Closure

Grab life by the ball.

My contract as a full time teacher at Power Language Training expired a year after it was officially signed, October 27^th 2013. I will be leaving Hangzhou, China in one week. It’s a very surreal feeling. I guess it’s not common to sell your car, cancel your phone contract, and leave a comfortable life.  Granted I was a bartender, so lets not over exaggerate and imply that I had an ideal life. I wasn’t unhappy in any way, but bartending was a temporary situation. I loved it and am so thankful for all I learned, but I wouldn't let myself make it a career just because it was comfortable. Living abroad was something I had always wanted to do.

Growing up I watched as my brother and sister both studied abroad and lived in various parts of the world. I was blessed with the opportunity to travel a lot as a young adult. I think also the internal struggles I face with Orange County were all factors that pushed me to want to get out. I thought going to Northern California for College would suffice, but any of you who know me well know that that did not pan out as planned. Moving to China was the result of all these factors. As difficult as it can be to make that leap I was always well aware that the bubble of Southern California was a surreal existence, and that I wanted to experience more. The world is so much bigger than our surroundings.

Cheers to self growth.

I don't want to make it sound as if this past year in China has changed me into an all knowing, insightful or better person in any way. My day-to-day struggles have most likely been the norm. I’m not in a third world country volunteering… I’m teaching English in the fastest growing nation in the world. I’m in no way a saint for moving here (though I know that’s what you were all thinking).

I will miss my fruit guy and his son the most.

But to be quite honest; I am really proud of myself. I know that I’ve grown here. I know that this experience will prove to be invaluable to my future. I know that if I can do this, there isn’t much I can’t do. Well that's an exaggeration. But I definitely have more confidence in myself. This past year has been so challenging and so rewarding in so many ways, and I am so happy for that. And I know that it was only a year… I didn't spend seven years in Tibet like Brad Pitt. But you can learn a lot about yourself in a year.

A good friend of mine and I were reminiscing the other day on my time here coming to an end. She asked me how I felt about my experience. There is no other way for me to describe this year besides “grateful”. I think she was surprised to hear that I was grateful for all that has happened this year… For those here that witnessed the heartbreak I went through when a relationship ended and I learned of his infidelity, that was not the adjective they were expecting. But I wouldn't change anything that has happened to me for the world.

I couldn't have asked for better friends
 to share this time with.

My time here, as frustrating, difficult, inconvenient and challenging as it has been has also been the biggest test for me. And I’m happy to say that I feel as if I’ve come out on top. For every awful experience here I have had a beautiful one. The experiences and friendships I’ve made here are unlike any other. I wouldn't trade the heartbreak I felt here for anything in the world. I’m happy I went through it. I’m happy I am a stronger person for having been through all I did.

Again, I haven’t been living in Syria. Life here isn’t horrific. But it is different and it is challenging, because it isn’t the norm. Living in a different culture will always have its challenges, and I can say from experience; the cultural differences in Hangzhou can’t be explained. I’m not sure you can even experience them all in a month or two. And I'm sure there are still plenty of experiences I've missed. It’s a different world. But it’s such a gratifying experience to adapt. I miss the conveniences of home all the time! I miss having friends and family close when I’m struggling or having a bad day.  But I know now that I’m pretty strong, and that there aren't many obstacles that I can't overcome.

Margaret Wardrop: The best roommate I have ever had.
You're my Mike Wazowski.

Big life changes create a great deal of self-reflection. As someone who has a LOT of feeling and loves to talk about feelings, this is something I’m grateful for. Introspection is a very important component of growth, and I think it’s something we put aside when we become comfortable. I value the uncertainty of my life at this moment because it pushes me to question the life I’m living. I’m not bored nor do I have it all figured out… And I’m happy for this adventure even if it means I have no idea where I want to go or what I want to do. I figure that stuff will all just fall into place…(fingers crossed).

Getting out of China.

Arrived at an airport with free WIFI. Three men helped me find my correct bus to get into the center of town. A Japanese man befriended me in the bus line and instructed me how to pay and when to get off the bus. The airport bus that takes you to all the different parts of the city was a limousine bus! This was the nicest bus I've ever been in. I think they polish the armrests. The bus driver then bowed to us before he started driving. Oh, and he was wearing white gloves. There where a dozen people on the bus and everyone was quiet. How rare for me. The woman behind me made a phone call and was practically whispering. Then a Chinese man answered his phone; he was two rows behind the Korean girl and was much louder. However, there are Korean music videos playing... and boy band is scaring me with their perfect cosmetically sculpted faces. And this was my first impression of South Korea.

