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!!!

Happy 4th of July

In years past the 4th of July was more of a superficial holiday for me. It was just beach, booze, and bikinis. And I am not happy nor comfortable in a bikini, so it was more of a holiday I dreaded a bit.

Fast forward to having been in China for almost 9 months... oh what I would give to be in the U.S. And not just because I miss the beach (though I really do!) but because I miss the culture of a country that is truly free. I mean, yeah the government is tapping your phone calls and what not... but as Americans we are so blessed. No, our government isn't perfect. No government is. Until someone figures it out and reaches utopia, I'll settle for the life of an American.

I put on my red, white and blue this morning and contemplated what I would do in my classes today. I thought "oh, we can talk about freedom!"  But then it hit me, my students wouldn't have much to say on the topic. I don't think it's a topic that would build a rousing discussion amongst my students. Does the idea of freedom (and their lack of) make them bitter or resentful. Or is it a concept they can't even wrap their heads around? I've decided not to get into the topic, because I would feel guilty, as if rubbing it in their face what freedoms Americans are privileged with. Maybe we'll talk about movies? Oh wait, those are censored here. 

Living outside of the U.S. bubble as given me the opportunity to learn so much about the differences around the world. I have a dear friend from Turkey, my roommates classmate was just murdered in a protest in Egypt (innocent bystander), and I'm living in a communist country with a cat resembling Hitler holding my purse captive. It makes me extremely proud and grateful to be an American.

Happy Independence Day to you all! 

Go BBQ and drink a beer for me. And be safe!

Parents.

I have been getting exponentially worse and worse about updating the blog. I guess it’s because China has lost its luster. I don’t necessarily mean that in a negative way, but my everyday experiences have become “the norm.” When you move to a new city or even country the beginning is so exciting. Everything is new and interesting.  After six months or so it is no longer intriguing, and in the case of China it’s actually just rather annoying. I remember my first few bus experiences here. I was laughing to myself all the time. The pushing, shoving, yelling and staring; it was all so amusing. Now it’s straight up obnoxious! In fact, I convinced my parents to get on a city bus with me. At first I thought this was a great idea; cheap and convenient travel. But when about 30 people piled in at the first stop I instantly regretted the decision. I didn’t feel right subjecting them to that kind of situation. I only wish I had gotten a picture.

“You’re parents” you ask? Why yes, I am so lucky to have parents that wanted to come visit me half way around the world! Let alone parents that booked the trip before I even had my flights booked. My parents spent the first leg of their trip in Hong Kong. I thought this was great warmer before they crossed into mainland China (that’s where shit gets real). I have a dear friend from High School that lives in HK, and they were lucky enough to get together with her. They really enjoyed Hong Kong, though it’s pretty hard not to enjoy HK.

From Hong Kong they flew into Shanghai on a Monday morning. I took the train into Shanghai and stayed with a friend Sunday night so that I could pick them up at the airport on Monday. The International Arrivals area at the Airport is easily one of my favorite places in China. Seeing them just filled my heart with joy. We had four whole days together in Shanghai. We had a two-bedroom apartment in an area I’m quite familiar with, so it was just perfect. Us Clark’s aren’t necessarily the earliest worms though; we didn’t start our day before noon most days. But when you are with family I guess it doesn’t matter what we are doing, as long as we are together.  I know…. How sweet am I.

Shanghai offers those double decker sightseeing buses around the city, which I think are just fantastic! You are given a tour of everything you want to see in a comfortable bus with an audio guide. It’s the best way to see a city. We had a 48-hour pass on the bus. It was fun to see my parent’s reaction to things that have become standard to me. I think the biggest shock to them was the lack of rights pedestrians have here. When you have the “green” to cross the street, cars will still be making right hand turns. In China cars always have the right of way. As an American, the green light gives you power, not here. Dan kicked a few cars as they nearly ran him over.

My other favorite experience with them was our family massage. I’ve grown accustomed to a cheap massage weekly here. The hour long Chinese massage costs me about ten US dollars. There was a massage parlor right across from our apartment so we decided to get a massage one night. Don’t worry y’all, it wasn’t one of those “happy ending” kind of places (sicko, get your head out of the gutter). I actually still have yet to see one of those places. We upped for the oil massage (Dan’s a big spender). It was just funny that we were all in the same room. Family bonding at it’s finest.

We took a day trip to a neighboring city on Thursday. This region of China has many rivers, and many “water towns.” The one we chose is called Suzhou. It’s the only water town with a train station. Train being the most convenient form of travel we went to Suzhou. The weather was a little crummy and this “Venice of China” probably shouldn’t be compared to Venice.

