Back from Mainland

Been missing for the past two weeks as I went to the land of my forefathers, i.e. China.

Reluctantly, I joined a tour group as it was my only option. Due to the fact that I barely speak Mandarin and can't read Chinese characters for nuts.

I spent 8 days in Beijing and visited all the touristy spots - Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Mao's Underground City, Mao's mausoleum, Tiannamen Square, Heavenly Temple and The Great Wall of China.

China is truly a land of the masses. People are everywhere, day or night. Every morning, I saw throngs of cyclists, large groups of people congregating in parks- doing taichi, ballroom dancing, getting a hair trim, etc. Beijing is developing fast with massive construction works going on. They are building mega buildings that at times, look intimidatingly monstrous.

In a strange way, I didn't feel any sense of novelty being at a foreign land for the first time. Perhaps, my forefathers had trodden on the same path which I took in Beijing. There was no sense of newness while admiring the ancient oriental architecture, walking down hutongs (narrow alleys of high-walled old residences), being in awe at the masses of Chinese people cycling. During the whole trip, I only felt a huge sense of deja vu, it was as if I had already been there.

However, for the first time, I felt 100% accepted for the way I look. In Beijing, I saw scores of Chinese girls with the same small eyes and high cheekbones like mine.

Also, for the first time, I've never been so illiterate in my entire life. I was surrounded by my own kind of people and yet I couldn't communicate with them. There were times when I regretted skipping mandarin classes during my childhood. I'm pretty sure I could have learnt a little bit more about China historically and socially, just by interacting with the local Chinese.

Note to self- must go check out mandarin classes.