Expat Life.

My awesome Australian friends and i outside the swanky Q Bar.

ex·pa·tri·ate • \ěk-spā'trē-āt'\ • noun *1. a person living outside his or her own country

Living in Beijing is awesome. I think the one thing that i did not expect was the thriving expat community. There are so many expats from other countries that have come to China to study, work, and live. Considering the rapid pace of activity and blossoming economy, it should not be a surprise that Beijing is such a happening place.

Dancing at my favorite spot - Suzie Wong's.

A Suzie Wong's special.. good times!

I found the expat community in Beijing to be generally very welcoming. I met people living in Beijing who came from all over the world: Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the U.K., and even Kansas. It is natural for expats to gravitate towards one another, as we all share something major in common.. we are all foreigners here. We can share our frustrations, with the language, the food, the pollution, the bureaucracy.. but we also can share our successes.

Soccer teammate and Italian friend, Simone.

Playing soccer under the lights.

It didn't take long for me to make friends and fit in to the community. In fact, it is kind of surprising to me how quickly i left my old life behind in the States and began anew. Before leaving Beijing, i had made a number of new friends, joined a soccer team, improved my language skills, knew my way around the city, and even had a few regular hangouts.

Enjoying one of my favorite beers for the first time in years, a Kilkenney.

Dave, Brad, me, Amy, and Karl.

On my last night in Beijing, several friends came out to wish me well. We all agreed that my time in China had gone by way too quickly, and i really felt sad to be leaving this new life behind. But as quickly as it had come, my life in Beijing would be no more. However, the weeks i had there were fantastic and the awesome people i met will remain as friends.

Romaine, Brad, and i ready to rock lady's night at Suzie's.

Several friends helping to celebrate my last night in China.

Dave and i living it up in 'the Jing'.

1000 words, or more. (an image collage)

Three men resting inside the Forbidden City.

A picture is worth 1,000 words, right? Well, i took several hundred photos in China and while i won't bore you with them all, i did want to share a few that didn't fit in any of the other posts. Enjoy.

This giant mask is installed outside a gleaming office building. I liked it.

This Taoist monk taking a nap in the courtyard of the White Cloud Temple.

Five newly married couples flock to the beach in Qingdao for photos.

Modern Chinese Art. (watch out for the hand)

More traditional, revolutionary Chinese art.

A street market in Xi'an.

Flowers being planted outside the Temple of Heaven.

One of my favorite buildings. Yes, this is new China.

A street stall selling sweets.. which would you choose?

This guy wanted to take my picture.. so i took his.

And this girl wanted a photo with me.. so i got one too.

Mao's face on just about every yuan bill.
And i thought Washington's face was on a lot of $1 bills!

A rather intimidating sculpture of a very powerful yak.

Beijing Olympics 2008.

The official 2008 logo.

I have a confession to make. When Beijing was announced as the host for the 2008 summer Olympics back in 2001, i was disappointed. I had been pulling for Paris, simply because it is one of my favorite cities in the world. Also, many felt that awarding Beijing the Olympics would be seen as condoning China’s human rights violations and its occupation of Tibet. Still others felt that hosting the Olympics would put pressure on China to reform and modernize. In short, both are coming true.

China's prodigal son, Yao Ming is a force on the court and in advertisements.

Hosting the Olympics is a huge opportunity for the host country. Billions of dollars in tourist revenue and corporate sponsorships flood into the country. The host city benefits from the construction of new roads, subway systems, and state of the art sports facilities. But possibly the most important aspect of hosting the Olympics is the global exposure a city and country receive. If the games are seen as successful, tourism and general worldwide interest will continue for years.

Think Beijing is excited? The countdown is on.

In 2004, Greece was running far behind in its preparations as Olympic hosts. Several facilities hadn’t even begun construction just months before the games were to begin. There was even word of a backup plan that would send the Olympics back to Sydney in the event that Athens failed to be ready. In China, the story is completely different. Beijing just may be the most prepared city in the history of the Olympics.

China's Olympic slogan - One World, One Dream.

It is still over a year before the games will take place, but Beijing is far ahead of schedule in its preparations. In the next few weeks, the city will stage a “dry run” of the Olympics - a full year before the real games. Over a million cars will be taken off the streets and mock events will be held to test crowd control and transportation facilities. It also gives the city a chance to show off its new facilities to the public.

The Olympic mascots all wrapped up and ready to go.

