A Piece of Peace Marks the End of Daze.

This post is coming to you from Matt's computer. Matt is my friend who lives in Pudong, Shanghai and teaches math at an international school. He's cool. And his girlfriend, KateLynn, is the funniest and prettiest girl in China. I laugh all the time with her. Just getting her to tell a traditional Chinese folk tale is all I need to get through the stress and hustle and bustle of crowded Shanghai. Matt's real lucky. KateLynn is too - Matt is calm and never bothered by too much. These are the qualities I aspire to have. I am getting close, but there's always work to be done when you're working on yourself, right? They let me stay on their couch every weekend for which I am grateful. And the rest of China is grateful as well because i can get to my support group twice in stead of once. I need all the help I can get to keep from going NYer on this crazy country. I have only given one dirty look to a honking car. That's progress.
What a difference a day and a good meal makes. Last week I was hungry, angry, lonely and tired. This is a recipe for indecisive and all-around short-tempered feelings. But, today I was re-reading my previous whiny post and most of my problems have been mollified. Whew!!

• My Internet connection has not gone down since I discovered the problem.
• I got some long underwear to keep warm.
• I learned that I can leave my scooter at the train station in a scooter parking lot so that I need not rely on taxis.
• My bad haircut has almost grown out and I bought some hats while I wait.
• I continue to make it to the gym and workout. And I am even making more new friends. I tried Ping Pong and was completely embarrassed and humiliated. But I didn't give up and soon I was smashing them back at my opponents.
• And it has stopped raining as frequently as it has been. Its good to be able to dry out for a bit.

Soon I will start planning my month long vacation - ahh, the life! I am interested in finding out how the Chinese enjoy snowboarding up north. And then spending all my money relaxing on the beaches of the South China Sea. I guess I really search out the diversity in every situation. I like differences, same is a little monotonous. Gotta keep busy and try not to miss out - I am definitely affected by HTMS (Hate To Miss Syndrome).
Still, I miss Sam more and more every day. I recently got a picture or two from him, and boy, he looks good! Hey honey - its been four months already. It has gone by so quickly. We can make it, don't you worry!
As for Christmas, I want to hear what you want. Tell me what would make your xmas fun and memorable. I want cash to pay my bills back home in the US. I know it sounds very materialistic, but the peace of mind I get when my bills are current is priceless. Here's to peace and serenity. Love, Evan.

Chinese Whine!

So, its been a month since I posted. Why? Because I haven't been "feelin' it". I have been just getting through each day - one at a time. At the end of each day I am tired. Real tired. I haven't wanted to look at my life here in China and ostensibly analyze it. I am trying to stay "in the moment" with all that is happening to me. And, right now I feel good and want to share my recent troubles, tribulations, and observations.
So, here's a list of what I have endured:

• No internet in my apartment - that's because my router is in a common area of the dorm and it's plug is loose. The other residents accidentally bump the power cord out of the outlet or just plain unplug it because its in their way. To be fair, they don't know they are disconnecting my internet because they are students at a different school and we don't have access to their area of the building. So there is no way to inform them my internet is down. But now I have finally educated the facilty manager of the problem. We'll see if he has any solution for the situation.
• It's gotten cold here and we aren't allowed to use our heaters untill it gets down to 2 degrees C. Oh lord! I have been instructed that the solution is to "wear more clothes." Say what!?! I guess this is an aspect of China's "developing world" reputation.
• I have decided to play games with my students in lieu of formal instruction and learning tactics. And whadya know - they are responding better, which I hope will facilitate more actual use of English in the class. Whatever works, right?
• Got a bad haircut today. I wanted a high and tight - like in the army. The barber doesn't speak English and my Chinese language text hasn't covered haircare vocabulary yet. Maybe I will just shave it from now on.
• Went to a chinese wedding last weekend. While it was different and very cool, I felt a little out of place. I was the only "waiguoren" (foreigner) and they other guests didn't feel comfortable talking to me. So I spent a lot of time just eating and watching. Kelly and Seven did their best to keep me included, but they can do only so much.
• I missed the train to Shanghai last friday because ... well, I don't know why, really. There were no cabs available - due to rush hour. Chinese rush hour is mind boggling, even for a New Yorker. "Where did all these people come from?"
• I have been working out alot. My body looks good. Yeah! But I also want to learn about chinese culture. Hopefully the guys I am meeting at the gym will become friends and they can show me around Jiaxing and share some chinese perspective about things.
• Did she really put her baby in the microwave? Oh lord! Another crazy American I have to explain to the Chinese.
• My chinese is getting better - which is a good thing. I actually had a complete conversation in chinese with the Chinese Muslim restaurant owner last week. He wants to move to NYC, which I told him would be a good idea. Just don't go anywhere else in America. Outside the NYC Metro area is not real hospitable to Muslims. He understood.
• Lonely. Real lonely. I miss Sam. Alot!
• I play badminton on thursdays (except tonite). It's fun. I am not half bad.
• Starting to hang out with the other foreign teachers in Jiaxing a little more. They are real cool and fun to be with.

