Some Chinese Surprises, Part 3

I would maintain a U.S. banking account just to be on the safe side. And make sure the bank uses Zelle.

Chinese bank cards are good for 10 years. However, the U.S. bank cards usually expire every two to three years. I was in Beijing the last time my card expired. I had it sent via FedEx to the school, which kindly agreed to watch out for it.

China Post

This time, however, my detailed residence address didn’t work. Chinese mail is not like mail in the U.S. I wasn’t sure which post office handled mail for my apartment complex. After several weeks, I asked my credit union to send my card to the China Post located on campus. I requested it be sent FedEx, but the credit union said the China Post address wasn’t valid, probably because the China Post was on a street with no name, and the building had no number. So I requested it be sent regular mail, USPS to China Post, at the branch located at the college, in a dormitory. I asked my Chinese phone number be on the front so when China Post received it they could text me. (They never did.) But after checking two weeks in a row, it showed up.

My Traveling Mailbox

It’s not that I use the card to buy very much. But my Traveling Mailbox was paid via the card, and they had cancelled my account because of non-payment. I finally got it working again, but it seems everything else got paid via PayPal, or was directly taken out of my account. So I think I’ll set up PayPal for Traveling Mailbox, so I won’t have any more interruptions. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Google Play was paid via PayPal.

Bank Account with Zelle–Trust Me

The last time I’d used the card was to withdraw money because the college took two and a half months to pay me. Frantic that I was running out of money, I withdrew some cash from my U.S. account so I could still eat. I had no idea when I would get paid, so I had to make the money last.

The reason why you should have a home bank account with Zelle available is because of Swapsy. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

How much are eggs in China? About $3.62 for 30. Jealous yet?

Check out my Patreon here. It’s only $5 a month!

See last week’s post here.

Come Together, Right Now, over RedNote

One of my former students asked me if I’d heard anything about American Tik Tok users coming over to RedNote, which is known in Chinese as Xiăo Hōng Shū, pronounced Zeeow hong shoe, or Little Red Book. I hadn’t heard anything, but a couple days after his message, got on YouTube (my main news outlet here) to check it out.

I used to be on Tik Tok. I can’t really understand the appeal of it. Plus, my account got deleted and I can’t figure out how to get it back. But I guess it’s a boon for small businesses. A rancher made a video, someone saw it, and asked if the cows in the background of the video were for sale. The rancher himself said Facebook and Instagram are dead, which doesn’t bode well for me. I can’t seem to figure out Tik Tok.

Tik Tok, on the Clock, but the party might stop

But the ban is alarming. In a country where it seems that everyone needs a second job JUST to survive, many people have been making bank on Tik Tok. And it’s helping small businesses. So after my students’ questions, I checked into it. I found that John Oliver of Last Week Tonight did an entire show on it. I watched some other videos too. (But not the Serpentza one.) And the looming ban seems to be sparking a cultural revolution.

It’s because Chinese and American citizens can talk to each other, uncensored. And from the comments I’ve seen on videos, people are welcoming this. The U.S. mainstream media seems to be nobody’s friend. It’s been building up, and ever since Luigi Mangione’s Robin Hood act, people are more leery and angry at the mainstream media. People rightly wonder how so many people can be so dumb. The MSM was aghast at Mangione’s vigilante justice, wondering how anyone could do such a thing. This hands-throwing in the air, and wondering what the motive was made everyone NOT in the media roll their eyes.

Mainstream Media isn’t telling you that you’ll hardly see any homeless people here

Because MSM knows. But like a sitcom, MSM wants to distract us from the REAL problems. Upset about working two jobs? Fear not! If you just score the right gigs, you’ll be able to retire at age 45—provided your wealthy parents will cover living expenses while you invest your entire paycheck on a drop-shipping business.

