Chinese is Hard

Ni hao! Since my last post, I've explored some of Beijing, gotten to know my community in Wudakou and realized that I am way over my head here at the Beijing Language and Culture University! I checked out the night club scene with some new friends from school, and it appears that a club in Beijing is just like a club at home - loud music, smoke and lines at the bar. The main difference is the 'long drop' toilet (i.e it's an Eastern toilet...a ceramic hole in the ground and no toilet paper provided. Anywhere.).

Saturday night I experienced my first Chinese neighborhood restaurant. We picked vegetables and meats on skewers (no idea what kind, mind you!), then a few types of noodles and sauces. Not knowing what to expect, we ended up several minutes later with two pretty delicious noodle soups with peanut sauce. The meat was questionable...I couldn't stomach it! I might consider becoming a vegetarian while here because I have had at least three meals where I just couldn't handle the "meat"! The best part about the food here, ignoring the fact that you don't know what you're eating, is that it is crazy cheap. Three of us ate two large bowls of noodles, vegetables and meats for less than $4 total! After dinner, we went to a battle of the bands rock show, highlighting some of Beijing and China's most popular rock bands. Nirvana has definitely influenced the rock music scene here. It was pretty decent music even though I couldn't understand a word of what they were singing! It's exciting to see the transformation that the rock culture is going through here because only 5+ years ago, rock music was banned. It's like stepping back into the 60's in the States!

Sunday I braved the bus system all by myself and went to tour the Olympic Park. Tourists are able to walk through the Water Cube and the Bird's Nest. I got chills looking at the pool where Phelps dominated and at the track where Bolt set world records that might not be broken in my lifetime - very cool! The entire park is massive...very impressive architecture. I can see why the Chinese were so proud to host the Olympics!

I started school this week. Trying to learn the Chinese language will absolutely be the most difficult thing I ever do. Not only are we learning to read and write Chinese characters, we are simultaneously having to learn the pin yin, or English pronunciation of the Chinese characters. Basically, I'm learning two languages at once...it's been very challenging so far! There are 18 students in my class from all over the world...Sudan, Sierra Leone, Mongolia, Russia...it's a very diverse group. Luckily, we're all struggling together to understand what we've gotten ourselves into! In addition to school, I started Tai Chi classes this week. It is very relaxing and meditative. Our instructor is an older Chinese man. He uses the most hilarious examples in English to explain the form or position we should be in. One of my favorites, "pretend you hold 3 babies in your arms. don't make babies upset!" (I think he means to pretend like you're holding a bowl in your arms, but don't squeeze too hard!?!?)

My typical week will look something like this: 8-12 class, lunch, nap, study, gym, dinner, study, sleep. It's like I'm back in college again, except this is WAY HARDER than any class I ever took at UNF or UF! On the way to class each morning, I see older people in the community practicing Tai Chi or sword fighting in the park. In the afternoons, there are tons of people of all races and ethnicities out on the basketball courts, volleyball courts and soccer fields. I love being part of a multi-cultural community!

I'll have class for 8 days, then will be off for 8 days from October 1st through 9th for the Chinese National Day. It's their 60th anniversary as the People's Republic of China. There will be a lot of celebrations going on all over the country. I'll be leaving Beijing to head to Chengdu for the break. It's about a 4 hour train ride away - a smaller village with beautiful landscapes. It will be nice to get away with some friends for a week or so and explore another part of China!

That's all for now..time to get back to the books! Thanks, Gerad, for posting once more. A box with my name on it is on its way from the States (thanks Mom!) with my computer and winter clothes inside. I should be able to write my blogs in my pajamas by this time next week, assuming the box arrives safely! Zai jian! (good bye!)

I made it to China!!!!!

After 20+ hours in airports and a particularly nice time at the doctor's office in the Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia, I made it to Beijing (I thought I was having heart/lung problems, turns out I pulled a muscle in my chest lifting my ridiculously heavy backpack!). I took a taxi to the Beijing Language and Culture University. Riding a taxi in China will go down as one of the scariest experiences of my life. There are CRAZY drivers here! Even though the lanes are marked, the lines are completely ignored. I stopped counting after at least 5 near collisions where I gasped and gripped the door until my knuckles turned white!

I went through the registration 'lines' if you can call it that, the Chinese don't believe in queuing..they just all push to the front, each man for himself. I quickly learned how to push too, otherwise I'd still be waiting politely behind someone else! It was in the registration line that I learned that my Chinese name is Jolie (as in Angelina Jolie). They don't have the equivalent for Jamie. I tried to get them to give me James, but the lady laughed at me and said I was a girl and was not allowed to have a boy's name!

After a little bit of a hiccup with housing, I finally secured a dorm room which will be my home through January. There's a picture of my building, a picture of my room & bathroom and the entrance to the University that I will use attached. Notice that I could basically sit on the toilet while taking a shower - talk about killing two birds with one stone! ha ha! The other fascinating part of my room is the mattress, or lack there of. In China, they believe in sleeping on HARD beds. By hard, I mean a piece of wood with about a two inch thick mattress filled with cotton. I am so glad that I kept my sleeping mat and bag...they are now serving as extra cushion! There's a TV that gets two English channels - CNN International and a movie channel which plays the stupidest movies ever. Once I learn enough Chinese to be dangerous, I'll try to figure out what's going on on all the crazy TV shows that they have!

