Packing time. Our trip on Saturday is looming, and I still haven't packed. But you know how it is when you have to do something: you just keep putting it off, and off, and off. Today was kind of like that. Except at about 4, I found something better than watching Ocean's Eleven to distract me.
I talked to Chris, and we came up with the idea of going to see Chinese Martial Arts. After securing Julia and Elle to come with us, we checked ticket prices, and decided to meet at Taiping Jiaozi guanr (太平饺子馆儿) for dinner. It's just a small, almost hole in a wall restaurant close to school that a lot of people go to for meals. I met Chris there, and Julia and Elle were on their way (meaning they came half an hour later.)
We took a taxi to the theatre, because we only knew the name, not where it was. As it turns out, when we got there, the tickets we wanted were 380 RMB, not 300, but there was a 30% discount if you had your student ID. Me, Elle, and Chris had ours, so we got our tickets for cheaper. Julia didn't, but it didn't matter. The math hurt our heads, so we all just paid 300. It worked out, somehow.
After a quick trip to the convenience store next to the theatre (to buy drinks, cookies, and banana chips) we went inside to get our seats. It was a pretty impressive theatre, and jut about all the seats were good seats (but our were really good.)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
人山人海 (People Mountains People Seas)
Today is now the 2nd day of the Chinese New Year. It goes all week long, counting from 1 to 5, and for this whole time, fireworks and firecrackers continue to go off, but with decreasing intensity (which is a relief) as the city slowly runs out of things that go boom. There are still a few good, startling bangs every once in a while, when you think that a building is falling down or something, but they are just less and less frequent.
Today, Chris came over for lunch. My family is really funny when Chris comes over, because I am pretty sure that they just don't know what to do. They tell us to sit down in the living room, and eat, and then just leave. It's a little awkward. But lunch is always good, and the conversation is good.
After lunch, I was dying to get out of the house. I was going stir crazy. This week, there are these things going on called Temple Fairs. I don't know why they are called Temple, because they are in parks and temples. Basically, they are just huge fairs, which an amazing amount of people, with small little things to buy (food, drink, toys.) It's incredible. It only happens once a year, so I really wanted to go see it, because we don't have this kind of thing in America. Chris had already gone to one with his family, but my family doesn't go, and he didn't mind going again, so off we went.
We went to Ditan park, which was the closest Temple Fair to my house. Even when we first got out of the taxi, there were people everywhere. Getting across the bridge was a struggle to cut through the crowds. Everywhere you looked, there was just a sea of black heads: there were so many people you couldn't even see their bodies. We bought tickets, and as we walked closer to the actual fair, people got more and more dense. That term (the title) People Mountain People Sea (meaning a lot of people) is really the only way to describe it.
There were times when there were so many people around, it felt like I was in a mosh pit for a rock concert. The only way to get through it was to grab your friends hand, and just start pushing along with everyone else. Trying to get to a stall was crazy, because there were people everywhere. I pushed my way through, and bought a small New Years red Cow, and a purple lantern, which is rather pretty. Chris and I made our way to the carnival section of the Temple Fair, and he won me a snugglable panda named Pete. I named the cow Jenny.
The biggest draw of the Temple Fairs is the people. So after seeing that (and feeling it) for about 2 hours, we called it a day, and went off to our respective grandma's house, as it is still New Years. I can't even do this Temple Fair justice, but just wait until I show you pictures.
Today, Chris came over for lunch. My family is really funny when Chris comes over, because I am pretty sure that they just don't know what to do. They tell us to sit down in the living room, and eat, and then just leave. It's a little awkward. But lunch is always good, and the conversation is good.
After lunch, I was dying to get out of the house. I was going stir crazy. This week, there are these things going on called Temple Fairs. I don't know why they are called Temple, because they are in parks and temples. Basically, they are just huge fairs, which an amazing amount of people, with small little things to buy (food, drink, toys.) It's incredible. It only happens once a year, so I really wanted to go see it, because we don't have this kind of thing in America. Chris had already gone to one with his family, but my family doesn't go, and he didn't mind going again, so off we went.
