Learning in Shantou

With my first trip to mainland China only days away, my mind is riddled with doubts.

I leave Friday afternoon for a three day trip to Shantau, China to teach English.

I am very skeptical of my teaching abilities. I do not speak more than five words of Mandarin. I speak even less Cantonese. Both languages are spoken in the regions around Southern China. What impact can I really make in one trip?

On this trip I am scheduled to teach high school students, learn about China's school system and visit local cultural sites.

Shantou has been a special economic zone since 1979. What the term special economic zone means, I still don't really understand.

The city is located in the southeast coast of Guangdong Province. With its economy expanding rapidly, Shantou has still held on to parts of its traditional culture.

Regardless of my abilities, I am very interested in learning more about the Chinese education system. The prospect of interacting with local mainland students also enthralls me. I only hope I learn as much from them as they will learn from me.

I plan on teaching some English songs and play games. Any ideas?

Call to prayer

AS PRINTED IN THE WHITWORTHIAN:

The song seemed to echo through Melaka, a strange, foreign chant. Muslim women walk by dressed in hijabs, traditional head coverings women wear in public.

Loudspeakers broadcast the Muslim call to prayer five times a day to all Muslims in this port city in Malaysia. The melodious cry served as a constant reminder to me that I am a stranger traveling through a country that is 60 percent Islamic.

(View a slide show of Melaka here.)

Leaving Whitworth for the last semester of my senior year, I am studying at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong for six months. I decided to travel through Singapore and Malaysia in Southeast Asia during my two weeks vacation for the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Before traveling to Malaysia, I had never been to an Islamic country. I did not know how Islamic Malaysians would view Americans. I was wary of how Muslims would interact with me after it seemed President Bush had labeled Muslims as evil. I also was not sure what images Hollywood has given Malaysians about Americans, and how I would be treated as a result.

I had read in the news and heard from various people in the United States that Malaysia was a hotspot for terrorists. I knew southern Thailand, just north of Malaysia, was experiencing terrorist attacks from Muslim extremists.

After two weeks of travel, I discovered my fears and hesitations about traveling in an Islamic country were completely unfounded. The people I talked to kept telling me: "This is a peaceful country. We are not a terrorist country."

My travels echoed that statement.

While Malaysia is an "Islamic" country, Islamic law only applies to Muslims when family law and religion are involved, according to the CIA World Factbook.

On the top of a hill in front of the ruins of an old Catholic church, I closed my eyes and listened to the call. The song was not a call to hate-it was a call to worship.

Upon arriving in Melaka, the first people to help me understand the bus system were a group of Muslim girls dressed in hijabs. They were kind, helpful and trusting. They did not hate me because I was an American. Instead they seemed happy to help a foreigner. They treated me with the same kindness and respect they showed everyone else.

I had always believed terrorism and extremists did not represent the majority of Muslims. Now I had seen that what I believed in theory was true in reality. Traveling through Malaysia showed me just how beautiful Islam can be in a country where other religions are given freedom to coexist alongside one another.

The dilapidated old church behind me served as a reminder that Islam has not always been the dominant religion in Malaysia.

According to a 2000 census, the country is 60 percent Muslim, 9 percent Buddhist, 19 percent Christian, 6 percent Hindu and 3 percent a mix of traditional Chinese religions. During Portuguese rule, Christianity dominated due to colonial influence.

While Islam may be the largest religion in Malaysia, the current government guarantees freedom of religion to everyone. The Malaysian government is currently promoting an agenda of unity, harmony and peace between all ethnic groups and religions.

As I stood beside the Catholic ruins, I could see a Hindu and Buddhist temple below. The call to prayer continued to resonate through the city. Church bells from the town square below started their throng in unison with the Muslim song, creating a harmonious sound.

Jessica Davis is a senior majoring in journalism and history studying abroad at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Contact her at jessica.davis@whitworthian.com.

Island life on Puala Pangkor

Snapper, sting ray and a few other fish I had never seen before lay among ice in a metal container in front of the road side restaurant on the island of Puala Pangkor.

I chose the snapper took a seat at an outdoor restaurant just across the road from the ocean.

The Snapper looked delicious with its red body and meaty skin. Malays as well as Chinese like to present the entire animal when eating a meal. The fish’s body had been sliced in half, leaving the eye looking straight up at me. A thick layer of chili powder brought out the flavor.

Earlier in the day I had been swimming in the ocean where snappers and angel fish swan in and around the bright coral.

The water is so warm here -- clear and blue, the sand white and clean.

Little islands appear on the horizon line covered in thick forest – a reminder that I am in the middle of the tropics, not on the beaches of Southern California.

Large trees line the coast. From these trees are swings made by locals to swing out into the water.

