Well, my time abroad has finally come to an end. I am sad to leave China, however it will be nice to see my family and friends before returning to Rochester. I am sitting in the airport now, reminiscing about all of my adventures. I honestly couldn't have asked for a more incredible experience. This summer exceeded my expectations by far. It feels very bittersweet. It is time to return home, however I will greatly miss China and all of the friends I've made through this experience.
I was very busy this past week (as usual). I visited the Summer Palace, saw an acrobatic show, went shopping at the zoo market, attempted to see the Beijing underground tunnels (they have been closed since 2008... but we didn't know that haha), visited the Bookworm (famous bookstore in Beijing) for trivia night, and ate delicious meals with friends, all while studying for finals. It was my last week with my study abroad "family" and we made the best of it! Friday night, we had a banquet celebrating the end of our program. We were required to partake in a talent show. Each class put together 2 acts. It was fun to watch everyone perform and was a nice way to end the program.
Even though it will be nice to be home, I am worried about forgetting my Chinese. I have improved greatly in my ability to speak and understand. I guess I will just have to make more Chinese friends in order to practice speaking. My experience this summer has confirmed for me that I want to work in global health. I hope that my future adventures bring me back to China. I think it would be a great experience to live and/or work in China someday.
I hope you all have enjoyed reading my blog. I'm glad I was able to share my experiences with everyone. If you ever venture to China in the future and have any questions, be sure to ask!
Thanks again!
再见,
Marissa
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
TCM in Practice
Hey everyone! So this week, despite being sick (just a cold - don't worry), I was able to experience traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by working with patients in the hospital. I'm going to tell you all about my experience, but first, I feel some background in TCM is necessary:
There are many components to TCM including: qi, Yin-Yang and the five elements/organs. As described by our professor, "Qi is a kind of highly active particle which compresses everything in the universe and is the medium between the invisible and visible." Basically, if you are in good health and your body is in balance, your qi will flow freely and naturally. However, if you become ill or injured, there will be a stagnation of qi.
Yin-Yang theory gets a little more complicated. The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang is essential to the circle of life; both are interdependent. When the body is out of balance, it can present with Yang excess, Yang deficiency, Yin excess or Yin deficiency. This imbalance is diagnosed through symptoms and by looking at the color of the tongue. Yin-Yang theory focuses a lot on hot versus cold. For example, in Yang excess, one would have too much heat in the body. Symptoms would include: increased heat production, increased blood circulation, nervous system excitement, increased fluid consumption, and ulcerations of the body. The way to treat these symptoms would be to induce heat clearing methods, or by prescribing a mixture of cooling herbs. The idea is to draw the excess heat out of the body. It is difficult to explain, but it makes sense once you are exposed to the ideas for a continuous period of time.
Next, there are the five elements/organs. The organs and their functions are derived from the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The five organs are the heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys. The heart's functions include pumping blood into the vessels and storing the mind (shen - brain/heart connection). The lungs dominate qi, regulate the body's water system, and correspond with the body's surface (skin). The spleen serves as a symbol for the digestive system by governing transformation and transportation, by serving as an acquired source of qi and blood, and by controling blood within the vessels. The liver's function in TCM is to store blood, regulate the flow of qi, blood and body fluids, to correspond with the eyes and tendons, and to regulate the contraction of muscles and membranes. Lastly, the kidney is the most important organ in TCM. It stores "jing" or vital essence. Now, due to modern medicine, we know that some of these functions are inaccurate. However, the organs should be taken as a symbol for the body's symptoms. For example, if you have stomach pain, you probably have a deficiency of the spleen, which symbolizes the digestive tract. The organs and their functions help TCM practitioners to treat conditions presented by patients.
The entire purpose of TCM is to provide a hollistic approach to treating the body's symptoms and restoring energy and vitality to the body. TCM works to build up and utilize the body's natural defences against disease. As our professor put it, TCM treats the person, whereas western medicine treats the disease. I thoughy that was a very good way of putting it. However, it is important to note that TCM cannot replace western medicine. But, it can supplement treatment in many ways.