We went to Ditan park, which was the closest Temple Fair to my house. Even when we first got out of the taxi, there were people everywhere. Getting across the bridge was a struggle to cut through the crowds. Everywhere you looked, there was just a sea of black heads: there were so many people you couldn't even see their bodies. We bought tickets, and as we walked closer to the actual fair, people got more and more dense. That term (the title) People Mountain People Sea (meaning a lot of people) is really the only way to describe it.
There were times when there were so many people around, it felt like I was in a mosh pit for a rock concert. The only way to get through it was to grab your friends hand, and just start pushing along with everyone else. Trying to get to a stall was crazy, because there were people everywhere. I pushed my way through, and bought a small New Years red Cow, and a purple lantern, which is rather pretty. Chris and I made our way to the carnival section of the Temple Fair, and he won me a snugglable panda named Pete. I named the cow Jenny.
The biggest draw of the Temple Fairs is the people. So after seeing that (and feeling it) for about 2 hours, we called it a day, and went off to our respective grandma's house, as it is still New Years. I can't even do this Temple Fair justice, but just wait until I show you pictures.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Fireworks, Fireworks, and More Fireworks
春节, or Chinese New Year. You can have any idea of this that you want, but unless you have actually experienced the New Year in China, then you don't have an idea of it. Aside from the Lantern Festival that happens later on next month, it is probably the biggest, most celebrated holiday. It would not be an underestimation to say that the whole city gets involved, and that at midnight, the whole city celebrates.
Today, it was family day, so to speak. We all had to stay up until 12, because it was New Years. Yesterday, we drove around and dropped off presents for all of the family members, and bought fireworks, and firecrackers, and lots of them. There are stalls everywhere around the city, bursting at the seams with fireworks. These things would never be allowed in America. It's funny, my sister demands that we all have to go buy fireworks, but she is scared of them. Sparklers it is.
My grandparents came over for dinner. New Years is a big family thing, and there are a bunch of tradtions that I am not used to. As it started to get darker, the fireworks started to increase, and the firecrackers got more intense. The huge bangs that shook the city set car alarms off, which only added to the chaos of noise that is Chinese New Years. I sat the window for at least a half an hour, just watching the fireworks (and listening to the firecrackers) that were being set off across the city. They were everywhere, as far as the ey could see. The only way to really describe it is that the city was celebrating.
I tried to stay up with my family, but they were just watching a New Years program on tv, and when you are tired, it is not the best idea to watch tv (that you can't understand) while on a very comfy couch. I kept going back to my room, until I finally just crashed on my bed and took a short nap. My mom and my sister woke up up at ten to twelve, and we went downstairs to watch the fireworks. I realized when I walked out of my room that I missed the making jiao zi thing, which everyone does. You are supposed to eat jiao zi (dumplings) at midnight, for good luck I think. I never actually got a straight answer.
Getting downstairs, when it was midnight, is something that I can't even describe properly. It was a frenzy, to see just how many fireworks could be set off in the shortest amount of time. The sky basically exploded. All over the road, fireworks were being set off, in a close proximity to each other. I am surprised that no one was killed from a firework going off in their face. Cars would weave in and out when the fireworks were done, only adding to the chaos.
Sometimes, you could have believed it was the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night, there were so many fireworks. The noise was incredible, as everything that could be lit was lit. People were standing around, watching and celebrating. There were fireworks bouncing off of buildings (doesn't seem like too smart of an idea to me) and at one point, fireworks that backfired all over the parking lot. One big flaming hunk fell on a bush and set it on fire, but people just ran over with blankets, beat it out, and kept setting fireworks like it wasn't a problem. Ambulances and fire trucks were circling around, waiting to pick up someone, or put a fire out. It was ridiculous.
