Roots

Henan (huh naan) with its 100 million people, is the most populous province in a country stacked with populous provinces. Henan is home to Kaifeng and Luoyang (ancient capitals of China) as well as the Shaolin Temple. Due to black market blood and plasma collections in the countryside during the 90s*, Henan is also home to one of the largest population of HIV/AIDS infected individuals in the country. Infection rates in some villages are over 70%.

The Henanese are the butt of many jokes in China. I’ve told plenty of people I am from Henan to which they generally respond, “Really?! But you don’t seem like you’re Henanese!” It’s akin to the judgments a person from the East or West coast might make about a person upon knowing they are from Mississippi. There was even a book by a Henan author written entitled, “How Did Henanese Wrong You?” It goes without saying, of course, that I'll represent Henan, and so will my children's children's children.

For a week I am in Henan visiting family, which generally means doing a lot of nothing. Ojala! that my aunt has internet at home. This is how I have so much freaking time to write these blog entries.

*These “bloodheads” as they are known, would collect blood from farmers who would use this as a means to supplement their measly earnings. The collectivized blood is spun in a centrifuge in order to separate blood’s many parts. Unfortunately the separated plasma is reinjected into the farmers so that they can donate more often. One person thus literally infects an entire village. Repeat this story a hundred times and you have the story of the AIDS epidemic in Henan. See http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/sandt/henan-jiangnan-ribao.html