Welcome to Astronomer in Shanghai! Thank you for following my blog and for your interest in my adventures in Shanghai! As covid-19 keeps many of you sheltered in place or working at home, I hope my blog continues to highlight that once the world recovers from this outbreak, things will improve. You should all treasure the small daily interactions. In Shanghai, life has returned to a new normal. I emphasize that the recovery timeline for Shanghai is not applicable everywhere. However, we are all in this together and if we wear masks and cooperate with social distancing guidelines things will improve.
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Life in Shanghai
I hope that all of you reading this are staying safe and healthy. Before diving into covid-19 and my life in Shanghai, I want to again take some time to talk about what’s happening in the US and emphasize again that Black Lives Matter. First, thank you all for sharing your thoughts and insights about the recent protests in the US and for your reactions to my words that Black Lives Matter. I remain encouraged to hear that many of you are participating in protests (I wish I had that option) and hopeful that this will lead to some tangible change. While I haven’t been able to get out and protest, I’ve spent a lot of time this week reading different think pieces about how to be a better ally and anti-rascist. My friend, Hannah Maia, and I are co-leading a joint Moishe House/Kehilat Shanghai Solidarity Shabbat on Juneteenth (June 19), so I’ve been doing a lot of learning about what the Jewish community must do to be more inclusive to the Black members of the Jewish community as well as to the Black community at large. While I don’t have all the answers, I know that I’ll continue to keep reading and listening and try to support the Black community (both here in Shanghai and back home) in any way that I can.
While I don’t usually recommend podcasts, I do want to make a few recommendations (as a side note these are sports related, but recent episodes discuss the current situation). First, the Locked on Sports podcast network (run by Utah Jazz play-by-play announcer David Locke, who I know from multiple conversations at Jazz v. Pistons games) organized a Black Lives Matter panel (90 minutes) run by 8 of the network’s Black hosts, in which each member shared their stories and discussed what it’s like to be Black in America. Hearing the similarities in each experience really highlighted how pervasive the systematic racism that exists in the US is. Additionally, I think everyone should listen to Bomani Jones’s podcast, “The Right Time.” Bomani is one of my favorite ESPN personalities and has recently been providing both eloquent and brutally honest insights into the situation in the US and why it’s different from 4 years ago. While I know there are plenty of others that I haven’t listened to, these are some that I found very moving.
In terms of the covid-19 situation, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the situation in the USA. It appears that many states have not implemented adequate reopening policies. Since we are now ~ 2 weeks out from Memorial Day, it is unsurprising that we are seeing cases again rise since many people did not adequately or properly socially distance or wear masks. Given the recent protests (which I believe are important and needed) I fear that numbers will continue to spike. The incompetent response by the Federal government is callous and it is clear that they have chosen to ignore the public health risk to our country. So, I encourage all of you to please continue to wear masks! Continue washing your hands. Continue to Socially Distance! While I know it’s hard when it’s hot outside to wear a mask, it’s still doable. It was 95 (felt like 108) yesterday and I still wore my mask outside. So, please remain cautious.
Unfortunately, I do not have good news to share about the situation in China. I’m sure by now some of you have seen the reports out of Beijing that there was another sizeable outbreak of covid-19 cases, this time of domestic cases. From what I’ve ascertained, there appears to be an outbreak associated with another food market in Beijing, this time associated with imported salmon. As of June 13th, there were 45 additional cases. This is concerning because prior, Beijing had almost no cases. Furthermore, due to these cases, Beijing (as a city) has once again tightened the restrictions and many schools have closed. I’ll keep you all updated about whether this spreads to Shanghai. Unfortunately, in Shanghai, there have also been a number of recent imported cases, primarily from Pakistan (though it’s unclear to me who is coming from Pakistan). As of June 14th, there are 18 cases in Shanghai, which places the recovery rate at 96.4% (still very good). There are 44 cases in Beijing. For China as a whole, the recovery rate currently still sits at 94.3%. However, due to the recent outbreak in Beijing, there is renewed and continued fear of a second wave coming to China.
This was a mildly productive research week. Part of the reason I wasn’t as productive was because I spent a lot of time reading articles and talking with my friends about the Black Lives Matter movement and how to be anti-racist. In terms of research, I spent most of my time reading papers and working on my Luminosity Function research. I’m still trying to disentangle some of the differences between my measurement and those from a previously measured work. In addition, we had another week of Zoom Astrocoffee as well as my now normal Zoom meetings. While I’m still hoping to start going to the office on a semi-regular basis in July, I’ll let you all know if the covid-19 situation changes that.
