listening to madonna's song, "sorry." pretty good song.
went swimming yesterday. with goggles at 60yuan/9$cdn, perscription, -you can't beat that! i swam a kilometre, which is quite impressive. i owe it to the goggles. i love swimming!! went karaoke and dancing, and blah blah blah.
i have a week off started two days ago/friday. it is now sunday night beijing time. i've had a pretty good weekend despite the exasperation of a fellow teacher. honestly, i was a little peeved. it's really unfortunate, really..
tomorrow, i'm attending an english speech competition with Mary and Du Mei Qing. the day after we are going to see the mu dan (peony) flowers at Lua Yan, a city in henan province. apparently, we'll be late for it's bloom period, but, it should be beautiful nonetheless. lots of historical buildings, etc.
my hair is getting longer. and! because of the season, i'm shedding a lot. i really have to get a haircut soon. i should be getting one on wednesday. julia (a student) is staying over from the 5th, so she should go chill with me around the city. mary's also staying over from the 3rd, 'cause one of her mail friends from beijing is coming to stay in her apartment and she thought it would be better if she was not there, too.
what else do i have to say? well, i've done my 7th weekend here. that is 20% of my stay. again, it is an understatement to say that i am experiencing new things. i'm extremely in the right place, at the right time. i know this is where i would like to be at the moment. i'm learning new things, having time to find new hobbies, ie. cooking, more guitar.. hopefully more writing..
i'm definitely am learning mandarin on the way. i don't know what else to say.
20060430
20060428
My experience in China so far
i was writing to a friend who soon will be coming to china. here's the good stuff..
money: i brought only 1000yuan/150$cdn here, i could have used a bit more. you can probably bring 2000yuan/300$cdn and that would be more than fine. this is good for a month. when converting, i always think 100yuan=15$cdn or 20yuan = 3$cdn.
monthly local salary: local teachers make about 1000yuan a month, depending on their degree. make sure, as outlined in the contract, you just don't talk about what you make. "i can't talk about it," is what i say. i've been asked by a student and a local teacher.
toiletries: things like toothpaste, shampoo, and soap is much cheaper here than at home, so you should only have to bring one of everything to start off with.
food: food here is very, very cheap. for groceries, you need at least 400yuan/60$cdn a month, you can bring more than that if you want. the other day, i got a good meal/2 snacks for 2yuan/30cents at an outdoor market. new foods are always exciting. veggies are very cheap. you can get a good meal for two for about 20 yuan/3$cdn. junk food costs more (as oppose to in Canada), but who need junk anyway. you'll eat healthy here. people generally buy groceries for the meal the day of. i went to eat at a local teacher's house and she made noodles right before my eyes. that is, noodles from scratch.. mixed it, pounded it, then cut it. oh yes. and no tipping at restaurants. the ordering process is interesting. you shall see.
people love their veggies here. not so big on meat as we are in north america. you will try new things.
snacks: gum and candy is real cheap in china. the only snack item i would say you would miss is chocolate. the chocolate tastes very different. luckily, my mom made be bring some chocolate bars. they are still in my coffee table for a rainy day. lots of cookies and other snacks. you can spend all day in the supermarket or shopping centre. there is an abundant number of everything (except English books).
milk: milk in china is very different. it is very sweet here. they do not have yoghurt, but they have what we call "yop" in canada. a watery yogurt which is fantastic.
dictionary: bring a dictionary and perhaps a phrase book. i bought one from toronto, but it was missing some words that i was interested in finding. you can find lots of english-chinese dictionaries here, probably for much cheaper anyway.
chinese phrasebook: a friend gave me this. it was quite useful. "chinese phrases for dummies." it does not have any chinese characters in it. it is written using our english sounds, so it is easier for english speakers to use. it is also good, because it helps you learn the basics in the chinese language. i'm slowly learning and learning quite well. it is very good to learn numbers, and greetings.. and! "boo dong" = i don't understand.
bookstores: english books in bookstores are expensive. the english section is also limited, especially in my city (my city is similar size to ottawa).
bargain: when you go anywhere in china, it is best to go with a local speaker. they will help you bargain. you can bargain practically anywhere, but you can't bargain in some "supermarkets." supermarkets are like walmarts, they sell everything. if you do not bargain, you will spend perhaps 3 to 4 times too much.
tissue/napkins/kleenex: sometimes, public washrooms do not have toilet paper. it is good to carry a personal size tissue packets. warning: public washrooms can be very smelly.
location cards for getting around in the city/town: by taxi. you can carry cards with locations you'd like to go to in the city. you can ask your work supervisor about writing locations for you. i know one person who uses these cards. all he needs is a card for school, and one for bank. it is good to write down your contact numbers just in case you get lost, too. oh yes, in my city, the taxi fare is 4yuan/60 cents. if we go more than 2 kilometres, it will rise, by .10yuan. uh.. that is almost 2 cents. taxi is cheap.
the city bus: me and another foreign english teacher took a bus ride around the city just to explore, 1yuan/15 cents. that was really fun.
electrical outlets: the outlets here are different. although they are different, if you bring something that is made in china, it usually should fit. my camera plug works, but my haircurler plug doesn't.
keeping your money: i think the best way is keep your money in your front pockets. my fellow foreign teacher, she has a fanny pack (something around your waist) under her baggy shirt. people do carry purses, but i think it's really hazardous. a fellow local teacher had it snatched before. i also have a large over the shoulder bag that i wear across my body.
luggage: i can tell you now, that you will buy many things to bring home. i will at the end of my trip. do not pack full/overload two big suitcases. you will buy things to bring home.
mail: my fellow teacher said that mail that she had sent did not get home. i sent mail home a while ago, but, i'm not sure if it got there. i'll have to ask. to go to the post office, ask a local person to go with you. there is special envelopes for international mail. it costs maybe a few dimes cheaper than international postage in Canada.
bank: i'm not sure about the bank, i will be going next week for the first time. i get paid in cash, so i won't open a bank account. however, i need to pay off a credit card bill (airfare) so i have to figure that out.
