ThebuildinginBeijingwheretheauthorlivedforabout10months.TheNeighborhood
Acrossthealleyfrommyapartmentisablack-and-whitesix-storybuildingwithbarredwindows.Itsentranceisflankedbyanendlesspileofbikeshighlightedbyyellow,orange,blueandgreen.
Morethan30granniesfrequentlygathertodancetogetherinthesmallsquare,andsometimesayoungwomanandtwomenjointhem.TheyenjoygroupexercisetothebeatofChinesemusic.
Astreetstallinhabitsthecornernexttoalittleshop.Underitsbigredumbrellaisafridgefulloficecreamandvariouslocalbrandsofwater.Theoperatorisamiddle-agedwomanwithherhusbandandbabyintow.Herhusbandlooksafterthechildwhileshesellslettuce,carrots,onions,tomatoesandpotatoes.Theshopalsoofferstoiletpaper,tobaccoandchips.
Threeoldmenshoppingtherearemyneighbors.Asusual,theysoonbegintoplayChinesechessandchat.Nighthasalreadyfallen.Inacoupleofhours,theywillreturnhomewithshoppingbagsandsmiles.Tomorrowmorningatfiveo’clockBeijingwakesup.
Iwitnessthisscenefromthewindowofmytinyapartment.WhenIsitbehindmydesktowrite,readandstudy,IperiodicallygazeoutsideandpondermylifeinChina.
Purplecurtainsbrightenthebeigewallsoffsetbyblackflowersandahangingtelevision.Themattressishard;thebathroomissmall.IcansitonthetoiletwhiletakingashowerifIwant.Myheadboardismadeoffauxleather,whichfrequentlyfallsoffontomypillowatnight.
Mylandlord’sfamilylivesnextdoor,andeversinceImovedintheyhavetriedtomakemefeelathome.
ChineseChoices
IhavenowbeenlivinginChinaformorethanthreeyears.IlivedinFuzhou,acoastalcityinthesouthofChina,andelsewherepreviouslybeforesettlinginBeijing—dry,massiveandcosmopolitan.ThegreatestthingaboutChina’scapitalcityisthatitprovidessomanyoptions.
InBeijing,youcanfindfoodfromRussia,Vietnam,Iran,SpainandArgentina.Youcandrinkmojitosonarooftopwhiledancingsalsaordrinkbaijiu(Chineseliquor)whilesingingkaraoke.Youcantakeataxi,useasharedbike,callforaDidi(aChinesetaxiapp)cab,ridethesubwayorhireatuk-tuk.Ifyoulustforauthenticity,venturedownahutong(narrowlane)—acityinsideacity—acommunitysecludedfromtherestofthecapitalbuthiddenrightinthecenterofit.IfyouwanttofeelfarfromthetraditionalsideofChina,strolldownthepackedandinternationalizedSanlitunarea.Itisknownforshoppingcenters,restaurantsandforeignersfromallwalksoflife,duetoitsproximitytotheoldembassyarea.Oryoucanheadtooneofmanyparksforapeacefulbreak,totheGreatWallforbreathtakingviewsortoateashoptosipacupofhigh-endtea.WhenpeopleaskmewhyIlikeBeijing,Ialwaysgivethemthesameanswer:becauseyoucanfindanythingthere.
MyfirstyearinBeijingwaseasyandfun.Iwassurroundedbystudentsandforeigners,nexttomyuniversity,closetobeautifulandfamousscenicspotsandnotfarfromanareawherepartiesarefrequentlyheld.Myapartmentwasnewandcomfortable,andIneverfeltalone.However,thesecondyearchangedthingsabit.Aswiththemanychoicesinlife,inBeijingyoucanalsochoosewheretolive.
MyChineseFamily
DuetothesizeofBeijing,ifyoudon’twanttospendalldayonthesubway,youshouldtrytolivenearyourschoolorworkplace.WhenIchangeduniversities,Ialsomoved.Ihadtostickwithinmyscholarshipbudget,andthecostofrentinganapartmentintheareawasextremelyhigh.Afriendadvised:“Whenyoufindanapartmentwithinyourbudget,justaskifyoucouldlivethere—iftheansweris‘yes,’don’thesitateandtakeit—cheapplacesarehardtocomebyinBeijing!”AndsoIdid.
ItwasthefirstapartmentIsaw.Thebuildingwasprettyold.Ididn’tseemanyyoungpeoplearound,orforeigners.Asixty-year-oldcoupleopenedthedoor.Thehusbandwasbig,boldandcheerful.Thewifewasashort,round,energeticwoman.Behindherhidashybutcuriousseven-year-oldgirl.Thesewerethelandlord’sparents,andthechildwastheirgranddaughter.Anarrowpassageseparatedtheirapartmentfrommine.TheyspokeasmanyBeijingers,addingaheavy“R”soundattheendofeachsyllable,whichmadeitdifficultformetounderstand.Ihadtonegotiatefornearlyanhour,firstwiththelady,thenwithherhusband,beforefinallygettingthesononthephone.
“Nobodywantstoliverightnexttothelandlord.Youcan’tpartyathome!”
“I’mastudent.HowdoyouthinkIcanpaythatmuch…I’lltalktoyourdaughterinEnglish,soshecanlearn…Iwon’tmakeanynoise,juststudying…Please,please,please…”IpleadedsoearnestlyinpooranddesperateChinesethateventually,helaughedandagreedtolowertheprice.
Ilivedtherefortenmonths.Intheflatacrossfrommelivedsixpeople:thegreat-grandmother,thegrandparents,theparentsandthelittlegirl.Everydaybeforeclass,Isawthegrandmothertakethegirltoschoolbybike.Everytimewemet,shewouldaskme“Whereareyougoing?”or“Haveyoueaten?”oradvisemetobecarefulbecauseofacertainweatherforecast.Seldomwastheirdoorclosed,soIfeltlikeIlivedwiththem.Once,thegrandfathergavemeawatermelonbecausehedecidedIwaslosingweight.Ididn’tthinkwatermelonwouldbemuchhelp,butitwastastynonetheless.Despitethelackofprivacy,myChinesefamilynotonlyallowedmetobetterunderstandChinesesociety,butalsomademefeelrightathome.
TheauthorwasaninternationalstudentfromSpainwhostudiedatPekingUniversity.ShecurrentlyworksforaSpanishcompanyinNingbo,ZhejiangProvince.
AnaerialviewoftheSanyuanBridgeinBeijing.VCG