Since it came to my attention that I had not talked to my parents since Christmas day, I realized how quickly the time has passed and that I was due for a nice long chat with my parents and an update to the blog.
During my 2 hour chat with my mom and dad this morning, they realized I had a nasty sounding cough…one that has stuck with me (and Tristan) for over 2 weeks now. After blaming my lingering cold on China’s air pollution and also commenting on the vast amount of garbage in this city, my parents were shocked and accused me of misrepresenting Wuhan through all of the beautiful pictures that we’ve posted. So, I have agreed to show you the other side of living in a large Chinese city.
Wuhan is a beautiful city with many trees, gardens, parks and temples. It’s also abundant with fancy, shiny high-rises and high-end boutiques. But don’t get me wrong…that’s not all there is. There is a lot of poverty, run-down apartment buildings, dirty alley-ways, and of course, air pollution. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what goes on poverty stricken areas of town.
Although it may look rundown and dirty, we’ve found that some of our most interesting days are spent wandering the back alleys and side roads where we are able to see the authentic China. Just last weekend, we found ourselves outside a small-scale coal brick factory. There is no doubt that workplace safety and hazards policies do not apply here.
If the video doesn’t work, here’s the link.
In other news, Tristan recently began playing badminton with a group of locals at a nearby gym and I started tutoring another group of children. We have enjoyed exploring the city on weekends, especially now that the new subway has opened. This mode of transport is extremely cheap and convenient, as the average trip costs us 5 RMB ($0.80 CAD). Prior to the opening of the Metro, we were paying 70 RMB ($11 CAD) to get to the same destinations via cab. It can be busy and an invasion of your personal space, but we enjoy the experience and the opportunity to save a few bucks. Here is a lineup for a Metro ticket at one of the busiest stations…luckily we have transit cards that allow us to bypass the line.
We also recently took advantage of getting some affordable custom clothing made. Being that Tristan and I have unusually long arms, the option to buy clothes that will actually fit us is amazing! He bought 3 dress shirts for work (at $30 CAD each) and I purchased a knee-length wool coat for $80 CAD. Once we pick them up next week, I’ll let you know how satisfied we are 🙂
I am now off to the bakery and grocery store to pick up fruit and bread. The weather is warming up here so it should be an enjoyable stroll around Vanke.
Talk soon and Happy New Year!
J
China, Eh? 