By Lauren Hallanan, NorCap Program Coordinator

Being abroad for the holidays seems like it could be very upsetting. Holidays are about family, food, and traditions. How can one possibly celebrate in Beijing? Do these holidays get lost in translation? Ignored?

Not at all. In fact, most often it is the opposite. Foreigners here in Beijing end up going a bit overboard with holiday spirit. Thanksgiving was about a week and a half ago and although most Americans still had to work that Thursday and Friday, we didn’t let that get us down. Thanksgiving dinners and parties abound not only on Thursday night, but throughout the remainder of the weekend as well. I ended up eating a mere two Thanksgiving dinners, which was nothing compared to some of my friends who attended dinners four days in a row! And mind you, these were some quite authentic Thanksgiving dinners including all the necessary dishes such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and, on some occasions, a turkey!

It’s not as difficult as you would think to celebrate western holidays in Beijing. Foreign grocery stores are well prepared for the season, stocking all the essential ingredients. Turkeys (and large ovens) are rare here, so many restaurants will cook one for you to take home. And if you’re too busy (or perhaps too lazy) to cook the Thanksgiving meal yourself, plenty of restaurants offer a special holiday menu. All of this is true for Christmas a few other holidays, as well.

An import grocery store in Beijing

In addition to eating, various other events also take place throughout the holiday season to add to the festive mood. Many bars and restaurants hold holiday movie showings, and there are also concerts, parties, fairs, and more.

Of course, celebrating the holidays abroad is not the same as being back home in the States, but being in Beijing is always fun in its own way!

By Sean Kwon, NorCap Staff Intern

My favorite hangout spot in Beijing is most definitely Sanlitun. Despite having grown up in this city, every time I visit this neighborhood I am still in awe of the transformation that has taken place over the past ten years. Located in Chaoyang District of Beijing, Sanlitun is a unique area with a diverse range of international stores, restaurants, and bars, all of which are very popular among locals and expats alike.

Upon arrival, it’s hard to miss the ultra-modern architecture of “The Village,” one of Sanlitun’s main open-air shopping plazas. The Village is home to the largest Adidas store in the world and Japan’s famous apparel brand, UNIQLO. These two stores stand-out as the most unique towers and prominently frame the main entrance to The Village. Inside, a plethora of options await, from Steve Madden, Puma, The North Face, and Mango, to Coldstone Creamery, Starbucks, and the most trendy Beijing restaurants. Then, of course, there’s the Flagship Apple Store, which is in such high-demand that it was closed briefly a few weeks ago after a crowd pelted eggs at the glass tower over an unexpected delayed launch of the iPhone 4s.

The plaza is an open area in the middle, where in the summer months, I like to sit down, relax, chat with my friends, and enjoy the many shows and movies playing on the giant LED screen hanging above for all to see. Adorable Chinese children are usually chasing each other around the square, instantly drawn to the water fountains in the middle. The basement level of the Village also houses a variety of stores and other options, most notably one of the largest movie cinemas in China called Megabox, which premiers a mixture of both local and international films.

Located just west of The Village is Ya Show Market, a popular site for tourists wishing to buy knock-off clothes, bags, and other accessories. Need a suit tailored? I recommend the third-floor store, where you can get any suit tailored for a very affordable price. My tailor provided me with a magazine full of luxury brands from which to choose, and I also know friends who brought their own designs and magazine cut-outs. After settling on two very fine Italian brands, I was pleased to receive a custom-made suit just one-week later for under USD $200. Ya Show is a solid option for most, but if seeking a truly high-quality experience, I would suggest a few other luxury tailors located not far from this area.

Rich in both local and international cuisines, Sanlitun is a go-to for any dining experience. Take your pick from inventive California-style sushi, classic American burgers, some of the city’s best Indian, and a range of contemporary fusion restaurants sure to interest any culinary elite. Nali Patio also houses some of the best Spanish and Mediterranean food in Beijing. Chinese being my favorite cuisine, I personally recommend the spicy Hunan-style restaurant, Karaiya Spice, located on the third floor of The Village. All of Karaiya’s dishes arrive full of Chinese spices and bursting with flavor, and the restaurant’s Chinese décor nicely compliments its western-facade. But be careful, as Karaiya really knows how to use its spice!