canadian embassy: make sure you contact the embassy. they should know you're in china. another foreign teacher didn't want to be known his location, so he did not register. to me, i think it's important that canada knows i'm here. http://www.beijing.gc.ca/beijing/en/navmain/consular/registration/index.htm
local teachers and college students: all of the teachers are very nice. some had invited me out shopping, eating at their house, parks.. especially if you are female i think, they will respond very well to you. they are very interested in talking to you. most speak english very well, few have lots of trouble. if your students are old enough, you can encourage them to invite you out. college students are very receptive. and especially if you're female. they take you everywhere, helping you do your own errands, even grocery shopping. one thing, if someone invites you out in china, that person pays. you can insist, of course.. at least try to. oh yes, students will ask you personal questions. it is normal in the culture. if you do not want to answer, just say it's personal. encourage them to ask questions, but of course, tell them that you will tell them if it is personal.
when you are walking with them, female students/teachers may hold your hand. it's sweet, but that's what they do.
utilities: i don't know if it will happen in your city/campus, but my electricity and water has gone out for a few hours a few times. it's really not a big deal. people are very careful about their electricity usage. when they are finished with an appliance, they usually turn it off.. except the fridge, of course.
buildings: i live in school residence. when the heaters are off and the electric heater is on, it may still be cold. the building is made of concrete and doesn't keep heat well.
trips: for my first trip outside of my city, we went to an ancient city called Xi'an. it was incredible. you can check out/see the pictures that i had sent you a while ago. it was quite cheap/inexpensive. cost me 1300yuan/200$cdn for 4 days, hotel and lots and lots of sight seeing. it was very beautiful, despite the air pollution. all 5 of us had a driver for two of the days, it cost us 500yuan/75$cdn total. also, a tour guide offered her services one of those days for 60yuan/9$cdn. it was amazing. we splurged well i think. it is not a lot, at all. right now, i'm saving for beijing in august.
swifter pads/tissue: i think this is important. they probably have it in the supermarket here, and cheaper, too. i brought my own knowing that a new apartment would be dusty. it is constantly dusty here.
chalk from the board: i got sick twice in three weeks until i realized i was inhaling a lot of the chalk in class. in canada, we have dustless chalk. in china, it's everywhere. your hands will be all chalky, and the dryness in your mouth will be the chalk, too. just be careful with the chalk dust. cover your nose and mouth when you are erasing. there are student monitors who are in charge of erasing the board, you can simply ask them.
public security board: within 30 days of your arrival, your school should help you register with the local police of your residence. this must be done if you want to travel out of your city. they mark your passport with something to indicate it.
webcam/internet access: electronics are not necessarily cheap here. it's sort of hard to ask about items when we don't know the language well. luckily, i brought a webcam with me. i should have gotten a microphone, too. i borrowed one from another foreign teacher. it helps a lot, being able to talk to friends and family. phone cards from toronto to beijing is cheap, but chatting on the net is cheaper. i have access at home, so i don't have to go to internet cafe or go to the school.
new hobby: expect to learn a new hobby. hahahaha, this is my interest now. i have a lot of time off. the first time i was away from home and got really bored, i learnt to crochet/knit. now i'm focusing on playing the guitar (i'm buying one from here for 230yuan/34.50$cdn, made in canada!) and cooking. i have a lot of time off! even though, i still go out about 4 times a week with other teachers or students.
nightlife: my city has some nightlife, that i have not discovered much of yet. there are however afternoon and few evening dance clubs. no alcohol. mainly as a physical activity. in my city, there are a lot of hotels and bathhouses. i don't know why. i've been to karaoke at a brazilian bbq resto, which is a slight change from chinese food, of course.
money: i brought only 1000yuan/150$cdn here, i could have used a bit more. you can probably bring 2000yuan/300$cdn and that would be more than fine. this is good for a month. when converting, i always think 100yuan=15$cdn or 20yuan = 3$cdn.
monthly local salary: local teachers make about 1000yuan a month, depending on their degree. make sure, as outlined in the contract, you just don't talk about what you make. "i can't talk about it," is what i say. i've been asked by a student and a local teacher.
toiletries: things like toothpaste, shampoo, and soap is much cheaper here than at home, so you should only have to bring one of everything to start off with.
food: food here is very, very cheap. for groceries, you need at least 400yuan/60$cdn a month, you can bring more than that if you want. the other day, i got a good meal/2 snacks for 2yuan/30cents at an outdoor market. new foods are always exciting. veggies are very cheap. you can get a good meal for two for about 20 yuan/3$cdn. junk food costs more (as oppose to in Canada), but who need junk anyway. you'll eat healthy here. people generally buy groceries for the meal the day of. i went to eat at a local teacher's house and she made noodles right before my eyes. that is, noodles from scratch.. mixed it, pounded it, then cut it. oh yes. and no tipping at restaurants. the ordering process is interesting. you shall see.
people love their veggies here. not so big on meat as we are in north america. you will try new things.
snacks: gum and candy is real cheap in china. the only snack item i would say you would miss is chocolate. the chocolate tastes very different. luckily, my mom made be bring some chocolate bars. they are still in my coffee table for a rainy day. lots of cookies and other snacks. you can spend all day in the supermarket or shopping centre. there is an abundant number of everything (except English books).
milk: milk in china is very different. it is very sweet here. they do not have yoghurt, but they have what we call "yop" in canada. a watery yogurt which is fantastic.
dictionary: bring a dictionary and perhaps a phrase book. i bought one from toronto, but it was missing some words that i was interested in finding. you can find lots of english-chinese dictionaries here, probably for much cheaper anyway.
chinese phrasebook: a friend gave me this. it was quite useful. "chinese phrases for dummies." it does not have any chinese characters in it. it is written using our english sounds, so it is easier for english speakers to use. it is also good, because it helps you learn the basics in the chinese language. i'm slowly learning and learning quite well. it is very good to learn numbers, and greetings.. and! "boo dong" = i don't understand.
bookstores: english books in bookstores are expensive. the english section is also limited, especially in my city (my city is similar size to ottawa).
bargain: when you go anywhere in china, it is best to go with a local speaker. they will help you bargain. you can bargain practically anywhere, but you can't bargain in some "supermarkets." supermarkets are like walmarts, they sell everything. if you do not bargain, you will spend perhaps 3 to 4 times too much.
tissue/napkins/kleenex: sometimes, public washrooms do not have toilet paper. it is good to carry a personal size tissue packets. warning: public washrooms can be very smelly.
