In my post "the most challenging thing" I told you guys of the stress I was under ordering take away Vietnamese for a dinner party some friends and I were having for some other friends that were leaving the next day. If it wasn't for the some strangers' kindness we would not have had anything to eat that night. Well I went back to the place again tonight to order take away for myself. It's not the first time that I've been back though. Went back last tuesday and ate in the restaurant with my head buried in the Hanyu shu (chinese books) and barely looked at any of the fuwuyuan (waiters) for fear that they would recognize me and laugh at me because of my prior humiliation. This time I had no such fears because I was hungry. I went to the take away counter and pointed at the pictures and order: zhe ge, zhe ge, na ge (pronounced jig ga, jig ga, neg ga (don't get me started)) which means this, this and that. Then asked duo shao qian (how much?) all confident like and wonders of wonders I was completely understood. They told me how much I paid it and waited from my food to come.
As I'm waiting one of the guys who tried to help the first time I tried ordering came over and said in broken English "you name Wil" not sure if statement of fact or question so I said yes and then we just looked at eachother and smiled. I learned my lesson the first time I wasn't going to try to speak chinese again. No way buddy. But after an awkward minute or so of just smiling I asked in chinese what his name was. Blank look. (Aside: If I can understand the broken english asking if I'm Wil why can't the chinese understand my broken chinese asking what his name is? So what some of the tones might be wrong and I may be saying "You dead horse is called what? " Isn't it implied somewhere in the words, if not the tones that I'm asking what you are called i.e. what's your name and not really asking about your dead horse?) I then ask again making sure that I'm speaking slowly and clearly and being very conscious of my tones "Ni jiao shenme mingzi?" Oh frakking happy days, the light goes on, he starts to smile and he ANSWERS ME BACK! What are you kidding me? He really understood me. We start this small conversation in broken english and broken chinese but we are communicating and I'm as happy as a pig in shyte to quote Yvonne Chappell. Another fuwuyuan comes overs and we start talking. Granted sometime I have to reign these guys in because they start talking really fast and now it's my turn to give the blank stare. I tell them to slow down and they do. I'm amazed at how much I'm really communicating in chinese. They ask me how long have I been studying, I tell them one month. They ask where I'm from, where I live, if I like Beijing, do I work (ha, try explaining vagabonding to someone who's never heard of it and work and school is all they know. I tell them that I take learn chinese during the day and explore in the afternoons and I'm saying all of this in chinese. They are impressed that I know as much as I do only after one month. I'm impressed with their english and how just like me how much they want to practice their english as I do my chinese. The three of us make a deal to practice when I come into the restaurant in the future. It was so much fun trying to get to the root of what each other was saying and then finding some common word(s) that made sense to all. And all of us laughing at each others eagerness to practice what we've learned in the others language. So much fun.
I left there feeling redeemed. I'd just broke down that wall that I had built up around myself. That wall that said I'm not speaking this language to any locals until I can do so flawlessly. Silly little William, silly little Billy trying to be perfect at the chinese. Go ahead you can laugh, I'm laughing at myself too. Lesson definitely learned!!
I'm not afraid to try to speak chinese any more and that feels good.
Thanks for listening. - Wil
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tutor, Jenn's Mom and Huotongs
At some point I have to get over my fear, well not really a fear rather reservations, of talking to the Chinese in chinese. I've gone on record about that blank look that inevitably appears on the face of the person I'm speaking chinese to. You should know that I've taken steps to remedy the situation by getting a tutor. My first lesson will start today once I get that all important text message from her letting me know that she's at the station ready to be picked up. Watch this space, I'll let you know if it works out well or if I have to fire her.
On other fronts: my friend Jennifer Dozier's mom is in town for the next three months. Her name is Dorothy and if she thinks that I'm babysitting her mom for the next month while I'm here she is sadly mistaken. I don't even like her mom!! She's loud and obnoxious and to top it all off she's smells bad. LOL. Joking people. She's really a lovely woman and we've really hit it off despite the odor. What!? LMAO. If Dorothy is reading this I'm sure she's getting a kick out of it.
Saturday we went to the Houhai Lake and took a rickshaw ride around the lake and the surrounding huotong. Poor little rickshaw guy didn't realize that he would be working so hard when he got me at 212 pounds and Dorothy at...at least, what... 305 pounds? in that tiny ricketyshaw. He was sweating so much when the ride/tour was over I felt really bad for him. Afterwards we sat on couches outside one of the bars drinking beer and eating chicken wings. Don't know who the folks were staring at more; us, black folks eating chicken wings (imagine that) or the other americans smoking from a hookah pipe sitting behind us. We walked off the beer and wings by finishing the trip around the lake and taking pictures. Took a wrong turn and got turned all around up in some Huotong so had to back track to get on the right road. Ended the evening by taking a cab back to our respective places and crashing hard. So much walking. So hot. So tired. Really good day. Next I'll have to take her to the Panjiayuan (Flea Market)to see how really good her haggling skills are. She says that they are good I tell her she aint got nothing on the chinese and she'll need to bring it if she wants a good deal on anything.
For those that don't know Huotongs were the traditional locations of homes in Beijing maybe all of china but I'm not sure. Picture cramped alleyways winding the twisting their way and at varying intervals with a gate leading to a courtyard house or a door leading to a small apartment. This is a huotong. For the uninitiated they can be intimidating places where you never really can tell which street you are on. In the area that were in the huotong was updated somewhat with modern roads, apartments converted into shops and stores at least the facade of some of these places were updated. If you looked closely or got a glimpse into some of the doorways and gates as you past you'd notice less than ideal conditions. This is the twisting maze of low slung buildings that we took a wrong turn into on Saturday evening. It wouldn't have been a problem finding our way out or simply walking until we did but it was late, getting dark and we were really tired (you'd be amazed how many people who don't have english as a first language say "tie red").
As cool and as interesting as the huotong (sorry they are pronounced "who tongs") are they have disappeared rapidly since Beijing got the Olympics. There used to be an incredibly large number of them, but in the name of process and development they have been razed to make room for huge apartment buildings, office buildings, stadiums, malls etc. Some folks celebrate the fact that they are gone while others say a vital part of China's history is being destroyed. You decide.
I wish I couldn't have been here about ten years ago. Less actually. Found out yesterday from Sammy (Sammy is the owner of Beijing London, the restaurant/bar/internet cafe where I used to blog from before I got this eee PC.) that up until 7 years ago the area that Im currently living in was full of small little villages. It wasn't developed at all!! I find this really hard to believe because the area I live in is full of tall office and residential buildings, malls, shops, huge department stores, movie theatres and subway stations. In less than 7 years all this was supposedly done but then again the chinese really seem to be able to do anything, particularly when you put tons on people on it.
Update: I had my first meeting with my tutor yesterday and it went really well. She's impressed with my knowledge of chinese and says that I'm not bad at all. Had my second session today and that went well also. Sooner rather than later I might be speaking this language after all. In class today my instructor asked if I had gotten a tutor. I told her yes and she said she noticed because I seemed a lot more comfortable speaking the language in class. Yeeeaaaah boy. LOL.
