Dress Codes and Other Observations from Suzhou

Images of the winning team

Dress Code. One of the immediately apparent differences between China and India is between the types of clothing that women and men wear. Indian women, in both the north and the south, usually dressed in local costume. That is, usually in a sari, salwar kameez, or kurta. Only in some sections of Delhi or other of the largest cities (or in Bollywood photo shoots) would you ever see a (young) woman in a skirt or shorts or revealing any leg. The clothing is is marked by vibrant colors and lots of decoration. Jewelry is very prominent. In China, on the other hand, one rarely sees anything that I'd call traditional or local costume on men or women. The women tend to wear western-style clothing with skirts, dresses, or shorts with high hemlines. Having spent so much time in India, the sight of females with legs almost came as a shock. I perceive no difference in women's clothing from that worn in the contemporary West. Chinese men get the most boring clothes award, about as bad as contemporary Western males. In India, the more educated and well-to-do dressed in a Western style, but often with some Indian flare. In the north you'd see stylish kurtas on men and in the south, many men wore longis (man-skirts; long or above the knee, depending on taste). Thus, in a head-to-head match-up of India and China re dress, India wins.

N.B. The number and ease of women in the public spaces in China compared to India deserves a complete post of its own. I perceive a huge difference. 

Everyday wear in Kerala, this is a mundu (a white longi)

Decked out to be checked out in a sherwani

Firecracker 500. Some mornings here--before 8 in the morning--I'll hear bursts of firecrackers go off in our compound. I do not know the occasions. A wedding announcement? The anniversary of a death? The birth of a child? I don't know. Such events seem entirely random to me. Since we have a number of multi-story buildings in our compound, we get quite an echo effect.Howver, let me assure that nothing has matched--or can match?--Jaipur during Devali. Now that was a lot of fireworks, by everyone, everywhere in the city, all night. We'll have to see how Chinese New Year shapes-up.

Learning Mandarin. So far my efforts have been self-taught and computer-assisted only. It's a matter of baby-steps. The first thing that I'm trying to do (per the advice of those who've given the matter series consideration) is to learn the Pinyan system of sounds and tones. (Mandarin is a four tone language.) I'm trying out small phrases here and there as the situation allows. I'll keep readers posted, but it's not easy, and we do miss the Glamorous Nomad's help. For my lunch outings, pointing is still my best bet!








     

Shirtless in Suzhou & Other Observations from Suzhou

"Shirtless in Suzhou" or "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem". Some little cultural differences that one observes from time to time in a foreign country really strike us. In this case, I'm referring to the fact that in hot weather one sees some Chinese men pull up the their shirts to bare their midriff, or they completely remove their shirts. I haven't seen this phenomena much here in the Chinese burbs, but I have seen it here and in Chengdu. It's not something you see a lot of, but you do see it, and for obvious reasons, I couldn't resist the first alternative title. And I have to admit, I haven't seen anyone shoeless in a restaurant, so I admit to some artistic license with the second alternative title. I haven't done this, and I won't until I have those 6-pack abs. You can breath easy now. And for what I hope are apparent reasons, no photos with this piece.

"Let me point something out to you."Today I went to lunch and to the cleaners for the first time here without the Glamorous Nomad as my interpreter and guide. To say that my Mandarin is not up to these tasks is an understatement the size of Mt. Everest. But I find that resort to the universal language of pointing and grunting can work. Based on a picture in the restaurant, I received a delicious bowl of noodles, the specialty of the house at my favorite neighborhood eatery. As for the laundry, I'm hoping that they got my sign language that one set of clothes needed ironing only (back and forth with the hand) and the other needed washing and ironing (making a hand-washing motion followed by an ironing motion). Time will tell. Anyway, the opportunities for miscommunication are rife, but with my current (miniscule) level of Mandarin, it's all we've got. (Technology fails us here, as C recruited the GN to give us the phrases, but my phone is in the shop getting gerry-rigged for China, thus leaving me bereft of guidance.)

Check this out:  These photos from The Atlantic online provide a glimpse of 21st century China. China isn't not quite as diverse as India, in that it's much more modernized for the most part, but it is an ancient culture and one in amazing transition such that no particular scene seems out of place. We haven't been here for long, but you don't need to be here long to get a sense of "yup, that's what we see".

Cool, cool water. At home, that is, not from a Chinese home or restaurant. While the hot, sultry days of last week made cool water from the frig a must, when I was out at our local coffee shop (NB: coffee shop, not tea house) and I'd finished a delicious panna cotta, the barrista gave me a glass of warm water. That's the Chinese way. They don't think cold water a good idea, even in warm weather. Needless to say, I found that first sip a bit disconcerting, yet I've lived to tell the story. I think that the difference comes out of Chinese traditional medicine. Just another one of those little cultural differences.

Dream Living

Do you recognize this skyline?

Before we left for China we spent several days with friends who live in the far north side Chicago burbs. For the most part, the weather was mild, the scenery green, and the people tame. As you ride the train to downtown Chicago, you view the pristine towns along the way. Sometimes the facades seem too perfect, but nothing's perfect. The towns seduce you as if a part of Norman Rockwell's America. A walk to the lakeshore revealed beautiful, manicured homes from around the turn of the century built by Gilded Age businessmen to escape the heat and bustle of the city. The houses—only houses—were all single-family. When it comes to material well-being, this is an alluring example of the American Dream. (These folks do have to put up with harsh winter weather. As I said, nothing's perfect.)

From our bedroom window in the Chinese burbs

Now we're in China, where we get to see the Chinese Dream. We didn't appreciate this until the Glamorous Nomad* noted that she enjoyed staying in the "suburbs". "Suburbs"? All around us are high-rises and not a single-family dwelling in sight. Yet, on further reflection, she's right. Wide boulevards, manicured greenery, and modern amenities make this area into the burbs, China-style.
Our apartment, on the sixth floor of a 22-story high-rise, is brand new. We're the first inhabitants. Everything is in good working order, and as a special treat, all the knobs are solid and hinges don't squeak. C has decorated with a mix of Indian and Chinese motifs, and I'm looking for a Tibetan thangka to grace a wall, but we’re doing well on the move-in.

Our compound (gated & fenced) with manicured greenery & walkways. Very nice.

Can China sustain and continue the Chinese Dream along these lines? This is a huge question for them and for the rest of the world. But for now, they're doing well indeed.

*The Glamorous Nomad, or has she’s designated in China, “Number one daughter”, is currently our special house guest, welcome-to-China interpreter, and guide extraordinaire.