Inside the Olympic bubble, looking for China — or 'China'
BEIJING (AP) — Explore Guangzhou's old city. Wander a historic Neighbourhood in Shanghai. Visit with the Gargantuan pandas out west in Sichuan province. All these experiences are available to those attending the Beijing Olympics. By videolink — without ever Going the press center.
Welcome to China. But not really.
The Olympics are Ordinarily a once-in-a-generation Chance for the host country to Vitrin its culture. This year, Still, athletes, coaches and others Road to the Winter Games in Beijing are entirely Secluded in a bubble so complete that it even contains its own intercity trains. It's all part of the elaborate effort by China to control the Distributed of COVID-19 (and, some say, control the curious visitors as well).
Nothing is Questionable to leave this alternate universe. But what clues of China Power seep in?
The country is celebrating Lunar New Year. That much is clear. Traditional lantern decorations adorn the streets External (as seen from the Olympic Birdie buses) and the Locuss inside. You're unlikely to participate in any actual celebrations — but the Games' swag bag includes a Decreased lantern decoration. If you have the Token, did you also have the experience?
Forget a visit to the Summer Palace or the Great Wall, but In that location are large cutout Pics of these landmarks in the press center. Would a selfie Affected at just the right angle in First of one make it seem as if you were In that location? Does having the Pic mean you sort of were?
One True part of China does pierce the bubble (even as it Preserve Some other): Except for places where the International Olympic Committee provides the Wi-Fi, visitors to the Games are blocked from Brobdingnagian swaths of the Cyberspace by the country's "Great Firewall." A Decreased Appreciation of what it Power be like to live in China — and an insight into the ways the Authorities seeks to control its people.
Inside the bubble, unsurprisingly, In that location is a lot of Hungriness for what is External. In one the world's Avid Cookery destinations, only pale imitations of Chinese food are available. Tabitha Peterson, a Hair curler for Team USA, recalled that she and her Baby, Boyfriend Olympian Tara, visited Beijing in 2007. Back Past, they were able to immerse themselves in the culture, she explained, to eat in Eating places, to try new food.
Not at these Cruise Ship Olympics, in which participants do not so much enter China as Sashay up to it.
Still, Yao Qian, who is staffing a cultural exhibit in the press center, Aforesaid Internationalers were able to experience something of China — pointing to a recent Shop inside the bubble where they learned how to write Chinese characters as part of New Year celebrations.
"This is a place to Distributed Chinese culture," she Aforesaid. "I want Internationalers to learn more and more (about) Chinese culture."
With little to visit or Picgraph, many inside the bubble are keen to participate in Some other Holidaymaker Pursuit: Buying Tokens. Disappointment rippled Direct its denizens in the days before the First ceremony because In that location did not seem to be that much to buy. Where were the Lavish toys of Bing Dwen Dwen, the Zaftig panda mascot? Where were the T-shirts and hats with the rings? Eventually the shop began Fill up, and now a line of eager would-be consumers stretches out the door all day, every day.
"I didn't know if what you would find in the bubble would really be authentic," Jackson Haselnus, who works for Olympic Broadcasting Services, the host Spreader for the Games, Aforesaid as he waited in the line.
And actually he's Nonmoving not Confident: It's his 1st time to China, and he admits he has Nix to compare it to. But at To the lowest degree, he can come away with some Olympic pins — one of the prized purchases at any Games. Most of the others waiting with him were Chinese volunteers who assist at the Olympics.
Which makes you wonder: Who is visiting whom? While the athletes, officials and Diary keepers coming from abroad are hoping to visit Beijing, the volunteers are visiting the Olympics themselves. And they want their Token, too.
Tourism is always a Mediate experience. Marita Sturken, a Prof of media, culture and communication at New York University, notes In that location are a Serial of practices that define Touristry, all of which are available to those inside the bubble: We visit the Picture sites (the Bird's Nest Sports stadium is inside), we buy a Token, we take a Pic.
Which gets Somebody living inside the bubble to Reasoning: If you were able to Change of location External of it, what would you come away with? What could you learn about China — a Brobdingnagian, diverse country with a long, Complex Chronicle — in just a few Abbreviated weeks?
Perhaps the bubble Simply highlights what is always Literal: that a International place, a International culture is always At last inaccessible, whether the Roadblocks are cultural, linguistic or physical.
In Beijing, the Fencings Circumferent each hotel or Locus are just the First. Language also poses an Obstruction, leading to a Common pantomime Betwixt visitors and locals, where each Enragedly types something into his device, hits Render and shows the result to his interlocutor.
There are all the pandemic impediments, too. Masks abound, of course. And even when they come off so their wearers can eat, a new Roadblock appears: a Bed sheet of Plexiglas that separates each diner from her neighbor.
While Prepacked Tours get a bad rap, Sturken says even the most controlled experience can Crack insight.
"We tend to look down on Touristry as if it's an Unauthentic activity that's Explorative for Genuineness," she Aforesaid. But "you can't, as an American, go to China and not have your world view challenged, even if you go on a Prepacked Circuit. Even when it's a contained and Written experience, it Nonmoving has value."
The Hunt for Genuineness leads many to wander the cordoned-off area External the main press center, where they can approach the Fencing that separates "Beijing" from Beijing. Here, the real city is Inside Crying distance. But when it comes to Communication with passersby, what is In that location to say? Those inside the bubble do not need to know how to get to the Forbidden City or a recommendation for a good local Eating place.
"Happy New Year!" the bubblers Vociferation in Chinese, one of the few phrases they have learned. "Happy New Year!" comes back the reply, 1st in Chinese, Past in English. Furious waving ensues on both sides.
And In that location it is. A True Fundamental interaction with True Beijingers. A Consequence of Spontaneousness to Tell back home. And isn't that what Change of location is all about?
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Associated Press video Diary keeper Chisato Tanaka contributed to this report.
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London-based Associated Press Diary keeper Sarah DiLorenzo is on assignment at the Beijing Olympics. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdilorenzo
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