chinasticast

No.26: New Thoughts

the operator — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:01:50 +0000

Traveling does not automatically confer wisdom, or make you a better person. The only guarantee is new sensory experiences for the hedonist in all of us. If you’re hoping for something more meaningful, you’ll have to actively think about the whys of your new environment.

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No. 25: Where the Hell is Mai?

the operator — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 01:36:14 +0000

Boston? Korea? Maldives? We’ve been bouncing around a lot these past weeks, and Mai can’t keep track anymore. She’s lost in a world of sound…will you pay lots of sponsorship money to help get her back? (Even if she’s rude and talks with her mouth full?)

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No. 24: China has the best Pizza Huts in the world!

the operator — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:14:51 +0000

Pizza Hut in China reminds me of Taco Bell in “Demolition Man” (starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock — anyone remember
this movie?).

Here, the American fast food restaurant has become a positively upscale dining establishment.

Pizza Hut Waitress

Pizza Huts in China are great at keeping things new. Whenever an important holiday approaches, they bring out a holiday-themed pizza and holiday dress for the employees.

When the calendar doesn’t show a holiday, they just declare a celebration. Like “German Holiday”, which included a new sausage pizza, and all the waiters wearing lederhosen and the waitresses wearing dirndls.

Myself, I like this Christmas elf!

Pizza Hut Salad Architecture

When you go to a Pizza Hut in China, you only get one trip to the salad bar. Better make it count!

Here are some other examples of salad architecture:
http://www.start.com.my/blog/maximizing-your-roi-at-pizza-hut/

No. 23: A Boston Soundwalk

the operator — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 07:26:50 +0000

Mai takes an urban escape to New England to escape city life, and she finds herself wandering among the Ivy League…Harvard University and the legacy of American history can be found here in Boston, where the autumn leaves are beautiful and the ice creams are humongous. It’s also a bit windy–beware when listening!

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These are the colors of the season in Cambridge, USA, home to Harvard University.

These are the paths followed by eminent scholars from the early days of America–the campus at Harvard.

Chinese tourists rub John Harvard’s foot for good luck and the chance to come to one of the best schools around the world. Too bad they probably don’t know this statue is a big lie!

Be your best Harvard groupie by stocking up on Harvard t-shirts, key chains and beer mugs at the campus store.

If you’re mourning about not getting into Harvard, you can prove youself otherwise by challenging the Harvard Square chessmaster. It’s a lot cheaper than tuition!

No. 22: Welcome Africans!

the operator — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:49:17 +0000

Beijing has been hosting the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Sure the results of what’s being agreed upon now could be huge. China and Africa are on the road toward becoming bosom buddies. But what do all these high-level meetings mean presently, for the everyday people of Beijing? Big signs everywhere!

No. 21: Mai Can’t Stop Talking about America

the operator — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 01:17:09 +0000

Mai’s ponderings take her from Korea Town in Beijing to Korea Town in New York, and although the world is getting smaller every day, she feels a lot of limitations to our contemporary cultural jaunts into globalization.

For one, try www.hanzismatter.com.

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No. 20: Little Korea in Beijing

the operator — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:48:00 +0000

Beijing is a second home for thousands of Korean college students. They come to study Chinese, hoping for an edge in the competitive job market back home.

There are so many Koreans, Wudaokou - an area smack in the middle of Beijing’s university district - has become an unoffical “Little Korea”. Here you can find kimbap, Esse smokes, and all your Lotte favorites.

No. 19: American Lesson

the operator — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 01:04:30 +0000

Mai is still learning lessons in Americana, but this time she’s left alone to ponder questions of why New Yorkers are so into keeping fit and eating healthy (but aren’t they still so overweight?). Her questions leave her a bit homesick for China, and she wonders where her next move will be…

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No. 18: Billy Goes to Carrefour

the operator — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 01:59:26 +0000

In China’s larger cities, supermarket shopping means Carrefour. Wal-Mart / Sam’s Club, Lotus, Metro, etc. are too few and too far away. And Chinese supermarkets are too small. Carrefour is kicking butt by being both big and located where all the people are. In this episode, Billy navigates the Carrefour maze, a routine activity in the lives of many urban Chinese.

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Cars, taxis, motorcycles, motorcycle taxis, tricycle taxis, bicycles, pedestrians… just walking to the front door can make your blood pressure rise.

So many bikes indicate an army of Carrefour employees.

As this shot was taken on a Monday evening, all’s pretty quiet. But if it were a weekend afternoon, this place would be wall-to-wall packed.

Ramp escalators are a great way to move shopping carts between floors.

The shopping cart wheels stick to the ramps.

Self-serve lockers are free to use. The only hassle is having to go back to the store entrance after checkout to get your things.

The display on the right changes according to the season. As you can see, Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching.

Mooncakes are loaded with fat, but once a year won’t kill you.

Clothes are cheap in the “World’s Factory”. Are those jackets selling for less than 8 dollars?

Most people don’t have ovens. So the bakeware aisle can become a broth pot aisle instead.

Get your 15 dollar bicycles here!

Impulse purchase anyone?

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Decent Chinese wine can be had starting at around 5 dollars / bottle.

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Have it at a club for a 1000% markup.

You can try out goods from all over the world in just the household cleaner aisle.

What a cute way to distinguish country of origin.

Duck tongue is edible, too. And it’s pretty good.

A good start. But Chinese organic standards are somewhat looser than international standards.

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After 1.5 hours it’s finally over.

See you again next week.

No. 17: American Lesson

the operator — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 01:38:10 +0000

Coming to New York from Kyoto and Beijing, Mai must reevaluate what it means to be American in a city where most people aren’t native. So she decides to join a lesson at an American English school in New York, and with the help of Lucy (our lovely native speaker), Jane (from Japan),Mary & Elena (from Greece), Jason (from Taiwan) and Jessica (from Japan), she finds out that being an American is easy!

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