Take care peeps
p.s. picture of me taken about two weeks ago. one that I actually like. These others were taken from my bedroom window of the first sunny day I experienced in Beijing after being here a week. Proof positive that sunny days with blue skies can happen in Beijing. - Wil
On other fronts: my friend Jennifer Dozier's mom is in town for the next three months. Her name is Dorothy and if she thinks that I'm babysitting her mom for the next month while I'm here she is sadly mistaken. I don't even like her mom!! She's loud and obnoxious and to top it all off she's smells bad. LOL. Joking people. She's really a lovely woman and we've really hit it off despite the odor. What!? LMAO. If Dorothy is reading this I'm sure she's getting a kick out of it.
Saturday we went to the Houhai Lake and took a rickshaw ride around the lake and the surrounding huotong. Poor little rickshaw guy didn't realize that he would be working so hard when he got me at 212 pounds and Dorothy at...at least, what... 305 pounds? in that tiny ricketyshaw. He was sweating so much when the ride/tour was over I felt really bad for him. Afterwards we sat on couches outside one of the bars drinking beer and eating chicken wings. Don't know who the folks were staring at more; us, black folks eating chicken wings (imagine that) or the other americans smoking from a hookah pipe sitting behind us. We walked off the beer and wings by finishing the trip around the lake and taking pictures. Took a wrong turn and got turned all around up in some Huotong so had to back track to get on the right road. Ended the evening by taking a cab back to our respective places and crashing hard. So much walking. So hot. So tired. Really good day. Next I'll have to take her to the Panjiayuan (Flea Market)to see how really good her haggling skills are. She says that they are good I tell her she aint got nothing on the chinese and she'll need to bring it if she wants a good deal on anything.
For those that don't know Huotongs were the traditional locations of homes in Beijing maybe all of china but I'm not sure. Picture cramped alleyways winding the twisting their way and at varying intervals with a gate leading to a courtyard house or a door leading to a small apartment. This is a huotong. For the uninitiated they can be intimidating places where you never really can tell which street you are on. In the area that were in the huotong was updated somewhat with modern roads, apartments converted into shops and stores at least the facade of some of these places were updated. If you looked closely or got a glimpse into some of the doorways and gates as you past you'd notice less than ideal conditions. This is the twisting maze of low slung buildings that we took a wrong turn into on Saturday evening. It wouldn't have been a problem finding our way out or simply walking until we did but it was late, getting dark and we were really tired (you'd be amazed how many people who don't have english as a first language say "tie red").
As cool and as interesting as the huotong (sorry they are pronounced "who tongs") are they have disappeared rapidly since Beijing got the Olympics. There used to be an incredibly large number of them, but in the name of process and development they have been razed to make room for huge apartment buildings, office buildings, stadiums, malls etc. Some folks celebrate the fact that they are gone while others say a vital part of China's history is being destroyed. You decide.
I wish I couldn't have been here about ten years ago. Less actually. Found out yesterday from Sammy (Sammy is the owner of Beijing London, the restaurant/bar/internet cafe where I used to blog from before I got this eee PC.) that up until 7 years ago the area that Im currently living in was full of small little villages. It wasn't developed at all!! I find this really hard to believe because the area I live in is full of tall office and residential buildings, malls, shops, huge department stores, movie theatres and subway stations. In less than 7 years all this was supposedly done but then again the chinese really seem to be able to do anything, particularly when you put tons on people on it.
Update: I had my first meeting with my tutor yesterday and it went really well. She's impressed with my knowledge of chinese and says that I'm not bad at all. Had my second session today and that went well also. Sooner rather than later I might be speaking this language after all. In class today my instructor asked if I had gotten a tutor. I told her yes and she said she noticed because I seemed a lot more comfortable speaking the language in class. Yeeeaaaah boy. LOL.
Take care peeps
p.s. picture of me taken about two weeks ago. one that I actually like. These others were taken from my bedroom window of the first sunny day I experienced in Beijing after being here a week. Proof positive that sunny days with blue skies can happen in Beijing. - Wil
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
I be a man of my word
Okay so it was almost a month in the making but I've finally got a mini laptop. It weighs about less than a pound I think. For all you eggheads out there including but limited to my brother Mike, Elvin (how do i get on skype, come to china and show me please) Paul..I mean Tom..aah Paul, Harney (how's working from home), Leon (how's that neck), Tyree, Marsel and et al (whoever he is) it's the Asus EEE PC 900 (I hate pcs). Black, Linus, 30 GB HDD, 1 GB DDR2, Intel Mobile CPU & Chipset, WiFi 802.11b/g, 1.3 M Camera 10/100Mbps Ethernet, Sleeve. Know what all that means to me? It means I can upload pictures, blog without getting drunk and when I want to and email without lugging around a heavy laptop. I know I should have picked it up before I left the good ole US of A like my friend Rich said but I din na listen. Well I'm connected now and I'VE UPLOADED PICTURES. Okay shut up. I hear all those "about time" coming my way. Be quiet and just g0 to:
picasaweb.google.com/wilchappell
That's one L in Wil for those that still don't know. BDK!!
You will see my From China with love album. Enjoy. - Wil
picasaweb.google.com/wilchappell
That's one L in Wil for those that still don't know. BDK!!
You will see my From China with love album. Enjoy. - Wil
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Wall, The Great?
The one thing that they don't tell you about the Great Wall is that at points along its length you can die!!! Seriously the incline and the steps in some place at BaDaBing or was it BaDaLing was so steep that I felt really sorry for the older folks that were walking the wall. Either they went really really slowing or simply turned back. The young kids were acting as if they didn't notice anything. I tripped a couple because they were so annoying just bouncing around all over the place and running up the steep inclines and steps like it wasn't an issue while everyone else was struggling. So what couple chip a tooth or two. (only joking)
Ba Da Ling is probably the most touristy out of all the sites to visit but it was cool none the less. You look at the fortification snaking its way along the tops of the mountains and hills and you can only wonder at the people that work of these structures. You can only wonder at the conditions that they works through; summer heat, brutal winters. It's truly a remarkable engineering wonder. I couldn't help but think of that scene in Lord of the Rings where the signal fires are light from tower to tower signally that blah blah blah blah is happening in the movie. This is the feeling I got walking/climbing/looking along the length of the great wall. In the end I think history proved that the Great Wall really didn't do much in terms of protection. The idea behind it was good. It keeps hundreds of thousands if not millions employed during its construction. So that's a good thing.
In the end it's like.....every other tourist draw around the world ____________ . (You fill in the blank.)
- Wil
Ba Da Ling is probably the most touristy out of all the sites to visit but it was cool none the less. You look at the fortification snaking its way along the tops of the mountains and hills and you can only wonder at the people that work of these structures. You can only wonder at the conditions that they works through; summer heat, brutal winters. It's truly a remarkable engineering wonder. I couldn't help but think of that scene in Lord of the Rings where the signal fires are light from tower to tower signally that blah blah blah blah is happening in the movie. This is the feeling I got walking/climbing/looking along the length of the great wall. In the end I think history proved that the Great Wall really didn't do much in terms of protection. The idea behind it was good. It keeps hundreds of thousands if not millions employed during its construction. So that's a good thing.
In the end it's like.....every other tourist draw around the world ____________ . (You fill in the blank.)