The celebrations lasted at least an hour and a half, and easily hundreds of thousands of fireworks were set off. I didn't even know that many fireworks could be made, much less set off. My family and I went back upstairs at about 12:30 to watch fireworks from a better angle, and to eat jiao zi (饺子). In usual Chinese tradition, kept telling me to eat more and more until I was stuffed. I was wired, by this point, and stayed up until at least 2, watching fireworks and movies. My family went to bed, but after a celebration like that, how could I?
It really was amazing. I have never seen anything like it, and unless I keep coming back for Chinese New Year, I doubt I ever will. All the fireworks that had been set off just got left in the street for someone else to pick up, and walking through, it is staggering how many empty, massive boxes there were. This has not done this festival justice at all, but I gave it a go. Happy New Years, everyone!
Today, it was family day, so to speak. We all had to stay up until 12, because it was New Years. Yesterday, we drove around and dropped off presents for all of the family members, and bought fireworks, and firecrackers, and lots of them. There are stalls everywhere around the city, bursting at the seams with fireworks. These things would never be allowed in America. It's funny, my sister demands that we all have to go buy fireworks, but she is scared of them. Sparklers it is.
My grandparents came over for dinner. New Years is a big family thing, and there are a bunch of tradtions that I am not used to. As it started to get darker, the fireworks started to increase, and the firecrackers got more intense. The huge bangs that shook the city set car alarms off, which only added to the chaos of noise that is Chinese New Years. I sat the window for at least a half an hour, just watching the fireworks (and listening to the firecrackers) that were being set off across the city. They were everywhere, as far as the ey could see. The only way to really describe it is that the city was celebrating.
I tried to stay up with my family, but they were just watching a New Years program on tv, and when you are tired, it is not the best idea to watch tv (that you can't understand) while on a very comfy couch. I kept going back to my room, until I finally just crashed on my bed and took a short nap. My mom and my sister woke up up at ten to twelve, and we went downstairs to watch the fireworks. I realized when I walked out of my room that I missed the making jiao zi thing, which everyone does. You are supposed to eat jiao zi (dumplings) at midnight, for good luck I think. I never actually got a straight answer.
Getting downstairs, when it was midnight, is something that I can't even describe properly. It was a frenzy, to see just how many fireworks could be set off in the shortest amount of time. The sky basically exploded. All over the road, fireworks were being set off, in a close proximity to each other. I am surprised that no one was killed from a firework going off in their face. Cars would weave in and out when the fireworks were done, only adding to the chaos.
Sometimes, you could have believed it was the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night, there were so many fireworks. The noise was incredible, as everything that could be lit was lit. People were standing around, watching and celebrating. There were fireworks bouncing off of buildings (doesn't seem like too smart of an idea to me) and at one point, fireworks that backfired all over the parking lot. One big flaming hunk fell on a bush and set it on fire, but people just ran over with blankets, beat it out, and kept setting fireworks like it wasn't a problem. Ambulances and fire trucks were circling around, waiting to pick up someone, or put a fire out. It was ridiculous.
The celebrations lasted at least an hour and a half, and easily hundreds of thousands of fireworks were set off. I didn't even know that many fireworks could be made, much less set off. My family and I went back upstairs at about 12:30 to watch fireworks from a better angle, and to eat jiao zi (饺子). In usual Chinese tradition, kept telling me to eat more and more until I was stuffed. I was wired, by this point, and stayed up until at least 2, watching fireworks and movies. My family went to bed, but after a celebration like that, how could I?
It really was amazing. I have never seen anything like it, and unless I keep coming back for Chinese New Year, I doubt I ever will. All the fireworks that had been set off just got left in the street for someone else to pick up, and walking through, it is staggering how many empty, massive boxes there were. This has not done this festival justice at all, but I gave it a go. Happy New Years, everyone!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Below Zero Excursions
This blog probably won't be funny. I am more just writing it so I can remember the day. Just warning you before you invest a good 5 minutes of your life reading it. Don't want you to waste your time.
