Living in China. I Made It Rain in Shenzhen Today

It seems like it hasn’t rained more that a light drizzle in Shenzhen for many weeks, maybe several months. The vegetation seems healthy, so I assume it’s not a problem. Most likely there is enough baby piss running off the sidewalks to keep things green.

I come from a family of farmers, and I’ve always heard rain is good, though I’ve always questioned this. Still, I was a bit concerned. Could it be possible that plants actually need rain as my grandfather told me? Maybe, maybe not. He was old. How much could he actually have known?

When I fired up my p.c. this morning the little weather icon said it would be warm with a 30% chance of a thunder shower. Nothing unusual there. There were similar predictions many days over the past several weeks, and it never rained.

But in the unlikely case that my grandfather was right, and plants actually need water to thrive, I decided to make it rain today.

How did I do this? Easy. I purposely went out without an umbrella.

As soon as I hit the street there was a light drizzle. It didn’t last very long, and didn’t even wet the pavement. I continued my umbrella-less walk.

I choose a route that kept me close to overhangs and cafes where I could take shelter in bad weather. The sky got darker. There were occasional lightening flashes.

Suddenly it hit. A full fledged thunder storm. I ducked into a café to read until it passed.

The storm didn’t last very long. It began at 14:40 and ended by 15:10. Still, a lot of water fell from the sky. I feel certain the sidewalks were cleansed of baby piss, the sewers were flushed, and the trees were watered,

So all the farmers and street cleaners of Futian can thank me for this weather event. I am available for banquets, honoraria, and light worship.

 

Living in China. Marching or Stumbling toward Urbanization?

NOTE: An edited version of this piece was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 8.

Newly elected Premier Li Keqiang said on March 14, the biggest development potential for China lies in the process of urbanization. China is a country where about half of its people are still living in rural areas decades after the biggest urbanization wave in history began.

According to the Global Times, the vice premier has had a life long interest is urbanization, and considers its continuation imperative to healthy economic growth.

Li was quoted in People’s Daily saying, “Urbanization is not about simply increasing the number of urban residents or expanding the area of cities., More importantly, it’s about a complete change from rural to urban style in terms of industry structure, employment, living environment and social security.”

What does this mean? Simply put, urbanization is the process of country people moving to cities in attempts to better their lives. What do rural immigrants into the cities hope to find in their new homes? Mainly relatively high paying jobs, but the lure is not just economic. Immigration is also a result of loss or degradation of farmland and pastureland due to development or land grabs, conflicts, the attractions of anonymity, proximity and ease of mass transport, and the opportunity to assert individualism.

Cities offer a larger variety of services that aren’t available in rural areas. Supporting the provision of these services requires workers, resulting in more numerous and varied job opportunities. Elderly individuals may be forced to move to cities where there are doctors and hospitals that can cater for their health needs. Varied and high quality educational opportunities are another factor in urban migration, as well as the opportunity to join, develop, and seek out social communities.

Cities are a cause of, and a response to, world economic growth. Cities, both large and small, are at the heart of the fast changing global economy. Writing in 2012, Li noted that urbanization is a “huge engine” powering China’s growth. Generally, urbanization is viewed as a positive for a society or an economy, but like most everything it is neither all good, nor all bad.

Li noted that China’s urban population of just above 50 percent is “much lower” than the 80 percent average in developed nations. Li’s championing urbanization has been a central theme of his career. As he once said, “Urbanization is not about simply increasing the number of urban residents or expanding the area of cities. More importantly, it’s about a complete change from rural to urban style in terms of industry structure, employment, living environment and social security.”

Asian urbanization has been studied in depth in Thailand. Professor Iam Thongdee of Mahidol University in Bangkok found Thai farmers are seen as poor, stupid, and unhealthy. As young people flee the farms, the values and knowledge of rice farming and the countryside are fading, including the tradition of long kek, helping neighbors plant, harvest, or build a house. He found Thais are losing what they call Thai-ness, the values of being kind, helping each other, having mercy and gratefulness. A similar pattern may be emerging in China.

In addition to the disappearing long kek, Thailand urbanization has also resulted in massive increases in other problems such as obesity, disease, pollution from dirty cooking fuels and primitive stoves, and poor access to clean water and sanitation. In addition urbanized populations are exposed to modern environmental hazards, such as air pollution, exhaust fumes, food poisoning, and industrial pollution.

City life, especially in modern urban slums of the developing world, is hardly immune to pestilence or climatic disturbances such as floods. Yet they continue to attract migrants. Examples of natural disasters include the 2011 Thailand floods and 2007 Jakarta flood. Urban areas are also far more prone to violence, drugs, and other urban social ills.

The cost of living in cities is usually very high when compared to country life. While it is probable that earned income is much higher in a city, the cost of living can eat it up, sometimes leaving the urban immigrant living a poorer lifestyle that before his relocation.

There are other drawbacks to urban living in China. Many find a lack of housing, and an infrastructure that has not kept pace with population growth. Others decry the lack of property and other rights because of the Chinese hukou system. Estimates run as high as 60% of newly urbanized people in south east Asia live in slums without power or running water. They are subject to poverty, crime and disease.