location cards for getting around in the city/town: by taxi. you can carry cards with locations you'd like to go to in the city. you can ask your work supervisor about writing locations for you. i know one person who uses these cards. all he needs is a card for school, and one for bank. it is good to write down your contact numbers just in case you get lost, too. oh yes, in my city, the taxi fare is 4yuan/60 cents. if we go more than 2 kilometres, it will rise, by .10yuan. uh.. that is almost 2 cents. taxi is cheap.
the city bus: me and another foreign english teacher took a bus ride around the city just to explore, 1yuan/15 cents. that was really fun.
electrical outlets: the outlets here are different. although they are different, if you bring something that is made in china, it usually should fit. my camera plug works, but my haircurler plug doesn't.
keeping your money: i think the best way is keep your money in your front pockets. my fellow foreign teacher, she has a fanny pack (something around your waist) under her baggy shirt. people do carry purses, but i think it's really hazardous. a fellow local teacher had it snatched before. i also have a large over the shoulder bag that i wear across my body.
luggage: i can tell you now, that you will buy many things to bring home. i will at the end of my trip. do not pack full/overload two big suitcases. you will buy things to bring home.
mail: my fellow teacher said that mail that she had sent did not get home. i sent mail home a while ago, but, i'm not sure if it got there. i'll have to ask. to go to the post office, ask a local person to go with you. there is special envelopes for international mail. it costs maybe a few dimes cheaper than international postage in Canada.
bank: i'm not sure about the bank, i will be going next week for the first time. i get paid in cash, so i won't open a bank account. however, i need to pay off a credit card bill (airfare) so i have to figure that out.
canadian embassy: make sure you contact the embassy. they should know you're in china. another foreign teacher didn't want to be known his location, so he did not register. to me, i think it's important that canada knows i'm here. http://www.beijing.gc.ca/beijing/en/navmain/consular/registration/index.htm
local teachers and college students: all of the teachers are very nice. some had invited me out shopping, eating at their house, parks.. especially if you are female i think, they will respond very well to you. they are very interested in talking to you. most speak english very well, few have lots of trouble. if your students are old enough, you can encourage them to invite you out. college students are very receptive. and especially if you're female. they take you everywhere, helping you do your own errands, even grocery shopping. one thing, if someone invites you out in china, that person pays. you can insist, of course.. at least try to. oh yes, students will ask you personal questions. it is normal in the culture. if you do not want to answer, just say it's personal. encourage them to ask questions, but of course, tell them that you will tell them if it is personal.
when you are walking with them, female students/teachers may hold your hand. it's sweet, but that's what they do.
utilities: i don't know if it will happen in your city/campus, but my electricity and water has gone out for a few hours a few times. it's really not a big deal. people are very careful about their electricity usage. when they are finished with an appliance, they usually turn it off.. except the fridge, of course.
buildings: i live in school residence. when the heaters are off and the electric heater is on, it may still be cold. the building is made of concrete and doesn't keep heat well.
trips: for my first trip outside of my city, we went to an ancient city called Xi'an. it was incredible. you can check out/see the pictures that i had sent you a while ago. it was quite cheap/inexpensive. cost me 1300yuan/200$cdn for 4 days, hotel and lots and lots of sight seeing. it was very beautiful, despite the air pollution. all 5 of us had a driver for two of the days, it cost us 500yuan/75$cdn total. also, a tour guide offered her services one of those days for 60yuan/9$cdn. it was amazing. we splurged well i think. it is not a lot, at all. right now, i'm saving for beijing in august.
swifter pads/tissue: i think this is important. they probably have it in the supermarket here, and cheaper, too. i brought my own knowing that a new apartment would be dusty. it is constantly dusty here.
chalk from the board: i got sick twice in three weeks until i realized i was inhaling a lot of the chalk in class. in canada, we have dustless chalk. in china, it's everywhere. your hands will be all chalky, and the dryness in your mouth will be the chalk, too. just be careful with the chalk dust. cover your nose and mouth when you are erasing. there are student monitors who are in charge of erasing the board, you can simply ask them.
public security board: within 30 days of your arrival, your school should help you register with the local police of your residence. this must be done if you want to travel out of your city. they mark your passport with something to indicate it.
webcam/internet access: electronics are not necessarily cheap here. it's sort of hard to ask about items when we don't know the language well. luckily, i brought a webcam with me. i should have gotten a microphone, too. i borrowed one from another foreign teacher. it helps a lot, being able to talk to friends and family. phone cards from toronto to beijing is cheap, but chatting on the net is cheaper. i have access at home, so i don't have to go to internet cafe or go to the school.
new hobby: expect to learn a new hobby. hahahaha, this is my interest now. i have a lot of time off. the first time i was away from home and got really bored, i learnt to crochet/knit. now i'm focusing on playing the guitar (i'm buying one from here for 230yuan/34.50$cdn, made in canada!) and cooking. i have a lot of time off! even though, i still go out about 4 times a week with other teachers or students.
nightlife: my city has some nightlife, that i have not discovered much of yet. there are however afternoon and few evening dance clubs. no alcohol. mainly as a physical activity. in my city, there are a lot of hotels and bathhouses. i don't know why. i've been to karaoke at a brazilian bbq resto, which is a slight change from chinese food, of course.
