By Kyle Goodall
Special to The Review
Parting with my Beijing family was a sweet sorrow. Yu and Mei have been my parents for the past three weeks, and Dou Dou a ‘brother from another mother.? Aside from trying to pack all of my souvenirs, my final days were jam-packed with exciting exhibitions and many opportunities to connect with the ‘Chinese heart.?
Having a large police force shut me down at the Great Wall for handing out free balloons wasn’t so great, but the following day’s trip to the famous Laoshe Teahouse made up for my inability to acquire a government mandated permit for clowning.
After a weekend of ‘chilling? (my Beijing host brother’s favorite English word), a day at the Beijing Botanical Gardens, and my first kung fu lesson, I still survived last Monday’s trip to the Lama Temple, which holds the world’s largest Buddha! I didn’t think China could have gotten more interesting? And then came Shanghai! Well, first a train ride. Confusing the tiny red ‘ONLY USE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY? button at midnight with the toilet-flusher was quite an experience. Good thing I know Mandarin for ‘I’m sorry!?
But after three weeks of living in China, ‘I’m sorry? isn’t the least of what I can say. Unlike my Beijing family, my Shanghai parents don’t speak English at all. In fact, since I’ve arrived in Shanghai, the most English I’ve used is when I’m teaching new words to my host brother, Jerry, 17. It’s amazing what just a few weeks of immersion can do!
Shanghai feels a lot like home. The first dinner conversation with my new parents went from American politicians we don’t like, to my dad bequeathing me with an expensive Chinese liquor to bring home to American family. I can’t say anything like that happened in Beijing, but it’s important to understand that even though the People’s Republic of China is a unified country, there still remain huge differences among the people of China.
Though it’s correct to say Chinese people speak Chinese, it’s more accurate to say that they speak Mandarin, China’s national language. Because there are over 1.3 billion people in China, and even though they use the same characters when writing, the various Chinese dialects are so vastly different that they can actually be considered separate languages. There are 56 main ethnic groups in China. Likewise, 56 languages that follow. In Beijing, the capital of China, my family spoke Mandarin. My Shanghai family can also, of course, speak the national language, as can all Chinese citizens, but when they’re with their friends they use Shanghaiese.
Another difference besides language that comes with location is lifestyle. Beijing is the heart of China. Naturally, it houses the most history of one of the most ancient civilizations. Shanghai on the other hand, is less traditional. Shanghai’s people prefer to be more up-to-date with the latest trends of the world. My Beijing family might enjoy a weekend trip to tour some temples, whereas my Shanghai family would much rather walk the streets of the famous Nanjing road. When I look back at Beijing, I think Gettysburg or DC. Shanghai is much more like Chicago or New York.
I’ll conclude this update by rectifying a stereotype about the Chinese, and Asians in general. We’ve all heard that Chinese people are ‘smart.? In China, and around the world, education is highly valued. But because China has so many people, competition for well-paying jobs is cutthroat. Aside from the pursuit of knowledge, students need to stay smart to stay on top. Most children and teens that I’ve encountered in China even have intense homework over the summer! Not because the school assigns it, but because the parents are looking out for their children’s best interest? a strong education.
For updates on my life in China and stories from Beijing, check out www.kgoodsinchina.blogspot.com.