The train to Chengdu felt much shorter than the train trip to Xiang Fan. I think most of it had to do with me being able to sleep soundly for 8 hours! I didn't wake up at all!
We arrived in Chengdu at about 1 in the afternoon. I had prepared myself for it to be much hotter than Beijing, but it was actually quite pleasant. We took a taxi to the hotel that we are staying in. It took the hotel almost 30 minutes to check us in since they were having a hard time reading my passport.
Our hotel room is really nice and I am able to get Internet on my computer. The girls napped this afternoon while I spent the time reading which was really nice.
We went out to a famous food and tourist shop street. We had spicy noodles and random other snacks as we walked around from booth to booth. It is a lot like like Beijing's Hou Hai area, but with more trees and water! It was beautiful. We also stopped for coffee at the most beautiful Starbucks I have ever been in.
We took a taxi back to a mall close to our hotel. The girls did some clothes shopping. It was fun to be with them, but I am excited to be able to come home and go shopping for clothes in the states soon.
Tomorrow morning, we are off to see the pandas!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Days 3 and 4: Exploring Xiang Fan
It was an early wake up call Sunday morning in the Chen household. We were all up at 7 and getting ready to go out for a local breakfast. Joyce's dad drove us to a sidewalk restaurant where we had the special Xiang Fan spicy noodles and vinegar wine for breakfast. It was definitely the most spicy, flavorful breakfast I've had this whole year, if not my entire lifetime! It was delicious, but not something I think I could eat every morning!
Then, we walked a bit around a beautiful lake before heading to a temple that housed an important Chinese officer during his holidays. The temple was beautiful. We even went through a maze that was meant to trick the opposing army, but it actually tricked us! It took us a long time to figure out how to get out.
We finally made it out of the maze and went out to lunch with some of Joyce's relatives who were all very nice to me, and I could tell they were all good storytellers even though I had no clue about what they were talking about!
The girls and I met up with Summer and walked around the lake. We had milk tea and rented a boat to take around the river which was a lot of fun. Xiang Fan if full of beautiful nature. There are lots more bugs and birds there compared with Beijing! Joyce's dad's boss and his work mates took us out to dinner. The food was great and there were lots of welcoming toasts!
Monday was a bit lazier. We spent the morning repacking and Joyce and Summer spent some time together. We went out to watch the movie Kung Fu Panda. I had already watched it last week in English with Stephanie and James, so I wasn't heartbroken when we got into the theater and it was only in Chinese with no subtitles. Then, Summer's mom had us all over for a late lunch. Cindy, Summer and I spent a restless two hours trying to buy my plane ticket home online using Summer's account. It is very, very complicated to buy anything online in China. Eventually, we were successful, but I still haven't received my e-ticket so I am not too happy about it yet.
We had dinner with Joyce's parents and then they drove us to the train station so we could make our way to visit Chengdu, home of the panda park!
Then, we walked a bit around a beautiful lake before heading to a temple that housed an important Chinese officer during his holidays. The temple was beautiful. We even went through a maze that was meant to trick the opposing army, but it actually tricked us! It took us a long time to figure out how to get out.
We finally made it out of the maze and went out to lunch with some of Joyce's relatives who were all very nice to me, and I could tell they were all good storytellers even though I had no clue about what they were talking about!
The girls and I met up with Summer and walked around the lake. We had milk tea and rented a boat to take around the river which was a lot of fun. Xiang Fan if full of beautiful nature. There are lots more bugs and birds there compared with Beijing! Joyce's dad's boss and his work mates took us out to dinner. The food was great and there were lots of welcoming toasts!
Monday was a bit lazier. We spent the morning repacking and Joyce and Summer spent some time together. We went out to watch the movie Kung Fu Panda. I had already watched it last week in English with Stephanie and James, so I wasn't heartbroken when we got into the theater and it was only in Chinese with no subtitles. Then, Summer's mom had us all over for a late lunch. Cindy, Summer and I spent a restless two hours trying to buy my plane ticket home online using Summer's account. It is very, very complicated to buy anything online in China. Eventually, we were successful, but I still haven't received my e-ticket so I am not too happy about it yet.
We had dinner with Joyce's parents and then they drove us to the train station so we could make our way to visit Chengdu, home of the panda park!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Days 1 and 2: The Adventure Begins
Friday was a day of craziness. I got up early to clean and pack more of my things. I brought my big suitcase and my airplane carry on over to Cindy’s parents house where I will be staying after a few days before I leave for Portland. It took a bit of effort lugging my stuff up five flights of stairs!
