My last day full day in Beijing was amazing. I had great times with great friends. I didn’t know going into this that I might connect with people the way I did. I started out the day beginning the daunting task of packing two suitcases full of souvenirs and clothing. Luckily for me, Celine told me that she was going on a business trip to northern China, and I asked her if I could donate some of my clothing and shoes to the flood victims. I had grown tired of wearing the same clothes day in and day out in China, and someone else might need them more than me. Also, it gave me more room for goodies from China.
I met up with Jessie at Xizhimen Station to get lunch and return the cell phone that she lent me. I requested that we have Beijing noodles one last time. I don’t think I can ever get the same thing in North Carolina. That goodbye was sad, but I really hope that she makes it to the States someday. She told me that before knowing me, she didn’t have a good impression of the States, but I had changed her mind. That made me feel really good.
Back at the office, I cleaned out my desk, said some goodbyes and went with Celine to exchange my money. For some reason, it feels strange having U.S. dollars in my wallet again.
I told Pang Li to call me when he got off of work so that we could go to the Beer Garden one last time together. We went pint-for-pint for a while, exchanged e-mails and gan bei’d to America. We even got my favorite, boiled dumplings, for the last time. Keith had invited me out to dinner so that I could have Peking duck one last time at a place nearby. He picked me up, and we rode his electric scooter to the restaurant. Itzhel and Pang Li met us there. We had many of my favorite things – roast duck, kung pao chicken, pork bread bowls and salad. The food was delicious and the company made me feel special on my last night in Beijing. Outside the restaurant, I said goodbye to Keith and Itzhel and parted ways, not exactly sure if and when we would see each other again. I think it’s safe to day that we all love traveling, so I hope we cross paths again someday.
Back at the apartment, I struggled to pack while tipsy, which is harder than you would think. Defeated, I set my alarm for 5 a.m., intending to wake up early and finish packing.
I woke up on time, managed to cram everything into two suitcases and two bags and waited for Pang Li and the driver to pick me up and take me to Beijing Capital Airport. My flights went smoothly, and now I’m back in the good ol’ U.S. of A.
Epilogue to come soon.
Showing posts with label noodles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label noodles. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I love you, my dear. Will you marry me? [55-59]
My last day working at CIIC was also the first day that I wore a tie in China. The interns gave a presentation in front of our department directors, Celine and the scholars that would be visiting UNC and ASU next year. Here are some pictures from during and after the presentation:
So here’s the deal about this internship: it’s the reason I am in China, so I am very grateful for the opportunity. I am so thankful to have met Celine, Pang Li, Catherine, Ada and everyone else who welcomed me at CIIC and helped me accomplish more than I thought I would. However, I feel like I have gotten more out of just being in China and experiencing life outside of the office. That leads me to a tough decision I had to make this weekend.
Pang Li invited me to his best friend’s wedding in Hebei Province, and I accepted without question. It came to my attention Thursday night that the party that Celine had been planning for the interns was also Saturday. I felt really bad missing her party because I love Celine, but I knew that going to a Chinese wedding was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think I made the right choice: the weekend was amazing.
Pang Li, Annie, and I left after work on Friday. We took a train (my first in China!) to Pang Li’s hometown – Gaobeidian, Hebei Province. My first impressions of this place were all good – cheap cab rides, 100% more trees than in Beijing, and the warmest welcome I’ve ever experienced from Pang Li’s family. His family (mother, grandmother, aunts, cousins, etc.) lives on a ranch, for lack of a better word. We got a short tour and then ate dinner which Pang Li’s mom made with the vegetables from the family garden. It was delicious, and the noodles were the best I’ve ever had. I was fully prepared to stay the night in one of Pang Li’s family’s rooms, but he surprised us by telling us that his “rich cousin” had booked us a hotel room at the best hotel (and the tallest building) in the town. When we got to the hotel, we found out that his cousin had actually booked us each a hotel room – so I had a huge bed and a shower (with a curtain!!!) all to myself.
