tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33167785220429978242024-03-13T15:41:43.299-05:00A Peek into Life in BeijingReportedly from the mind of an inexperienced traveler, junior in college, and study abroad student to the land of China over the Fall 2008 semester. This is an account of all and every thing related to this well-anticipated adventure.Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-69526174461257990682009-02-23T16:59:00.004-06:002009-02-23T17:31:51.597-06:00A Follow-Up<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's been about two months and a half since I got back to the States. Since then, I've tried to assimilate myself back into "real" life, had my laptop infected with a barage of viruses and had to get the hard drive wiped out, went through some rushed (and headache-inducing) sub-leasing processes for an apartment, moved into said apartment, had a break up between my (ex-) boyfriend and I, started school, met a new friend who had also studied abroad in Beijing but had gone the semester before I did, struggled through daily life, and just got back from an interview to become a mentor. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I also somehow got placed into my school's version of fourth-year Chinese (Modern Readings in Chinese) which is actually hard, meaning I actually have to study and try in the class. O_o I never noticed how straightforward and relatively simple Chinese class was for me until now. I still think it doesn't quite matter that I took third-year Chinese in China. I still skipped second-year Chinese and completed third-"year" Chinese in four months. I mean, the class is even difficult for some of the people in my class that went through all the classes! I find myself spending a good amount of time looking up EVERY word I don't know. On the plus side, I'm learning, never mind the fact that it's hard and killing me as well as my free time. It's actually similar to my Chinese class back in Beijing where we'd have four straight hours of Chinese from 8 to 12:10 except most of the work now is done out of class. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Other things have also come to my attention. I don't think I'll get over China very soon. I still talk to my good friends I had made there via Google Talk, MSN, or even Skype regularly and we all send mass emails to each other when we have the time. I find that a majority of the food I cook now are Asian-inspired. I had a couple of Japanese-inspired days last week with okonomiyaki, miso soup, yakisoba, and cold soba noodles. I also had a good amount of noodle soup, steamed veggies, stir-fry, and my Americanised version of Fried Eggs and Tomatoes (西紅柿雞蛋) - Americanised meaning the fact that I made it here and though it still tastes good, something's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">different</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. My usual fare of Italian consisting of a variation of pasta, speggheti, lasagna, and orzo has dwindled magnificently - not to say that I don't like it. :) My English has died drastically and I find the idea that I forget English words rather common now. In fact, it happened thrice in my interview today and even while I'm supposed to be translating my Chinese passage to English during Chinese class. It doesn't help that I know what it is in Chinese when the passage is ALREADY in Chinese. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Half of my clothes that I brought up here were bought in China and I still listen to Asian music and watch Asian dramas and movies. I have, however, been further delving into the world of Korean entertainment. I've also been wondering what East Asian language I should tackle next: Korean or Japanese. :) I also figured out how to type in Korean (well... my name, at least) yesterday while procrastinating from writing my movie critique for Chinese class. I also am trying to learn how to read in Cantonese - those KTV videos are really helpful.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Some of the more neat skills that I've developed is that I'm a little more open to speaking in Mandarin to others - but since I'm someone who rarely talks (especially before others), it doesn't happen all that often. If it does, though, it tends to be rather automatic, which makes sense as it usually happens after I find myself thinking in Chinese, if someone's speaking to me in Chinese, or I hear others speak Chinese. I'm also much more cost-conscious than before. I'm not sure if this is a good thing since I was nowhere near a spender then, but I'll count it as a good thing. I mean seriously - everything here's expensive if you compare it with China!! I actually have a healthy loathing for how much clothes cost over here now and you can't even bargain!!! If you want a good set of examples... (and keep in mind that there are 6.8 kuai/yuan (RMB/塊/元) to one USD:</span><br /><br /><ul style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><li>A pair of Chinese pants (~29 kuai) vs. a pair of relatively cheap American pants (~ $12)</li><li>A rather filling meal at the school cafeteria (4 - 7 kuai) vs. a meal at the cafeteria here (~ $4 - $8)</li><li>Food from a road-side stall (~1 - 3 kuai) vs. American fast food ($1 - $6)</li><li>A cute watch (~20 kuai) vs. a watch bought in America (~$13 and up)</li><li>A large cup of yoghurt with fruit chunks (~4 - 7 kuai) vs. a cup of yoghurt in America that is 1/3 or 1/2 the size of the large yoghurt (~$0.65) to a pack of four or six (~$3 - $6)<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">All in all, I still miss Beijing, and China, in general, and I think about it everyday. I think the funnest thing that I miss was having somewhere to go when you walk everywhere. You know what, though? I found out last night that there's an 8-time felon living in the apartment below mines. Even before that, I've been told by many friends not to go wandering in my neighborhood at night. -_-"</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-12650175146564629952008-12-25T01:13:00.003-06:002008-12-25T01:35:08.661-06:00Food: How I Miss You<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} @font-face {font-family:宋体; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:SimSun; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@宋体"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:宋体;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >I watch the Travel Channel show, Bizarre Food, hosted by Andrew Zimmern and yesterday night’s was on <st1:place><st1:city>Beijing</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>China</st1:country-region></st1:place>. I just had to watch it! One, for old time’s sake (OK, so it’s only been a week and a half since I was last there but it seems like quite a long time has passed!) and two, because Beijing holds a special place in me.</span> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Watching the show going to Wang Fu Jing to eat Seahorse and Grasshopper chuanr all the way to dining Imperial Style at Bei Hai park as well as going to a restaurant that specializes in penis and another that specializes in Donkey made me want to go back to <st1:city><st1:place>Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>. Not necessarily to go to those places, but to go to the places that the show didn’t go to, for even though I did go to Wang Fu Jing before (and it’s nothing but a place geared to tourists and Chinese in the upper-crusts of society… and others just seeking the exotic choices for chuanr there), I hadn’t gone to try the chuanr there. [For those who are all (???) about what chuanr (</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">串兒</span><span style="font-size:85%;">) is, it’s basically food on a stick – and <st1:city><st1:place>Beijing</st1:place></st1:city> has a lot of it!] I mean, I didn’t actually expect for the show to go to where I had gone before, since I tend to go to where the locals eat since I’m just cheap like that, but it made me miss Beijing even more. So this blog is about <st1:city><st1:place>Beijing</st1:place></st1:city> – and the food that I love (and miss!) so very much. Keep in mind that this will not be of exotic dishes and fine dining.
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">First, there’s the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >chuanr</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">串兒</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> and yes, it can be found everywhere in Beijing. Not just at Wang Fu Jing. It’s usually defined as “meat on a stick” – the Chinese version of a kabob, but it’s BETTER and Beijingers usually </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >don't</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> eat scorpions on a stick. Although, be forewarned: it’s not quite vegetarian friendly – or at least not for strict vegetarians. Let me explain as a (semi-) vegetarian myself. You have the choice of various vegetables like eggplant and lettuce along with other vegetarian items like tofu and even bread – yes, bread – but the problem is that when they cook it, they cook it in the same place and that ‘uncontaminated’ food item of yours most likely will touch the squid it’s cooking next to. If it hasn’t touched the squid (or the beef, or the chicken heart, or the goat meat…) yet, it will when it’s ready and it’s bundled and placed in the corner of the makeshift grill with the other meat items ready to be handed out to the waiting customer. Now, the thing that makes this special – besides the fact that if you’re buying it out on the street and it’s being cooked in front of your very eyes and the aroma that hits you (and your stomach) in the face (something pretty uncommon in the streets of America), the sauce and spices they add on to it are AMAZING. I’ve never tried any of the meat chuanr except the squid, which was absolutely mouth-watering and the experience ended too soon, but the vegetables that I’ve had were akin to having fireworks light up in my mouth. Actually, it’s similar to <i style="">Ratatouille</i>’s Remy who tried to explain the explosion of flavors in the mouth to his brother rat. Anyway… I usually get the lettuce bound with strips of soy, eggplant, and the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >mantou</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">饅頭</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> aka the bread). I usually get the mantou because it’s more filling. It’s simply spectacular how such simple things can be so satisfying! AND the experience and the choice of picking which stick of raw vegetable/bread/meat you want… Oh gosh, I miss it, not to mention the absolute convenience of it all! One thing though: it depends on the vendor/restaurant (yes, some restaurants do sell it as well!) but the spices can be quite spicy so if you’re not for the spicy types of food, tell them not to add it.