Sanlitun is also a popular drinking destination, but that’s for another blog post… Needless to say, if you’re planning a trip to Beijing, be sure to visit Sanlitun and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

By David Pfohl, NorCap Staff Intern

Kyle Freeman, a 2011 George Mason University graduate, is currently working as a Commercial Service Sector intern at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.  Kyle, an Economics and Global Affairs double major, first came to Beijing in 2009 to study abroad through George Mason University.  Following this time abroad, Kyle continued studying Mandarin in Beijing with the Confucius Institute Scholarship.  His experience in China was instrumental in acquiring an internship at the international trade department of the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.  Following that internship and graduation, Kyle returned to China to work for the U.S. Embassy.  He plans on living in Beijing for the next few years and working as a business consultant, helping U.S. companies enter the Chinese market.

What is a typical weekend like for you in Beijing?

When the weather is warmer, I like to go out and visit the different imperial gardens and temples around the city.  When the weather turns cold, I usually head to the museums.  Beijing ranks second internationally, trailing only London, in its number of museums.  I think there are more than 3000 museums and more than half of them are free.

One of my favorite things to do in Beijing is spend a day eating my way across the city.  China has one of the richest food cultures in the world and Beijing holds some of its best treats.  Traditional Beijing snacks range anywhere from Beijing roast duck, to spicy Sichuan food, tropical seafood delicacies from the south, or Muslim dishes from the west; Beijing has it all. This food is everywhere you turn, from street vendors and small shops to some of the most elegant restaurants in Asia.

What was the craziest thing that ever happened to you/you witnessed in Beijing?

Perhaps not the craziest but … I once saw a business meeting being conducted at McDonalds.  There were four men in suits and a secretary. The secretary served them coffee and super-sized meals as they watched a PowerPoint presentation on a laptop.  Ultimately, they ended up signing contracts right there in the McDonalds.  The whole time this was going on, there was a homeless man sleeping at a table not far from them.

I once saw a man fixing his air conditioning unit.  Not in itself a weird thing, until you realize it was an external unit on the 14th floor of an apartment building and he was standing on the unit, no bigger than a TV, beating it with a hammer.

A friend and I once got held up by a farmer with a pitchfork.  We were hiking out to a remote part of the Great Wall and as we approached, a man came running at us shouting. It turns out local farmers guard this part of the wall and usually require hikers to pay a small fee.  Needless to say, we were more than happy to pay the 10 kuai fee (about $1.50) rather than argue with him.  He then went on to show us around The Wall and actually treated us to lunch the next day after we camped there.

What do you like most about this city and why?

I like the mix of old and new.  One minute you can be strolling through imperial gardens and palaces and minutes later be amongst the towering and impressive architecture of office buildings in Chaoyang District.  I think Beijing is unique in this respect in that it was able to retain more traditional Chinese aspects while modernizing at a rapid pace.

In my opinion, many other large Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Hong Kong lack this quality and appear to have torn down the old in favor of the new.

Actually, one of China’s most famous comedians, Mr. Zhou, has a pretty good joke about this phenomenon. In Chinese, the character for tearing down a building is 拆 (chaī). The joke goes, “In China we are always tearing this down or tearing that down to make room for something new. Everywhere you turn it is “chaī” this or “chaī” that.  This is why foreigners call our country China.”

Thankfully, Beijing has largely avoided this craze and retained much of its cultural heart.

If you could give advice to new interns or people interested in coming to this city, what would you say?

I don’t want to sound cliché, but whenever I’m asked this question I always say the same thing: “Expect the unexpected”.  Whatever preconceived notions you have about living in China (Beijing), be they from things you have read or heard somewhere, they will likely change once you arrive.  China is literally on the other side of the world from the U.S., and in many aspects I would say we are a world apart culturally.  While that can sometimes be daunting, it can also be a very good thing.

I have lived here for 2 years and still learn or see something new on a daily basis. For me, it is almost like being a kid again, where everything is fresh and exciting.  It definitely keeps life interesting.

What was your favorite experience in Beijing so far?

My favorite experience in Beijing would have to be the Chinese New Year.  Chinese New Year is China’s largest holiday and many people travel hundreds of miles to return home, much like Christmas in the U.S.  The best part of the Chinese New Year, by far, is the fireworks.  I have never seen so many fireworks.  At midnight we went to the roof of an apartment building and there were literally fireworks going off in every direction as far as the eye could see.  I imagine if you were to fly over in a plane it would look like a colorful war zone.