On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the hotel (sadly, all Chinese food – not the Western-style breakfast I was hoping for) and walked to the restaurant (yes, restaurant) where the wedding was being held. There was a huge, tacky blow-up archway, fireworks and confetti when the bride and groom pulled up. The whole wedding was a spectacle, complete with pink and red fake flowers, a red carpet, and other (pink and red) decorations. We sat at a table with Pang Li’s friends and watched the show unfold. Chinese weddings are very different for many reasons, but the most being the fact that the couple is already legally married by the time of the ceremony. In fact, there are sometimes two or more ceremonies – one in the groom’s hometown and one in the bride’s hometown. Also, most couples hire a wedding company to perform the ceremony. The host of this wedding stole the show, in my opinion. He had everyone laughing, clapping and even shouting (still not sure what this was about). There were some rituals that I have never seen before – pouring wine in a cascading tower of glasses, bowing to the parents, almost kissing the bride… more than I can post in a blog.
The ceremony was followed by lunch – which was convenient since we were already seated at tables with lazy susans in a restaurant and all… The men at the table wanted the meg [uas] to drink some baijiu, but I could barely let it touch my lips. I seriously don’t know how they drink that stuff. Pang Li probably had a little too much because, as he explained it, guests at the party prove their friendship to the bride and groom by staying longer and drinking more.
The bride was beautiful and she had two wardrobe changes. The groom spoke some English and even incorporated it into the wedding (see blog title). He had his Ph.D. and even published a book in English.
I took the best nap ever at the hotel then met up with Pang Li and his friends for [chaun’r] (barbecue) and pijiu. It’s amazing how much you can enjoy someone’s company without speaking the same language. We had a lot of fun, ate everyerything imaginable barbequed (the fish tasted like candy!) and supposedly finished 100 beers before leaving for KTV (!!!). It’s the Chinese version of karaoke, but so much better. The best part is you get a personal room instead of embarrassing yourself in front of everyone in a bar. Pang Li’s friends rocked out to some Chinese music and picked out Lady Gaga (surprise, surprise) for Annie and me to perform. Unforgettable.
[ktv pics to come]
We slept late on Sunday, and we ate at a dumpling restaurant before Pang Li took us back to his family’s ranch. This time we took a proper tour of the place (with sunlight). Besides the garden, his ranch had a fishing pond, chickens, rabbits and Tibetan dogs (AKA monsters). His grandmother was the sweetest person I have ever met. She kept inviting us (through Pang Li’s translation) to “stay for a few days.” His little five-year-old cousin was the cutest kid ever. He was making forts out of his aunt’s traditional Chinese wooden furniture and silk pillows. The whole family was adorable and made me hope that sometime in the future I will take Pang Li’s grandmother up on her offer.
Pang Li’s friend who also works in Beijing gave us a ride home. The rest of Sunday was spent resting and planning our first official day off of work.
After being treated to an amazing weekend by Pang Li, I didn’t feel guilty going shopping the next day. I felt guilty afterwards. Annie and I went to Panjaiyuan Antique Market, where I bought a bunch of really cool but pretty useless souvenirs. However, I’m pretty happy with a red Buddha bracelet and a framed dragon shadow puppet that I bought. I also picked up a pair of prescription sunglasses from Glasses City.
Since Annie and I missed the dinner party with Celine, we took her out to eat Monday night. Well actually, SHE took us out. She took us to a fancy Chinese restaurant, where the food was amazing. It was great to catch up with Celine – I will surely miss her.
On Tuesday, I spent most of the day with my Chinese friend, Jesse, or Jessie, I should say. She was an economics major in college and idolized a stock trader named Jesse Livermore, so she decided her English name would be Jesse! I told her that J-E-S-S-E is how a man spells the name, but a woman can also have the name if she spells it with an "ie" or a "y." She was happy to change her name to be more feminine. Anyway, she took me to a really good Chinese place for lunch. It had lots of pastries, but we got noodles, peanuts, Korean vegetables, pumpkin porridge and sweet pea pudding. It was all delicious. Next, she took me to a tailor to get sized for a suit. This is one thing that I have been told I should buy in China. I hate dressing up, and a large part of me hopes that I don't have a job that entails wearing a suit often, but at least now I will have one if I need it. And it will only cost me 420 yuan (US$62).