20060423
feng huan lieng park
so. yesterday, nothing much happened. i was supposed to meet my students, optional, to go to the park. no one came, so was free for the morning, which was great. i got to stay home for the cable guy, english channels! i will not see any until it's complete monday.
du mei qing, mary, and yang yong fang discuss good places for day trips for the may holiday. i say, sure whatever. for me, as long as there is little cost.
today, i woke up early, as usual, and went to meet lory, mary, and lory's students at the front gate. of course everyone was there including the hyperactive, expressive student who was just evidently having a hard time trying to contain himself. through the whole trip to the park, he was trying to tell me things, and of course you saw the physical outbursts of really remembering that i really don't understand. so, we made friends. i will teach him english, and he will teach me chinese.. and the guitar! damn, boys who sing in mandarin. hahaha.. it's lovely. reminds me of charles, my cousin, -minus the urges to eat vinegar packages mixed with whatever else.
lory brought a friend, who brought another. all teachers. they brought peter, a lovely boy that mary had met in the past. he was soooooooooooooooooooOo darling. he was very receptive to me, and understood English pretty well. of course, lory's students being from the art department don't understand anything i say.. well, very little. nothing but polite terms. mary and i wanted to visit the park more, but it was nearing lunchtime. we will do so another time.
we went to eat, very well! at a nice restaurant downtown. very, very good food. mary and i were stuff. i thought it was really unfortunate that we couldn't communicate with the family more. our translator, a local english teacher in the arts department unfortunately had poor english.
we went home to get ready for swimming with du mei qing and yang yong fang. i run around the house, putting my bathing suit on, sweeping (seems like i have to do that a lot in my apartment, i shed a lot, too), and getting things somewhat organized.
we go to the pool. it was a really, really nice pool. some students came up to mary and asked her where she was from. of course they can't tell that i am a foreigner. the pool, a little cold at first of course. i got to talk to some girls, and later some boys, while i get acclimated to the water. they were very keen, and some, were better than my own students at the college. the girls were 14 and 15, while the boys were 11 and 12.
i swam. and swam. i really suck, i thought. i stopped a bit. du mei qing lends me her goggles. it worked wonders. i feel way more confident with them. i will get them next time i go. they cost 60yuan/9cdn$. perscription is the word that must be highlighted. perrrrrscrrription goggles.
i went to du mei qing's place. mary went home for plans and yang yong fang had to wait for a friend. on the way, we stopped by a market and some snack stands. i cannot tell you enough, the snack food in this city, is sooooooooooooooooooooOOoo good.
i walked home her house in the dark, which was a bit scary. i could've taken a taxi, but i felt i could brave it. i walked briskly, quickly, passed the night workers who do talk to me. i just walk, i'm happy i don't understand. i come home take a shower (chlorine), and relax a bit.
i wanted to take an early sleep, but saw my cousin online and a friend. uploaded pictures and videos, please see them! good night!
p.s. one more thing at the park. to get to the park, we did not take the bus, as i had thought. we walked, -but what is so special? we walked on the highway. this freaked me out a bit, and mary terribly. but it was really good! hahaha.. oh yeah.. and when vehicles honk now, i don't move. i'm desensitized now mom. i will be trouble when i'm back home.
du mei qing, mary, and yang yong fang discuss good places for day trips for the may holiday. i say, sure whatever. for me, as long as there is little cost.
today, i woke up early, as usual, and went to meet lory, mary, and lory's students at the front gate. of course everyone was there including the hyperactive, expressive student who was just evidently having a hard time trying to contain himself. through the whole trip to the park, he was trying to tell me things, and of course you saw the physical outbursts of really remembering that i really don't understand. so, we made friends. i will teach him english, and he will teach me chinese.. and the guitar! damn, boys who sing in mandarin. hahaha.. it's lovely. reminds me of charles, my cousin, -minus the urges to eat vinegar packages mixed with whatever else.
lory brought a friend, who brought another. all teachers. they brought peter, a lovely boy that mary had met in the past. he was soooooooooooooooooooOo darling. he was very receptive to me, and understood English pretty well. of course, lory's students being from the art department don't understand anything i say.. well, very little. nothing but polite terms. mary and i wanted to visit the park more, but it was nearing lunchtime. we will do so another time.
we went to eat, very well! at a nice restaurant downtown. very, very good food. mary and i were stuff. i thought it was really unfortunate that we couldn't communicate with the family more. our translator, a local english teacher in the arts department unfortunately had poor english.
we went home to get ready for swimming with du mei qing and yang yong fang. i run around the house, putting my bathing suit on, sweeping (seems like i have to do that a lot in my apartment, i shed a lot, too), and getting things somewhat organized.
we go to the pool. it was a really, really nice pool. some students came up to mary and asked her where she was from. of course they can't tell that i am a foreigner. the pool, a little cold at first of course. i got to talk to some girls, and later some boys, while i get acclimated to the water. they were very keen, and some, were better than my own students at the college. the girls were 14 and 15, while the boys were 11 and 12.
i swam. and swam. i really suck, i thought. i stopped a bit. du mei qing lends me her goggles. it worked wonders. i feel way more confident with them. i will get them next time i go. they cost 60yuan/9cdn$. perscription is the word that must be highlighted. perrrrrscrrription goggles.
i went to du mei qing's place. mary went home for plans and yang yong fang had to wait for a friend. on the way, we stopped by a market and some snack stands. i cannot tell you enough, the snack food in this city, is sooooooooooooooooooooOOoo good.
i walked home her house in the dark, which was a bit scary. i could've taken a taxi, but i felt i could brave it. i walked briskly, quickly, passed the night workers who do talk to me. i just walk, i'm happy i don't understand. i come home take a shower (chlorine), and relax a bit.
i wanted to take an early sleep, but saw my cousin online and a friend. uploaded pictures and videos, please see them! good night!
p.s. one more thing at the park. to get to the park, we did not take the bus, as i had thought. we walked, -but what is so special? we walked on the highway. this freaked me out a bit, and mary terribly. but it was really good! hahaha.. oh yeah.. and when vehicles honk now, i don't move. i'm desensitized now mom. i will be trouble when i'm back home.
20060421
feng ming district
so, delightfully, ms yong yang fang invites me and mary to her house yesterday for today lunch. as usual, it is absolute great. i learnt a new recipe. after stuffing myself with two bowls of, get this, homemade wheat noodles, i get a little sleepy. i watched her twist and turn, slam the noodles, then put them in the pot to cook. mary, du mei qing, and ms yong talk about whatever when i am trying to get my composure, nodding off. pao la. too full.
we go off to play badminton for the second time this week (i have a renewed love for badminton now). i may get a racket here, maybe. we meet the cutest little girl. she is the daughter of a friend of ms. yong's. i hold hands with her while we all go for a walk.
we walk to find a bathing suit for mary. we hope to go swimming, all of us together on sunday. we walk into a textile store and find something that mary bought more expensive at bai feng supermarket. we refused the bargain price they set, (originally 160 yuan/24$cdn, now 95 yuan/14.25$), plan to search for it somewhere else, and find ourselves in a hidden part of our neighbourhood.