There have been many other little moments that try my patience like 10 straight days of rain, but they're not worth mentioning. I will only be venting or complaining about my somewhat cushy life here. I just want a little more heat in my apartment and maybe a soft, cushy couch.

So I am grateful for what I got. It could be way worse. I am not digging a ditch in a swamp.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

Later alligator.

Structure, Discipline, and Routine Sets Me Free!

For the past two weeks I have attempted to implement a structured schedule to my life here in China. Over the past couple years, I have become aware that I am the kind of person who needs to know what is coming next, or at least what is possible to make plans for. That's why I like going on trips. I like the planning process, the fantasy day-dreaming about what my experience will be like (even though, looking back, I have never been right), and the actual execution of the well-thought out itinerary. It keeps me hoping for the future. For the future to come and teach me something new. Yes, planning keeps hope alive.
So now that I have settled into teaching, Jiaxing, commuting to Shanghai, and portions of Chinese culture, I can, or rather, need to start planning my life in more detail. In other words, I can now schedule my days and build a routine that feeds my soul with a sense of accomplishment, as well as giving me a foundation from which to jump. So, Monday thru Thursday I teach in the afternoon. The mornings are for lesson planning and general reflection/meditation. I go to the gym Monday and Wednesday nights. Thursday nights I play badmitton with Kelly and 7 (her boyfriend). Fridays I go into Shanghai and hang out with my friends until Sunday, when I take the train home and have dinner with some of the other foreign teachers. My schedule not too strict, and it does allow me freedom to change and flow with the wind, especially in Shanghai where anything goes. Woo hoo!! It is flexible.
Chinese scaffoldings are made of bamboo - not just two story homes, the skyscrapers, as well. It is really a sight to behold to see 80 stories of bamboo sticks holding up a new skyscraper, with all the construction workers, and their tools. It is unbelieveable, yet total reality. Bamboo is strong like steel, but it can bend when need be - like during a storm of change and uncertainty. It is strong enough to withstand both nature's and the train ticket clerk's wrath, over which I have no control. It is not tight and brittle. It is flexible and can bend so that it need not break. I aspire to be like chinese bamboo. So I model my daily schedule after the chinese bamboo scaffolding I see all around me - my new schedule is strong yet flexible.
I also have recently purchased a dian ping che - electric bike. Part moped, part Vespa - all fun! I was inspired by my friend in New York, Danny, who got a sweet classic Vespa before I left. It is so cool and getting errands done takes half the time. As some of you know, I rode a bicycle in NYC for the past year and totally loved it. It changed my life considerably - no aching feet, more clients, more money and the breeze blowing thru my hair. Ahh, freedom! So it only seemed natural for me to acquire a new chinese set of wheels ASAP. I have had it only a week yet it has helped me keep to my new schedule. I get the funniest looks fom people on the street. As I pass them by I notice they always look twice - first in awe and then (when they see my white, foreign devil face on a chinese mode of transport smiling with glee) the smile that I love so much: big, wide and sometimes toothless, but always genuine. It is really fun, really! Maybe seeing me on my dian ping che will plant the seed that us whiteys are not all evil capitalist pigs and that we think some chinese ways are just as effective, and maybe even better than some western constructs of doing things. I mean, it must be the case; they have a billion more people then the US. Somehow they are being fed and surviving, some even think they are driving the new millenium's challenges of global economies and anti-western hegemony.
So in short, riding my little electric bike through the streets of little ole Jiaxing is encouraging China to believe in itself and emerge as a world super power. Being a teacher is more than imparting knowledge - it is instilling confidence and courage to go forth and change the world for the better. Now all I have to do is practice what I preach - one day at a time. Wish me luck!