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And other snacks… there’s the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >tang hu lu guo</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">糖葫蘆郭</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, which is basically some sort of fruit (or vegetable) on a stick that’s coated with hardened sugar/syrup. I tried the grape and the tomato before and I have to say the tomato won it – and no, it’s the tomato that’s closer to the cherry tomato in size. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="">J</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> The grape one was good, but it was rather too sweet – I mean, the sweetness of the fruit coupled with the sweetness of the sugar was just a bit too sweet. With the tomato, though, there was the juicy, tart tomato taste along with the crunch of the sugar covering was perfect and it balanced out perfectly! That’s what you call a sweet tomato! :) Actually, <st1:city><st1:place>Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>’s teaming with little vendors and even those on the go on their bikes – so just go look for your own snacks as there are way too many for me to write about and remember! </span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Then there’s the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >jiao zi</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">餃子</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, otherwise known as </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">水餃</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, or </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >shui jiao</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, in other parts of China) and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >bao zi</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">包子</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, also known as the dumpling and the bun. Both are sold everywhere and cheaply all throughout Beijing (though the ones in Xi’an [</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">西安</span><span style="font-size:85%;">] are even cheaper and just as yummy, if not more so!). I usually get my jiao zi on campus since they have one of the few vegetarian options for dumplings, even though it’s only one flavor (</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">雞蛋白菜</span><span style="font-size:85%;">/eggs and bok choy). They sell it at half a </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >jin</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">斤</span><span style="font-size:85%;">; one </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >jin</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> is equivalent to 1.2 pounds) for 4 kuai. It’s just so good – with or without the vinegar and chili sauce on top. I actually never really tried bao zi, mostly because they mostly have a meat filling, but I’ve heard good things about it. AND both of these items are good for all three meals of the day – and for a snack if you so wish!</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Now… onto a meat item – the only one I eat… besides trying new things. SUSHI, otherwise known as </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >shou si</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">壽司</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> in Chinese. I actually have a favorite restaurant that I go to for my raw fish needs and that would be at <a href="http://www.chineseye.com/path-ye-biz_show&bid=3579.html">Isshin (<span lang="ZH-CN">一心</span>)</a> located in Wu Dao Kou/</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">五道口</span><span style="font-size:85%;">. It’s usually packed or close to it, but the décor is rather nice and relaxing and the food is amazing. I’m rather biased when it comes to sushi (I mean, it’s the main thing I break my vegetarianism for – even in China, a place that’s not very vegetarian friendly and has a lot of rather tasty meat dishes) but it’s pretty good. If you don’t believe me, ask the others that go there! Usually, though, you see a good number of foreigners (something I usually tend to avoid, but hey – sushi calls!). While I was still there, there was a 20% off all sushi items but I believe it ends at the end of December. …In fact, it’s probably ended by around now. I went there around four times and I loved every minute of it! I also went to another sushi place in one of Beijing’s biggest shopping centers: Xi Dan (</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">西單</span><span style="font-size:85%;">), but even though they’re a little cheaper, the sushi at Isshin is much better. And… there ends my little plug for my favorite sushi place in <st1:city><st1:place>Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>. A note of warning: it’s located in a little alley but once you look in, the bold red spelling out “</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">一心</span><span style="font-size:85%;">” will be there!</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">In addition to that… and on another completely random food – ICE CREAM. Actually, all diary products in <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region> are to die for. The yoghurt (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">酸牛奶</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >/<span style="font-style: italic;">suan niu nai</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">/sour milk)… the ice cream (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">冰淇淋</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >/<span style="font-style: italic;">bing qi lin</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">)… oh gosh. So tempting! First – throw away your thoughts about the whole milk scare in <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It only really applied to baby formula anyway – and unless you plan on drinking some baby formula, you’re out of the danger zone because the stores had already pulled out the suspected/bad merchandise several months before anyway. Now… try a yoghurt! I recommend plain because, well, it’s good! It’s different from the plain yoghurt here which tastes rather… plain. There, it’s just made beautifully! I mean, you open the top and there’s this thick creamy layer that you just lick off and the bottom part has the perfect amount of tart and sugar just dancing together! There’s also ICE CREAM if you’re a bit iffy on tasting the yoghurt. The ice cream tastes like ice cream as we know it – but not. I know, weird right? But it’s just as good – taste it. What puts the cherry on top is that they’re all – you got it! – cheap when compared to the good ole US. I actually brought over a little bag of milk (because milk there comes in these cool little thermal bags that keeps the milk fresh!) but because of my mom’s prejudices, she had thrown it away before I had the chance to drink it. I got rather annoyed – and mad. I still miss China like heck now. My milk brand of choice is Meng Niu (</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-size:85%;">懞牛</span><span style="font-size:85%;">). However, the cheese is rather expensive and the native cheeses of <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s minorities (at least the Tibetans) are a bit odd and need getting used to – but they’re all still pretty good. Well, then again, I can’t live without dairy! </span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Those are some of the main items that I simply miss – but for last kicks… here’s one of my last lunches in <st1:city><st1:place>Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>:</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OlKV32rYPco/SVM2FfKXRNI/AAAAAAAAABw/Neqqkysw-e4/s1600-h/PC060011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OlKV32rYPco/SVM2FfKXRNI/AAAAAAAAABw/Neqqkysw-e4/s320/PC060011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283626255727936722" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">It’s </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">ma la tang</span> (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">麻辣湯</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> which is various vegetables (and meat if you so wish) along with a special soup, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">ji dan bing</span> (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">雞蛋餅</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> which is a sort of egg + bread “cake”, and </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">dou sha bing</span> (</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" lang="ZH-CN">豆沙餅</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >)</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> which is fried dough with a sweet red bean filling for dessert – all for about an American dollar. Also, they're all OH SO GOOD... ^_^
