The Other Side of the Wall

This Sunday I met up with a family and went with them to a building with a 6 food electric fence and glass shards on top of the wall surrounding that. There was a beggar sitting outside that didn't have a leg and it seemed almost ominous. This wasn't some haunted house or government building in the middle of a war, it was a church. The first real church I have seen since I have been here. 

I didn't even bring a Bible to China because I didn't want to risk anything (risk what, I am not quite sure). Walking to this church was refreshing even with the massive shards of glass at the entrance protecting it. I didn't feel unsafe or like I would be attacked. it was pretty funny because I happened to be going to this church on the day of the 90th year of the Communist party. Ironic, huh? But I will have to admit, it was surreal going to this church. The bigger building was the "chinese service" and we were sent to the still pretty but smaller building for the English service. Even in the English service, white was by far the minority. I could possibly count the number of white people in about a minute even though there were about 150 people in the room. It was interesting even more that 2 American families were leaving after being there for 9 years. It seems that no one intends to stay in Shanghai for the rest of their lives. They requested to know at the end of the service who was there for their last summer. About 15 people raised their hand... 3/4 were white. 

Being in China has made me think that I could definitely live in Shanghai. It is not too different than the US in some areas. But being in the church made me think about my future more and more. Do I want to be that person that never expects to stay in one place for the rest of their life? This isn't the hour and half move that I did when I was 9, this is completely displacing yourself only to know that this isn't really home for the rest of your life. I know that if I went to China, it would not be for the rest of my life. The family that I stayed with was already talking about how they were going back to America in 4 years. But I don't want to grow a life and family in an area just to decide to totally move them after 7 years. 

The future is a scary one. Good thing I was able to go to church this week, because God only knows where I am going to end up. The same goes for whoever is reading this. 

On another note: Eating Mexican food in China... sooo surreal but a great change from chopsticks and chinese food. And in case anyone was wondering, no I still cannot use chopsticks very well. 

One month down. Beijing tomorrow!

-Abs

The Low Down

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charlotte Decker <cadecker9@gmail.com>
Date: 2011/6/20
Subject: The Low Down
To: "cadecker9.china" <cadecker9.china@blogger.com>


So to summarize my trip of Hangzhou, I decided to make bullet points. I will use bullet points to explain why: 

• Bullet points are quick and efficient.
• If gives you a good summary of what you actually need to know.
• I have a problem with typing too much. 

That being said, here is the quick (bullet-pointed) summary of my trip to Hangzhou and today with a few pictures if it is actually working. I will continue hopefully posting real photos and not imaginary ones for a whole month. 

• I can officially check "Be in a Monsoon" off of my life bucket list. It was the most rain I have ever seen in my life. Really. 
• Hangzhou's Taxi Cabs hate Americans. It's official. We ran up to one and they drove an extra 30 feet ahead when we got there so they could pick up a Chinese woman instead. Mind you, this was in the monsoon. 
• Best way to get a cab in Hangzhou: We ended up turning around and letting my Korean (chinese-looking) friend flag down a cab. Little did they know they would be taking the enemy with them too. Got'cha!
• Xihu (West Lake) was the first place I can actually say was pretty in China. (Picture attached...hopefully).  
• We found a Sweet Frog-like place in Hangzhou! Little did we know our small cup would cost the same as our dinner for 2 people. Whoops
• 爆炸巧克力(baozha qiaokeli)=chocolate explosion: We found a great definition of this in Hangzhou in the form of something with the brand name Collon. Appetizing, right? All bad connotations with this will be erased once you try one of these things. 
• Hangzhou is world famous for their silk. While I did go to the Silk History Museum, I didn't actually buy any silk. It is probably for the best because I discovered today that the stuff my friends bought was fake. #winning
• Instead of going for a night out on the town, my room mate, another girl, and myself decided to take showers, don our bathrobes from the hotel, and watch American movies. It was fantastic. 
• The breakfast in the hotel was excellent! Complete with your choice of some form of egg rice, lo mein, watermelon, french fries with ketchup, and complete with hot orange juice. I swear it was a lot better than it sounds. 
• Yingli si was BY FAR my favorite place of the trip. It's a Buddhist Temple and I can only describe it as unbelievable. It has the biggest statue in China and the amount of work put into rebuilding this place blew me away. (Since its construction about 2000 years ago, it has been torn down and rebuilt about 16 times!) Also, the dedication of the people there was unbelievable. I liked it most because it was actually real. People were actually there worshipping and Monks were actually there. It was breath taking to watch. Not to mention, the architecture and design was amazing. I think I am starting to take after my mom more and more on the whole religion fascination. 
• We also went to TIger Springs, 6 Harmonies Pagoda, Hefang Jie and Xixi (a wetland of sorts). So much to see in such a little time. So exhausting and the first time I have felt like a tourist on this trip. 
• I have officially used a hole in the ground as a toilet at a rest stop. AWKWARD. 
• Don't ever watch China's Got Talent. It is god awful. I gave you full warning.
• Live eels were chilling in an aquarium in the lobby of the restaurant we ate in yesterday. Along with turtles and the rest of the fish and stuff that were going to be cooked once someone ordered them. Mind you, this is also the display in our college cafeteria here. Really a nice decorative touch. 
• With that being said I can't wait to go to Beijing and spend a whole week! Shopping galoreeeee so I hear! 