It was pretty simple to find my hostel. I changed real quickly and went to meet a friend who conveniently lived a two-minute walk from my hotel. We grabbed dinner at a Korean BBQ restaurant down the street. Then met a few of his friends at a bar. They are all in the military and the neighborhood they live in is called Itaewon.  The army base has been in this area since the 50's so there is a large international influence. In fact the little downtown area of Itaewon felt similar to downtown Fullerton.

The following day I did my favorite thing: walk around a new city. I truly get giddy walking around a new city. I think also because walking in Hangzhou can be so unpleasant at times (smells, people, etc) so being anywhere else is rather refreshing.

I did that for two days and in the evenings went out with Nick. It was so great to have someone to hang out with. Sunday morning I left for Taipei, Taiwan. I got into Taipei around 6pm. From the airport I took about an hour bus into the center of town. I'm getting really good at navigating and finding my way (without a smart phone to guide me that is). After arriving at the Main Station I found my way to my hostel. The place was super cozy and clean and I was instantly given a glass of wine from a guy from San Francisco. The next two days I did the same thing as in Seoul: explore.

I went to the top of the second tallest building in the world (though soon to be surpassed by The Shanghai Tower in Shanghai). I walked all day and in the evening visited a few night markets and temples. I wasn't aware of the heavy influence of Buddhism here. I took a glass bottom gondola to some mountains/tea fields on the outskirts of the city, then went to the zoo!! Animals make me happy... Why not.

I wanted to visit another area of Taiwan while here. Taipei is great in that it is a big city with a very tropical feel, but Taiwan is also known for their beautiful beaches. A Taiwanese couple I met highly recommended Hualien. From Taipei it was about a two and a half hour train ride. I arrived in a very small city and spent that evening just walking around and people watching. The owner of my hostel was so helpful in helping me to plan my stay. He highly recommended renting a scooter (I was planning/hoping to do so) and riding to Taroko National Park. This park is known as one of Taiwan's most beautiful attractions. It was about an hour ride up the coast to the park. I spent the day riding through the park on my little blue scooter, stopping often to go for a hike and explore some of the trails. I met so many nice people; Taiwanese are extremely friendly and helpful. In China I would often feel hesitant to ask a stranger for help, here not at all. The language barrier isn't as much of a problem here, which makes a HUGE difference!

After a few hours in the park I continued up the coast a bit to see a beach I'd heard about. It was so tranquil and calming to be near the ocean. I had to head back the Hualien to return the bike by 6:30. It was a great day! I enjoyed being in nature and exploring on my own. Also I saw monkeys in the park. You can't be mad when you see monkeys!

I took the train back to Taipei the following day. The older Taiwanese woman on the train asked me a few questions in broken English then handed me an orange. She then got my email address, had our neighbor take a photo of us, and put her scarf on me like a blanket when she saw I was cold. She is my new adopted grandmother.

I spent a total of ten days traveling on my own (well, I guess I wasn’t really alone in Seoul). It was a great experience and test for what’s to come next year. I have a one-way ticket to Bangkok, Thailand for January 28^th. I have given myself a window of about six months to travel in Southeast Asia. I will have friends with me at times and will be meeting up with friends a long the way, but there will definitely be many times that I will be on my own. So I have to really prepare myself for time alone as well as really put myself out there with strangers and trying to make friends…

This is my last week of work here in Hangzhou. I’ve been working part time this last month. Saturday my friends and I will celebrate Thanksgiving, which will be so wonderful! It will be the last time I see a lot of these wonderful friends I’ve made here. I will fly back to Southern California on Friday December 6^th!! I am beyond excited to see friends and family again.

Sellin the white.

My business card.

No, no, I’m not selling drugs! Over the last year I have been aware of the wide range of “foreigner” jobs that are available in China. Many foreigners living in China have something that Asians idolize: white skin. As a foreigner there are a wide range of gigs to make a few bucks. There are many companies’s that just want a “white face” to represent the brand. As if that gives the company a better image? I don’t know, I don’t understand why companies wouldn’t want someone that actually represents the culture?  A friend of mine asked me to attend an event for the equivalent of $80 on my day off. I had the time and sticking to my “just say yes” to any unique experience policy,  I accepted. I didn’t even ask questions, I just said yes.

The morning of the “event” we were to meet the bus at 8am wearing business professional clothing (pfff, is flannel professional?). There were about 30 of us, a mix of mostly South and North Americans. The bus didn’t leave until almost 9:30, and it takes approximately 2 hours to get to the city of Yiwu (where the event was).  We got to the convention center around noon. The “job” was supposed to be from 10:00-12:00, so at this point we’re all a little annoyed that we wouldn’t be back till much later than expected. We spent an hour walking and waiting. What does that mean Carrie? Exactly how it sounds. These types of things never go according to plan. We literally walked around the entire convention center to meet with some women to receive our fake business cards. Yes. We were all given a stack of fake business cards with our name on them. I can now add Vice President of Multi-Tech LLC to my resume.

