In hindsight, I probably should’ve known better than to attempt to go to a local medical establishment in Xi an, on my own! And by that I mean without my walking, talking dictionary in my back pocket - also known as 'a dear Chinese speaking friend' to ease my fears and translate for me. Clearly, sleep-deprived and a little delirious, I’ve obviously forgotten where I actually am! "Ahh hello, Nicole, you don’t speak Chinese, remember?" Well, not well enough for this sort of encounter! But, here I was, hurtling along the freeway with a non English speaking driver, off to see the Acupuncturist or 'Zhen Jiu' as I soon discover it is in Chinese. Everyone has said to me, if you do anything health wise in China, acupuncture it is! And given it's been practiced for thousands of years here, it's hard to disagree. Trivial fact: There is evidence of acupuncture around 100 BC. That said, about half way there, I realise I don’t actually know where the place is. All I have is an address in Chinese characters. Last time I was with said driver, going anywhere other than school, he got us totally lost, despite having the address and several people explaining to him in Chinese. I frantically text the address to Ava's Chinese babysitter….asking her if it has any street numbers in it. I already know it doesn’t…but I’m naively hoping she will miraculously give me some clue to where I’m going. All I know, is that it's near the coffee shop I’ve frequented a few times. It dawns on me, there are a gazillion shops in this area and even more concerning, how the heck am I going to know which one says "Acupuncturist?!" Our babysitter manages to find me a picture of the shop front, but she may as well be sending me a picture of a random door in Timbuktu… it’s a door with gold Chinese characters above it, like oh so many of the shop entrances. By now we are driving around in circles, peering at random buildings that all look similar. The driver eventually gets out and asks an elderly man on a bike. I'm doubtful he'll know so I call the Chinese lady who recommended the place to my foreign friends in the first place and she explains to the driver, but alas, it's to no avail….we keep driving, back and forth. It’s times like this I muse why we don’t have a Sat Nav, but in China everyone likes to give directions referring to the compass. North, East, South or West. For someone who is 'directionally challenged', this is about as helpful as telling me to fly myself to the North Pole. The driver is now muttering under his breath in Chinese and I keep shoving my phone at him with someone different to talk to in Chinese, realising it’s probably futile. By now we’ve done so many circles I couldn’t tell you which way is up, down, north, south, east or west. I’m about to give up and call it a day, with the stark realisation, I should’ve known better than to attempt this mission alone. I give it one last shot and call the hotel concierge with some directions from my friend in the UK, who (thankfully) has jet lag and is awake when I text her. We come to a halt outside a building that looks absolutely nothing like the picture I've been sent, which immediately makes me dubious. Where am I being dropped? I shake my head, but tell the driver to wait (also known as gesturing wildly) while I step gingerly inside to see if it looks remotely like what I expect an acupuncturist to look like. It’s a hot mid summer’s day and the temperature gauge is nudging 36 degrees. My anxiety hasn’t helped my inner thermometer and I feel myself literally fall through the door in a ball of sweat, gazing questioningly around the room. I can see what looks to be traditional medicine and a man says “Hello” in English pointing for me to go upstairs….as if he instantly knows who I am and why I'm here. I have no appointment - none is needed I’m told but I am filled with dread that I could be anywhere….my imagination running away with me and I worry it's some evil medical laboratory that may be about to harvest my organs! I scan my phone trying to find the address I have and thrust it under his nose. He looks amused and nods, yes this is it! I guess this is where I just take a calculated risk and believe it's going to be ok. I run outside to the car and give the driver the thumbs up (although they don’t really use this gesture much in China but I assume he knows what I mean). It soon becomes evident the English speaking male’s vocabulary doesn’t extend past “hello”. Typically, in the height of my angst, my Chinese is all but lost. I mumble about being told someone spoke English here and he simply smiles and shakes his head, ushering me upstairs, where I'm told (I think) to sit down in a row of lounge chairs… The air is stifling and I realise there’s no air conditioning. About now it dawns on me that I need to call someone to explain to the practitioners why I’m here and what I need. I decide the hotelier's PA is probably my best bet, seeing as she called them yesterday for me. I ask the English-non-English speaking man to wait while I anxiously swipe through my phone. With everyone on We Chat in China, finding their actual phone number constantly eludes me. Finally I just message her saying, call me, and much to my relief she does. I put her on to the doctor and then ask where the toilet is. Back downstairs, I seriously consider whether I should just make a run for it….leave and pretend this never happened. But I dust myself off from the squat toilet and tip toe back upstairs, inhaling deeply. This time I am told to remove my shoes and get up onto one of the beds. I