- Wil
It was bound to happen
I was bound to get sick at some point and time along this journey and it's finally happened. I'm suffering from a summer cold. I looking like a walking ad for one of those cold remedy commercials. Red rimmed eyes, running nose, sneezing coughing, sore throat. Stupid me I left everything that I had back home because my backpack was really heavy to begin with. My thought process at the time is that I'll just buy it there. Bad move. Everything is in Chinese and not the products that I'm used to. So I've resulted to my remedy of chicken soup and plenty of fluids. Water, teas and copious amounts of alcohol. LOL. Well not copious amounts but a serious drink or two. I've found that when I feel like I'm coming down with something a stiff drink or two or three makes me feel better then next day. Try it.
The other thing that was bound to happen was the foreign invasion. It's started. My favorite watering hole and blogging/emailing checking spot is being overrun by foreigners. They are very very loud and I don't like it. Good for business though; the place is packed. Iris and Jeremy will love that. They are the managers of Beijing London.
- Wil
The other thing that was bound to happen was the foreign invasion. It's started. My favorite watering hole and blogging/emailing checking spot is being overrun by foreigners. They are very very loud and I don't like it. Good for business though; the place is packed. Iris and Jeremy will love that. They are the managers of Beijing London.
- Wil
Friday, July 18, 2008
The most challenging thing.
Today I've had to do the most challenging thing of my Beijing life. A friend is leaving Beijing tomorrow so we are hanging a dinner get together at my apartment tonight. Carole and Jasmin are getting the drinks and I was left to go to order the dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant for take away (that's "take out" to you and me).
I prep or a good hour before I walked into the place. I went so far as to write out my script. I was ready. I walked into the place and walked to the counter in the back and said Diao zou? (Take away?) And wonder of wonders she gave me the take away menu. So far so good. Then I said Bu xianzai (not now). A quizzical look. My sheng (tones) are probably all wrong. (If nothing else Chinese (Zhongwen) is a study in tones.) And from there is just goes downhill really really fast.
I thought I said: Jintian yeli wo xiang you diao zou. Bu xianzai. Jiu dian wode nu pengyou yao lai le. Hen hao? (I would like to order take away for tonight. Not for now. My girl friend will come and get at 9pm. Very good? ) Unfortunately, I have not idea what tones came out where, what tone I didn't say. All I got was a funny look and the waitress went looking for someone else who has mastered English (Yingwen) and Chinese because clearly this idiot before her didn't know what the hell he was saying. The savior came in the form of this really tall American guy. The waitress brought him over and he came up smiling and asked if I he could help. I explained the situanario and he told them in flawless Chinese what I wanted. Case close. I ordered a ton of food which amount to 275 rmb or about $35 and beat a path to the my favorite watering hole and started writing this post.
Thankfully the cold sweat finally left me. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to speak Chinese but I know I'll understand it. My ear at hearing what's being said is getting better. Went to see Red Cliff the other day. A new epic Chinese drama directed by John Woo and while it was subtitled I was able to understand some of the dialogue. Talk about a huge smile on my face. I was like "Oh shit, I know what he said." Huge shit eating grin on my face. Talking Chinese is another story. Apparently only my laoshi and classmates know what i'm saying.
Here's hoping that your words are true and your thoughts are clear.
- Wil
I prep or a good hour before I walked into the place. I went so far as to write out my script. I was ready. I walked into the place and walked to the counter in the back and said Diao zou? (Take away?) And wonder of wonders she gave me the take away menu. So far so good. Then I said Bu xianzai (not now). A quizzical look. My sheng (tones) are probably all wrong. (If nothing else Chinese (Zhongwen) is a study in tones.) And from there is just goes downhill really really fast.
I thought I said: Jintian yeli wo xiang you diao zou. Bu xianzai. Jiu dian wode nu pengyou yao lai le. Hen hao? (I would like to order take away for tonight. Not for now. My girl friend will come and get at 9pm. Very good? ) Unfortunately, I have not idea what tones came out where, what tone I didn't say. All I got was a funny look and the waitress went looking for someone else who has mastered English (Yingwen) and Chinese because clearly this idiot before her didn't know what the hell he was saying. The savior came in the form of this really tall American guy. The waitress brought him over and he came up smiling and asked if I he could help. I explained the situanario and he told them in flawless Chinese what I wanted. Case close. I ordered a ton of food which amount to 275 rmb or about $35 and beat a path to the my favorite watering hole and started writing this post.
Thankfully the cold sweat finally left me. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to speak Chinese but I know I'll understand it. My ear at hearing what's being said is getting better. Went to see Red Cliff the other day. A new epic Chinese drama directed by John Woo and while it was subtitled I was able to understand some of the dialogue. Talk about a huge smile on my face. I was like "Oh shit, I know what he said." Huge shit eating grin on my face. Talking Chinese is another story. Apparently only my laoshi and classmates know what i'm saying.
Here's hoping that your words are true and your thoughts are clear.
- Wil
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The incredible shrinking man
I went to put on my pair of shorts earlier this week that were tight on my the first week that I was here and they fit comfortable. No tightness in the bum or anything. I didn't think anything of it and went about my business. Today I realized that I'm down a notch on my belt and the cargo shorts that fit me just right when I came to Beijing are now hanging off my waist. As a test I put on the khakis that were very snug when I came here and haven't worn since my first day at school and they too have a lot of room in the waist.
I have become the incredible shrinking man. Sweet! Takeshia, Houran, Jlaire, Jacinda shouldn't worry about my bum. It's still there and not going anyway and time soon.
- Wil
I have become the incredible shrinking man. Sweet! Takeshia, Houran, Jlaire, Jacinda shouldn't worry about my bum. It's still there and not going anyway and time soon.
- Wil
Perfect afternoon
Yesterday was one of those perfect afternoons. After taking my first exam (got an 88) I decided that I was going to go to Houhai area and walk around the lake that some friends and I had seen or a prior visit. As this lake is big and we were hungry on the first vistit we didn't investigate, but I made a mental note to come back and check it out.
Weather was great. Sunny and really hot but who cares the sunny was shining and the sky was blue. Far cry from the grey we are used to. Before I headed out I went back to my room to pick up my travel guitar. Figured I practice and play the only song I know; Till the Sun Turns Black by Ray LaMontagne. Yes, I know how to play it. Shut up. Took the subway to the stop and got out and.......had to pee!!! Now eople have warned me about the public toilets in Beijing and China in general. All have said that they are a disgusting affair with shit and shinola all over the place. They've said to watch your step and don't touch anything. They've said to hold your nose because the place smells like ass on the hottest day in hell (LMAO, I love saying that something smells like ass. I get a kick out of it every time I write it, LOL) and if you have to shit then God help you because the toilets in the public toilets are squat toilets. Fortunately, I only had to pee. I walked into the place expected the worse and was sorely disappointed. The place was incredibly clean with new fixtures and gleaming white porcelin (that word I can't spell again and too lazy to look ulp) tile walls. No odor of shit to assault my nose at all. Frankly, I was ready to have this disgusting experience to write about in a future blog and it was completely denied me. Damn Olympic preparations. Peed and went about my business, the end.