Beijing Photos

Bob Marley and I representing One Love and No Woman, No Cry on The Great Wall. Oh, and then there's Mao.

Jiaxing - Funky Town!

So, its been a long time since I blogged. That because I have been feeling blue, isolating, and uninspired to share my woes with anyone. But things have shifted and now I feel that I have something to say. I guess what I went through was a funk. It was the 4-6 week point in my trip. It really sunk in that I am away from all that I know for a very long time, longer than first imaginable. So, it was a slightly subtle evolution, but I eventually became less willing to deal with my surroundings and a little cranky. Yeah, that's what I was - cranky. Change will do that to me. I was cranky for the last couple of weeks.
Fortunately for the entire country of China, believe me!, they celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival from October 1 - 8, and I got a week off of work! Wow, a vacation inside my vacation! Cool. Well, maybe teaching here in Jiaxing isn't really a vacation, but it is different than walking dogs, and isn't a vacation really just an experience different from the norm? Whatever Heather! Anyway, I went to Beijing and had a blast. I saw more people than I have ever seen in one place - Tiananmen Square on China's National Holiday. There must have been at least 2 million people buzzing around the square. I could only go about two seconds at a time without someone touching or rubbing up against me - in some situations that's groovy, but this was just plain crowded! But it was part of my Chinese experience. I went through the Forbidden City and, alas, I no longer believe it was my former residence in a past life. I just didn't get the rush of familiarity I expected. Oh well, guess I am truly a worker among workers, and not an Emperor in search of a throne. I got my obliatory "I climbed the Great Wall" t-shirt because I actually climbed the Great Wall. I went on a four hour hike and met some German tourists who were funny and so cool to hang out with. Back in the city, I saw a chinese punk rock band - hot! and hung out with some new and old-ish friends. Here's a "shout out" to En-Wei and Nai-Wei for putting me up - your flat is amazing!
I walked around alot and saw some pretty cool places and iconic monuments, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was alone on my journey and that I really want a travelling companion. I miss you Sam, so much. I guess that's what sent me into my funk. I want to be able to say "Wow, look at that!" or "Could you hold this while I go pee?" but being alone I couldn't really say that without causing strangers to run the other way, fast. So, let's all hope that Sam's citizenship goes through quickly and that he gets over here this winter so we can go snowboarding together in NE China. Which would be so friggen cool its pipin' hot!
So, now that I am back in Jiaxing and have broken out of my funk, I have decided to get out more and start experiencing this funky town - the good and bad food, the kids' and old people's constant staring, the language barrier (which is another great wall), and my fear of being found out (for what, I don't know) and ran out of town (unfounded, true, but I have it nonetheless). Whatever happens I will be taken care of and I will be grateful for the experience. I just gotta keep my sense of humor and my cool. Love you and miss you all.

Z Visa Trip photos.

Shenzhen on a Monday evening. Hong Kong Tuesday midday.

You can tell a lot about a place from its dogs!

