Bei Hai Park

Emily and Amanda eating popcorn on our paddle boat before we almost got run over!

Only a few of the many many stairs.

What we found at the top of all the stairs :)

I love dragons!

75 cent heavenly lunch! yum!

Day 17- Bei Hai Park

Today Emily and I woke up and decided to go explore a large park! We rented a paddle boat on the lake and almost got ran over by a larger boat.  We hike to the high high high White Dagoba.  It was so hot climbing the many many stairs but the few was amazing.  You could see what Beijing must have looked like a long time ago.

After a few attempts we got a taxi and headed off to the Bell and Drum Towers.  We decided againist the stairs but walk around the many hutongs of Hou Hai.  We ate very tasty steamed buns and noodles.  The meal cost us each 75 cents.  We then made our way back to the hotel very tired and satisfied with our success and adventure.

Day 16- Lama Temple

The Lama Temple has been the best thing I have seen in Beijing so far.  It was a place not just for tourist but a place of worship.  It just felt so special to be around the energy of a place with such history.  I walked around alone just smelling the incense and listening to the bells.   Simple and pleasant.

After I got a call from some other MCAD students who are teaching at the Rainbow School in Beijing.  I went and had a lunch feast with them in one of the fanciest restaurants I have eaten at.  I ate the Beijing pecking duck wraps.

The day ended with the lovely surprise of Emily coming in to Beijing for a visit!

Lama Temple

Monks moving incense

Everyone left prayer incense and the air smelled sweet with hope.

Forbidden City

Many many people

Dragon

Temples

Whole family wearing shirts saying smile :)

Night Market- Chinese Street Food

So many people!

Breakfast

PanJia Market

Dinner

Day 14 and 15- Welcome to Beijing

Last couple of days have been rather hectic.  I was driven from the village to what feels like the largest city and hottest city I have ever seen, Beijing.  After checking into my hotel that has a real bed, hot water, fully working plumbing, a little fridge and ac, I thought I had gone to heaven. Xiaobei, the director and my friend Bai came with me.  After dropping off all my bags we went off to explore.  We walked through huge malls and down small alleys.  We stopped for dinner at a small restaurant and had noodle soup.  Bai stayed with me that night.  We laughed for a long time about how to say bed, bad, and bird. In the morning Bai took me shopping at the PanJia Yuan Antique Market.  We took the subway there.  I am not sure if I have ever been in any space with so many people.  People were pressed against my back and front.  They were all pushing.  I was getting close to puking when we got off.  I decided no more subway in Beijing for me.  Luckily my hotel is only a few blocks from most things! On our way to the market we stopped at a glasses complex.  A mall of all glasses stores.  I bought a new pair for $20!  Then of to the market to bargain for some jade.  By 1am I was beat.  We came back to the hotel and Bai left for the residency and I slept for three hours.  I woke up hungry.  I did something I would never do.  I stumbled upon a mall food court with a subway and DQ and I ate both! 

Day 13- 798 and Goodbye Feast

Yesterday 13 of us loaded into the mini van and went into Beijing for an opening of a past residence here.  We went to 798 and walked around to many other openings.  There were so so many people.  It was great to see some contemporary Chinese art but the highlight might have been sitting down drinking fanta and people watching.  With all art scenes come some interesting people and China is not exception.  We all met back in the van and head to an amazing restaurant in the country.  It was the Chinese version of farm to table.  It was a sort of goodbye party for me being that today is my last day at the residency.  We ate fish with eggs, fried corn, noodles, pumpkin and many things I can not remember.  Food just kept coming.  I have not been able to eat a lot in our small town between the heat, people smoking in restaurants, and the one restaurant we have to go to in our village.  Emily and I thought it was like a Christmas Banquet.  We were so happy.  But then as luck would have it.  I got sick as soon as we got home.  Why China why?  It was still a great day.  Now I must pack for part two of China.  10 days in Beijing.

Goodbye Dinner

798 Art Area

Chinese Sister :)

Goodbye Feast

Day 12- Square Dancing

Time is hard to explain here or even understand. I was asked if I still want to teach people how to dance in an email. Of course I said yes think it might happen in a few days but no it happened last night. Ann had sent me some simple calls for dances and Emily had some old fiddle music on her music. I had not figured out how I planed to teach a group of Chinese to square dance much less how to call. But it seemed to come together. When we reached the town square some woman where already dancing. Only woman. As the word spread that we were going to teach dancing the amount of people tripled. Basically I taught through example. We did the Virgina Reel and a circle dance. We never successfully completed one dance but we sure did laugh a lot. There was lots of clapping and smiling which I believe might be the core of square dancing anyways. After our dance the woman tried to teach Emily and I Chinese dance. We were both failures but it was fun to try. I am not graceful enough to be a Chinese woman. My arms do not float and when I wip open a fan trust me it is no smooth. I put up some photos from the Chinese dancing. The square dance videos will have to be posted when I get home and have faster internet.

