Year: 2017

Concerts and Holidays

Over the course of my time here in Saint Petersburg, I have had the opportunity to meet a variety of locals and tourists, see several holidays, and take part in the culture of the city. I have attended 5 major music concerts. First, I saw the last concert of the season by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, playing works by famous Russian composers. I watched an open-air, free-to-the-public performance of the early Russian opera Ruslan and Lyudmila. Then, over the span of just six days, I saw Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet Swan Lake, Gounod’s French grand opera Faust, and lastly, Eugene Onegin, the most famous Russian opera. These were interesting experience not only musically but also linguistically. Opera is not easy to understand even in your native language, and trying to follow in Russian was a steep challenge.

The past week saw two holidays: Navy Day and Paratroopers’ Day. While I tried as best I could to experience them, this was not very easy. Navy Day, or День Военно-морского Флота (Den’ Voenno-morskovo flota), is a major holiday; Putin was present, along with dozens of navy ships. Unfortunately, this also brought remarkable crowds filling the streets and bridges. I gave up on trying to get to the Neva River to see the ships after about an hour. I was able to watch the fireworks display that night from my room. Luckily, I had previously seen several of the ships on the water on prior days.

Two of the several Russian Navy ships which I passed while on a boat cruise.

I did have the chance to learn more about the holiday and its significance. I talked to Sergey, the primary tour guide for my program’s excursions, about Navy Day. He told me about the history of the holiday, specifically its Soviet origins and now how it has spread to numerous other countries. It still marks one of the biggest days of Russian national pride: after all, Russia Day, their independence day, is not strongly celebrated—it marks freedom from itself, something many struggle to find pride in. Especially in the context of increasingly strained relations with the U.S., Navy Day is also a chance for Russia to flex its military might, another tradition dating to 1939, the first Navy Day in what was then the Soviet Union. Its primary and most official purpose, however, is for honoring the Russian Navy, just as with Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day in America. I also talked, while trying to weave through the crowds, to a Russian I met about the holiday. He viewed it less as a solemn celebration of the past and more of a chance for nationalistic braggadocio. For most Russians, he told me, it is primarily a chance to drink lots of vodka, see some cool military ships, watch fireworks, and feel patriotic pride. I related it to the way that many Americans celebrate the 4th of July.

Additionally, Paratroopers’ Day, in Russian День Воздушно-десантных Войсков (Den’ Vozdushno-desantnykh Voyskov, generally shortened to День ВДВ, Den’ VDV), occurred on Wednesday. While technically a celebration of the Russian Air Force—it is literally the Day of Air-landing Forces—in practice, most do not celebrate the holiday. Those who do are generally young men who wear light blue striped tank tops, drink large volumes of vodka, and swim in some of the many fountains around the city.

I, per the advice of those familiar with the holiday, avoided the celebrators, called paratroopers; I instead finally visited the Hermitage, the largest art museum in the world. There was far too much to possibly pick a favorite work of art, so I will cop out by showing not a painting or sculpture, but rather a throne: the Hermitage is housed in what was once the Winter Palace, and this is the throne room of the Russian emperors of old.

The Throne inside the Hermitage, once the Winter Palace

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall is certainly one of China’s most recognizable symbols. The wall began construction under Emperor Qin Shi Huang originally meant to prevent barbarian nomads from entering China. The wall now stands as a representation of China’s strength and is still recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.

The best-known section of the Great Wall is Badaling, which attracts thousands of tourists every day. In our trip however, we visited Mutianyu. Mutianyu was much less busy so we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Wall has since also had additions for the sake of visitors. We were able to take a ski lift up to the wall and simultaneously enjoy an amazing view of the mountains. Furthermore, we were able to toboggan down from the wall and experience the mountains from a closer distance.

The Great Wall certainly remains to be a place that all tourists should visit if given the opportunity!

Task 1

These days I have been enjoying my Japanese classes a lot. My teachers are very kind and they often add some interesting small stories in their daily life besides course materials during class time. Therefore, while learning Japanese as a language, I also got the chance to know many language uses unique to the Japanese culture.

