It had to happen sometime that these people from China would try to rip me off. Today for lunch my co-worker and I went to this Chinese foodcourt by our office which is located within a Chinese shopping center.. but the kind where it's a million little stalls and you bargain for fake LV and Hermes. Ok so that should have been a warning sign to stay away. Anyways, I went to a place where my co-worker had eaten before and was charged triple the amount! Even though we were in conflict over a lunch which costs USD$1.50, it's the principle right?! I refused to pay and called my co-worker who set off on a verbal dueling match with the owner. The owner ignorantly said that there are different prices for locals and foreigners. Not impressed. Needless to say we won the duel and it was ok in the end but here's what I learned:
1) "Jenn, turn the friendly down!" My friends have continually told me to 'turn the friendly down' and to not be so naive. Perhaps I do need to develop my 'street smarts' but it's in me to give others the benefit of the doubt. This won't stop me from engaging in the Beijing local community but I'll up my 'game' and return to this post later on in the summer for an update!
2) Never compromise your values for anything. Isn't that what our moms always taught us?
3) I'm Canadian. Although ethnically I am Chinese, my Western culture is shown through the way I speak, act, and think.
Done my rant.. wow, blogging really is therapeutic!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Where are my lions at?

Last night I attended a Columbia Beijing Alumni Event at Trends Lounge in Beijing! It was great evening to connecting with students past and present. To all the rising freshmen - congratulations!!

The photo here is of myself and two friends, Buyu and Xiaojing, from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. They are also interning in Beijing this summer. This photo was taken under a mall and entertainment complex called “The Place” which is home to the Asia’s largest outdoor television screen. It is used to play music videos, show graphics such as swimming fish, and also rotates to text messages sent from patrons below. I believe this screen uses the same technology as the screens inside the Birds Nest Olympic Building. I highly recommend that everyone visit during the evening, order a drink at one of the cafe's below the screen, enjoy the conversation of some good friends, and watch the magic of this screen descend upon the people and children playing below. It's magical!
Forbidden City!

Although it was my fourth time visiting the Forbidden City I must admit that it never gets old! It is so gigantic that there's always something new to discover and forgotten history to remember! On your next visit to The Forbidden City, make sure to wear comfy shoes as it’s a LONG walk and be sure to try the local Chinese popsicles that people will be walking around and selling out of cardboard boxes! They're so good - you will not be disappointed!
Visiting the Forbidden is pretty much a necessity for any tourist visiting Beijing, however, it also serves as an important piece of Chinese history as it served as the home for emperors and their households, and a place for ceremonial and political affairs of the Chinese government for almost 500 years. The Chinese Imperial Palace covers 7.8 million square feet with 980 surviving buildings and 8,707 rooms.

Today the Forbidden City is filled with tourists from around the globe, Chinese military guards, and vendors selling all types of memorabilia. It’s interesting to see different groups of Chinese tourists from different parts of China in their tour groups! Adorned in neon-orange hats and led by their loud tour guide carrying a similar orange colored flag, I watched a group of 30 Chinese senior citizens follow their tour guide with excitement and big smiles on their face! Perhaps these senior citizens have waited all their life for their big trip to Beijing or perhaps they were just happy to recall a bit of history! Whatever it was, it was extremely cute and it’s joyful moments like this that make life special!
It's yummy tummy time!

Feast your eyes on some delectable treats which I came across in Wangfujing, one of Beijing’s most famous shopping streets! Yes, those are real bugs and no, I didn’t try any! Anyone who’s been around me will know that I can’t even handle being in the presence of a live bug! The result is usually whip lash from sudden body movements and a scream!

“Snack Street” offer visitors with a wide selection of exotic street food such as meat kebabs, candied fresh fruit sticks, dumplings, soup noodles, grilled corn, Chinese desserts, Japanese octopus balls, Taiwanese “smoking” bubble tea, and fresh pressed peanut snacks! Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was…… until I saw a few special food items which make Wangfujing so special! Deep fried insects, scorpions, beetles, and grasshoppers to name a few! A street vendor even introduced me to black spiders imported from South Africa! Oh joy! I usually try to be culturally sensitive but I couldn’t hold back the look of uneasiness on my face as I saw a street vendor skewer live bugs onto a stick, whose feet were still wriggling back and forth! While these peculiar friend insects may not be your ‘cup of tea,’ they help to uniquely define Wangfujing and provide its visitors with a memorable visit, or else it would just be another street of food vendors.
The name of Wangfujing back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) where 10 aristocratic and princess residences were built here, and where a well full of sweet water was discovered – “Wang Fu” (aristocratic residence) and “Jing” (well).
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in China.. By Getting Your Elbows Ready!