Square Dancing

All the people watching the woman dance

The dancers

The square

Day 11- Goodbye Internet

So the internet has been turned off.  I am sitting out in front of an American expats house using his.  He knows.  But not so easy and hot.  So I might have to say goodbye for a few days.  I am hopefully hosting a square dance in the town square tomorrow night and Monday I leave for Beijing. I will be in Beijing for 10 days and then flying home!  I am sure many adventures to come.  I will do my best to update!

Day 10- Hard to remember

It is hard to remember what I did yesterday.  It is so hot here that you just forget what you are even doing as you are doing it.  We did get invited to a friends house for dinner.  While eating I realized I have not touched a fork in over two weeks.  You have to eat fast here.  Everything is put in the middle of the table and people go for it.  I am the runt.  I am not fast enough.  I do not eat enough.  I never had brothers.  No one trained me. This has been hard!  I am hungry.  I am going to look forward to to having a stove, a fridge, and my own plate but I think I am going to keep the chopsticks!

Breakfast Bun

The very nice man who works here just gave me this.  It has honey and sesame seeds in it!

Day 9- The Store Again

We went to the grocery store which is about a 1/2 drive from our village.  This time I was given a cart and set free.  I did more exploring then buying.  It is hard to buy food with no fridge or stove.  So I go more crackers.  I found oatmeal and the best find was Gatorade. I hate that stuff at home but here it is not possible to drink enough.  You are always sweating.  Each small thing takes a day here.  I am exhausted.  I still seem to wake up at 5am.  Not sure if it is the ply wood bed, the goat family or the coal train.  Maybe all three.  I think I am going to go to Beijing for ten days starting next week.  So that I can see the temples and visit schools for work.  I am excited to eat dumplings every day!  Hot Pot and all kinds of tasty snacks.  

The Great Wall

The Great Wall before The Great Rain Storm

My Great New Friend

Day 8- Great Rain and The Great Wall

Yesterday I went to The Great Wall with three friends from the residency.  We went to a part that is about an hour from where we live.  We took a city bus and I got to see many small towns as we wound our way up the mountains.  It was very hot and I had no clue what I was in for.  When we reached our destination I realized I was in for a special treat.  They had brought me to a part that was not common for foreigners.  I was the only white girl.  As we started to walk the wall unfolded but so did the sky.  We ran for shelter.  We waited under a tin roof next to a lake for a big storm to pass.  When it passed we hiked up to a small metal ladder that we had to climb one at a time to get on the wall.  When you reached the top it felt like you could touch the clouds.  We had to climb parts of the wall on our hands and knees.  It was amazing.  More amazing then I ever even thought it would be.  We were the only ones on the wall because of the rain.  We danced and sang.  It was refreshing.  I am came home exhausted!  I will try to post pictures but the internet is so so so slow it is hard sometimes!

Day-7- Out on our own

We decided it was time to leave the gate on our own.  Seems like an easy thing but we A.did not know where to go and B.did not know if the gate would be closed when we returned.  We took two other bikes which might be worse then the one with no brakes!  Each bike a broken crank so the peddles barely worked.  We road up into the small village where everyone even the dogs stopped to look at us.  Don't blame them I was wearing my surf shorts but you can't blame me it is hot! People here where bright mis matched pjs all day so I thought maybe my green surf shorts might be better then my all black dresses but nope.  After riding in circles we asked someone with the help of my iphone where a store was.  He just nodded his head no.  So we headed home defeated but then out of no where another guy from the residency showed up on his bike.  He brought us to a store we had passed not knowing it was a store.  I got a piece of rotisserie chicken.  Then we road home feeling we did it, yes with some help but we did it anyways :)

Now I am leaving to spend the day at 798, the art gallery area in Beijing.  Yay, adventure.