Then, I raced back to my apartment and brought over a last set of household things for the new teacher at EF. At that point, I was starting to get a little sad. It was my last walk between my apartment and EF. I also was giving away a lot of stuff in the last few days.
I had about an hour to madly clean before my nice landlady came by. She was even surprised that I had cleaned. She told me that most people in China just expect that the renter move all of their stuff out. I was given back my deposit, which was a wonderful surprise.
I had one last look around my apartment and left with my landlord. I was sad to leave my little studio, but luckily I had to hurry back over to Cindy’s to meet up with her and Joyce.
We took a crazy cab ride over to the train station. The station was just pure madness. We were walking over people as we moved in line to get to the train. If you ever want to feel the scope of China’s population, get yourself to a train station!
We ended up in a sleeper car. We were going to have to share it with a grandfather, but luckily a woman offered to switch with the grandfather because it would be inappropriate for three young women to sleep in the same space as a grandfather.
We passed the evening playing cards with the woman and her husband. I learned how to play Chinese poker, which is way easier than the poker I have been taught to play. There isn’t any gambling involved, but a lot of smack talk!
It was mostly pretty fun to sleep on the train. I would wake up every time we got to a stop to let people off. I also had a weird dream where our train went all the way from Beijing to Chicago where we were invited to go on the now extinct “Oprah” show.
We arrived in Joyce’s hometown Xiang Fan around noon on Saturday. We were met by Joyce’s dad who drove us over to meet Joyce’s mom in a beautiful restaurant. Joyce has not been home for over a year, so it was a pretty big welcoming day! Her parents are truly lovely and have been spoiling me the whole time. In the afternoon, we went over to an ancient area to do some shopping and sight seeing. In the evening, we went out to KTV that night with Joyce’s oldest friend, Summer.
Then, I raced back to my apartment and brought over a last set of household things for the new teacher at EF. At that point, I was starting to get a little sad. It was my last walk between my apartment and EF. I also was giving away a lot of stuff in the last few days.
I had about an hour to madly clean before my nice landlady came by. She was even surprised that I had cleaned. She told me that most people in China just expect that the renter move all of their stuff out. I was given back my deposit, which was a wonderful surprise.
I had one last look around my apartment and left with my landlord. I was sad to leave my little studio, but luckily I had to hurry back over to Cindy’s to meet up with her and Joyce.
We took a crazy cab ride over to the train station. The station was just pure madness. We were walking over people as we moved in line to get to the train. If you ever want to feel the scope of China’s population, get yourself to a train station!
We ended up in a sleeper car. We were going to have to share it with a grandfather, but luckily a woman offered to switch with the grandfather because it would be inappropriate for three young women to sleep in the same space as a grandfather.
We passed the evening playing cards with the woman and her husband. I learned how to play Chinese poker, which is way easier than the poker I have been taught to play. There isn’t any gambling involved, but a lot of smack talk!
It was mostly pretty fun to sleep on the train. I would wake up every time we got to a stop to let people off. I also had a weird dream where our train went all the way from Beijing to Chicago where we were invited to go on the now extinct “Oprah” show.
We arrived in Joyce’s hometown Xiang Fan around noon on Saturday. We were met by Joyce’s dad who drove us over to meet Joyce’s mom in a beautiful restaurant. Joyce has not been home for over a year, so it was a pretty big welcoming day! Her parents are truly lovely and have been spoiling me the whole time. In the afternoon, we went over to an ancient area to do some shopping and sight seeing. In the evening, we went out to KTV that night with Joyce’s oldest friend, Summer.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The ICBC Stare Down
I finally have access to my bank account after a long 16 days!
I waited about two hours this morning until my number was called. I had a great stare down with the ICBC teller for 40 minutes. He would stare at me, stare at my passport, enter something on the computer, and then just stare at me again! It was a frustrating process, and I was already upset with the whole ordeal, and stared right back at him. Eventually, he demanded I pay more money than the service fee I had already paid a week ago. I did not have any money on me, I had used the last bit Cindy had loaned me last week on noodles for dinner last night, so I told him no and just stared back. Eventually, he sighed and kept up the staring, passport, computer, staring process all over again! Finally, he handed over my bank card. It's very pretty. It has the backdrop of the Forbidden City on it!
Next, I was trying to find a way to book my plane ticket online using my China bank account. I had to go back to the bank and apply for an online account which took another two hours of my life! Long story short, I wasn't able to download a program I needed for my online account at Ef, and ICBC does not recognize Mac users, so hopefully I'll try again over at the Sun residence tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I'm off on a train with Cindy and Joyce to visit the South! I am way excited! I don't know how often I will be able to post on my blog, but I am going to try to write every night and then post it to here when I get the opportunity!