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Not to mention my favorite of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >su chao mian</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > (素炒麵</span><span style="font-size:85%;">; vegetarian fried noodles) or </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >qie zi ji dan chao fan</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > (茄子雞蛋炒飯</span><span style="font-size:85%;">; tomato paste and eggs with fried rice) at the school's cafeteria...</span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">AND THE EGGPLANT IN CHINA IS TO DIE FOR! I'm serious! It is amazing. The Americans know NOTHING when it comes to cooking eggplant - or vegetables, for that matter. Uh... no offense - but you'll know what I'm talking about when you visit China. :)</span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:85%;" >Uh... yeah, needless to say, I gained a bit of weight by the time I got back. :) Now... I don't buy anything. IT'S SO EXPENSIVE IN AMERICA!</span><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p> Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-43857970275277208792008-12-15T00:50:00.001-06:002008-12-15T00:54:23.487-06:00心在哪裏?<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CConnie%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">我本來已經知道我離開中國的那一天我會很難過的,但是我沒了解我會這麽難過。其實,北京對我很好,你可以說它對我太好,所以我真的不願意離開可是沒辦法。我的飛機十二月十二號就起飛了,我沒有那麽多錢可以改變我的起飛時間核定一個房間。</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span lang="ZH-CN">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">在中國,我做了很多事,學了很多東西,認識很多的好朋友。它們對我來説是很重要的東西,不可以放手。我們在北京最後的晚上,我跟我的好朋友有一個排隊,吃蛋糕,聊天,是一個又苦又甜的事情。用實話說,如果我們有多點時間,我有可能不會這樣,但是我們星期四也有我們的一個大考試,沒有那麽多時閒跟朋友在一起。星期五呢?一個朋友很早的要離開學校去火車站去香港,兩個也要上去離開我們去飛機場。我是第三個離開,我們最後的朋友在學校要留在中國多一個月去旅行。</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">我已經到了沒過兩天了,還沒忘記中國和我的朋友。我們還是去上網,一起聯絡一下。我每一個話説都跟中國有關,比方説,“在中國我看得到,”“我在中國的朋友說。。。”和“你知道嗎,在中國,這。。。”<span style="" lang="ZH-TW"> </span>在這裡,我沒對所有的東西有興趣。對現在的我,美國是我住的地方而已,沒什麽特別。我覺得是因爲我有點怕如果我忘了我在中國的事,我會永遠忘了,所以我這樣走下。我知道,這個方法沒還道理,對我家人,我一定越來越很煩,但是我停不了,不知道爲什麽是這樣子。</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">
<br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p face="trebuchet ms" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" face="georgia" class="MsoNormal">只有一個東西我知道:我的心還是在中國,不知道如果它會回來。</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p face="trebuchet ms" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">**如果我的語法錯了,或者我有字打得錯,對不起。我只學中文學了三個學期而已。**</span><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-47055516946200618022008-12-14T23:08:00.003-06:002008-12-15T00:15:15.596-06:00The End<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">At the de-orientation that we had about a week before we had to go back to the States, we were already informed about the changes that would happen and what to expect. About the fact that we would probably resemble a mechanical toy whose first action is to say things starting with "In China..." or "This reminds me of when I... in China" and other things pertaining, to, well, China. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Obviously, the week of the departure, there was a sense of depression over my friends and I. Actually, it came in waves. At the beginning (of the end), I couldn't believe (aka didn't realise) that we were going to leave that very Friday. Towards the middle of the week, it slowly snuck up on us. Even so, during the last couple of days, we'd particularly spend more time with one another, talking - with the occasional comments on "after this Friday, we won't get to do this again", which left Cloud of Depression over us. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">On the other hand, we all had a rather fun "Going Away Party" our last night there. We had preordered a ten inch Mousse Cake that had fruit (i.e. dragonfruit, peach, kiwi, apple) all over it and this neat chocolate "fence" around the entire masterpiece. We had so much that we gave four or five slices away and we had the last piece (a circle in the middle) which we split up between all of us - with a catch. We had to eat it without a fork or hands and the loser got to be face-painted with frosting. :) I won, but Christine lost and we had fun painting. Poor her. But it was a good memory. In the end, we had this depressed air but honestly, it was a bit bittersweet. Earlier that day, we also had a graduation lunch where there was some reminiscing and we got our diplomas from Beijing Foreign Studies University and we ate. A lot. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Honestly, even if we didn't want it to hit us, we had no choice. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The day of our departure came quickly, especially since I was racing against time, packing up. First, Celia left for Hong Kong, then Liz and Chris left for the airport shortly thereafter. Then it was just Christine and I. It was rather quiet and subdued and rather saddening. I left her at around 11:30 with my roommate, Peng Peng, accompanying me. She gave me a little bag full of goodies to eat just in case I didn't like what they had on the plane. It was really touching. I then got on the bus that took us to the airport and we left. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When we got to the airport, we got to the place where we were supposed to check in with our luggage but it wasn't open yet and we had to wait for about forty minutes. There was ten other people as well as I who decided to take the bus together and I was the only Asian. When they were there, they looked to me first, even though the others had pretty decent Chinese as well. Well, I let her think we were a part of a tour group of sorts so we weren't separated and just went as one. I went through without a hitch, even though I had a backpack, a purse, a carry-on, and two rather large and heavy suitcases (well, one suitcase and one of those big, colorful tarp bags that can be bought cheaply anywhere in Beijing). I know I was at least bordering on the weight limit of how much you can check in the place, but she let me go. She was rather nice. Then came Amy, who joined us after we were told to get in the line, who was told to open her luggage when their detector detected something. It was a working, souvenir lighter that she had gotten from a friend. They confiscated it. The rest of my fellow study abroaders went through it rather smoothly but about four or so were charged extra and another was asked to check through his luggage (he had a couple of working lighters). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We left and found our gate. There, we had about two hours to waste until our departure time so Amy and I took turns looking after our stuff (we had a lot - she had a humongous camping/hiking backpack and two large suitcases) while we bought last minute things in the airport, trying to use up most of the money we had left, and to go to the restroom. Then... it was time and we all boarded the plane (me with a bit of trouble because my carry-on was bordering on qualifying for checked-in luggage) and it turns out we all got seats near each other. The flight back to the States appeared rather fast - at least faster than last time. The entire time, I was undergoing periodic moods of excitement and sadness. One, because I was going back and two, because I had no more money on my cell phone so even though people could text me, I couldn't do anything about it. My other friends had texted, updating on their status up until they couldn't anymore. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When I got to the US, it was obvious that it wasn't China. Everything was in English and all the stores were ones that I haven't seen in the past four months. Borders? Brookstone? Well, the problem was that our plane was already running late and we had to get through customs, a number of security checks, and pick up our luggage and drop it off again - THEN run to our gate which happened to be rather far from the customs area. Well, when I got there, I found Amy who said how they changed the Gate for our flight anyway so we missed it. We found the nearest Customer Service Desk and told them our problem and they booked us on the next flight to Houston at 8:25. When we got there, the departure time changed three times before settling on 9:10. We also got some Jamba Juice there. Well, we all arrived in Houston an hour after we had anticipated but that's all right. My parents, sister, and boyfriend was waiting at luggage pick-up and we all headed home.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">That's the gist. Even so, these days, I find that nothing in America interests me anymore - and that's saying something, because before I even left, I had already thought so. All I could think about was China and the friends that I had there - even my roommate that I only knew for a short amount of time. Everything here was expensive and nothing here glittered for me. Even today, where we went to two different malls and even to a shop that I used to love because it sold Asian DVDs and CDs doesn't do it anymore - after all, I can get the same and at a cheaper price in China. In fact, everything I found at the mall had a replica that could be found at one of the many shopping centers throughout Beijing. I think the bargaining also helped a lot - because in the US? No one bargains.