Today was a good day. Although for the most part it was below freezing, and I was ready to just curl up and die from the cold, I prevailed. As a little funny side note, because most people here at SYA are from the East coast, they are used to the cold, and are forever making fun of me and Jamie (the two Californians) for being so cold when we go outside. They think it is hysterical, but being cold is no joke. I can't help it if I start wearing 4 jackets, a hat, jeans, and am still cold. It's in my blood. I can't wait until it gets warm again.
Today, I didn't go out until after lunch, when I went out with Chris and Sterling. Originally, we were going to go to a place where Chris could get a backpack for our Yunnan trip, and then go to the Luxun museum to buy a couple of books for English class. We realized what time it was though, and just went to the Luxun museum first.
We didn't want to pay the entrance fee to get into the museum, so we just told the guards we just wanted to buy a couple books, and they let us go to the bookstore without paying. Once at the book store, we found Claire and Annie, some of our classmates. They had just bought the last copies of the books we needed for English, so Chris, Sterling and I waited while the lady who ran the book store went out and got some more for us, which was very kind of her. We told her a bunch of our classmates were going to be coming, and then left.
Walking back out to the main road, Chris and I decided that we should go backpack hunting, and Sterling wanted to come along. However, every free taxi that we saw simply waved us away, and wouldn't stop, even though they could stop. It was frustrating. I was freezing cold, and didn't want to move. When we did finally get into a nice warm taxi, and started to defrost, I could have kissed the taxi driver for stopping.
We had to go to a couple of store for backpacks, because Chris's sister had given him the names of a couple of good places. We went to a cheaper (but still real) Northface store first (for Chris.) He almost bought a bag, but decided he should probably check the other stores first. We went to another place, where I found a bag, but because I can't make decisions at all, I couldn't decide whether it was too big or not (55 liters.) This led to me getting so frustrated that I basically just gave up, and we left. But this second place also led Chris to the conclusion that he should have gotten the first bag. Ah well.
We decided to meet our friend Annie at a Xinjiang restaurant for dinner. She said she knew a good one close to her house (which was close to school) so Sterling, Chris and I got back in a taxi, and attempted to get to her house. It was a bit rocky, but we met up with her. It was still cold (I was also wearing an insane amount of layers, so everyone was laughing at me) and we walked quickly to the restaurant.
Walking into this restaurant is one of the awkwardest things I have done in my life. It was a little hole in the wall place, just for the locals. I was in front of a pack of 4 foreigners, and as soon as we walked in, every stopped what they were doing and just stared at us. I almost turned around and walked out, because I felt like I was intruding or something.
We sat down though, and ordered. It was really good food. Lamb Kabobs, noodles and vegetable dishes were good, anyway. And pretty cheap, which is an excellent, excellent bonus. Outside of the restaurant (when we were done) they were selling raisins (a big bag for 10 kuai, which is about a dollar and a half), so all of us except Chris bought a bag. They were basically frozen from the cold, but that only made them taste better.
On the way back to Chris's house (and the bus stop for me) we stopped in probably 5 outdoors stores, looking for backpacks again. It was fun, and a nice way to get out of the cold. I hate being cold, more than anything in the world. Even more than scary movies. At least those end. So overall, a very good night.
Today was a good day. Although for the most part it was below freezing, and I was ready to just curl up and die from the cold, I prevailed. As a little funny side note, because most people here at SYA are from the East coast, they are used to the cold, and are forever making fun of me and Jamie (the two Californians) for being so cold when we go outside. They think it is hysterical, but being cold is no joke. I can't help it if I start wearing 4 jackets, a hat, jeans, and am still cold. It's in my blood. I can't wait until it gets warm again.