This week we covered a grammar point called “…ほど…”, which means “to a certain extent”. Besides the expressions used commonly across cultures such as “死ぬほど暑い as hot as dying” and “泣き出すほど嬉しい too happy that cries”, I also learned one expression unique in Japan called “猫の手も借りたいほど忙しい”, meaning “too busy that even want to borrow a cat’s hand”. Cat is infamous for breaking things with its sharp nails, and so to borrow a cat’s hand is really adventurous. With this background information, it becomes easy to understand how busy that is. I feel this expression is very cute, because it shows one culture’s close attention to a small animal. Japanese people indeed love cats so much that when making a phrase they first think of cats. Out of interest, I asked my Japanese friends if this phrase is already an old one or is it still used commonly. They told me that they all understand this expression and although it has existed for a long time they think it is cute to use. Japanese people’s love for cats is so strong that on some islands cats even outnumber people.

While chatting in class, we somehow also came across a newly formed expression called ”肉食系” and “草食系”. When translated directly to English, ”肉食系” means carnivorous and “草食系” means herbivorous. My teacher, who was a middle aged woman, told us that these two words were used to describe man when they were first formed. “肉食系” people are more straightforward imprudent. In a love relationship, they are usually more direct in expressing own opinion and like to lead the situation. On the other hand, “草食系” people are more compliant and gentle. They like to move through a relationship slowly. Interestingly, my teacher added that nowadays many people also started to use them more when describing a woman. As the Japanese society become more open, “肉食系” woman grew in number. When I talked to one of my Japanese friends about these new phrases I learned, she was amazed by what my class covered. Besides laughing and discussing about how these two phrases were used on anime characters and in her life (on her classmates), she told me that there is even one more phrase derived from the two, “キャベツ系”. “キャベツ” means cabbage in Japanese. “キャベツ系” describes people who looks like “草食系” at the first glance but is indeed “肉食系”. This kind of people are like cabbage and have multiple personalities.

I like how in Japanese language, the expressions are very specific and lively, as if they contain their own stories. The class becomes more fun with the extra knowledge of these slang words.

Montserrat: The Virgin’s Perch Above Barcelona

July 1, 2017

Although the energy of Barcelona is so vibrant, colorful and loud, constantly being surrounded by foreign language, host mothers, other students, and the 2 million inhabitants of this city, some alone time was much needed. On Saturday morning, I hopped on a train that took me 53 kilometers outside of the city of Barcelona to a pueblo at the foothills of the area’s largest mountains.

Although most visitors choose to take a cable car and railroad track up the mountainside, I opted for the more challenging but less expensive option of climbing two hours to reach the monastery built into the top layers of this rock formation. Traveling alone and taking on this challenging hiked served as a test of my ability to be independent and persistent, some qualities that I hope to strengthen while abroad.

The silence of hiking alone was surprisingly tranquil. Rather than being lonely and disheartened, I enjoyed my own company. This experience so far has taught me that it’s just as important to spend quality time with yourself as it is with other people, to digest and reflect everything you’ve taken in. My energy on the way up came and went in spurts however the views from the landing on the mountain and the architecture of the beautiful medieval monastery were well worthwhile.

I was able to use my Spanish to communicate with tourist information desk about hiking directions and trails and the medieval history of the site. I also was able to have conversations in Spanish with other hikers that I encountered throughout the day, learning what this special place meant to them and getting tips on where to find the best views. I noticed that was listening was almost intuitive but my speaking fluency and usage of grammar structures still needs a lot of practice.

As many other tourists were clad with trendy platform sandals and cute sundresses, I was drenched in sweat and cloaked in a film of dirt and dust. Not the ideal image for pictures, but my rather organic appearance brought me closer to the meaning of the holy site as I chose the path that was taken by the faithful during the medieval ages and all of the pilgrims who later come to see the remarkable virgin of Montserrat.

Below are a few pictures of the dazzling church and the incredible views of rock formation, the Catalan countryside, and even the distant city of Barcelona set against the Mediterranean. Montserrat was a truly special place, seemingly placed by God’s hand himself. It is worth a day trip to experience the awesome power of nature, history, and humans devotion to higher beings.

Barrio Gotico: The Mystery and History and Romance of Rome

June 26, 2017

From the window of Conesa (my favorite local sandwich shop) with my pork, veggie, and cheese sandwich in hand, I look out onto St. James’ Plaza where the Taxi drivers of Barcelona protest the competition imposed by Uber. As they hoist their signs and shout along to Queen’s “We Are The Champions”, I can’t help but imagine if political manifestations of the old Roman Forum bore any resemblance to these moderns demonstrations. This central plaza in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter served as the Forum in the old Roman city, Barcino, and is just one of many recuerdos of the rich history of Barcelona and Catalonia that connects this modern globalized city to the times of Christ.

