Wednesday, September 29, 2010

"Sins of a Sino Empire" (RTS)

Updates and such!

Yesterday evening, I met with Director Wang and Amy at the Beijing Forestry University in order to have sort of an "audition" to tutor two small children.  Did I know my pupils were small children, and did I know that it would be an audition, in front of my pupils' parents?  Nope.  Did I know that the little girl would have the most severe case of ADHD that I've ever witnessed, or that the little boy would put his hands over his ears, refuse to talk, and bawl uncontrollably until his mother or father placated him with chocolates? 

Why, no.  No, I didn't.

Needless to say, that was a bit of a disappointment, and was seriously considering breaking off all contact with the foreign language children's school - until tonight.  And, Christ, these other kids?  They're ADORABLE!  One of them, whose name is Sissy, looks and acts almost identically to a kid I took care of at the Cheyenne River Youth Project.  She's chubby, but not overly so, and constantly hungry - her mother's purse must have had six different kinds of sweets and snacks inside.  Sissy gave me a sticker at the end of the teaching session (a bear in a party hat), and I almost melted.

The other two children, Angel and Jason, were shy, but actually participated in the lesson and seemed excited about learning - which is refreshing.  All were about 4 years old, though Jason might be closer to three.

Tomorrow afternoon at 2:00, I have an interview with a professor at Tsinghua University regarding a tutoring position for two high school students.  (As per usual, the entire situation is sketchy - his email was written in hard core Engrish, and I was asked to send in multiple pictures of myself - which I denied, primarily because he already had a copy of my head shot.)  Immediately afterward is a party for the international scholarship recipients at the China University of Geosciences.  I'm guessing that I should dress up, but haven't received much instruction on the matter at all.  Just kind of playing everything by ear, and hoping for the best.

Spoke with Daniel a bit last night about the ease of making contacts in China, and of finding work, if you're qualified, white, and have a nice resume.  Compared to the United States, everything is so much more simple!  I don't have to worry about working my way up a corporate ladder, or of wining and dining to get a placement, even if I'm more qualified than the next guy.  Everything's like one giant chess game, or a real-time strategy computer game - it's fast-paced, and intellectually exciting.

"Sins of a Sino Empire".  Coming to a Pajj-life near you.  All I need is an epic soundtrack, and the proper steps to beat the bosses.


<3

Monday, September 27, 2010

Money talks, when people need shoes and socks.

(As for the title.)

The "SO RONERY" China-feeling has dissipated again, and I'm back to being excited about... Well, everything!  Going to class, dicking around on the internet and with my bass, reading, and exploring the city on my own (with the cunning use of public transportation!) have a tendency to make it all better.

Met with a very professional educational administrative type named Cathy who told me the details of what I'd be doing re: New Job.  The position sounds amazing - basically talking to senior high school kids for four hours every Saturday morning (from 8:00 - 12:00pm) about whatever topic happens to strike my interest.  It can be philosophy, science, technology, history, sociology, environmental sustainability, travel, linguistics - ANYTHING, as long as I have a coherent, fleshed-out lesson plan, a PowerPoint, and incorporate about 10 - 15 higher level vocabulary words.  The students and I have a discussion at the end of every class;  I find out what they learned and what they thought;  then get feedback for the next lesson.  Fucking awesome.

Contemplating taking up the Beijing Forestry University on their tutoring offer again, even though the original proposition was sketchy.  Told the director and his assistant that I do not feel comfortable padding my resume for parents, so they're arranging for me to have classes with older students from the university.  Same pay rate, fewer hours, but no lying - and that does a hell of a lot for my conscience.  The hours would be 7:00-8:00pm, on Tuesday and Saturday nights.

Classes at CUGB began again today, and will continue throughout the week - until National Day, when we get a seven day holiday.  Talked to a few of the masters and doctoral students, who have been BUSY socializing (two were holding hands and touching each other suggestively, it was great :D)  Apparently the date we get to move into the international dorms has been delayed (again), to some time near the middle of October.  Lovely.  Going to go talk to Mr. Liu tomorrow afternoon, before I go to meet with Director Wang at the Forestry University.  Hopefully can at least finagle a student ID number out of him.