The American Jesse came into Beijing Tuesday, so Pang Li took us out to a place that served Sijuan (sp? Also, not to be confused with Sichuan) food, a cuisine indigenous to a region of northwest China. It was one of the best meals I've had in China, and the black beer was great. What would I do without Pang Li??
Next up – vacation!
So here’s the deal about this internship: it’s the reason I am in China, so I am very grateful for the opportunity. I am so thankful to have met Celine, Pang Li, Catherine, Ada and everyone else who welcomed me at CIIC and helped me accomplish more than I thought I would. However, I feel like I have gotten more out of just being in China and experiencing life outside of the office. That leads me to a tough decision I had to make this weekend.
Pang Li invited me to his best friend’s wedding in Hebei Province, and I accepted without question. It came to my attention Thursday night that the party that Celine had been planning for the interns was also Saturday. I felt really bad missing her party because I love Celine, but I knew that going to a Chinese wedding was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think I made the right choice: the weekend was amazing.
Pang Li, Annie, and I left after work on Friday. We took a train (my first in China!) to Pang Li’s hometown – Gaobeidian, Hebei Province. My first impressions of this place were all good – cheap cab rides, 100% more trees than in Beijing, and the warmest welcome I’ve ever experienced from Pang Li’s family. His family (mother, grandmother, aunts, cousins, etc.) lives on a ranch, for lack of a better word. We got a short tour and then ate dinner which Pang Li’s mom made with the vegetables from the family garden. It was delicious, and the noodles were the best I’ve ever had. I was fully prepared to stay the night in one of Pang Li’s family’s rooms, but he surprised us by telling us that his “rich cousin” had booked us a hotel room at the best hotel (and the tallest building) in the town. When we got to the hotel, we found out that his cousin had actually booked us each a hotel room – so I had a huge bed and a shower (with a curtain!!!) all to myself.
On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the hotel (sadly, all Chinese food – not the Western-style breakfast I was hoping for) and walked to the restaurant (yes, restaurant) where the wedding was being held. There was a huge, tacky blow-up archway, fireworks and confetti when the bride and groom pulled up. The whole wedding was a spectacle, complete with pink and red fake flowers, a red carpet, and other (pink and red) decorations. We sat at a table with Pang Li’s friends and watched the show unfold. Chinese weddings are very different for many reasons, but the most being the fact that the couple is already legally married by the time of the ceremony. In fact, there are sometimes two or more ceremonies – one in the groom’s hometown and one in the bride’s hometown. Also, most couples hire a wedding company to perform the ceremony. The host of this wedding stole the show, in my opinion. He had everyone laughing, clapping and even shouting (still not sure what this was about). There were some rituals that I have never seen before – pouring wine in a cascading tower of glasses, bowing to the parents, almost kissing the bride… more than I can post in a blog.
The ceremony was followed by lunch – which was convenient since we were already seated at tables with lazy susans in a restaurant and all… The men at the table wanted the meg [uas] to drink some baijiu, but I could barely let it touch my lips. I seriously don’t know how they drink that stuff. Pang Li probably had a little too much because, as he explained it, guests at the party prove their friendship to the bride and groom by staying longer and drinking more.
The bride was beautiful and she had two wardrobe changes. The groom spoke some English and even incorporated it into the wedding (see blog title). He had his Ph.D. and even published a book in English.
I took the best nap ever at the hotel then met up with Pang Li and his friends for [chaun’r] (barbecue) and pijiu. It’s amazing how much you can enjoy someone’s company without speaking the same language. We had a lot of fun, ate everyerything imaginable barbequed (the fish tasted like candy!) and supposedly finished 100 beers before leaving for KTV (!!!). It’s the Chinese version of karaoke, but so much better. The best part is you get a personal room instead of embarrassing yourself in front of everyone in a bar. Pang Li’s friends rocked out to some Chinese music and picked out Lady Gaga (surprise, surprise) for Annie and me to perform. Unforgettable.
