And I sit disillusioned.
Tomorrow the Olympic torch will come through Guiyang. For most young people in Guiyang, this is one of the most exciting things to ever happen here, and, to add to the excitement, Stephanie, my fellow foreign teacher at this university, was chosen to be a torch runner (the only foreigner to run through our province). Everyone has been eagerly anticipating this moment, spending money buying Olympic torch t-shirts and merchandise (I, too, fell victim to purchasing torch relay/I love China/ "Go China" shirts, Chinese flags, Olympic merchandise etc. to wave at the relay…). All of us couldn't wait to not only see it come to Guiyang, but to be able to cheer on our friend while she carries the torch.
That was before "the meeting."
Our school had all students go to multiple "the meeting"s this week, where they drilled the students on how it is their patriotic duty not to attend the relay because too many people in attendance will increase the chance of riots (it's one thing for other countries to protest, that's a big loss of face, but if the protests happen IN China, China would have no more face to lose). At first, when I was told this, I shrugged it off, assuming they couldn't keep students on campus and they'll go regardless (clearly I had forgotten the miserable lifelong Hepatitis A quarantine...). Then I discovered that this is not just a campus rule, this is a citywide rule. All busses to Longdongbao and other countryside areas have been canceled for tomorrow so that no one from the countryside can go to the city. A student just sent me a text message saying that our campus has been "blockaded off" to keep anyone from leaving.
I also just recently heard from Stephanie (who is being kept in isolation at a hotel with all other torch runners) who, sounding downhearted and lonely, told us the details of where she "may" be running. As the only foreigner, I'm sure it's no coincidence that Stephanie's area is on a bridge where spectators cannot go. Furthermore, she's not even allowed to bring a camera.
So this puts me in a dilemma. No one told me I cannot go, and in the morning, when Stephanie runs, I don't have any classes. Tonight I have a night class until 9 pm, and Miah and I originally (before the campus was "blockaded off" and we found out Steph will be in a difficult to see location) planned on taking a taxi into the city and staying with a friend so that we could be there to cheer Stephanie on (since no one else she knows will be there). Now, however, I'm skeptical that 1) this may be a moment where I'm supposed to "read between the lines" and know that I'm not allowed to go even though it was never said directly to me, and 2) that, if I'm lucky enough to get to the city, I'll be stuck there because of traffic or other crazy factors and not make it back to campus in time for my 2:30 class, and 3) if I'm lucky enough to make it to the city, I won't be able to see Stephanie run anyway. I'm torn, because I REALLY want to support my friend and see this huge event, but I also have lots of reasons to feel like going may cause trouble. Plus, if my students and neighbors, who are far more excited than I am, cannot go, I feel guilty going. This is such an absurd situation. Other countries (and maybe other cities in this country????) cancel school so that people can see the torch when it comes through their city.
It's funny. Just when I think I cannot be baffled by Chinese culture anymore, something like this taps me on the shoulder to remind me I still have a lot to learn. In America, or any other country that I know of, if the government tried keeping the people from attending something they were this excited about, it would CAUSE riots. Here, the government does it to prevent them.
In the 15 minutes I've spent typing this blog, I have received 12 text messages from students venting their frustration.
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