内蒙古: Partying

Friday, 2:00 PM, on the bus to Beijing

It’s been an interesting 24 hours. After finishing our game of Spades, I left Natalee and Florence’s room and crashed until 6:30 the next morning, when I headed down to the 5^th floor for a Chinese-style breakfast buffet. Most of it was pretty gross, to my tastes. I don’t understand the Chinese tendency of pickling food, I really don’t. I also don’t get their preference for hot drinks. It’s not bad, but it just doesn’t taste satisfying. I had to ask the waiter for ice water. He thought it was a really strange request, but went to the kitchen to fulfill it anyway. He came back with a giant bowl filled with water and a few flecks of ice… I didn’t know if I was supposed to drink it or wash my hands in it.

内蒙古: Playing

Wednesday, 2:50 PM, on the bus

I learned how to solve a Rubik’s cube!! I’ve wanted to learn since I was little, but I never got around to it. I’m having issues with the final side of the cube, but I’ll get there!

I’m a hot, sandy mess. We’re on our way to Huhhot right now from the desert playground thing.

内蒙古: Learning

Tuesday, 5:20 PM, on the bus

Wow. Right before we arrived at Genghis Khan’s mausoleum, I finished the most extraordinary book called The Shadow of the Wind. It was incredible. I can’t describe exactly why, but I know it’s been some time since a book made me feel this way. I feel like, ever since high school, I stopped making time just to read good books, and I let the world of literature slip away. I now feel like a careless friend, one who neglected one of her greatest childhood companions. Yes, I know this has absolutely nothing to do with China… oh well. That book, as one critic describes, is truly a “love letter to literature,” a tribute to literature. It’s obviously got my mind all worked up. It made me think about things like destiny, aging, and true love, and it gave me a connection to old España, confused and scarred España. I wish my Spanish was good enough to read and appreciate this book in its original language. I tried, but it was so difficult. Add in the complicated plot and absurdly decorative language, and I had no hope of getting through the original as it was written by Zafón. Someday. Just like someday I’ll read Harry Potter in Chinese. I will, you know.

Anyway, China.

内蒙古: Complaining

Monday, 10:06 PM, in bed @ Westlake Hotel

All I did today was ride in a bus. Like that’s actually all I did. Aside from a two hour period around noon where I helped interview two families, I honestly just sat in my seat on the bus. It was a long day. Unfortunately, I had the bad luck of being on the sunny side, in the morning AND afternoon! How does that work? Add to that our winding path through the hills and bumpy trek through dirt roads, and you have a very uncomfortable experience. Don’t forget that I haven’t showered in three days and haven’t had a full nutritional meal in… forever (or at least that’s what it feels like).

Our interview location:

内蒙古: Adjusting

Monday, 8:30 AM, on the bus

Overall, I have to say I’m glad I’m doing this trip, and I’m happy to have the experience under my belt, but I don’t think I’d ever sign up to do it again. The reward so far hasn’t been worth the discomfort. Additionally, I feel like this trip was not well-planned. We have too much “do nothing” time. Yesterday, we had hours of “do nothing” time, punctuated by an unexciting horse ride and a bland dinner.

I’m frustrated, I miss home. I almost think the 4-day Chinese village (another research trip possibility) would have been preferable given the free time I would have had in Beijing.

The one thing that makes this trip really worth it so far is the scenery. It’s so much like Texas in composition and Nebraska in form. The scrubby grass, the low undulating hills as far as you can see, and the stars… the stars are home. I keep forgetting how awe-inspiring they are. It’s no wonder someone thought to name our galaxy the Milky Way. It really looks like there’s a milky rainbow stretched across the sky.

内蒙古: Feasting

NOTE: This post has pictures of a sheep being slaughtered. If you don't want to see it, reading the rest of this post is probably not a good idea.


Sunday, 8:30 AM, on the bus

So many mixed reactions to the past 24 hours.

An outline:
-arrive at the middle of nowhere, realize that we will be spending the night here

-subsequently realize the "bathroom" bears absolutely no resemblance to anything any of us are used to Note: the second picture is pretty gross, especially once you realize what that little mountain visible through the hole is made of

内蒙古: Trekking

After an eventful and incredible week on the steppes of Inner Mongolia, I've finally made it back to Beijing to write about my adventures. Now, when I say "write," I'm technically referring to the 800 character report that I'm supposed to compose about my investigation into the Mongolian culture, as it's due Monday morning, but what's the fun in starting early on an assignment? So first, I will catalogue my adventures as I recorded them in my little notebook.

Part laziness and part time shortage keep me from writing as thoroughly as I'd like, so all I'm really going to do is transcribe my observations from my book to my blog, punctuated by a few (very illustrative) pictures. I'll also be adding in my final thoughts in italics from time to time.

Friday, 6:50 PM, on the bus

Chinese highways aren't big into roadside towns or fast food outlets. Instead, there is the occasional joint gas station-convenience store-bathroom that pops up with much less frequency than in the US. It was at one of these stops that our group first experienced the startled glances and unabashed staring that would follow us through the rest of the week. I guess a bus-load of Westerners speaking Chinese is unusual in Inner Mongolia.  I fell asleep for about "half the trip" (or so I thought) when we were still in foggy and mountainous terrain.

The Original Huhot Mongolian Grill... Seriously

One of my favorite aspects of HBA is the 社会调查 shehui diaocha, or "societal investigation." While HBA offers a variety of "research opportunities," such as experiencing the cosmopolitan life in Shanghai, the true Karate Kid's life at Shaolin Temple (kung fu teachings -by monks!- included), and the rural life of a small village, I chose to go to Inner Mongolia.

You might not believe it, but going to Inner Mongolia actually hits home a little bit for me. As certain friends and family members know, my favorite restaurant back in Kearney, Nebraska, is, strangely enough, the Mongolian Grill. So naturally, when this opportunity arose, I had to seize it. I really had no choice. After all, how many people can say they've actually been to a Mongolian grill in Huhot?

Alright, I suppose there was also a little bit of academic interest...