My connection with Daniele started randomly over the internet when a few weeks before embarking on my Chinese teaching adventure, I was googling and researching about Punk in China. His blog “Secondo Me” was the first search result, and he was the first to tell me a few random things about life in Beijing and North east China.

Almost three years passed, me and Daniele had the chance to meet several times over different kinds of mouthwatering bei cang, discuss several topics, and sample several kinds of lung melting Chinese alcohol. Since the first time, I was really captured by the mental intensity of this out of the ordinary character, currently a Phd researcher in the prestigious People’s University in Beijing, writer and academic publisher disguised for a cheap ass punk with holes in his shirt and shoes and a taste for cheap, oily street food. In three words, my kind of guy.

Since then I’ve been an avid consumer of his excellent blogs and have tried to keep in touch as much as I could over the years… and finally decided to show you how much you can learn from this man sending him a few intense questions. For the sake of internet communication brevity, we didn’t engage in writing an encyclopedia, but what follows deserves to be tattooed on your brains with psychedelic ink. Enjoy.

MM- You are a PHD student in Beijing, but a particular one. Can you briefly introduce yourself, and draft an idea of your life philosophy?

Well, well… I was born in 1982 in Macerata, a peaceful (too peaceful) town in central Italy, close to the Adriatic sea, surrounded by countryside and hills of olive trees and grape vineyards. Since I was 14 I became more and more interested in different countries and cultures, travelling, reading, getting involved with punk music and politics. When I was 18 I move to Rome to study East Asian cultures. A couple of years later I went for my first time to this huge world called China. And here I’m living at the moment, enrolled in a Ph.D. course in the Sociology department of People’s University in Beijing. Travelling, reading, writing, punk music and cultural studies are still my biggest passions.

Life philosophy? Still looking for one. Let’s say that basically (and sorry if I am too insipid) I just try to enjoy the life, do what I like and feel to do, avoiding boredom and trying to leave this world better than it is at present.

MM-  I’ve read you call yourself an anarchist. How would you describe your mindset, especially seen from the perspective of the Chinese Communist Way?

When I was in high school I often played truant and spent all the morning in the library of my city, reading Kropotkin, Bakunin, Necaev. Since the beginning I felt fascinated from those radical thinkers. Anarchism is a political philosophy. I consider myself an anarchist because I refuse authoritarianism, because I dislike borders and property, because I believe in freedom and solidarity between people all over the world. I know it sounds likes an “utopia”, but in my opinion it is important to spend your life being coherent with your ideas, not always accepting compromises, doubting the mainstream. As far as you can, at least. Of course there are many ways to live anarchism (or no one in particular, if you prefer). At present for me to be an anarchist means to learn (that include to travel,  to study, to observe and to discuss) as much as I can and try to realize some social project as an attempt, an alternative to the “mainstream” life in the so called “developed countries” (that is production-consuming society). Be well informed and conscious about what happened around us as much as we can, create social forums, social spaces, social networks, be “open” and not victim of commercial advertisement and politic.

Trying to live like this in China is more difficult than in other countries but maybe more interesting and fascinating. For example, to live in a country with a strong internet control forces you to think about new ways of meeting and sharing information. But to say the truth, living as a foreign student here in Beijing is obviously easier than a Chinese citizen. And, apart from this, sometimes I feel I am more free here (in the meaning of opportunities and things you can do) than in a “democratic and civilized” western developed country as Italy.

MM- You are currently researching on migrant workers in China. Can you briefly explain to my readers what does it mean, and which significant experiences have you got so far approaching this problem?

I am trying to realize an ethnographic research among young female migrants in Beijing. That means among low educated, unmarried and young ladies who leave the countryside to reach the capital city and work as waitresses, maids, shop assistants, prostitutes. I am working on gender and migration studies. And this is hard for me. Because during my studies in Rome my major was Sinology, that means Chinese culture with a classical perspective. But since the first time I came to China (six years ago) I suddenly became interested in contemporary society and I shifted my studies’ focus to social and economic changes. I have no sociological or anthropological background and this make my research harder. Fortunately, my knowledge of the Chinese language and culture helps me a lot.