A note for my day today: 

The sky was actually blue today and we could see the sun!!! I think this is China's form of a rainbow from God since it is impossible to ever actually have a rainbow here. Lesson from today: even if the hardest rains occur, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. It was so nice and I was finally able to go for a run. Mind you, a run that I felt like I was being asphyxiated during but it was still a run none the less! Also, China's watermelon might just be better than America's. They give them a good run for their money. 

So this still ended up being pretty long, but hopefully the next will be better. It is a work in progress.

Good morning America, Good night to me! 

-Abs

Thought for the Day...

I will write about my weekend in Hangzhou later, but until then... some food for thought from one of my all time favorite songs that always makes me stop and think. Mind you, my favorite song is definitely "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows (which has nothing inspirational and is a little drab), but this one is about a centimeter away and may surpass the first song at some point in my life. Thank you "No Such Thing" by John Mayer. 

"They love to tell you 

stay inside the lines.

But something's better 

on the other side." 

Preview photo of Hangzhou should be attached. If it isn't... I will have to post an array later... in a month. 

-Abs

PS. China is not too friendly with signatures so until my return to the motherland, plain jane font will have to suffice. 

Let the Rain Fall

This month in Shanghai is known as the rainy month and I know
precisely why now. It has not gone 2 days without rain since I have
been here. But this rain isn't the kind of summer thunderstorm you get
in the South where it comes violent and fast. These "showers" are long
and persistent, most of the time lasting the wholeeeee day. Bummer,
right? Not so much for me.

I don't know if people know this about me, but something about
listening and seeing rain just makes me a) so relaxed and b) so
unbelievably happy. During my hour one-on-one with my teacher, we got
on the discussion of rain (because I accidently overslept during my
afternoon nap) and it made me wonder, why DO I like rain so much?
China has helped me find this answer, and it is so simple.

It cleanses.

In a city that is soooo dirty and the air so muggy, the air is always
cleanest after these rain showers end. You can actually see a mile out
from my dorm window and it reveals the world as we should see it
without our own inhibitions. I can sit for hours and just think while
listening to the rain because it almost cleanses my mind of my own
inhibitions. Should I go for a run? What is going on downtown today?
Do I have to water the plants? It doesn't matter, because it is
raining. God has taken care of that decision for me (and we all know
I need help with decision making). It's great. Rain kind of makes you
realize what is important in at the present time. If the time arises
that you want to still go for that run, I don't know if you have ever
taken a run or a swim in your pool in a summer rain shower but it is
one of the best feelings. Ever.

So don't get all down because it may be raining. Rather, embrace it.
We all need a good cleansing every once in a while.

Ni Hao!

你知道吗? : This is one of the most frequent phrases spoken to me while I have been here. "Do you know this?" Chinese people don't expect an American to get in their Taxi or walk into their store and start speaking Chinese to them, especially a college student. Now imagine yourself in their shoes? This is the total opposite of Americans, who expect everyone to be able to speak English in our country. When have you walked up to someone and realized that they do not speak a lick of English? Were you mad? Chinese seem to expect the complete opposite, as well as the rest of the world. In the first few days this trip has taught me one huge thing besides Chinese: Open your eyes to the world around you. 

I do not even know how to describe China... It is modern and old, super dirty and pretty clean, has zero health regulations but has a huge government hold on society. It is everything bundled into one. We just started our language pledge and have almost been doing it for 24 hours but it seems like it has been forever already. Every day conversation is not too bad so far, but the classes here are really demanding and let's just say I have never had a greater desire to study for 7 hours a day than here (scary thought, huh?). I am not quite sure how I feel about being in China yet. It actually isn't as bad as I was expecting and I am not home sick, but it is similar to the feeling that you have when first staying at a friends house-- you are comfortable but at the same time it is missing certain comforts you expect in a home. Maybe the water tastes different or you take showers at a certain time. This is the exact same with China. Even Lay's Chips has a certain Asian taste about them. The restaurants appear different, the showers work differently, even the Google here pops up differently. It is those little comforts that make you realize just how important home is. There is nothing like home. Nada. 

While you should always open your eyes to the world around you, it is also important to appreciate where you come from. Home is always the place that will feel the same when you return from a long trip but, definitely the place we may no appreciate the most. 

On another note, China is the one place you have to let your sanitary guards down and eat whatever. Half of the time, I have no idea what I put into my mouth... let's just say sometimes it turns out great and sometimes not so great. Oh and if you are considering ever going for a run in China, I recommend doing it. I don't think they have ever seen an American running before..