Medicine

Our colleague E and her husband Zheng Yiu are so kind. Her mother-in law-taught her about a Chinese remedy for colds, especially the kind that people tend to get in late October. When I started coughing, she went to a traditional medicine store and bought packages of herbs. It is the kind of store where the herbs are stored in small wooden drawers. After two days of drinking this, and also hot water, I am feeling much, much better.  

"I thought I saw a chicken ....

"I thought  I saw a chicken, ...

... but it was really a small white dog wearing a yellow sweater." 

Yesterday the same dog was wearing a smart red plush coat with black trim.       

Magdelena and Mr. Jiang at the Vasa Nordicways Orienteering event at Jingyeun Park last weekend.

Smog

 Yes, that black substance is definitely coal  (with a nod to Beyond the Fringe.)

Heating plant for the south campus of Jilin University

What does smog look like? Hard to say, because you can't see anything. About 8 pm last night what looked like a heavy mist, then a fog, rolled in.  There was a slight smell of smoke in the air. When sun rose it looked like a heavy winter mist, not unreasonable as the temperature has been hovering around freezing.

A quick check of this web site  http://aqicn.org/map/china/  revealed that the air quality index in Changchun is very, very high. You might have seen the following news reports:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/record-high-smog-in-china-closes-schools-roads-1.2129037  and http://qz.com/137562/chinas-northeast-hit-by-air-pollution-so-bad-you-cant-see-your-own-fingers-in-front-of-you/   

First of all, to concerned family and friends:  we are being smart, not exercising outside and keeping the windows closed. This afternoon we are going out to buys some masks like in the articles and I have ordered some more that filter out more of the particulates.  We are also going to get an air cleaner or two for our apartment. We need our lungs for singing and paddling and biking, not to mention breathing.

This afternoon the sky is much clearer, not the bright blue that we have had most days since arriving two months ago, but with visibility back closer to normal.  Interesting to reflect that we can and will return to our relatively clean air in Ottawa.  How long until we face the same situation there? Will Nykka and other little ones in her generation have to buy masks to wear outside when they grow up?

The young teachers form California have been so concerned about cold weather, and of course this is  worse. You can always get warm with the right gear.  But there some funny moments. Both Tyler and Ryan wore scarves up over their faces to get to class (as did I.) We all managed to startle each other.

Brings to mind stories my dad Harry told of the big London smogs in the early 50's, when he had to follow the buses to walk home.

So, go outside and take some deep breaths.  And please take two extra ones for David and me.

XO EE

Another Changchun Blog

Hello blog friends,

We found another blog written about Changchun.  Some of the observations are so similar to ours and others different.  http://lifeinchangchun.blogspot.com/

EE

Happy Thanksgiving!

Meeting room and festive table. Carol and Roy Kirby
are on the right. We are here because of them,
wonderful educators, mentors and friends.

The Canadian members of staff organized a pot luck dinner tonight. It was held in our 6th floor meeting room. Good food and company, and we get to do it again for American Thanksgiving!

Fancy new clothes tailor-made in Chanchun. (The no smoking sign on the wall is about as effective with staff as it is with students.)

Turkey (think the Swedish Chef)

Some of our colleagues

Monica (left) from Central Michigan University,  Ruth (retired USAF) and Tyler from California

We are a lively and eclectic group.

s

A Ninj For All Seasons (David)

Those who know me – ahem (slight cough here) well – are cognizant of my craving for comfortable clothes.  This personal quirk has, ironically, exposed to me to much painful ridicule by pals appalled by my love of lounging.

Their main objection, near as I can tell, is based on aesthetics.  As I am the only professional certified philosopher of the lot, this has left me hurt, confused and slightly miffed.  After all, the whole Beauty is Truth thing was originally the product of philosophy, whatever Keats might claim.  I feel a bit like a dancer must when her walk is being denigrated by a pack of penguins whose notion of bipedal locomotion is a shuffle punctuated by an occasional (and yes, I must admit it, fun!) slide on the tummy.