As you know, “guanxi” (social connections, relations, contacts) is one of the most important things in China. And luckily I can say I know many people and have much guanxi here in Beijing. That is why I can rely on a lot of Chinese and foreign friends who help me in my research. At the same time I met a lot of interesting people (migrants, social workers, NGOs members, students, activists, journalists, …) just thanks to my studies and surveys.

At the same time, I simply cannot completely concentrate and spend all my time on my Ph.D. research. I use to read and work a lot even on other things. For example I am interested even in other fields of Chinese society such as art, music, organizations. Sometimes I do work as interpreter or translator. I collaborate as a free lancer with China Files (an international press agency concerning China). I take part in political and social workshops and meetings. And, of course, I never forget to have fun and go travelling or visiting other countries every time I have the opportunity.

TO BE CONTINUED

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Malaysia has a different ethnic background constituted of Malays, Indians and Chinese. Each one of these groups have their own celebrations, calendars, holidays, parties and religious activities. It’s easy to understand that, for the random traveler or the long term expatriate, the country has always something on offer almost every week. Especially in Penang, where I currently live, things are even taken to the next level.

Indians are a lot around here, probably even more than in KL, and Indian culture is everywhere. You’d be surprised not finding an Indian Temple every two or three street corners, in some particular areas, and no, I’m not mentioning Little India. Most of the Indians in Penang are from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, and this reflects in their dark skin color, and the supreme vegetarian cuisine you can sample almost anywhere in town. Their religion, on the other part, is one of the most visual and colorful, ranging a pantheon of gods to impress even the articulate Greek and Roman pantheons. Hundreds of stone people in different guises and poses ornate the pinnacles and towers of  the temples…and to me, they are beautiful.

Now, one of the most characteristic and incredible Indian festivals we have in Malaysia, and actually, just and only in Malaysia (this fest has been banned even in India, because considered too gruesome) is Thaipusam. In three words, prayers, hooks and sacrifice. Why hooks? Because there are so many piercing those Indian faces, shoulders, backs and skin, if you are easily impressionable, you’d might have a hard time watching. Essentially, there is a procession of devotees carrying a Kavadi (a huge, heavy thing to bear and carry around over your shoulders or head) going from lateral temples to the main Penang’s Waterfall temple, close to the Botanical Garden.

To do this, the devotees have to pierce themselves, usually cheek to cheek with a skewer, or using small hooks to puncture their whole bodies and transforming them in eerie human Christmas trees, or using hooks pierced through their backs’ skin which are pulled by their families. Sometimes they also team up and pull religious chariots this way. It’s a big, massive feast of masochistic devotion, truly unique and only found in Malaysia.

I had been expecting this for a long time, being unable to check it out last year because I was lost somewhere in Java. Two friends were staying here with us, a French and a Chinese. Plus an Italian and another Chinese, yes, it sounds like one of those jokes where people are about to jump off a plane or something equally silly. Well, the whole experience was as funny as a joke, by the way. We started taking a walk around my neighborhood around 3 pm, and we stumbled across a full open field full of people running amok, who pierced up for good, who in the process of being savagely saucered, and others just praying and preparing for the massive feast of religion and craziness.

TO BE CONTINUED

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Un aggiornamento per chi aveva seguito le avventure di Matteo Tricarico, che da poco ha attraversato la Birmania via terra (si esatto, nessun aereo preso, complimenti) e mi ha contattato da Calcutta, in India:

Il progetto sportivo-umanitario “Dal Vietnam all’Italia in bicicletta per i  diversabili”, partito il 9 ottobre 2009  da Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city) in Vietnam, sta portando Matteo Tricarico a percorrere in bicicletta in solitaria la distanza di 20.000 chilometri dal Vietnam all’Italia snodandosi attraverso Cambogia (ott. 2009), Laos (nov. 2009), Thailandia (dic. 2009), Myanmar (gen. 2010), Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran, Turchia e Grecia. Negli scorsi quattro mesi, sono stati percorsi circa 6000 chilometri sino alla città indiana di Calcutta e l’itinerario procederà attraverso il Bangladesh e l’India del nord.

