So, a couple of days ago, I made dinner plans to meet up with a teacher that used to teach the class I will be teaching this year. She wasn't sure how well I knew the area so we decided to meet by a main road. Great idea. Easy to find, convenient location, and about midway for both of us. Well, I leave about 30 minutes before I'm supposed to meet here because I have no idea how long the walk will take me. It's about a 1/2 mile away. Note to self: 1/2 mile walk only takes 8 minutes at a very leisurely pace. As I stood on the main road waiting for my friend, I'm going to guess that at least 2,000 people passed in cars, buses, taxis or walking. Of those 2,000, I would say 99% of them looked at me. And I don't mean, "looked at me in passing". I mean, double-take-stare-with-mouth-wide-open-gazing-over-every-inch-of-my-body-twice look at me. Some were pointing, some were smiling, I'm pretty sure someone took a picture with his phone camera...it's like I'm a celebrity without all the perks. No money, no body guards, just the daggone paperazzi following me everywhere I go. Arg!
On another note, I went shopping by myself this weekend. I know that sounds like no big deal, but when you live in a city of 8 million people, can't speak the language and have no idea where you live in reference to where you want to go, going out by yourself is a huge adventure. Yesterday, after working in my classroom, I took the bus partway with a friend and then split off to take a taxi to Walmart. Yes, Walmart. I will say it's only 'similar' to the ones in the states. It was two stories with the grocery part on the lower floor and all the clothes, appliances and homegoods on the top floor. I was able to find a lot of things that I've been looking for but not everything I was hoping for. I got picture frames...hm, that's all I can remember right now but I know I got more stuff. And then today, I went to a place called Jimo Lu Market. I don't even think I know the words to explain what I saw there. I took some pictures (only a few because it's hard to sneak a camera out of my purse to take a picture inconspicuously when everyone around you is staring at you) and hopefully that will show you what I mean. Let's say you went there to buy a necklace. Well, they have 20 little necklace shops that are each selling 5,000 necklaces. Or a bag, you'd have 1,000 bags to choose from. Literally. I'm not making up these numbers. 50 little shops selling shoes, 50 selling suitcases, 50 selling bedding, 50 selling clothes and so on. And they're not nice, neat little stores. They're closet-size rooms stuffed to the gills with as much product as can fit while still leaving a little bitty aisle that you can turn sideways and shuffle down. Totally overwhelming and REALLY fun. I found a few house items and had my first experience at bargaining in China.
Bargaining is part of the culture here. Unless you're going to a department store, you're expected to bargain. They give you a number, you offer half that and then they work down as you work up. So, I found this home store that has a bunch of really neat stuff, a lot like a TJ Max or Ross' home department. I bought a picture frame, a vase, and some flowery-things. Now, I don't know if this is the norm or I'm just "special" but when I was bargaining for the vase, the number I gave her was so low that she actually smacked my arm. Smacked it! All in good fun of course, but it shocked me so much that I laughed really loud. And then, as I was bargaining for the picture frame, when I finally got the price that I wanted and turned to grab the frame, the woman actually smacked my rear end! Huh?? And THEN, when I was bartering for the flowery-things (for the vase) and got my price, as I was digging in my wallet, the woman literally patted my belly and started scratching it. Yes, she literally patted and scratched my belly. I laughed and laughed and laughed. I don't know what I enjoyed more. The items I purchased, the bartering, or the strange human contact. It was just so funny.
After shopping, I got home, rested for a few and then went to "taco night" at some friends' house. We played this game called 'Boxers or Briefs'...hilarious. I totally have to get it when I go back to the States. It's similar to 'Apples to Apples' but more personal. We laughed a lot tonight. And it was nice because it was the first time that I was finally able to really be myself. You know, my loud, obnoxious can't-stop-making-jokes self. I don't know if that's a good thing or not...
Man, it was a great day. I traversed the city successfully, got a bunch of home stuff, had my belly rubbed, ate a great dinner and laughed way too much.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Let's Get Physical, Physical...