The lake. A what looks like recently added concrete tile walkway rings the lake with built in benches. It's lined with trees and in some sections there's a copious number of bars with sofas outside for your seating pleasure. There are some restaurants but more bars than anything. The bars are quaint without being overdone. You'd feel really comfortable stopping having a beer or two or three and wasting away the afternoon. The place is full of locals swimming, take the rental boats out, working out in the public parks, doing tai chi and just going about their daily lives. If I had had on my boxers I would have jumped in the lake with the locals but unfortunately I had on the tighty whiteys. I don't think they would have been ready for that. I had enough stares already and didn't need them staring at my butt too. There are guys in san lun che (three wheeled passenger pedal bikes) ready and willing to give tours of the surround Huotongs for a fee that's is always negotiable. Local vendors seeing some jade, bracelets, tiny kites etc... Not an overwhelming number of these vendors either expect the three wheeled bike buys. A really nice local place where there are folks fishing, sleeping and just living their lives. I walk in with my guitar on my back and the stares begin.
Okay as an aside. For real this staring thing is getting really crazy. It is so incredibly bizarre to me all the stares. I'm apologize for going on about it so much but it is a constant unrelenting thing. It's the double and triple take stare. It's the stop right in front of you and stare stare. It's the I'm not reallylooking at you but really am stare. It's the quick look as you walk by that then the turn around stop and stare stare. It's the saying to your friends "look at him" out the corner of your mouth to get your friends attention stare, it's the grab your sons head and whip it around when he's looking in the wrong direction stare. It's the whole bus is looking at you when you get on stare, it's the did anyone see me as I hit my head getting out of the subway car on three ocassions, oh yes they did because he's so tall and they are laughing stare. It's the chuzuche (taxi) almost getting into an accident because he's staring stare. It is in a word absolutely frakking crazy and I'm loving it. I start to dance with my headphones on. I'm looking people right in there faces and going Ni Hao (hello) catching them off guard. When they talking chinese to there friends about me I say "Dui dui dui, Wo hen da" (yes yes yes I very big) catching them off guard that 1. I know that are talking about me and 2. that I know chinese. What!? BDK. So much fun. Scott Kollar warned me but I didn't believe him.
So I walk into all these at the lake. Excerbated by the fact that it's really hot and I'm sweating like a whore in a church's sauna so I take my shirt off showing all my tattoos. I tell you I wish i had had on boxers I would have gone swimming. The walk is leisurely, stopping to practice a little chinese with folks along the way. I'm Ni Hao-ing all over the place and generally just having a really good time. After an hour or so I find a shaded section and break out the guitar and just start practicing my finger picking and strumming and my one song. People actually stop to listen as they walk by and some of the people in the pedal boats float nearby to either stare or listen. I haven't figured out which yet. I'm playing for about an hour or so and having a great time. I might be a half way decent guitarist when I make it back to the states. (Yeah right.)
I ended the stroll by buying some trickets from one of the vendors for next to nothing. My skills at negotiation are getting better each day or so I think.
That was my afternoon until around 630pm. Leisurely hanging with the locals and practicing guitar at Houhai lake. I think I'll definitely go back soon. My friend Jen's mom is coming in town this Sunday for 3 months or so and I think she'll enjoy the place as well. Need to get here there before all the Olympic tourists decend on it. It's going to be a made house.
Oh, I didn't bring my camera with me so there are not pictures, not that you could see them anyway. Next time I go I'll bring the camera.
Hope you all have your own perfect afternoons as well. - Wil
Weather was great. Sunny and really hot but who cares the sunny was shining and the sky was blue. Far cry from the grey we are used to. Before I headed out I went back to my room to pick up my travel guitar. Figured I practice and play the only song I know; Till the Sun Turns Black by Ray LaMontagne. Yes, I know how to play it. Shut up. Took the subway to the stop and got out and.......had to pee!!! Now eople have warned me about the public toilets in Beijing and China in general. All have said that they are a disgusting affair with shit and shinola all over the place. They've said to watch your step and don't touch anything. They've said to hold your nose because the place smells like ass on the hottest day in hell (LMAO, I love saying that something smells like ass. I get a kick out of it every time I write it, LOL) and if you have to shit then God help you because the toilets in the public toilets are squat toilets. Fortunately, I only had to pee. I walked into the place expected the worse and was sorely disappointed. The place was incredibly clean with new fixtures and gleaming white porcelin (that word I can't spell again and too lazy to look ulp) tile walls. No odor of shit to assault my nose at all. Frankly, I was ready to have this disgusting experience to write about in a future blog and it was completely denied me. Damn Olympic preparations. Peed and went about my business, the end.
The lake. A what looks like recently added concrete tile walkway rings the lake with built in benches. It's lined with trees and in some sections there's a copious number of bars with sofas outside for your seating pleasure. There are some restaurants but more bars than anything. The bars are quaint without being overdone. You'd feel really comfortable stopping having a beer or two or three and wasting away the afternoon. The place is full of locals swimming, take the rental boats out, working out in the public parks, doing tai chi and just going about their daily lives. If I had had on my boxers I would have jumped in the lake with the locals but unfortunately I had on the tighty whiteys. I don't think they would have been ready for that. I had enough stares already and didn't need them staring at my butt too. There are guys in san lun che (three wheeled passenger pedal bikes) ready and willing to give tours of the surround Huotongs for a fee that's is always negotiable. Local vendors seeing some jade, bracelets, tiny kites etc... Not an overwhelming number of these vendors either expect the three wheeled bike buys. A really nice local place where there are folks fishing, sleeping and just living their lives. I walk in with my guitar on my back and the stares begin.
Okay as an aside. For real this staring thing is getting really crazy. It is so incredibly bizarre to me all the stares. I'm apologize for going on about it so much but it is a constant unrelenting thing. It's the double and triple take stare. It's the stop right in front of you and stare stare. It's the I'm not reallylooking at you but really am stare. It's the quick look as you walk by that then the turn around stop and stare stare. It's the saying to your friends "look at him" out the corner of your mouth to get your friends attention stare, it's the grab your sons head and whip it around when he's looking in the wrong direction stare. It's the whole bus is looking at you when you get on stare, it's the did anyone see me as I hit my head getting out of the subway car on three ocassions, oh yes they did because he's so tall and they are laughing stare. It's the chuzuche (taxi) almost getting into an accident because he's staring stare. It is in a word absolutely frakking crazy and I'm loving it. I start to dance with my headphones on. I'm looking people right in there faces and going Ni Hao (hello) catching them off guard. When they talking chinese to there friends about me I say "Dui dui dui, Wo hen da" (yes yes yes I very big) catching them off guard that 1. I know that are talking about me and 2. that I know chinese. What!? BDK. So much fun. Scott Kollar warned me but I didn't believe him.
So I walk into all these at the lake. Excerbated by the fact that it's really hot and I'm sweating like a whore in a church's sauna so I take my shirt off showing all my tattoos. I tell you I wish i had had on boxers I would have gone swimming. The walk is leisurely, stopping to practice a little chinese with folks along the way. I'm Ni Hao-ing all over the place and generally just having a really good time. After an hour or so I find a shaded section and break out the guitar and just start practicing my finger picking and strumming and my one song. People actually stop to listen as they walk by and some of the people in the pedal boats float nearby to either stare or listen. I haven't figured out which yet. I'm playing for about an hour or so and having a great time. I might be a half way decent guitarist when I make it back to the states. (Yeah right.)
I ended the stroll by buying some trickets from one of the vendors for next to nothing. My skills at negotiation are getting better each day or so I think.