[ktv pics to come]
We slept late on Sunday, and we ate at a dumpling restaurant before Pang Li took us back to his family’s ranch. This time we took a proper tour of the place (with sunlight). Besides the garden, his ranch had a fishing pond, chickens, rabbits and Tibetan dogs (AKA monsters). His grandmother was the sweetest person I have ever met. She kept inviting us (through Pang Li’s translation) to “stay for a few days.” His little five-year-old cousin was the cutest kid ever. He was making forts out of his aunt’s traditional Chinese wooden furniture and silk pillows. The whole family was adorable and made me hope that sometime in the future I will take Pang Li’s grandmother up on her offer.
Pang Li’s friend who also works in Beijing gave us a ride home. The rest of Sunday was spent resting and planning our first official day off of work.
After being treated to an amazing weekend by Pang Li, I didn’t feel guilty going shopping the next day. I felt guilty afterwards. Annie and I went to Panjaiyuan Antique Market, where I bought a bunch of really cool but pretty useless souvenirs. However, I’m pretty happy with a red Buddha bracelet and a framed dragon shadow puppet that I bought. I also picked up a pair of prescription sunglasses from Glasses City.
Since Annie and I missed the dinner party with Celine, we took her out to eat Monday night. Well actually, SHE took us out. She took us to a fancy Chinese restaurant, where the food was amazing. It was great to catch up with Celine – I will surely miss her.
On Tuesday, I spent most of the day with my Chinese friend, Jesse, or Jessie, I should say. She was an economics major in college and idolized a stock trader named Jesse Livermore, so she decided her English name would be Jesse! I told her that J-E-S-S-E is how a man spells the name, but a woman can also have the name if she spells it with an "ie" or a "y." She was happy to change her name to be more feminine. Anyway, she took me to a really good Chinese place for lunch. It had lots of pastries, but we got noodles, peanuts, Korean vegetables, pumpkin porridge and sweet pea pudding. It was all delicious. Next, she took me to a tailor to get sized for a suit. This is one thing that I have been told I should buy in China. I hate dressing up, and a large part of me hopes that I don't have a job that entails wearing a suit often, but at least now I will have one if I need it. And it will only cost me 420 yuan (US$62).
The American Jesse came into Beijing Tuesday, so Pang Li took us out to a place that served Sijuan (sp? Also, not to be confused with Sichuan) food, a cuisine indigenous to a region of northwest China. It was one of the best meals I've had in China, and the black beer was great. What would I do without Pang Li??
Next up – vacation!
Friday, July 30, 2010
I am Rachel. I hate serving people. [51-54]
This was my last (full/official) week at work! It’s bittersweet. I don’t know if I will see most of these people that have been so kind and welcoming to me at China.org.cn again. But this also means that I will have about 2.5 weeks to travel around China and do things I want in Beijing one more time! The summer flew by, especially this past week.
On Monday, Annie and I took the subway to Yashow Clothing Market to do one last (maybe the last) souvenir shopping trip. We loaded up on DVDs, Chinese lanterns and wedding envelopes (I’ll get to that later!). I bargained my butt off and was proud of how little I had to spend. We saw one of Keith’s roommates in the market, which further supports my claim that the huge city of Beijing is a small place, and the world, even smaller (if that’s possible).
We had been craving the meal that we ate with Keith and Ithzel at Nanlougu Xiang about a week ago, so we took a bus there and tried to re-create the meal. The restaurant was out of the sweet and sour pork, but everything else was delicious. Chinese food in the States will never be the same.
We walked around a bit in Nanlougu Xiang, also, sadly for our (probable) last time. I picked up a “Save the Pandas” sticker because, duh, I love pandas and want to save them all (for myself).