In the labyrinth, stone-paved streets of El Barrio Gotico, you can find medieval romanesque churches tucked into the twists and folds of the alleyways, a dark, dusty, quiet escape from the roar of Las Ramblas. You can find the legend of Sant Jordi engraved into the intricate gargoyles adorning the royal palaces. You can find San Nicolas, the small hidden church in which Antoni Gaudi prayed every day. You can find an archive housing letters from Christopher Columbus to Queen Isabell and King Ferdinand as he undertook his journey to the New World. You can find the lesser known Fredric Mares Museum, home to over 3,000 works of sculpture from all periods in human history.

Although named El Barrio Gotico, this region at the center of Barcelona is not limited to the history and art of a fleeting medieval architectural period. El Barrio Gotico has been the heart of Barcelona since its founding as a Roman port to its expansion into an international city of more than 7 million. Every age, every historic event, every artistic movement, every inhabitant of Barcelona, every tourist has left subtle marks on this aged neighborhood, in the carving of buildings, in the worn cobblestones roads, in the prayers sent from the local churches. El Barrio Gotico contains the hearts and fantasies of all that encounter it.

 

 

Seven Weeks in Barcelona: Stuck Between Tourists and Natives

June 21, 2017

Seven weeks. Quite an ambiguous period of time. Too long to be a tourist frequenting the city’s mainstream attractions. Too short to have a sense of permanence in this city of 2 million. How do I approach these seven weeks and what is my place in this city polarized between proud native Catalans and transient international travelers?

As I walk through Las Ramblas and watch Americans fall into the tourist trap of restaurants boasting the “best paella in town”, I feel a sense of superiority. As a student, rather than a tourist, I am looking for more than just selfies in front of Gaudi’s buildings and a jug of Sangria at dinner. I am here to learn more deeply about the culture and its language to better connect with its people. However, I am constantly frustrated when my efforts to speak the native tongue are met with Anti-american sentiments and responses in English as if my Spanish was ill-attempted. How can I view myself any more genuine than a typical tourist if the native people of this place do not recognize me as such?

Although frustrating, confusing, and somewhat disheartening, this ambiguity provides me with an opportunity to be a positive representative of my home nation and pursue a genuine interest in culture, history, and language in order to fight a growing anti-american and anti-tourist sentiment in Barcelona.

I hope to go beyond Las Ramblas and the Barceloneta beach and find the spots that will become my usual. The coffee shop where I will sip a cortado and read my Spanish translation of “Game of Thrones”, the most peaceful square to enjoy a chocolate covered croissant, the best bocadillo joint for lunch in between my classes, my favorite museum to escape the noise of a city of two million.

For the next seven weeks I hope to speak as much Spanish as possible, speak to as many Spaniards as possible, and develop a home here in Barcelona.

Updates on my progress to come 🙂

วิถีชีวิต Ways of Life

Wat Rajamontean, two blocks from my apartment.

In Thailand, I became increasingly aware of the ways of life I had grown accustomed to in the states. I looked for some of the same creature comforts in Chiang Mai. The fact is, this approach of seeing and wanting things the way I am used to, is not a healthy way of living in another country. The more I was able to let go of these expectations, my experiences became much more interesting, rich and unique. Rather than comparing things or analyzing them, I started accepting that “this is how it’s done here…” (it is also interesting to understand why)

Many travelers, including myself, get too much information online about what to see and do, and how to act in other countries. After weeks of “trying on” behaviors that people had schooled me on, or learning from books and online forums, I realized that none of these were my own approach. As a newcomer to this area, I decided to take advantage (mindfully) of the fact that I don’t know all of the social norms. If I did something wrong, I learned from it. I made a conscious effort to let go of social insecurities or fears about how to act.

For example, I was unsure about social etiquette regarding monks. I visited many temples and regularly encountered monks. I had read that females are forbidden to initiate contact with monks. I made friends with an older Thai woman who introduced me to 6 young monks. They were all learning English and were eager to speak with me, but very shy. I was very nervous to talk with them too, and also to say things incorrectly, or disrespectfully in Thai. I soon realized that we were sharing the same fears. It was a great experience to exchange words and ideas with them. It simply required a courageous act to get it going. (I am now friends with a monk on the Line app!) 

