AQI:
Air Quality Index. Today’s AQI reached 700 as I waited for the bus back from
tutoring. According to a news article I read a few days later, this was
apparently the worse it has ever been in China. Though Dalian had pollution
worse than 700 AQI a few times last winter, Sunday November 8th was
the worse for the entirety of China. You probably have no clue what AQI of 700 means;
because that’s not something we think about back in the states…whether or not I
can go outside without putting my health at risk. I got off the bus a stop
early to purchase a mask from the convenience store and fastened the tight
“made-for Chinese men” accessory across my flaky skin. Appreciation for
breathing fresh air is not something you think about back in the states. We
tend to concern ourselves with the poisonous fumes huffed and puffed by fag
smokers, and the occasional PSA or liberal activist about how cars and
factories are ruining our beautiful air. I had a lung problem before moving to
China as a result of my unrelenting smoking addiction, and the doctors had
warned me if I planned on moving to China then I would have to be extra careful
about taking care of my internal organs. I’d seen pictures of Beijing on a
smoggy afternoon, but surely I was moving to Dalian; a city surrounded by ocean
and the nice cool breeze from sea to city street. For the most part, relatively
speaking in Chinese standards, the air in Dalian is quite good, but I had
easily forgotten the severity of the winter season. Despite China having
numerous interests in green energy, they still burn coal to produce heat…a
result unsurprising for a country still working its way into first-world
status.
This
week, my girlfriend traveled to Saipan for business and has been sending me photos
of what it’s like. For those of you who don’t know what Saipan is: Saipan is
the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands and contains 95% of their
population. Being out of America for
over a year now, I have forgotten a lot of the little things I miss about the
states: seeing the stars late at night, “normal” food, good beer, speaking
English wherever you go…and of course, clean air. I really don’t think I could
ever live in the states again; the reoccurring violence happening day to day is
enough reason for me to migrate to somewhere like Canada instead. Nonetheless,
I do long for the things that remain familiar to me: friends, family, places,
materialistic goods, driving a car, live music, hordes of decent bars,
sufficient internet…and of course, clean air.
The
pressure of the shit air had dramatically made me question how much longer I
can hold out in China. It makes me want leave, yet I am drawn to this place for
its many advantages and wonders. Whenever I miss aspects of the states, I immediately
recall the opportunities I had with that Bachelor’s in Literature…working as a
substitute teacher living with my parents; my other option, obtaining a post-back
teacher license…which means fuck all in making a decent living though least
better than a sub-teacher or working at Chick-Fil-A again. Those are the
options for a lot of the American expatiates out here: go home to something
familiar and suffer the consequences of a shit economy or stay in this foreign
trap(though a wonderland nonetheless) and make a decent living while never having to worry about money. In just
2 months, I’ve saved over a grand and eat out at least once a day on top of
regular, casual drinking (note: wording is important when covering up a problem
with the sauce).
The
air is toxic, and some of the people are, too, but the good expats here make
this place worthwhile. These outcasts who came here for the same reason, people…I
hold dear to my heart who have made this adventure all the better. Even as nuclear winter steadily approaches
around me, I don’t have a regret in the world being in this wonderful place. I
have discovered the joy of solitude and sharpening my skills that I usually let
go to waste. Speaking of nuclear winter, Fallout 4 just came out, and I’ve
saved up enough in the past few months I can afford a PS4 and still save up the
majority of what I have tucker away…so I guess I’m going to sacrifice my
devotion to that, for a time.