Well, I had my Chinese physical. It's a requirement to be able to stay in the country. It was quite an experience. X-ray, EEG, ultrasound, bloodwork, and the usual weight, height, blood pressure stuff. Not a big deal except there weren't any doors on the rooms, just curtains. And there were a lot of people, all trying to cut each other, so people kept trying to push their way in by peaking around the curtain and talking to the drs. A very awkward and embarrassing thing when you're half clothed on the examination table. We, as in the the Chinese and I, may never be the same again. I'm hoping to not have to do that ever again.
After the physical, a couple of friends and I decided to go shopping on our own. This was the first time I went out without someone who knew the city or Chinese. I have to say, we did pretty well. We found our store, bought our stuff, communicated a little, and made it home. Too bad when I got to my complex, I realized I'd forgotten my keys. I had to wait an hour and a half for the roommate to get home. Not a big deal just irritating. And the thing is, I have no idea where my keys could be. I've looked everywhere. It's like the walked off on their own. I'm sure they're around here somewhere but there are so many boxes, I may never find them.
While waiting for my roommate, I was able to walk by the beach today (my apartment complex is right on the Yellow Sea). A little stinky but really pretty. It's totally different than the Atlantic Ocean. I mean, it looks like an ocean, with the waves and everything, but way out in the distance, you can see mountains and little islands. Really cool. I took some pictures and I'm in the process of getting them uploaded here.
I'm getting a little more settled in. Learning my way around, getting a routine at home. I'm figuring out that everthing just takes a little longer, it's a little more complicated. A good thing to learn being the impatient person that I am.
Some side notes...
After the physical, a couple of friends and I decided to go shopping on our own. This was the first time I went out without someone who knew the city or Chinese. I have to say, we did pretty well. We found our store, bought our stuff, communicated a little, and made it home. Too bad when I got to my complex, I realized I'd forgotten my keys. I had to wait an hour and a half for the roommate to get home. Not a big deal just irritating. And the thing is, I have no idea where my keys could be. I've looked everywhere. It's like the walked off on their own. I'm sure they're around here somewhere but there are so many boxes, I may never find them.
While waiting for my roommate, I was able to walk by the beach today (my apartment complex is right on the Yellow Sea). A little stinky but really pretty. It's totally different than the Atlantic Ocean. I mean, it looks like an ocean, with the waves and everything, but way out in the distance, you can see mountains and little islands. Really cool. I took some pictures and I'm in the process of getting them uploaded here.
I'm getting a little more settled in. Learning my way around, getting a routine at home. I'm figuring out that everthing just takes a little longer, it's a little more complicated. A good thing to learn being the impatient person that I am.
Some side notes...
- I found a good place for Western food. I don't really need it yet, but I know in a couple of months it'll be a nice treat.
- This afternoon was my first time alone since I got here. Very nice.
- I think I'm only going to have two preps this year. Amazing. Both (MUN and AP World History) are going to be very time consuming classes so it'll be very nice to have extra time to get ready for them.
- I've found out where I'm going for my MUN (Model United Nations) classes this year. I'll tell you more about the class at a later date but here's a list of the places I'll be traveling to- Seoul; Beijing; Singapore; maybe Hangzhou, China (near Shanghai); and then we'll host one at our school. These trips were planned by last year's teacher so I'll get to plan next year's conferences. Anyway, I'm very excited.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy
When I say I’m exhausted, what I really mean is my feet are on the verge of falling off, my legs are on the verge of cramping up, my back is on the verge of sweating off, my head is on the verge of blowing up, my eyes are on the verge of shutting forever, and my face is on the verge of melting off. That’s how I’m feeling right now. It’s been a long, long day.
Rundown of the day…
We left for school at 7:15am to walk 10 minutes to meet the school bus. When we got to school, we spent an hour and a half touring the buildings and school grounds, up and down a million stairs and in and out of unairconditioned buildings. The good thing is, it’s a beautiful school. We share a campus with a Chinese school so it’s a huge area but we have everything, outdoor courts, a gym, several buildings that include classrooms, offices, dorms for national workers, the cafeteria, a dance studio and tons of other things. I loved my last school, but my new school’s facilities are amazing. I’m very excited. I’ve included a few pictures of the view from the school. I’ll take a few of the actual facilities within the next couple of days.