A study recently released showing the quality of urbanization of 246 Chinese cities using a number of social and economic criteria. Shenzhen came in at the top of the list with a score of 77.63%. It was followed by Beijing and Shanghai. The CPC called for the country to “noticeably enhance urbanization quality.”

City populations are growing faster than city infrastructure can adapt. This can be addressed by the government re-allocating resources to adequate infrastructure development, including roads, hospitals, water treatment facilities, and schools. Adequate living spaces and good sanitation must be made affordable to even the most poor.

Social services must be developed and developed to be able to cope with the new and growing problems resulting from urban poverty. Medical attention must be available. Slum dwellers need police protection from the base elements of society. Schools and universities must give equal treatment to the children of immigrants.

The government must enable the immigrants to participate in being members of society. They should not be forced into invisible corners and then overlooked.

The pace of growth in China’s cities is at risk of slowing, according to Nicholas Eberstadt, a demographer China’s workforce may shrink, with the number of 15-24 year-olds forecast by the United Nations to decline by almost 62 million people in the 15 years through 2025. The one child policy must be examined.

All of these things require scarce government resources. Li has a daunting task ahead of him as he attempts to make urbanization a benefit to both immigrants and to all of society.

 

Living in China. I Know She’s a Pig, but I Love Her Anyway

So far as I know there are no hog farms in Futian, so I assume the porker shown being led into the Candor Pet Hospital is a beloved pet. And looking at her, what’s not to love?

This picture was taken a few days before the great Shanghai pig swimming event.

I Hate Chopsticks

I have lived in China for most of the past six years. Prior to that I traveled around SE Asia and even lived in Vietnam for six months. Before that I used chop ticks occasionally when dining in Japanese, Korean, or Chinese restaurants. I still haven’t mastered them.

I have Asian friends who can debone a sardine with chopsticks. I am forced to eat the whole thing, bones and all. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a meal using chop sticks when a goodly amount of food didn’t end up on my shirt or in my lap.

I like to compare chop sticks to a fork. A fork is used to stab at food. Once impaled, it usually stays there until it is easily removed in one’s mouth. Chopsticks, on the other hand, employ two round, often slick, surfaces to grab a piece of food. Any movement between the grab and the mouth usually means the food falls to the table or the lap.

I was given a beautiful pair of silver chop sticks for my last birthday. They are a bit smaller than run of the mill versions, so it’s easier to grab something because your fingers are closer to the target, giving a little more control and stability.

Eating noodle soup is especially problematic. There you have two round smooth surfaces tying to grab and hold a third round, smooth surface, and all three surfaces are wet. I find it’s best to try to dig one stick deep into the soup and bring it up parallel to the broth. With a little luck a few noodles will be draped over the stick. But then there is the problem of carefully bringing the dripping wet noodles to the mouth. Once to the mouth the noodles must be sucked into the mouth causing the ends to flail about sending drops of soup onto the front of the shirt and dining partners.

To be fair I should mention that I am a complete spaz, uncoordinated and clumsy. Maybe that’s the problem.

The Chinese, and Asians in general, are good at copying the best ideas had by others. I wonder why they haven’t copied western eating utensils.

China Cuts Growth Forecast to 7.6%

China‘s banks cut interest rates because their economic growth was downgrade to 7.6% for this year. In Europe most countries are hoping for 0% growth and the U.S. would be happy with 2%. What’s the difference between China and the west?

I’m not economist, but from what I can see, it’s the size and scope of government spending, taxation, and regulations.

In the long run 7.6% economic growth will help the people much more than anything the government can do.

Big Changes Are Coming to China

I lived in China for much of the last four years. The average person dislikes the corrupt government and loves America, Americans and American products. Most Chinese involved in commerce even take English names. The Chinese government, like all governments, exists only to keep itself in power.

Now that the economy is slowing and the housing bubble is collapsing I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see major anti-government movements as people see their life savings disappear. How things will end, I don’t have a guess. But it is certain that big changes are in store for China.

Being Released Tomorrow

After spending nearly six months in hospitals in China and the U.S., I am getting out tomorrow. I had arsenic poisoning and lost the use of my legs as a result. The poisoning was never diagnosed in China. It was discovered when I arrived in the U.S. and was found  in my urine.

By then my legs were dead. I couldn’t move them an inch. When the neurologist hooked them up to electricity, there was absolutely no response. The only thing my legs were good for was transmitting neuropathic pain to my brain. They were quite efficient at that.

When I arrived in the U.S. the damage from the arsenic was spreading upward from my legs and into my body. My lungs and the areas around my heart were filling up with fluid. It was difficult to breathe. As soon as I arrived in the U.S. the fluid problem was addressed. And I was given certain drugs combined with 8-10 cups of water daily that was supposed to help flush out the arsenic.

As I understand it, arsenic likes to hide in fatty tissue, and the brain is composed of something similar to fat. Naturally, I ended up with mild brain damage too.

After a couple of weeks things were stabilized, and I began physical therapy. At first I couldn’t move my legs at all, then gradually feeling and the muscles began to return and the electric shock pain began to subside. My regimen included nearly three hours of exercise daily.

Well, everything worked. Now I can use my legs to actually walk a few steps unaided by a cane or a walker. The hospital administrators decided I was capable of living alone, and while I still can’t drive, I agree with them. Tomorrow I will be released.