Now, there are multiple ways to treat these deficiencies. The role of treatment in TCM is to recover the balance of Yin-Yang, prevent the stagnation of qi, and to elicit self-healing response. Treatment options include moxibustion, Gua Sha, cupping, acupuncture and herbal supplements. Moxibustion is derived from mugwort leaves and works to reheat the body. It often comes in stick-form, but is not directly applied to the skin. Gua Sha is used to remove excess heat from the body. It is done by rubbing ointment onto the back, and then taking a small scraper tool (made from bone-like substance) to scrape the areas of the back pertinent to the symptoms of the patient. Cupping, as I explained in an earlier post, is another way to remove excess heat from the body. It is also great for treating muscle pain. In cupping, a wand with 95-99% alcohol is lit of fire. Then the fire is quickly inserted into a glass cup, before being placed onto the skin. The skin is pulled taught within the glass cup, by way of a suction effect. It is very cool to watch. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is a little more complex. TCM acupuncture focuses on tapping into an invisible body network of meridians, which correspond with different parts of the body. There are 12 regular meridians, 8 extra meridians, and 15 collaterals (branches). The idea of acupuncture is to use needles to tap into these meridians and restore the body's qi. Acupuncture is a very effective treatment and is frequently utilized in TCM.
During the past week, I was able to experience these treatments first hand. We worked with a TCM doctor at the Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing. We were able to witness clinical practices and perform proceduress ourselves. While we were there, I volunteered to try acupuncture. I've had a cold for the past week and thought it might be helpful in alleviating my symptoms. The doctor placed a sterilized needle into one of the meridians in my left hand. Acupuncture is a strange feeling that's hard to describe. The inital insertion of the needle is painless, however once the doctor moves the needle, there is a sudden rush of soreness at the needle sight. This is the release of stagnated qi, restoring the body's balance. I was also given acupuncture for my stomach aches. The doctor felt for an accupressure point that was tender and could immediately tell that I had chronic stomach aches. TCM is very intuitive and I can appreciate the attentiveness to detail in understanding the body.
After I tried acupuncture, the doctor recommended that I undergo Gua Sha to alleviate my cold symptoms. She examined my tongue and determined that due to it's pink color, that I had Yang excess. I was a little nervous because Gua Sha can leave bruises, however it felt like I was getting my back scratched while having a massage at the same time. I'm glad I got to try out these treatments. Not only did we get to help with patients, but we got to try out various treatments on each other. I performed cupping on some of my fellow classmates, while others performed acupuncture on each other. It was a very unique opportunity that I would have never been priviledged to within the US.
I think that TCM has a lot to offer in terms of alternative therapy. I can't wait to continue my studies as a part of my adventures in Beijing!
There are many components to TCM including: qi, Yin-Yang and the five elements/organs. As described by our professor, "Qi is a kind of highly active particle which compresses everything in the universe and is the medium between the invisible and visible." Basically, if you are in good health and your body is in balance, your qi will flow freely and naturally. However, if you become ill or injured, there will be a stagnation of qi.
Yin-Yang theory gets a little more complicated. The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang is essential to the circle of life; both are interdependent. When the body is out of balance, it can present with Yang excess, Yang deficiency, Yin excess or Yin deficiency. This imbalance is diagnosed through symptoms and by looking at the color of the tongue. Yin-Yang theory focuses a lot on hot versus cold. For example, in Yang excess, one would have too much heat in the body. Symptoms would include: increased heat production, increased blood circulation, nervous system excitement, increased fluid consumption, and ulcerations of the body. The way to treat these symptoms would be to induce heat clearing methods, or by prescribing a mixture of cooling herbs. The idea is to draw the excess heat out of the body. It is difficult to explain, but it makes sense once you are exposed to the ideas for a continuous period of time.
Next, there are the five elements/organs. The organs and their functions are derived from the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The five organs are the heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys. The heart's functions include pumping blood into the vessels and storing the mind (shen - brain/heart connection). The lungs dominate qi, regulate the body's water system, and correspond with the body's surface (skin). The spleen serves as a symbol for the digestive system by governing transformation and transportation, by serving as an acquired source of qi and blood, and by controling blood within the vessels. The liver's function in TCM is to store blood, regulate the flow of qi, blood and body fluids, to correspond with the eyes and tendons, and to regulate the contraction of muscles and membranes. Lastly, the kidney is the most important organ in TCM. It stores "jing" or vital essence. Now, due to modern medicine, we know that some of these functions are inaccurate. However, the organs should be taken as a symbol for the body's symptoms. For example, if you have stomach pain, you probably have a deficiency of the spleen, which symbolizes the digestive tract. The organs and their functions help TCM practitioners to treat conditions presented by patients.
