November 15, 2006
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China Blog: Day 85
16:53 Beijing Time
Phrase Of The Day: De bing ho…. Zhongweh “Illiterate” zenme shuo? (Of ice and…what’s that word for “illiterate?”)
It’s bloody cold.
BLOODY cold.
As in, -8 degrees. I’ve never felt things this cold. For example, let me tell you a little story.
During this tale, I would like to remind you that I am from warm, temperate Somerset, where a temperature of -1 is considered an extreme of temperature. Even in Sunderland, it was always bearable.
Fiona and myself decided to take an early-morning stroll through Nanhu park on Sunday, after an abortive attempt to visit the South Lake Hotel for a buffet western breakfast. It was cold- I was even wearing GLOVES, which is something I’ve not done since my time in the TA. As we got to the lake, I noticed something odd. A rock was floating *on* the lake.
Not *in*. *on*. This confounded me somewhat, so I placed a foot on the water. It was hard. I placed a second foot on, and it cracked. So much so that I stepped back onto shore, but for one special, brief second, I was standing ON the lake.
Now, country bumpkin I may be, but if there’s one thing that I know, I know that lakes are NOT things to be stood on. One does not STAND on lakes. In fact, one of the things that makes a lake a lake, one of it’s defining qualities, is that the damn thing is completely un-stand-onnable.
Yes folks, for the first time in my life – fairly seasoned traveller that I am – I was looking at a frozen lake. And it was magical.
For some reason, me, Josh and Tom were having a deep, philosophical conversation the other day about how we are surviving in China. At some point, I turned round and said “You know what’s the hardest? The fact that I feel like I’m illiterate.”
This elicited a moment of pensive silence, followed by agreement.
Ever since I was a boy, I’ve wondered what it would be like to not be able to read, or to write. I mean, I come from a country with a 99% literacy rate. I don’t think I’ve ever MET an illiterate British person. Then I came out here, and I know exactly what it’s like.
When I was 14, I made a joke about illiteracy that I’ve always felt bad for. One of those multitude of guilty little feelings that have never really gone away. The ones that niggle at you and make sure you never make that mistake twice, y’know? Well, trust me. I will never joke about it again, now that I know what it’s like. Back home, we take reading and writing for granted. Here, I see these random squiggles on the wall, and it infuriates me. It infuriates me because I know they mean something, but I can never know what that something is. I know that somewhere sells food, but darned if I know what type of food they sell. Or I see a building, and I don’t know if it’s a cafe, a brothel or a music shop.
It makes you realise just how good we have it back home.
Anyways, I’m out. Got some things to do. I’m going to try and break the cycle of once-a-week-posting that I appear to have slipped into ^_^
Zai Jian, guys!
Comments (12)
illiterate = wenmang
Heh, reminds me of when I went to Chicago and Lake Michigan was frozen. Now that’s a bloody big lake to freeze over!
I think you’re very brave you know.
It’s odd to me that you haev never seen a frozen lake. I come from the land of frozen lakes, 10,000 of them to be exact. I suppose you have never truly traveled until you have seen a frozen lake. Congratulations on the discovery.
As for the illiteracy, you will pick things up without even realizing it. Just let it engulf you.
you’ve never met an illiterate person in england? they hide it well you know – some of our kids and some of their parents are illiterate. it’s bizarre, but it’s real and it happens and sometimes it’s not even apparent why. there are more of them than you’d imagine.
i’ve seen a frozen pond – is that as good as a frozen lake?!
Two things here Scott, firstly, you do know someone who is illiterate, Whacko. Secondly, I know you well enough to know that you will learn the language and once you do the reading won’t be far behind. I’m sure you won’t be illiterate for long!
Isn’t funny that we often travel with the intention of learning new things about new places/people but what often happens is we learn or realise things about ourselves. There’s nothing like spending time in a foreign culture to make us more aware of what we have and also what we lack. I’m sure the longer you stay there the clearer things will become, wandering into a brothel looking for a burger is a story you can dine out when you get home!
You’ve…never seen a frozen lake?
Like…ever?
That’s pretty weird. haha.
Dear Scott,
for a little Nicole update: I’m moving back to Philly in December. Changing my major to English/creative writing. And I miss you tons. Write back to me sometime.
<3 Nikki
I’ve never seen a frozen lake either…yet! The ones around here will all be frozen soon, for ice-skating too!
I don’t think I could ever do what you are doing…even being in Italy where I know what the words mean or can at least guess, it’s hard. The culture differences just here are quite enough for me…I think it’s incredible that you are out there!
Aww!! You are so funny!! You should come to Canada in the dead of winter where lakes freeze over everywhere. I’ve walked quite a distance out onto a frozen lake and it’s just so awesome, tho yes, the fear of stepping on cracked ice and falling thru was always a small fear in the back of my mind, but if you go cold enough then you might be looking at ice that’s 3 feet thick.
You know what’s funny about the weather? I always seem to miss the snow…a week after I left Vancouver got hit with tons of snow. DAMMIT! Why do I always have to miss the best snowfalls? *pouts*
dead rimm?
sad merc.
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