Store in Town

Day 6- Locked Gate and Sick Belly

Yesterday was hard.  There was a huge storm in the night.  It some how brought many little beetles into my room.  I want to inform the nice young man at REI that the net he sold me saying it had a special spray on it to keep bugs away really seamed to be like warm pie in a window sill for these beetles.  I woke up to lighting that lit of my room and showed me all the beetles.  I lost it!  I put on my hooded fleece and sneakers got some tissue paper and started the death march while crying.  Looking back it was really funny but at the moment not so funny.  The rain however did clear the smog.  At 5am I went on a hike to the base of the near by mountain.  I will never climb the mountain though because I was told I would need a large knife to kill snakes!  For lunch I made some amazing ramen noodles and then spent the rest of the day working on some art.  I want to organize a square dance in the village.  The villagers do not like the artist.  Being an artist in China is very different.  I was doing some square dance research when I thought I saw everyone leaving for dinner. So I ran out to join them.  My friend Mr. Mao said to go home but I did not want to get left out.  When I reached the bottom of the hill I saw why he said go home.  The villagers had locked the gate. Will not say more other then wow, so that I can keep my blog.

After all the excitement Emily and I ate dinner with Mr. Mao but I started to feel sick. The night did not end well.  There is always a chance here the whatever enters my mouth with not turn out well.  I was not so lucky last night.  I was supposed to go into Beijing today but I am to weak and tried.  Hopefully tomorrow. 

Day 5- Broken Bikes and the History of Tea

My day stared with a bike trip to the market which is in the town over.  I road a bike that must have been built in the 50's, had no brakes, and the handle bars where bent to the right, so I could never straighten out my arms.  I got to ride down dirt roads, through a corn field, and past a herd of sheep.  I saw a woman making sesame oil and ate a crepe like breakfast wrap with things I am unsure of what they where in it.  It was amazing.  I also pasted a square where I think people might dance!!!  I came home to have a 3 hour tea tasting with 4 new friends.  I got what the Chinese call tea drunk.  I learned about the history of tea, the wars fought over tea, about different types of fermentation and tasted many yummy teas.  Each so different.  It was like going wine tasting. 


The night ended with a cultural misunderstanding and disagreement about an art project they want Emily and I to photograph for.  We are working on how to explain what we feel or I might use the only way I seem to be able to leave anything here.  I am tried.  I think they think I sleep a lot! Think I am going to start saying I have work to do...

Pictures

Friend made me breakfast. Eggs, Noodles, and Cucumber.

coal train

Friend, Mr. Mao

forever long train!

Day 4- Polyester Jump Suits and first poem

I actually stayed up until 10:30 last night at got out of bed today at 6an not five.  Maybe I am adjusting to the time change.  Everything is just enough different that I always seem to be off.  I can not make my tongue speak mandarin, each step is a bit closer,  I have been trying to learn Tai Chi from a master here but my body just does not want to move that slow.  Here is a poem I wrote about this yesterday-

Year of the Rabbit-
She said you are sly, shifty
in a place where hands shaped like flower blossoms
move with great force and unbearable slowness that
contradicts your simple breath
all awhile coal trains blow your concentration
and his goats add to the morning sound tract
with interchangeable tea cups always being refilled
and coffee both weak and to strong
you search for the balance you may have misplaced in a box
or suitcase
or possibly never had
he tells you to practice everyday
small bit by small bit
you search for symmetry in the characters
the words
the sounds your tongue can not make
that your hand can not follow and your body struggles to hold
lying in a straight line you are no longer bothered
but comforted in a land you once tried to dig to
you have now arrived
half a day early
on the other side

The polyester jump suits is another story.  Some how Emily and I were convinced to be part of a video project where we wore middle school Chinese uniforms and walked on a mountain.  When we get the pictures I will post.  The things you do for art and with a language barrier.  We laughed so hard we were both crying.  Just means now they will all square dance for me :)

Day 3- photos

Emily with my coarse edible crackers which were actually good.

Yummy Mr. Fish

Man full out sleeping in Ikea in Beijing.

