Pizza, propaganda, and ducks in China
Continuing our series of interviews with students in OTHER COUNTRIES this summer, GS student Tao Yang participated in the first ever Global Scholars Program Research Workshop. Tao and 10 other students have traveled in Beijing, Shanghai, and finally Mumbai for 6 weeks studying urbanization and environmental issues (as well as enjoying their fair share of the local *ahem* culture). An international student from China, the India portion of the trip has proved for Tao a challenging, uncomfortable at times, and wonderfully eye-opening contrast from the much more familiar first portion. We caught up with him while he was overseas, and he took some time to answer our questions.
Tao shows off his Yankees pride before eating some New York pizza...in Shanghai. Courtesy of Mike Darmstadt
1. Where are you right now and what are you doing there?
I am in a place where chaos co-exists with order peacefully, and hope grows in desperation. I was trying to make my summer have some perspective, but now I am overwhelmed with the things I’ve seen and desperate for enlightenment.
2. What is the craziest thing that’s happened during your time there?
I fell into a deep hole in a river during a hike to a rural village outside Mumbai. I thought it went all the way to South America.
3. What do you miss most about being home?
I miss my grandparents.
4. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned during your time there?
It is very important to have an open, ready mind.
Outside of the city...
5. What’s most different about home and where you are now?
The trains don’t have doors.
6. Any last words?
I wish I could stay longer.
Propaganda posters at Peking University.
All photos courtesy of Grace Bickers unless noted.
hey tao! good meeting you in beijing that night! hope all is well
Don’t you guys have email? What you’re trying to do here, an all over these comment sections, it pretty obvious. I hope 2016 doesn’t fall for it.
Columbia isn’t always the most welcoming or friendliest place, but neither is it this terribly, upsettingly jaded. I mean, really? And it’s summer…how can anyone say stuff like this when we’re not even at school? You have to really try hard to harbor feelings like these, effort that would be much better spent elsewhere, including in exhibiting enough self control to not post comments. Also, Wilfred just happens to be a genuinely nice person…
Of all the comments you have written on Spectrum over the last couple of weeks, not one has been free of spelling and/or grammatical errors. It would be one thing if you were writing long diatribes, but all of your comments amount to some variation on “LOL THIS IZ FAKE & STOOPID I HAET IT LOLOL.”
Seriously, I know it’s hard to think straight when you’re angry, but type it into Word and run spellcheck on it before you post. People will pay more attention to you. Or just start writing long diatribes — I’ll be more forgiving about the spelling, and also that would probably be more entertaining.
They’re not physically “catching up” with him…you do understand that, right? It was probably done via email.
: l <<I think that is your face right now
Lol
c’mon y’all.
Why aren’t you covering the Barnard housing issue? To busy jerking each other?
If we were so distracted with our “jerking” of each other that we couldn’t even write a story, we would be “too” busy, not “to” busy. But, activities we may or may not pursue in our free time aside, here is our coverage of the Barnard housing issue:
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2012/08/15/barnard-house-all-transfer-students
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2012/08/10/barnard-students-frustrated-last-minute-housing-change
There might be more Spec coverage elsewhere; these are just the stories that I pulled off the front page of our site right now. Not sure how you missed it.
Stephen honey, come back to bed!
Spectrum Comments Stats
Comments attacking Spectrum/Spectator: 45%
Comments defending Spectrum/Spectator: 45%
Someone’s Mom: 10%