eyeball the room for evidence of hygiene standards. It looks pristinely clean, although I note the white doctor’s coat is smeared with dirt. He tries in vain to speak to me but I’m lost….his sidekick, a woman, speaks more slowly and her gentle demeanour calms me. I hope they can’t see that I'm shaking, just a little. Both of them immediately feel my hands and feet and then in unison, gasp in horror. I hear them saying the words for cool and derive they think I am too cold. (Which is kind of ludicrous given the current climate but I understand in Chinese medical terms, it's a possibility). Then they ask me to stick out my tongue and almost recoil in horror with a lot of back and forth glances. The male doctor takes my pulse and then says something to me again. Clearly he’s not giving up. I think he’s asking me if I drink cold water and eat ice-cream. All I can respond with is "sometimes". I know how much this is a mortal sin in Chinese culture, so much so, I can honestly say, hand on heart, I rarely have cold water these days. Mind you, today of all days, I think, I’m sure I could be forgiven for indulging in a little bin xi lin (Ice cream)! Next thing the needles are out. I am relieved to see they come from a closed packet…having heard a few horror stories of needles being reused in China. I recall having acupuncture many years ago in Sydney….apart from the needles, so far, this is not quite how I remember it. There are two in each foot, one in each hand and one in my du zi! Stomach. I note that when it’s time for the one in my stomach, the male doctor promptly leaves the room so the woman can place a towel over my lower half. The needles hurt, more than I remember! I grimace but it’s bearable. To warm me up a little more, I then have two heat lamps placed over me.. One at my feet and one at my stomach…. I feel like a pig on a spit! The male doctor tries his Chinese again and I manage to apologise and say I only speak a little Chinese. …The lovely sidekick, says "Mei Guanxi." No problem. Next thing, she explains, because I’m so cold, she would like to use something else and holds up a lighter and what looks like a solid toilet roll. I nod with caution… I’m a desperate woman and I’ll try anything but still… I’m a little scared. Is she going to brand me with this poker stick? I mentally recall the story I read about the Chinese man who had so much cupping his back was infected with a mass of black gangrenous holes. She lights the end of it and then lets it burn and smoulder slowly like a giant cigar. She spends the next thirty minutes wafting it over my hands, feet and stomach. Thankfully it doesn’t touch my skin but I think she really is literally cooking me now and I try desperately not to choke on the smoke which is filling the enclosed room. Later when I relay this to my Australian naturopath, she relieves my concerns by telling me this concept is actually called 'Moxibustion' and is even used in the Western world…..I Google it and discover it’s an ancient Chinese medicine therapy using moxa made from dried mugwort to among many other things, stimulate circulation through the pressure points and induce a smoother flow of blood and qi. Beads of sweat dripping down me ….clammy and sweaty….I close my eyes and try to relax. I hear the faint click of the doctor’s phone and can see him out of the corner of my eye at the back of the room. I suspiciously think he’s taking photos of the strange white woman on their bed. Finally in what feels like forever, it’s over. The heat lamps are off and the needles come out, painlessly. The doctor says something I don’t get and walks out, closing the door behind me. I’m not sure whether to stay lying there or it’s finished. In the end it’s clear no one is coming back, so I get up put my shoes on and walk out. They are both standing there, waiting for me, big smiles on their faces. I ask them if I need to come back and they point to what looks like a tub with a foot massager in the bottom and say “tomorrow?” I tell them not tomorrow, but maybe next week. My earlier suspicions are confirmed, when, as if it’s mandatory after every doctor’s appointment in China, the obligatory photo opportunity is presented. I try not to look visibly amused and smile politely. I'm glowing with a fine layer of sweat but of course! First with the male doctor then the female. “Piaoliang!” beautiful, he says.…..and then we exchange pleasantries and I remember I need to pay. They usher me downstairs to the man with English, but no English. It’s a grand total that is equivalent to $15 Australian dollars. Then they ask for my phone number which is kind of funny given they have no clue who I am. Any appointment in the West and they would have all of your details before you set foot in the door. After such an up close and personal visit I realise they don’t even know my name. "Wo jiao Nicole", I say and write it for them on the scrap piece of paper, they give me. We say "Zai jian" Goodbye.... and I tell them I’ll see them next week. No need to give them a time or appointment, I guess like today, I’ll just turn up. I tell them my friend will call them to see what they have to say about my 'condition'. Later she rings them and as suspected they tell her about my cold feet and hands and the tongue! Apparently they can see exactly what my problem is from these three things. I’ll need to go five times and tonight my sleep will be just fine, they say. I don’t know about that, but even though I smell like I’ve been roasting marsh mellows over a bonfire, I feel relaxed! This is China. … [Read more...]
