(To see photos of my hotel room, its view and the entrance to a Manchu tomb, go to my blog.)
****
If you want to get a press pass to either the Republican or Democratic convention this fall, you have to apply for it through the congressional press office before April 15. This means that I won't be getting vetted for media credentials by the parties themselves. This is a good thing. I don't think either party likes me all that much.
The Republicans don't like me because I think they are wimps. They let the Bush-Cheney neo-cons use slime, name-calling, dirty tricks and lies to steam-roller over their principles, patriotism and "family values" and allow these fast-talking con-men to steal their party's very soul. Wimps.
And the Democrats don't like me because I think that they are wimps too -- afraid to think outside the box, call themselves liberals and get on with representing the working class and saving the world.
Anyway, in order to get a press pass to the two conventions, one apparently needs to have "authority" from Technorati. Nobody else has ever given me any authority. Why should Technorati start now?
And what exactly IS Technorati? I googled it and found out. And guess what? It turns out that I actually do have authority with Techorati. And my "authority" is the number 305,278. Sounds authoritative to me.
And now I'm over in northeastern China, but not getting any authority over here either. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is still refusing to give me a visa.
I was supposed to leave for North Korea yesterday with a tour group that arrived in Shenyang two days ago, spent a day sightseeing around at the tombs and palaces and a museum devoted to the Revolution and then happily toddled off to the airport without me, with their DPRK visas in hand. And here's me, stranded at my hotel without a visa, sadly waving goodbye.
I've been here in Shenyang for five days and I've spent most of those five days bugging various officials regarding my visa request. Now whenever anyone who has anything to do with granting visas sees me coming, you can just see them thinking to themselves, "Oh, no. Here comes Jane again. Where can I hide!"
The guards at the North Korea embassy know me by sight. The clerks at the North Korea travel agency are helpful but firm. "We can't do anything for you, Jane." The personnel at the North Korea airline office are really friendly and nice but the bottom line is that they are not allowed to put me on a plane without a visa. I've learned a lot about North Koreans just by trying to get a visa. They are truly polite and friendly. But definitely know how to stand their ground.
As I was standing in front of the DPRK embassy today, I met some Christian Koreans from Australia who were going there to deliver food for the children, and they offered to talk with the consulate on my behalf. I totally appreciated that they would do that for me but doubted they would get a response.
I somehow got the embassy's inside phone number and gave them a call. Their answering machine said, "Leave a message," in Korean. Or maybe it just said, "Don't call us, we'll call you."
Apparently North Korea's visa-granting committee only meets once a week in Pyongyang and they aren't scheduled to meet until next week. But next week will be too late for me. My flight back to California leaves on April 17.
This whole thing is SO frustrating. I've come all this way for nothing. North Korea is just over the freaking border from me but it might as well be on the moon. How frustrating. And this is the exact same way I felt in February at the Kuwait City airport when I was SO close to Iraq but the US military wouldn't let me in there either. What is WRONG with me? What is wrong with them? "Jane, you just don't have the authority." Crap.
I'm really sorry for bugging you with all this whining, guys, but nobody in Shenyang seems to speak English or I'd whine to them instead. Never mind. I'll whine to them anyway, English-speaking or not.
Stillwater is a freelance writer who hates injustice and corruption in any form but especially injustice and corruption paid for by American taxpayers. She has recently published a book entitled, "Bring Your Own Flak Jacket: Helpful Tips For Touring Today's Middle East". According to Ms. Stillwater, "It's a fabulous and entertaining book. I loved writing it. And I hope that you will love reading it too." It's available at http://www.amazon.com/Bring-Your-Own-Flak-Jacket/dp/0978615719 or you can special order it at any independent bookstore.
phonic Chinese food names for you, ya been readin them?
Some words of advice: Before you get upset and start yelling to impress how important this is to you remember to take deep breaths and relax.
Nothing happens in pre-arranged manners in China, it will always be at the last minute when they have things done for you, if at all. Which drives the western mind crazy with its idea of timely pre-planning.
Getting upset equals losing face in Chinese eyes, and saving face is a BIG deal to them.
The Chinese seem to have a different attitude about noise, with all the horn honking, talking in high decibles in cellphones and music coming from stores. It amazes me how no one can seem to close a door at the school I teach at, they are always slamming them shut.
The old man in the Mao suit is just that. Brought up under Mao influence, they were told what to wear and they are set in their ways. Did you notice the look of confusion in his face? Everything he was taught as corrupt: Coke-a-Cola, Mcdonalds, all western concepts are now a part of mainstream China. They feel as if their country has sold out to the westerner.
The young woman with spike hair is the typical young Chinese person who is assimalating all that western garb has to offer. She probally had a MP3 player with headphones listening to "you won't believe this" western pop-rock. My students asked me to teach them "Pretty Boy" today. I wouldn't doubt that she was text messaging her friends to meet at the local KFC. They are opening 2 franchises a day in China.