The entire purpose of TCM is to provide a hollistic approach to treating the body's symptoms and restoring energy and vitality to the body. TCM works to build up and utilize the body's natural defences against disease. As our professor put it, TCM treats the person, whereas western medicine treats the disease. I thoughy that was a very good way of putting it. However, it is important to note that TCM cannot replace western medicine. But, it can supplement treatment in many ways.
Now, there are multiple ways to treat these deficiencies. The role of treatment in TCM is to recover the balance of Yin-Yang, prevent the stagnation of qi, and to elicit self-healing response. Treatment options include moxibustion, Gua Sha, cupping, acupuncture and herbal supplements. Moxibustion is derived from mugwort leaves and works to reheat the body. It often comes in stick-form, but is not directly applied to the skin. Gua Sha is used to remove excess heat from the body. It is done by rubbing ointment onto the back, and then taking a small scraper tool (made from bone-like substance) to scrape the areas of the back pertinent to the symptoms of the patient. Cupping, as I explained in an earlier post, is another way to remove excess heat from the body. It is also great for treating muscle pain. In cupping, a wand with 95-99% alcohol is lit of fire. Then the fire is quickly inserted into a glass cup, before being placed onto the skin. The skin is pulled taught within the glass cup, by way of a suction effect. It is very cool to watch. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is a little more complex. TCM acupuncture focuses on tapping into an invisible body network of meridians, which correspond with different parts of the body. There are 12 regular meridians, 8 extra meridians, and 15 collaterals (branches). The idea of acupuncture is to use needles to tap into these meridians and restore the body's qi. Acupuncture is a very effective treatment and is frequently utilized in TCM.
During the past week, I was able to experience these treatments first hand. We worked with a TCM doctor at the Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing. We were able to witness clinical practices and perform proceduress ourselves. While we were there, I volunteered to try acupuncture. I've had a cold for the past week and thought it might be helpful in alleviating my symptoms. The doctor placed a sterilized needle into one of the meridians in my left hand. Acupuncture is a strange feeling that's hard to describe. The inital insertion of the needle is painless, however once the doctor moves the needle, there is a sudden rush of soreness at the needle sight. This is the release of stagnated qi, restoring the body's balance. I was also given acupuncture for my stomach aches. The doctor felt for an accupressure point that was tender and could immediately tell that I had chronic stomach aches. TCM is very intuitive and I can appreciate the attentiveness to detail in understanding the body.
After I tried acupuncture, the doctor recommended that I undergo Gua Sha to alleviate my cold symptoms. She examined my tongue and determined that due to it's pink color, that I had Yang excess. I was a little nervous because Gua Sha can leave bruises, however it felt like I was getting my back scratched while having a massage at the same time. I'm glad I got to try out these treatments. Not only did we get to help with patients, but we got to try out various treatments on each other. I performed cupping on some of my fellow classmates, while others performed acupuncture on each other. It was a very unique opportunity that I would have never been priviledged to within the US.
I think that TCM has a lot to offer in terms of alternative therapy. I can't wait to continue my studies as a part of my adventures in Beijing!
Monday, July 30, 2012
So much to do, so little time!
It's time for an update! As I mentioned in my last post, I have been trying to experience China as much as possible during my last few weeks abroad. This past week has been no exception! Every day was filled with something. Hmmmm let's see.... where did I leave off....
Last Wednesday afternoon, class was cancelled and so a couple of us ventured to the Pangjiayuan Antique Market. At the market, there were a lot of vendors selling antiques and collections of random items. We didn't buy anything, however it was still cool to walk around and practice our bargaining skills. For dinner, we ventured to another Indian restaurant. The food was delicious! Don't get me wrong, I love Chinese food. But, it's nice to change it up every once in a while!
Friday, I was feeling a little run down and so I relaxed to prepare for Saturday's excursion to the Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market and Peking Opera. We left early in the morning for the Temple of Heaven. In the past, it was utilized by various Chinese emperors to pray for good harvests, etc... very beautiful. Next, we ventured to the Pearl Market. I was able to buy a lot of gifts and even purchased a set of lavender fresh-water pearls. I can't wait to wear them! Lastly, we went to the Peking Opera, which I enjoyed much more than I expected. It included traditional opera and acrobatics. It was a great cultural experience!
The adventures continued Sunday with a trip to the "Friends" cafe! As some of you know, I love the TV show Friends, as do many of my Beijing friends. This cafe is modeled after Central Perk. It was a great way to spend our Sunday afternoon, chilling out and watching episodes. Later that night, we ate the famous Peking duck for dinner and it was delicious!