Write to you soon!
I waited about two hours this morning until my number was called. I had a great stare down with the ICBC teller for 40 minutes. He would stare at me, stare at my passport, enter something on the computer, and then just stare at me again! It was a frustrating process, and I was already upset with the whole ordeal, and stared right back at him. Eventually, he demanded I pay more money than the service fee I had already paid a week ago. I did not have any money on me, I had used the last bit Cindy had loaned me last week on noodles for dinner last night, so I told him no and just stared back. Eventually, he sighed and kept up the staring, passport, computer, staring process all over again! Finally, he handed over my bank card. It's very pretty. It has the backdrop of the Forbidden City on it!
Next, I was trying to find a way to book my plane ticket online using my China bank account. I had to go back to the bank and apply for an online account which took another two hours of my life! Long story short, I wasn't able to download a program I needed for my online account at Ef, and ICBC does not recognize Mac users, so hopefully I'll try again over at the Sun residence tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I'm off on a train with Cindy and Joyce to visit the South! I am way excited! I don't know how often I will be able to post on my blog, but I am going to try to write every night and then post it to here when I get the opportunity!
Write to you soon!
The Beiyuan Fortune
I found a Chinese fortune from a dinner I had with my Mom before I left for China last year today while going through my jewelry bag. It says, “You will make a change for the better within the year.” Truer words were never read out of a fortune cookie before.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the community that I have lived in this year. I am going to miss my Beiyuan suburbia. I am going to miss having mangled Mandarin small talk in the elevators. I am going to miss the funny security guards that sing to themselves. I am going to miss the women exercising out in the square and the old men playing card games and drinking beer on the street corners. I am going to miss running into EF families in the grocery stores and on the streets. I am going to miss my late evening walks home from the gym and the quietness of feeling that I am the only one up on my early Sunday morning walks to work. I am going to miss the security of having good friends living a few complexes away. I am going to miss buying fruit off the street and the sweet couple that run the store on the first floor.
I am going to miss my studio apartment. In the beginning, it felt like my only sanctuary from all the smoke and Mandarin. I had an instant feeling that this could be my new home when I first walked into it with Jason, the crazy EF relator guy. It wasn’t as nice as most of my friends’ apartments in the neighborhood, but they were just a little too posh for my style. I am glad I listened to that little voice when I was making my decision between where to live. Now, I recognize it as the place where I did lots of growing up, a quiet place where I could work on me. For that, it will always have a warm place in my heart. I am going to miss it, weird elephant pointing to the bathroom light and all.
Whenever I have met new people and the conversation turns to asking where do you live, everyone is surprised that a single girl like me new to Beijing would want to live in suburbia. Honestly, I can answer that I didn’t really know much about the layout of the city before I had to pick a place to live. My only real request was that I wanted to live within walking distance of my school. I was pretty naïve about neighborhoods and the “cool” places to live in Beijing.
I like to think that just like with most of the other parts of my adventure, it was just meant to be. I might not have lived in a trendy part of town, but I think it was the perfect neighborhood for me to grow in this year.
I can never explain how much character Beiyuan has, or describe the appreciation I have of this neighborhood in words. It’s just going to have to live in my soul, along with all the special moments I’ve had here.
Thank you for helping me make a change for the better, Beiyuan.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the community that I have lived in this year. I am going to miss my Beiyuan suburbia. I am going to miss having mangled Mandarin small talk in the elevators. I am going to miss the funny security guards that sing to themselves. I am going to miss the women exercising out in the square and the old men playing card games and drinking beer on the street corners. I am going to miss running into EF families in the grocery stores and on the streets. I am going to miss my late evening walks home from the gym and the quietness of feeling that I am the only one up on my early Sunday morning walks to work. I am going to miss the security of having good friends living a few complexes away. I am going to miss buying fruit off the street and the sweet couple that run the store on the first floor.
I am going to miss my studio apartment. In the beginning, it felt like my only sanctuary from all the smoke and Mandarin. I had an instant feeling that this could be my new home when I first walked into it with Jason, the crazy EF relator guy. It wasn’t as nice as most of my friends’ apartments in the neighborhood, but they were just a little too posh for my style. I am glad I listened to that little voice when I was making my decision between where to live. Now, I recognize it as the place where I did lots of growing up, a quiet place where I could work on me. For that, it will always have a warm place in my heart. I am going to miss it, weird elephant pointing to the bathroom light and all.
