I love China but it really is so inconvenient here. If you're confused as to what exactly I am talking about, I just mean everything.
Inconvenience #1. You can't drink the tap water. Oh do I miss the days where I could just go to my sink and fill me up a nice glass of water.
#2. You can't flush toilet paper. If you don't get that, then just think about it for a while. Luckily we can in our apartment because it's newer, but I swear if our toilet starts flooding because we are I'm gonna get mad! But when you go to public places? Nope.
#3. They don't supply toilet paper for you. Just annoying.
#4. They don't just give you the bags when you go to the grocery store. You have to pay for them. PAY. Next time you go to the grocery store, be grateful you get those things for free.
#5. Don't even think about sitting down to take a rest on a bench. Because they sure don't have those here. I have yet to see a bench anywhere. Even in Hong Kong or Beijing. They just don't have them. If you want to take a rest, you go into that squatting position that they all love. I do not do it because it's extremely uncomfortable for me and I just fall over. Those Asians are just built different.
#6. There are no lines here. You could be standing in something you think is a line and someone will walk right in front of you. So I've had to learn. Today in the grocery store while I was waiting to weigh my fruit, I could see a lady behind me to the right trying to inch her way in front of me. But I wouldn't have it! I don't care if I have three bags and you only have one. Go to America and see what happens when you try and cut like that!
#7. No dryer. We do it the old fashion way here by hanging out clothes up. Which takes about twice as long here as it would in the states because its so dang humid.
#8. Our shower has no curtain or anything to stop the water from going all over the floor. Just a shower head and a drain right next to the toilet. It's not too powerful so it's not too bad.
#9. They must not like couches here because ours is basically a brick with fabric over it.
#10. You can't really walk around barefoot anywhere. Even in our apartment. It's just dirty. And no matter how much you clean it, it just gets dirty again right after. So right when we walk in, we have to put out slipper shoes on. I miss the carpet in my house.
The purpose of this post is not to complain to everyone. Because I'm not. I've already gotten used to all this. I just want everyone to be grateful for how much we all have in America. It really is a life of luxury. People here would kill to go to America. So be happy you live in such a wonderful country.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Huuuuufei.
Greetings from Hefei.
Since China so graciously blocked all of the sites I normally go to, Hannah and I had to figure out some way to get past it all. She found some proxy site, so good news! I can blog now! I actually don’t even really know where to start. The two weeks in Hong Kong and Beijing were wonderful; I had so much fun. I got to climb the great wall (again) but this time I went all the way to the top and made the whole loop around to the other side. It was kinda rough but after I felt like I was on top of the world! I don’t know how the Huns climbed up so quickly in Mulan. Must be those biceps. We also had about a 15 minute paparazzi session with random Chinese, which was flattering. The Chinese sure do love us here. Little do they know that we’re nothing special in America. The only reason people would ever want to take a picture of or with me in America was if a) I was famous (which I’m not) or b) I was making a fool of myself. Anyways we went to all the touristy places and it was fun to hang out with my two good friends Hannah and Ryan. We went to the Silk and Pearl Markets where I did some hard bargaining and got yelled at by pushy Asian lady’s. They’re especially pushy in the purse section. They just grab at you like you’re a piece of meat! I’ve made some enemies there. It was sad to separate into our cites because Hannah and I got close with Ryan and also Jacob, the one who started it all. China Horizons that is.
Anyways, now I’m here in the city of Hefei where I have been teaching little children conversational English. I have mostly been teaching 3 and 4 year olds. A bit tough considering they don’t know much English but they are fun to teach and some are super adorable. Our apartment is very nice, as far as China apartments go. I would put pictures up but this cursed proxy site won't let me do it! Anyways, Hannah and I have just been exploring the city and getting stared at. I find that if you just give them a nice smile and wave then they are happy. :) We've done a little bit of shopping but not too much. No worries though! I'll be coming home with plenty!
It's weird though sometimes I forget I'm in China. I wake up and think, where am I? Not home, not school... China? Oh ya! Each day I'm here gets better. The city is very beautiful and we live in a really nice part of town. Most of the people here have been very friendly and helpful. And all of the people who work at our school with us are very, very sweet and always willing to help. Teaching has been good so far. It gets frustrating just because they are little and crazy, but I hope they get used to me and maybe calm down a little. Sometimes I wonder what I'm even doing here. I don't want to be an elementary teacher. But I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be right now. I obviously can't share any of the gospel here, but I really want to be a good example. I felt good last night at our banquet telling everyone that I don't drink. It's just not the norm there and they really notice things like that. Anyways, I'm really loving it. I feel like the next four months will change me for the better. Hopefully when I come out of it I will know what I want to do with my life. I would really love that right now. For now I'll just keeping teaching and having a good time. Peace.
Since China so graciously blocked all of the sites I normally go to, Hannah and I had to figure out some way to get past it all. She found some proxy site, so good news! I can blog now! I actually don’t even really know where to start. The two weeks in Hong Kong and Beijing were wonderful; I had so much fun. I got to climb the great wall (again) but this time I went all the way to the top and made the whole loop around to the other side. It was kinda rough but after I felt like I was on top of the world! I don’t know how the Huns climbed up so quickly in Mulan. Must be those biceps. We also had about a 15 minute paparazzi session with random Chinese, which was flattering. The Chinese sure do love us here. Little do they know that we’re nothing special in America. The only reason people would ever want to take a picture of or with me in America was if a) I was famous (which I’m not) or b) I was making a fool of myself. Anyways we went to all the touristy places and it was fun to hang out with my two good friends Hannah and Ryan. We went to the Silk and Pearl Markets where I did some hard bargaining and got yelled at by pushy Asian lady’s. They’re especially pushy in the purse section. They just grab at you like you’re a piece of meat! I’ve made some enemies there. It was sad to separate into our cites because Hannah and I got close with Ryan and also Jacob, the one who started it all. China Horizons that is.
Anyways, now I’m here in the city of Hefei where I have been teaching little children conversational English. I have mostly been teaching 3 and 4 year olds. A bit tough considering they don’t know much English but they are fun to teach and some are super adorable. Our apartment is very nice, as far as China apartments go. I would put pictures up but this cursed proxy site won't let me do it! Anyways, Hannah and I have just been exploring the city and getting stared at. I find that if you just give them a nice smile and wave then they are happy. :) We've done a little bit of shopping but not too much. No worries though! I'll be coming home with plenty!
It's weird though sometimes I forget I'm in China. I wake up and think, where am I? Not home, not school... China? Oh ya! Each day I'm here gets better. The city is very beautiful and we live in a really nice part of town. Most of the people here have been very friendly and helpful. And all of the people who work at our school with us are very, very sweet and always willing to help. Teaching has been good so far. It gets frustrating just because they are little and crazy, but I hope they get used to me and maybe calm down a little. Sometimes I wonder what I'm even doing here. I don't want to be an elementary teacher. But I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be right now. I obviously can't share any of the gospel here, but I really want to be a good example. I felt good last night at our banquet telling everyone that I don't drink. It's just not the norm there and they really notice things like that. Anyways, I'm really loving it. I feel like the next four months will change me for the better. Hopefully when I come out of it I will know what I want to do with my life. I would really love that right now. For now I'll just keeping teaching and having a good time. Peace.
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