Today, I didn't go out until after lunch, when I went out with Chris and Sterling. Originally, we were going to go to a place where Chris could get a backpack for our Yunnan trip, and then go to the Luxun museum to buy a couple of books for English class. We realized what time it was though, and just went to the Luxun museum first.
We didn't want to pay the entrance fee to get into the museum, so we just told the guards we just wanted to buy a couple books, and they let us go to the bookstore without paying. Once at the book store, we found Claire and Annie, some of our classmates. They had just bought the last copies of the books we needed for English, so Chris, Sterling and I waited while the lady who ran the book store went out and got some more for us, which was very kind of her. We told her a bunch of our classmates were going to be coming, and then left.
Walking back out to the main road, Chris and I decided that we should go backpack hunting, and Sterling wanted to come along. However, every free taxi that we saw simply waved us away, and wouldn't stop, even though they could stop. It was frustrating. I was freezing cold, and didn't want to move. When we did finally get into a nice warm taxi, and started to defrost, I could have kissed the taxi driver for stopping.
We had to go to a couple of store for backpacks, because Chris's sister had given him the names of a couple of good places. We went to a cheaper (but still real) Northface store first (for Chris.) He almost bought a bag, but decided he should probably check the other stores first. We went to another place, where I found a bag, but because I can't make decisions at all, I couldn't decide whether it was too big or not (55 liters.) This led to me getting so frustrated that I basically just gave up, and we left. But this second place also led Chris to the conclusion that he should have gotten the first bag. Ah well.
We decided to meet our friend Annie at a Xinjiang restaurant for dinner. She said she knew a good one close to her house (which was close to school) so Sterling, Chris and I got back in a taxi, and attempted to get to her house. It was a bit rocky, but we met up with her. It was still cold (I was also wearing an insane amount of layers, so everyone was laughing at me) and we walked quickly to the restaurant.
Walking into this restaurant is one of the awkwardest things I have done in my life. It was a little hole in the wall place, just for the locals. I was in front of a pack of 4 foreigners, and as soon as we walked in, every stopped what they were doing and just stared at us. I almost turned around and walked out, because I felt like I was intruding or something.
We sat down though, and ordered. It was really good food. Lamb Kabobs, noodles and vegetable dishes were good, anyway. And pretty cheap, which is an excellent, excellent bonus. Outside of the restaurant (when we were done) they were selling raisins (a big bag for 10 kuai, which is about a dollar and a half), so all of us except Chris bought a bag. They were basically frozen from the cold, but that only made them taste better.
On the way back to Chris's house (and the bus stop for me) we stopped in probably 5 outdoors stores, looking for backpacks again. It was fun, and a nice way to get out of the cold. I hate being cold, more than anything in the world. Even more than scary movies. At least those end. So overall, a very good night.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
"Are You Two Dating?"
I've decided to do things a bit differently from now on. No one wants to hear about how I wake up at 5:35 every morning and drag myself through freezing conditions to school. I will admit, that gets old after a while. Instead, I am going to write about my day, the interesting bits anyway. When I have them. I may be living in China, but there are not always stories I can tell that will be funny to others. So, here goes nothing. Cross your fingers!
We have a new Chinese teacher now. She has been at SYA for a while, but at every semester, the classes change. This year, Classes 7, 6, and 5 switched a lot (as in the students change classes), so the teachers for those classes didn't switch. However, only one student in my class moved up, and one student moved into my class, so we got a new teacher, so we could be exposed to new teaching methods. Which is good I guess. We had a really good teacher last semester, so it is hard to have anything else. I am working really hard with the new teacher though, which is nice. I like working hard, while complaining about it. It's just something all teenagers do.