My adventures concluded with a day full of classes. This morning we had a calligraphy class. I got to practice my skills and had my name written in a special calligraphy font by the master calligrapher. During my TCM class, we explored acupuncture and moxibustion. I promise to explain more in the future, with a post specifically related to TCM.
I'm going to stop here for now, but as always, the adventures will continue! Check out my updated pictures!
Last Wednesday afternoon, class was cancelled and so a couple of us ventured to the Pangjiayuan Antique Market. At the market, there were a lot of vendors selling antiques and collections of random items. We didn't buy anything, however it was still cool to walk around and practice our bargaining skills. For dinner, we ventured to another Indian restaurant. The food was delicious! Don't get me wrong, I love Chinese food. But, it's nice to change it up every once in a while!
Thursday afternoon, a friend and I decided to go for foot massages. It was incredible. I did not expect the spa to be so luxurious. We were given our own private room with attendants. The massage lasted for 100 minutes and included a foot, leg, and mini back massage. It was very relaxing. My "dancing" feet were most happy haha. After the lovely massage, we went to Din Tai Fung, a very famous Taiwanese dumpling restaurant. The pork soup dumplings were to die for! I ate 25 myself... but it was worth it! Expensive, but worth it.
Friday, I was feeling a little run down and so I relaxed to prepare for Saturday's excursion to the Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market and Peking Opera. We left early in the morning for the Temple of Heaven. In the past, it was utilized by various Chinese emperors to pray for good harvests, etc... very beautiful. Next, we ventured to the Pearl Market. I was able to buy a lot of gifts and even purchased a set of lavender fresh-water pearls. I can't wait to wear them! Lastly, we went to the Peking Opera, which I enjoyed much more than I expected. It included traditional opera and acrobatics. It was a great cultural experience! The adventures continued Sunday with a trip to the "Friends" cafe! As some of you know, I love the TV show Friends, as do many of my Beijing friends. This cafe is modeled after Central Perk. It was a great way to spend our Sunday afternoon, chilling out and watching episodes. Later that night, we ate the famous Peking duck for dinner and it was delicious!
My adventures concluded with a day full of classes. This morning we had a calligraphy class. I got to practice my skills and had my name written in a special calligraphy font by the master calligrapher. During my TCM class, we explored acupuncture and moxibustion. I promise to explain more in the future, with a post specifically related to TCM.
I'm going to stop here for now, but as always, the adventures will continue! Check out my updated pictures!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The Adventures Continue!
Hey everyone! So I know I haven't posted for a week, but I've been trying to cram in as much as possible since the end of my trip is approaching. I will be sad to leave China, but at least I can say that I got everything out of this experience that I was looking for!
Let me update you on my life:
Last Tuesday, along with some friends, I ventured to a Confucious Temple (Kong Miao). I always enjoy visiting temples, however this experience was a little different. As beautiful as the temple was, it was filled with large tour groups monopolizing the space. Although, I did still enjoy my visit and got some great pictures. We also visited a vegetarian dumpling restaurant for lunch and I was able to enjoy some of my first dumplings in China. They were quite delicious! I was happy that the restaurant was able to accommodate my allergies, since allergies are often misunderstood in China.
Wednesday, we started our second session of classes. It was hard getting back into school-mode, after having the long break. But, my traditional Chinese medicine class is quite interesting. I can't wait to learn more about the subject.
Once again, we did not have class on Friday afternoon, and so a bunch of us ventured to Beihai Park. Beihai Park is one of the most famous scenic parks in Beijing. Although the pollution levels were high, it was still beautiful. We walked around and rented paddle boats to go out on the lake. While walking, we stumbled upon a group of elderly people dancing. One of the gentlemen asked me to dance. He was delighted to hear that I could understand his Chinese and taught me a simple waltz. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. After visiting the park, we went to Wangfujing, which is famous for its street food. We didn't eat any, but it was still enjoyable to walk around.
Saturday morning, we left for the Ming tombs, two hours outside of Beijing. The day started out promising, however the weather turned badly. It rained so heavily that we had to leave the tombs early and head back to Beijing. In fact, on Saturday, Beijing received the most rain it had had in six decades! I have never seen it rain so much in one day. I was definitely glad when we arrived back at our dormitory and could spend the evening indoors. We were supposed to attend the Peking Opera, however due to the weather, it had to be postponed.
On the other hand, the weather on Sunday was beautiful! We were blessed with beautiful blue skies and sunshine. We decided to visit 798, which is Beijing's famous art district (similar to Soho in NYC). It was cool to walk through the various galleries and shops. We ended our day by going to a Korean barbeque restaurant and feasted on delicious food. It was a nice way to end the weekend.