Mainstream media isn’t telling you that you can walk around cities like Beijing and Guangzhou and barely see any homeless people. Rents are cheap by American standards. I used to pay $392 a month for a two-bedroom apartment without utilities. Now I pay zero. Yes, my employer GAVE me an apartment. And it’s brand-new, not some rat hole in a terrible neighborhood. You can get a plate full of food at one of several hundreds of restaurants in any given area for $3-4. Bus rides are anywhere from 14 to 28 cents. The subway is probably $1.50 round trip where I need to go, and if you need to go a ways, you might pay $1.50 one way. And I don’t even think about being shot at anymore when I go for a walk.

Americans are getting a glimpse of a China they didn’t know existed. And some Americans are trying to learn Mandarin so they can better communicate.

A Peaceful cultural revolution?

Tik Tok refugees is what these people who are flocking to RedNote are calling themselves. And I’m not surprised there are lots of other problems in the United States, as well as other popular apps that are invading privacy, that are blissfully ignored because they AREN’T owned by China. But I’m guessing a majority of Tik Tok users don’t have much valuable information to steal. As one teenage girl said on Last Week Tonight, she didn’t give a shit.

But it gladdens my heart to see ordinary Americans and ordinary Chinese citizens talking to each other. I told my students Chinese food is very popular in America, but I felt Americans feared and disliked China in general. If the Tik Tok ban causes a peaceful cultural revolution for the 21^st century, so be it.

Governments are the characters who want to turn ordinary citizens against each other, and against citizens of other countries who haven’t even met. From the love of American culture, I don’t think the Chinese have a beef with America or its culture OR its citizens. Maybe both sides might eye each other’s political systems with skepticism, but by talking with people who actually LIVE in those countries, we can find out from ordinary people, not the media, be it state-owned or mogul-owned, how things are really like. Nothing’s perfect anywhere, but China is definitely not some third-world hellhole the mainstream media describes it as being.

However, the longer I stay in China, the more the U.S. seems to be leaning into hellhole territory. I was watching videos of Kensington Avenue, a street in Philadelphia, birthplace of America, that truly looks like a failure of the American system. There’s no American dream there, just a nightmare.

Since I’m bad at Tik Tok, I’m begging for money here via Patreon

Hey there! Would you like to look forward to getting snail mail? Check out my Patreon–If you join for a mere $5 a month, send me your mailing address, and you’ll get a postcard every month featuring my original photography. If you like Elliott Erwitt’s photography, you might dig mine. I take pictures of dogs, cats, wacky signs, sunsets, cityscapes, found objects, and things that catch my eye.

You’ll get information about the photo, a tidbit about Chinese culture, and some cool stamps. Here’s the page: https://www.patreon.com/c/PostcardsfromABroad

And don’t forget I have a YouTube channel: Nowaylaowai.

Thanks to my newest subscribers!

I Left the U.S. Years ago–Here’s How I did it–BURNING QUESTIONS: What you should know before moving abroad

Do I have to be fluent in Chinese?

1.Do I have to be fluent in Chinese in order to teach in China?

No! Not at all. Although it helps if you learn Chinese, lots of people use language apps. It helps if you say, “Dui bu qi, wo de zhongwen bu hao.” Phonetically, you’d say, “Dway boo chee, whoa day chongwen boo how.”

It means, “Sorry my Chinese is bad.” Usually people will say, “mesa” which means, “no worries.” They will whip out their translation apps and you can communicate together. WeChat has a great and accurate translation feature, so if the other person is willing, you can add them and speak through the app.

What qualifications do I need?

2. What qualifications do I need to teach in China?

At least a four-year (bachelor’s) degree in ANYTHING, a 120-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate, and a clean criminal record. If you’ve raped or murdered someone, or you have a record of inflicting domestic abuse on someone, that will probably ruin your chances. You should probably be under 55. The government is changing the retirement age, but it seems to be 60 for both men and women for now. I’m 57 and I’m obviously still teaching. Exceptions are sometimes made, depending on how hard it is to get a visa for the province you are teaching in.