Il progetto ha toccato i seguenti istituti:

1. 9 ottobre Saigon (Vietnam) – Orfanotrofio per bambini ciechi gestito dalla Fondazione di Cristiana Noble. Il centro raccoglie infanti abbandonati dalle madri alla nascita in ospedali cittadini per le loro disabilità e offre istruzione gratuita a studenti provenienti da famiglie che non possono provvedere al loro sostentamento.
2. 21 e 22 ottobre Phnom Penh (Cambogia) – Orfanotrofio e scuola per bambini diversabili gestito dal CIAI. Il centro è il più grande della Cambogia e ospita infanti disabili abbandonati alla nascita o nei primi mesi di vita.
3. 30 ottobre Battambong  (Cambogia) – Centro di accoglienza per bambini ed adolescenti vittime di incidenti con mine antiuomo o ammalati di Poliomielite gestito dalla locale Chiesa cattolica. La maggior parte dei ragazzi vengono da villaggi remoti e gli viene data la possibilità di frequentare i licei e le università cittadine.
4. 27 e 28 novembre Siem Reap  (Cambogia) – Scuola d’arte e formazione professionale per ragazzi di strada finanziato dal CIAI. Gli studenti non soffrono di disabilità fisiche ma vengono da famiglie particolarmente non abbienti che non possono offrire loro neanche l’istruzione di base. Nella scuola vengono impartite lezioni di danza, musica, ricamo e altre arti tradizionali Khmer, cosi da fungere anche da centro di trasmissione  di cultura alle nuove generazioni.
5. 8 dicembre Khiet Ngong (Laos) – Scuola elementare del villaggio finanziato dal WWF che opera nell’area naturalistica protetta dove il villaggio si trova.
6. 30 dicembre Vientiane (Laos) – Centro di formazione professionale per donne diversabili. La scuola è un grande laboratorio artigianale dove ragazze con disabilità imparano a confezionare abiti, produrre la carta di riso e tessere su telai tradizionali a mano.
7. 11 febbraio Pathein (Myanmar) – Scuola per l’istruzione di base e per la riabilitazione psico-motoria dei bambini delle aree rurali gestito da The Leprocy Mission International. Il centro fornisce anche corsi di fisioterapia per i genitori dei disabili mettendoli così in grado di proseguire le terapie a casa.
8. 18  febbraio Yangon (Myanmar) – L’istituto si occupa dell’apprendimento elementare di studenti con lievi disabilità mentali e fisiche, includendo anche l’insegnamento della lingua inglese.

La relazione completa dei primi 130 giorni del progetto, oltre alle gallerie video e fotografiche, al Diario di bordo e alle news sull’andamento del viaggio è disponibile all’indirizzo www.travelforaid.com – Relazione ott 09 feb 10 .

Alcune domande a Matteo:

Qual’è il tuo bilancio di questi primi quattro mesi di viaggio?

“Tutto sta eccedendo le mie più rosee aspettative, a cominciare dai patrocini morali concessi dalle varie istituzioni, alle organizzazioni umanitarie che sono diventate partner del progetto, sino all’entusiasmo nei messaggi di supporto inviatemi da tante persone che virtualmente mi seguono in quest’avventura. Fortunatamente, non ho avuto nessun incidente di percorso, anche se sono circa un mese in ritardo rispetto al programma a causa della lunga attesa per ricevere il permesso di transito della Birmania.”

