - is at my local grocery store. As is a range of fresh seaweed options! Expect the unexpected.

I knew the air pollution could be bad in China, and (if the averages are anything to go by) will be bad here in Harbin come wintertime. I fully expected to buy and wear a face mask once I got over here, and I see people out and about on the occasional bad smog day wearing face masks. But after hours of wondering around supermarkets, underground and over-ground malls, and various shopping districts I have yet to see a single face mask for sale. Whenever I'm out and about now I keep one eye scanning kiosks and stores for face masks, 'cause they have to be coming from

Seaweed options at my local Carrefour.

somewhere! I fully expect to find them in a gigantic pile at the sausage kiosk one of these days. Expect the unexpected.

I quickly adjusted to crossing the street here - it's a lot like where I grew up in Africa, where we crossed lane by lane - only to discover that lighter vehicles like scooters often go against the flow of traffic and that cars will occasionally use a U-turn-only option to angle across a major intersection to get onto another road, which means that you basically have to look every direction except up when crossing the road. (And I still half expect to be crushed by a helicopter someday!) Expect the unexpected.

Expecting the unexpected is getting to be quite draining, as my head spins in circles scanning the streets I cross and I keep my eyes peeled for a growing list of things I have yet to spot in a store here. Just keeping from running into someone on the crowded streets is a job in and of itself! But to see something so unexpectedly funny really makes my day, so picture or no, I'm so glad that I passed that retiree in his mesh shirt! Expect the unexpected!

Update (31/7/2014): I found basil and parsley! After the dust settled from my neighborhood Carrefour's reorganization both popped up in the imported foods aisle!

Update (5/12/2018): I'm very happy to say that awareness of the need for protection from the air pollution has risen and it's much easier to find face masks than it was when I first arrived here!

Air with Chinese Characteristics

The smoggy view from my apartment building yesterday evening.

Air pollution was one of the big talking points in the lead-up to my move to China, but as I monitored the situation here in Harbin it seemed pretty great, with pollution readings generally in the 30s. (For more on that check out Wikipedia's article on the topic.) But the last two days our readings have been in the 200s. (At one point Thursday evening we got up to 301, and I'm told during the day it got into the 500s.) I've spent my brief time outdoors checking some of the bigger stores for face masks and the components for DIY air purifiers, but with no luck so far. I'm hoping for more luck tomorrow! In the meantime though the picture above pretty accurately portrays what things look like around here right now. (In Harbin's defense, I'm told this is very unusual for the summer, and the last two weeks have been pretty good.)

Celebrity Status

Before moving here I was warned that foreigners attracted a lot of attention and not to let it get to me, which honestly made me question whether I could really handle living in China. I'm all too familiar with the celebrity status foreigners can have. Where I lived in high school groups of little kids would latch on to foreigners passing by in the streets and follow them shouting "you," "foreigner," "money," or whatever other random English phrase they knew until they got

Zhongyang Dajie in Harbin.

a little attention (if you were lucky) or money (if you weren't). In their wake would come beggars and students looking to practice their English. On the fringes were the people who'd rarely (if ever) seen a foreigner who couldn't help staring at the strangeness passing by.

Maybe that doesn't sound so bad on the surface, but when your every public movement is tracked, often with the feeling of a town crier going before and behind you, then going even a block down the street to pickup some groceries or grab a coffee can be a frustrating experience. For this introvert it was a draining one. I budgeted my time out and about, and would return home completely wiped. The experience also left me with a rather deep-seated insecurity about friendship after being approached by so many people looking to be 'friends' - that is, looking for someone to give them money, marry them, provide free English lessons, find them a foreign wife, make them cooler in the eyes of their friends, pay for their children's school fees, et cetera.

Returning to North America after this experience I found myself going through withdrawal. The attention had become so normal that losing it - blessed relief that that was! - left me wondering what was wrong with me that no one did a double take when I walked down the street. It made me realize that I had gotten used to my celebrity status, and it left me with a deep sympathy for what truly famous people must go through. (Can you imagine going through life never just being able to go to the grocery store, the park, et cetera, without being hassled? What a nightmare!)

Withdrawals or no, the thought of living with that kind of attention again was almost a deal breaker for me when I was considering the move to northeastern China. And while I do notice the double takes as I walk down the street here, my celebrity status is nothing like back home. I had actually almost forgotten about my concern till today, when a random kid walked up to me at one of the beer gardens on Zhongyang Dajie (downtown Harbin's pedestrian street) and asked if he could take his picture with me - I may not be in the big leagues anymore, but apparently I'm still a celebrity! I think, however, that this is the kind of low key celebrity status that I can handle.

Soviet War Memorial

The Soviet War Memorial on Harbin's Hongbo Square to commemorate the members of the Soviet Armed Forces who died in 1945 during the liberation of Manchuria from the Japanese during World War II. From the Russian-language inscription: 'Eternal Glory to the Heroes [Who] Died Fighting for the Freedom and Independence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.'