Things that have happened!
  • The district where I bought my guitar seems to be populated almost entirely with tall, Asian musicians sporting long hair, pensive expressions, deep voices, and lots of black clothing.  
    • Thought you'd enjoy that, Clare :)
  • The Beijing Olympics might have been two years ago, but tons of the infrastructure still exists around various districts (especially Haidian's Wudaokou, and downtown, closer to the inner rings).  Skyscrapers still sport huge banners;  streets still have the iconic rings painted on the way to the stadium;  and there are direction booths (they look like phone booths) placed on basically every street corner.  A lot of the street vendors are still selling 2008 Olympics paraphernalia, too.  Kind of adorable - it's like a proud parent keeping their kids' second grade artwork on the fridge.
  • Overheard an American speaking very authoritatively to two Swedes in Pyro Pizza about how "Bush wants to insert bar codes into people in the USA, the government already does it with pets";  how he "emailed Obama about China, and a week later he gave a speech talking about my ideas, Obama's a good guy";  "no one in the United States can get a job, even if you graduate from Harvard";  how his "Mandarin is developing so well, and [he's] only been here three months, [he] just can't believe it" and how "it's impossible to get a job in China, if you're an international person, they just want Chinese people".  Really wanted to punch him.
  •  Got really confused as to where to find an artistic/scientific/philosophical crowd in Beijing last night, then realized that those are hard to find anywhere.  The fun part is looking.
  • Tattoo isn't infected, and still looks great!  
  • When I went back to the China University of Geosciences last night, there was a group of three guys sitting in the courtyard outside of my dorm strumming on acoustic guitars.  When they saw me, they got really excited, primarily because they'd noticed me carrying in my bass the other afternoon, and starting saying random stuff in Mandarin.  All I could do is shake my head really sadly, say "Bu shi" and "Jiba" and "not yet, still learning".
    • Hate language barriers, by the way.
  • Music festival coming up - featuring Rooney!  Still remember buying their self-titled debut album the day it came out in Waco, and drooling over Robert Carmine.  Missed seeing them eight times in the States (when they came to Houston, and also when they dropped by Dallas while I was still in high school).  Seriously contemplating buying a one-day ticket.
That's all for now, folks!  When I learn how to play the bass line for No Doubt's "Sunday Morning" or something Incubusy, I'll post a video.

<3

Sunday, September 26, 2010

I am the world's sketchiest person.

Things that have happened!

  • Went to Lush a couple nights ago.  Started talking to people.  Remembered I'm misanthropic, then got bored + schwasted.  Learning experiences are fun, not embarrassing at all!  At least, that's what I keep telling myself.  
    • On a positive note, hard liquor is apparently the only thing that can bring a Pajj down.  
    • THAT'S THE TEXAN IN ME.
  • Got a bass guitar + case + strap for 400 yuan (about $60 USD), which seems like a pretty decent deal.  I've always wanted to learn how to play a guitar - just know the piano, and some percussion - and the bass is something that sounds nice very quickly.
  • Devouring books.  Chuck Palahniuk is enthralling, though reading his novels feels a great deal more like having a nice whiskey than a good steak.  I miss science, guys - legitimate science classes, and lab work.  No real substitute for that. 
  • There are some really, really nice people here - the majority of whom are willing to let me crash on their couch when I'm locked out of my dorm at CUGB.  <3
  • So, if you remember correctly, the night before I got my tattoo I went wandering around Xinjiekou at 9:30pm, trying to find a parlor.  The one I'd selected via GoogleMaps - Tattoo Show, I think it was called? - was nowhere to be found;  asked a lot of people, but they were pretty clueless.  Most of the Chinese girls just looked at me like I was trying to sell them cocaine.  Not the best experience in the world.  :(
    • BUT!  There was one really nice - and very attractive - guy, with a translating app built into his iPhone, who seemed very concerned for my safety and told me that getting a tatt in China would probably be a bad idea.  "Nice girl", "wait till you go back home", etc. etc.  By this time it was pretty late, so I ordered a cab and went back home.  
    • As fortune would have it, I saw him this morning while I was out buying my bass - he owns a music store and gives lessons in guitar and piano.  Smokes like a chimney.
  • Starting a job teaching high-school-age Chinese kids English pretty soon, in addition to the one at the Forestry University (decided to take Director Wang up on the offer, even though the conditions are a bit sketch).  We'll see how it all works out.  

Miss you guys, so much.  <3

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

On the dopamine I can rely, the dopamine reflects me

Things that have happened!

  • Had a birthday, and it was pretty rad.  Went to Lush for drinking purposes - since it was open mic night (even on a Sunday!  Sunday!), the place was packed.  Listening to decently sung 90s music = bliss, especially when I can do so from a bookstore that is conveniently located WITHIN THE BAR'S BUILDING.  Can you believe that set up?  If Rice didn't turn me into an alcoholic, this surely will.  I get to read Palahniuk while sipping on beer and listening to Modest Mouse.  Fuck you, real world.  This is better.
  • Started classes on Monday, and had our first day of (real) instruction this morning.  Looks to be pretty boring, but I'm hoping that maybe the fundamentals will get a little more interesting after vowels/consonants are mastered and we begin to learn vocabulary and grammar.  My classmates are all masters and doctoral students in the geosciences, who need to reach a certain level of Mandarin in order to continue with their research for the next few years.  Most are from Africa and Mongolia, and seem to be quite hardworking;  I'm excited to get to know them a little better.
  • Got a tattoo of the chemical structure of dopamine.  Experience was one of the most terrifying/exciting in my life, and the process didn't hurt at all.  The artist used new needles, and sterilized all his equipment before the process began.  He also made certain to find English instructions for taking care of the tat, which was considerate.  400 yuan, which is about $60.  Expensive, for China, but I think it was safe, which is the important thing.
  • Got a job with the Beijing Forestry University's department of foreign languages.  Director Wang (leads English classes) told me he liked my accent, and apparently I'm to teach some classes of 7-8 year olds.  Need to start developing a curriculum, and the pay isn't THAT great, but this also doesn't seem like a scam - so I'll roll with it.  Also, it's easiest learning the basics of a foreign language from kids, you know?  This will help me with my Mandarin courses quite a bit. 
  • Meeting with the ZJMedia people tomorrow afternoon in The Bridge Cafe at 2:00pm to go over my edits / get paid.  Jessica and Jenny are really sweet, I'll be glad to see them again.
  • LOL nappy cream.
  • The workbooks I'm using for Chinese, in addition to the laoshis, all seem very helpful;  it's just a matter of getting out on the street and actually USING the phrases/words.  I've been told that there's a heavy concentration on learning the Hanzi instead of actually speaking the language, which isn't useful for me at ALL.  We'll see.
  • The consulate general for Houston responded to my first "thank you, here's what's happening" email, and told me that I should meet up with his son, if I ever went to Shanghai.  Apparently Director Wang at the Forestry University has a son who's going to go study in the United States.  Chen Laoshi opened up his home, should I ever need a place to stay, and I need to pay him back for dinner, at some point.
  • PEOPLE ARE SO NICE.

Love you all, more later -
Paige

Saturday, September 18, 2010

... So, uh. Maybe I was overestimating my immunity to green-eyed Asian skaters.

Things that have happened!

Went to go talk to Mr. Liu in order to get my student ID card, but apparently China University of Geosciences is working under some sort of new system, and none of the international scholarship students have been designated IDs.  This causes problems in two areas (according to Liu):  having our food stipends transferred to the accounts we arranged with the Agricultural Bank of China, and being able to register for the internet in our dorm.

... Not so much worried about the food, but CHRIST not having the internet in The Cell is a ballsy situation.  Trying to do editing work in Lush or The Bridge Cafe while drunken students debauch and shark about to their hearts' content is - I mean - well, actually, it's quite hilarious, and I'm loving every minute of it :)  But!  It's undeniably very expensive, and a girl can only drink so much coffee before floating away. 

No updates on the international dorm situation, other than the due date for it is September 30th;  Mr. Liu said that the Russian doctoral student might end up not-living-with-me-after-all, but I'm not sure if that's going to be the case.  My placement exam for Mandarin is Monday morning at 9:30am, so that hasn't changed.  Can't wait to start classes.  Not having a definite schedule during the day is grating on my nerves, even though the geosciences lectures I've attended were interesting.

Ended up not going to the The Creators Project, as tickets were expensive and hard to come by (once I tracked down the confirmation email address, all places had been reserved).  That's really upsetting, but I'm going to try to get all the films shown at the festival through devious means (aka, piracy or street vendors). 

Regarding the title of this article:  there are many things I need to learn to outgrow.  THAT (see above), boys-with-long-hair, boys-with-hipster-glasses, boys-who-play-instruments, boys-who-wear-flannel, boys-with-accents, boys-who-read, boys-who-speak-intelligently, boys-in-general.  From now on, I shall be considered asexual.  Gorey was asexual, right?  The illustrator?  I mean, he was a pretty gloomy guy, probably due to the lack of company...

... Whatever, we all know that wouldn't last.

Other things:  going to get a tattoo of the chemical structure of dopamine while in China, probably today. (Been contemplating getting a tat for my 21st birthday for a while now, and knew it would be some sort of chemical structure, but assumed caffeine.  Dopamine feels more representative of my life at the moment, though.)

I'll keep you posted.

<3s and stars,
Paige

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Sleep don't visit, so I choke on sun

Things that have happened!

Survived the international hospital in Beijing, and obtained an acceptable physical + form!  "Survived" is a harsh descriptor, though;  in all honesty, the most difficult portion of the entire experience was making it to the clinic.  Walked a quarter mile from the university to the bus stop;  took the #438 bus 18 stops (which seemed endless); was squished for a while - and yelled at in Mandarin by the ticket taker when I stood up to stare at the map (yes, that was hilarious as it sounds); and then walked about a quarter mile to the clinic (not visible from the road, but I was able to find a few people kind enough to point me in the right direction, once they were shown the Hanzi characters).

After arriving at the hospital before most of the doctors (7:00am), I waited outside with the neighborhod's flea-infested MascotKitty and read my book ("China's Megatrends" by the Naisbitts).  Ten minutes later, an older Chinese couple arrived and waited outside with me.  The doors opened at 7:30;  I filled out an appointment form, waited in line at the "Register" booth at 7:45, was transferred to the "Payment" booth at 8:35, and had my physical completed before 9:00am.  The line was astronomically long by that time, though;  I counted around fifty people waiting for their tests as I walked out the door.

An ECG, chest x-ray, and getting blood drawn in less than thirty minutes?  Only in China, my friends.  Only in China.  Just wait for the day when you can go to Wal-Mart to buy $5,000 Chinese-made automobiles.

I met some REALLY interesting people while waiting in line - the older Chinese couple was actually Chinese-American (just arrived from Maryland), and could speak fluent Mandarin and accented English, but had American passports.  Another couple who had flown in from California arrived shortly after the Chinese-American couple - the man was born in Brazil, and is planning on teaching English at the Chinese University of Telecommuncations;  his wife was from Paraguay.  Chas left me one of his business cards, and I'm supposed to go get breakfast with them at some point in Wudaukou.

Went back to the university, ate breakfast - and afterward went to the Old Summer Palace (which was ULTIMATELY cool, here are some pictures....  China's history is fascinating, especially over the past couple hundred years.  The country's xenophobic tendencies are understandable, if you learn about the "Hundred Years of National Humiliation".  Additionally?  Beijing has a wonderful Indian restaurant that I actually like more than Shiva in Houston.

There are so many things I want to do, and seemingly never enough time to do it.  I love this feeling, the "supercharged" one;  being in one place/situation for too long often leads to stagnation for me, or being bored, and I don't anticipate that happening any time soon in Beijing. :) 

Other things:
  • Check out the sign for the hospital - I'm an alien!
  • Stay tuned for a review on the Naisbitt book.  China's economic history - and its history, in general - are both fascinating subjects.  Innovative thought is a bit lacking in the younger generation, but in terms of a hive mind and mass productivity, the PRC can't be beat.
  • This dormitory really takes their 11:00pm lockdown time *very* seriously.  When I attempted to leave the building this morning at 6:00, we were still under VirginityProtectionMode;  every single door on the ground floor was U-bolted.  Such a fire hazard, not to mention annoying :-\
  • No more sequin-bikini gig :(
  • The room situation is getting even more unbearable by the day.  I'll be relieved to get internet, but even more relieved to get my own bedroom and a somewhat private bathroom situation - not to mention a kitchen.  Walking to Wudaukou to get food + a connection is getting old.
  • I've met some really, really epic people here :)
  • Liu emailed me some lectures at CUGB that will be delivered in English;  I think I'll go to the planetary science ones, and email the professors prior to the event to find out if they need any help navigating around Beijing / escaping the Great Firewall.  I can't do much, but I can at least do a little.
  • Had my first bottle of Tsingtao! 

<3.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Sometimes I stop to wonder how much better life would be if I didn't sleep on a wooden board.

Things that happened yesterday:

Went to Liu's office at around 10:00 am to register for courses, but he told me it was almost lunch time and that I should come back closer to 2:00pm.  Since my appointment with the sequin-bikini people was at 6:00pm, I figured I'd have plenty of time for the registration before heading over to BLCU.

And?  HOLY JESUS.

Firstly, Liu had me wait in line for nearly 3.5 hours to get an ABC bank card (Agricultural Bank of China, which is one of the big ones here).  This is so I'll have somewhere for my monthly food stipend of 1,400 yuan to be deposited.

Secondly, Mandarin classes will begin fairly soon - next week, hopefully? - Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am - 12:00 pm.  This upcoming Monday (my birthday!), I'll take a Chinese language placement exam to determine whether I should be in Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced.  Kind of wanted to screech out "BEGINNER, NO NEED FOR A TEST", but that might have been just a tad bit rude.

Liu finally got me to sign some things, and then said I needed to get a new medical examination, which caused my head to simultaneously explode and implode.

You know how we thought the medical examination form was a little bit... lacking, in terms of clarity/depth?  Well, there was a reason for that!  Apparently it's specifically intended for Chinese hospitals, and I must get a complete head-to-toe check up (including chest x-rays and a heart rate chart) before enrolling in CUGB.  Wonderful!

Mr. Liu seemed very ambiguous about the time frame in which I need to obtain said examination, but mentioned that a dude from Togo named Sevle (who speaks English and French, in addition to Chinese) would be headed over Tuesday morning, so I should travel with him.  The hospital I'd be going to is international, and would "only be open from 8:30 in the morning until 11:00, but we should get there early, because there's probably going to be a line."

Cool.  Epic.  Whatevs.  If the university's going to pay for it, no need to complain. Texted Sevle, was told to "meet at 7h00 in front of Liu's office building".  Was assured that this guy knew where we'd be going and what we'd be doing by Liu, so no need to write any other information down.

Showed up this morning.  Two guys - one Chinese, one REALLY tall African dude - neither of them named Sevle, but identified as his "brothers", in the Muslim sense.  Neither had any clue where the hospital was or what it was called.  The Chinese guy (Lin) could speak English... sort of... and the guy from Togo couldn't, so I never got a chance to catch his name.  Flagged down a taxi, gave him the address I'd copied from Mr. Liu.  Cabbie didn't know where the hospital was.  Called Mr. Liu.  Was told to take the #438 bus.  Bus ticket taker dude said that there was no stop by the name we gave him.

Long story short?  Ended up lost in Beijing for two hours this morning with two guys, sent by Sevle, who was sent by Mr. Liu, to help me find a hospital because he assumed I was too inept to look it up on Google Maps and find/copy down directions for myself.  As soon as I obtained access to a computer when we returned, I was able to find the Hanzi for the address myself and directions via public transportation.  Will go there tomorrow morning (with my book) to wait in line, probably around 6:00am to escape morning rush hour.

Miscommunication sucks.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED TODAY:  I work best alone, I hate groups, and I prefer not to talk to people unless we're going to have an intelligent discussion about something interesting.  I'd prefer reading (or doing other solitary pursuits) while waiting, rather than talking;  speaking of which, God, waiting's awful. 

... And, uh.  If I talk to you, on a regular basis, you're part of a select few.  There aren't many people I talk to over an extended period of time.  Jeremy can attest to this.
 
Gah!  Time to start prepping for the WinAvi interview this afternoon. 

Love,
Pajj

Saturday, September 11, 2010

People are people.

Dear internationals living in China,

STOP COMPLAINING.
You're in a different country - so, yes, there are going to be dissimilarities to your homeland.  That's called diversity.  Is this bad?  NO, it's not, so stop pretending that what Chinese people are doing is "wrong" or "stupid" just because it's different.  I'm sick of hearing about it, and, from what I understand, native Chinese people who speak English are, too.  Learn some respect, please. 

... That's my spiel for today. 

Things that have happened!

