Once again, I've let too much time sneak by, and things are piling up.
After being overwhelmed by the week of teaching I found out I had to work Friday and Saturday in order to make up for having the following Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off. Having such a big break for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jesse and I decided to take the train into Beijing to see some CIEE friends we met at orientation.
Friday night after classes we decided to go to the train station and try to buy tickets for Sunday morning. We realized very quickly how stupid that was. Lining up Friday night only 2 hours before the ticket windows closed, the weekend of a big holiday... ha, look at us silly foreigners. We waited in line for about 45 minutes when suddenly our window closed. Oh good. We ran, elbows flying into our fellow desperate travelers, inside to more windows. We got in another line, only to realize that the reason it was going so slowly was that another equally long line was merging into ours, both lines for the same counter. Suddenly it was 8:40 and we had 20 minutes before closing time. We looked at each other, crossed our fingers and watched the counter get closer and closer. 8:53 and we were two people away. That is, until 3 Chinese individuals edged up from the side and pushed in front of the window, with barely a whisper from the crowd. Somehow we got up there, with me half expecting to see the window shutter fall in front of our faces. We handed him a paper on which I had poorly scrawled "Beijing South Station" "Sunday morning" "fastest train" "earliest train" in hanzi. Well there were no more tickets to Beijing South, but we were issued tickets to Beijing West at 7:30 am Sunday (perhaps I was a but overzealous with the "earliest" business) for about 5 or 6 USD a piece. So we were successful.
Another long working day Saturday and then I was free for the weekend. We met up with Felice, Hannah and John from Hebei Agricultural University for drinks at a little bar. Then I stayed in Hannah's apartment (3 bedroom!) and was up at 6:30 to catch the train. Which we did, although it was way too early.
Then we were in Beijing before 9, hungry and tired and searching for the hostel (Kuai le Kuai zi or Happy Chopsticks). We had directions involving buses and walking and taxis, all of which we navigated like pros. Made it to the hostel in Houhai (really neat, touristy area with a big lake, tons of restaurants, shops and bars), met up with Steve and Mar, checked in and walked around the area for a bit. Then Kelly, Emma and Joel arrived (also from Mar and Steve's school -- Huijia in Changping just north of Beijing). I ended up not feeling well and went back to the hostel to nap for the afternoon while the 6 others went and did some of the touristy things like Tiananmen and Wangfujing.
Then, back at the hostel, we enjoyed some delicious Baozi and Jiaozi (dumplings -- bread and noodle covered) and played card games. We went out for a little, and found some neat bars. Shisha at the first one, a surprisingly talented Chinese singer covering lady gaga at another, and french fries at the last. Jesse found drunk Chinese men to be fascinated by him at every place, and was given free beers, kissed, and danced with. It was pretty hilarious. All in all a good night, hindered by the fact that I had a pretty unpleasant cold, and helped by the fact that the cold meant that I wasn't drinking, and spent almost no money (unheard of for a touristy area like Houhai).
Then back to the hostel where the 7 of us met our 3 other roommates (dorm style with 5 bunkbeds -- 10 beds). There was a little confrontation involving self righteous Europeans calling us obnoxious tourists who should be embarrassed of being American. Highlights included the comment "I know more about your country than you could dream of knowing" followed by very blatantly disproving this. (Steve was trying to explain where he was from -- Buffalo -- and the guy clearly had no idea where that was, or any of the major landmarks he was giving). It was entertaining.
The next morning we went for an American style breakfast, with pretty decent coffee (Americano -- espresso with water). Then it was on to YaShow -- a huge 5 floor shopping area with everything you could need. First on my list was a foot massage (oh yeah. it was amazing), then a little shopping. I got a backpack for about 15 USD and a cute little Gucci (haha Fucci?) watch for about 10 USD. Now I need to go back to stock up on gifts for everyone back home. Handbags, jade bracelets, pearls, watches, trinkets galore, they have everything. And bargaining is quite a lot of fun.
Shopping done, we got lunch in an area Steve used to go to school. (sidenote: turns out Steve was doing a study abroad in Beijing the same time as me. Not the same school, but I know there were times we were in the same place at the same time, such as St. Patty's we were at one of the only Irish bars.) He was disappointed his Kung Pao Chicken Place was gone but we had some great dumplings and noodles.
Then we spent some time on the metro (Beijing metro is sooo nice. Easy to navigate, fast, clean, and only 2 CNY to get anywhere!) and took a bus, and in less than 2 hrs were at their place in Changping. Their school is huge! There are about 70 foreign teachers there, compared with the 2 at my school. We showered at Mar and Steve's (nice apt, 3 bedrooms), felt about 100 times better and then met up with the crew for dinner. This time we did have our Kung Pow Chicken, and it was delicious.
The next day me and Jesse headed back into Beijing to get train tickets. We ended up getting them for Wednesday, so we'd be staying another night in Changping. It was quite a trek getting there and back, but we managed it. The stop at a Mcdonalds made it all worth it in my opinion. Then Jesse went and played soccer with Kelly and a bunch of the foreign teachers, while I waited for our hosts to finish class. We met up again for dinner in the village (a short walk away from campus with little local restaurants), had a couple beers, met some Chinese people that spoke decent English. Then it was back to the apartment to get some sleep for our 10am train.
We made the train and were back at our school around noon. I showered, checked my email, laid down and was dead to the world. I did nothing productive all day and then went to bed.
Today I intended to make lesson plans and clean (the floors need to be scrubbed again) but all I've done is sit around. Now I can't put it off anymore and I have to face tomorrow. Then it's off to bed to rest up for 40 third graders at 8am.
So that was my week. Hopefully I can find some pictures to break up the monotony, but I haven't been great with that.
'Til next time!