KungFu But No Panda: Welcome to Third Tier China
It was an extra long weekend in China; the centuries old Dragon Boat Festival was in action. With barely a patch of water to be found up here in Xi’an, it does seem a little off the wall -- still we’ll take it, thanks! Happy Holidays! Mind you, nothing’s for free. The government likes to make you work Sunday in return for giving you a day off! “You get what you get….and you don’t get upset!” As I can be heard reciting to the Small Person on one too many occasions. So, with a few days up our sleeves, we decide to go on an adventure. My head is always in two places about these kind of “China adventures”… As much as I know I 'clearly' thrive on risky, unexpected experiences — they are also completely exhausting (mentally more often than physically)! Who am I kidding, just living in China is mentally exhausting. 8-O Psyched for action, with a loose itinerary marked out, we hot-foot it to the train station to catch one of China’s high speed bullet trains! These babies are what’s not exhausting about China. Bloody brilliant really. No checking in, no customs, no long, drawn out x-ray machines, (times ten), no waiting for bags at the end…. it’s one x-ray machine -- the one-in-all-in, throw your bag through kind, where you desperately hope the contents of your handbag aren’t splayed across the floor on the other side! Line up at the correct train entrance and you’re off without so much as a jolt, despite flying through the countryside at 300-plus kilometres per hour. It’s smooth and comfortable. It takes us one and a half hours to reach Luoyang. Having briefly done my research, I've discovered that Luoyang is in central China’s Henan Province; it’s one of China’s smaller cities with a population of around, oh… 6.5 million! Small, really. I know how Xi’an likes to boast it’s the “cradle of civilisation” so when I read Luoyang also wears this crown I'm surprisingly a little on the defensive…..”Can’t be so! This is Xi’an’s territory!” But it seems with such a vast history stretching back thousands of years, there are many cities in China that can lay claim to such rich titles. A tier three city, initially, driving through it was almost disappointing. I had been hoping for a more remote, village-type atmosphere… but this is China, where urbanisation is snaking it’s way across the country in the form of 600-plus concrete jungles, at a rapid pace. The real rural parts of China are retreating further and further back into the hills. And while admittedly, I’ve been one to harp on, that every city in China is glaringly unique, there’s a definite mirror image shining on many of these newish, urbanised China city-scapes. There’s concrete…lots of it, high-rises, rows and rows of them (many empty)….cranes careening across the sky and a maze of highways, thronging with cars in every shade and shape. Most of them new(ish) by the way….given in these cities, cars are a relatively ‘new’ fad. Ten to 15 years ago, the roads were all but empty of the 4-wheel variety. Despite the definite modernisation taking place, there are as many, if not more bikes, trikes and Tuk Tuks chugging through the streets than Xi’an….along with an endearing ramshackle feel, I like to call the “real” China. At first sight, the city has less character, charm and possibly less sophistication than it’s 2nd-tier neighbour, Xi'an….but it doesn’t matter so much, because the city is not what tourists come to see. Unless, like our hotel guest relations manager proudly tells us, her chest puffed out, "You come for the Peonies!" Apparently, Louyang has them in spades…. only in April though, so if this is your thing, you need to plan accordingly. Mostly though, it’s the famous Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottoes that claim many a traveller’s time. Naturally they made it on to our itinerary, but unlike us, I would advise reading up on the two well before you get to the actual site and frantically try to Google their claim to fame. An hour and a half drive from Luoyang to the Shaolin Temple, it’s by no means a quick trip. To this day it's the main temple for the Shaolin school of Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On arrival, as if on cue, we spot a rare monk, his long orange cloak flowing behind him as he walks purposely along the pathway, mountains in the distance, temples standing tall in the background. It's a mystical