Hello world! I am in China now, Kaifeng to be exact. I haven’t been able to post much of anything because the internet in our dorm is super slow and many websites that i use for my blog and travel updates are “blocked” here. (PS excuse the numerous spelling errors, i was typing fast and using a chinese software hence i dont know how to spell check on it)
Let me try to catch you up to speed with a brief run down of events to try and play catch up to current stuff. The more detailed info will be added later, I mostly wanted to get something out there so you know I ma still alive. (haha)
Ok so here it goes:
Aug 26, 2011: (AM)Left US for Hong Kong via Toronto.
Great flight, totally wired for some reason, hadn’t slept in days from excitement.
August 27:(PM) Arrive in Hong Kong! Picked up by a friend and go to mainland via Shenzhen. They are so close you can literally jump from one to the other. Everything is so surreal.
August 28- Sept 4: in Shenzhen, filled with a flurry of shopping (OMG post more later), traveling around this beautiful city, soaking up the amazing culture, visiting Hong Kong and trying to pinch myself that i am really here, living my dream. Also, realizing that my Chinese sucks!
Sept 5: boarded a sleeper train to Kaifeng 22 (hours!)
Sept 6: Arrive in Kaifeng! Boy has this city changed since May 2010. Glad I at least remember a few things near the south gate to get me by until i get acclimated. Picked up by staff of our program at the train station. Arrive at Henan University. Proceed to sign in, find my room (on the 5th floor with no elevator) and meet my temporary room mate. She takes my sorry hungry butt out to lunch at one of the many resturants near the South gate (this will become a point of reference) and we ate the most delish fried rice. Also, visited the famous Kaifeng Night Market. It was really rainy so not many places were open and not a lot of people out.
Sept 7: finally found the other akron students here. Leanne is in my program, ben and adam are teaching english. My roomate Angelika (from Russia), leanne and i go for a massage that was recommended by last years scholarship winners. It is a small place that looks very different from most massage places i have visited. But the owner, who speaks a little english gave the most wonderful massage and told me to ask for him any time i return. I pay my 30 yuan ($6usd) for my 1 hour full massage. (more on this unique and awesome place later)
Sept 8: Went with the other westerners to watch the infamous ultimate frisbee introduced a few years ago by a group of english teachers from Beloit University. Finally get to meet my dear friend Carl, who i have been talking to online and in emails for almost a year. We met through ben as a language exchange but became like family. After frisbee walked back to “Foreign area” (more later) and stayed to play, rather watch people play ping pong. Didnt want to leave but i needed to get some sleep.
Sept 9: studying and lunch with carl. His english is very impressive. It has improved dramatically since we met. His writing is very beautiful. You can see his tender heart and sweet innocence in his words as well as his passion for english. When i get back from studying i am moved (1st of many more later) into my new room with leanne on the 4th floor.
Sept 10: explore the west gate
Sept 11: 9:11pm All the americans gather at Adams place to drink a few in honor of those lost on 9/11 and since protecting our country. Since we are 12 hours ahead we have a moment of silence at the times for each of the tragedies 9:11 pm our time. Somber evening.
Sept 13: Meet my ‘lil sister Christine. We met last year when i came on a brief trip to china and have stayed in touch ever since. She is incredibly beautiful and and smart, her english also is amazing. Shave dinner with carl and friends.
Sept 14: Go with the girls to the “city center” to go shopping. Due to malfunctions our room gets changed and we move down the hall (number 2)
Sept 15: the dreaded placement test. It was worse then i imagined and was all in characters, which i dont know. We need more passport photos, and some other documents for our student ids and other paper work. Got my hair cut and began to feel more confident dispite my lack of chinese skills. Also got my hair cut and colored at a local salon (more later)
Sept 16: finally some sun shine!! We discovered a little pizza place and an amazing pastry shop/cafe. The pizza is good, not exactly american but still good in a chinese way. Night market, which was much busier and full of people.
Sept 19: Classes begin! Oh did i mention they are on the 6th floor (with no elevator)? Why yes they are. By the time i get up there i am dripping with sweat and cant breathe. I can only do one flight at a time, while the chinese students and other much younger classmates wiz by me like it is nothing. Deciding to leave 15 minutes early from now on do to 10 flights of stairs.
Sept 20: Was asked by adam and ben to go to help them at english corner with all the students. Loved it! While i felt like Britney spears at a press conference it was still really cool. These students are amazing and work very hard. Exchanged many qq numbers and made friends with many. First of many times at english corner.
Sept 21-30: a flurry of classes and meeting people including David and Mark, great guys in the Translation and interpreting masters program. They take us out to dinner and we meet their friends who are equally awesome and we play pool at this place you would never have thought was nice on the inside (pics later). Also met up with a good friend i met on his Wushu tour in the US. Leo (i gave him the english name) and received a very large wushu sword. It is still surreal to see people i know from home here. Also trying to get used to the constant staring and pointing.
China’s National Holiday Break Oct 1-Oct 10:
We (angelika, leanna and i) have choosen to take our holiday break in shenzhen because i couldnt shut up about it. We board a train for the 18 hour ride because we are stopping in Guanzhou on the way to spend the day, before taking a bullet train to shenzhen.