There are many differences between cities of differing socio-economic capabilities. But one that I recently observed and that may not be as well known as GDP, unemployment rates, infant birth rates, drop out rates, etc is pure breed vs. mixed breed dogs. Here in Jiaxing I have only seen a couple of shi tzus and pekinese being walked on their leashes by their middle aged owners. I have not noticed young people with dogs. The remaining dogs I have seen have been muts, mixes, and worst of all (to Americans) feral. Jiaxing is full of homeless canines. It breaks my heart. I want to take every dog without a collar to my apartment and feed it, bathe it and let it know that it is loved. But that would be overwhelming, slightly impossible and more than slightly expensive. I have asked my chinese friends if China has "Dog Catchers" and they said "What do you mean? What this thing that catches dog?" From their response I could tell that China doesn't.
But, I have also seen the other side of this canine conundrum. I flew to Shenzhen and Hong Kong to transfer my tourist Visa to a work Visa (Chinese Green Card). Shenzhen is a city born in the last twenty years from a special economic declaration and development. It has grown from a rinky dink farming trade post to a ultra-modern city of more than 5 million people. Talk about growth! Well, in Shenzhen there are many well-to-do people. I was at the Starbuck's Monday evening around 10pm and its was packed. All these rich folk have alot of leisure time, I assumed. But then it happened. Two gorgeous pure bred Huskies came walking along the promenade. They stopped in front of the shop and let their owner get a coffee. They were the center of attention! Everyone was eyeing them and ooo-ing and ahh-ing. They were really pretty. Then, all of a sudden, from underneath the table next to me, a fawn colored pekinese started barking. I didn't even see her until she barked. So well behaved! The Huskies payed her no mind - too cool for school! Then to my delight, two Westies showed up, then a big white puff ball of a dog came along (its official name escapes me). The Starbucks' veranda was an impromptu dog run! I was very happy! Dogs rule!!
So I started to think about the differences between Jiaxing and Shenzhen. Jiaxing is a manufacturing/factory town of about 500k in the city and four million in the district. Shenzhen is a financial services/IT/Fashion prodution city of 5 million with Hong Kong next door (8 million) and Guangzhou (4-5 million) just down the highway. The point is - the financially more developed regions have more pure bred dogs. And the converse may be true as well - the more pure bred dogs, the richer the city. Think about the US - NYC is almost all pure breeds and West Virginia has the reputation of...well, let's just say it doesn't have the same reputation as NYC.
See, travel really does broaden, enlighten, and educate. I'm smarter because of it, and now, so are you. So go get a dog - people will think your rich!
Chinese dogs are like orange juice - they're not just for breakfast anymore! They are economic bellweathers! Good dog! Yeah. Good dog!

Learning Kung Fu is so easy in China - it must be something in the air. No wait, that's just me channeling my inner Iron Monkey! Hwah!

Shanghai Photo

Pudong - Pretty powerful perspective, n'est pas?

Always learning - in and out of class!

I have finished my first week of teaching English in China and it couldn't have gone better. I prepared a detailed lesson plan and the students responded well. They are all so eager to learn and we laughed alot. I started them off with Self-Introduction questions like "What is your name?" and "Where are you from?" I had each student answer the questions. And to my surprise they stood up when answering. So cool! They had a hard time saying the name of their school in English - Jiaxing Foreign Language School - but soon they were doing it without my prompting. We also sang the ABC song as a review. And they got that, too. Yeah and whew! Now onto week two.
On other fronts, I had to go into Shanghai to get more pages put into my passport. That only took about 30 minutes. But since it is a two hour bus ride into Shanghai, I didn't want to turn around and head back to Jiaxing, so I spent the weekend sightseeing. I walked down the shopping street, well, one of the shopping streets. The one with the haute couture stores (because I am so high fashion!) BTW, Shanghai does have haute couture boutiques. The city may be in a communist country, but these folks are fashionistas, baby! Everyone is tailored and put together like Blake Carrington! Anyway, I walked around for a while and made my way to the Bund. This is the old European neighborhood. It's on the banks of the Huangpo river and has gorgeous last-century architecture. On the other side of the river is the new development area called Pudong. This is where the financiers do their number crunching in skyscrapers. And just to make sure you don't miss them, most of the buildings are lit up with neon signs. It's a little gaudy, but very pretty at night. Oooo, bright, shiny things! Oooo.
The entire time I was out and about, I was being stared at like an exotic animal. The people in China are very curious and have no boundaries when it comes to looking closely and sizing it (me) up. Many times I thought some old chinese lady was gonna ask "Doushou qian?"(How much?) and take me home and put me on display. But, alas, it didn't happen. Maybe next time.
But I must qualify this generalisation, the old people walked right up to me and gave me the once over, but the young ones, the twenty- and thirty-somethings, ignored me with a blase attitude that would make the French look twice and then continue to walk away. But, as I think now, this isn't such a Chinese or non-American thing. It happened to me in NYC all the time. Ah, the universals are forever a source of comfort.
Anyway, one thing the young people do like to do with me is practice their english. Everywhere I go, people are always saying "Hello!". Sometimes I stop and chat them up for a while. One time, while I was heading to the Shanghai Museum, a group of four college students wanted to practice their english on me, and we ended up going to a tea house for a traditional tea ceremony. It was really fun and I am glad I was open and trusting. I learned how to drink tea properly - three fingers, three sniffs, and three sips - make as much slurpy noise as possible and don't tip! Hey, those are the rules - I don't make 'em, I just follow 'em.
So things are going well here, but I do miss NYC and my routine. I miss Sam most of all, follwed by my friends, family and my doggies! God, I loved that job! Dog walking was perfect for me! But alas, dogs in China usually have a different role in society than they do in the US. I let you come to your own conclusions on that.
Hope you are all well. Miss ya.

