Tomorrow I leave China.
I've spent an academic year in a country where I don't speak the language.
And today I lost my purse.
(I got it back, though, the restaurant was awesome).
As I leave, things are happening in reverse- my foot twisted about a week ago and once again I have liquid poo.
Why? Why, China, do you do this to me?
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sick
Super-stressed out.
I have to move, finish inputting my finals into correct format, one final meeting with Candy, get my passport and pack all of today.
AND
I think I'm getting sick.
Right now this is like my trip home in reverse- the other day I twisted my foot badly so it hurt to walk (it's fine now), and now I'm sick. I do *not* want to be sick on a plane again. That was terrible. That was terrible and a half.
And my flight from SFO to ORD is overbooked, and I'm not sure if I'll get a seat, and I got such a nice one for the DSM seat. If they offer vouchers, though, wouldn't it be rude not to take one? Because I'm totally going to take one then.
Did I mention I have to pack anything I want to keep? I don't even know how my foam roller or giant fan are going to make it. :(
You don't even want to see the videos I made of myself telling me never to drink again
I'm a little tipsy right now- at 5:30am June 27. Drinking culture in China is a whole 'nother ball game- if you don't drink, you offend your host. Still, I have plans on how to tone back the drinking for next time- while I didn't do anything stupid, and I certainly don't have a hangover, this drunkenness is not something I want to repeat.
My air conditioning stopped working for a while- two weeks, and the apartment temperatures would soar beyond the 100 degrees of outside. It was pretty brutal, but the conditioning seems to work now. Even though it drips.
The other side effect of having my window open is that mosquitoes decide my apartment is their playground- not nearly as bad as Ann or Will, but certainly bad. I was having trouble sleeping- I'm starting to learn to sleep through it- but I did buy a mosquito net to help aid my case.
I have found out two things recently: I am home July 1, which is half a day before Ann is (poor Ann!), and I will not be living in my apartment next semester.
Which has it's ups and downs.
Downs: I am unsure if I'll get a big room or something that is painfully like a dorm. I paid for internet for this apartment for next semester already, the space of fitting many people is excellent, my hand chair resides here, I think I have to leave my stuff in boxes for next year, I'm unsure of where to mail stuff, there will be a lady coming into my apartment to mop and not do much else. MY BATH, SHE WILL NOT EXIST NEXT SEMESTER. (And I bought the bubble bath stuff, too. :( )
Pros: I would be locked in at 11pm, but also with the Australian teachers when they come, which is awesome. This is assuming that the Australian teachers will reside in the same place they have- with 8 foreign teachers they may actually go somewhere else. There's a sweet TV that comes with the apartments, the linens are changed constantly, the towels are washed, there is usually a kitchen area (if it's the big apartments). It comes with its own hot plate (I already bought one), it is cleaner than these apartments, there's an actual counter space in the bathroom, and the bed is softer (but not as big).
I think I'm disliking the idea mostly because I feel settled already- I was picturing next year in this space, with these items, with this apartment. (Punching bag, dangit, how will I transfer you?) But for now, I think I should focus on what's really important- grading.
I'll work on transferring my stuff later.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Day Three
The next day we got up early in order to prepare ourselves for the early breakfast.
This day at the fair we were supposed to hand out flyers. We did, many people asking to take pictures with us. Strange dancing women came up to me and asked to take my picture, so I let them- in exchange for a flyer.
The lunch for this day was a gravy soup sort of deal. There was also a lot of fried food.
We hung out at the hotel for even later, but I did allow myself time to nap. At 5pm the driver was told to entertain us so he took us to a store- presumably anything we wanted, he would buy. We wanted very little; only two waters between the four of us.
Then the dinner was outside- we had kababs. Ann and I were on one end of the table, Julius and the driver next to Lou and Adam. Julius and Adam were having a good time drinking with each other and talking, and the conversation was fun to listen in on. Lou would translate. The men all got lamb testicles to eat- apparently women are not allowed to eat them for they make men more attractive to women. As Ann and I had just attracted many female high school students earlier in the day for photos and flyers, we decided it was because we didn't need any extra help.
The night continued to be very much pleasing Adam- Julius called some pretty women he knew to come to KTV (karaoke) for us, but especially seemed to be pushing them towards Adam. While Adam was being seemingly pushed towards the women, I noted he was nothing cordial towards the women, asking them things like what work was like and the life they had lead rather than if they had a boyfriend.
