Same Fish, New Pond: Surprise, Surprise!

Here's the good news...

With a new travel visa in hand, I can stay in Beijing without having to leave the country every 30 days. What a relief. Everyone, let's take a deep sigh together. Aaaahhhhhhh...

Our early March trip to Hong Kong for Z's participation in a Fulbright sponsored conference, was overshadowed by the stress and costs of having to obtain a new travel visa for me. We eventually got things settled (remember us having to swear an affidavit that Z and I are married when we got back to Beijing?), and I received my new visa just last week. I try not to calculate in my head all the different ways we could be spending the money it cost us to obtain the new visa. I haven't been in the mood for writing until now mainly because I've been nervous about all the red-tape and bureaucracy that comes with ~~travel~~ living in another country sometimes. Through the end of July when my visa expires, I can continue on my path of Beijing life. You might be thinking, "What happens at the end of July?""Are you returning to the States, will you stay in Beijing?" All good questions. We don't know yet. That's a post for another day.

For now, let's get back to the Beijing path of life. I have been looking forward to spring in Beijing, ever since the fireworks promised it was coming. With the heat turned off on March 15, the warm weather couldn't get here fast enough. Hong Kong was a little reprieve for us from the harsh winter weather of Beijing. But Hong Kong was also a bit of a tease; tempting us with its tropical foliage, its sunshine, its alfresco ease of an evening drink with friends. So what, the Hong Kong subways don't smell like hot stale breath? So what, the streets are perfumed by sweet fragrance and the skyline is blue? So what, the strawberries are in season and ripe for the eating? So what, there is haven of Western goods (if you've got the cash to spend), and a Marks and Spencer around every corner? So, what?

Colonialism is bad. Colonialism is bad. Down with imperialism. Oh, for the sweet smell of paradise. The palm trees. The simplicity of grocery shopping. The sandwiches. The hop-skip-jump of the metro system. Colonialism is bad...I'm sure one day we'll be back to Hong Kong. It is beautiful. There was lots on Hong Kong's islands we did not have the chance to explore. I still want to see the Big Buddha and the pink dolphins, and I still want to eat more dim sum lunches. Perhaps when HK is handed back over to China in 2014 we can visit without the hassles of return visas. 2014 is a mere three years away. As the mainland influences more of the culture and policy of HK citizens, perhaps also, more people will learn to speak Mandarin over Cantonese and I will be able to understand more around me. I thought I would never be able to understand the difference between the two languages, but I could hear it right away in the tones, clicks and drawn-out vowels I don't hear when listening to others speak Mandarin.

The second half of that trip we were in Macau, the other special administrative region of China. I relaxed a bit more and took a lot of pictures of the Portuguese influence on Macanese life. There's no elaborate subway system in Macau, you have to get around on foot, by cab or bus. Besides the stretch of flashy casinos and lights, built for risk-taking tourists and Macau's main economic source, things seem a little more at ease and cozy on the island. The architecture, for the most part, does not topple over the city the way it does in Hong Kong. All around we were washed in the pastel colored Portuguese colonial homes, juxtaposed against Chinese door gods and incense offerings. The hybrid of English/Cantonese/Mandarin/Portuguese makes for interesting cuisine, sightseeing, and strolling. I don't know that we would have chosen to go to Macau on our own accord, but I am glad we had the opportunity to visit, and I'd recommend it to anyone who happens to be nearby.

And like that, it's April. This month promises to be extraordinary. It's six days in and Spring has finally arrived! I am looking forward to the many visitors we have to receive in the coming weeks. We've already started out the tourist season right, with a planned visit by my uncle, and a surprise visit by my aunt! Uncle M travels to Asia for business frequently, and he made a special stop on his tour this time around to see us. But the top prize for long-distance travel goes to my aunt. The night M arrived, Z and I met him at his hotel, and we all kicked back in the lobby lounge area for a drink before we headed out for dinner. Instead of the seeing waitress, imagine my shock when my aunt strolled over carrying the tray of drinks. It was a great start to an unexpected week of learning more about Beijing and one another. Our first visitors of the 2011 brought the sunshine and a promise for a spectacular spring. I got lots of practice speaking Mandarin in the markets, and learned how to introduce my father's younger sister and her husband as my gugu and gufu!