Looking for China, or ‘China?’ inside the Olympic bubble

7 February 2022

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BEIJING (AP), — Discover Guangzhou’s historic city. Explore a historical neighborhood in Shanghai. You can visit the Sichuan province giant pandas west. These experiences are all available for those who attend the Beijing Olympics. Videolink – without ever having to leave the press center

China is your home. But it’s not the end.

Olympics are a unique opportunity for host countries to show off their culture. However, this year’s Winter Games in Beijing will see athletes, coaches, and other visitors being held in complete isolation in a bubble that even has its own intercity trains. This is part of China’s elaborate plan to stop COVID-19 spreading (and perhaps even control curious visitors).

This alternate universe is not supposed to be left behind. What clues might China have to offer?

The country celebrates Lunar New Year. This much is obvious. As seen from the Olympic shuttle buses, traditional lantern decorations are found on the streets and at the venues. Although you won’t be able to take part in actual celebrations, the Games’ swag bag contains a small lantern decoration. Did you also get the experience if you had the souvenir?

You don’t have to visit the Great Wall or the Summer Palace. Instead, there are large photos of the landmarks in the media center. A selfie taken from the perfect angle would make it appear as though you were there. Is it possible to say that you were there by taking the photo?

One part of China is real, but it does not preserve another: Visitors to the Games are prevented from accessing large swathes of the internet by the “Great Firewall” of China. This is a small glimpse into what it would be like to live and work in China, as well as an explanation of the government’s attempts to control its citizens.

Unsurprisingly, inside the bubble there is a lot to long for outside. Only pale imitations of Chinese cuisine are available in one of the most popular culinary destinations on the planet. Tabitha Peterson is a Team USA curler. She recalled visiting Beijing with her sister Tara, an Olympian. She explained that they were able then to fully immerse ourselves in the culture and to try out new foods in restaurants.

Looking for China, or ‘China?’ inside the Olympic bubble

By SARAH DILORENZO

Yesterday

FILE – A person passes a display of China’s Great Wall of China at a lower level of Main Media Center in Beijing, ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics. This was Jan. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

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China is your home. But it’s not the end.

FILE – Lights are used to illuminate a section of the Great Wall in cross-country skiing training sessions before the 2022 Winter Olympics. This was done in Zhangjiakou (China), Thursday February 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

A portion of the Great Wall is illuminated by lights during cross-country skiing training before the 2022 Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou (China). (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

This alternate universe is not supposed to be left behind. What clues might China have to offer?

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These Cruise Ship Olympics are different. Participants do not enter China but rather sidle up.

Yao Qian is still working in the press center as a staff member for a cultural exhibit. He pointed to a workshop they had inside the bubble, where they learned to write Chinese characters.

She said, “This is a place that spreads Chinese culture.” “I want foreigners learn more about Chinese culture.”

Many people living in the bubble have little to see or photograph and are eager to indulge in another tourist pastime, which is buying souvenirs. In the days leading up to the opening ceremony, disappointment swept through the bubble’s inhabitants. There didn’t seem to be much to buy. The plush toys of Bing Dwen Dwen the panda mascot, were missing. The T-shirts with the rings and the hats were missing. The shop started to fill up and now there is a long line of eager customers waiting outside every day.

As he waited for his turn, Jackson Haselnus from Olympic Broadcasting Services said, “I didn’t know if the bubble would actually be authentic.”

He’s not quite sure. It’s his first trip to China and he says he doesn’t have any comparisons. He can still take home some Olympic pins, which are one of the most prized souvenirs at any Games. Many of his fellow Olympic volunteers were from China.

This makes it difficult to understand who is visiting whom. The volunteers, on the other hand, are making their way to Beijing as officials, athletes, and journalists from overseas. They want to take home their souvenirs.

Tourism is always a mediated experience. Marita Strurken, a New York University professor of media culture and communication, says there are many practices that define tourism. We visit iconic sites (the Bird’s Nest stadium can be found inside), buy souvenirs, take photos.

This leads someone who lives in the bubble to wonder: What if you could travel anywhere else? In just a few weeks, what could you discover about China, a country vast and diverse with a complex history?

The bubble may be a reminder of something that is true, which is that foreign cultures and foreign places are always difficult to access, regardless of whether they are physical, cultural, or linguistic.

The fences that surround each venue or hotel in Beijing are only the beginning. The language barrier is also a problem. This leads to frequent pantomimes between locals and visitors. Each person furiously type something into their device, hits translate, and then shows his result to his counterpart.

All the other pandemic obstacles are also present. There are many masks. Masks are not uncommon.

She said that tourists are often viewed as an unauthentic activity, searching for authenticity. You can’t go to China as an American and not be challenged by your worldview, even on a package tour. It’s still valuable, even if it’s a controlled and scripted experience.

Many people seek authenticity and wander the area around the main press centre. Here they can see the fence that divides Beijing from Beijing. The real city is just a shout away. What can you say to passers-by when communicating with them? The people living in the bubble don’t need to know how to reach the Forbidden city or where to find a good restaurant.

Happy New Year! The bubblers exclaim in Chinese, one the few languages they know. Happy New Year! The reply comes back in Chinese and then in English. Both sides exchange furious waving.

It is there. An authentic interaction with Beijingers. An opportunity to share a moment of spontaneity with Beijingers. Isn’t this what travel is all for?