Life and Travel in China

I remember before the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, there was a great boycott of Chinese products, including T-shirts. It was about defending oppressed Tibet. It seems to me that things are not any better in Tibet now, but somehow there is no boycott of any Chinese products. On the contrary: I don't know anyone in Poland who wouldn't order something from AliExpress! What happened to ideology? Does everyone think that if you can buy something cheaper, the situation in Tibet and human rights do not matter? Of course, working conditions and wages in the Middle Kingdom are getting better and better - I would even say that in some cases they are better than in Poland. But what happened to economic patriotism? We don't want to support Polish products and companies? By purchasing on AliExpress, we deprive Polish importers, wholesalers and retailers of profits - because most purchases concern small quantities. The answer is simple - where there is money, there is no place for sentiments and ideologies. This applies to large companies, corporations, but also to us, ordinary people.

When flying to China you can be sure of two things: KFC and Starbucks. Everything else depends on the region, weather, people, etc. However, the famous chickens and the largest cafe are literally everywhere in the Middle Kingdom, especially near the main tourist attractions.

I'm ashamed to admit it, because I haven't updated the website for a long time. It's a bit neglected and the competition is definitely ahead of me now ;-). I still have a lot of new photos and even more from the archive, but unfortunately too many responsibilities mean that I only have a backlog. February 5 begins the Year of the Pig in China - traditionally a good year for motherhood. Many of our Chinese friends go abroad more and more often during this period. A friend from Guangzhou is in Singapore, and another from Shenzhen went abroad with her family to Thailand for the first time. One of them speaks little English, but in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia (Bali Island), Malaysia - they can easily count on the help of Chinese guides and translators, Chinese travel agencies have their representatives there. Foreign travel for the Chinese was practically unrealistic 20 years ago. Now they can afford such trips, and visiting the Middle Kingdom or staying at home is not enough of an experience for young, nouveau riche Chinese. They travel, shop, sightsee, spend time in luxury hotels and SPAs, and simply enjoy life.

The situation in Hong Kong is currently very tense. It all started with protests against the extradition of suspects from Hong Kong to China. Now the protests have turned indirectly against the authorities in Beijing and directly against the authorities in Hong Kong. Of course, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I understand people who are afraid of Chinese power, injustice, violation of citizens' rights and limited freedom, limited democracy. On the other hand, the protesters were overly aggressive, frustration and anger broke out. There were groups of bored kids who had previously lived in a quite peaceful and yet rich country like Hong Kong. Of course, there are reasonable people among them fighting for democracy, but the vast majority behave as if they wanted to introduce anarchy and paralyze the country. In internet comments, someone rightly noticed that in any "normal" Western country the police would deal with them very quickly. Blocking airports would be considered an act of terrorism. In the US, the National Guard would probably step in. We saw how President Macron dealt with his opponents, there were regular wars in the streets. Nobody talks about civil rights or democracy in such cases. In the case of China, the situation is different. It's sad to see the hatred between the police and the people of Hong Kong growing. It's sad to see buildings, metro stations and infrastructure being destroyed in the city where I loved walking and taking photos. What's next? I am afraid that the Chinese army or special police forces will enter Hong Kong from Shenzhen. Then everything will change.

Did you know that in China, the beginning of primary school is basically the end of childhood? We wanted to buy a toy as a gift for our friend's son, and she said, "No, don't buy it! We've already put all the toys away, he's going to school this year." Brother - 7 years old and you have no toys! You get books, notebooks, exercises, and a whole load of extracurricular activities. A baby like that has no life left. Another Chinese friend told me that children already in primary school have a lot of homework. They are at school practically from morning to evening, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Of course, during this time they have a lunch break. Some are in boarding schools, others return home for dinner and overnight stays. Apart from that, everything revolves around school. Doing homework at night! Would you like that? I'm not really a fan of giving children too much freedom, because then they come up with all sorts of stupid ideas, but... you can't go overboard either. 7 years and no more toys? There are many toys that teach and develop. For example, modeling, Lego Technic, interactive toys, robots, remote-controlled toys, etc. The problem is also the lack of proper direction of play. Most often, grandparents take care of their grandchildren in China. My grandparents had absolutely no toys during their childhood. So how should they instruct the young generation - how to have fun, what to play with, how to learn through play. This is what is missing in China. Many parents simply spend exorbitant amounts of money on extracurricular activities because they don't have time or have no idea what to do with their children. So, when school starts in China, adult life begins - responsibilities, schedule, no time for rest. I don't envy them!