Whenever I have met new people and the conversation turns to asking where do you live, everyone is surprised that a single girl like me new to Beijing would want to live in suburbia. Honestly, I can answer that I didn’t really know much about the layout of the city before I had to pick a place to live. My only real request was that I wanted to live within walking distance of my school. I was pretty naïve about neighborhoods and the “cool” places to live in Beijing.
I like to think that just like with most of the other parts of my adventure, it was just meant to be. I might not have lived in a trendy part of town, but I think it was the perfect neighborhood for me to grow in this year.
I can never explain how much character Beiyuan has, or describe the appreciation I have of this neighborhood in words. It’s just going to have to live in my soul, along with all the special moments I’ve had here.
Thank you for helping me make a change for the better, Beiyuan.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
It's Dragon Boat Festival weekend in China. Most people are on a long holiday until Wednesday.
I actually went out on a Saturday night last night! Madness! Usually my Saturday nights consist of going to the gym, making dinner, grading papers and failing to good to bed early enough for the next day of classes. I haven't really missed having a "real" weekend in Beijing since most of my friends here have about the same days off as I do.
I met up with my friend Vivian for steamed dumplings for dinner and then Cindy met us a little later. We walked over to a bar where one of Vivian's friends was playing in a band. The music was a mixture of pop and folk, but really fun. I haven't heard live music like that since before I left last year, so it was really awesome. Plus, they had dark beer on tap! Vivian introduced me to two of her friends, one who is a student from Seattle, and a student from Italy. They were visiting from Chendu- the panda place- and will be back there when Joyce, Cindy and I are visiting there. We exchanged phone numbers and we might be able to hang out with them while we are there. They told us about an awesome Buddhist Temple area up on a mountain near Chendu that we should visit. They also gave us a name of a good hostel place to stay at. It was just such good timing.
So far, the rest of this weekend, I've been putting all my stuff into piles. I have my Winter clothes all packed up in my suitcase. I have a pile of clothes to take to a donation center. I have another pile of things to give away to my friends if they want them. I have a pile of things that I need to take with me while traveling. I thought I had been living simply in Beijing, but when trying to put it all into two suitcases, it sure doesn't feel like it!
I actually went out on a Saturday night last night! Madness! Usually my Saturday nights consist of going to the gym, making dinner, grading papers and failing to good to bed early enough for the next day of classes. I haven't really missed having a "real" weekend in Beijing since most of my friends here have about the same days off as I do.
I met up with my friend Vivian for steamed dumplings for dinner and then Cindy met us a little later. We walked over to a bar where one of Vivian's friends was playing in a band. The music was a mixture of pop and folk, but really fun. I haven't heard live music like that since before I left last year, so it was really awesome. Plus, they had dark beer on tap! Vivian introduced me to two of her friends, one who is a student from Seattle, and a student from Italy. They were visiting from Chendu- the panda place- and will be back there when Joyce, Cindy and I are visiting there. We exchanged phone numbers and we might be able to hang out with them while we are there. They told us about an awesome Buddhist Temple area up on a mountain near Chendu that we should visit. They also gave us a name of a good hostel place to stay at. It was just such good timing.
So far, the rest of this weekend, I've been putting all my stuff into piles. I have my Winter clothes all packed up in my suitcase. I have a pile of clothes to take to a donation center. I have another pile of things to give away to my friends if they want them. I have a pile of things that I need to take with me while traveling. I thought I had been living simply in Beijing, but when trying to put it all into two suitcases, it sure doesn't feel like it!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
ICBC Banking Purgatory
One key piece of advice: If you ever live in China, don't use the ICBC Bank.
It's been a bit of a frustrating last few days, but I'll start from the beginning.
Tuesday I woke up with the feeling of freedom! I had no work to worry about and just needed to concentrate on getting my apartment cleaned and packed up, enjoying my time in Being and eventually dealing with my banking situation.
EF hosted a big get together in a bar in Sanliturn Tuesday night. There was free food and beer and it gave me a chance to say good-bye to the Beijing 2 teachers and other people that i have met along the way. I also just enjoyed hanging out with my friends. Laura brought along Amy, my mentor teacher, and it was wonderful catching up with her. It was a fun night.
Wednesday was suppose to be the day that I was to get my new visa back in my passport. I was waiting around the school waiting for the delivery, but it just wasn't showing up. I got in touch with the EF visa lady and she told me that she just didn't getting around to picking up the passports today,,,sorry! Ahhhh!