Shortly before I threw up.
At least I got to hang with these chicks.

By 12:30 we were ready to begin, yet we were already giving the organizers a hard time that we were supposed to be done by now. They told us we could meet outside at 1:30 and head back to Hangzhou. So our “job” was to walk around a commodities convention. It was so funny. I’m assuming the sponsors of the convention want foreigners attending to help with appearances and popularity? Any and every product you need could be found at the convention. They had it all. Which actually made it kind of fun, it was the equivalent of paying us to window shop.

Unfortunately I think I came down with some kind of virus that morning. I threw up when I woke up and thought maybe it was just something I had eaten the night before and decided to go anyway. I was so nauseous the whole bus ride there, then got sick again right before walking into the convention center. So after visiting two or three stalls I had to go sit down near the restroom while everyone walked around pretending to be interested buyers. I feel kind of bad. I got paid $80 to sit and read 1984.

The driver was taking too long.

At 1:30 we headed back to the bus and waited for everyone to return so we could head home. Again… things never go according to plan. We waited a couple of hours before we could go. Apparently there was some problem getting the money from whoever it was that was paying us? It was ridiculous. We didn’t get back to Hangzhou until about 7:00. It was a long day and one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever done. It’s just so sleezy how common lying is here. Even at my school I’m often asked to speak with parents and students and lie to them about my experience or how long I have been and will be with the company. I guess that’s why Chinese businessmen have such a bad reputation.

Speaking of bad reputations in China; this article was recently published in the Washington Post titled “China’s bystander problem: Another death after crowd ignores woman in peril.” I was not aware of the bystander problem in China before moving here, but after being here for a year I can name countless accounts in which I have seen it. And not all cases are as serious as this latest story, but it is true nonetheless. And I have to admit it is one of my biggest pet peeves about this country. The author discusses possible reasons for this issue, and while I can understand and partially sympathize, it’s still unacceptable.

Washington Post Article

I rarely see Chinese take initiative or think outside the box. They live in a country where everything is censored, they are brainwashed and told exactly what to do in regards to everything. There is no creativity or common sense. People do what they are told and never ask any questions.

So maybe they have never been told what to do if they see someone hurt or in need? Whatever the reason is, it’s difficult to watch. I hate to see the gawking faces. At home you see care and concern in a neighbors face. Not here.

On a lighter note: This past weekend was my last working full time! Saying goodbye to my students was a lot harder than I thought it would be. For the next month that I am here I have offered to work about three nights a week for about three hours. I'm so happy to finally have weekends free and some more free time. I’ve got a fun month ahead of me planned.

My favorites. 

My One-Year Anniversary.

I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary with China. We had a really special day together in honor of my year survival. I must say this has been the most abusive and yet rewarding relationship I’ve been in. I recently wrote to my mom about a regret of mine due to my impulsive decisions, also questioning when I will learn to stop making such impuslsive decisions. If any of you have any advice, I’m all ears. She hit me with a really sweet retort “’just when you’ve got life figured out, you die.’ This is how we learn… realizing a mistake, understanding a weakness. Growth comes from making these changes. Some degree of ‘jumping in’ is a good thing. Many would have talked themselves out of moving to a place like China for a year but you took a risk and it was a good thing.”

My roommate left this on my bed once.
Pretty much sums up a typical day in China.

It’s true, I totally “jumped in” in regards to moving to China. It was something I had thought about and imagined doing, but when the time came I jumped in without looking. Honestly, I didn’t even know what the weather was like here. Nope, didn’t occur to me to look up the yearly averages when packing. This may not change for me, and I’m pretty Ok with that. And if I do start making rational and well thought out decisions I will die shortly after.

I use the word “survive” when talking about my time here and that may seem dramatic, but I think it’s pretty accurate. Along with not packing weather appropriate clothing, I didn’t learn the language. That would be the only “regret” I have about my experience here. Not that day-to-day life is impossible, but I know many experiences would have been much different. Mostly my massages. And my relationship with the owner of the fruit shop that I visit almost daily. And the interaction with the guard at my apartment complex (though I still got a hug out of one of them once). My roommate and I were actually getting massages yesterday and “Boss” yelled at me in a very fatherly way that I need to learn Chinese. I love him so much. It would have been nice to be able to connect/communicate with some of the people that I regularly interact with. Though I’m sure I’m still their favorite even though we can’t really talk much.