That was my afternoon until around 630pm. Leisurely hanging with the locals and practicing guitar at Houhai lake. I think I'll definitely go back soon. My friend Jen's mom is coming in town this Sunday for 3 months or so and I think she'll enjoy the place as well. Need to get here there before all the Olympic tourists decend on it. It's going to be a made house.
Oh, I didn't bring my camera with me so there are not pictures, not that you could see them anyway. Next time I go I'll bring the camera.
Hope you all have your own perfect afternoons as well. - Wil
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Picture menus
Saturday night was a blast. We all were feeling the need to dance and those of you who know me know that I love to dance like nobody's business. We met up and the bar from Friday night Q Bar had a couple of drinks and moved on to a club where we could dance. Someone had read that The World According to Suzie Wong was a good place so we went. Place is multi-level with a outdoor roof deck where you can lounge and cool off. Main room is really big but the dance floor is really small. (They may want to rethink the design in the very near future, it just wasn't working for the number of people that the place attracts.) The bar takes up a huge portion of the space with seating along one wall and small seating groups around high chairs and table. It's smoke filled, loud and crowded. And this is what we walked into on Saturday night. A small group of 6 but striking in appearance. Carol, Jasmin and Sophia beautiful. Hugo, Marco and I over 6' and not bad looking either. The question as soon as we walked in was "drinks or dance?" An overwhelming response of dance and we cut a swarth through the crowd to the dance floor that only had two people dancing on it. (Someone had early predicted that we would make the club jump and jump it did when we hit the dance floor.) After getting initial stares from those that were drinking at tables throughout the space as we dance they decided to join us and within a minute and a half the floor was packed. Funny thing is after dancing for a while we went up the outdoor deck to just cool and chat. When we went back downstairs the dance floor was empty. No one to be found on it anywhere. Again, we started dancing and with seconds it was packed again. Too funny.
I woke up Sunday morning at 113oam after getting in at 420am. Was supposed to study because I have a test xingqiyi (monday) or xingqier (tuesday). Our instructor wouldn't specify which day. I'm hoping it's xingqier because I really didn't want to be cooped up today studying. I decided to explore Panjiayuan, an antique market. I thought it was an outside flea market thingy but I was wrong. It's any enclosed building with serious high end chinese antiquities and extremely detailed jade carvings and jewelry just a name a couple of things. Def not a flea market. I ended up getting a couple of things but had to bargain a little for them. I'm not to bad at the bargaining thing actually. This surprises me.
On my way to the Panjiayuan I took a wrong turn somewhere and got a little lost, but it's okay because I only have happy accidents. This happy accident had me stumbling upon a local asian restaurant. I hadn't eaten since 6pm the day before and here it was now 130 pm. I was starved. I still don't know the name of the place. Alls I know if that the food was so darn good!!! As walked in and every head turned to look at me. I was the only foreigner in the place. I'm glad that I don't intimidate easily. Was given a menu and thank God it had pictures!!! If it wasn't for the picture menu I'd waste away to nothing. With them I can smile and point and all I have to say is xie xie (shay shay) which means thank you. There's one draw back to the picture menu. You can't judge how much food you are getting or how many it will feed. This became apparent when my stewed fish in chili sauce arrived. The bowl was huge. It could have fed me, my three roommates and my five classmates bu yong xie (no problem.) And it was all for me. I'm sure the wait staff got a kick out of that. I put a major dent in it. The fish, and it was a whole fish cut up head and tail, was very tasty. The chilie sauce set it all off very nicely. The leftovers occupy a space in my bag as I sit at Starbucks (Xing Ba Ke) and write this in my journal to be transferred later to my blog. I'll have leftovers tonight and probably tomorrow as well.
All in all a good day. Some exploration, a happy accident, extremely good food. Now I can go home and study?
Hopefully that damn test is xingqi er (tuesday) and not mingtian (tomorrow.)
Until next time. "And hey be careful out there." (Can you name which tv drama series of the 80's this comes from?) If you are the first to answer you may win a prize. ;-)
- Wil
I woke up Sunday morning at 113oam after getting in at 420am. Was supposed to study because I have a test xingqiyi (monday) or xingqier (tuesday). Our instructor wouldn't specify which day. I'm hoping it's xingqier because I really didn't want to be cooped up today studying. I decided to explore Panjiayuan, an antique market. I thought it was an outside flea market thingy but I was wrong. It's any enclosed building with serious high end chinese antiquities and extremely detailed jade carvings and jewelry just a name a couple of things. Def not a flea market. I ended up getting a couple of things but had to bargain a little for them. I'm not to bad at the bargaining thing actually. This surprises me.
On my way to the Panjiayuan I took a wrong turn somewhere and got a little lost, but it's okay because I only have happy accidents. This happy accident had me stumbling upon a local asian restaurant. I hadn't eaten since 6pm the day before and here it was now 130 pm. I was starved. I still don't know the name of the place. Alls I know if that the food was so darn good!!! As walked in and every head turned to look at me. I was the only foreigner in the place. I'm glad that I don't intimidate easily. Was given a menu and thank God it had pictures!!! If it wasn't for the picture menu I'd waste away to nothing. With them I can smile and point and all I have to say is xie xie (shay shay) which means thank you. There's one draw back to the picture menu. You can't judge how much food you are getting or how many it will feed. This became apparent when my stewed fish in chili sauce arrived. The bowl was huge. It could have fed me, my three roommates and my five classmates bu yong xie (no problem.) And it was all for me. I'm sure the wait staff got a kick out of that. I put a major dent in it. The fish, and it was a whole fish cut up head and tail, was very tasty. The chilie sauce set it all off very nicely. The leftovers occupy a space in my bag as I sit at Starbucks (Xing Ba Ke) and write this in my journal to be transferred later to my blog. I'll have leftovers tonight and probably tomorrow as well.
All in all a good day. Some exploration, a happy accident, extremely good food. Now I can go home and study?
Hopefully that damn test is xingqi er (tuesday) and not mingtian (tomorrow.)
Until next time. "And hey be careful out there." (Can you name which tv drama series of the 80's this comes from?) If you are the first to answer you may win a prize. ;-)
- Wil
It felt like I was...
Tonight was a treat. First there is one thing you should know about the language learning center that I attend; it sponsors weekly visits, trips and activities for its student at a nominal fee. So, for example, I've gone to the Forbidden City last week for the equivalence of approx. $15. Tomorrow, I'm going to the Temple of Heaven for about $5. This way I get to see the typical tourist atttractions and experience pasrt of asian culture that I might not have normally experience. Some activities that I've already taken part in are: caligraphy, chinese painting (my panda and bamboo look really cool although the ink we use smells like ass. Really bad.), got my chinese name: Kong wan liang and learned how to play chinese chess (not checkers which is what I originally thought it was). So anyway, tonight was special because we went to see a performance of the chinese acrobats. In a word "off the chain". I really wan to be a chinese acrobat when I grow up. Unfortunately, I'm too tall. Average height appears to be 2'5" but I don't judge height well so don't quote me. They are tiny and extremely talented. I hate them. They make you feel like you are not flexible at all and I'm pretty damn flexible for me age and height.