Do I need a lot of money?

3. Do I need a lot of money to start with?

Depends on what you mean by a “lot of money.” I think I came over here with about $3,000, but ran out and had to borrow from my school. However, I did pay them back and I’ve been solvent ever since, even through some challenging circumstances.

That being said, to be on the safe side, you’d want to arrive with at least $5,000. And you should have an emergency fund started, so you can access that money. Always have at least enough saved for a plane ticket home if things get too tough.

Do I need any previous teaching experience?

4. Do I need any previous teaching experience?

No, although any sort of experience teaching/working with young people is good. I had two weeks of training when I started at my first job. However, after that, there wasn’t much training at all, which was really frustrating.

Should I sell my house if I decide to teach overseas?

5. I own a house. Should I sell it if I decide to teach overseas?

No. I would see if you can rent it out, if you have a mortgage on it, or have a trusted friend/neighbor keep an eye on it, if you don’t decide to rent it. If you belong to a church, maybe you can have your house serve as emergency housing for someone who needs it. Sell your stuff, or put it into storage. While a lot of people stay overseas for a very long time, and sometimes decide to stay permanently, your experience may not be that great. Same with the cars. Consider loaning/renting vehicles out if you can. If you decide to do this, call your insurance agent and get the proper coverage needed.

I have several mental illnesses and conditions. Will this be an issue?

6. I have several mental illnesses/conditions and need meds. Will this be an issue?

It might. It depends on what medicines and mental health support you need. While mental illness is recognized more and more among young people here, culturally, people don’t discuss it much. You probably won’t get much sympathy if you need to take a few days off. And living in China can be bewildering, even after a few years. If you’re easily triggered, moving to China may not be the best fit. Of course, maybe some of the stressors that bother you back home may not bother you here. For example, I feel very, very safe. I don’t have to worry about being shot here. And people are very chill. I learned how to deal with things by myself because I’ve had to. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, because it most certainly isn’t.

I’m Overweight. Is there mobility assistance?

7. I’m overweight. Is there mobility assistance for people there?

If by “mobility assistance” you mean those shopping scooters you see at Walmart, I would say no. I call China, “The Land of the Stairs.” Because there are many, many, many stairs here. You’ll also have to walk quite a ways, because the subway stations are huge. That being said, I lost around thirty pounds the first year, and lost another 10 in the past couple years or so. My physical activity has really increased because I had no choice in the matter. If you can’t get around too easy because you’re really overweight, you won’t get a lot of sympathy. If you do say something, a response might be, “If you lost some weight, you wouldn’t have this problem.” Chinese people are pretty polite, but on the other hand, they don’t have to make concessions for really overweight people here, because honestly, you really don’t see a lot of ginormous people here. There are no plus-size stores or sections. You’re lucky if you can find an XL if you shop at H&M or Uniqlo. And if you go to the Great Wall and you’re overweight, take the Mutanyu location and opt for the ski lift up to the wall. Because if you climb the stairs to the Great Wall, (about an hour) once you get there, there are even more steps. Do yourself a favor and drop about 20 pounds or so. Trust me on this one.

What are restaurants like?

8. What are restaurants like?

Lots of McDonald’s and Starbucks and KFC. There’s even Burger King. But Taco Bell will be nonexistent unless you’re in Beijing or Shanghai. Most restaurants here are small, cozy places with basic seating—stools. Pick a place where they have pictures of the dishes. Then, take a photo of it and show it to the staff. If they serve you water, it will be warm. Ice is not a thing here. Free refills are also not a thing here. There won’t be salt or pepper on the table, either. But you’ll probably pay $3 or less for a plate of food and bottled water. If you eat like a native, you’ll save money.

Is it weird living under communism?