Day 3- Ant Wine and Ikea

I now understand that if I leave the residency I will be gone all day.  That I will go many places and return so tired that I might not make it up my stairs.  But it is worth it.  Yesterday I woke up at 5am again and this morning I woke up at 5am.  By 9am we were loaded in the warm van towards Beijing.  There has been a group of dancers here who we had to drop of at their next destination.  Then 5 of us were off to Ikea.  I do not say no to any trip.  We got to do a drive by of T Square and see the painting of the master himself(names left out so that I can keep my blog).  Then it was lunch time.  This time I focused on the cabbage.  It was so so good.  Then it was Ikea time.  It was so odd to be at Ikea in China.  For one thing families actually take ownership of different displays.  They all lay down in the beds, nap on the couches, take off their shoes and make themselves at home.   I guess it is a good idea AC and a bed with a real mattress sounds like a great place to take the family.  I bought a curtain so that the workers behind my bedroom and shower can no longer look in.  I can now shower standing up but I must say with the squat toilets and trying to not give a free show in my shower I am building some strong quads.  After the epic trip to Ikea we headed over to the directors house for a very tasty dinner.  The night ended with Emily and I drinking a sip of wine that had fermented ants and a snake in it. I guess we now have good sexual health.  Not sure if it was worth it!

snacks

My tea set complete with awesome bag of green tea!

All the crackers I was allowed to put in my cart plus one I sneaked in. 

Lychee

Day 2- Made my own tea!

Yesterday was an epic day.  I had four hours of sleep, was not sure of how I ended up in China and was taken on my first shopping trip!  A. it was hot B. i was half wake C. there are so many people.  But luckily I had some amazing help.  I will include names once I can figure out how to same them and remember them, so many amazing people here!  So Xiaobei, the amazing woman who runs the whole ship here and her son who has been our translator took us into town.  Her son pushed my cart and said yes and no to things I put in my cart.  It became a rather funny game.  The hard part is I do not have a fridge and it is HOT here and I do not have a stove.  So I bought a hot water boiler for tea, sanitizing water, and for yes you guessed it ramen.  I am going back to my college years.  Ramen and crackers.  But I did get my own tea set, a cell phone in case you want to call china, and a fan! When the shopping extravaganza was over Xiaobei treated us to lunch.  It was AMAZING.  I ate so many dumplings that kung fu panda would have been impressed.  When we returned home I fell asleep so hard that when I woke up I thought that it was morning and had no clue where I was and why a mosquito net was over me.  But I woke up just in time for a BBQ.  I guess it was our 4th of july.  We grilled, ate watermelon, drank beer, and danced to bad American pop music.  I went to bed tired and when I woke up this morning to my own tea set and green tea I knew life is going to be ok! 

Breakfast Found Me!

I know there have been many post today but what can I say I have been up since 5am with no one to talk to.  After posting some photos and went off to explore the museum.  An older man working there kept saying or at least I think saying to follow him.  He brought me to the roof of the museum.  I got to see the sun rising over the many mountains that surround where I am.  That was when I thought ok this is why I am here.  It is all going to be great.  As I walked back to my studio I got stopped by another artist sitting on his steps.  We began to talk in broken English, Chinese, French and Spanish.  Many others started to join.  I am not sure if they heard my belly but they asked if I wanted food.  This just started the most amazing breakfast of my life.  You know this has to be good because I do love pancakes.  But my new friend Fish and his girlfriend fed me a soup with peanuts, lentils, rice, and milk, which was great.  Then we laughed and Fish did Tai Chi and then we drank cup after tiny cup of tea for about an hour.  I wanted to cry! 

People here are so amazing!

New Home

Out my bedroom window

backyard

The great wall around the residency

plywood bed

shower

very nice sink

muesum

other artist sculpture

my studio

very steep stairs to room and studio desk

getting ready to explore

The Winds of Luck

The winds of luck were blowing my way yesterday. It what started as a delayed flight from Minneapolis to Seattle which sounded like I might miss my connection turned into meeting an amazing woman, a professor from Macalester who teaches African Studies and who is making a film about Chinese railway workers in Africa and both of us getting upgraded to first class for our 12 hr flight to China. My seat lied down, was served a fours course dinner and now have some nice delta slippers.

It was a success reaching China. Last night I blew up my therma rest, put in my head phones and did my best to not hear the coal trains or the rosters. But I was up at 5am. I am off in search of a shower and food. Will update with pictures soon!

Artist in Residence

Artists in Residence at the Shangyuan Art Museum in Changping County, China 

I leave July 1st to spend two months, as one of the first US citizens, at residence at the Shangyuan Art Museum. As quoted on their site, "Some Chinese poets and critics speak of Shangyuan Art Scene as a utopia of art, which is to say that in a standardized, uniform society, Shangyuan Art Scene is searches for a certain kind of difference, whereby each individual, each creative self, every creative living entity is honored for the way in which they seek their value and meaning of life".

http://www.syartmuseum.com/eng/endnews.asp?id=1885&hk+News+headlines