Living in Cultural Limbo: Norway

Monday, December 13, 2010

You don't always get what you bargain for

For decades, China has coveted the Nobel Peace Prize, in hopes that one day one of their own citizens (while living in China) could claim it as a recipient. To China, winning the Nobel Peace Prize would ultimately prove to the world that China has indeed become a country to reckon with and has finally caught up to, if not surpassed, the Western powers. This year, China's wish was granted, although not in the form they were expecting it. What can I say? You can't always get what you bargain for.

Back in early October, it was announced that the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded to Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese dissent currently jailed for subversion of state power, after co-authoring Charter 08, a highly critical political manifesto on the Chinese government. Liu was also a notable figure in the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests.

To say that China wasn't thrilled upon learning Liu Xiaobo was awarded this year's Nobel Prize would be an understatement. As soon as the announcement was made, China quickly called the Norwegian ambassador to express their anger and publicly retorted by calling the decision "blasphemy."

Additionally, the story of that the first Chinese man ever had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was shushed quiet throughout Chinese media outlets. News story concerning the prize form international news outlets, such as CNN or the BBC were also blacked out (CNN and BBC are only available in apartment complexes catered to foreigners and in nice hotels.). Many western news websites featuring stories about the award and Internet searches on "Liu Xiaobo" and "Nobel Peace Prize" were also blocked by the Great Chinese Firewall. Lastly, and perhaps the most creepily, as the news of the decision spread, the Chinese government erased the characters composing the characters of Liu Xiaobo's name out of the SMS (texting) database so that no text messages containing his name could be sent out. Those who succeeded prior to the big erased found their messages blocked and sometimes SIM cards deactivated.

Not surprisingly, this past weekend as the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony was held in Oslo, Norway, many Western news websites were blocked once again.Without using a VPN, I couldn't access CNN.com; although ironically, I could access the NY Times where the "Empty Chair" was one of the leading stories of the weekend. (Since Liu Xiaobo was obviously not allowed to attend the ceremony in Oslo and accept his award, the award was given to an "empty chair," thus all the "Empty Chair" headlines about the Nobel Peace Prize this weekend.)

Sunday, October 24, 2010

World Expo

Back in August, as a part of our tour package, my parents and I went to the World Expo in Shanghai. The tradition of the World Expo (also known in the past as the World's Fair or Universal Exhibition) dates back to the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, whose main feature was the famed Crystal Palace. Originally, the exhibitions were served as a platform to promote new technology and innovation; however, nowadays the World Expo serves more as a platform for "country-branding." That is to say, the main purpose of the different pavillions at the World Expo now serve as a platform for every country to promote it's national image internationally.

Personally, I wasn't that impressed by the World Expo. Although it's only fair to point out that my opinion was probably at least partially influenced by the fact that it was very hot and humid when we were there. Nonetheless, my parents & I wandered around looking at the architecture of the different pavilions which were each very unique in it's own way. I thought the European countries' pavilions were the most architecturally interesting. You can decide for yourself from the pictures below: