Two options lay before me as I arrived into the airport. Stay in a hostel or stay with some young professionals who had offered to put me up. When two options present themselves, we sometimes want the easier of the two, yet know the harder of the two will prove more rewarding.
So, I ended up in an apartment with some nice young professionals! These nice young gals don't speak much English though!! THIS already has been and will continue to be quite the challenge! Hello hand gestures and google translate, I will worship your services, of course until I reach the Buddhist and Taoist temples! Vivian is quite accommodating, wanting to make sure that I have all that I need here! All I need is a couch! ...well, and realizing how to pull out the bed and/or use the AC would be ideal....haha
So we got up this morning, Vivian locked herself out of the apartment and her room but her roommate was there to let us in. The restaurant we went to though had delicious food! I ate dumplings, a hard-boiled egg and these fried dough sticks that were so fried that there was barely any dough left by the time they got to my mouth...DELICIOUS! Unfortunately the drinks we got spilled, but that's ok! We have to boil all water here before drinking it. A relatively minor task, but just imagine having to do this every time you want to drink water if you do not have a bottle of water. The water here is okay to shower in though (thank goodness).
I don't have a key or a phone, so things are confusing right now. I will get a cell phone soon - communication is a must if I would like to make any plans! I may stay local, and just explore the area tomorrow. I would like to and will get to the touristy stuff such as seeing the Great Wall, Tianenmen Square, the Forbidden City, etc. HOWEVER, I am currently living life as much like a Beijinger would...to the extent that I can :) I am very interested in the culture and just bobbing around some days, not having an exact itinerary. If you are a control freak, or love to know what you are doing at every waking moment of your life, with absolutely no elements of surprise, then a trip such as this is certainly not for you!
Please Note: If the spontaneity, randomness and strangeness of these writings appear to be too intense, please do three jumping jacks immediately and then begin reading again, a sure quick cure. Please also seek a physician's assistance If you experience any side effects like nausea, vomiting, or blurting out random words such as "Ni Hao Ma!" (Hi, how are you in Mandarin Chinese - the one language unifying the People's Republic of China).
More to come soon, stay posted! ...and have a look at the Travel Photos Page as I will be posting some pictures!! :)
So, I ended up in an apartment with some nice young professionals! These nice young gals don't speak much English though!! THIS already has been and will continue to be quite the challenge! Hello hand gestures and google translate, I will worship your services, of course until I reach the Buddhist and Taoist temples! Vivian is quite accommodating, wanting to make sure that I have all that I need here! All I need is a couch! ...well, and realizing how to pull out the bed and/or use the AC would be ideal....haha
So we got up this morning, Vivian locked herself out of the apartment and her room but her roommate was there to let us in. The restaurant we went to though had delicious food! I ate dumplings, a hard-boiled egg and these fried dough sticks that were so fried that there was barely any dough left by the time they got to my mouth...DELICIOUS! Unfortunately the drinks we got spilled, but that's ok! We have to boil all water here before drinking it. A relatively minor task, but just imagine having to do this every time you want to drink water if you do not have a bottle of water. The water here is okay to shower in though (thank goodness).
I don't have a key or a phone, so things are confusing right now. I will get a cell phone soon - communication is a must if I would like to make any plans! I may stay local, and just explore the area tomorrow. I would like to and will get to the touristy stuff such as seeing the Great Wall, Tianenmen Square, the Forbidden City, etc. HOWEVER, I am currently living life as much like a Beijinger would...to the extent that I can :) I am very interested in the culture and just bobbing around some days, not having an exact itinerary. If you are a control freak, or love to know what you are doing at every waking moment of your life, with absolutely no elements of surprise, then a trip such as this is certainly not for you!
Side Note 1 - before I forget, I had a great conversation with a gentleman on my flight! He told me how many Chinese are "sly" and don't always say what they mean, and actually say the opposite. He seemed to dislike the Communist Party, and he thinks that China should follow USA's example. He said that the Chinese have secret police, and that there are spies who turn people in who talk badly against the Communist Government here - this can lead to prison time, a couple bruises, and hopefully not much worse...its kind of crazy because we live in a place where we think this type of thing is a thing of the past...it's not - the Chinese fear their government. Most seem to avoid the topic of conversation as not to slip up/because many dislike the regime and are frustrated by it. He said that the government claims to have a strong army and that they say North Korea is a great example, when in reality he thinks the army is mediocre. Only time will shape my opinion on if this fear tactic is working for them, and if so in what way.
Side Note 2 - About the airplane food - great! Beef and chicken choices...and we got HAAGEN DAAS! ...AFTER DESSERT! Also came away with delicious beef and chicken, pasta and rice dishes...I had a Kit Kat served for breakfast too (No not just a kit kat) and what would a Russian dinner be without alcohol? You bettya! They were serving it up like no other with several wine choices...although I believe I am 1/8 Russian...I was lacking sleep and decided against taking any chances.
Please Note: If the spontaneity, randomness and strangeness of these writings appear to be too intense, please do three jumping jacks immediately and then begin reading again, a sure quick cure. Please also seek a physician's assistance If you experience any side effects like nausea, vomiting, or blurting out random words such as "Ni Hao Ma!" (Hi, how are you in Mandarin Chinese - the one language unifying the People's Republic of China).
More to come soon, stay posted! ...and have a look at the Travel Photos Page as I will be posting some pictures!! :)
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