Since I am nearing the end of my trip, I am trying to take advantage of each day. Thus, Monday I went with some friends to see a Chinese movie. It was a portrait of a police inspector who caught petty criminals in Beijing. I enjoyed the film. It was very different from western movies, which was refreshing. Continuing my adventures, tonight (Tuesday night) I visited the Laoshe Teahouse. We drank tea, ate snacks, and watched a talent show of sorts. It was a good cultural experience.
I will keep you posted on my adventures as I continue to explore Beijing! Next on the list: Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market, and Peking Opera!
Let me update you on my life:
Wednesday, we started our second session of classes. It was hard getting back into school-mode, after having the long break. But, my traditional Chinese medicine class is quite interesting. I can't wait to learn more about the subject.
Once again, we did not have class on Friday afternoon, and so a bunch of us ventured to Beihai Park. Beihai Park is one of the most famous scenic parks in Beijing. Although the pollution levels were high, it was still beautiful. We walked around and rented paddle boats to go out on the lake. While walking, we stumbled upon a group of elderly people dancing. One of the gentlemen asked me to dance. He was delighted to hear that I could understand his Chinese and taught me a simple waltz. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. After visiting the park, we went to Wangfujing, which is famous for its street food. We didn't eat any, but it was still enjoyable to walk around.
Saturday morning, we left for the Ming tombs, two hours outside of Beijing. The day started out promising, however the weather turned badly. It rained so heavily that we had to leave the tombs early and head back to Beijing. In fact, on Saturday, Beijing received the most rain it had had in six decades! I have never seen it rain so much in one day. I was definitely glad when we arrived back at our dormitory and could spend the evening indoors. We were supposed to attend the Peking Opera, however due to the weather, it had to be postponed.
On the other hand, the weather on Sunday was beautiful! We were blessed with beautiful blue skies and sunshine. We decided to visit 798, which is Beijing's famous art district (similar to Soho in NYC). It was cool to walk through the various galleries and shops. We ended our day by going to a Korean barbeque restaurant and feasted on delicious food. It was a nice way to end the weekend.
Since I am nearing the end of my trip, I am trying to take advantage of each day. Thus, Monday I went with some friends to see a Chinese movie. It was a portrait of a police inspector who caught petty criminals in Beijing. I enjoyed the film. It was very different from western movies, which was refreshing. Continuing my adventures, tonight (Tuesday night) I visited the Laoshe Teahouse. We drank tea, ate snacks, and watched a talent show of sorts. It was a good cultural experience.I will keep you posted on my adventures as I continue to explore Beijing! Next on the list: Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market, and Peking Opera!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Getaway at Huangshan & in Hangzhou
Hello everyone! So you may be wondering what I've been up to for the last week... Hmmm let's see:
After finals, I embarked on my latest journey to Huangshan Mountain and Hangzhou! I'm glad that I chose to take part in the trip. It was definitely one of my best experiences in China thus far. I know I say that a lot, but it truly was!
Our journey began with a 20 hour train ride to Huangshan city. We had 2-3 sleeper cars to ourselves. We were in coach, but the conditions were not too bad. I had heard some horror stories about these trains. The bathrooms, however, were not my favorite. They had the usual squat toilets, but the toilets were literally just holes in the bottom of the train, allowing waste to escape onto to the tracks. Completely unsanitary, but I guess more cost-efficient. But, it really wasn't that bad. We had a lot of fun playing card games and conversing during the ride.
After 20 hours, we arrived in Huangshan city and traveled to the famous Huangshan Mountain or the Yellow Mountain (as it is known to westerners). Our tour guide Jaky informed us that we could either climb or take a cable car up the mountain. A bunch of us decided to take the climb. The first leg of the climb was around 15 km. It was extremely exhausting and took us around 3-4 hours. However, it was definitely worth it. The views were spectacular. We were literally up in the clouds. The second leg of the journey was much shorter and we arrived at our hotel exhausted and in much need of showers. Our rooms had bunk beds, sleeping 10 each. It reminded me of summer camp. We wanted to get up and see the sunrise, however the weather turned to thunderstorms and we were unable to. We still awoke early in the morning to begin our journey down the mountain. It did not take nearly as long as the journey up, but the scenery was just as breathtaking. I got some great pictures of waterfalls. Overall, we hiked around 50 km up and down the mountain. Definitely a great workout! If you ever get the chance to visit China, I would recommend visiting Huangshan Mountain.
