India
Summer 2008

Composed by IHP Trustees Fellow Audra Valiulis

Greetings!
The second half of the Emerging India and China program has been an amazing and intense experience for our group.  Acclimating to the one hundred plus degree weather, hectic traffic, and Indian food has been a complete change from our time in Beijing.  Lectures, site visits and a retreat to Dharamsala have helped us in answering the burning question: How are India and China emerging?

India and China may both be emerging, but they have very different histories, culture, and political systems.  India's highly democratic political system differs radically from China's single-party rule.  Religion is much more celebrated in India, where Hindus, Jains, Muslims and Sikhs coexist.  In China, religion, art and other cultural activities are only beginning to rematerialize as the government recognizes its importance in tourism and its economy.  China's only recognized language, Mandarin Chinese, pales in comparison to India's eighteen recognized languages and over four hundred dialects.  While China also bears a multitude of languages, terrains and traditions, the government seems to strive toward a unifying and homogeneous identity.  India, on the other hand, is a plural society that recognizes all types of cultural characteristics.  Our group, however, has determined that the most glaring commonality between the two countries has been their economic emergence.

Since concluding that India and China are similar in terms of their economic emergence, we have examined the pros and cons of economic development.  Our main questions focused on defining "development" and "growth."  The neo-liberal system of economics promotes growth, which can occur at a faster rate than development.  Thus, in many cases, environmentally friendly and socially equitable development is sacrificed in the name of growth.  Nature and culture are closely intertwined, and when large-scale projects, such as dams and roads, are built in order to support this development, nature and therefore culture are negatively affected.  India's growing service and Information Technology (IT) sectors are thriving, but the agricultural sector and small farms are becoming more and more vulnerable.  Development, therefore, is not necessarily the culprit, but the rapid economic growth that promotes a faster rate of development is not always equitable.

Aside from our discourses on economic emergence, our group has been able to explore Delhi's art, architecture, and historic sites.  We have visited Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in the world.  Another visit to Lajpat Nagar market showed us Indian culture through its textiles, clothing, and most importantly, haggling!  Our group was able to visit temples, shrines and other religious sites together as well as with our Indian homestay families.  One particular evening, we had a group dinner that included traditional dishes such as biryani and rice pudding at one of the homestays; all of the vegetables used for the dinner were grown on the farm on the property!  These site visits gave us insight into Indian history as well as the Indian way of life.

One of the major challenges we have faced has been something most may not consider very challenging: commuting!  One student stated it best: it is a "constant battle" to get from Point A to Point B.  When you walk out of Point A, you must find a rickshaw.  On the way, there are usually children pinching you and asking you for money!  Once you find a free rickshaw, you must tell the driver where you want to go.  Sometimes they will agree, sometimes they won't.  Once they agree, you have to haggle a price before getting into the rickshaw; this can take up to five minutes, and sometimes people will gather around (because it must be hilarious for them to see a Westerner trying to haggle!).  Finally, you are on your way, even though most of the roads have tons of potholes.  Also, at every stoplight, you will encounter people trying to sell you magazines and other small items.  Finally, once you reach your destination...and this takes at least 20 minutes, your rickshaw driver will try to surprise you with lots of extra charges.  In that case, you must have exact change for reaching Point B because your driver will not have change for you.  While this may be an exhausting commute, our group can now get anywhere with these newfound skills!

Our group has also visited Dharamsala, the location of the exiled Tibetan government.  Religion, governance and identity have been explored as Tibetans experience nearly fifty years without independence.  While we have not been lucky enough to meet the Dalai Lama, we have been fortunate to stay at the Norbulingka Institute, which is a center for cultural preservation.  We met with Tibet's Department of Information and International Relations as well as non-governmental organizations such as the Tibetan Women's Association, Students for a Free Tibet, and the Tibetan Youth Congress.  This trip served as a peaceful retreat as well as a chance to compare our experiences in China and India on the specific topic of Tibet.  In China, we saw the Tibet Exhibition that lays out the benefits of development in Lhasa.  In Dharamsala, on the other hand, we learned about the struggle for independence or autonomy as well as the negative effects of Chinese policy on the practice of Buddhism and other cultural activities.  We now have a greater perspective on the issue of Tibet from more than one angle and continue to discuss what the future of Tibet and Tibetans will be.

All in all, our group has had an amazing experience!  From discussion on on what development and growth mean to sampling the Indian cuisine to staying with Indian families, we have had the trip of a lifetime.  As we return to our hometowns, we will not only remember these intense discussions; we will remember our home stays, group dinners, and new friends.  We have, as a group, acquired a sense of community in such a short period of time, and we hope to continue these friendships far into the future.

Beijing, China
Summer 2008

Composed by IHP Trustees Fellow Audra Valiulis

Greetings!

The launch of IHP’s summer program, Emerging India and China, has been a huge success thus far!  After a lengthy non-stop flight, ten students safely reached Beijing, China for a three-and-a-half-week whirlwind experience of a lifetime.  We were warmly greeted by our coordinators, Hong Mautz and Professor Ren Xu, as well as our translators, Victoria and Charles.  These four individuals offered us a smoothly-coordinated program and insightful perspectives into Chinese culture and politics, and we can never thank them enough!