9. Is it weird living under communism?

Not really. I’m not over here to stir up trouble. I don’t talk about the government. I have had at least one person say she was tired of the way the government was handling the Covid situation. But this was after about a year of showing our health codes when we went out in public. I showed my health code and didn’t complain about it. I’ve also noticed people here are very motivated by money. Lots of people, old and young, sell stuff on the street corners or the beaches. It seems like over here, you’re more likely to get free stuff in the form of samples. Like, if you go to the grocery store, you’ll see glass mugs taped to six packs of yogurt. Or you might get a free tote bag for Women’s Day, courtesy of Lay’s Potato Chips. If you’re old enough to remember the free stuff you got back in the 1970s, from records on the back of cereal boxes, to free samples of products in the mail, that’s sort of what the vibe is like. I’ve had to pay for my apartments until my current job where my apartment is free. And it’s a new apartment, too. As long as you don’t criticize the government here, or wave a flag that says, “Capitalism Rocks!” you’ll probably be fine.

Are Apartments Expensive?

10. Are apartments expensive?

Depends on if you want to live in the center of Beijing, or if you want to live in a tier two or tier three city. I will say every apartment I’ve had has been fairly convenient, with a grocery store down the street, and also several restaurants and a pharmacy. The most I paid for an apartment was $910 a month, at the fifth outer ring of Beijing. The least amount I’ve paid has been nothing. In Xiamen, the rent for me came around $392 for a two bedroom in Jimei district, with a plenty big living/dining area. When I lived on Xiamen island, the same price would get me a one bedroom apartment, with a bathroom and a kitchen. Stuff will cost more on the island. But even working a low-paying pre-kindergarten teaching job (making approximately 14,000 rmb a month or $1,960 USD) meant I had more than enough to rent an apartment. And this has been the first time in my life I have been able to pay rent on my own.

Is it hard getting around?

11. Is it hard getting around?

I took a lot of buses and Didi (Chinese Uber) when I lived in Xiamen for the first time. But it wasn’t until Beijing that I took the time to learn how to ride the subway. It wasn’t hard, because the subway is in both Chinese and English. Also, on my Apple phone, it took me years to discover this, but on Apple maps, you type in a destination and it will tell you how long it is to drive there, take the Didi, the subway, the bus, or to walk it. Sometimes there aren’t any subway options, but it seems there’s a bus option or vice versa. Didi runs about $5 or 6 for my usual route to get to the other campus. The bus is crazy cheap—like 14 to 28 cents a ride. Every trip I’ve taken in China to another city I’ve used high-speed rail. It’s very relaxing.

Will people stare at me?

12. Will people stare at me?

Sometimes. Sometimes people will ask to take a picture with you because they have never seen a foreigner before in person, or maybe they’ve never met an American. This is your chance to feel like a celebrity! This doesn’t happen to me a lot, but it’s fun when it does.

Is it safe to walk around at night?

13. I’m a single female. Is it safe to walk around at night?

Super safe! China is not exactly a late night country. But I’ve walked from a bar back to my apartment in Beijing past midnight because I just felt like walking. No one bothered me. Very close to my apartment a police officer did talk to me, but I think he was concerned I was out so late. But aside from him, no one else spoke to me when I was out.

Will people harass me?

14. Will people harass me because I’m not Chinese?

I don’t think so. It might be different if you are African-American, however. But no one has gotten into my face and said, “You’re in China, speak Chinese!” (not that I would know what that sounds like because my Chinese is so bad, LOL) but people are very zen here. You might see the occasional argument or fist fight, but you can rest easy that guns won’t be involved. There might be machetes/knives, however. But people try not to embarrass each other here (saving face culture). So people might stare at you, but mostly it isn’t out of hostility. It’s probably because they don’t see foreigners on a regular basis.

Is the water drinkable?

15 Is the water drinkable?

Not from the tap. Buy bottled, or boil the water. And remember, if you want ice-cold water, do this: Freeze bottles of water at home. Then add a little bit of water to them so the added water stays cold for a while.