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">AND, this morning, my first thought was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">I want some 餃子</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (jiao zi, dumplings), until I looked at my surroundings and realised that there was no way that I was going to get a pound of dumplings for a dollar here. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It was thoroughly depressing. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I just hope that I'll get over all of this soon because I know it will be harder and harder for my parents to put up with this for long and I'm just like a depressing smudge, unwilling to do anything besides to think about the things I had done there - good thing I leave for school in about a month. All I know is that China captured my heart and I'm not sure if it will ever change.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Congratulations, because that's a hard thing to do.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-53450807062574309082008-11-30T05:40:00.002-06:002008-11-30T06:21:00.492-06:00The Ups and the Downs<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After living in Beijing for the past couple of months, I have decided it is time to do some comparisons and such. Also since it's a topic for one of my papers that's due... soon. I think this Thursday. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>FOOD</strong></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One of the bestest things about China is food. They have the greatest desserts (I actually think Asian desserts are just simply splendid), just the perfect amout of sweetness. Also, their yoghurt and ice cream is heavenly. The plain yoghurt in the states doesn't compare because the plain yoghurt here actually tastes like SOMETHING instead of soured milk that strangely tastes like... nothing. The ice cream here? It's incredibly cheap (just a little over ten cents) and it has all sorts of things in it. I also have a thing for green tea or taro flavored items, so coming to China is heaven. Also, the eggplant here? It's like they infused magic in it because the eggplant in the States taste rather... bad. Here? It's amazing the amount of flavor they put into it. On the bottom side, being vegetarian and in China is not good for the following reasons:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">They'll give you a weird look when you first tell them - or they'd just nod their head</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You'll have to restate vegetarian as having NO MEAT whatsoever</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You will also have to say that seafood COUNTS as meat </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">At some places, they may use oil derived from animals OR they won't have cleaned the wok that had cooked some meat and cooked your dish afterwards (one time, something was supposedly vegetarian had chunks of chicken in it)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The only way you can be guaranteed vegetarian food is if you go to one of the few vegetarian restaurants</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In a regular restaurant, the only dishes guaranteed to be vegetarian is the vegetable only dishes that appear as pictures of the very vegetable - but raw. Even so, the vegetables here are amazing and yummy. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On the down side, many of China's specialties have MEAT in them (i.e. Beijing = Peking Duck)</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ah yes, and though the yoghurt and ice cream selections here are delicious, the milk here may take some getting used to. They come in little special bags that are big enough for one serving and doesn't require for it to be refridgerated (I think it's pretty neat). AND there seems to only be one kind of milk: whole milk, though they have other variations like walnut, high calcium, strawberry, and chocolate. There's skim milk but it's in a larger container and required refridgeration. I drink one pack a day. :) Ah yes, and grocery shopping is best done on the streets because you can bargain for it and it's cheaper than if you buy it in the market - but make sure you clean it well and cook it well. You can even buy live fish outside as well - they behead it and scale it in front of you as well. I've seen it been done. Also, there are American fast food restaurants here as well, but it's all different. McDonald's (麥當勞) is a 24-hour restaurant that also sells corn as a side dish and offers Peach, Taro, and Pineapple Pie - but it doesn't have Apple Pie and an order of Large fries here is equivalent to an American order of Medium fries. Pizza Hut is a gourmet restaurant here, and KFC (肯德基) is a place you go to for dates.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>SHOPPING</strong></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The next best thing is shopping. There are a number of places you can go to do it at including: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">秀水街 (Xiu Shui Jie) - you can bargain here BUT they start at ridiculously high prices and in the end, you'll get ripped off anyway. It's targeted to foreigners. I've only been twice and that's it.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">中關村 (Zhong Guan Cun) - this place is heaven for people who love (or need) electronics as you can bargain for them and everything. And there's 8 floors full of it. I got a memory card here AND got my old one fixed for free.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">動物園 (Dong Wu Yuan) - this place is on the other side of the Beijing Zoo and it's basically this large area just for all your shopping needs. The area is actually rather large but there's this humongous building (about 5 stories high) where the locals go to and the prices are lower, there's a wide variety of clothing, and you can still bargain. It's also a main bus stop so buses from almost everywhere go there. There are shopping malls around the area and some are rather expensive.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">西單 (Xi Dan) - This place is famous for the shopping, but the items are of better quality AND more expensive. It does range from moderately priced (expensive in my book) to expensive (outrageously out of my reach) but Beijing's largest bookstore is also there. A little further down and there's another large building where you can bargain. This place is also where I got my hair cut. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Golden Resources Mall - This place is for the upper-middle to upper class Chinese. The stuff is expensive and it actually LOOKS like a real mall. It's nice to walk throught - but even the food's expensive.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The street vendors and little stores are also great so look in on them.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The of the first things here is that if you look Asian, you're lucky because you won't be given the foreigner's tax because you have money. Second of all, you can always bargain unless you're at the market or a place where there's a price tag. Third of all, if nothing else works, just tell the person you don't want it anymore and/or just walk away and half the time, they'll comply to your demands. Fourth of all, counterfeit is everywhere here so just because it has a brand name and it looks real - it just means that it was faked well - unless you go to those REALLY nice places where you can see yourself reflected in the floor. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>TOURISTY PLACES</strong></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There are many places you can go to in Beijing, not to mention all of China. Here are some of the must go's here:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">香山 (Xiang Shan) = Known as Fragrance Hill in English, this park is known for its red leaves in the fall.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">頤和園 (Yi He Yuan) = Known as the Summer Palace where China's old royal family used to go to as a summer get away and where Empress Cixi built a boat entirely of marble. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">哦林匹克 (O Lin Pi Ke) = The Olympic Green... that's all I have to say.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">北京動物園 (Bei Jing Dong Wu Yuan) = Beijing's Zoo</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">天安門 (Tian An Men) = Tiananmen Square</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">天壇 (Tian Tan) = Also known as the Temple of Heaven</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">故宮 (Gu Gong) = The Forbidden City </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">景山公園 (Jing Shan Gong Yuan) = Jing Shan Park is just north of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square and if you climb to the top, you can see the entire city of Beijing - from the heart of it. Great view. :)</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well, I'm going to stop here because, well, I have homework and I need to study and I need to go pick up sheets and changed my bedding, etc.