  • Lots of foreign students/young people live around here, in very close quarters, so we keep running into each other.  This can be a good thing :)  
  • I'm going to be a paid white person this weekend, dancing in a festival near Beijing.  Pictures will NOT be available via Facebook (at least, probably not), but I'll let you know how the entire situation goes.  Email me if you want details.
  • Today was move-in day at the University of Geosciences, which means registration is tomorrow (Monday!).  Very excited.  The freshmen look like freshmen always do - scared out of their minds, wide-eyed, and completely at a loss as to what they want to do with their life.  Nice to be in familiar company. :)
  • Met with the businessman who I'm going to tutor.  Miao's English is excellent, but he's having a bit of a problem keeping up with conversational English speaking and muddling through some of the more esoteric articles in... gosh, what was the periodical - The New Yorker?  That sounds right.  He wants me to go through some philosophy books with him, and some 19th century fiction.  That's right up my alley.  Miao also knew the highway that Itasca's on (I-35) because he lived in Dallas for several years.  Always a good sign.
  • Going to start investing in the stock market.  China's exploding economically, especially in technological fields - all the more reason to learn Mandarin, right?  The energy sector's a bit hard to break into, since shares are so expensive, but some of the biotech startups have VERY low stock prices per share.  I'll let you know how it goes. 
  • Helpful hint:  stand in line really close behind someone Chinese when you're on the street market, listen for how much they're quoted on a trinket, and then ask yourself immediately afterward.  The results are interesting.  Sometimes I hate being blonde.
  • Have noticed a few beggars, but they're relatively uncommon in the Wudaukou area.  Must say, they make a killing off people who haven't been here long - the students don't know better than to toss a yuan into their cups...  which just leads to more beggars coming, and following foreigners as they walk through the night market.  

<3.  More later!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

R: for mature audiences only

Woke up this morning after an awful dream, feeling horribly ill;  spent the next hour in the bathroom being disgusting.  Hopefully it's over now, but going to stick with liquids today, as far as ingestion is concerned.  Clare was right;  I should have brought tons of medication with me, instead of thinking that I'm enough of a country girl that I wouldn't be affected by ChinaFoods.

Currently sitting on the second floor of Charlie Brown Cafe (the only one... sort of... open at 7:00 am).  Restaurants here have a habit of opening their doors as soon as the workers arrive, but not really serving customers/turning on the internet/opening the bathrooms until the actual opening time on their sign.

... Learning that the hard way :)  So, by the time this is posted, the current local time in Beijing will most likely be 9:00 am.

Note:  To the person who gave me the S/T album for Electric President... thank you.  Being able to blast it in an empty restauarant is helping, a lot.  *cough* JEREMY *cough*

Other side note:  I want a pet chipmunk, but I should not get one.  I want a pet chipmunk, but I should not get one.  I want a pet chipmunk, but I should not get one.  Even though they are cute, and they are for sale on the pavement outside.

This might be the delirium talking, so excuse the R-rated nature of the following question, but where do Chinese university students have sex?  The dorms aren't co-ed, and there are middle-aged women guarding the entrances (which close at 11:00pm).  Bars on the windows for the first two floors.  I guess it sets the stage for a sort of Romeo and Juliet balcony scene, and maybe a Rapunzel-esque "Hey, climb up my bedsheets!" thing, but God.  Paying for a hotel isn't cost-effective at all, especially since they're mostly targeted at westerners.  And it seems like there's NEVER any privacy, since so many people are squashed together all at once.

But they MUST be having sex, though - most of these kids are holding hands and there's an excessive amount of PDA on the streets, especially at night.  Condoms are readily available in supermarkets, and I've even seen people buying them. 

... But that's kinda gross, I guess.  So I'll change the subject.  Children, you can uncover your eyes, Paige was just talking about puppies and such.

Regarding my current housing situation:  Liu Dianbo (who's the international coordinator guy - and, for Clare, Colin, Tati and Denise, he's the dude who sent the email five hours before my flight with the message "maybe you should come on the 15th") sent another email, saying that international student housing should be ready towards the end of September or the beginning of October.  So I still have quite a while in the Chinese student dorms, but at least it's during the autumn instead of the winter. 

DUDE I JUST ASKED THE PEOPLE FOR THE INTERNET AND THEY UNDERSTOOD!
Except, um, I didn't understand their response.

... Story of my life.

Love,
Paige

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Why is everything I own pink?

