Just Google it!

Beijing skyline

The next chapter of my journey as “Girl on a Gap” begins tomorrow in China! Although I feel as if my time at home was far too short, I am excited to explore a country that I’ve never visited before. I will be one of 28 students (from 14 nations!) on a programme about Chinese business and culture. We will visit five cities, see the main attractions (from the Great Wall in Beijing to a Panda Bear Research Facility in Chengdu), have morning lectures and be totally immersed in everything Chinese. 

I had to do a pre-departure assignment and although it took quite a bit of time, I saw the value in doing it, as I started thinking about China (its population, history, economy etc.) and comparing it to South Africa. I am most interested to learn about Chinese politics and how a communist regime has sustained itself while becoming the fastest growing economy in the world.  

Our conference call last week brought some shocking news… Google is banned in China and quite possibly Facebook too. “A whole month without Facebook?!”  I told my mom in despair. “You’ll be fine, dahling” was her unsympathetic reply.

Photo: RealcomBiz

Okay, maybe I can manage without Facebook for a month, but Google? That’s a little hard to imagine. We live in a world where information is accessible at the touch of a button and people constantly say “Just Google it”. Want to know the weather of the five cities I’m visiting? Just Google it. Want to know what plugs they use in China? Just Google it. Want to know the exchange rate? That’s right, just Google it!

We are the Google generation. We pick up our smart phones when we’re out at a restaurant and Google what we don’t know… that actress’ name we can’t remember, the score of a game we’re missing… Which is why, unfortunately, it is no surprise that there are so many articles about smart phones and stupid people.

Funnily enough, when I visited India in 2012, on a similar programme, I found out that there is even a Google God! In Thailand I discovered that there were Buddhas for every day of the week, as well as sitting, standing and reclining Buddhas. Maybe I’ll find one here to intercede on my behalf…

Giant Leshan Buddha, China

Well, zàijiàn (goodbye), my readers, I’m not sure if you’ll hear from me soon, because if you want to read my blog you’ll have to GOOGLE IT! If you’re reading this, I sent a secret email out of the country and someone posted it on my behalf...I'm not joking.