Day in pictures
I still haven't become brave enough to take photos of everyday people and scenes around Jinan. I tell Josh its because I am trying to blend in. "If I take out my camera, people will know I am not from around here." He doesn't buy it. Truthfully, I am afraid of giving the impression that I have never seen poverty before and want photograph it for all my rich friends back home. I am not sure what you can officially call "poverty" and whats just considered uncomfortable by American standards.
I also have a new-found respect for privacy. It certainly is an experience to be stared at everywhere you go. People point you out to their friends and a whole group may turn around to look. Now, if I see a photo of Jennifer Aniston on the beach, I feel like I can relate to the lack of anonymity. Of course nobody knows anything about me, but they think they do. I don't like to go to the store in my sweats, and I am aware that people are watching what I pull off the shelves. A couple of weeks ago, I was in the checkout line at the supermarket and two men in line behind me were having a conversation about what was in my grocery cart. I knew thats what they were talking about because they were reaching over and pointing at items in my basket. I think its comical most of the time.
There is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed foriegn teacher who has been here for 2 or 3 years. She doesn't care for the pointing and staring so much and finds clever ways to show it. She points right back or looks behind herself with an over-the-top intrigued facial expression as if to say "what are you looking at? whats back there??" when she knows full well its her. I think thats funny too.
Maybe I should throw caution to the wind and give the attention right back by taking photos. They are already looking in my direction anyway. I just need to learn the Chinese for "Smile!". Nevertheless, here are a few more photos of Jinan taken carefully so as not to intrude on people.
Early morning walk to work.
Candied crab-apples for sale.
Check out those electrical wires above the bikes. There are some you have to duck to get under. Thats not a bike store--just the "parking lot".
One more day of work until we are off for National Day holiday. Nine days off! We are heading out to the ocean-side city of Qingdao.
I also have a new-found respect for privacy. It certainly is an experience to be stared at everywhere you go. People point you out to their friends and a whole group may turn around to look. Now, if I see a photo of Jennifer Aniston on the beach, I feel like I can relate to the lack of anonymity. Of course nobody knows anything about me, but they think they do. I don't like to go to the store in my sweats, and I am aware that people are watching what I pull off the shelves. A couple of weeks ago, I was in the checkout line at the supermarket and two men in line behind me were having a conversation about what was in my grocery cart. I knew thats what they were talking about because they were reaching over and pointing at items in my basket. I think its comical most of the time.
There is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed foriegn teacher who has been here for 2 or 3 years. She doesn't care for the pointing and staring so much and finds clever ways to show it. She points right back or looks behind herself with an over-the-top intrigued facial expression as if to say "what are you looking at? whats back there??" when she knows full well its her. I think thats funny too.
Maybe I should throw caution to the wind and give the attention right back by taking photos. They are already looking in my direction anyway. I just need to learn the Chinese for "Smile!". Nevertheless, here are a few more photos of Jinan taken carefully so as not to intrude on people.
Early morning walk to work.
Candied crab-apples for sale.
Check out those electrical wires above the bikes. There are some you have to duck to get under. Thats not a bike store--just the "parking lot".
One more day of work until we are off for National Day holiday. Nine days off! We are heading out to the ocean-side city of Qingdao.
posted by B | 3:46 AM
1 Comments:
Your post today about being aware of not blending in is very good. Very sensitive and aware. I can relate completely to your feelings about taking pictures. I have found that my own attitude and approach has a lot to do with being sensitive and respectful. Lots of us like being noticed and recorded if it feels like it's respectful. Not so much if it feels judgemental or like a curiosity. You can always ask if you can take a photo. True the poses are a little affected but the person can also tell you no.
The fact is that you will never "blend in" completely - you will always be tall, you will always be white and blonde. But you are picking up a sense of belonging.
I remember trying to do the same "fit in" thing when I was traveling in Mexico for a month a long time ago. I recall actually thinking, as I riding a bus one time, that I probably was fitting it pretty good and didn't look too unusual. Now I think back on that and chuckle - that at 6'4", blue eyed, blonde haired and white as a sheet I was anything but totally noticeable. These experiences gave me a chance to think about what it's like to be, say, a black person in a while society, or a gay person in a straight society, a disabled person at a standing room only party. I think the larger point in all this is to embrace how alike we all are inside the skin suit. Under the pink. The stuff that makes us physically different is really pretty minor.
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