Part one: https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2024/11/10/thinking-of-leaving-the-u-s-this-is-how-i-did-it/

Part two: https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2024/11/11/i-moved-overseas-years-ago-heres-how-i-did-it/

Part three: https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2024/11/12/i-moved-overseas-five-years-ago-heres-how-i-did-it/

Part four: https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2024/11/13/i-moved-overseas-years-ago-heres-how-i-did-it-2/

Part five: https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2024/11/14/i-left-the-country-years-ago-heres-how-i-did-it/

Part six: https://nowaylaowai.home.blog/2024/11/16/i-moved-overseas-years-ago-this-is-how-i-did-it-what-its-like-to-teach-here-your-experiences-may-vary/

Here I am in China, part seven

“Don’t Stop Until You’re Proud”

And through it all, I survived. It got lonely. My friend never returned; Covid-19 delayed her medical treatments and closed the door on teaching opportunities here in China. However, I don’t find it a coincidence that every time I was sad, I saw something that urged me to keep going. “Don’t Stop Until You’re Proud” advised a tote bag from Mini So. “Don’t Ever Give Up” said the back of the shirt a young man standing in front of me was wearing. I worried, as is my nature, but things seemed to work out. A simple walk still reveals loads of photographic subjects. Every time I step out of my apartment, I am amused or entertained or astounded. A simple Didi ride home from the grocery store turned into a conversation in Spanish—of all things—because my driver’s English was as bad as my Chinese. But Spanish? It’s a language we shared, even in as unlikely a place as Beijing.

This is who made the cat and what period it was from.

My Father’s Daughter

I would like to think my parents are proud of me, wherever their spirits are. I am not a professional travel photographer but maybe someday I will be, thus carrying out my mother’s original dream. And I am my father’s daughter, hungering for something better, and leaving home to explore unfamiliar territory. I am luckier than my father. While he faced prejudice, no one I know of has mocked me for being me—an obvious foreigner. I use Google Translate, apologizing for my bad Chinese. I get the familiar response: meisa, meisa, or méiguānx`i, roughly meaning, “no worries.” Yes, I am taking language classes, as well as practicing with Duolingo. One of the first full sentences I learned was Nῐ yŏu jī chăofàn ma? Do you have chicken fried rice? (It’s my favorite Chinese dish ever.)

Read part 6 here

Read part 5 here

Read part 4 here

Read part 3 here

Read part 2 here

Where it all began…right here

Happy Chinaversary!

Today, February 28, 2022 marks my third year in China. Or, my Happy Chinaversary.

Last year, I didn’t make a video, The first year I did. The song is a mashup of “Jump” by Madonna and “West End Girls” by the Pet Shop Boys. I’m rather proud of this mix which I did myself.. Featured in the video are photos from the first year. Why isn’t there a second year video? Glad you asked.

Oh No Guangzhou!

Guangzhou River, showing the financial district.

I had to move away from my beloved Xiamen and chose Guangzhou because it’s only an hour from Hong Kong. However, Covid said “screw you” so I never got there. I was in Guangzhou, which has really good food and they’ve done a wonderful job with their riverfront, but I couldn’t take six months of gray skies. After a week, I thought, “It’s gotta clear up sometime.” A week turned into a month, then two months, then five months, then six months. To say I was depressed was an understatement. The lack of sun rendered me practically comatose, so I spent my lunch hour locked in my classroom, taking a nap. If anyone complained, I was going to say if I didn’t get my short nap on my lunch hour, they’d be lucky if I showed up to work at all.

YouTube Saved my Life

So from February to July, I struggled to get through the days. I finally got caught up around March, and by then I didn’t care anymore. Sounds terrible, but it’s the truth. I’d come home at night and fall asleep to YouTube. Making a video was the furthest thing from my mind. I really wasn’t in a good place.