Tuesday was my dinner with Jesse, my new Chinese friend from the rock show. I asked her to pick out a Sichuan restaurant since I have been told it is spicy food and I hadn’t tried it yet. It was great to see Jesse again and the food was good. Since being in China, I had always wanted to eat out of one of those huge bowls with chopsticks, and this was my chance. It was a popular Sichuan dish with blood (really.), vegetables, fish and other unidentifiable things. It was better than it sounds. It sure was spicy, but it had “ma la” in it—a numbing agent. It was strange to feel my mouth tingling while I ate. We talked about our favorite foods, sports we liked, American television (she loves CSI: Miami) and places for me to get a suit tailored. The language barrier tested my patience, but all in all, we made it into a pleasant evening (even if we both had our dictionaries out at the table).
Wednesday was another special dinner—Pang Li took Annie and me out to his favorite Beijing noodle place. John came too, and we had a great time. The noodles were out of this world (even better than Mr. Chen’s from Great Wall Fresh!). The restaurant was “old-style” with Chinese opera playing in the background and panoramic scenes of Old Beijing on the walls. It’s not hard to guess where the four of us went after dinner—the Beer Garden. As always, we had a great time there.
On Thursday, Annie and I planned to do a lot since our days are dwindling down. We walked out of the office after work to immediately feel this heavy, uncomfortable humidity that had set in during the day. It made the parts of the evening spent outdoors almost unbearable. Anyway, we decided to have a quick bite to eat outside of WuMart and happened upon a man making steamed dumplings. We ordered one helping each, but they were so delicious that we stayed and each had another. We then experimented with the bus system and took the 87 to the subway station (we usually take the 27), where we took line 4 to Xidan.
Annie wanted to find a Chinese-style straw hat at 77th Street, an underground mall for Chinese locals. We both ended up finding things there, so the pit stop was well worth it. We transferred to line 1 which we took to The Place, a hangout that I have mentioned before (and you might recognize). The huge screen/roof had English and Chinese messages displayed for all to see that people had texted (like at a Major League Baseball stadium).
We then got to our final (and favorite) destination – Friend’s Café in SOHO! The staff was so nice – and they even had nametags that were characters from the show! Our waitress, “Rachel,” was the sweetest. Annie and I will miss this place so much! I got an espresso with whipped cream and a cream-filled “doughnut.” Believe it or not, the same episodes of “Friends” that we watched last time were on again… but they were still funny the second time. We even participated in our own “name the 50 U.S. states in 10 minutes” challenge that Ross and the gang cringe over in one episode. The best news: I got pictures this time!
I will share my last day of work when I get back from Hebei Province next week. Pang Li invited Annie and I to go to his best friend’s wedding on Saturday! It’s such a cool opportunity and should be interesting from the stories I’ve heard about other Chinese weddings.
On Monday, Annie and I took the subway to Yashow Clothing Market to do one last (maybe the last) souvenir shopping trip. We loaded up on DVDs, Chinese lanterns and wedding envelopes (I’ll get to that later!). I bargained my butt off and was proud of how little I had to spend. We saw one of Keith’s roommates in the market, which further supports my claim that the huge city of Beijing is a small place, and the world, even smaller (if that’s possible).
We had been craving the meal that we ate with Keith and Ithzel at Nanlougu Xiang about a week ago, so we took a bus there and tried to re-create the meal. The restaurant was out of the sweet and sour pork, but everything else was delicious. Chinese food in the States will never be the same.
We walked around a bit in Nanlougu Xiang, also, sadly for our (probable) last time. I picked up a “Save the Pandas” sticker because, duh, I love pandas and want to save them all (for myself).