I also began to see the clashes of old conventional thinking and new waves of thought. This is a common subject of conversation with Thais from all walks of life. We are all trying to adjust to change and deal with differences. I thought about what makes New York City such a great place, and it’s the cultural diversity. I think the same holds true for Chiang Mai. I was able to sample Chiang Mai’s culture here and now, yet simultaneously, I was adding to its cultural flavor as well.

Local artist drew my portrait!

I attended an Arts Symposium at Chiang Mai University which included panel discussions led by Asian art curators. I visited nearby exhibitions and artist residency programs and connected with local artists. One of the reasons I chose to study in Chiang Mai is to build an arts exchange program between Thailand and the USA. It was particularly interesting to learn about the diverse perspectives on the shifting and potential arts scene in the region.

Other social meetings, food adventures and indulgences:

  • Ate Thai ice cream at the Night Bazaar! It was made by mashing fresh fruit and cream on a cold metal slab. The frozen cream is spread out and then rolled up, looking like a bouquet of roses when put into a cup. Then it’s piled with whipped cream, nuts, and other delicious toppings of your choosing!
  • Took 2 Thai cooking classes and OMG I made curry from scratch! My green and masaman curries were out of this world! Also learned how to make my favorite Thai dish – Som Tum, green papaya salad. (pix below)
  • New fruit adventures trying snake fruit, long kong, sugar apple, and wood apple! Oh, and a green orange too!
  • Got a traditional Thai massage at an Ex-Prisoners Women’s facility. They help train women inmates and ex-prisoners to make a living and to reintegrate into society.
  • Attended my 3rd meeting of the Lanna Toastmasters, a group for people to practice their Thai public speaking. It is mainly attended by native speakers, but I have been encouraged to get up to the podium and make a speech someday:)

A Golden Moment in Gray Beijing

I was reassured that Beijing’s air pollution would be more manageable
in the summertime. The first morning, however, I was surprised by grimy gray skies and a horizon hazy with pollution of ambiguous origin and nature. Even nearby buildings were partially obscured from sight. Here, blue skies are a rare occurrence.

Initial excitement for life in a truly different city began to wear off as I started to fall into the routine of the summer program. Nearly non-stop studying was becoming increasingly wearisome, and the constant gray sky was just starting to get to me when one day, I took a wrong turn and found myself on the edge of the gardens around PKU’s Weiming lake. Most of what I had seen of the campus was gray buildings, gray sidewalks, and funny gray trees, so turning the corner to suddenly walk right into gardens overflowing with green was a most pleasant surprise. It seemed almost like a green jewel right there in the heart of PKU (locally known as Bei Da). The gardens are well kept but not overly structured, and diffe

rent parts of the park have grown and developed in their own way, just as they were not originally designed or created uniformly. The buildings I first saw are wrapped in ivy that climbs freely up the brick walls and over the edge of the traditionally curved, ridged roof. Windows with frames painted in the classic Chinese red peep through the ivy and slender trees sway above the roof. Bushes growing all around the buildings stretch up the walls and conceal most of where wall meets earth, so the buildings seem to have become part of their natural surroundings. Small pathways wind in and out of monuments, wander down between cool wooded areas and moon gates, eventually taking you around to the lake. Everything seemed so very alive and growing.

This oasis of green in an expanse of gray concrete was a remarkably refreshing break from crowding atmosphere of urban life. As I made my my way further in, others were also taking their time strolling along the pathways and enjoying the natural charm of the gardens, giving their attention to their surroundings rather than their phones. Many families seemed to be just wandering around the lake, reminding me of my own family’s fondness for walks around the canal in my hometown. I took my time following garden paths wherever they turned, appreciating the lull in the typical racket of Beijing. And then, just as I walked out of the bamboo garden back into the open space, the cloud of pollution thinned and the blue sky was again visible. Sunlight reached through the hole in the clouds and brightened the already rich colors of the gardens.

My walk around the lakes showed me a little more of the ways in which modernity and tradition thrive together in China. Formerly the site of Qing dynasty imperial grounds, PKU’s imposing modern architecture seems to be its most visible characteristic from outside campus. There is, however, a regard for tradition and history alongside this emphasis on modernization, partially expressed in the care for the traditional architecture and the surrounding grounds inside the campus.

 

 

Monuments & Memory

I have saved this post for the end because I would like to use it to talk about what I am studying, why I am studying it, and why I have chosen Bosnia. It may seem odd to have left this for last, instead of leading with it, but I wanted to make sure I was able to speak about the future direction of my research.