After the tour, we spent 2 ½ hours in a crash Chinese language course. It was very helpful and everyone was so encouraging. Something fun, we played this game to help us learn the Chinese numbers. We had to use plastic chopsticks to pick up plastic buttons, carry them across the room and drop them in a box while everyone else counted each button. It was a race to see who could get the most buttons in the box in 30 seconds. Great idea except not everyone knows how to use chopsticks. I haven’t laughed that hard in weeks. There were a couple of times we didn’t even get to count because the person couldn’t pick up anything with the chopsticks. Oh man, it was good times.
After the language lesson, we finished the tour and then walked to lunch. And when I say walk, I mean we hiked through the country side to get to this little noodle stand under a tarp. I’ve included some pictures so you can see where we were and what lunch looked like. The noodles were pretty good but there was an awful smell that kept drifting through so I wasn’t able to enjoy it much. Note the chairs we were supposed to sit on. I declined of course, and sat on the rock wall next to the table.
We headed home on the public bus, a very interesting experience. Holding on as if your life depended on it is the key. Literally. Anyway, I was able to get a little rest this afternoon, and then head to dinner with some people from school, Vietnamese food. Very delicious. Then we went shopping and I was able to finally purchase a purse, a few DVDs and some dried fruit. Something interesting, I bought some dried rose petals. They’re really good, chewy not crispy, and sweet with a little bit of a rose taste. I’ve also included a picture of that as well.
It’s now 8pm and I’m ready to go to bed. Yah, I may be tired but I’m happy. Life couldn’t get much better. I’m living exactly where I want to live. I’m meeting new people all the time. I’m doing interesting and exciting things all the time. And at this very moment, I’m sitting on the couch, eating dried mangos and enjoying the internet. It’s been a good day.
Rundown of the day…
We left for school at 7:15am to walk 10 minutes to meet the school bus. When we got to school, we spent an hour and a half touring the buildings and school grounds, up and down a million stairs and in and out of unairconditioned buildings. The good thing is, it’s a beautiful school. We share a campus with a Chinese school so it’s a huge area but we have everything, outdoor courts, a gym, several buildings that include classrooms, offices, dorms for national workers, the cafeteria, a dance studio and tons of other things. I loved my last school, but my new school’s facilities are amazing. I’m very excited. I’ve included a few pictures of the view from the school. I’ll take a few of the actual facilities within the next couple of days.
After the tour, we spent 2 ½ hours in a crash Chinese language course. It was very helpful and everyone was so encouraging. Something fun, we played this game to help us learn the Chinese numbers. We had to use plastic chopsticks to pick up plastic buttons, carry them across the room and drop them in a box while everyone else counted each button. It was a race to see who could get the most buttons in the box in 30 seconds. Great idea except not everyone knows how to use chopsticks. I haven’t laughed that hard in weeks. There were a couple of times we didn’t even get to count because the person couldn’t pick up anything with the chopsticks. Oh man, it was good times.
After the language lesson, we finished the tour and then walked to lunch. And when I say walk, I mean we hiked through the country side to get to this little noodle stand under a tarp. I’ve included some pictures so you can see where we were and what lunch looked like. The noodles were pretty good but there was an awful smell that kept drifting through so I wasn’t able to enjoy it much. Note the chairs we were supposed to sit on. I declined of course, and sat on the rock wall next to the table.
We headed home on the public bus, a very interesting experience. Holding on as if your life depended on it is the key. Literally. Anyway, I was able to get a little rest this afternoon, and then head to dinner with some people from school, Vietnamese food. Very delicious. Then we went shopping and I was able to finally purchase a purse, a few DVDs and some dried fruit. Something interesting, I bought some dried rose petals. They’re really good, chewy not crispy, and sweet with a little bit of a rose taste. I’ve also included a picture of that as well.
It’s now 8pm and I’m ready to go to bed. Yah, I may be tired but I’m happy. Life couldn’t get much better. I’m living exactly where I want to live. I’m meeting new people all the time. I’m doing interesting and exciting things all the time. And at this very moment, I’m sitting on the couch, eating dried mangos and enjoying the internet. It’s been a good day.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
I Spy With My Little Eye...Part 1
• I’ve seen a man wearing hot pink jean shorts.
• I watched a mother wipe her daughter’s hind end out on the sidewalk in broad daylight right in front of the restaurant we were going to eat at.