I have joined the gym on campus. They have your standard gym classes: aerobics, ballet, spinning. I went to the 'R&B' class (hip hop dance) on Tuesday night. It was hilarious! It was easy to tell who the other 3 westerners were in the class because we were the only ones who could move our hips in a circle without looking like a board was attached from our neck to our bottom! I have also signed up to take Tai Chi lessons for three hours a week. Classes start on Monday, and I am looking forward to learning some meditation techniques along the way! Finally, I am joining an International Women's Soccer Team at another University nearby. One of the westerners from the hip hop class asked me to play on their team!

I have met people very easily, especially those who do not yet speak any Chinese. I am very surprised at how many Chinese do not know any English. I naively thought that they would know very basics at least. It's made EVERYTHING challenging. Just figuring out how to ask for a 'to go' box using my Chinese-English dictionary and actually getting my leftover food packaged to take away was a huge accomplishment! I went shopping today for basic dorm room stuff (a real towel (as opposed to the tiny camping towel I've used for the last 2+ months, a bowl, a plate, etc.) and had a blast playing charades with one of the ladies who worked at the grocery store. I needed a small lock for my gym locker and a foot file (my feet are still in treacherous condition, compliments of Africa). It took over 20 minutes of acting out and pointing in my dictionary for what I needed. When I left, I had a foot file and a lock in my bag and felt like I had conquered the world!

I bought a Chinese cell phone last night, with the help of a new Taiwanese friend. Only about 6 people on campus have my number, so I'll share it with my blog readers in case you find yourself in Beijing and want to hang out: +0086 134 3934 4157. Feel free to call me, but remember that I'm 12 hours ahead of most of you!

My thoughts on China so far: the air quality is horrible...yesterday I could only see about two blocks away. You can look directly into the sun and don't need sunscreen during the highest point of the day because of it. It's terrible, but I hear that it is much better than it has been, so that is somewhat encouraging. You can read the statistics about the population and density here, but it isn't real until you see it firsthand. There are people, bikes, cars, etc. everywhere. I get the feeling that Beijing, in particular, is in the middle of a huge transition. The two huge malls that are both within a 15 minute walk of the University are very modern. Right next door is a huge open market that is filthy and crowded. You'll pass a train, subway and bus system along with tons of cars, and then you'll see a bike pulling a cart stacked high and wide with enough furniture to furnish a home. It's crazy, it's exciting and I'm happy to be on the brink of learning about a culture that is and will continue to be a driving force in the world economy during my lifetime.

I start class on Monday morning. Tomorrow, I'm going to the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing for a conference on the difference in business cultures between China and the US. I met an older lady in the grocery store this morning who invited me. I've learned to always say yes when someone invites you to do something, especially when you're trying to figure out a new city! I meet with my Chinese partner on Tuesday for the first time. Sunny is going to help me with Mandarin and I'm going to help her with her English. Our first project: teaching me how to haggle in Chinese!

That's all for now...Thanks to Gerad, my brother, for posting this blog for me. Blogspot, along with Facebook and many other websites, are blocked in China. I have learned of a work around, but it will take another week or so to get it in place.

Hello folks this is Gerad, for some reason Jamie's picture did not make it in the email she sent me. I will find out what is going on and try to post some soon!! I hope everyone is doing well!! Hello Sejal!!!!

Fraser Island & Byron Bay

The last week has been amazing. Fraser Island was one of the coolest places I have ever seen - massive rain forests and trees with over a 10' diameter, lakes perfectly clear and sand everywhere! Lake McKenzie is in the picture above, crystal clear deep blue water. Also, I walked through a creek that was perfectly clear...the water is almost up to my knees in the picture! I saw lots of dingo footprints and the back of one as it ran into the bush, but didn't actually see one. Next time! We did see tiger sharks, manta rays and humpback whales from Indian Head, one of the largest cliffs on the eastern side. I also took a short flight above the island to gain a perspective of just how large it is...we took off and landed from the sand...tires in the water. Very cool! The pictures I took are amazing...too many to post!

Byron Bay is one of the most laid back, hippie places I've visited...similar to Christiana in Denmark except on the Pacific! I made fast friends with several people from the backpackers lodge where I stayed. I drank, danced, laughed and hung out on the beach with people from all over Europe, Japan, Israel and Australia. I love meeting people with different backgrounds who come from different cultures! There are a surprising number who have quit their jobs to travel. I met a nice Canadian guy...we hung out on the beach until 4 one morning talking, laughing and watching brilliant shooting stars and the Cape Byron lighthouse light flash every 30 seconds or so. I sat in a park one afternoon and listened to two guys play the bongo drum and guitar. I considered very seriously becoming a hippie, growing dreads, not showering ever and sitting in the park all day long just existing. I've decided to keep on the path I'm on for now, but the lifestyle they have is so relaxed!