What is something unique about this city that not many people know?

Beijing is not only the capital of China, but also the bicycle capital of the world.  If you have
never been to Beijing, this may be a little hard to imagine, but once you arrive I think it is something you notice quite quickly.  They even have parking lots just for bikes.  I had never seen this before coming to China.

Beijing has sandstorms in the spring.  As fearsome as they sound, they are actually not too bad.  They typically occur two or three times per year and only last for a few hours.  The first time I experienced one I had no idea what was happening and wondered why the sky was orange and the streets were covered in sand.

Beijing locals refer to the China Central Television (CCTV) Headquarters building, one of Beijing’s most famous architectural landmarks, as “the big underpants” … because it looks like a pair of boxers when viewed from the front.

By Sean Kwon, NorCap Staff Intern

As a ‘Third Culture Kid’ with a background of living in South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, and China, I was able to experience New Year celebrations in multi-cultural forms. Having spent most of my life in Beijing, the intense sound of firecrackers on every other block of the city, the sight of street markets illuminated with red lanterns, and dragon/lion dances to the deafening sounds of the cymbal and drums were all very welcoming and familiar signs of the arrival of the Chinese New Year.

The Year of the Dragon (龙年) starts on January 23rd, 2012. This day is the first day of the first month of the lunar based Chinese calendar. The Spring Festival (literal translation of the Chinese characters 春节 chunjie) ends with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day. During this 15 day celebration, the Chinese people feast, hold traditional ceremonies, and pray for a prosperous and healthy year.

Personally, my favorite part of the whole festival is the fireworks. Be prepared for the longest pyrotechnic night of your life because people buy insanely large amounts, (some people purchase $11,000 worth while the cost of any individual cracker ranges from $6 to $80!), and set them off throughout the whole night on New Year’s Eve. It makes New York City, the ‘City That Never Sleeps’, look ancient. So for all you pyromaniacs out there, get ready for some heavy duty firepower.

Many Chinese people are superstitious and hold symbolic beliefs respective to the Chinese calendar. This year, it is the year of the dragon, which is the only legendary animal in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The dragon is the symbol of power, wealth, and also the sign of the emperor. Speaking of symbols, the most common symbol seen during this festival is the Chinese character 福 fu inside a red diamond, meaning blessings or happiness.

You can expect to see the whole city glow through the color red, with red lanterns, red paper-cut decorations on windows, and New Year pendants hanging from ceilings, as red symbolizes joy and good fortune. Chinese New Year is like Thanksgiving in the U.S., where families get together for a reunion and prepare all sorts of cuisines, mainly including fish, chicken, jiaozi (dumplings), various vegetarian dishes, and of course the niangao (glutinous new year cake).

Besides all the partying, if you want to have a more cultural experience and 了解 liaojie what Chinese New Year is all about, it is recommended you visit the Temple fairs. The Ditan Temple Fair (www.dtpark.com) is the most famous with traditional ceremonies and street performances. Also, Beijing’s shopping malls launch their biggest annual sales by slashing prices as much as 70%. If you love cooking, The Hutong (www.thehutong.com) offers cooking classes and you can learn to cook anything from dumplings to a bowl of noodles to exotic Chinese cuisines.

Chinese New Year is definitely an experience one should not miss as it is considered the most important holiday in China.

By David Pfohl, NorCap Staff Intern

There are no forks in China:

Many Americans believe that the Chinese only use chopsticks to eat.  For the inexperienced and self-conscious eater this may be a barrier to eating exotic and delicious Chinese food.  In China, while chopsticks are certainly the preferred utensil, many Chinese also use forks and spoons to eat and most restaurants keep them on hand.  In Beijing, one can even encounter ‘sporks’ (spoon and fork hybrids) at fast food chains.

It is impossible to get past the ‘Great Firewall of China’:

While it is common to hear news about pervasive Chinese Internet censorship, many Chinese citizens and expats know how to get around the ‘Great Firewall of China’.  In fact, getting around the government firewall is very common knowledge.  The use of a proxy or VPN will allow one to access their favorite websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube as if they were in the United States.  Many proxies and VPNs are free while some require inexpensive monthly subscriptions.