Construction is taking place all over the city and the completion date for everything being built is the same – before the Olympics begin. Over two million Chinese migrant workers have come to Beijing from other parts of the country for the current construction boom. A few months before the games, they all will be kicked out. I spoke with a reporter for a state-owned Chinese newspaper and when i asked him about this, he put it differently: “These workers aren’t actually from here, so they’re not being kicked out. They will be encouraged to return to their home provinces.” In China, encouraged means mandatory.

Corporate sponsorships are already in full swing.

After seeing firsthand such dramatic improvements, i am now very glad that Beijing has the opportunity to host the 2008 games. Paris is already a great city and has less room to improve. The Chinese people are so proud to be hosts and are eager to show their country off to the world. Still, i worry that China’s growing economic muscle and international profile is enough for the global community to turn a blind eye to many of the unseemly activities that still occur behind closed doors. I also worry about the future of Tibet, with sovereignty becoming less and less likely, China is working hard to see that the culture is quietly being extinguished. In the end, there is little doubt that the Olympics will be a smashing success - the Chinese wouldn't have it any other way.

Advertisements every 20 feet in the Xi'an airport.

Work Life.

Our office in Beijing is my organization's single largest office in the world. Kind of gives you the impression that the U.S. perceives China as important, doesn’t it? In Beijing alone we have a staff of over 70, while our numbers total 140 throughout China. Many of these employees are Chinese who are bilingual and assist us in making connections with the local business community.

That's my office on the top floor.

I am currently working on the 31^st floor of a high rise building in downtown Beijing. The U.S. Embassy building is just a few blocks away, but space there is limited. A brand new Embassy building is currently being constructed, and when it is completed in 2008, all U.S. personnel will be consolidated under one roof. With the Olympics around the corner, it seems as if everything currently under construction is set to be completed before the games begin.

The view from my office, showing off the best air quality since i arrived.

Foreign service officers rotate to their new posts during the summer months and gaps between officers are a regular occurrence. I am currently filling in the gap for an officer who recently left for Australia, while the next officer prepares to arrive from DC in August. It is a fascinating life, and the officers i am working with are all very dynamic.

The view on an "average" day; on a "poor" day, i can't see ANYTHING!

In addition to the Foreign Service officers, we work with quite a few Chinese. My Chinese colleagues are quite savvy and their dedication is inspiring. They also have made every effort to make me feel welcome. My first week, several of my new colleagues offered to take me out for lunch to a famous local restaurant. The food was fantastic!

Our male colleague who was invited couldn't make it.. seriously!

the Forbidden City.

Entering the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City lies just beyond the Gate of Heavenly Peace and was originally constructed between 1406 and 1420 by over a million laborers to showcase the Emperor's power and wealth. Over the next 500 years, the complex was added to many times over by successive emperors and today is comprised of over 800 buildings. The 14 Ming and 10 Qing Emperors who resided here lived a life of absolute luxury, sealed off from their kingdom on the outside.

The Forbidden City truly is a city unto itself.

It wasn't until 1949 during the People's Revolution that the City was first opened to everyone. Today, the city is remarkably well preserved and acts as a window into the rich dynasties that rules for centuries. It is not just foreign tourists who flock here. Many Chinese come to see the splendor that was kept hidden from them for so long.

All of the renovation takes place by hand. It can take ten years to complete one section.

But the payoff is well worth it.

The detail is extremely impressive, not to mention beautiful.

I particularly love the names of the various halls and palaces found in the Forbidden City. A sampling includes the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and the Thousand Autumns Pavilion. Each hall was built at a different time under a different Emperor and stands as a testament to that Emperor's reign.

Inside the Hall of Preserving Harmony

The physiology may be off, but skill of the craftsman certainly isn't.

It surely was a sight when these hand carved fountains sprung alive.

This zoomed in shot shows just one corner of a rooftop, the details are incredible!

Beijing: First Impressions.

After a 13 1/2 hour direct flight i was eager to stretch my legs and explore the city. Despite all of the dire descriptions i'd heard about Beijing's terrible pollution, i was pleasantly surprised to arrive on a very lovely sunny day. Only later did i find out that major rain the day before had cleared the skies resulting in the most beautiful day anyone could recall in months.

A favorite of mine, this series depicts the four seasons.