Random thoughts/sights seen:

  • "Everybody wants to be Yao Ming" sung to the tune of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World".  Seriously, though.  Boys from the age of 6 to 20 seem to have a fascination with basketball - even though, from the games I've seen, no one's particularly great at it.  Yao endorses Oreos, Houston Rockets paraphernalia litters department stores, and there are huge basketball courts at every university.
  • HUGE consumer culture in China.  Everyone is buying something, haggling over the price of something, or thumbing through shopping magazines ALL THE TIME. 
  • The daily newspaper is displayed prominently on a glassed-over bulletin board, page-by-page, for anyone to read.  At least, that's the way it is on my campus.  The paper's layout is very well done, but the majority of the pictures in the body seem more like portraits or staged photos than actual candids of live occurrences. 
  • Construction is completed on timescales that defy the laws of physics.  A group of workers started repairing a road near my apartment complex Saturday afternoon, and it was finished by Monday night.  That being said, I've never seen such shitty roads and sidewalks, mostly because they're under such heavy traffic.  It's probably a miracle to go a month without twisting an ankle.
  • [Thoughts while walking down the street]:  "Yes, okay.  I'm American.  Blonde hair, haha yeah, that's a dead giveaway, right?  'Fraid I don't eat the blonde-haired-girl yogurt, though.  At least, not exclusively.  Can we move on, please?  No?  Well, fuck."  Stereotypes are definitely prevalent.
  • Other foreigners:  don't avert your eyes when someone (well, me) looks at you.  It just looks sketchy, and actually makes me want to strike up a conversation even more.  ... And I will.  (Actually, that might be a good idea;  I've never talked to a genuine expatriate before.)
  • Finally realized why the characters' names in Mulan are comical.  (re:  Ling, Yao, Ping)
  • Christ, these people love their pizza.   Just on two blocks of Chengfu Lu, there's a Papa John's, a Mr. Pizza, Pizza Hut, and a place called Origus (which is sort-of a have-all buffet;  very expensive, but very nice).  Pizzas are offered on the menu at a lot of restaurants, too.
  • KFC <3 PRC 4EVR.  I mean, makes sense.  The Colonel looks Asian and the logo's even red.
  • Tropicana is owned by the Pepsi company?  How did I miss that?  Also, there's Coke and Pepsi a-plenty, but no Dr. Pepper to be found.  Coke Zero and Coke Light are more expensive than regular coke (by a LOT), and can't be found in a lot of places.
  • Saw a girl on a motorbike last night that looked like it should be in TRON.  Same goes for two little boys skateboarding in the courtyard last night.  Note:  must get glow-in-the-dark wheels.
  • Almost everything is pink and girly.  #rolling with it
  • Puppies sometimes wear sneakers when they go out for walks.

Side note:  I really don't know what to relate to you guys, other than these random daily occurrences.  You've probably already heard the standard "no respect for personal space", "foreigners get ripped off a lot", "everything is crowded" descriptions, which can be found anywhere on the internet or in a Lonely Planet guide, but those generalizations don't really convey how dynamic, exciting, and charming China is as a whole.    


<3s and stars,
Paige

Monday, September 6, 2010

... Why are there kittens on everything?

Things I saw while walking to the 24-hour bar to steal internet access this morning:

  • An adorable Chinese couple on a bicycle;  the guy was riding, and the girl was lounging on his arms, kissing him intermittently.  It was the cutest thing ever.
  • Immediately afterward, two Chinese guys rode by doing the same thing (smaller one riding between the handlebars).  They kept slapping each other, and pretty sure they were saying the equivalent of "DUDE, get the fuck off me" in Mandarin.
  • Chinese school uniforms are freaking adorable;  there were hordes of children being walked to school by their mothers this morning.
  • Currently in a 24-hour bar (Lush) with an obnoxious German guy, two Chinese guys, and two exasperated-looking Chinese girls who just want to sleep.  All of the guys are intoxicated.  It's really ridiculous, the bar staff keeps laughing.


Had two really scary realizations:  I think I'm supposed to be able to pass some sort of language proficiency exam in six months, and then begin classes at my university (the Chinese government's probably gotten wise to the fact that people who THINK they know Chinese don't REALLY know Chinese, and/or didn't have the aspects of the program explained correctly).

*** break in time while internet connection phailed and afore-mentioned Chinese couples left ***

Ewwwww German guy.  You know how the United States has Yellow Fever, as far as guys are concerned?  Apparently it's reversed over here.  I've never been hit on this much by drunk people, and my initial impressions were correct:  icky.