first, we visited ms yong's sister's salon, where i find out a haircut is only 5 yuan/75cents cdn. i probably will return. we walk down a street to find a busy quarter of snackers and local food. mary and i are fascinated. we find our xi'an delight, and this thing we'd call chinese stuffed pizza. it was all too good. we will go back to take pictures for sure. and eat yummy food.
we go off to play badminton for the second time this week (i have a renewed love for badminton now). i may get a racket here, maybe. we meet the cutest little girl. she is the daughter of a friend of ms. yong's. i hold hands with her while we all go for a walk.
we walk to find a bathing suit for mary. we hope to go swimming, all of us together on sunday. we walk into a textile store and find something that mary bought more expensive at bai feng supermarket. we refused the bargain price they set, (originally 160 yuan/24$cdn, now 95 yuan/14.25$), plan to search for it somewhere else, and find ourselves in a hidden part of our neighbourhood.
first, we visited ms yong's sister's salon, where i find out a haircut is only 5 yuan/75cents cdn. i probably will return. we walk down a street to find a busy quarter of snackers and local food. mary and i are fascinated. we find our xi'an delight, and this thing we'd call chinese stuffed pizza. it was all too good. we will go back to take pictures for sure. and eat yummy food.
20060420
rio brazilian bbq in jincheng
so. when i got on the bus today, i did not expect we would be doing what we did tonight. i got on the bus and mary tells me about something our fellow local english teacher had set up for us. we would be eating at a restaurant, being interviewed as foreigners, for publicity.
i can say, it was great. of course, it was free. it was something i was hoping to see, a little of in jincheng. a nightlife. i'm very excited!! but! i know that the prices there are not fitting for my local friends, even if i want to go all the time.
the place is a nice place, i thought at first. i got a box of matches, which is a first in china, to have matches in a restaurant. i glee with delight while mary tries to figure out my excitement. we wait for a long time, and we are totally confused as to what was to happen. they were setting things up, their camerawork and all. after about an hour, we are all starting to get uncomfortable just sitting around. we had moved to the upstairs of the restaurant and i become more.. excited. it was quite lounge-y (plus some urine scent, not pungent, very light), very colourful, very nice in structure. i saw the menu, very reasonable and got even more excited with pasta and pizza dishes. most of us opt for the buffet, minus birnie who can't eat red meat. i hadn't had so much meat since i came here. i felt a little gross after, well now. i guess i got really used to the veggies, and bits of meat that a bbq was just too much.
they shot us dancing, they interviewed us, they shot us dancing outside the restaurant, they shot us posing in front of the restaurant. it's hilarious. i regretted not bringing my camera. i plainly forgot, had thought about it earlier, but just forgot. they said they would give us copies of the commercial/tv ad. when it is ready. giddiness.
i think the thing that enticed me, mary and yang qing the most was that there was karaoke! we will definitely do it the next time we go! actually, they asked about birnie's birthday being next week. so! i think we are going next week again. ooo.. drinking and karaoke, my kind of mix.
oh yeah, i got to dance with these girls/my age. they were the hostesses/interviewers of the commercial. they were cool, but of course we did not speak the same language. i was tempted to pass on my phone number, but what good would that do. maybe i will see them again. maybe, i will not.
i can say, it was great. of course, it was free. it was something i was hoping to see, a little of in jincheng. a nightlife. i'm very excited!! but! i know that the prices there are not fitting for my local friends, even if i want to go all the time.
the place is a nice place, i thought at first. i got a box of matches, which is a first in china, to have matches in a restaurant. i glee with delight while mary tries to figure out my excitement. we wait for a long time, and we are totally confused as to what was to happen. they were setting things up, their camerawork and all. after about an hour, we are all starting to get uncomfortable just sitting around. we had moved to the upstairs of the restaurant and i become more.. excited. it was quite lounge-y (plus some urine scent, not pungent, very light), very colourful, very nice in structure. i saw the menu, very reasonable and got even more excited with pasta and pizza dishes. most of us opt for the buffet, minus birnie who can't eat red meat. i hadn't had so much meat since i came here. i felt a little gross after, well now. i guess i got really used to the veggies, and bits of meat that a bbq was just too much.
they shot us dancing, they interviewed us, they shot us dancing outside the restaurant, they shot us posing in front of the restaurant. it's hilarious. i regretted not bringing my camera. i plainly forgot, had thought about it earlier, but just forgot. they said they would give us copies of the commercial/tv ad. when it is ready. giddiness.
i think the thing that enticed me, mary and yang qing the most was that there was karaoke! we will definitely do it the next time we go! actually, they asked about birnie's birthday being next week. so! i think we are going next week again. ooo.. drinking and karaoke, my kind of mix.
oh yeah, i got to dance with these girls/my age. they were the hostesses/interviewers of the commercial. they were cool, but of course we did not speak the same language. i was tempted to pass on my phone number, but what good would that do. maybe i will see them again. maybe, i will not.
20060419
transport
so, today morning, i got up groggy. i got ready for school. changed my routine a bit, and took a shower the night before instead of in the morning, ie, groggy. i got dressed really nice, and went out for the school bus to take me to the other campus. i took a little longer after realizing that i could take a bit more time before i go to the bus stop, as the other teachers do.
so i walk to the main admin building and see no bus. i look over and see birnie there waiting, of course with his laptop and whateverness in a bag. i had thought i might have been late, but i confirmed on my watch that i wasn't at all. we wait. i can't really tell which teacher would be on the bus with us. we don't really talk to the local teachers, except for the ones who speak english.
a teacher comes by. she said, she'd ask someone. she hints that we may be riding on the blue truck/open hood, then runs to ask. she turns to me, and waves her hand, "here!" i tell birnie this and his first reaction was, "you wanna take a taxi?" it was hilarious.
we walked over and they showed us the school car that we were going to be on, not the truck. i really wanted the truck, but what the hey. mary got to ride on the blue truck, lucky for her!
so i walk to the main admin building and see no bus. i look over and see birnie there waiting, of course with his laptop and whateverness in a bag. i had thought i might have been late, but i confirmed on my watch that i wasn't at all. we wait. i can't really tell which teacher would be on the bus with us. we don't really talk to the local teachers, except for the ones who speak english.
a teacher comes by. she said, she'd ask someone. she hints that we may be riding on the blue truck/open hood, then runs to ask. she turns to me, and waves her hand, "here!" i tell birnie this and his first reaction was, "you wanna take a taxi?" it was hilarious.
we walked over and they showed us the school car that we were going to be on, not the truck. i really wanted the truck, but what the hey. mary got to ride on the blue truck, lucky for her!