What is up with people taking the Beijing Subway during rush hour?! My jaw literally dropped when I witnessed the subway doors open, which triggered swarms of people simultaneously shoving their way in and out of the subway. There were a few subway attendants, who looked like 18 year-old looking girls dressed nicely in their red uniform skirts, shouting things in Mandarin which I would guess to be requests for people to line up and let people out of the subway before others get in. However, their words were lost in the wrestling match of subway patrons. What shocked me even more was when the door closed on some guy’s back, this young subway attendant proceeded to use all of her force to SHOVE his back into the subway door! I was shocked... should I join the madness or cop out and take a taxi? No, I've made a commitment to reduce my carbon footprint so the subway it is! I stayed and was one of the last people to make it into the next train with the door closing almost on my face. When the subway pulled up to the next stop, no one got off, except 7 people on the platform proceeded to shove their way onto the train. Literally sandwiched between a business gentlemen and a teenage girl who kept coughing everywhere, I couldn’t wait to get off the train! I've only used the subway for 3 days but now have no problem using my elbows to aggressively navigate myself on or off the subway.
I think that Beijing definitely has the ability to fix this problem. First of all, get those 18 year-old female attendants off the subway tracks and roll in some of the military to control the madness. Create some barriers for people to line up and enforce these rules for a few months. Beijing's subway system is very modern and has the potential to be so much more than an elbow and pushing society! When I get back to Toronto/London, I'll have to remember to lose this bad trait for fear of getting slapped with a lawsuit! Until then... my elbows are ready!
Photo credit: abc.net.au
Hello UNICEF China!

I'm finally here at UNICEF China! (www.unicef.org/china)
For those who aren't that familiar, UNICEF is the United Nations Childrens Fund and operate in 190 countries worldwide. It's focus areas include child survival and development, basic education and gender equality, HIV/AIDS and children, child protection, and policy advocacy and partnerships.
Day one of work was great! I got to meet my highly intelligent and friendly team mates, learned a bit about the group, and settled into my very own desk! For those of you in auditing/consulting, you know what I mean! We never have our own desk! As this is my first desk ever, it's decorating time! So far, my first decorative item is a small tube of 'kiss my face' peaches & creme moisturizer from Whole Foods in New York City.
UNICEF China is located on Sanlitun Road amongst all the world embassies, which is a very pleasant area to walk around in. UNICEF is treated like an embassy here so we also have anywhere from 1 to 3 Chinese military guards on the front driveway. Everyday I try to smile and say 'ni hao' (hello!) to the guards! UNICEF is also located across from 'The Village' which is a large outdoor shopping and entertainment district - perfect for a little lunch time escape!
So what will I be doing here? I'm not entirely sure yet.. but it will be a mix of different projects - research, project management, and hopefully some field work. My first assignment is to work on a project on public governance for health system reform in China.
Some interesting, yet alarming, UNICEF China statistics:
- 1.5 million children in China are cut off from mainstream society and depend on the street for their livelihood and shelter.
- Nearly 500,000 chidlren under five die every year in China. They are 5 times more likely to die in poor rural areas than in the cities - partly because their families cannot afford medical card.
- Extreme poverty keeps over 3 million children out of school.
- 21.48 million people in rural China live on less than approximately US$0.30 a day.
- Over 22 million children in poor rural areas have been "left behind" by parents who have migrated to the cities.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Feng Shui Leads the Way!

On February 2009 an accidental fire caused by Chinese New Year firecrackers consumed a brand new hotel building in the central business district of Beijing causing the death of one firefighter and many others injured. Over a year later the abandoned building stands strangely juxtaposed against the summer sun, which serves to reveal the skeletal remains of the burnt building that had never been used. While this building serves as a visual eyesore, it stands next to the popular China Central Television headquarters (CCTV), one of the tallest modern wonders of Beijing, which employs 10,000 people and allows China State Television to produce over 200 channels.
While the burnt building stands isolated and abandoned, it has caused quite the stir from the people in neighboring buildings. The culprit? Feng Shui - the ancient Chinese system of aesthetics under the laws of Heaven and Earth to improve one’s life by receiving positive “qi,” or energy. Apparently this burnt building stands as a billowing pillar of bad luck which has scared all of society from its presence. Due to Feng Shui, land developers refuse to build new buildings near the burnt building, while employees within nearby buildings have requested that their offices be physically moved to face another direction away from the burnt building. Since the burnt building is somehow connected to CCTV, the city has not yet demolished the building and is still deciding its fate. Until then, it will be a part of my daily sights to and from work!
Xiong Mao Zai Nar?