moment. These days, the site has become rather commercialised, so while it’s still a monastery, I’m told, finding monks that aren’t perched behind stalls selling trinkets or cold drinks is difficult. Despite the hoards of tourists now flocking to the sight though, high up in the Song Shan Mountains, the surroundings feel quite peaceful and enchanting. Getting around is less mystical and slightly more mystifying - if you don’t speak/read Chinese. We waste many a moment in the blazing hot sun looking at maps, perplexed and pained! You see the area is not just limited to a single temple…it’s spans a huge area (that you cannot get around quickly, especially with small person in tow) with everything from the Pagoda Forests to caves, kung fu displays and cable car rides. After eventually working out where the ticket office is and deciding we need to hop on a buggy to get “somewhere,” our first stop is unintentionally the Shaolin Temple. Built in 495AD it consists of seven platforms, each layer with what they call 'halls' in typical Chinese architecture. During its heyday, it housed more than 3,000 monks and today the monastery is still home to monks in training. And then there's these scary fellas, who guard the Hall of Heavenly Kings. They're Buddhist warrior attendants. And while my ego is utterly deflated when my attempts to speak Chinese fall completely flat, there are plenty of options to practice. Every few steps, a proud parent is shuffling little 'Wang Xiao' or 'Zheng Cai' into our personal space for some chit chat, hand holding and a photo. I decide talking to the kids is much easier. Our next stop, the Pagoda Forest… we have a little trouble finding our way here too — neither the hotelier or I are good with directions at the best of times, let alone when they’re in another language. (About now I'm strongly lamenting the fact that we don't have a tour guide!) Anyway, I have another go in Chinese and to my relief am understood. We make it to the forest, which is actually a cemetery made up of tall stone pagodas. Each Buddha was given his own Pagoda tomb - around 15 metres high; the layers and the shape depending on their status, attainment and prestige achieved during their lifetime. I'm trying to be impressed, but given my current status living opposite the pagoda of all pagodas, I'm struggling a little to appreciate their significance. Blame the heat! Admittedly, the forest looks a lot more awe-inspiring from above! Feeling hot, thirsty and more than a little tired from so much foot work, in a heat-induced state of delirium, we find ourselves agreeing to take the cable car up the side of the mountain! Now in any country in the West, I would be a little timid about jumping on one of these at the best of times, but in China, when I know all too well how things are made, I'm aware I may have momentarily lost my mind. As we wait to get on….it's literally a case of leaping into the steel-framed, open, rather rattly cable car, hoping for the best. Up we go, tugged up the mountain side. Doing my best not to be overtaken by sheer terror, I try to appreciate the serenity. Ok, it is tranquil. Not so much on the other side…. a rare (in every way) platform overlooking the stunning mountains made for the perfect photo opportunity, except for the pesky man who keeps trying to tell us we can't take our own photos. Instead he's encouraging us to stand with a number of odd pieces, including a stuffed tiger with it’s teeth falling out and a double swing with live peacocks either side! That’ll be ten kuai thanks. It’s about now I think we just need to get off this, er ride…. An ice cream to quench our parched bodies and ease the heart palpitations, we jump back on the cable car for an ever so slightly less terrifying ride down. Everyone on the way up is cheerily yelling out “Hello” to the Waiguo ren as they pass us…a site no doubt…as rare as the peacocks to some, so we reciprocate with a bit of cheerful "Nihao" and I manage to relax enough for a selfie. Back down and we end up back where we started. We've missed the Kung fu show but are lucky to spy about 200 boys practicing Kung fu. We sneak in (as inconspicuously as the three foreigners can) and watch for a good ten minutes. It's mesmerising and indicative of the discipline China’s children possess. On the way to and from Luoyang city, we pass through the villages I've been keen to see… it's nearing dusk and kids are out