• I’ve been stared at by almost every person I pass. Sometimes pointed at, sometimes talked about.
• There are MANY people that are as tall as or taller than I am here. Foreigners and Chinese.
• I’m always thirsty. Because you can’t drink water out of the faucet, it’s not always available to drink (everyone has to drink bottled water and even the restaurants have to use it). I think my body knows that because I’m always thirsty and there’s never enough to drink. Well, and the fact that most places use cups the size of a shot glass doesn’t help either.
• I’ve come to the conclusion that as long as it’s over 75 degrees here, I’m always going to be sweaty. I walk everywhere. Church, shopping, dinner…up hill, downhill, up stairs, down stairs. And the air-conditioning, if there is any, isn’t ever quite cool enough.
• I’ve seen throw up, lots of it, on the sidewalk.
• I’ve seen professional trash diggers. On more than one occasion.
• People love their dogs here, and I don’t mean “to eat”. They love them. Every dog I’ve seen has been beautifully groomed, perfectly coiffed fur, ribbons and bows. One lady was shopping and had her dog in her cart with her other items.
• My bed is rock hard. Apparently, that’s the norm for eastern beds. We go to a major department store on Tuesday and at the top of my list is an egg crate or some sort of cushion for my bed.
• I’ve been using my roommate’s blow-dryer for the last couple of days and it’s been eating my hair. The fan sucks it up and immediately twists it into these little knots. Not fun. It hurts, it stinks and I have to cut off that part of my hair. I found a new blow-drier and I’m hoping it works a little better.
• I got a cell phone today. The number is like ten digits long. You purchase the phone and then you have to purchase the SIM card/phone number. I was able to buy both for a total of about 300 Yuan which is about $45. But that doesn’t give me much time on the cell phone. I’ll have to purchase more minutes at some point.
• I watched a mother wipe her daughter’s hind end out on the sidewalk in broad daylight right in front of the restaurant we were going to eat at.
• I’ve been stared at by almost every person I pass. Sometimes pointed at, sometimes talked about.
• There are MANY people that are as tall as or taller than I am here. Foreigners and Chinese.
• I’m always thirsty. Because you can’t drink water out of the faucet, it’s not always available to drink (everyone has to drink bottled water and even the restaurants have to use it). I think my body knows that because I’m always thirsty and there’s never enough to drink. Well, and the fact that most places use cups the size of a shot glass doesn’t help either.
• I’ve come to the conclusion that as long as it’s over 75 degrees here, I’m always going to be sweaty. I walk everywhere. Church, shopping, dinner…up hill, downhill, up stairs, down stairs. And the air-conditioning, if there is any, isn’t ever quite cool enough.
• I’ve seen throw up, lots of it, on the sidewalk.
• I’ve seen professional trash diggers. On more than one occasion.
• People love their dogs here, and I don’t mean “to eat”. They love them. Every dog I’ve seen has been beautifully groomed, perfectly coiffed fur, ribbons and bows. One lady was shopping and had her dog in her cart with her other items.
• My bed is rock hard. Apparently, that’s the norm for eastern beds. We go to a major department store on Tuesday and at the top of my list is an egg crate or some sort of cushion for my bed.
• I’ve been using my roommate’s blow-dryer for the last couple of days and it’s been eating my hair. The fan sucks it up and immediately twists it into these little knots. Not fun. It hurts, it stinks and I have to cut off that part of my hair. I found a new blow-drier and I’m hoping it works a little better.
• I got a cell phone today. The number is like ten digits long. You purchase the phone and then you have to purchase the SIM card/phone number. I was able to buy both for a total of about 300 Yuan which is about $45. But that doesn’t give me much time on the cell phone. I’ll have to purchase more minutes at some point.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
I've Arrived
After many months of planning, several weeks of packing, a couple of days of traveling and very few hours of sleep, I’ve finally made it to my new home. I walked off the plane, went straight to the restroom (where I had the choice between a regular toilet and a squatty potty, yes, of course I used the regular one!) picked up my five suitcases, was met by my principal, his wife and my new roommate, and headed out into the wild unknown of my new life.