Back home Again, in Xiamenana …

This year, it snuck up on me. Dealing with a new school, getting back on schedule and coping, I realized earlier today that it’s been three years since I set foot in China. I’m hoping my return to Xiamen gives me the kind of life I’d envisioned for myself over here when I was still stateside. My first year in Xiamen I had to work year round and had shorter vacations than normal schools (except for that four month vacation when Covid came to town) so exploring happened on weekends or some of the longer holidays we had.

Wish I Could Forget

So Happy Chinaversary, no video, sorry. I don’t look back fondly at my stint in Guangzhou, or the nanosecond I was in Beijing. But hey, at least the sun shone there. I remember that first Sunday, I went to Tiananmen Square and basked in the bright sunshine and crystal-clear sky. The sky was such an amazing shade of blue I couldn’t believe it.

See what I mean? I couldn’t get enough of this sky!

So hopefully next year I’ll do a video and have plenty more pictures of Xiamen to put in the video.

798 Art Zone

So I went to 798 Art Zone. I never really did anything too artsy in Guangzhou, although I did go to at least one museum. In Beijing, 798 Art Zone is an area with buildings that used to be military factories. It reminded me of the International Harvester complex in Fort Wayne, Indiana. That means nothing to anyone reading this (except for one person) but anyone who has ever worked on a factory campus back in the day will know what I’m talking about. Instead of one big building, there are a series of buildings, each of which house something vital to the complex. “Make art, not bombs” could be the slogan of this area. I was aware of this area, but didn’t get a chance to visit until the weather got colder. I’ll bet it’s a happening place during warm weather.

Basically these buildings are rented out by all sorts of creative types. There are galleries, shops, and places to eat. The complex is closed off to cars, so it’s like a little pedestrian town with sculptures and murals nearly everywhere you look. The main street, so to speak, is home to UCCA (Ullens Center for Contemporary Art).

Not as big as the last mural, but still pretty big.

When I first showed up, I was bummed to find out UCCA was closed to the public. There was an exhibit by Maurizio Cattelan that I wanted to check out, modern art seemingly being lazy and amusing at the same time. (See my Cattelan post here.) Never heard of Cattelan? Not to worry! Recreate his genius by purchasing a banana and sticking it on a white wall with duct tape.

UCCA’s ad for Mr. Cattelan and The Last Judgment, a show full of dead animals and various likenesses of Cattelan.

Make sure the banana’s curve is to the left, if you are aiming for authenticity. In true marketing genius, the museum is selling rolls of duct tape and bananas (real as well as plastic) so you too can create “modern art.” Andy Warhol would have approved.

I like how the UCCA store had real, plastic, and plush bananas so you could have a choice.

This was one of a series of several sculptures just sitting out. I’m positive the same artist did a sculpture of several bulls in Wanfujing Shopping Street. The technique and coloring look the same.

Not sure what this means. Like, no matter how big you are, you can still be caged?

I thought this graffiti was colorful, so I took a picture of it. Graffiti DOES exist in China, and 798 Art Zone is probably one of the few places where it’s actually allowed. Even the public toilets are some of the cleanest I’ve ever seen in the world.

Fallen, but in Flight. Artist: me. The reason I titled it that is because even though these leaves are on the sidewalk, the perspective is they are slanted up. Get it?

Plenty of art on the street if you don’t want to pay for the museum.

I thought this was a particularly beautiful mural.

I like how most of the letters in “NOODlE” are capitalized, except for the lower-case “l”. Is it Noodle Bar or NOODlE Bar? Whatever it is, I applaud the owners for being subversive and exploiting font choices to seem more X-rated than this probably is.

I went back for a second trip to 798 Art Zone and I finally got to see Cattelan’s work, which did not disappoint.

Binge and Cringe!