You will starve:

Despite the fact that China did experience a tremendous famine from 1958-1961 as result of natural disasters and Mao’s Great Leap Forward, the average Chinese person today is well fed.  In Beijing, the streets are filled with vendors and restaurants, many of which will also deliver to your door.  From traditional Chinese food to every type of Western and Eastern food imaginable, it is hard not to find something to eat in this international metropolis.  In fact, because of generally low food prices and sheer convenience, many expats actually gain weight while in Beijing.

The air is unbreathable:

Although air pollution is bad on some days, the air quality in Beijing is not as terrible as one is lead to believe.  Air pollution in Beijing generally follows a cycle: perfectly clear days with blue sky and sun, followed by light haze and smog.  The light haze and smog slowly accumulate until they cause one or two days of heavier pollution.  The smog is then cleared out by rain in the late spring through fall, or wind coming off the desert in the winter.  For those concerned about heavy pollution days, there are air purification masks available in Beijing.  Most street vendors also carry stylish facemasks and basic surgeon masks, which also suffice.

The food is identical to American-style Chinese food:

Far from it.  Many Americans believe that Chinese food consists of egg rolls, dumplings, sweet and sour pork and beef with broccoli.  While this type of food is present in southern China and Hong Kong, Beijing fare is drastically different. Beijing’s notable cuisine includes huoguo (hotpot), where pieces of raw meat and vegetables are cooked in a boiling basin of water at your table, as well as the famous Peking duck, where slow roasted duck is combined with shoots of onion and wrapped in a tortilla-like shell.  Common Chinese dishes are also different than typical American Chinese food, with far less breading, more vegetables and less syrupy sauce.  The city is known for its wide variety of distinctive types of Chinese food, ranging from the spicy dishes of Sichuan province, to the famous lamb, noodles and flat bread of the Muslim Uyghur autonomous region.  There are also varied vegetarian options as well.  For those who still crave American-style Chinese food, Hong Kong-themed dim sum restaurants serve such entrees.

Very few Chinese speak English:

In fact, over 200 million Chinese can speak English at a basic level, and many possess very good English skills, especially in Beijing.  The study of English has been compulsory since 2005, and most Chinese begin studying English in the 3^rd grade.  If a Chinese person cannot speak English, chances are that they are able to read it.  This coupled with the fact that a majority of signs and labels are written in English, makes Beijing easily accessible for the non-Chinese speaker.

NorCap recently hosted the Summer 2011 Intern Welcome Dinner. Held at the Shudu Binguan, the dinner was an opportunity for NorCap interns to meet other young professionals living and working in Beijing. The interns socialized over a typical Sichuanese meal while sharing their thoughts on adjusting to life in China and discussing their experiences while working in Beijing so far.

The Shudu Binguan is located near the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park and is run by the Chengdu Municipal Government. The restaurant in this representative office is one of several municipal and provincial restaurants scattered throughout the city. It serves classic Sichuanese specialties such as 水煮鱼, fish cooked with vegetable oil and chili peppers, and 麻婆豆腐, a form of spicy tofu. The group sampled these dishes, in addition to the mouth numbing 辣子鸡, (Spicy Deep Fried Chicken), and the always popular 宫保鸡丁, (Kungpao Chicken). Provincial dining is one of the increasingly popular dining options in Beijing, and foreigners and Chinese natives alike flock to the eateries to try each region’s local delicacies. While ambiance is not always the paramount concern of these government-run restaurants, they each do take their food very seriously, relying on only the best ingredients and original recipes, some of which are unavailable in most other Beijing restaurants. Chuanban Canting, the Sichuan Provincial Restaurant, reins supreme as one of Beijing’s best; some of the other popular outposts include establishments from Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, and Kashgar, (despite the ethnic tension, Uighur food receives quite a warm welcome in the capital). Yunteng Shifu, in particular, is known for its dependable Yunnanese fare, such as 过桥米线 (“crossing the bridge” noodles), various mushroom dishes, and goat cheese. In a country as expansive as China, culinary variation and authenticity is something to be cherished in any locale. Beijing’s collection of provincial restaurants provides an opportunity to taste the diverse regional cuisines without venturing outside of the city.