I also had some exciting work news to share. I was awarded a research fellowship from the Shanghai Municipal Government! This Fellowship will serve as additional funding/support for my research for the next two years! I was thrilled to learn I received this when Ying, my research supervisor, announced it in the group meeting! While it’s not entirely clear to me what the judging criteria were, I know that this fellowship is Merit based, so it’s nice to be rewarded for my hard work. For those of you who are curious, applying was easy, since I really didn’t have to do much because most of the application was in Chinese and thankfully the department secretary was able to help with that. 🙂
In addition to my research this week, I had the opportunity to talk to my Mom’s friend Lisa Cohen’s 9th grade History Class at the Heschel School in NYC. The students had learned about China in their class and I got the opportunity to share with them some of my experiences here. Many of the students were interested in hearing about how China’s handled covid-19 and what the response has been like, what the surveillance and internet monitoring situation is like, and what it’s like to be a Jew in China. I had a fantastic time talking to the students. They had so many really interesting questions! I was very impressed. This is definitely something I would be interested in doing again in the future. So, if you know me and are teaching about life in China and would like to share my perspective with your students, let me know!
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Chinese weather patterns, it is now Plum Rain season. This is a 3-4 week period in June/beginning of July where Shanghai gets tons of rain and thunderstorms (about 25% of it’s yearly rain). So, unsurprisingly, this weekend it was oppressively hot. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the temperatures all reached above 90 degrees, with high humidity. For comparison, my Dad thinks the weather is quite reminiscent of Washington D.C. Needless to say, I spent a lot of this weekend in my apartment, but each time I went outside, I was incredibly glad to return to enjoy some of the honeydew sorbet and watermelon popsicles that I had to cool off with!
Despite the heat, I still went for two runs (although those were on days when it was much cooler) and even went for a few walks (which in hindsight were probably not the smartest thing to do). Even with the uncomfortably warm temperatures, Shanghai is still beautiful!
Shanghai’s beauty isn’t just limited to it’s flowers!
Food in Shanghai
While I ate most of my meals at home this week, I did have one meal out on Saturday night, for Hannah Maia’s birthday! I had an interesting (albeit kind of weird) dish of Tofu, Cheese, and Honey bruschetta that I thought I’d share. It was kind of like a tofu and cream cheese mousse, which while good, wasn’t at all what I was expecting.
Aside from that I did a lot more cooking this week. I made sticky sesame cauliflower and black bean salsa, as well as vegan parmesan and vegan mozzerella cheese! So, it’ll be another week of yummy homemade food for me!
Even though this week was quieter as a result of the oppressive heat (fingers crossed it actually cools off to the 70s/80s this week like it says it will), this was another enjoyable week. Hopefully, I’ll be able to finally nail what’s causing the inconsistencies in my Luminosity Function measurement and move on to the actual science questions for that project as well! Additionally, I’ll be finalizing the plans for the Solidarity Shabbat that Hannah Maia and I are co-leading. I’m really proud to be helping co-lead this event. I think it’s really important that our community is showing that we care. We’ll be having a service, which I’ll lead, that will incorporate some readings in support of justice and equal rights, as well as a group discussion during dinner. I look forward to sharing the details of our Solidarity Shabbat with all of you next week.
I hope that this update about my life and the covid-19 situation in Shanghai reminds you that we have to remain vigilant. Even when the situation improves, there can still be set backs. This upcoming week should be productive while also thought provoking (because of the Shabbat). If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the current covid-19 situation, please let me know. If you need someone to talk to about how to stay positive and productive while you shelter in place, please reach out. I want to help support you and assure all of you in any way that I can.
In peace,
Jesse
Hi Jesse,
That’s great that you’re leading a social justice Shabbat on Juneteenth (It’s probably worth explaining to all the attendants the significance of the day). I hope it goes well and is insightful and beneficial for everyone. I’m definitely concerned about the influx of cases in Beijing. I’m glad to see there has been swift governmental responses, so I hope they can right the ship soon (we’ve stopped steering the ship here in the US). It certainly sounds like it’s been a rough week in terms of weather. Extreme heat is the worst, so I’m glad you made sorbet and popsicles! That tofu and cheese dish does look weird! We’re the flavors Chinese, or more western? As always, your photos of Shanghai and the flowers are lovely (I really liked the picture of Shanghai at night with the purple light). I hope you have a productive research week and can figure out the bug in the luminosity function code! Have a great week and stay safe and healthy!
Love,
Emmet
Hi Emmet! I’ll definitely make sure either Hannah Maia or I explain Juneteenth. I’m also concerned about the situation in Beijing. It does seem like the government is taking an extremely proactive and cautious approach, so I’ll keep you updated on that. The tofu and cheese definitely felt more western. I hope that you also have a productive and safe week!
Hi, Jesse. I know of late, I’ve been responding to your blog posts mostly through email and private conversations, but I thought I would share my responses to today’s post as a Comment.