I checked into my plush apartment and hit the streets. Just seconds after leaving my building, two friendly college students approached me and began chatting me up. A few minutes later, they invited me to check out their school art exhibition. Being the art lover that i am.. i quickly accepted the invitation. The art was being displayed in a small gallery and they eagerly showed me around, pointing out the symbolism in the pieces and shyly displaying their own pieces.

This friendly art student displays her art.

Though several of the pieces were quite good, after i had seen it all came the pitch.. "We are college students and really need to sell something. Today is the last day of the exhibition and your only chance to buy our work." I took down their mobile numbers but told them i wasn't in the market for any art that day. In the next hour, i met half a dozen art students who all happened to be having exhibitions that day.

Beijing's modernity is evident everywhere.

As i took in the city on my way towards Tienanmen Square, i marveled at the modern buildings and well manicured boulevards. When i finally arrived at the Gate of Heavenly Peace i was awestruck. Though i had seen the photos, there is something incredibly dramatic about the sudden openness of Tienanmen Square and austerity of the Gate featuring Mao presiding over the China he forged. You cannot help but feel that this place is the heart of Communist China.

The Gate of Heavenly Peace

People mill about everywhere, mostly Chinese tourists who have made a pilgrimage to see their capital. Republic guards stand watch to ensure that no one gets out of line. This is the place that Mao declared the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. When he died in 1976, millions from all over the country came here to pay their respects. And in 1989, this is where students supporting democracy were slaughtered in the thousands.

As i snap picture after picture of the Square and Gate of Heavenly Peace, two Chinese girls named Vicky and Nina (it is not uncommon for Chinese to select English names in addition to their regular names) strike up a conversation. They ask if we can practice speaking English together. Both girls are currently studying English and Chinese history in hopes of finding jobs as tourist ambassadors during the Olympics next summer. Although i am always on the lookout for scams, their friendly and earnest demeanor put me at ease. They suggest showing me a nearby hutong, or historical neighborhood. After a few hours walking in the thick warm air, the girls assure me that a cold beer can be found there and we set off together.

It looks like somebody always wanted to be a soldier - check out the guy in the back!

Just outside the walls of the Forbidden City, we made our way down a leaf shaded side street through the hutong to a small tea house. We are ushered into a small elaborately decorated room. A cold Tsingtao beer appears before me within moments. The girls ordered tea and said a "traditional tea ceremony" would be performed.. awesome. Fresh watermelon and small cookies were served automatically. The tea hostess performed an elaborate mixing and straining of the various teas before serving them in tiny cups. Though i had only ordered the beer, the hostess invited me to sample the teas as well. The teas themselves were very strong in both aroma and flavor.. quite delicious as well.

The tea hostess whips up a batch of tea.

While we sipped the tea, we chatted about Chinese history and the tea we were sampling. The tea hostess didn't speak English, so Vicky and Nina translated the various tea descriptions. Nina asked for my help with a written English lesson, and i obliged. The tea hostess offered some loose leaf tea for us to take home, but i passed. A few minutes later she returned with the bill, and that is when the trouble started.

Vicky offers a toast.

Enjoying some tea, in happier times.

The bill was presented to me and i was astonished to see a total of 1,500RMB. Though i had just arrived in the country a few hours earlier, it didn't take me long to calculate that the tea hostess was asking $200 for the beer and tea! The beer i ordered cost just $3, but each mini cup of tea was listed as $7 per person in addition to a "room rental fee." I knew something was amiss when Vicky and Nina tried to convince me to just cough up the cash for all of us or else "we won't be able to leave." I protested, telling them the only thing i actually ordered was the $3 beer. This went on for several minutes before i realized i needed to get out of there.. and fast. I put down $10 for my beer plus a tip and got up to leave. Once outside, my two new "friends" suddenly were not so friendly and said they had to be somewhere all of the sudden.

All lit up, the mood is almost festive.

Standing guard: the Gate is now closed.

It was dark now, and feeling a bit disappointed in the traditional tea ceremony i made my way back to the Gate of Heavenly Peace. A friend told me not to miss the Gate and Square at night, and he was right. Lights came on to give the place an almost festive feel. I grabbed a seat on the curb and just watched the life around me for several minutes. Young couples strolled along the boardwalk while laughing children chased each other and entire families posed for pictures with Mao. A soft pleasant breeze helped to remind me that while i was a long way from home, some things are always the same. Thankful to be alive, and feeling incredibly lucky to have this experience, i set off into the night.

"Wherever you go, there you are"