Today was my last full day in Shanghai and I really wish I would have discovered this area earlier, but I guess I got as much out of it as I wanted. Near the Shanghai Art Museum is the People’s Square Park. During one of my aimless walks to find cool things I stumbled into an area where ten to twenty Chinese people were crowded around an older white man. He sounded like he was from the Midwest, and, from what I heard him say, this guy did not seem like the sharpest tool in the tool shed (if you know what I mean), but he definitely was a tool. I listened to him speak about Obama’s health care policy and the War in Afghanistan to a crowd of Chinese eagerly listening. After a few minutes the Chinese people noticed me and began to crowd around. They came up and, to my surprise, spoke English! I responded in Chinese and they were all really excited.
“You can speak Chinese!?...Awesome!”
I asked how everyone was able to speak English and an older man replied, “This is the English speaking corner of the park!” It all made sense now. These Chinese people wanted to practice their English on foreigners. The crowd migrated from the old white guy, who was probably from Ohio or a Packers fan from Wisconsin, and moved to me because they saw that I could speak both English and Chinese. I was able to explain grammar patterns and define words in Chinese for them and I believe I was able to teach them some new things. I could see the old guy from the Midwest in the distance and he had a scowl on his face. I suppose I stole his thunder, but it is not like I even meant to end up here. I knew Tom Tuttle from Toledo only came to this section of the park to be heard and spout off ridiculousness about America, so I had no problem taking away his following. He seemed like he needed his soap box taken from him anyway. The conversation lasted nearly two hours and I had to end it by saying I had to meet my friend for dinner. I left the park and headed for my final objective in Shanghai…the Bund. The Bund is the most beautiful view of the city and lies across the Hangpu River from all of the sky scrapers. The Bund has magnificent buildings all lit up like a street in Las Vegas and is filled with people no matter what time of day. It took an hour to walk there and by time I arrived it was dark so I was able to get some nice pictures of the Bund at night. I had a street dinner of chicken on a stick and walked around the Bund enjoying my last full day in Shanghai. After a nice walk to the subway stop I started to prepare for the early morning wake up to watch the Super Bowl.
I am not saying much about the Super Bowl because I hate Monday morning quarterbacks…or, in my case, Tuesday morning quarterbacks because I watched the game at 6 am on Monday…but…I will say it once and say it again: “turnovers decide games.” I refuse to say anything more about the game itself.
…Damn…
I will, however, discuss the pregame montage with Michael Douglas as the narrator. If you missed it I suggest you try looking on YouTube. The short clip showed footage from various American memories such as 9/11, Vietnam, and WWII. An image that struck me was the Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima. At that time Michael Douglas said, and I will paraphrase, nothing is more American than football. Watching that clip, I truly felt proud to be an American and proud to be a service member. It was the first time I really felt homesick all trip. Not because I miss my friends and family, although I do very much, but because I am now realizing how fortunate I am to be an American. My mentors and friends Colonel Madonna and General Draude would also tell you that seeing the scene of the Marines raising the American ensign at Iwo Jima sends a tingling sensation from their cores to their skin. It is the same feeling you get when you feel excitement and anticipation, so much that you get goose bumps. I believe this was a mutual feeling for Americans around the world and especially at the Camel Bar in Shanghai, because, when we all watched that flag gradually ascend and lean on the shoulders of young American Marines, you could hear a pin drop. It was not Mendenhall’s 10 yard TD run or Harrison’s sack in the 3rd, and it definitely was not Bucket Head appearing to play the guitar solo for “Sweet Child of Mine,” it was the pregame montage that was best part of the game for me.
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Jordan J. Foley
傅力波
Bucket Head??? You mean Slash? Hahaha
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