OUT OF ORDER

 

I am just a bit in a funk at the moment. 

We just spent three great weeks stateside with family and friends for the holidays.  I am back in China and trying to reorient my disorientation of the Orient. 

Lots to share, making an outline of what I want to say.

Back up and running.

Bare with me and my funk.

Nanjing Massacre Memorial

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

On Dec. 13, 1937 marked the beginning of the Japanese invasion of Nanjing, China.  In the following six weeks approximately 300,000 people were slaughtered in some of the most horrific ways ever imagined.  The 100,000’s of other people that were injured, raped and displaced.  If not for the extreme efforts of a dozen expats that lived in Nanjing the numbers would be astronomically higher. 

The Japanese marched into the city of Nanjing, both land and air assaults from the east.  The Chinese troops fought back but to no avail.  The invaders slaughtered everyone in their path:  civilian, military, man, woman, elderly and infants.  The bodies were left in the streets. The massacre is also referred to  as the Rape of Nanjing.  An untold number of females, I use females as opposed to women due to the ages of females effected were infant to elderly, were sexually assaulted and/or murdered.  

During this time there were several expats, American, German, Australian.  John Rabe, a German businessman who was a member of the Nazi Party, saved thousands by harboring them on his property.  Several of the expats lived in the community as  missionaries, businessmen and medical aide.  The ones that were able to travel out of the area smuggled video, photos and letters to the various embassies looking for help for the citizens of Nanjing.

Much of the photo documentation that was present to the world was “souvenir” photos taken by the Japanese to bring back to Japan to boast to their countrymen.  One story is of a young child who was not slaughtered and working in a photo printing shop.  The Japanese would bring the shop film and  the child would print copies and hide them till he could get them to one of the “safe” zones.  If not for his bravery many of the horrific events would never have been brought to light. 

The Japanese were eventually brought to trial, with several of them executed, however, the Japanese have not ever acknowledge the massacre as actually occurring and have stated that the atrocities have been greatly embellished by the Chinese. 

I spent my afternoon wandering around the memorial this past Sunday. The memorial is located at one of the mass graves that the Japanese used to dispose of over 10,000 souls.  The memorial started as a construction site when the bodies were being excavated, however, due to mass quantity of remains, removal was halted and the area was developed as a memorial to the events.  There is a large museum on the grounds with many items found at the site and donated by the survivors.  It is very graphic but very professional presented.  Those of you that have never been to a Chinese museum need to know that many of them are well, tacky and amateurish. This is not but it is full of  photos of the deceased and the atrocities committed. There are several statues around the grounds.  Including two cast from two women that were survivors of the “sex clubs” and foot prints of other survivors.  Two building are actually exposed areas of the burial pits.  One is shaped like a Chinese coffin, which the Chinese rarely use any longer, cremation is the burial of choice or necessity, I am not sure.  The larger of the two is a walkway around one of the excavation areas with dozens of remains exposed, from this room you walk back out into a courtyard with a  prayer area and an eternal flame.  Walk through the next doorway and you are in the room of lights, it has mirrored  walls and several hanging lights creating a massive space of 1000’s of lights – out the door way is a reflective pool with a large statue entitled Peace.  

The walk into the memorial grounds is a bit complicated.  It is full of modern statuary in a long reflective pool.  There are a dozen of pieces each representing people affected during the Invasion. 

I debated for several days on what or if to post anything here about the Memorial.  I decided obviously to post.  As we are remembering the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the Holidays are in full swing.  I think it is important to remember the previous generations struggles and sacrifices.  I am writing to tell anyone who reads this about the Nanjing Massacre.  Previous to moving to China, I was ignorant to China’s struggles.  Chairman Mao was a cartoon figure to my generation…one of the big bad Communist.  Russians were evil, Cuba was evil and China - evil.  Now, I have hosted exchange students from Moscow, I would love to hang out on a Cuban beach and I think I may be a little Chinese in my soul.  

Time keeps on Slipping Slipping Slipping…into the Future.

I know I haven’t spent nearly enough time or effort here.  I have only a few weeks and I am making my first real trip back to the US.  Those of you may go….you went for Nicole’s wedding.  Well, you are right but I don’t count that as a US trip  as true trip home.  My total time spent in the actual US was in a hotel room off of the O’Hare Airport for about 14 hours.  There was no Taco Bell, no shopping and no Sonic.  Okay, so I guess you can guess that I am missing crap American foods. 

Bill, Derek and I fly out the second week of December and will not return to China until early January.  I am so excited to spend some time with our family and friends. 

I have noticed that I am in this rut though while I countdown the days to our holiday.  I cannot get out of China fast enough.  It is just a mental drain to go out and deal with the Chinese.  The haggling, endless searching for items that were available last week and have disappeared this week.  I am just wiped. 

Today, a friend and I went to find coco powder, mozzarella cheese and some other various items.  It took three stops at expat minded grocery stores and we still didn’t find everything.  Fortunately the stuff we cannot find can be substituted, something that you do often.  Julia Childs has nothing on us. 

Time keeps on slipping slipping into the future…just not fast enough.

WTF

So I was randomly wandering around Yahoo this afternoon and saw these two photos.  This is the 1st Sam’s Club to open in China.  It is in a town called Guangzhou whish is much more expat oriented than Nanjing.  The Walmart in Nanjing is very disappointing if you are hoping to walk into a westernized business…however, I have not seen any crocodile for sell in the deli area.  TIC!

A decoration sets up in front of Walmart's first Sam's Club during the opening ceremony in China's southern city, Guangzhou Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009.

(AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Crocodiles are on sale at Walmart's first Sam's Club after the opening ceremony in China's southern city, Guangzhou Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009.

(AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

When the kids are away….the Momma’s will play

This week is Trip Week for Nanjing International School.  My son is spending Monday through Friday camping on a beach outside of Hong K ong proper. They are tent camping and had to hike into the site carrying all their supplies for the week.  The day activities are to include: kayaking, snorkeling, biking, hiking, etc. 

So what is a mother to do….

This week I have spent some time with a couple other childless mothers.  We have wandered around Nanjing aimlessly.  It is a bit weird knowing that you don’t need to be home in the afternoon to take care of the family.  Wine for lunch, why not?  Cosmo’s for dinner, why not? 

I am on day four (Thursday) and I want my kid to come home.  I am bored with the wandering, I am bored with the lack of schedule.  Mind you, I have greatly enjoyed this week but enough, I want my abnormal normal back.

Bangkok, Thailand: Day Three

I have been so bad about finishing the Thailand trip.  These are photos are from Day Three’s adventures.  We headed out to the Wat Arun, the oldest Wat in Bangkok.  Our morning was spent there, followed by lunch at a sidewalk cafe.  An afternoon of cocktails at the pool.  Dinner in the Towers Lounge followed by massages.