We had Chinese tables (中文桌子）which means we all have to go to the cafeteria, sit with a teacher, and speak Chinese for all of lunch. I was originally sitting with Chris, and trying to get a teacher and one more person to sit with us. Ding Lao Shi (one of Chris's teachers) sat down with us, and started talking. Not more than 2 minutes into the conversation, she looks at us and goes "I have a question, can I ask it?" to us, but in Chinese. We told her of course, and she, all timid like, goes "Are you two dating?" We both burst out laughing, and neither of us could answer. She kept up with these questions, wanting to know, trying to get information, until we finally told her. All the teachers are surprisingly intune with who is dating who, and they think it is an absolute riot. I swear, they are more like kids than us teenagers are.
During lunch, there was another funny story. My favorite new word has become "bugger", which everyone here thinks is hysterical, and they make fun of me all the time. So today, I am at the lunch line, getting my food, and for some reason, something happened that caused me to say bugger. Both Zhang Lao Shi, and Li Lao Shi (male Li Lao Shi) were across the table from me. Li Lao Shi can speak English, and he looked at me and goes "Bugger" like he is trying to sound it out. And then he said "You always say this. What does it mean?" except in Chinese. I told him it was like a nice form of damn. Then that started a conversation on how I speak with an Australian accent instead of American (or Australian word usage, basically would be translation. Word habit? Something like that.) It didn't occur to me until later that I should probably not be teaching my teachers the word bugger. Hm. Oops.
Mr. Bissell has started showing us pictures of the places we are going to visit on our upcoming trip to Yunnan, whetting our appetite, so to speak. It looks like it is going to be amazing. Tough, physically, but amazing. We will be doing a lot of walking, through terraced rice fields and such, which look beautiful. I am so excited. I just want to skip the next couple of school weeks and just get to the vacation. Who wants to do Calculus when you have this fantastic vacation looming ahead?
We have a new Chinese teacher now. She has been at SYA for a while, but at every semester, the classes change. This year, Classes 7, 6, and 5 switched a lot (as in the students change classes), so the teachers for those classes didn't switch. However, only one student in my class moved up, and one student moved into my class, so we got a new teacher, so we could be exposed to new teaching methods. Which is good I guess. We had a really good teacher last semester, so it is hard to have anything else. I am working really hard with the new teacher though, which is nice. I like working hard, while complaining about it. It's just something all teenagers do.
We had Chinese tables (中文桌子）which means we all have to go to the cafeteria, sit with a teacher, and speak Chinese for all of lunch. I was originally sitting with Chris, and trying to get a teacher and one more person to sit with us. Ding Lao Shi (one of Chris's teachers) sat down with us, and started talking. Not more than 2 minutes into the conversation, she looks at us and goes "I have a question, can I ask it?" to us, but in Chinese. We told her of course, and she, all timid like, goes "Are you two dating?" We both burst out laughing, and neither of us could answer. She kept up with these questions, wanting to know, trying to get information, until we finally told her. All the teachers are surprisingly intune with who is dating who, and they think it is an absolute riot. I swear, they are more like kids than us teenagers are.
During lunch, there was another funny story. My favorite new word has become "bugger", which everyone here thinks is hysterical, and they make fun of me all the time. So today, I am at the lunch line, getting my food, and for some reason, something happened that caused me to say bugger. Both Zhang Lao Shi, and Li Lao Shi (male Li Lao Shi) were across the table from me. Li Lao Shi can speak English, and he looked at me and goes "Bugger" like he is trying to sound it out. And then he said "You always say this. What does it mean?" except in Chinese. I told him it was like a nice form of damn. Then that started a conversation on how I speak with an Australian accent instead of American (or Australian word usage, basically would be translation. Word habit? Something like that.) It didn't occur to me until later that I should probably not be teaching my teachers the word bugger. Hm. Oops.
Mr. Bissell has started showing us pictures of the places we are going to visit on our upcoming trip to Yunnan, whetting our appetite, so to speak. It looks like it is going to be amazing. Tough, physically, but amazing. We will be doing a lot of walking, through terraced rice fields and such, which look beautiful. I am so excited. I just want to skip the next couple of school weeks and just get to the vacation. Who wants to do Calculus when you have this fantastic vacation looming ahead?
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