"Xiong Mao Zai Nar?" = "Where are the pandas?" That's what happens when I don't know the mandarin word for "zoo!" :)
This weekend a friend and I made our way to the Beijing Zoo! The highlights include their many species of monkeys, the white tiger, and of course the "xiong mao" pandas. However, another interesting thing for me to see was a high concentration of Chinese-speaking children squealing in delight of the animals and running all over the place! The only other place I've experienced this is when I was in Chinese school as a kid, but even that is a poor representation since half the kids were English speaking Chinese-Canadian.

The Beijing Zoo has been criticized by some for the lack of 'happy' animals. I was told, "if most zoos are like jail for animals, then the Beijing Zoo is death row." Okay, I'll admit that the animals didn't look thrilled to be cages (except for the monkeys - they seemed to be having a great time!), however, what animals typically look happy to be locked up? Remember the killer whale incident at Sea World earlier this year? If you're visiting China and only want to see pandas, I recommend going to Ocean Park in HK or even better, make your way to Chengdu for a panda excursion where you can get the chance to hold a baby panda! Great day at the zoo! Pandas - check!
The Yale Whiffenpoofs

On Day 2 of Beijing a fellow Columbia lion (http://rangelfellow.blogspot.com) sent me an invite to a Yale alumni event to see the Yale Whiffenpoofs (http://www.whiffenpoofs.com/) perform in Beijing as they kick start their world tour. The Yale Whiffenpoofs are the world's oldest a cappella group and consist of 14 senior males. The event was held at 'The Pavillion,' a wonderfully charming outdoor patio with plush white wicker couches which we enjoyed during the sunset and under the stars! Great evening with a few Columbia girls who are also interning in Beijing... even if we did wait over an hour for dinner!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Day 1 Challenge - Eat As Locals Eat
Today was my first full day in Beiing! It was a beautiful day - plesant, a little damp from the rainy night before, but not humid yet! Definitely good for the hair considering my hair dryers and such don't work here (shopping mission for day 2!).

Around lunch time I strolled around looking for a place to eat. Although I'm technically in the so-called "expat" zone everything is still very much in Chinese amongst the modern architecture. Every restaurant venue I peered into through the windows had only menus in Chinese and were minimal on pictues. Hmm.. I saw two easy options (1) a Subway sandwich shop, and (2) a Chinese pastry store. In an effort to reduce my carb intake (thanks jp!) and not revert to western sandwiches (such as in Singapore when we had prata instead of McD's for breakfast), I told myself to just pick a Chinese place for lunch and give it a try!

So I chose this friendly looking restaurant and got a seat (easy enough!). But then the waitress placed a menu down which was completely in Chinese. I know how to read 'rice,' 'congee,' 'beef,' and 'chicken,' but nothing on this menu included these items! Anxiety? Yes! Thankfully I found a take-out menu with photos by the front and was able to point my way into an order by saying 'noodles' in mandarin. Result = Successful! I ended up ordering a beef noodle soup with vegetables and this side circle bun thing with chives and egg inside.
There is someting completely scary about being in a city where I can't communicate, read, or write in Chinese. Even sitting on that 13 hour flight and being engulfed by the Mandarin speakers was a mini preview of what the summer will look like. My family speaks Cantonese but not Mandarin, which are completely different to me. Yesterday my driver and I had a part-Mandarin-Cantonese-English-written Chinese conversation, it worked! Although if I'm going to survive this summer I'll need more than that. Therefore, goal #1 "to learn Mandarin"
Note: I'd like to post photos but I can't seem to access those buttons. Blogspot is banned here but I've been able to find a proxy to get limited accsss. Does anyone know?

Around lunch time I strolled around looking for a place to eat. Although I'm technically in the so-called "expat" zone everything is still very much in Chinese amongst the modern architecture. Every restaurant venue I peered into through the windows had only menus in Chinese and were minimal on pictues. Hmm.. I saw two easy options (1) a Subway sandwich shop, and (2) a Chinese pastry store. In an effort to reduce my carb intake (thanks jp!) and not revert to western sandwiches (such as in Singapore when we had prata instead of McD's for breakfast), I told myself to just pick a Chinese place for lunch and give it a try!