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-8941666419795738672008-11-27T19:29:00.008-06:002008-11-27T20:01:02.011-06:00An Extended Holiday<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Looking back on the past few months in Beijing, I have realised something: I really don't want to go back to the US. The main reason might include the fact that being here is like a dream - literally - and the US? That's reality. Or at least that's what it feels like. I have a pretty heavy workload here for school, but for some odd reason, I feel more relaxed and open. When going outside, you always run into the chance of not being understood - and if it's a more elderly person, you run the chance of having him or her tell you off for being Chinese but not being fluent in it. </span><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you really thought about it, though, being here is a big breath of fresh air (figuratively speaking, because with the amount of pollution that's obviously visible, I might as well smoke a pack of cigarettes a day). You start out with no one knowing you, you can start over. I've long since realised that the me here is rather different than the one I left back at Houston's International Airport. My entire time here is this long period of neverending excitement. I go out everyday, we go to the sites around Beijing pretty much every week, and I've even acquired a love for shopping - something I particularly disliked back in the States (but I suppose the bargaining and the relatively cheap prices helps a bit as well). The coolest thing is that in just a few short months, with only two more weeks left here, I have traveled to Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, and Shanxi provinces - not to mention the frollicking-around-Beijing part. I've lived with the Tibetans and I've traveled around China successfully with a couple of good friends I've made here - even with my lack of fluency in Chinese. :) Taking the bus, subway, and taxi are the norm now, and calling out loudly for the waiter or waitress is no longer labeled as "no manners." Crossing the street even when the light is green is a daily event and pushing and shoving to the front is rather fun. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's amazing to feel the amount of accomplishment one can acquire in just a short amount of time. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Maybe it's the leftover fever from the Olympics here or it's the fact that I've never left the States before this and another side of me just exploded out as a result - or it could be because of the (much) cooler weather. The fact is that going here to study abroad is an extended vacation. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm not sure when I return to the US, I would still be the same or would I go back to my hermit of a self. All I know is this: going here is an unforgettable experience to last a lifetime and I will most definitely come back - no matter the fact that China is not the best place for a vegetarian. I have a feeling I'll be affected till the rest of my days - and the four good friends I made here? That's just the cherry on top. Perhaps a little bit of chocolate syrup as well. :)</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273519648438486146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OlKV32rYPco/SS9OLhE4BII/AAAAAAAAABM/jiyRbIOIPFA/s320/PB092233.JPG" border="0" /></span></div></div></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">In front of Tian Tan (The Temple of Heaven) in Beijing.</span></em><br /></div><br /><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273522389738040002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OlKV32rYPco/SS9QrFNnqsI/AAAAAAAAABk/PBk_rOZgTrY/s320/PB212673.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>In front of a terracotta warrior carved from "jade" in Xi'an, Shanxi Province.</em></span></p><br /><br /><p align="center"></p></div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-58391272611485366392008-11-11T20:39:00.002-06:002008-11-11T22:32:09.337-06:00Oh How the Time Flies...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's rather amazing that the end of the semester is drawing nearer and nearer. There's only approximately five more weeks here and I know I'll miss it a lot. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Being in Beijing was like taking a breather from the normal, daily routine I had grown accustomed to and got bored of and if not for the fact that I don't want to stay in college for more than needed, I would apply again to stay here for another semester. I remember the butterflies I had before I had left and was still in the States, and my raw excitement at finally getting out of Texas - heck, the country! Honestly, it hasn't abated. Instead, I'm used to it here and it's become another home away from home. Somewhat akin to leaving for my first year in college - except instead of being only a 3 hour drive away, it's about a 19-hour flight away. Well, it's the same except for the fact that I somehow like it better here.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Perhaps it's because of the culture shock - or lack of it, since my family is ethnically Chinese - and the fact that everything's so different, and yet, if you striped everything bare, it's all the same. The complexities of it all as well as the new habits one adapted in order to better function in this society all blends in to make it great. The little quirks that make Beijing, well, Beijing, give it a personality that can only be defined by the same exact word: Beijing. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know once I leave this place, I'll miss the fact that you can bargain for pretty much everything and how native Beijingers don't quite understand the term "stand in line." I'll miss the large amount of cars and the fact that there's only one traffic law: if you can go, go. I'll miss the constant ruckus of honks honking, the sea of bikes alongside the sea of cars, and the constant sound of Chinese being spoken every which way you go - not to mention the fact that having a grey-colored sky is the norm. I'll also miss the 50 cent dishes that kept one full for half a day and the really good ice cream and yoghurt they have here. I'll also miss the 5 kuai DVDs that are sold on the side of the streets. I'll most definitely miss the fact that my short height is the average height here, and I know I'll be shocked to see the large number of 'foreigners' when I go back to the States, the good old melting pot. I also recall refusing to use the squating toilets but now, I'm not so against it - in fact, sometimes, nature is the best toilet of all!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Then there is the habit of spitting on the side of the street and the vast amount of chronic smokers that reside here that I won't quite miss, but that's easily overlooked. All in all, it's been a really nice adventure, being here, and there's still so much I have yet to do!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There's KTV and I still want to go to the zoo. Next weekend is dedicated to Zi'an, known for the terracotta warriors... </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I can't help but think that everything is against me going back to the States. The one semester I'm not there, registration's been a near-disaster and so has housing. But here, everything's still going smoothly - so even though China doesn't quite run like clockwork, it's all right. Because for now, I'm still away from reality where the more reclusive me will emerge and life will continue its monotonous run through time.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-55873837961854132092008-10-17T11:11:00.004-05:002008-10-17T11:37:47.170-05:00A Quick Update<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know, it's been a very long while since I last posted - in fact, I believe I was still in the U.S. then. Well, it's been over a month here now and I've settled in rather nicely. In actuality, I felt at home by the second day in Beijing, but anyway, I'm a pretty flexible person. I suppose the fact that I've waited for the moment I leave the United States for most of my short life helps a bit. :)</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Anyway, a lot of things have actually happened, but I'll do a quick summary over everything that has happened. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first week was orientation where we got to know the area better and prepared for classes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We also took the must-do trip to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Then, we went to the neighboring Jing Shan Park for a full overlook of the city and our home for the next couple of months.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Classes started for a week and a half where Chinese class dominated with a whopping four hours of class every day of the week except for Wednesdays from 8 AM to 12:10 PM.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our 2-week long vacation then started and I picked the the hardest one. We went to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in Southern China and stayed with the Tibetans. Oh yes, and I can't forget to mention the fact that we ended up hiking at least 88 kilometers the entire time and we stayed in tents. It was rough at times, but well-worth it. :) Also, the scenery was absolutely breath-taking!</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We came back and class came at us full-blast. I mean, seriously. A paper written entirely in Chinese?? We have another one due later as well. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We finally moved in with Chinese roommates. My roommate's name is Peng Peng and she's pretty neat. I only watch Asian dramas and she only watches American dramas. :D See how neat it is? </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We took an overnight trip to the Great Wall and left for a hike up/climb a nearby mountain at 4:30 AM in order to see the sunrise. My entire body was sore for three days afterward. :)</span></li></ol><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I also took a good amount of pictures... a lot of them. They're posted on Facebook but just in case... here they are:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Beijing</span></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Random and general pictures of my time in Beijing.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002826&l=77e24&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 1</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002835&l=49d98&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 2</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003051&l=3ceb2&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 3</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City</span></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pictures taken on the trip to the aforementioned locations within the heart of Beijing. :) And Jing Shan Park... except my camera's battery died.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002860&l=965e3&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 1</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cultural Tibet</span></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The pictures when A trip went to Yunnan and Sichuan provinces for two weeks and spent time getting to know more about China's minority peoples and living their life, we specialized in the Tibetans and we stayed with them for a good while. Even though it really isn't Tibet, it might as well be because when you're there, it's like you're not even really in China. And learning the meaning of "tired."</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002966&l=2e63f&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 1</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002967&l=cc955&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 2</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002968&l=34a41&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 3</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002970&l=f41a6&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 4</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sushi Night</span></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Friends, some of our Chinese roommates, and I all went out for some sushi. :) Here's an album full of pictures of it all.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003027&l=a398c&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 1</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Great Wall</span></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We went to the Great Wall and we took an unnecessary amount of pictures - but it's not like we go to the Great Wall everyday, right? AND it's one of the seven wonders of the world. :) This amount of pictures is mandatory.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003028&l=a51f0&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 1</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003039&l=2d68b&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 2</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003040&l=0e86c&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 3</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003042&l=cae33&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 4</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2003043&l=e9959&id=1548390027"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Part 5</span></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-78254475676410708412008-08-22T11:00:00.002-05:002008-08-22T11:18:33.887-05:00Last-Minute Packing<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I am not one bit surprised to see how my departure date has sneaked up on me and I still haven't packed yet. Last I checked, I was still two weeks away from leaving, but now, I find out it's the Friday before I'm leaving - leaves me with barely two days of packing, since my flight leaves at 6:30 AM on Sunday morning. (Who in the world decided this, anyway??)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Well, so far, I bought a new (and more sturdy backpack) which is also waterproof. And thanks to one of my friends, I have a new set of pajamas suitable for the more colder climates that she gave me as a going-away gift. I find it funny that we're only to pack a little as we're expected to buy the other half when we get there, but it's going to be hard. Also, since I dislike shopping so much. :) Either way, I may have a limited amount of clothes that I enjoy wearing, but it will still be difficult to pick and choose which ones to bring with me. I already made a basic packing list with the rough number of each item I plan to take, but I have long ago realised that I pretty much never go with things that are planned. I do better when I go with the flow. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It will be interesting though. I never enjoyed packing (I guess it's how you have to stuff a good amount of stuff into a tiny space) and now I have to pack for four months on the other side of the world in such a limited amount of time. Even so, I don't find myself regretful of my consistent procrastination. After all, it works for me. When I do things ahead, I end up having to do it over again because I end up forgetting anyway. I guess the beginnings of pre-departure jitters is started to appear as well. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Honestly, my mind is the only part of me that's aware that I'm supposed to be leaving soon. The other part of me is still telling me how I still have time to prepare. haha... last night, I found myself listening to both of my parents telling me random pieces of advice and asking me if I needed this or that. A good part of me was puzzled because, after all, I still had </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">time</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. -roll eyes- </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I suppose there is one thing I'm nervous about. The airport. I've never traveled alone, though I'm very excited to. The thing is that I don't know where to go, what to do. Whenever I went to the airport before, we were also in somewhat of a hurry and the goal was to follow my parents - not to mention there were checkpoints that you can't pass unless you had a ticket or something. Therefore, I never had the opportunity to properly explore the facility (I tried). I always thought it was neat though. The fact that if it was a large airport, you could hear snippets of various languages and I always loved guessing what was being said and what the language was. If I knew it - all the better! Now... I'll be going to a country where the main official language isn't English - it's something quite different. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yes, I do understand a good amount of it, but I myself am not quite that fluent. Also since I'm a very introverted individual. I suppose with the four months that I'll be there, I should get used to it soon enough. :) I was always a flexible person and I like changes. This will certainly be a trip to remember, I think. Hopefully, it'll be one of the more interesting ones, instead of another college experience - just in another country. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Even if everything seems to be normal and routine-like, I will </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">make </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">this a trip to remember. After all, I didn't pay all that money just to study. </span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-70208119881374884572008-08-03T00:34:00.002-05:002008-08-03T00:55:00.735-05:00Countdown<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's amazing that I only have twenty-one more days until I leave for China. I still haven't wrapped my mind about it, even though I've been going through the actions that makes it obvious I'll be leaving soon. For instance, I was watching the Travel Channel's China Week (even though a good part of it was reruns) and I have my packing list so I know if I need anything. I'm a normally pretty simple girl, not materialistic at all. I mean, the only reason why I have an iTouch is because my boyfriend won it and since he knows how long the flight is there, he's letting me borrow it (but not before he made sure I knew not to lose it or harm it in any way, shape or form, of course). Other than that, that only high-tech thing I own (and cannot live without, literally), would be my laptop, Xavier. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">That would make sense, then, that among the top of my list, I needed to get an outlet converter - or whatever those things are called. I don't know how it works as I can't really try it out here, but it seems to be pretty straight-forward. As you can tell by the tense of my statement, I already bought it. I also bought an XD Card Reader/Writer so I can upload pictures from my digital camera (I had lost the original USB cord about a year or so earlier). With the two main things to buy, it turns out that my current cell phone, a Nokia, is unable to be used internationally - so I have to use my sister's Razr. It normally wouldn't be a problem, but hers is PINK. Saying that I dislike that color is an understatement. My Razr is SILVER - a much better color. Unfortunately, it was faulty when I last used it, which was why I was incredibly happy when I got a new one. No offense to the old one, but I needed a working cell phone. I actually like my Nokia - a lot - because it doubles as an iPod/mp3, but much cheaper AND it's a classic black and white. -_- Bummer. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I suppose when you want to do something really bad, there are certain sacrifices one has to make. One such as abandoning my "manliness" in place of my sister's horrifyingly pink cell phone - but at least it works, right? I usually don't care about many things, but I do have standards, you know. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Another big thing that pounded the fact that I'll be leaving soon is that my passport - Chinese Visa and all - had come via Fedex. :) It's amazing I paid that much and waited that long for that little booklet with a sticker in there, but that's foreign relations for you. Also since China's reportedly having stricter security with the Summer 2008 Olympics being in Beijing and all. Not like it matters much to me since I'll be missing it anyway. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Oh gosh! This is exciting! I know it is! I just don't feel the intense giddiness quite yet. I mean, I honestly knew there was a world outside of Texas - I was born in California, after all, AND the two states are completely different. But sometimes I wonder if there are really other countries out there. It's nice that there are documentaries and such and the Travel Channel is the best, but even though common sense is screaming at me, a part of me still has the mentality that if I don't see it and if it doesn't happen to me, then there's still a chance that it doesn't exist. O_o I know, right? Nuts. Either way, that's who I am; even though I know something, I don't really </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">know </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">it. The possibilities are endless and the impossible may become possible in the blink of an eye.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I mean, once upon a time, people actually thought the universe revolved around </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Earth</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. haha...</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-74319667764764756882008-07-11T18:00:00.002-05:002008-07-11T18:59:24.344-05:00Dreams and Revising<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I know that I am not the only one that goes through the whole lets-dream-about-an-anticipated-event-shortly-before-it-occurs. Well, this morning, I awoke from a dream where I was in China. The oddest thing was that it made absolutely no sense whatsoever. First, some of my friends from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">here </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">were </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">there </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">- and I know that they have no wish of going to China, even if they were going to study abroad. Second, the building that I recall being in distinctly reminded myself of the school buildings here. I'm not saying that the buildings there would be noticeably different, but from some of the pictures that I've seen so far of Beijing Foreign Studies University looked a smidge more... older and run-down than what I remember "seeing". Now that I think about it, it resembled my high school's cafeteria. O_o Anyway, third of all, I was somehow telling my friends what I thought of China like I had already been there for a while. The weirdest thing, however, was that when I told them the stories, I actually had 'flashbacks' - if you could even call something a flashback when I've never been there before. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This dream, I have to say, is the beginning of my coming to acknowledge that I shall be going to China and living there for about four months shortly. This fact has not actually hit me quite yet. This is usually the case and I most likely won't "realise" this rather important fact until the night before. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">That is to say, from this day forward, I shall start blogging more about what I think might happen, how I feel; my anticipations, my discomfitures, my thoughts, and my questions shall be made known. (Yes, I'm sure a part of my subconscious is anxiously awaiting when I can actually blog about my experiences on site, instead of pre-departure jitters and ideas.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">On another note, I also recently realised that my knowledge of the Chinese language has diminished quite a bit since I left Austin. It makes sense. After all, I had Chinese class every weekday: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for an hour, and every Tuesday and Thursday for an hour an a half. On top of that, I almost had a quiz, test, or homework assignment due every day so I had to practice it. With class that fast paced (we went through a lesson a week to two lessons a week on the cramped ones), I relied on that to get me to actually learn it. I remember being able to recall most of the words, how to write it, their pin-yin with their tones, and their English translation. I could read all of them - with the older terms, I could still recall them, I just needed a bit more time. Now, I find myself only being able to write a good number, but seriously lacking when compared to my previous knowledge. As for reading it, I find that I may recognise a character and I may know how to write it, but I really have to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">think </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">in order to get the pin-yin, not to mention the tones. And the oddest thing is that sometimes, the translation of it may slip my mind completely.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">These weeks since school was let out, I would 'practice' my Chinese by listening to my Chinese songs and writing down what I understand and know how to write. Of course, it's very frustrating that I may understand something, but I don't know how to write it. (The curse of having a background in Chinese.) Obviously, it's not very thorough with going through all the characters I learned.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It is time that I open my orange course books and reviewed every single one of them until I can recite them from memory like I could a mere two months ago.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-92191359566286826302008-07-01T22:54:00.000-05:002008-07-01T23:22:26.112-05:00The Baffling Houston-to-Beijing Route<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I was making a review for my World Literature test/final tomorrow and I decided I wanted to take a break. Of course, I had no idea what to do so I looked at the drop down menu from Google Search and I saw "Continental Airline" - which happens to be the same airline I'll be flying with to Beijing. (What a coincidence, right?) Well, I saw it as a sign and I went to their official website and found their </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/routes/co-world_200807.pdf">International Route Map</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I knew how I was going to get there and my stop, but I didn't have the visual portion of it factored in. So, I quickly found that little dot labeled "Houston" and I knew the stop would be in Newark. What I didn't know was that Newark was in New York (at least it is, according to that map); I had originally thought Newark was in New Jersey. Seeing this, I decided I was really excited: I'd never gone further north than Sacramento and I've never been in New England and New York was THE state I wanted to go to if I would ever go to New England (never mind the fact that I'll only be there for an hour or so, tops). Then... I searched for a route line further East connecting Newark to Beijing. Lo and behold, I find NONE. In fact, the only route that connects from the U.S. to Beijing is from Newark but it's going </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >west</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In short, I found out that I will be leaving Houston to go eastward to New York (a very cool fact), then I'll be wasting gas and flying back across the United States to get to Beijing. Who knows? Maybe the people who's job is to make up these routes figured out and/or decided that the route would be shorter from Newark to Beijing - but then I thought: what about people from California? Would they have to go all the way to New York to board another plane that would only go back to where they came from? It seems a bit pointless, right? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I decided to peruse the map a bit more. Another fact that was realised was that the only flight from Houston to Asia landed in Tokyo. I thought that pretty neat - too bad I am going to Beijing. Am I the only person who thinks this odd???</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Of course this fact made me want to go to Japan even MORE. I suppose I will just have to suck it up (like how I have to suck up the fact I won't be going to Taiwan or South Korea quite yet) and content myself with how Japan IS much closer to Beijing, when compared to the distance between the U.S. and Japan. I could just walk outside when I'm in Beijing, turn to the east and breathe deeply, knowing that I have possibly sucked in some air molecules that had been in Japan (and Korea) the day before, though exponentially more polluted. In fact, I can also do this with Taiwan!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Actually, the more I think about it, the more I take it back. I have a history of asthma, though it was only childhood asthma. It might not be a good idea for me to do that. I suppose I'll just take comfort in how I WILL eventually travel there before I die. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There. That's something doable. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Signing out to go finish my review and do my OTHER review for my OTHER final tomorrow...</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family:SimSun;">再見 <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and </span></span><span style=";font-family:SimSun;font-size:100%;" lang="ZH-CN" >晚安</span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family:SimSun;">!!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">**It has come to my attention that the time zone this blog is in is not the same as the one I'm in. For instance, it is not 8 something at night right now. It's actually 11:22 PM. I shall fix this.</span><br /></p>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316778522042997824.post-19342230862292719942008-06-30T15:05:00.000-05:002008-06-30T16:06:37.721-05:00The Mind Behind the Blog<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This blog's purpose is to record everything that happens from a month before my arrival in Beijing up till the end of the program. I cannot lay claim that I have a way with words (because I don't), but I shall try to make it as interesting as possible. Seeing as I'll be going to Beijing for </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >school </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and it's </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >after </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the Summer Olympics, there most likely won't be much to start with - then again this is the first time I will be leaving the U.S. for parts unknown, so I just might be excited about every little thing. In fact, why am I kidding myself? I </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >will </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">be excited about every little thing. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Let me start at the beginning, shall I?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am a junior in college and it has always been my dream to travel. This might be the result of several factors. I was born in California and grew up in West Covina the first eight years of my life. When I was in third grade, my family moved to Texas. My sister and I were never informed of the rather important fact that the move was permanent - I was under the impression we were going to visit our maternal grandparents. Needless to say, after staying in Texas for months on end and finally enrolling in school here, we got the point. Besides that, and traveling to a number of western states, Disney World, and up and down California, I had never really went anywhere else. Unless you count the incident where my parents took a wrong turn on the highway and entered Baja California at one point - but since I was still nestled in my mother's womb at this point, it doesn't count - I had never left the United States. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Don't get me wrong, I like the U.S. for the most part. I just got tired of it, not to mention the fact that most of my friends have traveled, lived, and/or was born in a different country and had all of these interesting stories, I was feeling rather deprived. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >So</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, I thought, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >why not kill two birds with one stone and travel, live, </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >study abroad?</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> I thought this a fine idea, and so I did it. During my sophomore year in college, I did some research and persuading of my parents and I finally decided to apply to IES' Beijing Intensive Language Program. I had the option of living in a homestay or in a dorm and the classes were hosted in Beijing Foreign Studies University, otherwise known as BeiWai and Beijing Wai Guo Yu Da Xue (北京外國語大學). Back in high school, I had dreams of studying abroad in Europe, specifically France, but then I came to the conclusion that it would be too expensive. Then, I came across the idea of studying abroad in Japan, but I quickly knocked that down when I saw that the costs for one semester totaled at around $20,000 and I'm sorry, but I am not made out of money, no matter how much I want to go. Then, I moved onto Taiwan and China and it made a whole lot more sense.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Taiwan was my first choice since the Chinese that I wanted to learn is more influenced by Taiwan, I am currently obsessed with their entertainment industry, and I could knock out the rest of my Chinese credits that I needed for my major. The problem was that the study abroad fair had no pamphlets for Taiwan (possibly since the U.S. doesn't acknowledge the country as a country) and I'm rather impatient, so I skipped through that. I moved onto China. First, I started out in Hong Kong, since I am a native speaker of Cantonese, though it has died as I grew up, but the Chinese I needed was Mandarin. Then I went to Shanghai and Nanjing and though they seemed interesting, no one I knew knew anything about the cities besides the obvious. There was also another thing that I factored in: weather. I hate Texas weather, which is probably why I dislike Texas. There was no way that I was going to study abroad for about 4 months in another country where the weather would be akin to that of Texas'. The last choice left was Beijing. There was smog due to excessive pollution - which means a delightful lack of sunlight and UV rays. The hottest it got was in the 80s, which is important since I'll be living there from August. The city had the ability to snow - and the field trips went throughout NORTHERN China, generally. Not to mention that, unfortunately, the Chinese I learn at UT Austin is influenced by Beijing, so I could just continue learning that while learning the Taiwanese Mandarin version myself. (This is where I have to admit that there was one point in time where I was completely against learning Mandarin. It turned out that the Mandarin dialect I've been hearing was with that strong Beijing accent. I gave my friends permission to smack me upside the head when I come back and speak with that particular accent. The Taiwanese version, however, I find is pleasing to the ears.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now, the things I believe will make this trip so much the better, interesting, and funner - if not more difficult. My family is </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Chinese-American</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, for the most part (my parents were born in Vietnam). It is pretty sad when you resemble an Asian but you don't know how to speak your language well enough. This is pretty good motivation for me to get better - unfortunately, I also have a healthy dislike for being wrong so I tend to speak in a language other than Mandarin, even when I have the word(s) already in my mind. The two cancel the other out. Then, if you add in the fact that being American entails a stereotype of being rich in Asia, we have a problem. Of course, this wouldn't be as bad since I am Asian, but I have had a large number of people think that I'm Japanese or mixed (something I find highly amusing). The other bit is that my family, and due to the fact that I live with them, and I, are vegetarian for religious reasons. I can honestly say I will have some problems there. Of course, I am </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >mostly a vegetarian</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> which is worse enough in China, but coupled with that fact that my family also avoids onion, garlic, and other items in their family, that makes it even more difficult. At least I'm not studying abroad in Japan, because my weakness is sushi. I know, out of all of the meat-items that I'm willing to eat, raw fish is it. Well, I can't help it! The beautiful combination of raw fish, vinegared rice, seaweed, soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger is heavenly! This also collides rather spectacularly with the promise that I made to myself encompassing my firm belief that traveling requires one to explore the country's culture, and FOOD is a large part of that said culture. I will say no more on that. Also, I am partial to <span style="font-weight: bold;">traditional Chinese</span>. In fact, I am downright biased when it comes down to it. Unfortunately, simplified Chinese is the main way to go in mainland China, though both simplified and traditional are used in Hong Kong. Another unfortunate fact: I am rather stubborn. Also, I refuse to acknowledge reading and speaking "兒" when it's absolutely unnecessary to be understood. What a shame that </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">兒 is integral to that Beijing accent...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Needless to say, the trip will be a very interesting one, and depending on the availability (and quality) of the Internet that I had better be getting in China, I intend to blog about every step that I take there. Figuratively speaking, that is. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Unfortunately, I still have a ways to go. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Almost two months worth of waiting, to be more specific.</span>Sirhinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08516426012894120906noreply@blogger.com0