Westernization

Westernization is very predominant all over Shanghai. One Nanjing Road, the Rodeo Drive of China, Coca-Cola signs hang from every store. About half way down, they change to Pepsi signs. Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds fight to have the most stores in a one mile radius. Most of the stores along this road are American or European. The mannequins in the windows are western; none depict Asian models.

As we walked around the area by our hotel at night, I noticed many of the shops sold American clothes- Nike being the most popular. I wonder if the Chinese peopleÕs views of Americans mirror their love of our products. Maybe they are they trying to buy into the American Dream. Or, perhaps its just be a fad that will pass with time.

In the Friendship Store, I found a lot of unconventional medicines, at least by our standards. There were jars filled with dead snakes and lizards. Almost unidentifiable furry antlers with little green bows were on display on the counters. Pieces of them could be purchased by the gram for only 10 yuan -- a little less than a dollar. It was almost painful to walk away from that deal, but we managed.

Ginseng was also very popular. In the U.S., most gas stations sell vials of the precious Chinese ginseng root juice by the cash register. I had imagined it to be very popular in China. As far as the Friendship Store was concerned, it was. But the ginseng packages here clearly state--"100% pure American Ginseng." Perhaps they too believe it to be wildly popular in the U.S. Who know where it comes from? Perhaps it is a Russian conspiracy to increase the ignorance between China and America. Personally, I think aliens are using it to take over the world...

-Ariana Herlinger