They are funny. They are also Fairies sometimes.

The Chinese are funny. I’ve been observing them closely for the last year, and they really are a strange bunch. This morning I was runnin in the hills near my house, I saw a man doing Tai Chi in what looked like boxer briefs. As I was coming down the hill he was finishing his routine and putting his pants back on. And people stare at me like I’ve got seven head when this guy is exercising in his underwear?

Speaking of staring, I was just having a discussion with a student about politeness. She was telling me that the Japanese are much more p

What are you lookin at kid?

olite than Chinese people. I was probing without showing any opinion on the matter. But couldn’t help to show my agreeance on the lack of smiling here. When you make eye contact with someone, even a stranger on the street, you show some form of acknowledgment. That doesn't happen here. You are just stared at shamelessly.

These people really are shameless. They have no problem with the following actions: picking their nose in public. Pulling the car over to pee in the bushes. NON-STOP selfies. Inappropriate interrogating personal questions. Pushing you out of line. The list goes on….

Get in there sister.

It's been a great year. I wouldn't change anything I went through or where I am now. The biggest thing I've gained here is confidence, which is pretty great.

My first typhoon.

Last Monday I returned to Hangzhou after a week long vacation during Typhoon Fitow. The typhoon affected over three million people in Zhejiang province and caused economic damage of over $330 million. I flew into Shanghai Monday morning and had to run a few errands in the city before heading back to Hangzhou. The rain was pretty heavy and I was getting texts from my friends about the storm, but didn’t realize the severity of the situation. I got on a 3 o’clock train luckily (apparently all trains had been canceled the night before), I arrived in Hangzhou a little after 4pm. From the train station it takes me thirty minutes by cab to get home. But under these circumstances it took me over four hours to get home. There were points throughout the four hour trek that I almost broke down in tears, in particular the multiple times cars drove by and I was hit with a tidal wave of water. I was so relieved to make it home, only for the power to go out not long after I made it home. The following day our water was out for a few hours. Which is ironic because there was so much in the streets? Schools were closed and streets were still rivers for a day or two after the rain stopped. It was actually quite an experience. So many shops and restaurants are still shut down because of water damage which is quite sad.

Anyway, let’s back up to happier times. The last few weeks have been great. All of my friends that spent the summer home in the US are back in Hangzhou. We celebrated Mid Autumn Festival at the end of September. This is the day that the moon is its fullest and brightest according to the Chinese calendar. On of my students invited me to celebrate with her family. I have taken a vow being here that I cannot turn down any authentic Chinese experiences. My student is 14 years old and so darling and her family is wonderful. They treat me so well (bringing me coffee, gifts, taking me to dinner), and I consider them my “Chinese family”. The holiday was great.  There were 16 people at the dinner table and only my student and her 17-year-old cousin could speak any English. It was a lot of smiling and nodding… and beer. I’m constantly being encouraged by Chinese men to drink with them.

The following week we celebrated National Day. This was a seven-day holiday, so my friend Mecah, her boyfriend Eduardo and I decided we should take advantage of the time and go on a trip. We considered many different countries in Southeast Asia but eventually settled for the cheapest fight: Jakarta, Indonesia. The reason our flight was so inexpensive was because we had almost full day layovers there and back. But we considered this a bonus, a chance to see more cities in China!

We flew out of Shanghai Monday evening and got into Fuzhou late at night. Fuzhou is a beach city in South Eastern China. There really isn’t much to say about Fuzhou except that there is a beach; nothing like the beaches of Newport however. We found a private cab to take us to the beach. The first thing he asked us was where we were from and Eduardo responded “Ecuador”.  The chances of what happened next are probably around 1 in 4 million. I just don’t think there are any other Chinese men from the small town of Fuzhou that had lived in Ecuador for ten years! Eduardo and this man continued the rest of the afternoon speaking in Spanish; he even came to the beach with us, drove us back to our hotel and refused to let us pay him.

We flew into Jakarta late that night. In the morning we did a little touring in Central Jakarta before we boarded an overnight train. Jakarta was nice to see, but not a place I would visit again. It reminded me a bit of Manila in that you can’t walk anywhere, it's a bit dirty, and the only thing to do is go to malls. I’m just not a big fan of the “mall culture”. It was however so wonderful to just be in Indonesia. The people were so kind and the majority of people spoke English. Our overnight train took us to Jogjakarta, a small town in Java, Indonesia. It’s known as the center of classical Javanese culture. The city is also extremely close to the world famous Borobudur and Prambanan temples. Visiting the temples was definitely my favorite part of our trip. These structures were just breathtaking.