We arrived at the train station and were hounded by drivers offering personal guides/tours. As we contemplated our day we finally accepted an offer by a nice man whose name I cannot pronounce. Tourism is a rather new industry in China, and isn’t really efficient or convenient. Our driver took us fist to a pagoda that if anything was worthwhile for this photo (inappropriate father!) From there we went to a garden. Suzhou has many gardens. Emporers liked building gardens. And our last stop was a quaint canal street. Again, I don’t think we can compare this area to Venice. The driver had offered to drop us off at the city center and complete the tour at 6:30. We would then have dinner and get back to the train station on our own. But after all we had seen we decided to just hop on the train and get dinner in Shanghai.

The following morning we took the train to Hangzhou (were I live). I would have to work Friday from 1-9pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am-5pm. This was stressful for me. Having my parents so close and missing precious time with them because of work. I was even more worried about them because it was raining Saturday and Sunday! What would they do? I’ll tell you what they did: relaxed. MY roommate works at a five star Sheraton in an amazing and conveniently close area to where I live. The hotel is fantastic! I think my parents were quite happy to just relax and enjoy the luxury of the hotel especially after our somewhat janky apartment in Shanghai. My standards have definitely lowered when it comes to comfort and cleanliness here.

Saturday evening we went to dinner with my closest friends. My mom put it greatly in an email “Carrie is surrounding herself with great people.” I really do feel lucky to have such a great group of friends here. My levels of life satisfaction would be waayyyy lower if it weren’t for these people. Sunday after work the rain had finally subsided. I took them downtown to a very traditional/touristy area of town. We walked around the lake a bit and called it a night. Monday was my day off so we had a lot of time to explore more of Hangzhou. Though I realized after having my parents here, there really isn’t a whole lot to do in Hangzhou. It’s an absolutely beautiful city (mainly because of the lake), but once you’ve strolled around the lake for a few hours there really isn’t much else to see. It isn’t a big city like Shanghai, nor do we have a subway. Like I said, not much of a tourism infrastructure.

We parted ways around 5:30 as they had to fly to Beijing for the last leg of their trip. It was extremely hard/emotional to say goodbye to them. I have now been in China for eight months and though it hasn’t been that long I’m definitely learning a lot. There are a few ideas/questions/notions that have been resolved during my time here. One, I don’t enjoy teaching in China (I don’t think teaching at an English training center in China is comparable to teaching at a school in the US. Either way, glad I’ve had this experience to confirm things I don’t want to do). Two, California may be one of the greatest places to live. I’m living in a communist, collectivist society. It’s a lifestyle I do not find attractive. Three, I don’t see myself living the expat lifestyle much longer. When I moved here I was always being asked “how long will you live abroad?” My answer was “indefinitely” as I had no idea what the future would hold. I still don’t know what the future holds (if you do, please let me know!) but I do know I will be returning to the US sooner than I had expected.

The sadness of my parents leaving was quickly replaced by the excitement of my sister coming to China! Anna will be here on June 11^th! Hangzhou is just a short stop on her 5 weeks of backpacking in Southeast Asia. But I am so excited to be going to the Philippines with them and seeing one of my best friends in the whole world! I am also very excited to be getting a little break from China. Many expats will tell you “you need to get out of the country every few months, even if for just a few days” I’m overdue!

Tomb Sweeping and such...

The Chinese are extremely superstitious. I am constantly berating my adult students trying to get as much information on traditions as possible. It’s interesting to learn the history as to why they do so many things, and it is also quite entertaining. Tomorrow is a national holiday called Tomb Sweeping day. Yup, pretty much; Spring-cleaning for their cemeteries. 

I think a lot of my students forget that I’m not Chinese. And although I did grow up in Irvine, there is still a lot about the culture that I don’t know. When I inquire about their culture they give me a sliver of the Cliffs Notes. I often have to remind them that what they are telling me is brand new information to me and not common in the U.S. In one of my earlier classes today I asked my students what Tomb Sweeping day was all about and they didn’t really say much. Most of them were just excited they didn’t have work. But the main gist of the holiday is to pay respect to ancestors. In my last class I had a group of very talkative girls. I love when my students do all the talking for me! Especially when I have three canker sores on my tongue! Yes, that’s what I get for eating three pineapples in three days. It’s just so hard to resist when a pineapple is a dollar and they skin it and slice it for you on the street.

Anyways, the girls were really chatty and told me all about this holiday and the customs that go along with it.  Many families return to their hometown and visit the graves of their loved ones. They cut the grass and place flowers on the tomb. They can also give gifts to their loved ones on the other side. You just burn a picture of what you want to give to them and they will receive it in a matter of minutes. The examples I was given: “you can burn a photo of a refrigerator, phone, television, games, house, anything you want.” I think this is hilarious and darling. Why they’d need a refrigerator? Not sure. Another custom I thought was lovely was cooking a meal for the departed. Families will cook something special for their ancestors and leave it outside with a candle. In a few hours you can retrieve the food and eat it yourself. I guess it’s rare that grandma or grandma are that hungry and eat the food, probably because they were given a refrigerator earlier in the day… One of my students said her grandfather told the family to give him an  iPhone when he dies (you know, burn a picture of an iPhone on his grave). Somebody in the family questioned him “do you even know how to work an iPhone?” he replied “No” but figured he’d have Steve Jobs help him out.

