In the week leading up to the G20 summit, security in Hangzhou has heightened immensely and we are beginning to see checkpoints spring up around the city. I have not been stopped by police for paperwork, but several of my colleagues have had armed guards on street corners, buses, and the subway requesting their visa and passport paperwork. At this point, everyone in the city, not just expats, are being questioned and must show proof of residency. On Monday, I had several students who were 3+ hours late to school because they got stuck in security checkpoints. One of our school buses was also late; they were stopped and had to show papers for every child on board, while armed officers searched below the bus in the undercarriage for explosives. While the checkpoints seem daunting and for some, annoying, they serve a purpose in keeping the city safe and will be a normal part of life until the summit is over. We have come to accept them and even find humor in the G20 stories that have been told as we approach closer to the dates of the summit. We will be on holiday from September 1-9, as the government is encouraging all residents to either leave Hangzhou or stay at home during the summit. Friends who are Chinese locals in Shanghai have said they were told that families in Hangzhou were being paid for either option, with one even stating that families who chose to stay were being paid 500 RMB (approximately $75 US dollars) per person per day to remain indoors and not leave their home dwellings. Wendy told me that others are being paid to leave the city if they turn their house keys in with the local police. I don’t know the validity of either statement, however I can’t say that I would be surprised by either one. One of our Grade 10 classes studied the purpose of the G20 summit the first few weeks of school. Below is a display of their findings. My colleagues and I found humor in the poster demonstrating how China has prepared for the summit. It is true, and amusing, in so many ways. Drink it to prove it's not a bomb! :) So accurate.
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AuthorMichelle is an expat and globetrotter, currently residing in Augsburg, Germany. Originally from the US, she has called Guam, China, and Germany home. Her passions include collecting children's picture books, reading, writing, traveling, and trying to remove coffee stains from freshly cleaned shirts. Archives
February 2022
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