Animal watch: on my hike up to the lighthouse and the eastern most point of Australia, a red-bellied black snake was about 2 feet from the trail. Luckily, an Aussie couple was walking with me and they informed me that the snake was one of the deadliest in Australia. No need to worry because I stay as far away from snakes as possible whenever I see one! Also, this morning I went on a 4 hour whale watch to observe the humpback whales in their annual migration back to Antarctica after mating in the warmer waters north of Byron Bay. It was incredible. We saw probably 15 whales. Three marine researchers were on board our tiny boat, and they brought a hydrophone so that we could listen to the male whale's mating song. It was magical to hear. I was one of the few on the boat lucky enough to see a massive (20'-25') whale fully breach the water. There was at least 4' of air underneath him. It was incredible!! The picture above is what I tried to capture of the end of the breach. Definitely worth the trip to see that in person...just like on National Geographic!

On a personal note, it turns out that I should probably not self-diagnose anymore. I finally went to a chemist (pharmacist) who told me I was having a bad reaction to sand flies and not bed bugs. Makes me feel much better, and they have all but cleared up. I am glad that I am very comfortable laughing at myself because after a day at the beach, I decided to walk the mile plus back to the hostel instead of taking the shuttle. I wore a sundress over my bathing suit and had my day pack on my back. When I got back to the hostel, I realized that the sundress was tucked under my day pack in the back. I am really glad I didn't go commando from the beach! Very embarrassing because I have no idea how long my dress was hiked up in the back, possibly from the beach, through city center and up the stairs to my room at the hostel!! ;) Oh well!

This will be my last post from Australia. I am in Brisbane tonight and fly back to Sydney tomorrow morning. I am staying with Kath's (my tour leader from Africa) older brother Dave. He has a house on the beach in Manly, just outside of Sydney. He's taking me out on his boat to tour the Sydney Harbour on Saturday before we meet out with another couple I met in Africa, Kate and Eddie, for dinner. I can't think of a better way to end my time in Australia!

Get ready China, here I come!

I Found Nemo!

Crayola must have visited the Great Barrier Reef to come up with all of the colors for the crayons. I never imagined there could be so many shades of green and blue...truly paradise on earth! Spending two nights on the water is a great way to experience the Reef. We saw dolphins and turtles surfacing for air from the boat. The snorkeling was unreal - huge reefs with all kinds and colors of coral and fish. We saw three green turtles, three white tip reef sharks, two sting ray and a ton of sea slugs. I saw squid for the first time...I tried to get close and scare them so they'd squirt ink, but sadly was not successful! I saw a lot of clown fish (Nemo!) cleaning themselves in the sea anemone. The largest fish that I saw was a double humped parrot fish. It was at least 3' wide and 1 1/2' tall. Crazy to see something that big so closely! I was no more than 8' away from one of the sharks...needless to say my adrenaline was pumping, even though it is not dangerous to humans (thankfully!).

In the evenings on the boat, we would have sundowners (what they call happy hour in Australia!) while watching the sun go down! The sunsets were incredible over the Coral Sea...beautiful pinks and oranges reflecting over the bright blue water! I met some awesome people on the boat. It's fascinating to learn about the different paths that travelers take...where they're going, where they're coming from. It just makes me want to keep going! For example, I met a nice woman who works in HR and manages the temporary staffing for Raytheon in Denver. She's just returned from a 6 month contract position in Antarctica. I was fascinated by the work she and others do to support the research center at the National Science Foundation down there. I will not lose her business card!

When I wrote previously about spider bites, I misdiagnosed myself. I actually have picked up a nice amount of bed bug bites. It totally grosses me out to think about when and how I got them, but needless to say, I'm covered with them. Mendy, there are many more now than you saw when you left on Tuesday! I suppose there has to be a downside to a life of leisure in the Sunshine Coast of Australia!

A funny thing happened at the airport this morning on my way to Cairns to Brisbane. I was waiting to board and got up for my standard bathroom stop before getting on a plane. I stuck to the seat...apparently a huge wad of gum was there that I did not notice. I did my best to get rid of it, but it was smack in the middle of my bottom and I had no clothes to change in to! I sat on a postcard size piece of paper once I got on the plane to avoid getting gum on the leather seats (it was a very new plane). I totally forgot about the whole thing until we were all standing to deboard the plane. An old lady two rows back yelled so that everyone around me could hear, "You have a piece of paper stuck to your bottom!" I laughed so hard that I was crying.

In Rainbow Beach tonight, a cozy little beach town just south of Fraser Island. There are no traffic lights, one main road and only about 4 shops/cafes, all of which closed at 5 PM. It's nice to be away from the chaos of big cities for a while...I need to soak this up because Beijing is only 10 days away now!

Cheers from Aussie! Don't let the bed bugs bite...ha ha! ;)