I guess it’s not that bizarre though, I wanted to take my grandma a bottle of two-buck chuck and dump it in the ocean with her ashes… The Chinese do have a lot of respect for their elders, which is quite lovely to see. So, if you don’t have much to do tomorrow, light a candle for a family member that has passed in honor of Tomb Sweeping day. I will celebrate the holiday in Shanghai with my friend Mecah. It is so wonderful to have such a dear friend so close! I sure did take it for granted when I lived in the states.

Next week I will be moving into a new apartment! I am beyond excited. As I have probably mentioned before, the area of town I live in is wonderful and has many great qualities. Unfortunately none of my friends live in this area. Think of it in an LA scale. All my friends are in Venice and I’m in East Hollywood. Technically it isn’t that far, but with traffic (and traffic in China is worse than LA) and all it just isn’t convenient. It’s not worth the cab fare to go to a friends for dinner or to watch a movie. One of my best friends roommates moved back to the states last month, so I am moving in! I’m breaking my lease at my current apartment, which is unfortunate, but it will be so worth it to live with and be near to my friends. I am so excited! Living on this side of town has been a bit lonely at times.  The West is also cheaper and quieter! I often sleep with earplugs here. Margaret (on the right) will be my new roommate and Liz my close neighbor, we biked to the botanical garden last week. Huge garden full of tulips. The tulips are only in bloom for a month here. 

I just hope I will live to see next week. I’ve recently started riding my bike to work. The weather is shifting and it is glorious. I never knew how miserable being cold was until I moved here. The warmth makes all the difference. And I absolutely love riding my bike. I’m just a little concerned that I am going to get hit by a car. The roads are a brutal place here. Every man for himself. I think I’m counteracting the exercise endorphin rush with road rage. Luckily my brother taught me to “always keep my head on a swivel.” I’m not sure if that was advice he gave me on our three-month biking excursion in Europe, or just general advice. I try and use it in all contexts just in case.

My friends have a cat named Bo. He's famous on a website called 'Hitler Kitties'. He's nothing like Adolf though... he's quite sweet. Not that I know what Adolf was like first hand, but I have my assumptions.

Spring has sprung

Winter had its ups and downs. When I arrived in fall I was told on several occasions how miserable winter in Hangzhou was. I heard over and over how bone chilling cold it gets here. I began to prepare myself for the worst. Here's the lesson (wouldn't it be great if you always walk away from reading my blog a tad bit more enlightened); you
can't always trust someone else's perspective. It's cold here, don't get me wrong, but that doesn't make life here miserable. Living in the north, yeah that may be miserable, but this is just a winter. It's great that I experience this. That way when I raise a family in Southern California and my kids complain about weather ill hit em with "when I lived in China I had to walk to work in the snow, uphill both ways.”

Last week it was 80 degrees one day then it dropped to 50 degrees the next day.I'm so excited for spring! I know it will be a bit rainy for a couple of months. The other night I walked by a Chinese couple holding hands and couldn't help but notice that the young mans sweat pants had a "sad face" embroidered on the crotch. I'm going to assume the girl he was holding hands with was his girlfriend and I immediately felt bad for her. What a diss to her! Was he wearing the scarlet letter for "unsatisfied?" And if so, should we direct the blame for his unhappy privates on her. If they break up she may have a hard time finding another boyfriend.

I was once on a bus and the driver took a personal call. Obviously I don’t really know if it was a personal call because most of the Chinese I understand is classroom language. So hopefully it wasn’t a personal call, but it definitely seemed like it was a personal call. Which is so ridiculous that while he is responsible for the lives of everyone on the bus he’s chattin about who knows what. #noruleschina

I feel like the best things happen to me on the bus. The other day an old woman looked right at me and gave me this semi evil/knowing laugh. It was as if she knew something I didn’t. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or a little more aware of what’s around the corner.

One of the other most interesting places is the gym. An older woman put her bra over her long sleeve top? I tried it.

I was walking to the gym two days ago and the backs of me legs felt super cold. I reached back and water was dripping out of my backpack. I opened it up and my iPhone was swimming in the little pool created in my backpack. The phone is resting in dry rice and I'm hoping for a recovery. Everyone please say a little prayer for my phone. It has forced me to read more so I guess there's the silver lining. I have become very dependent on the translator app in class though.