After leaving the mountain, we drove for an hour to return to Huangshan city. We stopped by a shopping street, deemed "Asian Street" by our tour guide Jaky. While there, we decided to visit a local tea house. Let's just say, I left with a lot of tea... after our shopping, the weather turned gloomy. We wanted to explore the city, however most of us returned early due to the inclement weather.
The next morning we left for Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake). It was not my favorite part of the trip. The lake itself was beautiful, very reminiscent of the Stockholm archipelago. However, it was also very touristy. We took a 5 hour boat tour, stopping at various islands. There were so many tour groups that it was overwhelming. I think a lot of us would have rather skipped the boat tour and ventured elsewhere.
After our boat tour, we drove to Hangzhou. Hangzhou is considered to be the heart of China. It is also considered to be one of the most beautiful places to visit. I would have to agree with that reputation. I only wish we could have had more time to explore the city. We arrived late at night and left the next afternoon. However, we did get to see West Lake, which is one of the famous lakes in China. We also visited another shopping street and I got some great souvenirs. From there, we took a bullet train back to Beijing. I was exhausted when we arrived back at PKU, however it was worth it (as always).
After finals, I embarked on my latest journey to Huangshan Mountain and Hangzhou! I'm glad that I chose to take part in the trip. It was definitely one of my best experiences in China thus far. I know I say that a lot, but it truly was!
Our journey began with a 20 hour train ride to Huangshan city. We had 2-3 sleeper cars to ourselves. We were in coach, but the conditions were not too bad. I had heard some horror stories about these trains. The bathrooms, however, were not my favorite. They had the usual squat toilets, but the toilets were literally just holes in the bottom of the train, allowing waste to escape onto to the tracks. Completely unsanitary, but I guess more cost-efficient. But, it really wasn't that bad. We had a lot of fun playing card games and conversing during the ride.
After 20 hours, we arrived in Huangshan city and traveled to the famous Huangshan Mountain or the Yellow Mountain (as it is known to westerners). Our tour guide Jaky informed us that we could either climb or take a cable car up the mountain. A bunch of us decided to take the climb. The first leg of the climb was around 15 km. It was extremely exhausting and took us around 3-4 hours. However, it was definitely worth it. The views were spectacular. We were literally up in the clouds. The second leg of the journey was much shorter and we arrived at our hotel exhausted and in much need of showers. Our rooms had bunk beds, sleeping 10 each. It reminded me of summer camp. We wanted to get up and see the sunrise, however the weather turned to thunderstorms and we were unable to. We still awoke early in the morning to begin our journey down the mountain. It did not take nearly as long as the journey up, but the scenery was just as breathtaking. I got some great pictures of waterfalls. Overall, we hiked around 50 km up and down the mountain. Definitely a great workout! If you ever get the chance to visit China, I would recommend visiting Huangshan Mountain.After leaving the mountain, we drove for an hour to return to Huangshan city. We stopped by a shopping street, deemed "Asian Street" by our tour guide Jaky. While there, we decided to visit a local tea house. Let's just say, I left with a lot of tea... after our shopping, the weather turned gloomy. We wanted to explore the city, however most of us returned early due to the inclement weather.
The next morning we left for Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake). It was not my favorite part of the trip. The lake itself was beautiful, very reminiscent of the Stockholm archipelago. However, it was also very touristy. We took a 5 hour boat tour, stopping at various islands. There were so many tour groups that it was overwhelming. I think a lot of us would have rather skipped the boat tour and ventured elsewhere.
After our boat tour, we drove to Hangzhou. Hangzhou is considered to be the heart of China. It is also considered to be one of the most beautiful places to visit. I would have to agree with that reputation. I only wish we could have had more time to explore the city. We arrived late at night and left the next afternoon. However, we did get to see West Lake, which is one of the famous lakes in China. We also visited another shopping street and I got some great souvenirs. From there, we took a bullet train back to Beijing. I was exhausted when we arrived back at PKU, however it was worth it (as always).
 |
| West Lake |
I took a ton of pictures during the trip, so be sure to check out facebook! Ther will also be a video posted on facebook later this week (sorry blogger is stubborn sometimes).
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Rural Healthcare: Intro to TCM
So I was going to post this last week, however my computer wasn't cooperating... But, I still think the information/my experience is worth sharing.
Last Monday afternoon, we had a surprise field trip! I was excited to visit a rural CDC, hospital and clinic. It was a little bit of a drive, but it was definitely worth the trip.