20060404
my gosh, i think i'm developing feelings
i feel funny. am i starting to miss home now? i am not at the moment. i'm just reflecting, i think, now. i have all of this time. i need to write. fingers itch and mind gets moggy. i need to do something more active.
i imagine running. my excuse is the dust here. i should get masks. i should do a lot of things. apparently a gent from Cameroon who's working in the city asked me out for coffee yesterday night for tomorrow lunch. i said yes and delayed in recalling that one of my students was going to forward my contact info to some South African friend of hers. when she said it at first, i thought it was going to be a pen pal thing. apparently, i have heard of this guy from Cameroon. he's interested in a Chinese bride. i'm a little freaked by that. in many ways. i think it's ridiculous. i'll see how it goes. but of course! my mandate includes nothing of hooking up with anyone, nor do i want to. for a long time, i've felt that i've had enough.
and so i'm here reflecting. and you get to hear it.
what happen to that young cathy. in terms of relationships. why am i this way now? haha, more importantly, why don't i have feelings? i know it's ridiculous to hear, but in some twisted way, this is how i feel. hahaha.. will.. i meant good romantic feelings. i'm not swayed very well, and i think sapness is pure sapness. i must be picky.
i think i've had enough stupid relationships. relationships that i put myself horridly in. when recalling my favourite relationship at the moment, my only good one, i was so pure then. and this no feelings thing, is connected to some jaded feeling/air that i have. to me, the world is pretty black and white, i guess. why do things when they hurt you? nothing is important as you.
i try not to put myself in a situation like that.
when i went to xi'an, and went to the temple. i teared and controlled myself not to cry. i feel that i'm selfish all the time. i try so hard to step back and realize that it's not me, or any part of me. all that is negative is all we make of it. this is such an understatement. there are so many people who don't recognize this. i, just after a while, took so much in, and in the end, just let go. it was so easy to let go. and i want to be able to do this with everything.
[it is] some sort of bliss. i remember feeling it in high school in montreal. some state of nirvana. i was above. i had things in my life, but i thought what the hey. i was released from my childhood, from what i thought was horrible, and saw things differently.
and i stand in front of that temple, where it's been for a long time. where the day before i stood where people 1300 years ago stood, believing in something, praying for something, for someone. how can i step into something that is not myself anymore? why does it pain me, and why do i let it pain me? what am i looking for?
what does it mean to love someone? am i unit, or part of a unit? what is trust? and can we, be individual, independent and love?
i imagine running. my excuse is the dust here. i should get masks. i should do a lot of things. apparently a gent from Cameroon who's working in the city asked me out for coffee yesterday night for tomorrow lunch. i said yes and delayed in recalling that one of my students was going to forward my contact info to some South African friend of hers. when she said it at first, i thought it was going to be a pen pal thing. apparently, i have heard of this guy from Cameroon. he's interested in a Chinese bride. i'm a little freaked by that. in many ways. i think it's ridiculous. i'll see how it goes. but of course! my mandate includes nothing of hooking up with anyone, nor do i want to. for a long time, i've felt that i've had enough.
and so i'm here reflecting. and you get to hear it.
what happen to that young cathy. in terms of relationships. why am i this way now? haha, more importantly, why don't i have feelings? i know it's ridiculous to hear, but in some twisted way, this is how i feel. hahaha.. will.. i meant good romantic feelings. i'm not swayed very well, and i think sapness is pure sapness. i must be picky.
i think i've had enough stupid relationships. relationships that i put myself horridly in. when recalling my favourite relationship at the moment, my only good one, i was so pure then. and this no feelings thing, is connected to some jaded feeling/air that i have. to me, the world is pretty black and white, i guess. why do things when they hurt you? nothing is important as you.
i try not to put myself in a situation like that.
when i went to xi'an, and went to the temple. i teared and controlled myself not to cry. i feel that i'm selfish all the time. i try so hard to step back and realize that it's not me, or any part of me. all that is negative is all we make of it. this is such an understatement. there are so many people who don't recognize this. i, just after a while, took so much in, and in the end, just let go. it was so easy to let go. and i want to be able to do this with everything.
[it is] some sort of bliss. i remember feeling it in high school in montreal. some state of nirvana. i was above. i had things in my life, but i thought what the hey. i was released from my childhood, from what i thought was horrible, and saw things differently.
and i stand in front of that temple, where it's been for a long time. where the day before i stood where people 1300 years ago stood, believing in something, praying for something, for someone. how can i step into something that is not myself anymore? why does it pain me, and why do i let it pain me? what am i looking for?
what does it mean to love someone? am i unit, or part of a unit? what is trust? and can we, be individual, independent and love?
20060402
4 day stint in xi'an
so! finding out that we have a break from working at the school, mary comes up with a plan to "skip town." she originally wanted to go to beijing, but we decided that it was to late to buy tickets. we only found out about the break two days before. train tickets require reservations. (note: i had quoted the wrong price for first class train tickets to my city. it was 30$cdn, and 200 yuan, not 200$cdn. 200 yuan is still pricey, considering that most only make a few times more than that a month.)
alright, so wednesday starts. that is the day the school track meet begins. it continued until friday. mary had earlier in the day went to see the opening ceremonies. she stops by. i was still freshening up. i got lazy and decided to go see the meet later in the day. up until that point, we all decided that all plans were a no go.
bernie knocks on my door. (mary and bernie are the other two foreign teachers who live in the same building.) he says, "we're going get ready." i said "okay," shutting the door realizing i don't know how long i have and where we were going. i pack in the half an hour. we're going to xi'an, wherever that was.
we took the long bus ride to xi-an. 8 hours of me weary and developing a horrid cough. we get to this musty xi'an city. the bus station all busy, with taxis and other various vehicles asking if we need service. we rejected the 2 seater with lots of bag space, stuffing ourselves in a taxi. all five of us, plus the taxi driver. we settle at the hotel, go eat at an awesome restaurant nearby, then go to bed. we are to wake up for 7:30 the next day.
mama hongmei slept in the same room as me for the first night. she took care of me 'cause i was coughing. she was really good. she is really good.