Tuesday was my dinner with Jesse, my new Chinese friend from the rock show. I asked her to pick out a Sichuan restaurant since I have been told it is spicy food and I hadn’t tried it yet. It was great to see Jesse again and the food was good. Since being in China, I had always wanted to eat out of one of those huge bowls with chopsticks, and this was my chance. It was a popular Sichuan dish with blood (really.), vegetables, fish and other unidentifiable things. It was better than it sounds. It sure was spicy, but it had “ma la” in it—a numbing agent. It was strange to feel my mouth tingling while I ate. We talked about our favorite foods, sports we liked, American television (she loves CSI: Miami) and places for me to get a suit tailored. The language barrier tested my patience, but all in all, we made it into a pleasant evening (even if we both had our dictionaries out at the table).
Wednesday was another special dinner—Pang Li took Annie and me out to his favorite Beijing noodle place. John came too, and we had a great time. The noodles were out of this world (even better than Mr. Chen’s from Great Wall Fresh!). The restaurant was “old-style” with Chinese opera playing in the background and panoramic scenes of Old Beijing on the walls. It’s not hard to guess where the four of us went after dinner—the Beer Garden. As always, we had a great time there.
On Thursday, Annie and I planned to do a lot since our days are dwindling down. We walked out of the office after work to immediately feel this heavy, uncomfortable humidity that had set in during the day. It made the parts of the evening spent outdoors almost unbearable. Anyway, we decided to have a quick bite to eat outside of WuMart and happened upon a man making steamed dumplings. We ordered one helping each, but they were so delicious that we stayed and each had another. We then experimented with the bus system and took the 87 to the subway station (we usually take the 27), where we took line 4 to Xidan.
Annie wanted to find a Chinese-style straw hat at 77th Street, an underground mall for Chinese locals. We both ended up finding things there, so the pit stop was well worth it. We transferred to line 1 which we took to The Place, a hangout that I have mentioned before (and you might recognize). The huge screen/roof had English and Chinese messages displayed for all to see that people had texted (like at a Major League Baseball stadium).
We then got to our final (and favorite) destination – Friend’s Café in SOHO! The staff was so nice – and they even had nametags that were characters from the show! Our waitress, “Rachel,” was the sweetest. Annie and I will miss this place so much! I got an espresso with whipped cream and a cream-filled “doughnut.” Believe it or not, the same episodes of “Friends” that we watched last time were on again… but they were still funny the second time. We even participated in our own “name the 50 U.S. states in 10 minutes” challenge that Ross and the gang cringe over in one episode. The best news: I got pictures this time!
I will share my last day of work when I get back from Hebei Province next week. Pang Li invited Annie and I to go to his best friend’s wedding on Saturday! It’s such a cool opportunity and should be interesting from the stories I’ve heard about other Chinese weddings.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Stop ta-ta-talking that... [Day 8]
I've been in China for over a week now, and I FINALLY had some tea. Well kind of. At dinner, I ordered "Rose Milk Tea." It was surprisingly good, and warm! I won't try to describe it, but let your imagination figure out how it tasted. Tea is VERY popular and important to Chinese culture. Here I go again with my Chinese proverbs:
Dinner at Food Cube was great. An American co-worker recommended it, and he did a great job. I wanted almost everything on the menu, which had English translations! I ordering some spicy noodles with beef and slurped the bowl empty. I'm sure I'll be spending many evenings at the Cube.
We arrived too late to get back-row spots at yoga, so instead, we did "Hill Cycling." 45 minutes of LOUD English music and intense spinning. I haven't worked out that hard since track & field in high school. It didn't help that there was Chinese food being cooked below wafting through the window behind me.
I've been having the strangest and most vivid dreams. A colleague of mine said it could have something to do with being unfamiliar with my new surroundings. Makes sense to me. And who doesn't like dreaming?
"Better to be deprived of food for three days than of tea for one."
Dinner at Food Cube was great. An American co-worker recommended it, and he did a great job. I wanted almost everything on the menu, which had English translations! I ordering some spicy noodles with beef and slurped the bowl empty. I'm sure I'll be spending many evenings at the Cube.
We arrived too late to get back-row spots at yoga, so instead, we did "Hill Cycling." 45 minutes of LOUD English music and intense spinning. I haven't worked out that hard since track & field in high school. It didn't help that there was Chinese food being cooked below wafting through the window behind me.