This current decade alone has seen otherwise pleasant and reasonable women of my acquaintance raid and reduce the contents of my closet.  Patient and well-documented explanations of the value and vintage of my shirt collection have been summarily dismissed by patently immaterial opinions.  Objections that “xxxl shirts make you look like tent city in headwind”, or “wide collars and paisley are sooo 1971” and even “there are holes on the elbows and the collar is frayed through” are not logically sound.  I mean, why would such subjective notions of suitability carry any water in the mind of a man whose professional and personal exemplars are renown for discovering universal truths while toying with the loofah?  But humans are social creatures.  I dress, therefore I am. A. Drab.  

But here in China, things are very different.  This is a society which, when it comes to dressing up, remains unsullied by the protestant ethic.  Less Jean Paul’s “Hell is other people sneering at my pants” and a lot more Sartorial splendor.  The heady freedom of a fringed dress shirt!  Bold reds! Vibrant blues! Shimmering gold! And bright, bright yellows!  (The latter, I admit, makes me look a bit like Dave the Minion, but no matter).

And patterns.  Little thin vertical lines, swirls and curves, and tight precise stitching for no other purpose than to please the eye.  After a lifetime of plain pastels and checks, China is a revelation, a cornucopia of colour, a tempest of texture and a drawing of delight.

My latest acquisition is only superficially related to the drab sombre shades of my adult life.  It is, I admit, black,  but what a black it is.  Images of tar, deep mine shafts, or starless nights will not do it justice.  Think rather Ninja black.  With dragon pattern. And a banded collar with frog fasteners down the front.  Perfect.  Pajamas, yes, it’s true, but nifty enough to wear to Thanksgiving dinner.  Which is exactly what I’m going to do, unless the brocaded long coat is delivered early.

The girls will hate it, but this time I know I’m right.  Thank you Mr. Liuo.

 
  

The Jingyuetan National Forest Park

"Jingyuetan National Forest Park (净月潭国家森林公园; Jìngyuètán Guójiā Sēnlín gōngyuán), (45 min from downtown to the south east of the city). It is the largest man-made forest park in Asia, and a great place for skiing in the winter." (from http://wikitravel.org/en/Changchun )

It also contains a wonderful (seven stories no elevator) lookout tower from which we were able to take many photos.

Here are some views of the city of Changchun looking north from the park.

 
Looking south and east over the reservoir

No sign of houses or construction.  The park is huge and there are many km of walking and skiing trails. It is also home at the end of December to the Vasaloppet China, a huge cross country ski loppet in China.  It has  recreational as well as coopetitive categories, and ski rental and instruction available.  How cool would it be to ski in a race here?  Wow! A focus for training.  See http://scandasia.com/vasaloppet-ski-festival-in-china-draws-increasing-crowds/

There is also a large Buddhist temple on the grounds.  The monks were working around the place, wearing saffron coloured work shirts and pants presumably over long underwear.  It was cold, not going above 5 degrees all day in a brisk wind. There will be many temples and photos. David was very happy.

This magnificent bell is housed in a tower at the top of a big (200 steps) hill.  Of course David had to ring it!

Looking down the stairs at the base of the tower.

From left, E.'s husband, E.  (short for Elizabeth, teacher friend), Monica (another prof who is based at Central Michigan University) and David E.A.

This could almost be a lake in Gatineau Park

 Such a beautiful place on a beautiful day.  A breathing space in our city filled adventure.

Of course, I don't have photos of the mini comic-con that was going on at the park gates.  Some of the costumes looked rather chilly. On the way home, E. and her husband graciously took us to a couple of big stores to look for a few items. Changchun has three different downtowns. It's a tad confusing still.  We managed to "score" a free English map from the only place they are available,  the lobby of the Shangri-La Hotel. That should help us to feel a bit more oriented. (In the Orient?)