playing amongst the rubble, parents are winding up their stalls for the day, sweeping away mounds of rubbish; elderly members of the community are sitting on plastic chairs just content to watch the traffic roll by. Rested and recharged, the next day, we gear up for a trip to the renowned Longmen Grottoes. It’s a 45 minute drive from the cities (but just FYI from the train station, just ten minutes)…. Again, our newly inherited travelling complacency doesn't bode well in 35 degree heat, but after getting some Chinese out with ‘slightly’ more success, we find ourselves walking for at least 30 minutes to reach the grottoes on the other side of the river. Stretched over a kilometre, there are more than 2000 caves and niches carved into the stone. These amazing statues of Buddha and his disciples are carved into limestone rock on the side of the cliff and their sheer size and the detail make it impossible to be unimpressed. Carved over centuries, the style of sculptures change significantly. Just when it seems like the intensity of the sun will sap the last of our energy, curiosity and another ice block gives us the strength to climb these extremely steep steps! Tag teaming it up to see what all the fuss is about, at the top, it's definitely worth the effort. (My Fitbit would agree if the battery hadn’t died.) At the end of the spectacle though, it's with much relief that we can take a boat ride back to the start. Sightseeing almost over for these three Amigos, a 45 minute ride on the high speed rail later and we're in Zhengzhou, our stop for the night - a city of 9 million! A gigantic concrete jungle, Zhengzhou is the capital of Henan Province. It's one of the nation's major industrial cities and has become known as a rail hub, you can travel virtually anywhere in China from. It's also a huge coal mining area. Hello pollution! And of course, just to make sure we don't forget we're in China for a second, the ubiquitous rumbling of fireworks can be heard across the morning sky. So, after an action-packed weekend of adventure -- peering at buddhas, grottoes, kung fu and chaotic concrete jungles -- it was time to travel at high speed back to Xi’an…our own pocket of madness in the Middle Kingdom, where the adventures just keep on coming. This is China. Info: Train Tickets Xi’an to Louyang 174.50RMB Luoyang to Zhengzhou 101.25RMB Zhengzhou to Xi’an 239RMB Children half price Entry Fees Shaolin Temple 150RMB - shuttle buggy 25RMB Cable car 50RMB Longmen Grottoes 100RMB plus shuttle bus, if need to get into the site from the entry point. Ice-blocks (Around 10RMB) ;) … [Read more...]
BOOK RELEASE: Once Upon An Expat — Now Available on AMAZON!
Cue fist pumps all 'round! Once Upon An Expat has been released! If you are curious to know what it's like to live as an expat anywhere from Africa to Asia, the Middle East and beyond.....or you are or have ever been one of those people living away from home, this book is for you! From stories of falconing in Qatar, a never-ending bus ride through Sub-Saharan Africa to being put through your paces in a Brazilian gym, Once Upon An Expat spans the globe. Not to mention my story, "Feels Like Home" inspired by that Qantas ad. If you're an Aussie you'll know the one I mean..... it's all about what happens when your expat posting becomes your 'new normal' (what do you mean it's perfectly ok to relieve one's self in full view of er....the world?!)....oh and my story may involve Tim Tams. :lol: Catch a glimpse into the good and the not-so-good parts of being an expat. Living away from your 'home' country brings trials and tribulations you could never have expected, but it also creates amazing memories, magical moments in time and remarkable and unexpected friendships, that last a lifetime. Once Upon An Expat will take you on a fascinating journey through the eyes of many courageous (and yes, quite possibly crazy) expat women. ;) If you're heading into that long summer break, let this be your holiday indulgence! If winter's coming your way and you plan on curling up with a good book.... look no further. ;) So many belly-laughing, heart wrenching, terrifying and downright crazy adventures to captivate you. Today is the day you can get your copy on Amazon. All author royalties will be donated to Books Abroad, helping promote literacy and education in developing countries. Click here to order. Happy reading! Cheers, Nicole … [Read more...]