After the show the eleven (shi yi) of us went for a thai dinner and afterward went to a bar for drinks The bar was full of mostly non asians and felt like I had stepped into any bar in manhattan save for the fact that many different languages and accents were apparent. By shear luck we secured half of a coveted sofa alcove and paid exorbertant RMBs prices for our drinks. (By NYC standards no big deal what so ever.) I met the couple Michael (woman) and Thomas who were vacating the other half of the alcove. She; gorgeous and german. He; lanky and french. I introduced them to my friends, Carole, Jasmin and Peter from Switzerland, Hugo, whom you've met early from Holland, Sophia from Germany, Helene from France Mario from Mexico and Anya from Russia. Then there's little ole me from these United States. It felt like I as introducing a U.N. delegation or something.
We had a great time but ended the night relatively early because we were going to the Temple of Heaven the next day, but not before I downed two shots of tequilla and 3 greygooses and cranberry. (Not too worry, they use measure ounces of alcohol here which isn't enough to get a granny tipsy.)
So those are my hanging buddies, my friends while I'm here in Beijing. Some will leave sooner than others; some like me, Carole and Hugo will stay longer than most. We'll continue to enjoy each other's company in the time that we have in this crazy-smog-filled-watch-out-that-the-cars-taxis-buses-mo-peds-bikes-and-motorcycles-don't-kill-you-as-you-cross-the-street place that they call Beijing.
How you doing? (Said in the Joey from friends voice) - Wil
After the show the eleven (shi yi) of us went for a thai dinner and afterward went to a bar for drinks The bar was full of mostly non asians and felt like I had stepped into any bar in manhattan save for the fact that many different languages and accents were apparent. By shear luck we secured half of a coveted sofa alcove and paid exorbertant RMBs prices for our drinks. (By NYC standards no big deal what so ever.) I met the couple Michael (woman) and Thomas who were vacating the other half of the alcove. She; gorgeous and german. He; lanky and french. I introduced them to my friends, Carole, Jasmin and Peter from Switzerland, Hugo, whom you've met early from Holland, Sophia from Germany, Helene from France Mario from Mexico and Anya from Russia. Then there's little ole me from these United States. It felt like I as introducing a U.N. delegation or something.
We had a great time but ended the night relatively early because we were going to the Temple of Heaven the next day, but not before I downed two shots of tequilla and 3 greygooses and cranberry. (Not too worry, they use measure ounces of alcohol here which isn't enough to get a granny tipsy.)
So those are my hanging buddies, my friends while I'm here in Beijing. Some will leave sooner than others; some like me, Carole and Hugo will stay longer than most. We'll continue to enjoy each other's company in the time that we have in this crazy-smog-filled-watch-out-that-the-cars-taxis-buses-mo-peds-bikes-and-motorcycles-don't-kill-you-as-you-cross-the-street place that they call Beijing.
How you doing? (Said in the Joey from friends voice) - Wil
...worth writing home about.
Originally written July 9th, 2008.
I was feeling really out of sorts lately and I could figure out why. Then it hit me. I'd been taking in all this food, but NOTHING was coming out!! What the frak!! I'm normally as regular as a Swiss timepiece but half way into my second week here and I'd only gone three times in 11 days. UNHEARD OF. It was getting so bad I mentioned to Hugo and said he'd give me something that he brought with him from Holland. Needless to say I was waiting patiently for the next day to come so I could take this product. It was getting so bad I was almost going to have my sister Fedex me some Senna Tea from the Vitamin Shoppe. I know this talk is probably grossing some of you out right now, but get over it. It's life and shit happens. LMFAO.
Later on July 9th, SUCCESS AT LAST. I had the only BM worth writing home about. It was truly a wonderful thing. It was one of those where you flush multiple time because it just keeps on coming. It was one where you feel pounds lighter afterwards. It was one of those that you could tell from the very beginning was going to be a good one. I was hoping for a fourth flush but unfortunately it eluded me.
I guess talking about it helped or maybe it was the spicy lunch and dinner and the vodka and "orange juice" with dinner. Whatever it was it did the trick and I feel so much better. I'm going to have to watch what I eat. God knows I don't want to feel that way again. Felt like my eyes were popping out of my head. A slight exergeration (who do you spell this word) I'm sure but it felt that way.
- Wil
I was feeling really out of sorts lately and I could figure out why. Then it hit me. I'd been taking in all this food, but NOTHING was coming out!! What the frak!! I'm normally as regular as a Swiss timepiece but half way into my second week here and I'd only gone three times in 11 days. UNHEARD OF. It was getting so bad I mentioned to Hugo and said he'd give me something that he brought with him from Holland. Needless to say I was waiting patiently for the next day to come so I could take this product. It was getting so bad I was almost going to have my sister Fedex me some Senna Tea from the Vitamin Shoppe. I know this talk is probably grossing some of you out right now, but get over it. It's life and shit happens. LMFAO.
Later on July 9th, SUCCESS AT LAST. I had the only BM worth writing home about. It was truly a wonderful thing. It was one of those where you flush multiple time because it just keeps on coming. It was one where you feel pounds lighter afterwards. It was one of those that you could tell from the very beginning was going to be a good one. I was hoping for a fourth flush but unfortunately it eluded me.
I guess talking about it helped or maybe it was the spicy lunch and dinner and the vodka and "orange juice" with dinner. Whatever it was it did the trick and I feel so much better. I'm going to have to watch what I eat. God knows I don't want to feel that way again. Felt like my eyes were popping out of my head. A slight exergeration (who do you spell this word) I'm sure but it felt that way.
- Wil
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Temple of Heaven
Hello good people. So I am completely unprepared to blog at this moment. I pop into Beijing London, the bar/restaurant/internet cafe, unexpectately after spending a really good checking out the Temple of Heaven. Got some really good pictures as well. Yeah yeah I know you are sick of hearing that they are coming but they are. Anyway, pop in here without my notebook that I keep my blog posts in. So you can look forward to blogs about the BM that save my entire Beijing trip, my roommate, stale peanuts a cold Corona and a scorching Saturday break on Sulitan and Chinese Acrobats night. Fun stuff. Hopefully that has whet you appetite.
Today is an incredibly sunny day in Beijing. The weather manipulation that the government is doing is apparently working. Hugo, you guys should know Hugo from a prior post, found an detailing the governments efforts to change the weather. They've shot aluminun oxide cannistes in the atmosphere all in an effor to make it rain, and rain it does. Last Friday was torrential downpours for hours and then Sunday was gorgeous. Yesterday, Friday, it rained like crazy and today it is gorgeous. Not a speck of smog in the sky. Serious. I can see blue skies and sun. NO SMOG. That's unheard of for Beijing. Government is really working on making the Olympics blue skies so they are testing like crazy prior to the games. They will ban all cars or on the road for the two weeks of the Olympics. Can you imagine NYC doing that? I can't.
So of you have told me that you still can't see the video of the Forbidden City. If you go to youtude and search under Hugo Leitjens or Forbidden City you should see Hugo's video. It should be out there. I've seen it a couple of times. Didn't think to put the link in this blog either. My bad.
Until next time. Kong Wan Liang (my Chinese name) is outta here.