I've been having the strangest and most vivid dreams. A colleague of mine said it could have something to do with being unfamiliar with my new surroundings. Makes sense to me. And who doesn't like dreaming?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Yen? Yuan? Let's just say kuai! [Day 4]
Some more observations, while they're fresh on my brain:
-My supervisor, Celine, thinks she's overweight. She is definitely skinny by American standards. Her solution? She doesn't eat. I think her first meal of the day is at around 9 pm. Everyone here is pretty much thin as a rail. I don't understand it - the food is so heavy and greasy, and they PILE that stuff up on their plates. The only fat people I've seen are some old men. And the worst part is, when they get hot, they curl their shirts up like Britney Spears in Hit Me Baby, One More Time. And some of them sit in restaurants shirtless. It's a sight, let me tell ya.
-Chinese people can not sing. I'm not trying to generalize or be rude, but I just don't think it's in their genes. I don't know if it's because their language forces them to use harsh and quick sounds, but their tone is just flat and unappealing. But, somehow, karaoke is a huge pastime here. Go figure.
-Chinese people are pretty simple minded. The IT guy who worked on my computer yesterday and today could not figure out the problem, so his solution was to wipe the hard drive and start over. I felt like I knew more about computers than he did, and it's his job!
-Eight is a lucky number here. At the bowling alley, if you bowled an 88, you won a small gift. If you bowled a 108, you won a small washtowel.
-Everyone knows that prostitution goes on in China. I haven't encountered it, and I hope not to, but apparently there are "hair salons" that only serve men with the blinds closed. If you bowled a 300 at the alley, you won "one card of fun time." I wonder what that is.
-My allergies are so much worse here than in the States. And no one says anything when I sneeze.
-I am still in the habit of nodding my head/waving/saying hello whenever I walk past people. They all just stare at me or look at me in fright. I need to stop being so polite!
-Speaking of politeness or lack thereof, it's perfectly normal to yell "fu wu yuan" ("waiter") across the room at your server in a restaurant. They don't tell you their names. And you don't tip.
My day was complicated when the power on my row of computers randomly shut down. When I powered back up, my internet was also down. As I described above, after a long and mostly pointless duration of clicking around, the IT guy finally just re-installed the default settings on the computer. (Luckily, at this time, I had my laptop also). Starting from scratch ended up working but left me workless for hours. I was happy to finally get an article about different types of Zongzi, a sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves that is tradition to eat at the Dragon Boat Festival that is next week in China. It was really interesting to read and edit. I would love to get paid to try out cuisines and write about them.
We had lunch at the cafeteria, which is across the Ring Road. It's buffet style, and in my opinion, pretty good. A fried egg here is still in the shape of an egg, but the outside is fried and covered in some kind of sauce. If all else fails, there's always rice. Always. The Chinese don't seem to drink anything with their meal except occasionally hot water. Which is so not my style. I'm beginning to miss never-ending ice water.
Celine came up to me near the end of the day and said, "So you heard about the seven day work week, right?" … "No," I said. "You will be working through Sunday because of the Dragon Boat Festival next week," she replied. What a way to start a new job! It's all good though. We're getting Monday through Wednesday off and only have to work two days next week. Turns out the festival
occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, commemorating the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan. And everyone gets a day off for it - holla!
Courtney and I were feeling restless after work, so we went on a walk to the busier part of the district we live in. We peered into shop after shop all selling the same things - boxes of cigarettes or cleaning supplies. We passed some children sitting on crates playing cards, several hair salons with questionable sanitation (and services? See above), and table after table of working class Chinese people eating things on sticks. We finally went into a couple of shops with clothing. I kind of wanted it all, but a) I knew it was fake, b) I was too chicken to bargain down the high prices, and c) I don't speak Chinese. Next time I see something I really want, I'm gonna go for it. I did, however, find and purchase peanut butter and jelly - THANK GOD!