So if you are tired of watching football and A Christmas Story on TBS and you aren’t interested in shopping, feel free to binge watch some of my videos. I’ve included a variety and a brief synopsis of each! Enjoy! Or not…

Steve Aoki did a concert in Xiamen shortly after I arrived. I’m not really a fan, but I couldn’t resist going. After all, when will I have a chance to see him again? Yes, I got copyright claimed. My second-most watched video. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K01BaJ0cDpE

My friend Stephaine agreed to be on camera for this one…and I still get a chuckle out of it to this day. Unrehearsed, I thought we were pretty funny in this one. My highest-viewed video. View it here:

What was it like in the very early days of Covid-19 in China? THIS is what it was like. Closed stores, deserted streets and temperature checks. Copyright claimed, because of the James Bond theme. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yarK1uVZFqs

Another Stephaine and Gloria special, I film our journey on the bus to Subway, because we wanted sandwiches. The bus is so cheap in Xiamen—one yuan, or 14 cents American. View it here:

Stephaine bought a bike and decided to ride it back home….and it was a disaster. She fell three times, unfortunately, not on camera. It started to rain (of course) and it was one of those experiences that suck when you are going through it, but ends up being really funny in retrospect. View it here:

One of a few “how to” videos that Stephaine and I did. We rented the bike in the same area where we originally bought her bike, and she suggested that we rent bikes and ride home….which I violently refused. No Stephaines were harmed in the making of this video. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfeZrwVDuC0

Stephaine and I made an effort to learn the language. After our tutor canceled a class, we decided to carry on ourselves. Chinese is HARD, yo. But this video is pee your pants funny. View it here:

I made a video celebrating my first year in China. Made up of still photos, I tried to put them together in chronological order to tell a story. The music is my own mash up of “Jump” by Madonna and “West End Girls” by the Pet Shop Boys. I was pretty pleased with my first attempt at combining these tunes. It took longer than I thought. I had to make sure both songs had the same beats per minute and make those adjustments (thanks, Audacity!) then I used a video editing program (Vegas Movie Studio) to take what I wanted from each song. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTBZGQ6qJFE

I lived in Guangzhou for a few months, but really didn’t enjoy the experience. I didn’t make a lot of videos there either, so we are skipping to Beijing and the Mutianyu part of the Great Wall, where I slide down the mountain on a toboggan. If you have a thing for bobsledding or luge, you need to experience one of these. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccYjdSVbho

Another “how to” video featuring just me. I have always had problems walking in high heels, but couldn’t figure out why. I watched a bunch of videos to help, but none of them really worked. Like so much of my life, I’ve had to figure it out on my own. A cool pair of Frye clogs and an online search helped me figure out what I was doing wrong. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0FpwIXkfkQ

I have been cooking a lot at home for a few reasons. One is food poisoning. I had it five times my first year in China and literally was afraid to eat. Secondly, where I live in Beijing, there are not a whole lot of restaurants. I’m also trying to save money. Plus, sometimes I want to cook food that isn’t so common here in China. So after learning about the wonders of pumpkin soup (and not wanting to pay $8 a bowl for it, or pay for a taxi to the restaurant which is in the center of Beijing) I went online and found a recipe. It turned out great, so I made a video of my second attempt, which was just as delicious. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViOmeABqCZE&t=43s

So far, I have 39 videos of my life here in China. Haven’t suffered enough? Check out Nowaylaowai on YouTube for poorly edited video goodness.

The Ice Was Nice

I got to go on a field trip Friday. I’d been warned that it would be “boring.” This was from one of my teaching colleagues who suggested I take some marking along, or something to read. Her class had gone the day before mine was supposed to go. We were going to an ice rink. I was thrilled, but packed our class novel with me in case I really did get bored.

The rink wasn’t the one I’d been to previously. That was on the north side of Beijing. Friday morning, I endured a smelly bus ride (someone or something reeked of cat piss) through south Beijing. The rink we visitied was maybe 20 minutes away, located in a mall. But it wasn’t a mall skating rink—this was gloriously full-sized, complete with Plexiglas shields.