1st day in xi'an
we get a driver for two days, 500 yuan. he gets gas for 150, at least. that leaves himself 52.75$cdn. we go to the palace Huaqing Hot Springs (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/huaqing.htm). very beautiful. made by an emperor for his love for one of his concubines. i thought it was beautiful. i was truly struck. the palace is made of mostly baths. she loved baths.
we then went to Qin Yinzheng's tomb(http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/qin/index.htm. it was under a large mountain of trees. it did not have trees or plants on it before, but after thousands of years, they came up. we walk into a performance. a sort of respectful offering of fruit and goods before the mountain for him. he was known for a lot of new chinese innovations: coins, tools,.. first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty who also was the first to be in control of a large China of the past, including Korea, Afghanistan, and parts of Japan. and hence,..
the Terra Cotta soldiers. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/index.htm. so Qin Yinzheng's reign was very successful and he wanted everyone to know it. it was common for emperors to bury their things with them. these soldiers were found by a farmer digging a well. he did not get much in return for telling the chinese government at first. after recognition from the british queen, he was compensated well and made custodian of this ground of terra cotta pits. these soldiers are not too far from the emperor himself. they were made to perhaps show how great his warriors were. exaggerated by height and weight, they were found with full colour. after 2 hours however, they were oxygenated and the colour disappeared. some of the pit is still uncovered so as to not to oxygenate them.
for breakfast, we had food in an alleyway shop. noodles of some kind. they didn't want me to have any egg in it 'cause i was sick. oh. the tour guide that we hired for the Springs, we hired for the whole day for 60 yuan. 9$cdn. we went to eat lunch at this place that was trying to rip us off. can you imagine 130 yuan for 5? actually, we had been eating an average 65 per person. of course, because we were westerners. imagine, 2o$cdn for 5?! we returned to the first restaurant that we ate at for dinner, for our 2nd dinner.
i slept in the same room as mary. hongmei bunked with yang qing. we opted for one less room.
day two
went to The Tomb of Princess Yongtai then of Empress Wu Zetian. very cool indeed. Princess Yongtai had a mysterious death. apparently married at 16 and claimed because of childbirth, she died at 17. her mother Empress Wu Zetian was a ruthless woman and is said that she may have killed her daughter as well as her son. Princess Yongtai's husband also died the same year. whatever is printed on her tombstone, perhaps is just a ploy to show differently. her tomb was pretty cool. i mean, it was cold! the only tomb that was saw that was opened, already had things stolen from it by grave robbers.
Empress Wu Zetian was buried with her husband. apparently she was a concubine to his father first, and eventually his wife. her husbands weren't very strong, weak actually, so she took care of most of the work. she studied and learned the ways of being an "emperor." she had her own lovers and was the mostly and only empress worth knowing of all dynasties. very good at her job also. her tomb was unopened. later emperors tried to open her tomb, but was discouraged by lightening and thunder each time. very neat.
we went to eat at a resto in that area and was taken advantage of. the meal from the night before only cost us 68 yuan, but this new place wanted to charge us 130 yuan. taking advantage of foreigners. hongmei yelled at them of course. a difference of 5$cdn, but what the hey, they were ripping us off.
we then went to a temple. and museum type one and one with a relic of a so called buddha. very cool! mary and i brought fruit. lots of people. we passed by some ladies between the temple and the other temple. actually, they mugged us. i mean, they just wanted to sell their incense, but they were forcing them into our arms and hands. it was really pathetic. they were incredibly persistent. hongmei got bogged down by this guy, and i tried to shake him off. so far, people who live in suburb/rural xi'an are living only on foreigner aid. apparently.
we got driven to downtown xi'an and saw a bit. mary, hongmei, and yang qing all bought hats. we went home.
day three
this was supposed to be our shopping day. or we thought. we went downtown, meeting gerry's (a contact's) wife at the hotel. we went to the bell tower and the drum tower. man, standing on the bell tower looking around the city, is amazing! the bell tower was amazing. inside. the doors, the walls, the art. and to think everything existed as is, some retouching, 1300 years ago. xi'an is beautiful and open (except! for the pollution.)
after the towers, we went to this open market that we saw. food and knick knicks. i got postcards and combs. that market was the Muslim quarter. we had our lunch there, which was pretty, pretty good.
we continued to the place we were in the night before, but another amazing site! just like in the chinese movies, i kept on saying. ol' time movies, shops, and ladies on the balconies,.. but not really ladies. lots of shops, stalls in the middle. i got stuff. hush..
it was overall a great trip. it was truly eye-opening. i'm rarely surprised, and this trip was an eyeopener.
alright, so wednesday starts. that is the day the school track meet begins. it continued until friday. mary had earlier in the day went to see the opening ceremonies. she stops by. i was still freshening up. i got lazy and decided to go see the meet later in the day. up until that point, we all decided that all plans were a no go.
bernie knocks on my door. (mary and bernie are the other two foreign teachers who live in the same building.) he says, "we're going get ready." i said "okay," shutting the door realizing i don't know how long i have and where we were going. i pack in the half an hour. we're going to xi'an, wherever that was.
we took the long bus ride to xi-an. 8 hours of me weary and developing a horrid cough. we get to this musty xi'an city. the bus station all busy, with taxis and other various vehicles asking if we need service. we rejected the 2 seater with lots of bag space, stuffing ourselves in a taxi. all five of us, plus the taxi driver. we settle at the hotel, go eat at an awesome restaurant nearby, then go to bed. we are to wake up for 7:30 the next day.
mama hongmei slept in the same room as me for the first night. she took care of me 'cause i was coughing. she was really good. she is really good.