Because I arrived in the morning, I had all day to stay awake while trying to adjust to the time change (it’s 12 hours ahead of the east coast and 14 hours ahead of Colorado). I kept myself busy by unpacking everything and talking to the roommate. For dinner, a group of us all headed to a favorite Korean place, a 20 minute walk on my still very sore feet, where we had…I have no idea of the name, but it’s was fabulous and very spicy. So, across the street from the Korean restaurant, there was this marketplacey thing where they sold this “favorite” type of tea. It’s called “bubble tea” and apparently very well loved by some of my new friends. Several of the people in the group bought the tea (I didn’t have any money because I hadn’t exchanged any yet) and one of them asked me if I wanted some. Sure, I say, not really paying attention or making eye contact because I was feeling awkward being penniless and still sweating profusely from the mile or so walk there. When I grab the cup, I notice that it’s really milky looking, room temperature and is sealed off by an aluminum lid with a very large straw sticking out. Without thinking about it, I take a large sip but the straw jammed or something so I sucked really hard. Whatever it was that was caught in the straw came loose and I ended up with a massive “taste” of the bubble tea…and something squishy in my mouth. Come to find out, the reason the thing is called bubble tea is because it has black balls of tapioca in the bottom of the cup. Hence the large straw. Of course, after I take my sip, I look up and see that everyone is watching me to see my reaction. Apparently, it’s a little joke they play on everyone just because they like to see what the person does, i.e. choke, throw up, scream. If I had only been looking at them when they had given me the drink, I would’ve realized something was up. Oh well, it was all in good fun and now I can’t wait to try it on someone else!
After walking back to the apartments, I went over to a friends’ house to use their internet because I don’t have it yet, Skyped my family (it was like 5am there, good parents) and then headed home and went straight to bed. Today, I’ve gone to church, eaten lunch and had my first experience shopping in a place where I don’t speak the language, can’t read the labels to tell what the products are, and saw things I’d never seen before. I don’t know if I’ll ever be brave enough to buy meat here, especially at that store. Nevertheless, it was a good first-time experience and was able to buy everything I needed.
I could tell you a million more things but this post is already long enough. And I apologize for it being so diary-like but it kind of is a diary, at least for now. I want to remember everything about these first few days.
Because I arrived in the morning, I had all day to stay awake while trying to adjust to the time change (it’s 12 hours ahead of the east coast and 14 hours ahead of Colorado). I kept myself busy by unpacking everything and talking to the roommate. For dinner, a group of us all headed to a favorite Korean place, a 20 minute walk on my still very sore feet, where we had…I have no idea of the name, but it’s was fabulous and very spicy. So, across the street from the Korean restaurant, there was this marketplacey thing where they sold this “favorite” type of tea. It’s called “bubble tea” and apparently very well loved by some of my new friends. Several of the people in the group bought the tea (I didn’t have any money because I hadn’t exchanged any yet) and one of them asked me if I wanted some. Sure, I say, not really paying attention or making eye contact because I was feeling awkward being penniless and still sweating profusely from the mile or so walk there. When I grab the cup, I notice that it’s really milky looking, room temperature and is sealed off by an aluminum lid with a very large straw sticking out. Without thinking about it, I take a large sip but the straw jammed or something so I sucked really hard. Whatever it was that was caught in the straw came loose and I ended up with a massive “taste” of the bubble tea…and something squishy in my mouth. Come to find out, the reason the thing is called bubble tea is because it has black balls of tapioca in the bottom of the cup. Hence the large straw. Of course, after I take my sip, I look up and see that everyone is watching me to see my reaction. Apparently, it’s a little joke they play on everyone just because they like to see what the person does, i.e. choke, throw up, scream. If I had only been looking at them when they had given me the drink, I would’ve realized something was up. Oh well, it was all in good fun and now I can’t wait to try it on someone else!
After walking back to the apartments, I went over to a friends’ house to use their internet because I don’t have it yet, Skyped my family (it was like 5am there, good parents) and then headed home and went straight to bed. Today, I’ve gone to church, eaten lunch and had my first experience shopping in a place where I don’t speak the language, can’t read the labels to tell what the products are, and saw things I’d never seen before. I don’t know if I’ll ever be brave enough to buy meat here, especially at that store. Nevertheless, it was a good first-time experience and was able to buy everything I needed.
