Kaifeng is a lot different from Beijing. The capital has, at least at its center, become a world city. It is one loud and vast insistence that China is arriving as a global power.
Kaifeng is considered a small city. I get varying population estimates but it seems to be around 700,000, better than twice the size of the Akron metro area. It is dwarfed by the nearby provincial capital Zhongzhou (pronounced jongjoe) which has about seven million. Never heard of it, have you? Yet it would be the second largest city in the USA! One story I hear is that Kaifeng should have boomed after World War II, but Zhongzhou had been bombed to rubble and therefore could be rebuilt anew according to the government's plans—always a factor in a country that has a tradition of strong central control.
Kaifeng is a lot grubbier than the polished capital. Near the Yellow River, it is a dusty flood plain city with crumbling sidewalks and narrow dirt alleys. At times there is an astounding amount of litter on its streets and the waterways look even worse abused than some of the "cricks" used to be in my native Appalachian Ohio. The area around the school is a jumble of street stalls and closet-sized shops and restaurants. Although I'm told Westerners are unusual here, the people are polite enough to ignore and accept our presence. Whoever I've had dealings with have been friendly and polite with ready smiles.
The campus is a bit of a mix of traditional and modern styles, not unlike The University of Akron. I guess they're a good match in many ways, two large urban institutions working hard to improve. The student body of 40,000 is split between this campus, founded in 1912, and a new campus about eight kilometers away, very stark in a new concrete zone. The old campus has some funk and will probably be very pretty when spring sets in--hopefully soon because it's gotten a bit cold and the Chinese heat buildings at a minimal level. Score them hardy!
The people here at Henan University have been kind to the point of embarrassment. I could fill this post with anecdotes about how I've been made to feel welcome. All I can say is watch what you say around Chinese people, they will proceed to do whatever they can to fulfill your wishes. I understand now what my friend Dr. Lou Ritz meant when he referred to his two-week speaking tour of China as a "transformative experience." In less than a week the Chinese have already taught me a lot about hospitality.
My assistant Ms. Zhang and her friend Dwayu took me to a Buddhist Temple. That's them at the entrance. We burned a sheaf of incense in prayer for a good semester. Whatever the monks are doing with their time, cleaning the temple toilets is not among their interests.
Among the "foreign experts" are three graduates of Beloit College. Beloit is a small College of Wooster-like liberal arts school that has a relationship with Henan to provide English teachers. It's a great experience for the kids (as I think of them). Mike and Marta can speak Chinese very well and Steve is learning as he goes, having made great progress.
I didn't get my schedule until Friday. I thought it would be three courses meeting twice a week, but I've got six different classes. At Wayne I have three courses and about 100-150 students a semster. I'll have to radically condense material to cover all of Western history in the time allowed. With about 180 students I figure there will be a snowstorm of papers to grade in June when I wrap up.
I'm at the door to my room in the photo. I'm now teaching my first classes. More on that soon... And foodies, I'm not forgetting you. I'll post a culinary report also.
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