1st day in xi'an
we get a driver for two days, 500 yuan. he gets gas for 150, at least. that leaves himself 52.75$cdn. we go to the palace Huaqing Hot Springs (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/huaqing.htm). very beautiful. made by an emperor for his love for one of his concubines. i thought it was beautiful. i was truly struck. the palace is made of mostly baths. she loved baths.
we then went to Qin Yinzheng's tomb(http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/qin/index.htm. it was under a large mountain of trees. it did not have trees or plants on it before, but after thousands of years, they came up. we walk into a performance. a sort of respectful offering of fruit and goods before the mountain for him. he was known for a lot of new chinese innovations: coins, tools,.. first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty who also was the first to be in control of a large China of the past, including Korea, Afghanistan, and parts of Japan. and hence,..
the Terra Cotta soldiers. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/index.htm. so Qin Yinzheng's reign was very successful and he wanted everyone to know it. it was common for emperors to bury their things with them. these soldiers were found by a farmer digging a well. he did not get much in return for telling the chinese government at first. after recognition from the british queen, he was compensated well and made custodian of this ground of terra cotta pits. these soldiers are not too far from the emperor himself. they were made to perhaps show how great his warriors were. exaggerated by height and weight, they were found with full colour. after 2 hours however, they were oxygenated and the colour disappeared. some of the pit is still uncovered so as to not to oxygenate them.
for breakfast, we had food in an alleyway shop. noodles of some kind. they didn't want me to have any egg in it 'cause i was sick. oh. the tour guide that we hired for the Springs, we hired for the whole day for 60 yuan. 9$cdn. we went to eat lunch at this place that was trying to rip us off. can you imagine 130 yuan for 5? actually, we had been eating an average 65 per person. of course, because we were westerners. imagine, 2o$cdn for 5?! we returned to the first restaurant that we ate at for dinner, for our 2nd dinner.
i slept in the same room as mary. hongmei bunked with yang qing. we opted for one less room.
day two
went to The Tomb of Princess Yongtai then of Empress Wu Zetian. very cool indeed. Princess Yongtai had a mysterious death. apparently married at 16 and claimed because of childbirth, she died at 17. her mother Empress Wu Zetian was a ruthless woman and is said that she may have killed her daughter as well as her son. Princess Yongtai's husband also died the same year. whatever is printed on her tombstone, perhaps is just a ploy to show differently. her tomb was pretty cool. i mean, it was cold! the only tomb that was saw that was opened, already had things stolen from it by grave robbers.
Empress Wu Zetian was buried with her husband. apparently she was a concubine to his father first, and eventually his wife. her husbands weren't very strong, weak actually, so she took care of most of the work. she studied and learned the ways of being an "emperor." she had her own lovers and was the mostly and only empress worth knowing of all dynasties. very good at her job also. her tomb was unopened. later emperors tried to open her tomb, but was discouraged by lightening and thunder each time. very neat.
we went to eat at a resto in that area and was taken advantage of. the meal from the night before only cost us 68 yuan, but this new place wanted to charge us 130 yuan. taking advantage of foreigners. hongmei yelled at them of course. a difference of 5$cdn, but what the hey, they were ripping us off.
we then went to a temple. and museum type one and one with a relic of a so called buddha. very cool! mary and i brought fruit. lots of people. we passed by some ladies between the temple and the other temple. actually, they mugged us. i mean, they just wanted to sell their incense, but they were forcing them into our arms and hands. it was really pathetic. they were incredibly persistent. hongmei got bogged down by this guy, and i tried to shake him off. so far, people who live in suburb/rural xi'an are living only on foreigner aid. apparently.
we got driven to downtown xi'an and saw a bit. mary, hongmei, and yang qing all bought hats. we went home.
day three
this was supposed to be our shopping day. or we thought. we went downtown, meeting gerry's (a contact's) wife at the hotel. we went to the bell tower and the drum tower. man, standing on the bell tower looking around the city, is amazing! the bell tower was amazing. inside. the doors, the walls, the art. and to think everything existed as is, some retouching, 1300 years ago. xi'an is beautiful and open (except! for the pollution.)
after the towers, we went to this open market that we saw. food and knick knicks. i got postcards and combs. that market was the Muslim quarter. we had our lunch there, which was pretty, pretty good.
we continued to the place we were in the night before, but another amazing site! just like in the chinese movies, i kept on saying. ol' time movies, shops, and ladies on the balconies,.. but not really ladies. lots of shops, stalls in the middle. i got stuff. hush..
it was overall a great trip. it was truly eye-opening. i'm rarely surprised, and this trip was an eyeopener.
my welcome bunch
my first week was terrific. of course, i had my students for the first time. in 5 days, i was invited out for 3 activities. it was really good. the first activity as to Tse Cho park, the one across from school. very, very nice. we just simply walked. it was beautiful. had a bridge, lots of water, a pond, an area to fly kites. lots of people fishing! on a thursday afternoon. also, flying kites! usually, you don't see adults flying kites in canada, but in jincheng! they fly kites simply because they love it. the students treat me to candy hawthorn. i wasn't sure what it was, but ate it anyway. i recall haw flakes at home, and recognize and now know the real fruit. it's just so good. i should get some at the supermarket. i regretted not bringing my camera. after that activity, i walked to jinnian supermarket, bought some things, and went home. that was the first time i went to the market alone. the streets, i realize, are very freaky! at that point, i was somewhat terrified of crossing the street. it was done, however.
the other activities, included me going to xin tai huan supermarket downtown, which was real cool. it was the first time i went downtown. i bought paper for letters, lovely paper, and two cds. one apparently a nicolas tse (canadian, one student tells me) and! a david tao zhe cd. i'm going to bring home a david tao collection, i think :P.
the first week ended with me having dinner at my house. my first year students cook for me. that's right, they cook for me. it was soooooooooOoo unbelievably good. i've got to tell you, food in Jincheng, China is soooooooooooooooOoo good. i haven't gotten sick of it at all. man, i've gotta learn to make food. [i will] die by my own cooking.
the other activities, included me going to xin tai huan supermarket downtown, which was real cool. it was the first time i went downtown. i bought paper for letters, lovely paper, and two cds. one apparently a nicolas tse (canadian, one student tells me) and! a david tao zhe cd. i'm going to bring home a david tao collection, i think :P.
the first week ended with me having dinner at my house. my first year students cook for me. that's right, they cook for me. it was soooooooooOoo unbelievably good. i've got to tell you, food in Jincheng, China is soooooooooooooooOoo good. i haven't gotten sick of it at all. man, i've gotta learn to make food. [i will] die by my own cooking.
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