So I chose this friendly looking restaurant and got a seat (easy enough!). But then the waitress placed a menu down which was completely in Chinese. I know how to read 'rice,' 'congee,' 'beef,' and 'chicken,' but nothing on this menu included these items! Anxiety? Yes! Thankfully I found a take-out menu with photos by the front and was able to point my way into an order by saying 'noodles' in mandarin. Result = Successful! I ended up ordering a beef noodle soup with vegetables and this side circle bun thing with chives and egg inside.
There is someting completely scary about being in a city where I can't communicate, read, or write in Chinese. Even sitting on that 13 hour flight and being engulfed by the Mandarin speakers was a mini preview of what the summer will look like. My family speaks Cantonese but not Mandarin, which are completely different to me. Yesterday my driver and I had a part-Mandarin-Cantonese-English-written Chinese conversation, it worked! Although if I'm going to survive this summer I'll need more than that. Therefore, goal #1 "to learn Mandarin"
Note: I'd like to post photos but I can't seem to access those buttons. Blogspot is banned here but I've been able to find a proxy to get limited accsss. Does anyone know?
Mobile Technology + Social Change + Toronto!
Mobile Tech 4 Social Change in Toronto is taking place on June 9th at the MaRS Discovery District during Net Change Week, and we are very excited for our superstar line-up of speakers and experts. Katrin Verclas, Founder of MobileActive.org will be our morning keynote, followed by sessions being led by Dale Zak of Apps4Good, Mobile Giving Foundation, ZipGive, Toronto Public Health and HJC New Media.
Our evening keynote will be none other than Professor Iqbal Quadir, Founder and Director of Grameen Phone and the Legatum Center at MIT and former TED Talks speaker. GrameenPhone is the pioneer of the Village Phone model in Bangladesh, which changed the way low income communities access connectivity. Quadir now supports students starting initiatives at the intersection of entrepreneurship and technology in developing countries.
We encourage you to attend if you are in the Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, or East Coast area! Please forward to friends and colleagues. I would also like to extend our evening keynote discount code to those on this list: ncwk_student (65% off; $10 ticket).
Register Today: http://www.netchangeweek.ca/conference/events/mobile-tech-for-social-change-2/
Mobile Tech for Social Change Mobile Tech for Social Change comes to Ontario for Net Change Week 2010! Wednesday June 9 from 9:00 to 5:00 PM MT4SC-Toronto will provide you with the knowledge and tools required to make mobile a cornerstone of your organization's communications strategy.
Register today and receive a complimentary ticket to our Wednesday evening keynote: Mobile tech and the Global Threat Set (reception included) Register Now!
http://mt4sc-2010.eventbrite.com/ Keynote & Cocktails:
Mobile Tech Take Over
Professor Iqbal Z. Quadir, Fou
Wednesday June 9 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM With the advance of global threats like climate change, pandemics, food and water shortage, the public will be called upon with increasing regularity to respond to crisis. Mobile tech is giving us a new way to leverage the humanity of people worldwide. Register Now!
http://mt4sc-2010.eventbrite.com/
Our evening keynote will be none other than Professor Iqbal Quadir, Founder and Director of Grameen Phone and the Legatum Center at MIT and former TED Talks speaker. GrameenPhone is the pioneer of the Village Phone model in Bangladesh, which changed the way low income communities access connectivity. Quadir now supports students starting initiatives at the intersection of entrepreneurship and technology in developing countries.
We encourage you to attend if you are in the Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, or East Coast area! Please forward to friends and colleagues. I would also like to extend our evening keynote discount code to those on this list: ncwk_student (65% off; $10 ticket).
Register Today: http://www.netchangeweek.ca/conference/events/mobile-tech-for-social-change-2/
Mobile Tech for Social Change Mobile Tech for Social Change comes to Ontario for Net Change Week 2010! Wednesday June 9 from 9:00 to 5:00 PM MT4SC-Toronto will provide you with the knowledge and tools required to make mobile a cornerstone of your organization's communications strategy.
Register today and receive a complimentary ticket to our Wednesday evening keynote: Mobile tech and the Global Threat Set (reception included) Register Now!
http://mt4sc-2010.eventbrite.com/ Keynote & Cocktails:
Mobile Tech Take Over
Professor Iqbal Z. Quadir, Fou
Wednesday June 9 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM With the advance of global threats like climate change, pandemics, food and water shortage, the public will be called upon with increasing regularity to respond to crisis. Mobile tech is giving us a new way to leverage the humanity of people worldwide. Register Now!
http://mt4sc-2010.eventbrite.com/
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