After a day and a half we returned to Jakarta via overnight train. The overnight train was pretty awful in that it was almost impossible to sleep due to the bright lights, and loud bumpy ride. We returned to Jakarta before 4am so we went to our hotel and caught up on some sleep. We had an enjoyable day just relaxing at the hotel. That evening we met up with one of my old regulars from Malarky’s who just happened to have moved to Jakarta about a month ago to practice Chiropractics. We had a great night with him, then flew to Xiamen, China early the next day.

Xiamen is a small somewhat touristy Chinese city. It, like Fuzhou, is on the water however there was a lot more to do. Xiamen has a cute Island to visit similar to Catalina. I can’t say it was as enjoyable as Catalina though due to all the Chinese people. We did however find a "California Cuisine" restaurant to finish our trip! We flew out super early the next morning. Back to reality. 

Hot Town, Summer in the City...

Beautiful West Lake in the summer heat.

It has been a HOT summer!  A simple topic that is overly used teaching ESL is the weather and seasons. I was always shocked when my students told me that winter was their favorite season. What kid doesn’t loooove summer?! Chinese kids, that’s who. And I get it now. In the US summer is all fun and games. Lazy days at the beach or pool enjoying warm weather, friends, and no school.  Again, that’s summer in the US. Summer in China… not as fun. Unfortunately for these kids, they really don’t get a break from school. My jr, high and high school students spend the entire summer doing homework. No joke. They have to go to school every few weeks for exams to make sue they are keeping up on their assignments. And going outside to enjoy the weather… yeah right. It’s miserable. It’s so hot most people stay inside all summer with the air conditioner. It really is just miserable outside. Being on the bus felt like being in a sauna. It was pretty brutal, but luckily it has been cooling down a bit recently, though we’ve been experiencing serious humidity and rain this week (my hair looks fantastic). I guess I can just chalk it all up as experience and it will only help me to be more grateful for Southern California.

Though the heat was quite uncomfortable I had a really great summer. I have been so lucky to have my entire family visit Hangzhou.  My brother is getting his masters at UCI and his class came to China in August as part of their program. And because my sister in law is a schoolteacher she was able to come visit as well. She came without John for a week, they then had a weekend together, then had to return home for work. John then had a week with me before his program started. It worked out pretty well.

Amanda's last night in China.

Amanda started her trip in Beijing, and then flew into Shanghai. Her flight got in around midnight on a Sunday evening. I took the train straight from work to Shanghai had dinner with friends then greeted her at the airport. We spent the night in Shanghai then spent Monday just wandering a bit. I’m sure I say this every time I write about Shanghai, but I love it there so much. It’s just such a nice break from Hangzhou. The highlight of the day was the fake market (where you can buy all the knockoff designer goods). We figured the shopping/bargaining trip was an area I’d be more helpful than John. We had so much fun. I love the fake market. It can be so fun and you’re constantly being called pretty lady. Who doesn’t love the compliment, though I had to warn Amanda “don’t buy from them just because they call you pretty!” It was a very successful trip. After a low key day in Shanghai we headed back to Hangzhou.

Amanda's dream come true.

On Tuesday I took Amanda on the standard bike tour to West Lake. Unfortunately it was super hot, but still nice. We had record-breaking heat in Hangzhou in July, so when she was here in mid August it was still extremely hot. That night I took her to my favorite restaurant with my roommate Margaret. We also visited the blind massage parlor on my street (another priority when visiting me). The following two days rained! What is it about Clarks bringing the rain to Hangzhou? It was fine though, the best part of having Amanda here was just sitting around and talking for hours. We did however brave the rain to visit a café I was super excited to take Amanda to; Central Perk. Yes, we have a central Perk? And Amanda is the biggest Friends fan I’ve ever met. The café is a replica of the café in the show with private party rooms upstairs that mirror Monica and Rachael’s apartment as well as Chandler and Joey’s apartment. Episodes of the show are running all day. It’s fantastic. I should spend more time there just watching TV.

Foreigners scaring Chinese children.
Standard.

On Friday I sent Amanda off to the train station as I went to work. Sunday after work I headed to Shanghai again to have dinner with John and Amanda! Amanda headed home Monday morning while John and I spent the day in Shanghai with my roommate. John and I then flew to Southern China Monday evening. We flew into a city called Guilin. We didn't spent any time there, but found a travel agent to book a boat ride to Yangshuo. Yangshuo is a beautiful, somewhat touristy destination in China. It is known for the beautiful karsts and Li River. We took a bamboo raft from Guilin to Yangshuo (though the “babmboo” rafts are now made out of PVC pipes? More durable) which was probably my favorite part of the whole trip.  The whole trip takes about five hours and includes a lunch stop. It was one of the most breathtaking views and so peaceful! Yangshuo is a very nature-y, picturesque place. The first evening we visited their downtown/touristy street, full of restaurants and shops. The next day we borrowed bikes from our hotel and explored the area, then later in the evening rented kayaks! It was so hot, so it was great to be in the water.