After our visit to the CDC, we traveled further to visit a rural hospital. It was extremely well maintained from what I could see. I feel as if the Chinese government only allows us American students to visit the well-operated health care facilities. Once inside the hospital, we were given a tour. We ventured into a part of the hospital that offers traditional chinese medicine (TCM), similar to most other facilities in China. We stumbled across a practitioner who was administering a treatment called "cupping," in which circular glass cups are heated and applied directly to the skin in order to alleviate pain and/or treat other ailments. She asked our group if anyone would like to try the treatment. I volunteered (of course) and was selected!! The doctor asked where my pain was and I told her about my bad left shoulder, damaged from an injury back in middle school. She asked me to lie down and administered the treatment. It felt as if there was a suction cup on my skin. After some time, she removed the cups and massaged the area, before realigning my spin. Afterwards, I had two circular bruises on my back, however my shoulder felt the best it has felt in years. I would definitely try the treatment again. It was an amazing to experience the procedure first hand. I have included a lot of pictures, which should hopefully help to better explain what the procedure entails.
After we left the hospital, we quickly visited a rural clinic. There was definitely a difference in the quality of care. We met with one of the doctors at the clinic. He had been a "barefoot doctor" during Mao's time. Barefoot doctors were educated youths that were sent to the countryside during the cultural revolution to provide better accessibility to healthcare. It was cool to hear about his experience and to see the clinic where he worked. However, the facilities were not as nice as the other facilities we have visited. We also caused quite the scene in the rural village, since the residents were not used to seeing foreigners.
I am glad that we were able to get a glimpse of some rural health care facilities and to experience some traditional practices! Now, I can't wait to start my course in traditional Chinese medicine.
Last Monday afternoon, we had a surprise field trip! I was excited to visit a rural CDC, hospital and clinic. It was a little bit of a drive, but it was definitely worth the trip.
The CDC building was nicer than I expected. We met with the director of this local CDC, who informed us that their primary purpose is to manage local disease outbreaks, and to implement healthcare education programs. The Chinese CDC is very complex, as I mentioned in an earlier post. It consists of multiple sectors that were established after the SARS outbreak in 2003. As nice as the CDC building was, they didn't have soap in the bathrooms! I happen to find that very ironic and unsanitary, however a large number of public restrooms don't have soap... this is a big public health concern.
After our visit to the CDC, we traveled further to visit a rural hospital. It was extremely well maintained from what I could see. I feel as if the Chinese government only allows us American students to visit the well-operated health care facilities. Once inside the hospital, we were given a tour. We ventured into a part of the hospital that offers traditional chinese medicine (TCM), similar to most other facilities in China. We stumbled across a practitioner who was administering a treatment called "cupping," in which circular glass cups are heated and applied directly to the skin in order to alleviate pain and/or treat other ailments. She asked our group if anyone would like to try the treatment. I volunteered (of course) and was selected!! The doctor asked where my pain was and I told her about my bad left shoulder, damaged from an injury back in middle school. She asked me to lie down and administered the treatment. It felt as if there was a suction cup on my skin. After some time, she removed the cups and massaged the area, before realigning my spin. Afterwards, I had two circular bruises on my back, however my shoulder felt the best it has felt in years. I would definitely try the treatment again. It was an amazing to experience the procedure first hand. I have included a lot of pictures, which should hopefully help to better explain what the procedure entails. After we left the hospital, we quickly visited a rural clinic. There was definitely a difference in the quality of care. We met with one of the doctors at the clinic. He had been a "barefoot doctor" during Mao's time. Barefoot doctors were educated youths that were sent to the countryside during the cultural revolution to provide better accessibility to healthcare. It was cool to hear about his experience and to see the clinic where he worked. However, the facilities were not as nice as the other facilities we have visited. We also caused quite the scene in the rural village, since the residents were not used to seeing foreigners.
I am glad that we were able to get a glimpse of some rural health care facilities and to experience some traditional practices! Now, I can't wait to start my course in traditional Chinese medicine.
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| During the "cupping" procedure |
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
An Amazing Weekend in the Wonderful World of China
This past weekend was one of the best weekends of my life, filled with so many adventures and excursions! I am enjoying not having class on Friday. Hopefully this trend will continue throughout the rest of the summer...
I still can't believe that I have been in China for almost 4 weeks! I have visited so many tourist sights, yet there is still so much to see! This weekend was no exception. We managed to cram in a lot of amazing sights and had an incredible time.