Ann and I did not go to KTV- we were both tired, and KTV is a lot more of being forced to drink and sing in a loud environment. The men were afraid we didn't understand their culture (this is something that happens in business a lot). We tried to assure this was not the case (and besides, we're teachers, not businesswomen), but they wouldn't have it. So finally I told Lou, "I'm on my period. I need to get back for supplies and I'll be too uncomfortable to keep singing."
His face fell at how direct I was, and he translated- not a direct translation, but they accepted it. It was a complete lie, and the only time I have ever used "my period" excuse in my life (so far), but it was good and this way we didn't pass out in the KTV booth from tired and alcohol.
At this point, Lou went to the KTV afraid that Julius might actually call hookers. Julius did not, but Ann and I were still a little concerned about the situation. It was rather strange, but it would soon be over.
This day at the fair we were supposed to hand out flyers. We did, many people asking to take pictures with us. Strange dancing women came up to me and asked to take my picture, so I let them- in exchange for a flyer.
The lunch for this day was a gravy soup sort of deal. There was also a lot of fried food.
We hung out at the hotel for even later, but I did allow myself time to nap. At 5pm the driver was told to entertain us so he took us to a store- presumably anything we wanted, he would buy. We wanted very little; only two waters between the four of us.
Then the dinner was outside- we had kababs. Ann and I were on one end of the table, Julius and the driver next to Lou and Adam. Julius and Adam were having a good time drinking with each other and talking, and the conversation was fun to listen in on. Lou would translate. The men all got lamb testicles to eat- apparently women are not allowed to eat them for they make men more attractive to women. As Ann and I had just attracted many female high school students earlier in the day for photos and flyers, we decided it was because we didn't need any extra help.
The night continued to be very much pleasing Adam- Julius called some pretty women he knew to come to KTV (karaoke) for us, but especially seemed to be pushing them towards Adam. While Adam was being seemingly pushed towards the women, I noted he was nothing cordial towards the women, asking them things like what work was like and the life they had lead rather than if they had a boyfriend.
Ann and I did not go to KTV- we were both tired, and KTV is a lot more of being forced to drink and sing in a loud environment. The men were afraid we didn't understand their culture (this is something that happens in business a lot). We tried to assure this was not the case (and besides, we're teachers, not businesswomen), but they wouldn't have it. So finally I told Lou, "I'm on my period. I need to get back for supplies and I'll be too uncomfortable to keep singing."
His face fell at how direct I was, and he translated- not a direct translation, but they accepted it. It was a complete lie, and the only time I have ever used "my period" excuse in my life (so far), but it was good and this way we didn't pass out in the KTV booth from tired and alcohol.
At this point, Lou went to the KTV afraid that Julius might actually call hookers. Julius did not, but Ann and I were still a little concerned about the situation. It was rather strange, but it would soon be over.
PUYANG DAY TWO
Day Two
The day started for me by a knock on my door as I
was getting ready for breakfast. We were told breakfast was at 8, but Lou
started knocking at our door at 7:30 asking if we were ready. I made him wait,
knowing that if I went out chances were I would not be returning to my room. I
wasn’t able to do my foundation or eye makeup (or nail polish!), but I did take
lip gloss with me. We had breakfast, and Lou explained to us that though we
were supposed to have breakfast at 8, it would have been better for us to be up
at 7:30.
We went to the place they worked and waited. We
weren't sure what for, but then they loaded us into a van and took us somewhere
else- a real estate fair. We waited in line during the opening, having our
pictures taken (representing their company), and we sat around and didn't do
much. But we did attract attention, which was good. We had many visitors and
people interested in us.
We then went to lunch, which was pigeon. It was
delicious. They also had the cicadas that mom didn't want to eat- I had many
more than I did last time. :) I'd like to try and learn to cook them when I go
home.
At this lunch Adam showed off his power drinking.
It's culture to drink, and it's very rude to not drink. As a woman, you are
considered to be not a big drinker, but you should still try and drink. Unless
you have an allergy or are pregnant, you should be ingesting alcohol. There was
a toast to me and I finished my class- before the leader did. He was surprised,
and gave me a thumbs up. I thanked him, but he was honestly surprised- most women
here don't drink, and when they do they don't drink as much as a man.