The fish arrived split in two. It had been fired over an open flame in a banana leaf. The white flesh had been smeared with a chili sauce.

I took a bite. The moist fish mixed with the spicy chili almost melted in my mouth. Mixed with the rice and fresh vegetables that we had ordered, I felt the sensation of happiness that only comes with well prepared food.

I took a sip of my Malay-style tea: a dark tea mixed with condensed milk over ice. The ice here is safe to drink as the water in Malaysia is very clean. Even though I mainly eat street food, I have not gotten sick.

For desert, Adelaide and I walked down to the local grocery store to pick up an ice cream. A nice way to cool down in the fresh air. I noticed a slight increase in price over the other places we have been traveling to. Islands are usually like that though.

*PHOTOS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: 1) A sunset at Puala Pangkor Island. 2) Fresh fish on sale where I picked out my snapper for dinner.

The western price

A man called out to me as I walked through Little India in Singapore.

“Where are you from?” he called out. Usually I ignored such questions, but I muttered as I walked by, “The U.S.”

I heard him talking in my direction, but I kept walking. Suddenly from behind he violently grabbed my arm.

“Don’t walk away from me when I am talking to you,” he said with a thick Indian accent. His grip on my arm was tight. His fingers were digging in.

I felt fear. This man seemed desperate for me to buy something. I had come face-to-face with the stereotype that as a westerner I must have money to spend.

During my travels in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia for the past month-and-a-half I have become aware of a phenomenon I like to call the “western price.”

I have come face to face with the belief on several occasions that being a westerner means I am wealthy. What some people do not realize is that while I am an American, I am also a student traveling for six months on a tight budget.

The price for westerners is often a significant amount higher than what the locals pay.

The average price of a taxi ride in Melaka, Malaysia is around $10 RM. Adelaide and I were always charged $15 RM. Another time in Hong Kong, my friends I hired a boat to travel around Cheung Chau Island. The group of us were charged $40 HK (around U.S. $6). An old woman also got on with us and only paid $0.50 HK.

I often feel guilt when bargaining down prices that have been raised because I am a foreigner. Many of the countries I have visited or will be visiting rely on tourism as the main part of their economies.

Back in the market, I looked at this man in the face. He dropped his tight grip on my arm and continued to talk to me. For the first time in my travels, I felt afraid this man was going to hurt me if I tried to leave.

He grabbed my upper arm again and dragged me over to his booth. He was selling scarves made of casmir (so he said). I could not argue that they were very beautiful, but I was not in the market for buying anything that afternoon.

He would not take no as an answer. I realized later that I was being too nice because I was afraid.

He kept saying, I won’t be angry if you don’t buy, but his eyes said otherwise. Twice I tried to leave and each time he grabbed my arm.

I picked out two scarves because I find it is easier to bargain if I buy more. I asked the price. He wanted S$45, too much. That was around U.S. $30.

“I’m a poor student,” I told him. He agreed and brought the price down to S$40. Still too much.

He argued with me that business was bad and he had to eat. I felt guilty. The truth was I could probably afford the scarves even if they were U.S. $30. This man could obviously use the money, but I refused to be coerced into buying something out of fear.

I tried to leave again but his voice rose higher. I still felt afraid. I could not leave unless I bought from him. After several minutes we agreed on S$35. Not a great deal, but I just wanted to leave.

I reached into my wallet and did not have the full $35. He accepted S$33 and I left with my scarves in hand.

*One of the scarves I bought in Little India.

Scars from colonialism still fresh

Bats screeched overhead. I cringed as the guide turned her flashlight to the ceiling of the Dark Cave.

I hadn’t even entered the cave and I felt goose bumps on my arms. This cave was alive.

(View a slideshow of Batu Caves here.)

I had just finished exploring the Batu Caves, one of the most sacred sites for Hindus in Malaysia. Just off to the side, a loud speaker announced on a continuous track, “Thirty minute guided cave tour.”

For $35 RM (around U.S.$10), Adelaide and I had decided to escape the heat and tour the cave.

Inside the cave was crawling full of creepers. Bats hung from the ceiling, insects buzzed in the air.

Several meters into the cave, thousands of cockroaches were feeding on bat guano (bat feces). The bugs scampered across the pathway lit up only by the lantern on my helmet. I walked carefully so I would not squish any under my black converses.

Earlier in the tour, our guide Deva had pointed to a white line visible through natural light near the entrance of the cave.

In the 1860s the British had come to the cave and extracted all the bat guano for fertilizer. Two hundred years later the walls were still scarred from the mining.

The more I travel through South East Asia, the more I am realizing the effects of colonialism are still a reality for many people here.

Malaysia has been independent for over 51 years from colonial rule. On the other hand, East Timor has only been independent for less than a decade.