As usual, my adventures began on Friday afternoon. I decided to visit the Lama Temple (Yonghegong) with a couple of friends. It is the most famous Buddhist temple outside of Tibet. Definitely one of my favorite sights thus far. We were able to see devote Buddhists pray, give offerings, and burn incense in worship of the various Buddhas. I always enjoy the sights that hold historical meaning and shed light on cultural experiences. We even bought some incense to participate in the experience. After our visit, we ventured into the local shops and hutongs (traditional streets) to partake in some shopping.
Friday night, it was my friend's birthday, and so we went to "Beijing's best Indian restaurant" for dinner. There were twenty of us and we caused quite the scene. After our dinner, we ventured to Sanlitun to a roof-top bar. But, we didn't stay for too long since there was a planned excursion in the morning.
We left bright and early Saturday morning for the Marco Polo bridge. It is the sight where the anti-Japanese war (Sino-Japanese war) broke out. It wasn't my favorite sight, but it was cool to see an important piece of history. We also visited a museum about the war and how it affected Chinese/ Japanese relations. In the afternoon, we decided to visit the Beijing Silk Market (silk street). I was excited to do some shopping (as always)! I had a custom tailored Chinese dress made and I couldn't be happier!
Saturday night, although exhausted, a bunch of us went out for pizza. I know that sounds like a very American thing to do, but pizza is one of the safest foods that I can eat with my allergies. After our meal, we ventured back into Sanlitun to Elements, one of Beijing's high class dance clubs/bars. One of the guys in my program reserved our group a VIP section of the club. We had our own private balcony on the second floor, overlooking the entire club. It was amazing! Everyone from the program came out and we had an experience I will never forget.
My weekend continued Sunday morning with a trip to Fragrant Hills Park, the Temple of Azure Clouds, the Botanical Garden and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha! Located in the Haidian district (university district), these parks and temples are an enjoyable trip outside of the city center. It was a nice way to spend my Sunday afternoon with friends.
Pictures of my weekend excursions are on facebook (as usual). Be sure to check them out and be on the lookout for another post soon!!
I still can't believe that I have been in China for almost 4 weeks! I have visited so many tourist sights, yet there is still so much to see! This weekend was no exception. We managed to cram in a lot of amazing sights and had an incredible time.
As usual, my adventures began on Friday afternoon. I decided to visit the Lama Temple (Yonghegong) with a couple of friends. It is the most famous Buddhist temple outside of Tibet. Definitely one of my favorite sights thus far. We were able to see devote Buddhists pray, give offerings, and burn incense in worship of the various Buddhas. I always enjoy the sights that hold historical meaning and shed light on cultural experiences. We even bought some incense to participate in the experience. After our visit, we ventured into the local shops and hutongs (traditional streets) to partake in some shopping.
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| One of the many Buddhas |
Friday night, it was my friend's birthday, and so we went to "Beijing's best Indian restaurant" for dinner. There were twenty of us and we caused quite the scene. After our dinner, we ventured to Sanlitun to a roof-top bar. But, we didn't stay for too long since there was a planned excursion in the morning.
 |
| At the Marco Polo Bridge |
We left bright and early Saturday morning for the Marco Polo bridge. It is the sight where the anti-Japanese war (Sino-Japanese war) broke out. It wasn't my favorite sight, but it was cool to see an important piece of history. We also visited a museum about the war and how it affected Chinese/ Japanese relations. In the afternoon, we decided to visit the Beijing Silk Market (silk street). I was excited to do some shopping (as always)! I had a custom tailored Chinese dress made and I couldn't be happier!
Saturday night, although exhausted, a bunch of us went out for pizza. I know that sounds like a very American thing to do, but pizza is one of the safest foods that I can eat with my allergies. After our meal, we ventured back into Sanlitun to Elements, one of Beijing's high class dance clubs/bars. One of the guys in my program reserved our group a VIP section of the club. We had our own private balcony on the second floor, overlooking the entire club. It was amazing! Everyone from the program came out and we had an experience I will never forget.
My weekend continued Sunday morning with a trip to Fragrant Hills Park, the Temple of Azure Clouds, the Botanical Garden and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha! Located in the Haidian district (university district), these parks and temples are an enjoyable trip outside of the city center. It was a nice way to spend my Sunday afternoon with friends.
Pictures of my weekend excursions are on facebook (as usual). Be sure to check them out and be on the lookout for another post soon!!
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| My beautiful tailored traditional Chinese dress! |
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