- Wan Liang
Today is an incredibly sunny day in Beijing. The weather manipulation that the government is doing is apparently working. Hugo, you guys should know Hugo from a prior post, found an detailing the governments efforts to change the weather. They've shot aluminun oxide cannistes in the atmosphere all in an effor to make it rain, and rain it does. Last Friday was torrential downpours for hours and then Sunday was gorgeous. Yesterday, Friday, it rained like crazy and today it is gorgeous. Not a speck of smog in the sky. Serious. I can see blue skies and sun. NO SMOG. That's unheard of for Beijing. Government is really working on making the Olympics blue skies so they are testing like crazy prior to the games. They will ban all cars or on the road for the two weeks of the Olympics. Can you imagine NYC doing that? I can't.
So of you have told me that you still can't see the video of the Forbidden City. If you go to youtude and search under Hugo Leitjens or Forbidden City you should see Hugo's video. It should be out there. I've seen it a couple of times. Didn't think to put the link in this blog either. My bad.
Until next time. Kong Wan Liang (my Chinese name) is outta here.
- Wan Liang
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Please put www.hugoleitjens.com Sorry.
And the reason why I don't have my family send me my laptop is because it's too bulking and heavy to lug around in my backpack. This to the anon person who asked why I don't have it sent. - Wil
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
There's nothing like....
Most of you who know me know that I'm not the most technologically saavy person that has walked the face of God's green earth. For the most part if I can't take it out the box and plug it in and push the on button I'm lost. Don't ask me to read the operating manual because I'll just get a glassy look in my eyes after the first couple of pages and then I'll be done with the whole thing. Some folks get a major thrill out of reading these pages, my friend and ex-DDSer Jacinda and my buddy Russell readily come to mind, but not me. So you can imagine how stuck I've felt in Beijing: 1. not know the language to ask for a China mobile sim card, 2. not having the know how to figure out how to open the damn iPhone and switch out the sim card and 3. not knowing how to unlock the son of a beyotch so that I can use the China Mobile sim card in the first place. Enter Hugo, my classmate, my hanging buddy, my friend. He loves computers and computers love him. He was able to unlock, some would say hack, my phone in under five minutes, a feat that would have taken me a couple of lifetimes, and get my phone ready to accept the China Mobile sim card. PEOPLE I NOW HAVE ACCESS TO A PHONE. I can make international calls and texts finally. Yay.
Just got off the phone with my mom. Really good hearing her voice. She really appreciated the call and I could really hear that in her voice. It's all thanks to Hugo. Thanks my friend, I really appreciate you making that call happen.
(Okay, just as an aside if I die in the next days or so it's because I don't think that this burger is beef. It has a different texture. Juicy but different. Seriously, what's with the ketchup too! Too sweet. )
So here's the thing with telephone numbers in China: they hate the number 4, it's bad luck. So most of the number that are sold in the newspaper Kiosk are riddled with 4s. Fortunately for me mine only has two. Hopefully not too unlucky.
In the very near future techno kid Hugo and I are going shopping for a mini laptap top "thingy" as my nephew Chance would say. Should be able to blog at my own convenience and share pictures and stuff.
The funny is is that couple of months ago I wanted to be completely unplugged and off the grid. Not having access to a blackberry, cell phone or lappie (got this saying from my brother Michael) was fine with me. Now however, cell phone and laptop which represents access to my family and friends I can't wait to get back in my possession. It's not that it's so easy to just reach out and touch them it's more that the emails and the blogs and the texts let them know that despite the mile and all the continents between us that connection is still there. So while I can do without the tools of technology, I don't want to because of what if means to those that I love and those who love me. There's nothing like that complete and utter surprise in someone's voice when you call them and they are geniunely thrill beyond measure to hear your voice. I heard that I my moms voice this evening (morning for her) and was really glad that I could call her finally. I heard the relief too. Relief that her son was okay and happy and eating (yeah I was finishing up that juicy burger thingy that might kill me) and making friends. She ended the call by saying be good. Such a mom!! And for all of this again thanks to Hugo. BTW he keeps a blog a well. He's got a funny clip of me and fellow classmates as we toured the Forbidden City this past weekend. His blog is at: hugoleijtens.com
That's it for this post. Be well foks blog you later.
- Wil
Just got off the phone with my mom. Really good hearing her voice. She really appreciated the call and I could really hear that in her voice. It's all thanks to Hugo. Thanks my friend, I really appreciate you making that call happen.
(Okay, just as an aside if I die in the next days or so it's because I don't think that this burger is beef. It has a different texture. Juicy but different. Seriously, what's with the ketchup too! Too sweet. )
So here's the thing with telephone numbers in China: they hate the number 4, it's bad luck. So most of the number that are sold in the newspaper Kiosk are riddled with 4s. Fortunately for me mine only has two. Hopefully not too unlucky.
In the very near future techno kid Hugo and I are going shopping for a mini laptap top "thingy" as my nephew Chance would say. Should be able to blog at my own convenience and share pictures and stuff.
The funny is is that couple of months ago I wanted to be completely unplugged and off the grid. Not having access to a blackberry, cell phone or lappie (got this saying from my brother Michael) was fine with me. Now however, cell phone and laptop which represents access to my family and friends I can't wait to get back in my possession. It's not that it's so easy to just reach out and touch them it's more that the emails and the blogs and the texts let them know that despite the mile and all the continents between us that connection is still there. So while I can do without the tools of technology, I don't want to because of what if means to those that I love and those who love me. There's nothing like that complete and utter surprise in someone's voice when you call them and they are geniunely thrill beyond measure to hear your voice. I heard that I my moms voice this evening (morning for her) and was really glad that I could call her finally. I heard the relief too. Relief that her son was okay and happy and eating (yeah I was finishing up that juicy burger thingy that might kill me) and making friends. She ended the call by saying be good. Such a mom!! And for all of this again thanks to Hugo. BTW he keeps a blog a well. He's got a funny clip of me and fellow classmates as we toured the Forbidden City this past weekend. His blog is at: hugoleijtens.com
That's it for this post. Be well foks blog you later.
- Wil
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Bikes
I've figured out where old bikes go to die. Apparently they are exported to China where they continue to live on forever. I've seen all manner of bikes in Beijing, some I swear have been around since the turn of the 20th century. Seriously though, what is with China and all these old bikes? These things were around with the dinosaurs. I swear I saw the one that Moses rode across the Red Sea, it was that old. Listen China, if you can build the bird nest stadium and the swimming cube you can build a few new bikes and retire the really old ones for God's sake.
- Wil
- Wil
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy Birthday America
I was a little sad today because this was the first July 4th that I've spent outside the country. I was thinking of all the BBQ and fireworks that would be happening all over the country and here I am in China and I don't see an American flag anywhere. Just a little sad. I got over it. I hope you all made the best of it.
- Wil
- Wil
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The song was wrong...
If I had stuck to the original plan I wouldn't be in the situation that I'm in now. The original plan was for me to have a working knowledge of Mandarin prior to leaving the States. Laziness and simply not wanting to have to get up and study on my own in my own apartment put a stop to that. Now I'm suffering for it.
The realization hit me like a ton of brick a day and a half into this adventure. I'm in a foreign country where I don't speak or read the language and everything is in this language. I'm an idiot for not stucking to my original plan. I didn't think how hard it would be doing the most simplest of tasks. Take for example getting an IP phone card. No problem right? Wrong. If you don't speak Chinese how are you going to tell the guy that you want to call home or ask if you can use this card wherever, blah blah blah? If you don't hear from me for a while you know why. How are you going to ask the woman at the lunch counter "what's in the dumplings?" Fortunately, I eat everything so I just point and pay.