Rice ain't an accurate representation of the world, guys, and I can't think of anything that might be an accurate representation of China, except for maybe East Germany and Russia when they were communist and debauchery-laden.

However!  I did learn some interesting things from Drunk-German-Dude (whose name was Mozart):
  1. The yuan and the dollar are pretty stable, relative to one another (if the dollar continues to fall, so will the yuan)
  2. Apparently there's a market for importing Fussball uniforms into Europe
  3. There's a really nice restaurant down the street with internet access he wanted me to go to with him, to get breakfast
  4. Alcohol is apparently very strong in China, and it smells just as bad

Going to continue making Mandarin flashcards this morning and afternoon, and probably try to walk around a bit more and see the sights.  When I order coffee and food, I've been trying to ask as many questions as possible, and for things like adaptors, directions, etc.  I think it's helping.  Oh!  And I've gotten used to yelling at waiters :)

Love you all, miss you bunches,
- Paige

And so it begins!

Sorry the first blog post has been such a long time coming, but gosh!  So much has happened!

SATURDAY
I arrived at the Beijing airport after spending the night in Incheon (which is the airport in Seoul).  Facebook was accessible there, and their visitors' quarters were impeccable, which made me have really high hopes for China. 

Obtaining my luggage was difficult, since the longboard had been placed on a different trolley and the airport workers in the area, for the most part, did not speak English.  Made my way to the outer portion of the terminal and a HUGE horde of people - plus the best green tea cheesake in the history of the world.  Emailed Dr. Chen via Gmail, told him I was to arrive at the school, hailed a taxi (driver also didn't speak English, but I wrote the address down and he took me to the final destination).

Note:  Learn Mandarin.

Arrived at the university.  No Dr. Chen.  He had recommended asking the gate guards to call his mobile number, once I arrived, but they also didn't speak English.  Yay, hand gestures!  Apparently some other international students had this problem, as well;  they'd arrived two weeks prior, and were expecting rooms (even though the form said housing would only be provided starting in the month of September).  Dr. Chen sent his student, Ting, to come get me, and we walked around and talked in broken English for several hours before Chen came to meet us for lunch.

Note:  Chen told me later, after we'd had food and he realized Pajjes aren't asslike, that he assumes I'm smart, because most people would not have been able to get to the university through transportation without speaking at least some Mandarin.  Neither he or the guy who deals with international students knew that our representatives hadn't told us when school begins, and currently the "first class rooms" where we'll be housed during the school year are "being decorated".  Whatever that means.

Note, part 2:  LEARN MANDARIN.

Dr. Chen introduced me to his wife and son, and distributed phone numbers and contact information. Christ, the Chinese concept of a "friend" is so much more intense than the American.  I got the impression that anyone I met would do basically ANYTHING to help me, while I'm here.  I'm also really, really impressed with his wife's English proficiency;  apparently she did not speak at ALL before she went to the US, and now is at a level almost higher than her husband's.

My "apartment" isn't that great (an 8-girl room, barely big enough for one person, without mattresses or air-conditioning, and in an all-girls Chinese dormitory.  Smells really bad, but I have a balcony and bought a fan, so it's all good.  No internet access on campus (yet), but should receive a code once the term starts.  Bathrooms are holes in the floor, people spit all the time, etc., etc.  That's to be expected, and the exhilaration of living in a new place + meeting new people + SO MUCH HAPPENING ALL THE TIME more than makes up for it.

Met a really nice UPenn graduate at a restaurant called "Sculpting in Time" who helped me set up a VPN, and even lives on my campus.  He also gave me a lot of pointers about living in the area.  Met a sociologist Spaniard (Nadal) that same morning at a supermarket on Chengfu Lu who also said that he loved China, and doesn't really want to leave.

... :)  Apparently, if you speak Mandarin, that also opens up a lot of doors in the business world.  Who knows?  If I like it, may stay.

 SUNDAY + MONDAY

In the mean time, exploring!  Ate primarily street food the first day, and got sick to my stomach.  Store-bought food is kinda weird, but I'll be checking out Carrefour (sort of a French Wal-Mart) in the very near future. 

When I think of something else, I'll write more.  And believe me, I'll think of something :)

I love you, I miss you, oh baby oh baby
(to continue with the 90's motif @ Lush)
- Pei zhi