East Timor is South East Asia’s poorest and newest country, according to Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta was shot by rebels outside his home in Dili on February 11. He finally woke up February 22, according to an article by the AFP.

Just for some history, East Timor was colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Eventually it was invaded and controlled by Indonesia in the 1970s. When the now deceased Indonesian President Haji Muhammad Suharto fell from power in 1998, East Timor was able to procure independence only in 2002.

Less than ten years later, the country is still undergoing political instability and social turmoil. (Listen to the NPR report here.)

These scars do not fade over night.

Back in the cave, Deva moved her flashlight back and forth across the path, looking for what she said was a friendly, albeit poisonous snake.

I kept a watchful eye on what I could see of the path, not wanting a fatal bite.

*The Hindu god Lord Murugan at Batu Caves looking out over the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Selamat Tahun Baru Cina

A red glow seeped from China Town in Melaka. Red lanterns hung from roof-top to roof-top.

Nearly every building used red light bulbs to light up the buildings.

Banners proclaimed in Malay, "Selamat Tahu Baru Cina" (Happy Chinese New Year).

Even though I was in Malaysia, the street was packed with ethnic Chinese who had traveled from all over South East Asia for the Lunar New Year celebrations.

On each side of the street were stalls after stalls of trinkets, jewelry, street food and even small animals.

The Chinese have zodiac years represented by 12 animals. The year 2008 is the year of the rat. I am constantly reminded of this by the displays of Mickey Mouse all around town and on the shirts of little children.

People born in the year of the rat are known for their charm. They are materialistic, perfectionists and very thrifty. They have big dreams, which are usually achieved.

Stopping at one stall to look at a mouse piggy bank, the man behind the booth opened his hand to reveal a live small mouse-like creature.

He pointed to the gold piggy bank, “That one is $10 RM.”

Then he pointed to the mouse in his hand, “You can have this one for $250 RM.” I was horrified. The creature looked either nearly dead or very sedated.

Thanking him, I walked on.

In one stall, large skillets filled with dim sum (a variety of Chinese snacks such as steamed dumplings, shrimp balls and pastries) emitted an enticing smell. I stood over the open skillets and picked out four different kinds of dumplings full of pork, vegetables, tofu and other things I could not recognize. Most of them were covered with cabbage.

I placed my selection of dumplings into a plastic bag and the vendor squeezed some chili sauce over the steaming bunch.

I struggled to pay for the dim sum as my other hand was occupied with a fresh squeezed glass of sugar cane juice.

Adelaide and I sat down on the side of the road to eat the dumplings. I was surrounded by stalls. People walked by in an endless stream.

Even though I am not a big meat eater, I found the dim sum delicious. Each morsel was full of flavor.

Down the road I could hear Chinese music, which hung mystically in the humid air. I listened to the buzz of people around me. I heard Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese and English.

Tonight was only the beginning of the new year celebrations. Chinese New Year celebrations last for 15 days. I was in Melaka for the first three days of the celebrations.

Looking around, I was surprised to see how preserved the Chinese culture was in Melaka. Junker Street seemed more Chinese to me than most of Hong Kong.

Then I thought back to my Modern South East Asia history class I am currently taking at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The Chinese have had a difficult time in South East Asia. Before the Europeans arrived in the region, the Chinese had already established a commercial base in South East Asia.

When the Europeans arrived, the Chinese were used as the middle men between the Europeans and the locals. As a result, the Chinese often were able to gain considerable economic power.

Violence against the ethnic Chinese when their economic power became too great became a pattern in most South East Asian countries. Malaysia was not an exception.

I remembered the diagrams in my class depicting China Towns in Malaysia being set on fire and images of the Chinese being killed.

The remnants of this history remain. In 1998, riots broke out against the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia after the financial crises of 1997. Amidst this struggle, it made sense to me that the ethnic Chinese would be able to keep their culture in tact.

I bit into my last piece of dim sum, hungry for more.

*Photos from top to bottom: 1) The Junker Street night market located in China Town in Melaka, Malaysia where the Lunar New Year celebrations were held. 2) A family sells dim sum at the night market on Junker Street during the new year celebrations in Melaka.

Heading back to Hong Kong

After nearly 13 days of traveling through Singapore and Malaysia, I will be heading back to Hong Kong Saturday morning.

I have several blogs written, but have not been able to find a computer that will accept a thumb drive. Expect many posts on Saturday afternoon (Friday night back in the United States).

Also, I will soon be contributing columns to the Whitworthian student newspaper. Feel free to check out the site at http://www.whitworthian.com. I will most likely republish the columns here.

While waiting for my blogs, feel free to check out these stories:

Malaysia to go to the polls on March 8
Ethnic Indian minister heckled in Malaysia