I could tell you a million more things but this post is already long enough. And I apologize for it being so diary-like but it kind of is a diary, at least for now. I want to remember everything about these first few days.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Over the Pacific
As I sit on the plane, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, maybe halfway to Beijing, I find myself listening to Chinese music (it’s like Backstreet Boys meets Karate Kid) and wishing I had brought a snack. Man, I’m starving. I’m pretty sure I worked off any food I ate in the mile hike at the LAX airport. Hike? Yes, hike. Let me tell you a story…
Because we left an hour late out of Denver, I only had about an hour and half layover to my flight to Beijing. When I deplaned, I found the first person I could and asked directions to the international flights (I learned the hard way about asking directions in the airport. The last time I flew internationally, I was 17 and missed my flight because I got lost and had no idea what to do. All alone in an unknown airport…needless to say it was a mess). I continued to ask questions every few minutes to make sure I was headed in the right direction. I didn’t have a lot of time to spare, so when I met Mr. “Helpful” Airport Man who told me just to walk to my international gate because it would be quicker, not a far walk at all, who was I to question a man who so clearly knew what was best for me? People! ALWAYS question! I walked from terminal 7 to terminal 2. That’s five terminals. To give you an idea, the Ft. Lauderdale Airport only has 4 terminals total. By the time I reached the right place (after being given wrong directions and going to the wrong airline first), I was covered in sweat from the marathon I’d just run, my feet were blistered from causing so much heat with the friction on my straw-soled flipflops and I was a nervous wreck because I was afraid I’d missed my flight. Wanting to use my time wisely and feeling the relief of being where I needed to be, I decided to use the restroom. I was halfway through the restroom using when I heard my name being called over the loud speaker. The. Loud. Speaker. The one that goes through the entire terminal, including the bathroom…freaking out, I raced through the rest of the “resting” and practically ran to the desk at my gate (not helping the feet). Everything was fine, they just wanted to make sure I was there. Yah, sure, everything was fine. I was a hot, sweaty, limping mess on the verge of a hysterical breakdown but everything was fine…
Anyway, I finally got on the plane where I found myself sitting next to…NO ONE! A dream come true. I’ve been able to stretch out, move around, get in and out of my bag a gazillion times and no one cares. The powers that be knew what I needed to stay sane on this trip.
Back to sleep I go. Three hours of shuteye just isn’t enough and time goes by much faster when you’re unaware of it moving. Nighty-night.
As I sit on the plane, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, maybe halfway to Beijing, I find myself listening to Chinese music (it’s like Backstreet Boys meets Karate Kid) and wishing I had brought a snack. Man, I’m starving. I’m pretty sure I worked off any food I ate in the mile hike at the LAX airport. Hike? Yes, hike. Let me tell you a story…
Because we left an hour late out of Denver, I only had about an hour and half layover to my flight to Beijing. When I deplaned, I found the first person I could and asked directions to the international flights (I learned the hard way about asking directions in the airport. The last time I flew internationally, I was 17 and missed my flight because I got lost and had no idea what to do. All alone in an unknown airport…needless to say it was a mess). I continued to ask questions every few minutes to make sure I was headed in the right direction. I didn’t have a lot of time to spare, so when I met Mr. “Helpful” Airport Man who told me just to walk to my international gate because it would be quicker, not a far walk at all, who was I to question a man who so clearly knew what was best for me? People! ALWAYS question! I walked from terminal 7 to terminal 2. That’s five terminals. To give you an idea, the Ft. Lauderdale Airport only has 4 terminals total. By the time I reached the right place (after being given wrong directions and going to the wrong airline first), I was covered in sweat from the marathon I’d just run, my feet were blistered from causing so much heat with the friction on my straw-soled flipflops and I was a nervous wreck because I was afraid I’d missed my flight. Wanting to use my time wisely and feeling the relief of being where I needed to be, I decided to use the restroom. I was halfway through the restroom using when I heard my name being called over the loud speaker. The. Loud. Speaker. The one that goes through the entire terminal, including the bathroom…freaking out, I raced through the rest of the “resting” and practically ran to the desk at my gate (not helping the feet). Everything was fine, they just wanted to make sure I was there. Yah, sure, everything was fine. I was a hot, sweaty, limping mess on the verge of a hysterical breakdown but everything was fine…
Anyway, I finally got on the plane where I found myself sitting next to…NO ONE! A dream come true. I’ve been able to stretch out, move around, get in and out of my bag a gazillion times and no one cares. The powers that be knew what I needed to stay sane on this trip.