After being overwhelmed by the week of teaching I found out I had to work Friday and Saturday in order to make up for having the following Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off. Having such a big break for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jesse and I decided to take the train into Beijing to see some CIEE friends we met at orientation.
Friday night after classes we decided to go to the train station and try to buy tickets for Sunday morning. We realized very quickly how stupid that was. Lining up Friday night only 2 hours before the ticket windows closed, the weekend of a big holiday... ha, look at us silly foreigners. We waited in line for about 45 minutes when suddenly our window closed. Oh good. We ran, elbows flying into our fellow desperate travelers, inside to more windows. We got in another line, only to realize that the reason it was going so slowly was that another equally long line was merging into ours, both lines for the same counter. Suddenly it was 8:40 and we had 20 minutes before closing time. We looked at each other, crossed our fingers and watched the counter get closer and closer. 8:53 and we were two people away. That is, until 3 Chinese individuals edged up from the side and pushed in front of the window, with barely a whisper from the crowd. Somehow we got up there, with me half expecting to see the window shutter fall in front of our faces. We handed him a paper on which I had poorly scrawled "Beijing South Station" "Sunday morning" "fastest train" "earliest train" in hanzi. Well there were no more tickets to Beijing South, but we were issued tickets to Beijing West at 7:30 am Sunday (perhaps I was a but overzealous with the "earliest" business) for about 5 or 6 USD a piece. So we were successful.
Another long working day Saturday and then I was free for the weekend. We met up with Felice, Hannah and John from Hebei Agricultural University for drinks at a little bar. Then I stayed in Hannah's apartment (3 bedroom!) and was up at 6:30 to catch the train. Which we did, although it was way too early.
Then we were in Beijing before 9, hungry and tired and searching for the hostel (Kuai le Kuai zi or Happy Chopsticks). We had directions involving buses and walking and taxis, all of which we navigated like pros. Made it to the hostel in Houhai (really neat, touristy area with a big lake, tons of restaurants, shops and bars), met up with Steve and Mar, checked in and walked around the area for a bit. Then Kelly, Emma and Joel arrived (also from Mar and Steve's school -- Huijia in Changping just north of Beijing). I ended up not feeling well and went back to the hostel to nap for the afternoon while the 6 others went and did some of the touristy things like Tiananmen and Wangfujing.
Then, back at the hostel, we enjoyed some delicious Baozi and Jiaozi (dumplings -- bread and noodle covered) and played card games. We went out for a little, and found some neat bars. Shisha at the first one, a surprisingly talented Chinese singer covering lady gaga at another, and french fries at the last. Jesse found drunk Chinese men to be fascinated by him at every place, and was given free beers, kissed, and danced with. It was pretty hilarious. All in all a good night, hindered by the fact that I had a pretty unpleasant cold, and helped by the fact that the cold meant that I wasn't drinking, and spent almost no money (unheard of for a touristy area like Houhai).
Then back to the hostel where the 7 of us met our 3 other roommates (dorm style with 5 bunkbeds -- 10 beds). There was a little confrontation involving self righteous Europeans calling us obnoxious tourists who should be embarrassed of being American. Highlights included the comment "I know more about your country than you could dream of knowing" followed by very blatantly disproving this. (Steve was trying to explain where he was from -- Buffalo -- and the guy clearly had no idea where that was, or any of the major landmarks he was giving). It was entertaining.
The next morning we went for an American style breakfast, with pretty decent coffee (Americano -- espresso with water). Then it was on to YaShow -- a huge 5 floor shopping area with everything you could need. First on my list was a foot massage (oh yeah. it was amazing), then a little shopping. I got a backpack for about 15 USD and a cute little Gucci (haha Fucci?) watch for about 10 USD. Now I need to go back to stock up on gifts for everyone back home. Handbags, jade bracelets, pearls, watches, trinkets galore, they have everything. And bargaining is quite a lot of fun.
Shopping done, we got lunch in an area Steve used to go to school. (sidenote: turns out Steve was doing a study abroad in Beijing the same time as me. Not the same school, but I know there were times we were in the same place at the same time, such as St. Patty's we were at one of the only Irish bars.) He was disappointed his Kung Pao Chicken Place was gone but we had some great dumplings and noodles.
Then we spent some time on the metro (Beijing metro is sooo nice. Easy to navigate, fast, clean, and only 2 CNY to get anywhere!) and took a bus, and in less than 2 hrs were at their place in Changping. Their school is huge! There are about 70 foreign teachers there, compared with the 2 at my school. We showered at Mar and Steve's (nice apt, 3 bedrooms), felt about 100 times better and then met up with the crew for dinner. This time we did have our Kung Pow Chicken, and it was delicious.
The next day me and Jesse headed back into Beijing to get train tickets. We ended up getting them for Wednesday, so we'd be staying another night in Changping. It was quite a trek getting there and back, but we managed it. The stop at a Mcdonalds made it all worth it in my opinion. Then Jesse went and played soccer with Kelly and a bunch of the foreign teachers, while I waited for our hosts to finish class. We met up again for dinner in the village (a short walk away from campus with little local restaurants), had a couple beers, met some Chinese people that spoke decent English. Then it was back to the apartment to get some sleep for our 10am train.
We made the train and were back at our school around noon. I showered, checked my email, laid down and was dead to the world. I did nothing productive all day and then went to bed.
Today I intended to make lesson plans and clean (the floors need to be scrubbed again) but all I've done is sit around. Now I can't put it off anymore and I have to face tomorrow. Then it's off to bed to rest up for 40 third graders at 8am.
So that was my week. Hopefully I can find some pictures to break up the monotony, but I haven't been great with that.
'Til next time!
Hahhaha Fucci. Love your wordage. Also, it is really amazing that you get to travel and explore so much. I am proud.
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