A few weeks ago, I found myself wondering how much longer you would continue with the subtitle of “Life in Quarantine” for your blog entries. When would it be that you would stop measuring your time in Shanghai not in reference to the coronavirus and how it has come to dominate your life. It certainly seemed like the numbers were moving in the right direction, and I was thinking optimistically, that perhaps in Week 20 of your blog, you would announce that you were dropping the “Life in Quarantine” title as the numbers were low if not insignificant. Wishful thinking, alas. It seems like the return of the coronavirus in Beijing and Shanghai means that the virus is stronger than we would like and that your days will continue to be governed by living in the age of the coronavirus, ever as you are enjoying more social and professional freedoms. I read a good article from AFP on the situation last night. So, for now, at least, I will have to be resigned that the Sunday morning automatic email messages from your Blog with continue to announce “Life in Quarantine.”
Not that you were a-political when you were living in the United States, but you were a graduate student with narrow demands on your life, so I find myself wondering about how your now living in Shanghai has impacted your perceptions of life in the United States. It must be hard not to have a large personally informed and invested group of people to talk about what is happening to the United States now. On the other hand, the multi-national conversations you have must give you a different, and perhaps better, perception of the significance of the events. What are your non-American friends saying? Are any of the Chinese members of your AstroCoffee group talkative about the Black Lives Matter events?
I’m very glad–as you know from our conversations–that you are doing the Juneteenth Social Justice service. It will be interesting to read about how and how well it was received in next week’s blog post! I’m looking forward to it.
Finally, since you mentioned some good podcasts on race to listen to, if your VPN will allow you to access them, here are my recommendations:
–>Only a Game: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510052/only-a-game (12 June)
Bonus: A Conversation On Sports, Racism And Police Brutality
Hoops Coach Calls Out Colleagues, Sports Leagues’ Next Moves, ‘Basketball Peaceful Protest’
–>Code Switch: ‘Not Just Another Protest’ (an episode from the “It’s Been a Minute” with Sam Sanders, NPR):
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/12/875593002/bonus-episode-not-just-another-protest
–>Code Switch: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/
Regardless of how you choose to title your blog entries, know that I am a devoted reader and missing you greatly but feeling a bit closer to you through your blog.
Love, Michael
Hi Dad! I completely agree that about hoping to remove the Life in Quarantine title. If things improve (and don’t get worse here), I’ll probably change the title once I start going to campus with some regularity (in July). But, I definitely agree that covid-19 is trickier than a lot of people think.
You’re right about me being more politically active since moving to Shanghai. I think part of that is because I now have more freedom with my time and also because being abroad has further highlighted a lot of problems that exist in the USA. I do miss having large numbers of people to chat about this with, but I’ve found that when I hang out with my ex-pat friends this is often the topic of conversation. I haven’t spoken to too many non-Americans about the systematic racism that exists in the US, but those that I have seem to understand the importance of the protests. It’ll be interesting to come back to this after this Shabbat, since we will be having non-Americans attend. As of now, none of my Chinese colleagues have raised the subject, but that might be different if we were meeting in person.
I just listened to the Bonus Only a Game episode this afternoon. I found it very informative and interesting as well. I’ll definitely check out code switch (Hannah Maia recommended it as well). Thanks for the suggestion and for your help with a lot of the resources I’ve been reading!
Congratulations on receiving the research fellowship!
Thanks Lisa!
That sounds like a whole lot of rain coming your way! Are you still looking into treadmills at gyms or do you think you’ll stick with running outside when possible and home workouts? Also what was the nighttime photo of?? It looks neat!
Hi Ryan! You’re correct. The forcast is basically rain/thunderstorms most days. Sadly, the thunderstorms don’t actually cool down the city either. I’m definitely going to start looking for a gym. I’ll still run when I can, but I don’t want to get soaked. I’m not entirely sure what the Purple building is. I’ve seen it when I walk back from Jing’an (another neighboring area) a bunch, so I’ll have to actually go right by it and see what it is! It looks like a medieval castle!
Hi Jesse!
What a wonderful surprise!
Congratulations!!!!
Do you have to write any papers or present your findings to the grant givers?
Thanks for the podcast/article suggestions!
Are mangos available there?
What about fresh passion fruit or guavas?
I’ve never eaten either of those fresh from the tree.., and would really like to!!!
I think that passion fruit would make good sorbet or popsicles because they are sweet, but tangy too!
Have a great week!
Love, Pam
Hi Aunt Pam! Thank you! I’m very excited about it. I don’t know if I’ll have to do any presentations, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I have to. Mangos are readily available here. I’ve seen passion fruit on a lot of menus (mostly as a drink), but I’m not sure if I’ve seen it at any of the fruit markets yet. Same for guava. I’ll keep my eyes out though because Passion fruit would make a yummy frozen treat!
