Sam Gehrke documenting noodle making with Mr. He
ChinaVine emphasizes the importance of educating English-speaking children, youth, and adults about the material and intangible culture of China. Of equal importance are the first hand experiences associated with the researchers, such as Sam Gehrke, who gather ChinaVine’s impactful material.
For Gehrke, currently a senior Cinema Studies major at the University of Oregon, nothing could quite prepare him for what he experienced this past summer during the Beiijing-based ChinaVine field school, where he collected archival work through the lens of a video camera. Even though Gehrke was well traveled and familiar with Asian art prior to leaving for Beijing, there remained a stark contrast between Gehrke’s knowledge from books and films on China, and the actuality of his experience.
Gehrke was not shy to admit his initial bout of culture shock: “[Arriving] in Beijing I immediately felt overwhelmed; everything seemed to move so fast … it was hot and humid, there were gigantic buildings and crowds of people everywhere. I could not sleep the first night and felt very homesick,” he explained.
Surely, everything Gehrke was accustomed to was different: language, currency, food, landscape, social customs, traditions, morals and ethics. With guidance from Professors Doug Blandy and John Fenn, a little bit of time, and some KFC in his stomach, Gehrke’s waves of culture shock subsided, allowing for a complete change in perspective and an overall life-changing experience.
Gehrke chose to study and attend the Being-based field school because it offered a unique opportunity to learn beyond the traditional classroom setting. Breaking out of a traditional setting allowed Gehrke to explore comparative cultural practices that form community identity by working directly alongside artists in Chinese cultural districts.
“Though the field school allowed me to really get out there on my own, it was geared more towards experiencing a culture with a group of people, and everything associated with that culture by being immersed in that culture,” remarked Gehrke.
As videographer, Gehrke avidly filmed and documented experiences in the Jiangou Village and Song Zhuang. In particular, his filming focused on contemporary art and traditional culture found within these villages. Just the process of documentary style filmmaking itself presented new challenges to Gehrke.
“As a videographer, there is a lot to consider beyond absorbing the material being shared; you have to think about if the sound is right, if the framing is right…it’s as if you have another set of eyes and you are trying to capture it all.”
Moreover, Gehrke felt adamant in representing Americans respectably due to being a stranger in a foreign land.
“At times I felt hesitant about filming people. I didn’t want to appear as rude and disrespectful, but everyone was very eager for me to capture what they were sharing of their culture,” he explained.
Gehrke was able to capture everything from moments at The Great Wall to Tiananmen Square, to the various artists at work in the villages. The one thing Gerhke was prohibited to film? A video arcade in Joy City, a 12-story mall containing the worlds largest escalator and largest digital cinema in China. It is here Gehrke experienced sensory overload; “It was massive; everything you could think of and more could be found in Joy City,” he remarked (be sure to check out a video Gehrke produced of this sensory experience: Joy City).
Beyond the places he visited, Gehrke experienced a shift in perspective regarding the people of China. Gehrke’s prior readings on China geared his perceptions of Chinese people to be formal and impersonal. However, solely his interactions with the hostel family the ChinaVine team stayed with changed this outlook.
“The mother of the hostel noticed what I would eat and always bring more; especially apples. Everyone was very hospitable.”
Since returning from China, Gehrke’s fundamental views on culture have changed, specifically how he views cultural experiences here in Eugene.
“Before I went to China, I reached a point where everything in Eugene had become routine, ordinary, and boring. I now think about the cultural motivations behind certain things in Eugene, such as Saturday Market, food in general, and even skateboarding.”
Gehrke with ChinaVine Team
Gehrke has also learned the power of working collaboratively through his experience with ChinaVine. Though previously he would work solo on projects, through his time with the Beijing-based field school, Gehrke learned “the power of putting skillsets on the table. I am now much more open to being involved and part of a team.”
As Gehrke approaches graduation in the coming months, he still reflects upon his time in China: “Spending two weeks in a completely foreign country both working there and living there has made the idea of succeeding on this career path a lot easier because of the ways I have already challenged myself through my involvement with ChinaVine.”
For more on Gehrke’s work during his time in China, be sure to check out the following videos: Red & Yellow and Beautiful Wasteland