There is a certain freedom not knowing the language. You get away with anything. Just put a quizzical look on your face and keep on stepping. Three days in and I'm having a really good time. My apartment is very cool. My roommate, a yound french girl, is cool as well but she been sleeping since I've been here. Apparently she had friends in town and didn't get much rest. Students in my class are very cool as well. Most are from Holland and Switzerland. With another French girl thrown in for good measure. I'm the only Mei guo ren (American).
Just found this really cool bar that has internet access so I can get drunk and blog and send emails at the same time.
Just got back from Tian'anmen Square. Really cool. Sorry no picture. Someone (Kristine Ty) talked me out of bringing my laptop (someone slap her for me (joking.)) In Tian'anmen square there were three of us plus the guide. Me, Carol and Hugo. Melody was the native guide. Like I said a really cool place, but apparently others thought that Hugo and I were the attraction. We both are clearing over 6'3" and such an oddity that people were doing double takes and taking pictures of us without trying to get our attention. Some would smile and wave whilst others would just stare and gawk. It was really funny. Doing caligraphy tomorrow and the Emperor's Palace on Thursday or Saturday. Seriously though, this frakking place is HUGE!!!!! With a capital HUGE.
Two things. One funny, the other not so much.
1. Got off the plane and nature called as I was waiting for my luggage. Had this huge goofy smile on my face because I was in Bei-frakking-jing, the realization of this image in my head. Well the smile of my face quickly disappeared when I walked to the first stall and saw a porcelin hole in the floor. Now I had heard about squatting over hole in some of the outlying areas, but I didn't expect it in the airport and now here I was confronted with the squat. Seriously, WTF!!! I didn't sign up for this in the Bei-frakking-jing airport!! In east bumble frak China, yes, but not in Bei-frakking-jing! Heck no. I checked the second stall and saw the porcelin throne. Thank God. Was able to go in peace my son. Phew. Deyz is a god.
2. Arrive on Sunday at 5pm to a cloudy day. Threat of rain in the air and sure enough it rain later that night. Monday cloudy hazy as well little rain. Tuesday cloudy and hazy as well. Little rain. Mentioned to my fellow student that I can't rain for this rain to go away so the sun can come out. He says the rain will leave but there will be no sun because what I'm seeing is the smog. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME. All along I'm thinking this is cloudy weather. Hell no! It's smog. It's pollution? I can't believe it. You can barely see the tops of building. Clearly the song was wrong gray skies ain't gonna clear up but I'm still putting on a happy face.
My goal in the coming weeks is to be able to at least hold a basic conversation in Mandarin. Almost there but not quite. Asked a women the other day "Walmart zai nar?" Walmart is where? and she looked at me like I was from another country. When I confronted my instructor about it she said that the woman didn't know Walmart. I should have said Wo er ma zai nar? I thought Walmart was Walmart wherever you go. Apparently not. Just the little things that get you through the day.
To my family and friends. Don't worry about me. I'm okay and living in Bei-frakking-jing. Might not be in touch as I would like to because I don't have a phone card or working phone or laptop but I'll try to be in contact from this I'net bar. Wish me luck and tell the Chinese to stop staring at me. LOL.
Take care. Missing the U.S but having a good time in China. - Wil
(I have not checked this for grammar or spelling errors so get over it.) What! See! Huh! BDK Beyotches. LOL - Wil
The realization hit me like a ton of brick a day and a half into this adventure. I'm in a foreign country where I don't speak or read the language and everything is in this language. I'm an idiot for not stucking to my original plan. I didn't think how hard it would be doing the most simplest of tasks. Take for example getting an IP phone card. No problem right? Wrong. If you don't speak Chinese how are you going to tell the guy that you want to call home or ask if you can use this card wherever, blah blah blah? If you don't hear from me for a while you know why. How are you going to ask the woman at the lunch counter "what's in the dumplings?" Fortunately, I eat everything so I just point and pay.
There is a certain freedom not knowing the language. You get away with anything. Just put a quizzical look on your face and keep on stepping. Three days in and I'm having a really good time. My apartment is very cool. My roommate, a yound french girl, is cool as well but she been sleeping since I've been here. Apparently she had friends in town and didn't get much rest. Students in my class are very cool as well. Most are from Holland and Switzerland. With another French girl thrown in for good measure. I'm the only Mei guo ren (American).
Just found this really cool bar that has internet access so I can get drunk and blog and send emails at the same time.
Just got back from Tian'anmen Square. Really cool. Sorry no picture. Someone (Kristine Ty) talked me out of bringing my laptop (someone slap her for me (joking.)) In Tian'anmen square there were three of us plus the guide. Me, Carol and Hugo. Melody was the native guide. Like I said a really cool place, but apparently others thought that Hugo and I were the attraction. We both are clearing over 6'3" and such an oddity that people were doing double takes and taking pictures of us without trying to get our attention. Some would smile and wave whilst others would just stare and gawk. It was really funny. Doing caligraphy tomorrow and the Emperor's Palace on Thursday or Saturday. Seriously though, this frakking place is HUGE!!!!! With a capital HUGE.
Two things. One funny, the other not so much.
1. Got off the plane and nature called as I was waiting for my luggage. Had this huge goofy smile on my face because I was in Bei-frakking-jing, the realization of this image in my head. Well the smile of my face quickly disappeared when I walked to the first stall and saw a porcelin hole in the floor. Now I had heard about squatting over hole in some of the outlying areas, but I didn't expect it in the airport and now here I was confronted with the squat. Seriously, WTF!!! I didn't sign up for this in the Bei-frakking-jing airport!! In east bumble frak China, yes, but not in Bei-frakking-jing! Heck no. I checked the second stall and saw the porcelin throne. Thank God. Was able to go in peace my son. Phew. Deyz is a god.
2. Arrive on Sunday at 5pm to a cloudy day. Threat of rain in the air and sure enough it rain later that night. Monday cloudy hazy as well little rain. Tuesday cloudy and hazy as well. Little rain. Mentioned to my fellow student that I can't rain for this rain to go away so the sun can come out. He says the rain will leave but there will be no sun because what I'm seeing is the smog. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME. All along I'm thinking this is cloudy weather. Hell no! It's smog. It's pollution? I can't believe it. You can barely see the tops of building. Clearly the song was wrong gray skies ain't gonna clear up but I'm still putting on a happy face.
My goal in the coming weeks is to be able to at least hold a basic conversation in Mandarin. Almost there but not quite. Asked a women the other day "Walmart zai nar?" Walmart is where? and she looked at me like I was from another country. When I confronted my instructor about it she said that the woman didn't know Walmart. I should have said Wo er ma zai nar? I thought Walmart was Walmart wherever you go. Apparently not. Just the little things that get you through the day.
To my family and friends. Don't worry about me. I'm okay and living in Bei-frakking-jing. Might not be in touch as I would like to because I don't have a phone card or working phone or laptop but I'll try to be in contact from this I'net bar. Wish me luck and tell the Chinese to stop staring at me. LOL.
Take care. Missing the U.S but having a good time in China. - Wil
(I have not checked this for grammar or spelling errors so get over it.) What! See! Huh! BDK Beyotches. LOL - Wil
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