The Upswing

All is good in my world. They checked me into a very remedial Level 2 class, and I fit right in. Predominantly westerners – France, Norway, Germany, and me representing America. Everyone seems to have interest and a bit of aptitude. Just not the hunger that the students had in the other class. Hard to describe what I mean. It’s kind of like we’re learning Chinese as an elective and they are taking the Advance Placement version. We’re going to use it, they’re going to live it. I hate to say it, but it feels right for me – where I belong. And a comfortable first exposure to a language class. The problem is, now I have to buckle down and work. 5 hours of class a day and homework does seem a little daunting.

A quick observation about billboard advertisements over here. There seems to be a lot them, more so than I’ve noticed back home. Just like home, there are the ads with strikingly beautiful women in suggestive poses and various stages of undress modeling a variety of products, e.g. tight jeans, lingerie, cosmetics. But the strangest thing to me is that all the models are westerners. I'm in a large Asian metropolis and haven’t seen a single picture of an Asian woman (or man for that matter) baring any flesh or appearing sensual in any way (and trust me, I’m looking for them). However, the models in all the ads for women’s health products are exclusively Asian, and a number of the ads are much more visually explicit than I’ve ever seen in the states – on billboards or tv. I get off the subway train today and come face to face with a picture of a gal in professional business attire, sitting on a toilet, high heeled clad toes arching up from the floor, sheer black stockings meet white skin rising above the knees, hips modesty hidden, leaning forward with her head in her hands. I couldn’t make out the Chinese, but I’m thinking it had something to do with constipation. I hope you don’t mind me leaving you with that image – but it is a virtual snapshot of from this city and I have to hit the books.