#2

Wednesday June 9, 2010

So I have come to a precipice in my international doctrine. Holly, my friend and Asian counterpart, has suggested and in some way urged me to try Asian McDonalds *Queue dreadful “DUN DUN DUN”*. Those who know me know my absolute passion for all things food. Those who know me a little bit more know my love of a man named Anthony Bourdain. Tony travels the world eating foods that the locals enjoy and exploring indigenous rituals and sites. What he does not do is go to Outback Steakhouse, KFC, and Burger King ( really, when going abroad, neither should we). So… Here we are. Do I risk my short lived credibility as a world traveler on a McThai Chicken sandwich? Emphatically YES! I won’t waste my breath on the words “hear me out”. At first I thought, “nah, I can get that in America”....but Holly AND MY PROFESSOR insisted. Then I realized that some sort of perverted dogma on my part doesn't exclude me from enjoying an unauthentic American experience. In fact, it would be stupid of me not to go. What does the world view as McDonalds? As an international business major, I STUDIED THIS!!!! I know what our book said about American companies catering to other cultures, but now I get to see it first-hand; If I am here to take a class than I would be an idiot not to take a field trip. I have already drawn the marketing conclusion that a grape drink here maid by Minute Maid (Coca Cola Brand) contains small chunks of fruit (grape and aloe vera) because local Chinese drinks often use large straws to drink up various beans, fruit, rice balls, and other things (Thank you Professor Mikhailetchenko). This is a perfect example of how a MNC, or multinational company, markets to different peoples tastes and preferences. The true crime would be to come here with an objective and not let whatever happens in HK sweep me away to some unexpected locale or street market. I believe that if you come to a foreign country to only do what you want to do, then you have truly failed as a traveler.

With all that said and done, I would only go once and am NOT spending all my time with American “stuff” I can get at home. Even when I see a Maitre D outside what appears to be a classy KFC or Pizza Hut. A pleasant mix of authentic Hong Kong food at stores and restaurants, an Irish pub, a Hong Kong Horse Racing Track, Noodle stores, local street markets and shopping areas make up most of my time and a soon to come visit to an island where exotic seafood choices will be a plenty. On top of that I shop at the grocery on campus and buy the most authentic Chinese food stuffs I can for food. Well, I admit I bought peanut butter to go with some delicious Chinese bread, but it is truly an easy sandwich to store for a quick snack during our 4 HOUR CLASS! I digress. As most of you know I also love to cook. I am planning on making my own wonton soup with Mong Choi, snap peas, shrimp and chive wontons and a little hot chili sauce. I also may fry up some pork dumplings with some peas to go with the delicious Asian beers I have had the privilege of tasting. Tsing Tao and Harbin Lager (Chinese) and Singha (Thai) are both better than any major American beer and in HK are far cheaper. (un?)Fortunately, I have more important things to do than sit around and drink beer all day.

Later last night we went to the “Night Market”, “Jade Market”, a produce street market, meat market, etc. Together, Greg (GEOLOGIST) and I negotiated down a piece of real Jade and learned a little more about how to tell the real from fake. I also bought a “Little Red Book” from Maoist China. It is essentially the Atheist state’s bible of Mao which supports Becker’s thought that all systems in the world are religions… even those who claim not to be. Then we proceeded down to the street to a shabby little restaurant on the side of the market. This quaint restaurant turned out to have great reveiews by the local papers. Whoever said that frog tastes like chicken was not kidding. Once you get past the bones and cartilage the meat is quite tasty and smells a bit like sausage. I used chopsticks to strip the meat off the bones while some in our group opted to plop the entire section in their mouth and pick apart the bones then spit them out.

I feel that there may be a growing trend of me “leveling” with you at the end of my stories. A consistent stream of ‘serious messages’ about China and my ‘view on the world’ may grow old. I should probably just stop-

Today our Professor briefly talked about Aoi Sola. Japanese Porn Star, or AV Model, has established a presence in mainland China with her recently created Twitter account. Pornography is illegal in China because of the Chinese Communist Party. Her name twisted from the words “Blue” and “Sky” in Japanese play with my mind. I see the beautiful struggle of a man trying to get past the Chinese government's Great Firewall, no pun intended, just to tell "Blue Sky" that he is a fan, not just of her work, but of her unconscious rebellion against the govt. That is the real pornography.