The Emerging India and China program was incredibly well-structured and offered students numerous activities, specifically tai chi classes and basic Chinese language classes.  By the end of our time here, we were beginning to understand our “chi” and could better communicate our needs and thoughts to homestays, restaurant servers, and, most importantly, taxi drivers!  In China, most residents do not speak English, so the Chinese classes were necessary in order to get around in Beijing.  Our group was also given China Talks by Hong Mautz on China’s history, politics, and social norms.  We discovered that our home stay families all have a hukou (identification system), danwei (work group), and guanxi (social connections).  Our group also learned about the role of the open economy and its relation to the single-party political system.  These China Talks were integral in our basic understanding of the Chinese way of life.

The home stay families in Beijing were incredibly warm and welcoming to our group of ten students.  With two meals per day in the homestay, we were able to taste Chinese cuisine, candies, and local fruits and vegetables.  Some of the most popular delicacies included jiaoxi, which are meat or vegetable-stuffed dumplings, and baoxi, which are steamed buns filled with meat and vegetables.  Another interesting aspect of our time in the home stays was that none of the families spoke English.  While some may interpret the language barrier as a hindrance to our relationships with our home stays, we would argue that we became closer than ever as we struggled with words and charades to communicate our thoughts and feelings!  By the end of our time here, we could accurately describe almost anything with our limited Chinese and newfound acting skills.  Our home stays were also kind enough to throw us two parties on the roof deck of our apartment building, where we ate and danced the night away.  All in all, our home stays provided us with an amazing perspective on everyday life in Beijing as well as new friends to keep in touch with.

Throughout the EIC program, numerous academic and professional lectures were presented.  We heard from numerous organizations and colleges in Beijing.  One profound lecture was given by Anthony Kuhn, NPR Correspondent, who spoke about China’s image as portrayed by the media.  Mariana Torres of the World Bank provided us with information regarding the infrastructure and transportation planning process, the World Bank’s role in China’s development, and using public participation as a tool for planning and land use.  Zheng Han of the Red Cross informed us of the Red Cross’s relief efforts to help those affected by the recent Sichuan Earthquake.  Also, Zhen Ruixiang, former Consul General to the Consulate General in Mumbai, India, spoke with us about the economic and political relationship between India and China.  These lectures provoked the ongoing discussion of India and China’s emerging role and whether they are strategic partners or competitors for economic power.

Our group not only heard from various organizations in China, but also from numerous scholars.  Shen Chonglin spoke with us about migration, urbanization, and the ever-changing urban and rural roles in China.  Li Xiande lectured us on China’s history of economic development as well as how localization can change the nature of this development.  Dr. Ren Xu, our coordinator, compared for us Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and traditional Indian medicine (Ayurveda).  Liu Xiaoxue offered our group a comparative study of economic development patterns in India and China.  Finally, Yang Guiping lectured on the various religions and how they are practiced in China today.  The academic perspective was one that we would never have been able to understand without our incredible guest lecturers.

Guided field visits helped us understand the super-block grid and transit systems and were integral to our comprehension of Chinese culture and everyday life.  Neighborhood Day included visits to hutongs, the traditional courtyard style of housing, and newer high rise apartment buildings.  We asked residents questions about their daily social interactions and activities and interpreted how the style of housing can affect these aspects.  We also visited the World Health Organization office, where we learned about public health concerns in China and how cultural clashes can be remedied.  Those who did not attend the WHO meeting visited Actionaid International, a local organization that focuses on women’s issues.  Another field visit to the silk and eyewear markets allowed us to interview migrant workers to learn about their challenges and opportunities in Beijing.  These interviews in conjunction with our visit to the Beijing Cultural Communication Center for Facilitators (BCCCF), a non-profit organization for migrant workers, allowed us to better comprehend the costs and benefits of rural to urban migration.  Our last two site visits were located in museums: the Tibet Exhibition and the Military Museum.  The Tibet Exhibition was fascinating because of its controversial nature throughout the world, and the Military Museum had numerous exhibits on wars and conflicts and showed us the importance of the military throughout Chinese history.  These site visits truly rounded out our time in Beijing.

Throughout our time here, we had numerous synthesis discussions that allowed us to sort out all of the information that had been given to us and to apply it to what we are seeing in Beijing today.  There were constant questions regarding the political process and how decisions become policies at the top level and then are implemented at the local level.  A major discussion topic was how the transition from the first opening of the economy in 1978 to the almost full implementation of free market practices in China and foreign investment can peacefully coincide with the single-party political system.  There is a tide of demand among the Chinese people for modernization, but there is tension between a complete capitalist system and the Communist Party.  In short, we have had an amazing introduction to Chinese socio-political issues and have developed more complex questions and have had interesting debates which we will bring to India for comparison.

Although the lectures and field visits kept us busy, we managed to find time in the late afternoons and weekends to accomplish some tourist activities!  Many students visited the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace as reminders of the dynastic period’s reign in China.  The parks and temples were other popular tourist destinations, including Beihai Park, the Temple of Heaven, and the Lama Temple.  Nightlife in Beijing has been flourishing as more tourists are infiltrating the city, so many students took advantage of the Houhi and Sanlitun districts in the evenings.

All in all, this has been one amazing experience thus far!  We have finished our case studies on the following topics: aging and senior living in Beijing, the One Child Policy and its effects, and how local agriculture is affected in a globalizing economy.  We are also finishing our time with our coordinators and homestays with a “bang” by celebrating with a farewell dinner!  As we close this chapter in Beijing, we look forward to experiencing a new city: Delhi, India!  As a group we have truly enjoyed our time in China and have a better understanding of its politics, economics, and culture.  We are excited to apply this newfound perspective to our comparative counterpart in India and will keep you in touch!