Floating down the Li River on our "bamboo" raft.

The hotel was so great in helping provide any sort of activity or tour you desired. We told them we wanted to go kayaking so at three o’clock they sent us off in a cab. The cabbie pulled over on the street and we were approached by the man that ran the kayaking company? He told us the driver would take us to the river and that his associate would meet us on the water with the kayaks. We were dropped off in a desolate village at some stairs that led down to the water. We laughed at how badly this could have played out. Luckily after about ten minutes a man on a bamboo raft showed up with two kayaks. We had hoped our “tour guide” was either super funny or super hot. He was neither. Well… maybe he was funny, but he spoke no English, so we have no idea of his humor level. We just paddled our way down the river for an hour or so then got a beer at a floating restaurant/shop. The one thing we could communicate with him “we want beer.” We continued along the when I looked back to see John hitching a ride on the bamboo raft. I continued a bit longer until I gave up too.

We flew back to Hangzhou the following day. First thing we did that evening; blind massage then dinner with friends. Unfortunately I had to go to work the next day. John came with me to my school and sat in on one of my classes then headed to the lake. We met later in the evening for pizza and beer followed by another massage! He returned to Shanghai the following day to start his program. It was so great to be able to spend time with family when I’ve been living in a place that feels a world away from home.

As the summer heat faded my friends returned to Hangzhou. Most of my core group spent their summer in the states. It’s so great to have them back. Someone once asked me what I will miss about China when I leave. Besides the cheap massages it is my people here. I’ve been really lucky to make some great friends here.

Speaking of great friends…. the weekend after John left one of my best friends from home came to China with her boyfriend. When I first learned of the dates she would be in Shanghai I was so bummed, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get time off because I had just taken time off for John and Amanda’s visits, plus she was coming on the weekend and the weekends are my busiest days. As the weekend got closer, I realized I couldn’t not see her when she was so close. Saturday right after work I booked it back to Shanghai again. I showed up at the apartment totally unknown to her. It was great. It’s been a while since someone cried when they saw me… Called in sick on Sunday and had the most wonderful time catching up with an old friend <3

Ernie and Kelly visit China!!!

It’s strange that my time here is coming close to an end. I will be visiting Indonesia for the first week of October. My contract then ends October 29^th. I’m running a half marathon on November 3^rd, will then spend November visiting cities in China that I haven’t had time to visit yet. I fly back to the US on December 6^th. These last two months are going to wiz by!!

This is China.

Walking along the canal the other day...

I have seen more vomit here than I wish for any person to see in their lifetime (actually, I can think of one person) and I was a bartender. I once picked up a pint glass of vomit at the end of the night. I appreciate that you didn’t spew all over the floor, but you should have taken that glass to the trash can sir.

Why is everyone always getting sick here? I have no clue. I always thought the Chinese were so healthy, and I still do, but it’s interesting to hear (and see) them throwing up so much. Maybe I wouldn’t have to witness this so much if I didn’t take the bus everyday. I can’t help it; I have a love hate relationship with the bus. I don’t think many of my foreign friends take the bus, but it’s so cheap! How can I not? My father taught me well, frugality is next to godliness. Like I said. Love/Hate. I love how cheap and reliable it is. I hate how crowded it can be (strangers touching me and lack of personal space is my biggest pet peeve) and how often I see someone throwing up. I won’t go into much more detail because this is a gross topic and I don’t enjoy thinking about it either. Let’s just say it happens on average twice a week. Sometimes they are prepared with a bag, sometimes they are not. If they do have a bag then there is no need to get off the bus. Those that don’t have a bag usually get off at the next stop most likely due to embarrassment. Needless to say, I constantly feel dirty in China. People puking on buses, spitting in the street, picking their noses with no shame, shooting snot rockets…. It’s just a war zone of germs here!!

The worlds cutest Starbucks. West Lake.