Laowai in Xi’an—Expat Life in Second Tier China…. with ‘Limitless Laowai’ – Part 2
"You've heard me say it before, but I'll say it again...because it's a phenomenal fact....there are over 600 cities in China and only four are considered first tier cities!" I caught up with Ally Mona from 'Limitless Laowai' for part two of our interview series on life in China. Ally is without doubt, the queen of podcasting in China and helps thousands of expats coming to China to settle in successfully. With over 100 interviews up her sleeve so far, there's something for every expat or China enthusiast! Oh and just for the record...the definition of Laowai:老外 literally means "old outsider" (I know!) but is really an informal or slang term for "foreigner!" With most of Ally's interviews emerging from "Laowai" in the first tier, Ally was keen to find out what's going down in the second and third tiers. This is where I come in! ;-) Rich in history, Xi’an is of course well known as a world tourist attraction -- but what is it like to live here? What does it feel like to be the first (and perhaps only) foreigner people around have ever seen? What about the medical system? And how can you find community? Those are just some of the things we talked about. Tune in to hear all about life in the second tier here at Limitless Laowai. If you missed part one, it was on that old chestnut, reinvention! You know, when you uproot and move to a new city and feel like you have to completely start from scratch because you've lost your identity? How do you do it? That's here: Psst...They're both around thirty minutes...so don't be put off by the ad break in the middle. Happy listening! … [Read more...]
Shaun the Sheep, Poisonous Plants and Butter Lettuce Bouquets. This is China.
The Wheels on the Bus to Xi'an's Agricultural Fun(ny) Farm It began much like a lot of my outings in China. On a bus…. on route to, absolutely 'no idea' where! There were about 20 of us, a jovial mix of Australians, Americans, English, Singaporean, Malaysian and Chinese. It was 9am Saturday morning and we were in China on the happy bus to the funny farm! (Who wouldn’t be laughing!) Some of us had been in Xi’an longer than others, so the ‘unusual’ sights looking out the window, weren’t as hair raising; some were long-stay guests at the hotel, who come for a month, then (said without a hint of jealousy) escape. Some were friends visiting — the eye boggle more prominent than ever as we drove through ramshackle villages. Lunchtime? In my mind we were going to a farm to “pick veggies”….which as much as I’m not really a farm kind of girl, I was intrigued. Xi’an is after all, the cradle of farming civilisation. (True Fact: There’s evidence of farming around these parts as many as 7000 years ago!) And with our apples the size of bowling balls, not to mention the reddest of red, juiciest strawberries and baseball-sized onions, it’s hard not to think of China and agriculture without thinking about those scandals involving exploding watermelons, melamine tainted milk and detergent-soaked pork. This trip was all part of an outing the Westin Hotel had lovingly prepared for valued guests to see Xi’an in all her glory. And let’s face it, I know they’ll always be packed with action and amusement! (You may remember the cultural day out?!) This day was clearly going to be no different. After a 20 minute ride or so, we found ourselves mid country-side, rather arid looking pieces of land splayed out either side of us…..and then amongst it every so often, a rare patch of growth…spring vegetation. We came to a halt and let out a cheer, but alas this wasn’t our stop; our bus was just pulling over to the side of the road to ask for directions. We were a little lost. The gate had mysteriously moved, as it so often does in China. Ten minutes later we arrive….at the Fendong Modern Urban Agricultural Demonstration Park. It’s a showpiece ripe for the tourist’s picking. Leading into the grand theme park, lavish lawns, streams gently trickling, arched stone bridges, magic pathways and sheep. Plenty of sheep in all manner of poses, all looking suspiciously like that well known British character, Shaun the Sheep! Unsure of his relevance apart from the obvious, the kids loved him. On the way in, a few cartoon cut-outs, for good measure, where you can pose for a (sheepish) Disney shot…or not. Then before us, four giant greenhouses…. The first one packed with rows of lush, oh so green vegetables growing in all their fresh hydroponic, organic glory! (Which I’m pretty confident is a rarity around these parts.) We’re each handed a red basket. Our mission: to pluck the veggies we hope to cook and eat later. Many of them look familiar: tomatoes, lettuce in all sizes and shapes, radish, chives… but there are others we don't know. Many are medicinal herbs, of which I'm eager to know more about! Should I be secretly stowing them in my handbag? We’re told the butter lettuce makes great bouquets for Valentine’s Day. And it’s no joke. Their exclusivity means they’re expensive but not as expensive as a dozen red roses and of course they last longer….until she gets hungry. Once we've got our stash, it's handed over to the chefs (the real ones), while we continue our glass house tour. Stalls are ever so conveniently set up on the short walk between each green house, selling everything from strawberry juice to trinkets, lavender potions and strange tasting nuts. I waver and cave, purchasing a bottle of blueberry juice. The other greenhouses are like overgrown jungles….very exotic we're proudly told! Mostly they appeared to be of the tropical variety which I dare not tell her, can typically be found in many a back yard Down Under. Up here though, in north west China, a stone’s throw from the desert, they’re clearly an anomaly. Paraded before us, among other flora and fauna, banana trees, flowering hibiscus, a Frangipani, and a group of cacti…I try my best to look impressed. (Unlike the little boy who takes it upon himself to relieve himself in the midst of all these cherished nursery plants)! For the locals this is akin to a tropical oasis in the middle of a dust coated plain …it’s regularly booked for wedding shoots; loved up couples happy to pose in a hot house amongst the geraniums for the perfect shot. Lettuce bouquets optional. Just don’t get too close to the poisonous flowers….we're repeatedly told they are highly toxic, but that doesn't stop one local getting extremely up close and personal with the pollen. Once the tour's over, we're herded out back for a Masterchef cook off! Several cooking stations set up for each team to mimic the chef's dish using our own handpicked produce! With Ava, my girlfriend from Down Under and I on the hotelier's team….he was going to have to work for his supper. Masterchefs we're not! Thankfully others were! It was a stark reminder that while many of us take fresh, safe produce and lush green gardens for granted…here….it's still a luxury that's by no means afforded to all. It seems like a strange contradiction though, when I read that China ranks first in the world for farm output and feeds 22 per cent of the world's population with seven percent of the planet’s arable land but is also the biggest importer of agricultural products, unable to feed its own burgeoning population. A little over a decade ago China had 700-million farmers, today there are around 200-million. Farm land is still owned and controlled by the state and leased to farmers, so they can't sell it. With little reward for their efforts, and China’s rapid urbanisation plan, farmers are moving in their droves to the cities. China plans to move 250 million rural residents into newly constructed towns and cities over the next decade! (And that's a story for another day.) Farming in China is still very labour intensive with heavy reliance on fertiliser and pesticides to maintain high food production; as a developing country, keeping standards acceptable on a global level is challenging. (Errr hello fake eggs and rotten meat scandals.) Following a string of these food safety scandals, China’s people are now demanding better standards — but the reality is, while China has advanced agricultural research centres and laboratories for research, getting that data and educating the the millions of small, rural farmers on the ground is extremely difficult. The majority of farmers don’t know how to produce organically, let alone what it stands for. The Fengdong Agricultural Centre website boasts it’s recruited more than 2,000 local farmers to work for them, who mainly grow corn and wheat. No matter how hard they struggle, the best gross profit they can make is around 1,500 RMB a year (US$230). According to Fengdong, one farmer can earn at least 1,800 RMB per month with them plus extra income to rent out their land. One of the local farmer's is reported to have said: “I've only seen such a modern plant factory on TV and I feel thrilled to personally work here and get exposed to the latest agricultural technology!” A telling quote. They say their goal is to transform traditional farmers into modern agricultural labourers. So perhaps this agricultural theme park is on the money. One small step in the fight against scandals like those exploding watermelons? Butter lettuce bouquets all round? Don't even think about it. ;) This is China. … [Read more...]
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