We picked up PA and Brian from the apartment for dinner at a noodle bar. You could watch the chef hand-pull the noodles, which made them seem even more delicious and satisfying.
One day closer to the end of my seven-day work week!
-My supervisor, Celine, thinks she's overweight. She is definitely skinny by American standards. Her solution? She doesn't eat. I think her first meal of the day is at around 9 pm. Everyone here is pretty much thin as a rail. I don't understand it - the food is so heavy and greasy, and they PILE that stuff up on their plates. The only fat people I've seen are some old men. And the worst part is, when they get hot, they curl their shirts up like Britney Spears in Hit Me Baby, One More Time. And some of them sit in restaurants shirtless. It's a sight, let me tell ya.
-Chinese people can not sing. I'm not trying to generalize or be rude, but I just don't think it's in their genes. I don't know if it's because their language forces them to use harsh and quick sounds, but their tone is just flat and unappealing. But, somehow, karaoke is a huge pastime here. Go figure.
-Chinese people are pretty simple minded. The IT guy who worked on my computer yesterday and today could not figure out the problem, so his solution was to wipe the hard drive and start over. I felt like I knew more about computers than he did, and it's his job!
-Eight is a lucky number here. At the bowling alley, if you bowled an 88, you won a small gift. If you bowled a 108, you won a small washtowel.
-Everyone knows that prostitution goes on in China. I haven't encountered it, and I hope not to, but apparently there are "hair salons" that only serve men with the blinds closed. If you bowled a 300 at the alley, you won "one card of fun time." I wonder what that is.
-My allergies are so much worse here than in the States. And no one says anything when I sneeze.
-I am still in the habit of nodding my head/waving/saying hello whenever I walk past people. They all just stare at me or look at me in fright. I need to stop being so polite!
-Speaking of politeness or lack thereof, it's perfectly normal to yell "fu wu yuan" ("waiter") across the room at your server in a restaurant. They don't tell you their names. And you don't tip.
My day was complicated when the power on my row of computers randomly shut down. When I powered back up, my internet was also down. As I described above, after a long and mostly pointless duration of clicking around, the IT guy finally just re-installed the default settings on the computer. (Luckily, at this time, I had my laptop also). Starting from scratch ended up working but left me workless for hours. I was happy to finally get an article about different types of Zongzi, a sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves that is tradition to eat at the Dragon Boat Festival that is next week in China. It was really interesting to read and edit. I would love to get paid to try out cuisines and write about them.
We had lunch at the cafeteria, which is across the Ring Road. It's buffet style, and in my opinion, pretty good. A fried egg here is still in the shape of an egg, but the outside is fried and covered in some kind of sauce. If all else fails, there's always rice. Always. The Chinese don't seem to drink anything with their meal except occasionally hot water. Which is so not my style. I'm beginning to miss never-ending ice water.
Celine came up to me near the end of the day and said, "So you heard about the seven day work week, right?" … "No," I said. "You will be working through Sunday because of the Dragon Boat Festival next week," she replied. What a way to start a new job! It's all good though. We're getting Monday through Wednesday off and only have to work two days next week. Turns out the festival
occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, commemorating the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan. And everyone gets a day off for it - holla!
Courtney and I were feeling restless after work, so we went on a walk to the busier part of the district we live in. We peered into shop after shop all selling the same things - boxes of cigarettes or cleaning supplies. We passed some children sitting on crates playing cards, several hair salons with questionable sanitation (and services? See above), and table after table of working class Chinese people eating things on sticks. We finally went into a couple of shops with clothing. I kind of wanted it all, but a) I knew it was fake, b) I was too chicken to bargain down the high prices, and c) I don't speak Chinese. Next time I see something I really want, I'm gonna go for it. I did, however, find and purchase peanut butter and jelly - THANK GOD!
We picked up PA and Brian from the apartment for dinner at a noodle bar. You could watch the chef hand-pull the noodles, which made them seem even more delicious and satisfying.
One day closer to the end of my seven-day work week!
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