Ci sono state delle situazioni difficili in cui avresti abbandonato tutto?

“Per ora, non sono mai arrivato alla disperazione totale di gettare la spugna, anche se procedendo faticosamente a passo d’uomo sui ripidi pendii tailandesi e birmani mi sono pentito di aver scelto quel tragitto. Talvolta mi sono sentito veramente solo, specialmente nelle aree scarsamente popolate del nord Cambogia e Laos e mi sarebbe veramente piaciuto avere qualcuno con me, ma reggo ancora bene l’aspetto psicologico della relativa solitudine.”

Quali sono stati i momenti più significativi.
“Credo che uno dei vantaggi di viaggiare in bicicletta, rispetto alla macchina o la motocicletta, sia di essere a contatto diretto con la popolazione locale in aree rurali dove raramente passano dei viaggiatori occidentali. La sorpresa e la curiosità della gente del posto è grande a vedermi e sono continuamente testimone di esempi di persone che vogliono aiutarmi offrendosi di darmi passaggi sui loro carretti o di ospitarmi nelle loro case per la notte, come è accaduto in Laos e Thailandia.

Comunque, i momenti più toccanti sono le visite ai centri per i bambini diversabili. Qui ho scoperto che buona parte degli assistiti hanno contratto disabilità a causa di malattie derivate da malnutrizione e scarsa igiene, soprattutto in Vietnam e Cambogia dove vanno aggiunte anche le vittime di incidenti con le mine antiuomo. Quest’aspetto umanitario del progetto sta assumendo un’importanza personale molto superiore rispetto al viaggio di scoperta e visita delle attrazioni locali. Mi sta portando un arricchimento spirituale interiore ed un nuovo, più profondo senso della compassione.”

Ti sei mai trovato in situazioni di pericolo?
“Non saprei dirlo! Forse inconsapevolmente mi sono trovato in circostanze pericolose, ma non ho mai avuto veramente paura per la vita o la borsa.  Mi sono preoccupato trovandomi in piena notte e senza vedere luci per chilometri mentre percorrevo le montagne thailandesi; oppure mi sono un po’ spaventato quando la polizia birmana mi ha costretto a levare le tende e mi ha caricato su un camioncino carico di contadini che brandivano grossi maceti. Comunque, sono sempre sul chi va là e freno quando serve!”

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Giorgio Bettinelli e Pandemonium suonano “Barista” in RAI, nel 1977. Un Giorgio inedito, attore e cantante, in questa perla sconosciuta del tardo beat italiano. Giusto per ricordare, ancora una volta, questo poliedrico personaggio. Mi manchi, Mr. Vespa.

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It’s good sometimes to discover that somewhere people are still doing good horror movies. And it’s not America!! This time is Thailand.
In a time when the Star Striped movie industry is dying on its last legs and “borrowing” (to say the least offensive) here and there, especially from the Asian markets, it’s quite inspiring to find that the source of if not original, at least brilliant thrills, is now centered in the East.Phobia 2 (5 Praeng) is the follow up to 4Bia and, like a fall 00’s  Creepshow, is composed by 5 different episodes shot by different directors. Wisoot Poonworraluck, Songyos Sugmakanan, Paween Purijitpanya, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom are the cream of the crop of Thai horror, and have already shot very good and scary movies like Shutter, Alone, Dorm and the first experiment of this serie, 4Bia.

We found this movie by chance at the local DVD store. Kit Yeng is often looking for cheap video thrills, so she pointed me the cover of this one, and honestly looking at it I didn’t give it a chance, but we got it anyways. Once at home, and realized that this was a movie made up of several episodes (an idea that, don’t know why, always excited me, being a fan of short stories), I looked up for the trailer online and I decided this movie needed an immediate try. Oh boy, I was so wrong at the dvd store!!