Back to sleep I go. Three hours of shuteye just isn’t enough and time goes by much faster when you’re unaware of it moving. Nighty-night.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Here We Go!!!!
Let the games begin. I leave for my new home, China, in about 41 hours. Bags are mostly packed, visa is in hand (not literally, I think it's on the kitchen table), new home address unmemorized (it’s in Chinese characters), and long list of 'things to do' to be completed before boarding my torturous 24 hour plane ride ( that's total travel time but will be split into three different flights).
Why China? Good question. The powers that be worked it out that way, I suppose. I've always wanted to live overseas, I'm a teacher, and I'm semi-adventurous. Okay, that's not exactly true. I hate doing new things. I'm the kind of person that dreams of doing these really great things but once the ball is rolling, I'm mad at myself for doing it. It's kind of like watching a scary movie. I always think I like watching scary movies, it's the thrill I suppose. I get all pumped about it. Then about 20 minutes in, I'm so mad at myself because I remember that I hate scary movies. But of course, I have to finish it (I'm a finisher). So by the end of this what seemed to be a great idea, I'm scared to death and angry. What's wrong with me??
Okay, moving to China isn't quite like that. I'm really excited about this new adventure. Yes, it's been a lot of work and very expensive but I know it'll be worth it. The process has been harder than expected, so many goodbyes, too many transitions, months living as a nomad, but the end of all that is in sight. Now the exciting part. A new apartment (by the beach and the mountains), a new job (teaching in an international school), a new roommate (who I've already met), a new city (one of the most beautiful in China), a new language (one of the hardest in the world)...
I have learned many things about my new country during these last few months of preparation. And after reading obsessively everything I can on the country, the people, the customs, the food, the travel, the living conditions, the mindset, and the government, I have come to one very important conclusion.
I am going to make an all-out, downright, full-blown, full-scale, out-and-out fool of myself. Utterly unreservedly, unintentionally, unashamedly.
And I'm inviting you to join me. You can live vicariously through me while laughing at all my blunders, silliness, and foolishness. I vow to share the embarrassing moments, the hilarious moments, the precious moments and even the hard moments while at the same time, giving you some insight into a little place known as "The Middle Kingdom".
Why China? Good question. The powers that be worked it out that way, I suppose. I've always wanted to live overseas, I'm a teacher, and I'm semi-adventurous. Okay, that's not exactly true. I hate doing new things. I'm the kind of person that dreams of doing these really great things but once the ball is rolling, I'm mad at myself for doing it. It's kind of like watching a scary movie. I always think I like watching scary movies, it's the thrill I suppose. I get all pumped about it. Then about 20 minutes in, I'm so mad at myself because I remember that I hate scary movies. But of course, I have to finish it (I'm a finisher). So by the end of this what seemed to be a great idea, I'm scared to death and angry. What's wrong with me??
Okay, moving to China isn't quite like that. I'm really excited about this new adventure. Yes, it's been a lot of work and very expensive but I know it'll be worth it. The process has been harder than expected, so many goodbyes, too many transitions, months living as a nomad, but the end of all that is in sight. Now the exciting part. A new apartment (by the beach and the mountains), a new job (teaching in an international school), a new roommate (who I've already met), a new city (one of the most beautiful in China), a new language (one of the hardest in the world)...
I have learned many things about my new country during these last few months of preparation. And after reading obsessively everything I can on the country, the people, the customs, the food, the travel, the living conditions, the mindset, and the government, I have come to one very important conclusion.
I am going to make an all-out, downright, full-blown, full-scale, out-and-out fool of myself. Utterly unreservedly, unintentionally, unashamedly.
And I'm inviting you to join me. You can live vicariously through me while laughing at all my blunders, silliness, and foolishness. I vow to share the embarrassing moments, the hilarious moments, the precious moments and even the hard moments while at the same time, giving you some insight into a little place known as "The Middle Kingdom".
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