Sunday, September 12, 2010
Change of Plans
So obviously, haven't really been updating the blog. Guilty as charged. Turns out it's blocked by the Chinese government so I'm starting a new one. It's located at dutchguyinchina.weebly.com if anyone is interested. Thanks!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Mulan, Yao Ming, and Fortune Cookies
Cute title, huh? Did it grab ya? Haha, I don't know...I was kinda proud of it...But anyways, seeing as this is a first post, I suppose I ought to say something about who I am and why the heck you should consider reading this blog at all. Well, my name is Ryan DeVries (I know, I know, REALLY Dutch, right?) and I'm a soon-to-be senior at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a sort of Dutch CRC Mecca for those of you unfamiliar with it.
This fall, I will be studying Mandarin Chinese at Capital Normal University in Beijing. I don't really know what to expect, except for the fact that I'll probably stick out like Fraulein Maria on Jersey Shore for the first couple weeks. ('cause she was a nun, right?) Be that as it may, I'd be pretty tickled if you'd take a minute or two once in a while to peek in on my experiences here. 'Cause there's nothin' more tragic than an unread blog, am I right? (probably not) But seriously, it would mean a lot.
If you're wondering what there is for you to get out of this, gimme a sec' to conjure up my self-marketing alter-ego. Well, oddly enough, it all goes back to the title, which (believe it or not) has a purpose. First off, these were the first three things to pop into my head when I thought of China. Maybe your list isn't all too different. But, more importantly, this list represents three sorts of experiences that I anticipate having in China--three sorts of experiences that are actually pretty common to life in general, I think.
Mulan
Mulan was probably one of my favorite Disney movies growing up. The kinda movie that makes you feel warm, fuzzy, and a maybe a little racist-y inside. Oh, cultural stereotypes... (Haha, wow, that's such a "liberally" college thing to say). But to me, Mulan represents those moments, ideas, and places in our lives where we feel safe and comfortable, even if they don't correspond exactly with reality. I guess part of growing up is coming to terms with those moments and learning to see our own perspective as one of numerous ways of living life. During this trip, I will dub my moments of cultural self-reflection and cultural stupidity as "Mulan moments".
Yao Ming
For all the non-basketball fans out there, Yao Ming is a professional basketball player roughly the size of the Sears Tower. Also, he's Chinese. (Apparently they aren't all short--I guess stereotypes CAN be inaccurate) In life, though, especially when we're in an unfamiliar setting, I think we all have those "Yao Ming moments" when we feel really small and insignificant, alone in a forest of Yao-sized problems. I'll likely have my share of these over the next couple months, as I'm sure you will. When one comes along, I'll probably share it as a "Yao Ming moment", assuming it isn't TOO embarrassing. 'Cause it can be a worthy exercise in humility to be reminded from time to time of our own limitations and shortcomings.
Fortune Cookies
Finally, I don't know about you, but fortune cookies are one of my favorite parts of Chinese-American cuisine. Something about those lucky numbers brings out the kid in me, I suppose. They also represent, for me, the unexpected events--both good and bad--that catch us off-guard in the daily act of living. Oftentimes, I think these are the things that we remember the most and help us grow. So the "Fortune Cookies" section will be devoted to those sorts of unanticipated moments of joy and trial. Might be good for a laugh now and again too.
Well, that's it for now. And how's this for an anti-climatic conclusion? I haven't actually even left yet, or even begun packing, to be honest. (maybe that's the procrastinator in me) But I'll keep ya posted as departure date approaches next Tuesday. Thanks for joining me on the adventure!
This fall, I will be studying Mandarin Chinese at Capital Normal University in Beijing. I don't really know what to expect, except for the fact that I'll probably stick out like Fraulein Maria on Jersey Shore for the first couple weeks. ('cause she was a nun, right?) Be that as it may, I'd be pretty tickled if you'd take a minute or two once in a while to peek in on my experiences here. 'Cause there's nothin' more tragic than an unread blog, am I right? (probably not) But seriously, it would mean a lot.
If you're wondering what there is for you to get out of this, gimme a sec' to conjure up my self-marketing alter-ego. Well, oddly enough, it all goes back to the title, which (believe it or not) has a purpose. First off, these were the first three things to pop into my head when I thought of China. Maybe your list isn't all too different. But, more importantly, this list represents three sorts of experiences that I anticipate having in China--three sorts of experiences that are actually pretty common to life in general, I think.
Mulan
Mulan was probably one of my favorite Disney movies growing up. The kinda movie that makes you feel warm, fuzzy, and a maybe a little racist-y inside. Oh, cultural stereotypes... (Haha, wow, that's such a "liberally" college thing to say). But to me, Mulan represents those moments, ideas, and places in our lives where we feel safe and comfortable, even if they don't correspond exactly with reality. I guess part of growing up is coming to terms with those moments and learning to see our own perspective as one of numerous ways of living life. During this trip, I will dub my moments of cultural self-reflection and cultural stupidity as "Mulan moments".
Yao Ming
For all the non-basketball fans out there, Yao Ming is a professional basketball player roughly the size of the Sears Tower. Also, he's Chinese. (Apparently they aren't all short--I guess stereotypes CAN be inaccurate) In life, though, especially when we're in an unfamiliar setting, I think we all have those "Yao Ming moments" when we feel really small and insignificant, alone in a forest of Yao-sized problems. I'll likely have my share of these over the next couple months, as I'm sure you will. When one comes along, I'll probably share it as a "Yao Ming moment", assuming it isn't TOO embarrassing. 'Cause it can be a worthy exercise in humility to be reminded from time to time of our own limitations and shortcomings.
Fortune Cookies
Finally, I don't know about you, but fortune cookies are one of my favorite parts of Chinese-American cuisine. Something about those lucky numbers brings out the kid in me, I suppose. They also represent, for me, the unexpected events--both good and bad--that catch us off-guard in the daily act of living. Oftentimes, I think these are the things that we remember the most and help us grow. So the "Fortune Cookies" section will be devoted to those sorts of unanticipated moments of joy and trial. Might be good for a laugh now and again too.
Well, that's it for now. And how's this for an anti-climatic conclusion? I haven't actually even left yet, or even begun packing, to be honest. (maybe that's the procrastinator in me) But I'll keep ya posted as departure date approaches next Tuesday. Thanks for joining me on the adventure!
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