Ann had a little too much to drink- between alcohol
and the heat, she was feeling faint. However, they took us to a store where
there were many different kinds of furniture. I kept thinking how amusing it
was, that this furniture would be shipped to the states and sold for almost
three times the price, but we moved on quickly. I used the toilet in this
building- in a cleaning closet, with no flusher and no lock on the door.
This was not the worst toilet I've been in.
After the store we were sent back home to relax,
and so I did. I put on my makeup this time, thinking we'd go back to the fair
to advertise.
However, we did not.
At 5 we went back to the store and had dinner with
a man we named Julius (his Chinese name meant King, Adam wanted a cool name and
Ann came up with it and I provided the history, as I would do with all
names).
Then we went to a Chinese trapeze act. It was
amazing. It was often without nets; only one act had no net. It used children
who were 8 to 10. It was underwater.
It was
underwater.
It was underwater.
Okay, so it wasn’t completely underwater, but there
were many acts that used it, such as this first one. Please watch the videos
and enjoy parts of what I saw.
http://youtu.be/Xv7YcbC_Jl8
PUYANG DAY ONE
This day started with the bloodwork, as I updated the other day.
At about 4pm, I was thinking of all the things I still had to pack- and I managed to pack a backpack (free) full of things, and had to take my b. purse, a purse that is made of much holding.
There were a few things I knew about this trip: We were being hired for being foreigners, we were getting paid, and that I was supposed to look pretty. So the night before I'd bought eyeshadow and lipgloss and foundation (it was surprisingly easy to find my skin tone in a random store down the street, though I have a slightly darker tinge than most other people), and from the import store across the street I bought Victoria's Secret Love Spell set of spray, body wash and moisturizer (because I remember my sister hated that scent and I loved it). And I brought an extra set of pants as well- the makeup took far more space than I planned it to be.
But I showed up, and we got in a car with our translator, Lou, who is a senior student. He didn't know much more than us, and that was that.
We drove to Puyang and had dinner, which was the first time I had rabbit. We had turtle soup, but this is not the first time I've had turtle. There was a lot of drinking and Adam soon became a well-liked figure, mostly because he was a dude and our hosts were all men. That's what Ann and I thought, anyway. Adam is very charismatic, and the topics of the first night were cars, hunting, NBA, and Adam answered all of those. When they talked about politics, however, Ann and I piped up and talked about the medical system in the US. While in China the system is not good but affordable so people go to the doctor, while in the US, which has great medical facilities, even the co-pay can be expensive so people don't. We only go when it is absolutely necessary.
After dinner we went to the hotel, which was really nice. We all got our own rooms!
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NYJpLctZJYQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I'm sorry some of my videos were taken down- the grottos ones. Youtube was claiming that they were all copies of each other and while they weren't, I didn't find any way to complain and argue they were not, so...
At about 4pm, I was thinking of all the things I still had to pack- and I managed to pack a backpack (free) full of things, and had to take my b. purse, a purse that is made of much holding.
There were a few things I knew about this trip: We were being hired for being foreigners, we were getting paid, and that I was supposed to look pretty. So the night before I'd bought eyeshadow and lipgloss and foundation (it was surprisingly easy to find my skin tone in a random store down the street, though I have a slightly darker tinge than most other people), and from the import store across the street I bought Victoria's Secret Love Spell set of spray, body wash and moisturizer (because I remember my sister hated that scent and I loved it). And I brought an extra set of pants as well- the makeup took far more space than I planned it to be.
But I showed up, and we got in a car with our translator, Lou, who is a senior student. He didn't know much more than us, and that was that.
We drove to Puyang and had dinner, which was the first time I had rabbit. We had turtle soup, but this is not the first time I've had turtle. There was a lot of drinking and Adam soon became a well-liked figure, mostly because he was a dude and our hosts were all men. That's what Ann and I thought, anyway. Adam is very charismatic, and the topics of the first night were cars, hunting, NBA, and Adam answered all of those. When they talked about politics, however, Ann and I piped up and talked about the medical system in the US. While in China the system is not good but affordable so people go to the doctor, while in the US, which has great medical facilities, even the co-pay can be expensive so people don't. We only go when it is absolutely necessary.
After dinner we went to the hotel, which was really nice. We all got our own rooms!
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NYJpLctZJYQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I'm sorry some of my videos were taken down- the grottos ones. Youtube was claiming that they were all copies of each other and while they weren't, I didn't find any way to complain and argue they were not, so...
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