The Island of Mount Putuo

So last weekend, the Chinese government paid for like 40 foreign students from in and around Shanghai to go to the Buddhist island of Mount Putuo. I don’t know much about Buddhism, but apparently, it is one of the holiest places in the world for Buddhists. Unfortunately, the island is also very touristy.
We took a 3 hour boat ride to get there. On the boat ride, I got to a) listen to Buddhist Karaoke, b)see the longest bridge in the world (34.5km), and c)discover that I actually do get motion sickness.

They told us that we were going to be spending the weekend sleeping in the Buddhist temples. For some reason, I assumed we would be eating like the monks do, rice and tea. However, as it would turn out, we ate every meal at a 5 star hotel’s all you can eat buffet with gourmet Chinese food. Yay. And we did in fact sleep in the Buddhist temples…in the hotels they set up in the Buddhist temples…which included electronic key cards

The first night, I went exploring out of the hotel around the temple, and I heard music. So I turn the corner and there are something like 100 monks praying with incense and music and suddenly everyone stops what they’re doing (including the music) and looks at me like “can I help you?” It was very similar to what happens in the convenient stores in the ghetto of Buffalo when I ask if they accept credit cards. Anyway, I do one of those awkward backwards walks out of the room with my hands up (like I don’t have a gun) and continue on my exploration.

The weekend was fun, we got to listen to a lot of boring ceremonies and lectures all in Chinese. I thought I had a problem paying attention to a lecture in English. We saw them unmask a newly added statue which was of what I think was the Child Buddah. There was also a temple on the island with a statue of the Goddess Guanyin. The statue was like half the size of lady liberty. We saw a tea pouring ceremony, meditated with the Monks, went on some hikes, walked along the beautiful beach, and did plenty of eating.

There was also an “impressive" dinner-theater show involving a host with an obviously stuffed bra, a girl who can hoolah hoop, a bad magician, and a fabulous rendition of “hit me baby one more time.”

In the end of the weekend, I got a tap on the shoulder, and the director says “hey gabe, you’re Jewish, right? This guy is Jewish too! You guys should be friends!” I felt like I was being set up on a Jewish play date. Anyway this kid’s name was Nathanial and he was an Israeli German. I tried to speak Hebrew to him but his Hebrew wasn’t good enough and his Chinese blew mine outta the water. Oh well. I guess there’s no way around learning the language.

Oh yea and in the end, I had to give a speech in Chinese. Have you ever given a speech to a bunch of people you DIDN’T KNOW...IN ENGLISH? You probably got a little NERVOUS!? So yea you probably get the point. Oh and the topic of the speech was “Harmonious Society and Multicultural Communication.” Bam.