The Chinese are not huge coffee drinkers. This we know. When I moved here I decided to take part in the green tea lifestyle. You hear about all the amazing health benefits and what not. Plus the women here don’t age. I assume its all the tea they drink, so I gave up coffee. It went really well for the first six or seven months, then my mom came to visit (she ruins everything!). When my parents were here we found ourselves at Starbucks more times than I had been since I moved here. Granted, sometimes it was just to escape the heat or have a rest, but it somehow crept its way back into my life. I think I’ve gotten a soy latte almost every day since they left. I’ve decided I’m not going to feel guilty about it. It’s my treat to myself for living in China! Here’s the difference between a Starbucks in China and one in the US. Starbucks, or any coffee shop for that matter, is going to be packed between the hours of 7:30am and 10:00am. This is a scientific fact (trust me, I worked at Starbucks for over two years). It is completely the opposite here. Starbucks is a ghost town in the morning, and packed in the evenings! I love it, because I don’t necessarily want to see a lot of people before I’ve enjoyed my coffee. From noon to close though, the baristas are nonstop blending Green Tea Frappucinos.

Matching couples and sun umbrellas. This is China.

Speaking of Starbucks (they should really think of endorsing me) I saw this couple on my way in the other day. Chinese couples love wearing matching outfits. It’s hilarious. I do not know a single American guy that would wear a matching outfit with his girlfriend. I mean you see older couples wearing similar styles (there’s a photo of my parents in Spain wearing the same navy jacket they got at a convention, white t-shirt, and khaki pants, darling) but here it’s quite deliberate. I see on average two to four matching couples a day. Sometimes it’s just an identical shirt (most often) but there are exceptions of the entire outfit. I saw a couple wearing matching neon tracksuit and Nikes. It’s hilarious. I don’t know the direct answer as to why. I’m not sure if it’s something they do during the honeymoon phase, when they first become boyfriend and girlfriend, or something they just like to do no matter the stage of their relationship. Either way, it’s funny to see. 

Bo (aka Kitler) is my summer obsession. My roommate and I are babysitting her all summer, but between you and me, I do all the care-taking! I have to sweep my room pretty much everyday because we are both shedding so much in this summer heat. She is very cuddly and very active between the hours of 5am and 7am.

         

Having visitors only leaves me sad.

A few months ago my sister and I discussed traveling together. My whole family has the travel bug, so naturally she planned on making a trip out here while I’m living here. More than anything, I would have loved to do a month long backpacking trip with her, but with our work schedules it just wasn’t realistic. She is a school counselor with summers off. I work at an after school-tutoring center, so summers are our busiest time. Luckily for my sister Anna, her best friend is a schoolteacher. Lindsey lived down the street from us growing up. Anna and Lindz have been friends for most of their lives. Lindsey’s next-door neighbor Jenna is my best friend. It’s a very darling Leave it to Beaver scenario, so I was pumped to hear that I would get to see the both of them.

Dragon Boat Festival races.

Anna and Lindz started their journey in Beijing. They hiked the wall, saw some stuff (the ushe) then flew into Hangzhou. They got in June 11^th, it was a Tuesday evening. There was a bit of a mix up regarding when their flight would arrive and how they would get to my apartment. Keep in mind, no phones or Internet upon arrival. So coordinating this kind of stuff is old school. Unfortunately, just as I arrived at the airport I got a phone call from Anna. They were at the front gate of my apartment using the guards phone to call me. Wednesday was Dragon Boat festival, a national Chinese holiday. Hangzhou has beautiful canals running through the city that all stem from the Granfd Canal. A massive manmade canal used to ship cargo to Beijing. We met up with some friends to partake in the boat races. It’s fun to see the traditional culture and I’m so happy Anna and Lindz got to experience it. We then walked to a nearby park. The girls were a bit jetlagged so we went back to my apartment to get some grub. There is this whole in the wall restaurant just outside my building. It’s fantastic. We had some eggplant, dumplings, and fried rice. We had a rest then went out to dinner with my friends were they were able to try more authentic Chinese food. I had no idea Anna was a fan of bullfrog?

The following day we planned to bike around Westlake. There really aren’t a whole lot of “sights’ here, but the lake is always fun to explore. Plus biking here is an experience of its own. And I’m happy to report that no one was seriously injured on their bike. We had a great lunch and made some friends! These darling Chinese boys wrote us a note in English asking to take a photo with us. Dancing is very popular here. It is so common to see large groups of women dancing in public squares, as well as men and women practicing their ballroom dancing. It's like a flashmob every few hours. Anna and Lindz having both been dancers were pumped to get in on the dancing! And the Chinese women standing by me loved it too. We continued to bike around the whole lake. The west edge of that lake is much quieter, little traffic, and very serene. As we made it back to civilization I took them to a really popular Shao cow, or street food. The first day they were continually asking me “do you use the water to brush your teeth” and sanitary questions of the sort. Either I’m naïve or just really brave…. I rarely worry about any of that. Seeing them eat the street food was quite the juxtaposition to their original concerns. China has the largest population in the world, if they are all surviving off the food and water, I assume I will too.