Yesterday, I went to the head EF office and was able to pick up my passport and new visa. They wanted me to pay for the new visa, which I didn't know I needed to do, but I told them that I couldn't pay for it until I got my bank account open. Luckily, they made me swear to pay it to the accounts manager at my school before I left.
I made my way back to my neighborhood and excitedly handed over my passport and a note in Chinese from my friend Sue who told them what I needed to do. The teller helped me open a new account. My heart dropped when I went to the ATM and the only money on it was the 10 quai I had to give them to open the account! I was able to go up to the school and Sue came down to help me. They told me that I would have to wait until June 9th to pick up my card which means a whole additional week without any access to my money and mouching off of my friends here which just sucks. I also learned that EF had only paid me for nine days from last month.
I went back upstairs to the school to talk to Laura about my payroll problem, and talked to some of the other teachers about my banking situation. Everyone said I should go back to the bank tomorrow and just cry and ask to speak to someone in English.
So, this morning, I went back to the bank, waited the obligatory hour to see the teller who just nodded her head at me and showed me the date when I should come back to pick up my card. I just sat there and said "I need to talk to someone in English." There was five banking people who came out of no where and were just talking over me. Eventually, I was escorted to a VIP room where they hooked up a phone and I was able to talk to someone in English who just told me I would have to wait.
I hated making a scene, but I had been told that other foreigners have been able to get their bank cards back earlier. Nick and Miles both didn't have to wait seven days when their wallets were stolen. I just didn't want to feel like I was taking advantaged of. It wasn't my proudest moment.
So now, I am kind of in banking purgatory. Cindy has loaned me some money so I can eat, but I can't really do too much else. I've been catching up on sleep, cleaning and packing, going to the gym and watching too many episodes of "Bones." My Internet has been shut off at my apartment, too, so I've been searching for wireless places, too.
I guess I really am being forced to slow down.
It's been a bit of a frustrating last few days, but I'll start from the beginning.
Tuesday I woke up with the feeling of freedom! I had no work to worry about and just needed to concentrate on getting my apartment cleaned and packed up, enjoying my time in Being and eventually dealing with my banking situation.
EF hosted a big get together in a bar in Sanliturn Tuesday night. There was free food and beer and it gave me a chance to say good-bye to the Beijing 2 teachers and other people that i have met along the way. I also just enjoyed hanging out with my friends. Laura brought along Amy, my mentor teacher, and it was wonderful catching up with her. It was a fun night.
Wednesday was suppose to be the day that I was to get my new visa back in my passport. I was waiting around the school waiting for the delivery, but it just wasn't showing up. I got in touch with the EF visa lady and she told me that she just didn't getting around to picking up the passports today,,,sorry! Ahhhh!
Yesterday, I went to the head EF office and was able to pick up my passport and new visa. They wanted me to pay for the new visa, which I didn't know I needed to do, but I told them that I couldn't pay for it until I got my bank account open. Luckily, they made me swear to pay it to the accounts manager at my school before I left.
I made my way back to my neighborhood and excitedly handed over my passport and a note in Chinese from my friend Sue who told them what I needed to do. The teller helped me open a new account. My heart dropped when I went to the ATM and the only money on it was the 10 quai I had to give them to open the account! I was able to go up to the school and Sue came down to help me. They told me that I would have to wait until June 9th to pick up my card which means a whole additional week without any access to my money and mouching off of my friends here which just sucks. I also learned that EF had only paid me for nine days from last month.
I went back upstairs to the school to talk to Laura about my payroll problem, and talked to some of the other teachers about my banking situation. Everyone said I should go back to the bank tomorrow and just cry and ask to speak to someone in English.
So, this morning, I went back to the bank, waited the obligatory hour to see the teller who just nodded her head at me and showed me the date when I should come back to pick up my card. I just sat there and said "I need to talk to someone in English." There was five banking people who came out of no where and were just talking over me. Eventually, I was escorted to a VIP room where they hooked up a phone and I was able to talk to someone in English who just told me I would have to wait.
I hated making a scene, but I had been told that other foreigners have been able to get their bank cards back earlier. Nick and Miles both didn't have to wait seven days when their wallets were stolen. I just didn't want to feel like I was taking advantaged of. It wasn't my proudest moment.
So now, I am kind of in banking purgatory. Cindy has loaned me some money so I can eat, but I can't really do too much else. I've been catching up on sleep, cleaning and packing, going to the gym and watching too many episodes of "Bones." My Internet has been shut off at my apartment, too, so I've been searching for wireless places, too.
I guess I really am being forced to slow down.
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