As a PhD student at the Kroc Institute, I am pursuing a joint degree in Sociology and Peace Studies. I am entering my second year, and have decided to focus my research on the following question: How do states use monuments and public commemoration ceremonies to craft narratives on conflict? I am particularly interested in studying cases in which conflict termination is the result of negotiated settlement rather than on-sided victory. In these contexts, the lack of a clear “winner” means that no side is able to unilaterally impose their narrative conflict on the other. Often, the result is that in ensuing years formerly warring parties vie for the status of “victim.” I contend that these contested narratives are embodied in memorials, and that they simultaneously reflect and perpetuate these contested narratives.

Most adults living in America today know little about Bosnia beyond what happened there in the 1990’s; for a very brief overview of this conflict please see my post entitled Bosnian Bridges. And I hope that from the description of my research interests, it will now be clear why Bosnia provides a compelling context in which to explore questions related to my dissertation question. I would like to further reinforce this point by providing one brief example from my experiences this summer.

The following picture is of a plaque that can be found immediately to the right of the entrance to the national Library. It is about 6 ft high, and anyone wishing to enter the library can’t help but see it as they walk through the doors. For those who do not speak English, the same plaque can be found in Croat/Bosnian, on the left:

Though technically an accurate account of who set the fire, it contains highly inflammatory language. Many in the Serb community would contest the label of criminals, instead referring to themselves as combatants. These people would also be offended by the implication that the destruction of the library was an attempt to eradicate Bosnian culture. They would argue that the Serbian army has legitimate reasons to believe that the library was being used by enemy combatants as a strategic resource. For they reason, they would argue that it represented a legitimate military target. Thus, this monument represents just one example of the ways that monuments are used to strategically communicate messages about who should be given the label aggressor, who should be considered a victim, and how specific events should be remembered.

Because of the SLAP program I have been given the opportunity to study abroad in the place that I will be conducting dissertation research. I now possess rudimentary language skills that will at least ensure that I don’t starve during my year of research. I have also been able to make valuable contacts, and will continue to stay in touch with both my language professor Asmira, and my peer tutor Aziz. Thank you to the University of Notre Dame, and to the generous donors that made this possible.

Ćevapi & Copper

I thought it only right that I follow my blog entry about the Bosnian drink of choice, with a post about the Bosnian food of choice: ćevapi. It is hard to describe it, so I will start by providing a picture:

This picture was taken at a restaurant in old town named Želo. While very few would dispute the fact that this restaurant provides the best ćevapi, some in the city refuse to eat here because the name is a reference to one of the local football clubs. Želo’s inter-city rivals are called Sarajevo, and their official restaurant is one street over. So if you ever find yourself in Sarajevo, do yourself a favor and eat at the restaurant with the blue football logo above the entrance. When the waiter arrives say “monge ćevapi pet sa kaymak i Keiselya (or češe voda).” You are ordering a small portion of ćevapi— I promise it will be enough— with cream and  sparkling water (or still if you prefer).

To be 100% honest, I am not actually sure what all of the constituent parts of this dish are. But, everyone that I have asked has given me the same description, and for that reason I will pass it on to you. The bread is a special kind of circular bread, and it is freshly baked every day at the restaurant. This specific type of loaf is called “solmud,” and it particularly popular during the month of Ramadan. During that month it is served with special types of cheese dip at nearly every evening meal breaking the fast. No one has yet been able to tell me what kind of meat is served in the bread, though I have been told that it is minced meat. The cream looks like butter, but has neither its flavor nor consistency. When I asked how it was made, I was told that it is essentially the fat that is skimmed off the top of milk as it is being churned. Additional spices are added, though no one could tell me what they are. The dish is served with a side of raw onion.

A few street over from the restaurant, also in old town, you will find copper alley. It is a street names for artisans who work in its small shops. As a city between the Ottoman empire and western Europe, Sarajevo has represented an important link between east and west for centuries. One of the ways this significance has been expressed is by the number of local merchants and artisans. While increasing industrialization and modernization has dramatically reduced the number of skilled craftsman, in silver alley you can still find skill artisans practicing their craft in the traditional way. These artisans take copper, silver, and copper-plated materials and— using a small chisel— carve elaborate designs into them. In copper alley you can find everything from traditional coffee pots and cups, to jewelry, to elaborately engraved bullets. The following pictures shows an example of some of the copper war relics that can be purchased there.

No trip to Sarajevo would be complete without a meal at Želo and a stroll down copper alley.