The first story I watched, as obvious, was Backpackers: total retarded horror movie genius. This could be a short story by Joe R. Lansdale or David Schow put into frames, with all the blood, guts and horror you can ask, and even more. God, if just this thing happened more to the real English backpackers polluting the Kingdom, I’d be the happiest man in the world.

But that was actually the third episode, so we got back o the first one, called Novice. Without spoiling the great plot, let’s just say that when a mother drops his kid at a far-flung monastery, she’s trying to do it for his own good. This story is definitely scary, and very much kudos to it because it’s the first horror story I see exploring the world on Buddhist monks and monasteries. Ace.

Second comes Ward, which is probably the weakest of the 5 episodes, but still a pretty entertaining one. Beware who you sleep with, it’s always best to sleep alone.

After Backpackers, my favorite (yeah, I love zombies man!) comes Salvage. The story’s about a woman who’s making shady business with her car dealership, re selling vehicles that have been previously torn in deadly accidents. Useless to say she’ll have to put up with more than just a pissed off client, being the ones from beyond even more pissed. Good, solid and with great special effects, among which the best is definitely the boy wrapped around a car tyre… scary!

The last of the bunch is In the End, showing the making of an Asian ghost movie that ends up terribly wrong. This last one is very funny, and ease the tension out with some good chills and laughs.

Overall, when the quality of the stories is so high, Phobia 2 definitely becomes a movie to look after and devour literally. Before it devours you. This is the time for Asian film makers to dig up the vaults of horror and make something good about it, before the sick twist disappears once again. It’s just so awe-inspiring to know that most of hese movies are available here, for so cheap, and will get my addiction fixed. Long life to blood, guts and gore!!! And kudos to Thailand… but kill off more of those backpackers, please!!!

Check out the trailer here:

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“You see, my government is crazy”

“Why?” I hope finally this time around, in the peaceful setting of the middle of a lake, without anybody hearing us, I’ll be enlightened by the conversation I’ve been waiting for three weeks to happen.“Because they open up the borders, than they close it, open up again…. makes no sense at all. The tourists are left out, so we don’t earn any money. Sometimes I don’t work for 2 or 3 months at a time, and that’s terrible for me and my family.”

“Yes, I see, I’m very sorry for that”

“Man, in Thailand, Cambodia, everybody goes in and out, as they like. So they are richer than us Burmese, the economy rolls. But our government, is like a big baby, a big crybaby”

He finishes his speech as the cigarette butt exhales its last fumes. No enlightenment today, as well, but it’s good to be hearing this.

If on one side I agree with this man, on the other side I am a little bit jealous of the intimacy and uniqueness of this moment, and I don’t agree with him. I have a sudden flash and I look around me foreseeing hordes of English pricks with girlfriends floating on thousands of speedboats around us, in a totally inappropriate frame, noisy, destroying the peacefulness of the lake, like this was any island of Thailand, and I get goose bumps. I understand tourism might help these people develop, but at the same time, I feel jealous of me being here in this moment, floating over time and space, when the time wheel has definitely spun around 50 years back and we are stuck in the Middle Ages, for what concerns me, in this exciting moment. And I wish instead the situation would stay the same, for me, and a few enlightened others, to enjoy. Then I abandon this idea and I just think, as always, whatever will be, will be.

I look around and the fishermen are always playful, just joined by another boat with two floating teenagers on it… they also love to be immortalized by Kit Yeng’s pervert plastic eye. She’s tame enough to jump on their boat, get a row and paddle around a bit, drowned in general laughter and enjoyment.

This was a very special day, and when we head back, engine on and raging over the lake, those two young boys are rowing as fast as they can to keep up and wave us goodbye, and I can swear that boat has legs, and they are running along the lake surface, dribbling giant mangroves and scaring the scarce fish population off.

They are running for their lives, and we both know it, while the last hand waves us goodbye, and our canoe speeds rolling on the side, like a time machine, taking us a few years back to the future of Nyaungshwe and its busy street cafes. Some moments are impossible to forget.

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