I have now been in China for 4 weeks exactly. On Thursday, it will be a full month. It has gone by so quickly that I can't believe it. I'm actually really enjoying being here now that I've had time to get used to it and I think I'll be sad to see this end (although happy to get home at the same time).
I'm feeling like I have a lot to write, so I'm going to be lazy and copy/paste the email I sent to Tom (Carolina Asia Center) about this weekend- Tom, hope you don't mind!
Hi Tom!
Things are good here- thanks for checking in! We have been really busy the last couple of days. On Thursday we visited the Department of Epidemiology, then went to a performance that night that was part of the China-Africa AIDS seminar(or something like that). I'm sure there is a better, more public health-y way to say this but I don't know it- so I'll just say that there was a drag show there. It was so incredible! There were also performers from the Sichuan Opera and an acrobat, and afterwards all the Africans (they were from all over the continent) were dancing. There were so many cultures there- it was amazing. However, Professor Zhang seemed quite upset that we were there and we didn't know why (there was some miscommunication between the grad students,etc.). The next day he told us that he was concerned that we wouldn't be accepting of the gay population and he is very protective of them, so he was worried. Once he knew that we WERE accepting, though, he seemed very interested in including us.
On Friday Crystal, Janelle, Prof. Zhang and I went to a different county to attend a training for teachers about HIV/AIDS that was led by Professor Zhang. Crystal translated for us and I think we learned a lot- too much to type here right now. ;) Janell was busy that evening but Crystal, Professor Zhang and I went to a party thrown by a gay organization at Sichuan University that was celebrating their 3 year anniversary. It was at a gay bar and was packed and it was another really exciting experience. THEN, yesterday we went with a group of Chinese students (and one other meiguoren;)) to something called the English Salon at a coffeehouse, and that night we went to dinner with Crystal's work office. So- it's been a busy and exciting few days! This coming weekend we are planning on to (I am going to butcher the name) Jozhaigo??
Anyway, it's interesting because we don't know what's going to happen from day to day so we try not to plan too much. It's always at the last minute that we find out about these things! We were a little discouraged at the beginning of last week but I think we've realized that if we're patient, things do happen...and I think we have learned a lot. I wish I could tell some of it now but Crystal is coming over to talk to Janell and I about her thesis that has to be written in English, so I have very little time!
I don't know yet if we're going to be able to be involved in the peer education program...we really probably won't know until it happens or doesn't happen. ;) If we can, I think your idea about continuing it throughout the school year is a great one. The meeting at the CDC was kind of interesting, but it was (of course) all in Chinese and we didn't really have anyone to interpret for us. It was cool to see though. We have field site visits listed down for certain weeks, but I don't know if they're officially scheduled yet. We're just trying to be patient and ok with having no real "schedule"...it seems to be working out right now so I think we're just hoping it continues!
Thanks again for checking it...it really is very much appreciated, and I'm very happy to know that you've been reading our blogs. :) I hope all is well in Chapel Hill!
Amy
Things do seem to happen very quickly here and with little notice. We found out today that we are going with Jackie and (I think) Professor Zhang tomorrow to the CDC for a training for the "bar girls" (sex workers). I don't know if we'll be able to understand what's going on; hopefully we will have someone who can do some interpreting for us while we're there. Crystal spoke to Dean Ma last night and I guess she mentioned that we don't have much to do when we're not at scheduled events, so we're meeting with him and Professor Zhang tomorrow at 5:30 to discuss field projects we may be able to do. Dean Ma also wants to hear what we've learned so far. We were planning on going to Jiuzhaigou (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiuzhaigou_Valley) this weekend and leaving on Friday, but apparently Crystal has been in touch with someone at the CDC about this field project possibility so now we may have something to do on Friday.
When we went to the workshop last Friday, we learned that much of AIDS right now in China is concentrated in the IV drug user population. I'll try to explain this...their model is to try and cut off HIV transmission before it transfers from IDUs (IV drug users) to CSWs (commercial sex workers). By contrast, the Thailand model is to try and prevent transmission at the CSW-client level. Professor Zhang says that if the China model does not prove successful, they may start on the Thailand model. This is actually only the first phase of prevention, etc. Janell had a really interesting conversation with a girl named Enid about whether or not the government should limit information about AIDS to the general public. Enid's argument was that they should, because if people knew there were AIDS in Chengdu, they would all move out of fear of being attacked. This reminds me SO much of the US in the early-mid 80s, at least as I remember it (being very young at the time). Enid is a public health student, and she was saying that! I think much more would be gained out of educating the public about the epidemic and how to prevent the spread, as well as how it's NOT transmitted. If the public is not aware of the problem, how can they know to protect themselves? AIDS in Asia is interesting, in general, and I'd love to do some work here (while still being based primarily in the US, haha. I need more diet coke and sandwiches!) after graduation. We'll see.
When we were at the coffee bar on Saturday, this guy named Tony (his English name) told me that his friend Jeff (American, also at the coffee bar) thought a comment was really funny and he couldn't understand why. They were hanging out with a group of friends and one guy was talking about a girl he wanted to be friends with, who I guess is a bit overweight. The guy said, "I like to be friends with fat people" and Jeff just died laughing, which I also did when I heard it. That's a big cultural difference right there...I had to explain to her that in America we don't call people "fat"- in fact, we usually don't comment about their weight, at least to them. She was shocked! It's something they talk about a lot. I don't know.
The air quality is not so great...I've been having a sore throat recently and I'm pretty sure it's because of the smog. But what is most noticeable about the air is the humidity. The air feels so thick and my skin is damp within 10 minutes of walking out the door.
Yesterday we went shopping with Egg at some of the markets where you do a lot of bargaining. It's definitely helpful to have her with us because then SHE can tell them how they're over-charging, but we've been doing ok on our own- especially Janell. She always bargains and usually wins! And last night we discovered that there is a microwave and a refrigerator in our dorm...so good to know!
We are still debating whether or not to go to Tibet and may visit a few travel agencies tomorrow morning before we go to the CDC. Tomorrow night we are going to the Shamrock Pub for a 4th of July celebration! We haven't been there yet but apparently a lot of foreigners hang out there. I'm really looking forward to it, even though David C. laughed that we're spending our 4th of July in an Irish pub in an Asian country, haha.
Anyway, all is well here...we got our nails painted last Thursday- my nails are actually kind of long right now! I got a rose design on my toes. ;) If I lived here I would be seriously girly- all the shoes have so many embellishments on them, there's so much jewelry, etc. I definitely love it.
I just had about 10 million thoughts of things I wanted to write about, but they're all gone. Random thoughts: I miss Riley, but there are soooooooo many little dogs here and I love that. The Buddhist temple was AWESOME especially because Crystal is kind of Buddhist and she was our tour guide. I can't find the pictures, though! :( I'll be so sad if they're lost. Green tea is good. I got a necklace of a lotus flower that means "beauty and health". That is all. :)
Goodnight!