Experiencing Temporary Technical and Cultural Difficulties

So my computer is wireless and the modem at my apartment doesn't understand this. So up to now I have been coming to the internet cafe around the corner. Soon I will be able to surf the entire net in the comfort of my own communist flat, till then it's surfing amongst the surfers. Not so bad really - imagine having to send letters - actual letters!
I have yet to see the sky from all the smog - China has a grey sky with no distinct clouds. Just a grey, hazy sky. So I must pay attention to the ground and all the people going by for my amusement. It has been at least 95 degrees everyday I have been here. I have decided to start my exploration of the city and neighboring towns once the temperture drops. So, as of now, I have only gone shopping for my apartment. Today I went to the Wal-Mart here in Jiaxing. What a trip! They have everything the Wal-Marts and Targets have only in Chinese. However, they do not accept "Meiguo Ke" - American Credit cards. So I had to pay cash. But I didn't have enough on me. So, I found an ATM machine about ten minutes away and to be safe I withdrew 3000RMB (about US$270). I was hoping this would be enough. I was a little worried that I would have to put things back - No one wants to hear "I need a void. Manager to register 16, please" in Chinese. But as it turned out my total was only 685RMB (US$85). That's right 85 dollars. I was expecting US$250 or more and it only came to $85. Need it be said that China is very affordable. I think not! I furnished my flat for about 1500RMB which is about US$200. Hen Hao! Very good!
I taught my first class yesterday. It was fun and I got through it well - at least that's what my collegues said. I will be teaching four days a week with four or five classes each day. I will also do "Crazy English" during morning exercises. I don't quite know what it entails, but Kelly, my Chinese supervisor, has a book that I can refer to. Something about yelling short English phrases as loud as I can which the students repeat for fun! Lots of laughs, I'm sure.
Jiaxing is not a small town. It's bigger than Trenton or Newark and much busier. Lots of taxis, motos, electric rickshaws (although that's not what they call them - I haven't learned to correct name yet) I took one from the ATM machine back to the Wal-Mart - it cost 3RMB (about 40 cents). There is a military school nearby, and a couple of colleges and universities, too. Education seems to be important here.
I got a cell phone with the help of Lilian, an ex-pat from Camaroon who speaks fluent Chinese. What an ordeal! She insisted on haggling because that's how the chinese do it. But with our non-chinese faces the clerks wouldn't budge. After about 30 minutes of raised voices (can you imagine hearing chinese with an african accent - actually, it's pretty) I got one for a good price.
So now I need to figure out chinese phone numbers - oh lord this country is so different! But that's what I wanted - difference and diversity. And I got it!

Greeting from Shanghai! Surprise!

Ni hao! I am in Shanghai! Finally I have touched the soil of the Middle Kingdom! It has been a long process to get here, but I never gave up and with the support of all of you, I have made my dream come true! Thank you very much, Tai xie xie le!
Saying goodbye to Sam was a little more difficult than I imagined, and for that I am grateful. For if I knew ahead of time how I would be feeling, I am not sure I would have left. Tears galore! But that's the magic of staying in the moment and not looking ahead too much - ya just don't know what's gonna happen, so ya keep movin' forward. The flight was fine, a little unconfortable as I had the middle seat in a row of five. I had to wake up a minimum of two people every time I had "to go". But they were nice and understood, so no tension. One of my neighbors and I got to talking and he had some compelling stories of growing up in Shanghai in the 1960s during the Cultural Revolution. Oh lordy, what a difficult era. But things are different now, and he is happy to be free to visit China whenever he feels he need.
Shanghai is huge! It's bigger than NYC! The skyline it just as impressive - they are currently building the world's tallest skyscraper. Every building it seems is at least 30 stories! Yes, there are short houses like brownstones, but ya can't see 'em from the highrises! I giggled when I saw my first mass bicycle traffic crossing. Just as I imagined - about a hundred people waiting for the light to change - and then it did! Watch out! Get out of they way! So cool. Another giggle was the name of a small clothing boutique in the Jing'an neighborhood(the Soho of Shanghai) - it is called "Red Lady" - how chinese can you get! Love it! Communist and fashionable!
Well, gotta go. I am taking the train to Hangzhou for my training/orientation. It is a two hour ride. I am interested in seeing the suburbs and how spralling they may be, and then the country-side which may or may not look like chinese landscape paintings (I kinda hope they do).
Hope you are well, and send me some e-love.
Evan