If you were to ask her about what the Chinese government is doing today, she couldn't respond. Most Chinese young adults have apathy for their government and are only interested in typical western thought of a job they like which will pay a lot of money and allow them to travel. A big house, car, and fashionable clothes to wear. They have bought into the "Chinese Dream" of the 21st century.
The hotel reception should have given you a seperate recipt for the damage deposit paid in cash. Your nights are on another bill.
If you realize that you won't get you visa to North Korea, take the train to Shanhaiguan to see where the Great Wall meets the sea. The Zunhua Qing Tombs are more beautiful Ming Tombs north of Beijing.
There is a good hostel with private beds for 120 RMB in Beijing across the street from the Main train station. They have bus pick-up to the airport too.
Phonic Chines food: tangcu jiding=sweet & sour chicken, gali jirou=curry chicken, xihongshi chao jidan= tomato with scrambled eggs, mei fan=rice
by
Stanimal (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 492 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:19:07 AM
And I'm already preparing a Plan B. What do you think? I could go to Dan Dong or Yanji, take a boat half-way across the river and be in North Korea the quick and dirty way for at least five minutes. Hey, it's better than nothing. Know anything about that area?
by
Jane Stillwater (440 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 57 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:28:25 AM
they will deny your ticket. Then you have the hassle of trying to get a refund on the ticket.
If your really itchin to try to "enter " N. Korea, take the train to Baihe. Looks like it would be a several hour ride from Shenyang. Then take a bus to Tianchi Lake. There is beautiful scenery with little border recognition. I doubt you'll make it into N. Korea very far before being noticed.
What you lack is speaking skills and you won't have a clear picture of where your wanting to go. They could accuse you of being a spy, and it would be naive for you to assume to think that after a few hours-days, that you would be released to the U.S. consulate.
Your in a different game with authorities here, and I wouldn't be tempted to push your current welcome too far. If you have your passport black-listed, it's not just China that will be denying you visas in the future.
You haven't explained the reason why N Korea is the place to be? Your in a country with 5,000 years of history and many cultural sights to enjoy, and hospitable people. Granted Shengyang is not San Francisco, more like Manhattan Beach.
Rather than be frustrated here and going home glum, sit back and take in what's is around you. You could stay in Beijing for a few days and see another big temple complex like the Forbidden City. Tianimen Square is good for a stroll through, with Qimen Gate and a miniature map of dynastic Beijing.
On the south-west side near the KFC is a French Bakery. A few doors down is a Chinese restaurant serving a delicious Beijing Duck.
Check out the Temple of Heaven and meander down a hutong alley. The Lama Temple on the North-East side of #2 ring road has a 5 story Buddha carved from one tree. The Confucius Temple is not far away either.
If you stay at the Hostel I mentioned, they can arrange a Great Wall walk. Bring along some extra cash, as there is a zip-line you can cross over a lake near Badaling.
by
Stanimal (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 492 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 8:14:01 AM
Walk out on the bombed-out Yalu River bridge. Look through the telescope at N Korea 200m away on the other side. But the people you see are largely there for show. They are better fed and dressed than the people away from the border.
Members of tours in N Korea must stay in a group and if you break out and talk to N Koreans in the street, you are bringing down a rain of trouble on them.
Visit the war museum in Dan Dong. It has English explanatory signs now. Check out the little bomblets used by the Americans to try to introduce plague and cholera to the people in the grain growing areas of NE China.
by
John Haigh (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 106 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 10:29:19 PM
Jane, I have some questions formulating in my mind today.
Before coming to China, did you arrange to get your Chinese visa in the U.S., or did you get it at the airport in Beijing?
Why didn't you get your N. Korean arranged visit done in the U.S.? I know there is no consulate office in the U.S. and wouldn't know which country you would have to apply through to receive one.
When you return to the U.S., there is a high instance you won't be allowed back in with a N.Korea visa stamp inside your passport. Just like some people have been denied re-entry after having gone to Cuba through Mexico experienced.
Since you are a single person, you most likely won't get a visa since you are not a diplomat. Keeping tabs on a group is much easier than having to dedicate several people to observe one persons behavior while a guest in their country. You didn't provide yourself with enough time to let these difficulties get ironed out.
I understand you are a writer and want to know the story's of peoples lives and how they are affected by policy, but your visiting country's that want to delegate what gets told to the western world.
Just look at how much of a mess the Olympic torch is experiencing and the spin China is putting out about it.
You burnt through a lot of coin just to come over here to want what sounds like bragging rights about being in N. Korea, even if its for a few minutes just several steps inside the border.
Lanzhou tang mian= Lanzhou beef noodles, qingjiao niurou pian= beef with green peppers, lazi jiding=sauteed spicy chicken
by
Stanimal (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 492 comments)
on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 6:08:09 AM
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