But as usual, it started yesterday. After teaching poetry and simon says to my students, (or I should say Professors, since they teach me as much Chinese as I teach them English,) I rushed across town in a taxi to watch the Beijing improv acting troupe. Somehow my girlfriends and I ended up sharing a table with some fellow who really had a parrot on his shoulder, and has played a pirate on T.V. I laughed so much my face hurt and I got a better understanding of how small the ex-pat circle in Beijing is. I mean, in a city of 17 million people, it's surprising how gossip, names, and networking spread like wildfire.
After the show I sort of considered going home since I was planning on Church this morning, but there were plans of a jazz club and it wasn't so late. Our group of about 20 people did not go to a jazz club, however, but ended up at what one might call a Chinese dive bar listening to a Mongolian throat singing band. It was packed to the brim with people shouting, drinking, and singing along with this completely indescribable music. Instruments I've never even dreamed of combined with irishfolk/nativeamerican type traditional melodies sung by the most beautiful men. I wish I had pictures. Alas. If you're really interested, email me... I will send you a song. Needless to say, I didn't get as much sleep that night as I have been and I think that greatly contributed to today being such a DAY.
First thing, church was great; as they usually are. It was refreshing to be surrounded with thoughts of something larger than self and I met many very interesting and kind people who run in the Ambassador circle.
On the way home, I walked. Beijing is famous for its spring dust/sand storms and after 5 days of blue skies and 2 days of hazy rain smog, the strong winds were welcome and warm. I didn't drink at all last night, but still felt hung-over just walking in the bright sunshine. I came back to the apartment (where we now have plants, hooray!) and crashed out for several hours.
In the evening I went to a workshop for Huadan, a non-profit theatre therapy group that works with female migrant workers in China. Tons of fun, good for my Chinese, (since there pretty much no English spoken,) and we ended the session with some drumming and dancing Open Sky party style. I did get lost on my way to the workshop and spent about an hour wandering the Hutong neighborhood in the setting sunlight.
It always seems to be that way for me. I get lost and end up finding something I didn't even know I was looking for. For instance, on the way home from the workshop, I took the wrong subway and while waiting for my correct train I saw a group of Chinese boys moving their fancy feet. Not wanting to let the chance go by again and emboldened by lack of sleep, I asked them if they were b-boys. Big smiles, exchange of phone numbers and the only English words spoken being "B-girl" and "locking" and I now have a place and people to practice dancing with. YESSS.
On the train I also had a nice conversation with a 78 year old Chinese diplomat. I bought milk-tea and bananas and now it's 1:15 in the morning. I'm trying to make it a routine to post on Sundays. I almost made it.
Other news and facts: I'm working on finding a family to stay with for a bit in Beijing so I can better understand parent-child dynamics in this country. Apparently the gov't is working to make a pipeline to bring water from the south of China to the city, since the reservoir BJ is built on is pretty much depleted. Many of these photos are from a camp scout in Maiyun, at the foot of one of the great walls.
(The making of embroidery soles for collecting sweat in shoes.)
(My boss in the doorway of the villagers where we might set up camp. Since it was snowing, they invited us to to have lunch on their Kang, a huge stone bed that sleeps up to 6 people and is heated from underneath by a fire. It was so nice and cozy!)
(The playground within Gemdale International Plaza, my apartment compound.)
(Lunch in Maiyun. So delicious; free range chicken, roasted trout, lots of fungi. They have solar panels on every street light there, which is how it's all powered.)
(Top photo: Maiyun hills north of Beijing covered with flowering trees and falling sleet. We are scouting areas for summer wilderness camp areas.)
Love!
2 comments:
heyo! congrats on finding some b-boys to session with. you better come back with some mad skills. your photos are amazing, btw
Please send me a throat singing song!
Do you remember the name of the band?
I saw some mad break dancing fools in the zocalo in Mexico City and I thought of you.
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