That night we stayed in painted our nails and watched The Bachelorette. The next morning they headed off to Shanghai and I went to work. I worked Friday and Saturday. On Saturday I went straight from work to Shanghai to meet them at their hostel. I have the luxury of always staying with a friend in Shanghai, but this hostel was great! Hostels are always a great place to meet interesting people. We relaxed in the lobby and had a couple beers before heading to the Airport. Our flight to Manila was at 12:40am. We left the hostel around 9pm (it takes an hour and a half to get to the airport by subway). Once on the subway you have to transfer to another line that continues on the airport. Yelp, that second line stops running at 10. Wasn’t aware of that. Standing on the platform with that “oh shit” look on our faces we were immediately approached by a woman who offered to drive us to the terminal. Worried about the time a bus would take we took here up on her offer. Luckily we made it to the airport in plenty of time. We arrived at Manila airport just before 5am and was greeted by my dear friend Arz. We headed back to her apartment to get a little more sleep. We then went to a delicious “Father’s Day” brunch.

She is her mothers daughter.

Manila was much different than I expected. The city is quite polluted with a lot of litter on the streets and shanty houses/communities all over. The area we went to was a recently developed commercial neighborhood. It was very modern and felt as if it had been designed by the Irvine Company.  With the warm tropical weather It felt like Honolulu. We wandered around the shops and markets all afternoon.  For lunch we ate at CPK. You have no idea how great it is to see American chains!. The only chains in Hangzhou are McDonalds, Pizza Hut and KFC, and I don’t eat at any of them!

The restaurant we ate at two nights in a row.

The following day we headed out to Boracay, one of the most popular and beautiful islands in the Philippines. From the airport we took a two our bus that took us through the provinces and farms, then a small boat took us to the island, then a trike (like a motorcycle with a side car for multiple passangers) took us to our hotel. The bus was actually really nice in that we were able to see what most of the land in the Philippines looks like. When traveling you often see the larger cities. I love to see the more rural/common lifestyle. We settled into our hotel then headed down to the beach to find a restaurant for dinner.

Pre-Storm

We woke up the next morning and headed back to the beach. The weather was a little dodgy and looked as if a storm was coming in. We found a resort and laid out hoping to get as much sun as possible before the storm came in. I hadn’t been in the sun in 8 months and in fear of not getting any color didn’t use any sunscreen. It was rather overcast, yet still warm. I think this trip has finally taught me to use sunscreen no matter what! The Irish blood in me just can’t handle the sun. I don’t think I’ve ever been burned that bad. Almost three weeks later I’m still peeling. I like to think of it as new skin. Shedding the old, a rebirth if you will. After a few hours on the beach it began to rain and get a bit chilly. We headed to the Jacuzzi. After about an hour of enjoying the pool the storm really came in. In a matter of minutes the rain and wind were so aggressive water was seeping into the lobby. We sat in the lobby to wait it out, staff constantly trying to sweep out the water. The hotel had a shuttle service that was kind enough to drive us back to our hotel. Later that evening, when the weather had settled down we went back to the restaurant we ate at the first night. Filipino food is amazing!!  

The next morning we wandered around the little town and did some shopping before heading back to the airport. We had lunch at a small open air restaurant/bar playing game 6 of the NBA finals. We showed up just in time to watch the end of the 4^th quarter and OT. Asian cultures love the NBA. Arz and I continued to shout “Lakers” to the locals who asked where we were from.

Her backpack is bigger than she is.

We shared a van with a really nice group of friends also from Manila. They were so talkative and friendly, very unlike the Chinese. The fact that almost everyone in the Philippines speaks English is a huge plus, but also, I have never met friendlier people. It was unreal, or maybe I’ve just been in China too long. Customer service in this country was fantastic, so many smiles. In China, any store/restaurant/office you’re at, you will rarely get a smile or any kind of greeting; just blank stares. It’s quite irritating.

We got back to Manila and had dinner, then Anna and Lindz headed to Bangkok. I stayed one more night and got to meet a bunch of Arz’s friends and coworkers at a birthday party. It was great to get a feel for her daily life (not that she’s going to birthday parties everyday or anything). I headed back to China the following morning.

Leaving paradise.

The vacation and break from China was much needed. It was amazing to get to spend time with my sister and Lindsey as well as Arz! Also the Western culture in the Philippines was wonderful… CPK for lunch, come ooonnnn.

Next family member visit: My brother and sister-in-law in August!!!