Hi Jesse, As always another very informative blog. Congratulations on earning that fellowship. I wonder if many of those are awarded to foreign students?
Regarding systemic racism here I have to say that as a recent citizen (about 7 years) and resident for more than 30 (I refused to apply for citizenship before President Obama was in office) I am so dismayed that so little has changed since the 60’s . I recently came across Ibram Kendi’s work and I strongly agree that one is either a racist or one must be an anti-racist. There is no middle ground where one can say” I am not a racist”. Passivity, choosing to be a bystander , is not an option. And as Jews, I think we feel the truth of that position when we think about the Germans who failed to resist National Socialism when it raised its ugly head and who continued to go about their daily lives when Jews were being hounded and when the sick and those with disabilities and gays and Romas were murdered. And for me , the metaphor – and it is a metaphor , that racism is not systemic among the police: what they have are a few bad apples. Bad apples don’ t kill anyone. What we have – to use a different metaphor is not bad apples but cancer cells and the cancer has metastasized in the body politic and in the social system.
On a different note entirely, Lisa and I were able to harvest our first basil of the year to make pesto and I see that we have a couple of tomatoes on our plants. We never have much luck with our strawberries but this year we have a few more tiny fruits than usual and we are seeing some honey crisp apples nicely beginning to form on our one apple tree (there are trees down the road so presumably pollinators are able to pollinate our tree.
Slowly, slowly things are beginning to open up again but people seem to be behaving as if this pandemic was something like a fairy tale. Hard to imagine that as we re-open even in NY we are not going to be faced with a second wave as hard or harder than the first.
Thanks Bernard! I’m not sure how many foreign postdocs get these types of fellowships. I know there aren’t a ton of foreign postdocs, but I expect that I’m not the only one. I completely agree with your sentiments about the current situation in the US. It’s very troubling how little has changed. I really liked your comments about the bad apples metaphor, a cancer is much more apt. I’ll definitely see if I can find some of Ibram Kendi’s works (likely digitally here), since it sounds like it was very interesting.
I’m glad to hear that your starting to harvest basil from your garden. I hope that you get a few strawberries as well! It’s still weird to me that strawberry season in China ends by May.
I completely agree with you about how irresponsible people are acting. It’s disheartening to see people refusing to wear masks and socially distance. I hope that the recent spiking of cases reminds people to be vigilant.
I suspect that the idea of public health (as opposed to personal health) is ideologically very alien to many in the US. Too “socialist” an idea – so eg, the governor of Texas has demanded the state re-open for business as usual and has ruled that local mayors may not defy this so there are now huge spikes in the incidence of covid 19 (cases, but not deaths as of today 6/15).
Jesse, thank you for another wonderful blog post. I always look forward to Sunday morning reading it.
First, I am absolutely delighted to hear about your Fellowship from the Shanghai Municipal Government. I, like Aunt Pam, wonder if you will be asked to give a talk or if you simply receive the stipend. It is a real honor. Mazel Tov!
I am interested in hearing more about the social justice shabbat and think it will be a meaningful evening for many. I am excited to hear that you leading the service, too. I think fondly of your time at Brown when you began to lead services–your journey as a Jewish adult is rich indeed.
The flowers are always such a treat to see. The pink hydrangeas are really beautiful. And I also loved seeing Shanghai lit up at night in purple lights. It almost looks like Disneyworld! And the popsicles and sorbet seem like the perfect desserts for those humid days. Let me know if you try to make any more flavors.
Like your Dad, I find your blog helps me to feel connected to your life in Shanghai. I am so pleased that you had a good experience talking to the 9th graders at Heschel taught by my friend Lisa Cohen. You are making a real impact on so many.
Much love, Mom
Thanks Mom! I’m not sure if I’ll have to present, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I do at some point. I’m looking forward to sharing with you and everyone else how the Social justice Shabbat goes and is received by the community. I agree that the pink castle looks like it’s from Disney world! Since it’ll keep being hot, my plan is to keep trying different flavors (so far, they’ve all been great!). I’m so glad that the blog has helped us stay close! I hope you have a great week!
Congratulations on the fellowship, Jesse! And thanks for your continued dispatches. Best, Mason.
Thanks Mason! I’m glad your still finding the dispatches interesting.
Congrats on your research fellowship!! how wonderful
always interesting, flowers beautiful, food delish
most of all I am closely watching what happens in China w/ Covid. I feel you guys are a few months ahead of the US. and w a much better response to this infection. Sooooo., time will tell
be well, peace out LQ
Thanks Lollie! I’m glad you enjoyed this post and that you’re following the situation in China. I think that you’re right. China is a few months (~3) ahead of the US and definitely taking this super cautiously. I hope that you and your family continue to stay safe/healthy.