Discretion is requested. Aug 4, 2006

So, it has come to my attention by a dear friend that maybe I should wait until I arrive in China to launch my blog. Reasoning is that my sexual orientation may be a hinderence in attaining a work Visa. So just to be safe - from now on - S@m is Samantha. I would appreciate you all going along with this, k? Sexual orientation is not against the law in China, it's just a little uncomfortable for those who think that they are normal and others are not. Communism did a couple things right when it gave women equal treatment and respect and it moved towards enveloping marginalized groups, such as those who have sexual orientation freedom from comforming to the majority. Communism is an egalitarian concept which allows people to be who they are without the fear of opppression or reprisal. So does capitalism and other various -isms - like active alcoholism. I have seen many drunks say whatever they want to their friends and strangers without fear of offending.
As I prepare to go to China, I am reminded that freedom is precious and fragile and that those who think "normal is as normal does" have a specific definition of normal. My definition is normal as well. And Samantha is as normal as they get. I love my normal Sam! Are you normal too?

More photos from Vancouver trip

 

Vancouver, BC and Whislter Mountain - July 2006 photos

 

Preparations are ensuing. Aug 2, 2006

So I have finally purchased my plane ticket after weeks of research and eye-opening bureauocracy. It has come to my attention that round trip tickets must be used within 330 days of each other. But what about those of us who are staying longer? Surely I am not the first person to move to China. Why can't the airlines book RT-tickets for longer than a year? I guess it's a source of revenue because those longer stay tix are really expensive. It always comes down to money, doesn't it. Anyway, I got a sweet deal from a Chinese travel agent - those guys can negotiate anything! - they could negotiate a lease on The White House! Probably not a bad idea - it would be a reality-kick in the arrogant Americans' crotch. But I digress. Duibuqi (Sorry).
So here's my itinerary: I am flying out Friday, August 25, 2006 from Newark to Shanghai. The trip should take about 20 hours in total, but I lose a day by crossing the International Date Line. So I leave in the morning of the 25th and land in the late afternoon of the 26th. Oh boy! But I am not complaining - imagine how long it would take to walk! And it's better than that slow boat to China I've been told about.
In other news - One of the more interesting developments this week was figuring out how to say goodbye to S@m. If he drives me to the airport than we have a very public goodbye moment which neither of us are comfortable with. If we say goodbye at the house,and then he drives me to the airport, both moments will feel false and forced. I do so want to have a genuine feeling of sadness and potential joy simultaneously. I will be sad to not see my boyfriend for a year, but I also will be on an adventure so intense that missing him and anyone else may be a luxury. I do anticipate being extrememly busy while in China. But saying goodbye to S@m will not be an easy thing - and I don't want to poo poo it (one of my mother's favorite phrases) and regress into denial mode. I have worked alot at having my feelings even if they are not "happy", "fine" or "tired." I guess I am trying to control my experience at the airport terminal which is not a good thing. I am not in control of what happens to me. I am only in control of what I do, how I react to my experience.
Oh lordy, I got alot on my mind, don't I? More will be revealed, hopefully.
Till then, please enjoy some photos from our vacation to Vancouver and Whistler Mountain last July. Snowboarding in July - way cool!

Evan Picture

Ni Hao! July 22, 2006

Ni hao means "hello" in Mandarin. I hope you are well. I have decided to set up this blog for a couple of reasons:

• To share with you my journey and all its events
• To keep our familiarity green while I am so far away
• To eliminate the dreaded email/travel log that some may not be very excited to receive (although I couldn't imagine who they are or why they wouldn't enjoy getting an email from me)
• and to journal the experience for myself, so I can share with my grandkids.

I have never blogged before, and I rarely read other blogs. So this will be slowly created on a daily basis and evolve over time and happenstance. I hope you, as well as I, enjoy it.
Xie xie (thanks), Evan