Guanzhou is amazing!! Beautful city. We visit an island of sorts that is the dimplomats former area. All the buildings are western and it reminds me of walking through the french quater in new orleans. Lots of fun (more later0
On to Shenzhen! We get lost trying to find our hotel, but after a 2 hour adventure in the middle of the night, we arrive at this awesome hostel. (more on it later)
During this week we shop, eat, and explore. We visit Chinese Cultural folk park. The take a few days to them selves because my feet couldnt take more walking, so i discover many cool places around the hostel including a wonderful massage spa. (more later)
One day we head to Disney Hong Kong! I am beyond excited! I now have been to 3 disney parks around the world and i want to go to more!! It was magical even though it was small, smaller then disney land in cali. (more later)
October 8: we board the train to return to kaifeng and to school and homework. 22 hours of not sleeping because of rude bunk mates (more later)
Oct 10- 28 fly by in a flurry of activities and homework, nothing major accept i have been asked to teach at a local preschool (kindergarten here) one hour a week of english. On the 28th my friend and teacher takes me to the crysanthimum festival at long ting. It was amazing and better then last time when i was too injured to walk up to the top of the steps to the palace. (more later)
Oct 31: foreign teachers have a truly all american style party for the students. Complete with apple-bobbing and costumes. The students love being involved and learning our strange traditions.
November beings pretty good but is brought to a complete hault when i catch a cold that turns into pneumonia. I am out of commission for 2 weeks. When i return i am behind in class even though i tried to keep up with my homework. Not being in class ruins my progression especially with speaking and listening. I am supposed to be taking an HSK at the end of the month but i havent had time to study with being sick, catching up and teaching. My wonderful teacher Li invited me to lunch and to dinner and to study at her home. (more later) The rest of the month is a blur of classes and minor frustrations. I have discovred that no matter how young i look or act i am not 22 and no longer enjoy that crowd. Find my own way to making my time here happy, my way. (more later)
Thanksgiving night: all the american teachers and students go out for an amazing buffet dinner full of meat (which i miss) and meet 2 cool guys traveling the globe. One from germany and one from scotland. They are passing through on their way to there next adventure. Took the HSK and wanted to shoot myself for doing so. I was so not prepared for how hard it was.
Is it december already? After discovering the source of my stress and depression, i move into my own room and dispite the expense it is worth every kuai for the peace and quiet and sleep gained. Also begin hanging out with people my own age and start really loving being here. Should have done this sooner. Now moved back to 5th floor.
December is a whirlwind of meeting new people and visiting many parts and resturants of kaifeng that i didnt know existed. Li introduces me to her neice who i will tutor and her family. I also meet her friend who is a vice-principle and father to the cutest 7 year old. Lao song and Xiao song, my new friends. I also meet someone that will change my life forever, Xiao Fei.
Christmas was spent mostly alone but Mengmeng (niece) and her family and Li had me over and in tutoring i am getting many really good free meals! But that is ok because or final exam is the day after christmas. That is also our last day of class for the semester.
Before i know it is new years, and again alone but that is ok. I am beginning to fall in love with someone:
me
.
Spent new years weekend with many friends of li and who are now my friends too. Unfortunately li is leaving for a 2 year teaching job at univeristy of akron, plus side i will see her again in july. She truly became my best friend here and helped me so much. She even took me to her salon to get a cut, color and perm, which was amazing and cheap!
2012: Wow what a year that has passed and if this one is like it will be amazing.
Jan 1-10: again not sure where the time went, but I am really enjoying hanging our with myself. I have gone all over the city and eaten alone, shopped alone even took the bus alone. I discover new stores and also discover that i am pretty good company.
Jan 6: Spring Holiday begins
Jan 10-20: i go to zhengzhou. I have been invited, thanks to xiao fei, to teach some students over break. I have been put in an amazing hotel, fed well and really had a great time despite being tired from 2 classes a day. I learned so much, most of all that i definately want to teach english here. Make some great friends and even have a cupping session (more later). Oh and got some cool toys: New HTC touchflo 3d/hd and a chinese version of ipad with andriod on it. Both amazing!
Jan 20: return to kaifeng and thanks to Xiao fei, i have been granted a 1st floor room. Thank goodness. He and several other friends help me move then take us all out to dinner. If feels good to be a teacher, you get tons more respect and privileges, not to mention the reward of helping others.
Jan 21: suddenly realize i need to stock up on food before the big shut down that lasts from 1/23-2/5. Thanks to the amazing kindness of Lao Song i stock up on many foods and bought a hot plate that i sneak into my room so that i can cook during this time.
Jan 22: dear god shoot me…i am so incredibly sick with stomach bug that i want to die
Jan 23: Happy Chinese new year! I spend it in the hospital with an iv, thanks to mengmeng and her mom i am able to get there and back.
Jan 25: beginning to feel better. Gotta love chinese medicine, it really works (more later)
Jan 26- today (feb 3) spend alot of time relaxing and walking around the city. I love kaifeng, dispite all of its flaws i still love being here.
Wandering & Wondering 