I hadn’t been skating in years. So I was excited. A few of my students asked me if I was going to skate and I said I was. I own hockey skates, but didn’t bother packing them when I left for China. So I rented a pair of skates that fit, but were painfully snug on my bunions. I should have thought to pad them a bit before I left that morning, but I’ve been occupied with other things.

I taught myself how to skate, but I’m no expert. I still don’t know how to gracefully stop, do forward cross overs, or skate backwards. But I surprised myself. After only a few minutes, I felt more comfortable on the ice, and wasn’t clinging to the boards. I dressed just right—jeans over leggings, hoodie over long-sleeved shirts. Everyone else was bundled up like they were competing in Iditarod. One staff member asked me if I’d be warm enough. I padded my tummy and told her my fat would keep me warm. I knew once I got going, I’d be comfortable, if not sweaty.

We arrived at the mall, which was still closed. We climbed up three flights of escalator steps, because no one could be bothered to turn them on. Oh well, it would warm up my muscles before skating.

And no, I didn’t fall. I know how to lace my skates up tight enough for good ankle support. I bent my knees. I kept my center of gravity where it should be. And when I felt tired, I stopped. But being out on the ice tapped something in me. I was actually smiling, feeling the wind on my face as I glided around.

The kids all got plastic chairs to sit on while the instructors told them what they would be doing. The kids also got to push classmates in front of them on the chairs. The chairs were too low for me, but I agreed to sit on something that looked like a red plastic Golden Retriever with a handle coming out of its ass. It was a combination training tool and toy. One person sits on the back of the plastic dog while the person behind pushes. It teaches balance and also gives you a workout, since I was probably the heaviest staff member there. Surprisingly, the student pushing me in the “race” from one side of the rink to the other won.

One of my students who plays hockey had all eyes on him as he zipped around the rink.

I didn’t want to get off the ice. I really had a good time. The students then watched a film about the winter Olympics, highlighting the skating events. Short track speed skating never really caught my attention, as to me it’s NASCAR on ice.

After a lunch that was way too long (and somewhat unpleasant as I encountered the cat piss smell again) we headed downstairs to play land curling. What fun! Fort Wayne has a curling club, and I would have loved to try it, but working seven days a week made me not want to do anything. My students asked me if I wanted to try it, and on my second throw, made a bulls-eye. I was thrilled.

Not my bullseye. The kids sent the stones back before I could take a picture.

I genuinely had a good time, despite the cloud that’s been hanging over my head recently.

You find David Hasselhoff in the strangest places.

One of my fellow teachers was along too, and I got photos of him skating. Back at school in the office, he mentioned how tired he was. I didn’t feel too bad, considering. I think it was the excitement of seeing the sun again, and being out of the school environment, and doing something I enjoy. I will say though, I finally conked out after leaving school around 6:45 p.m. I walked home the long way, since the gate that connects the school grounds to my apartment complex was locked, and got some hamburger out of the freezer. I put it on the counter to defrost, and thought I might take a nap before dinner.

That “nap” turned into a six hour snooze. I got up, put the meat in the fridge, and went back to bed.

It was a good day.

Nihao, Beijing!

I moved to Beijing and it went smoother than I thought it would. I am not sure why I still worry about things, when they end up being okay. The train ride was great (no lectures about what to do if the oxygen masks drop and how to inflate your life vest) and getting my stuff boxed up and packed wasn’t that bad at all. I tried to be super organized and pack a lot of stuff into shopping bags I’d saved. I wrote a list of what was in each bag and taped it on the outside. For the most part, it was a matter of the moving guy making and taping the boxes, and loading the bags in. Everything to Beijing in one piece. I didn’t move any furniture, save for a small plastic Ikea shelf, which I use for a nightstand. I purposely didn’t buy any furniture when it was obvious I wouldn’t be staying. I’m trying to save money, and on top of that, I know first hand what happens when you have a lot of stuff here in China. When moving, you end up selling it, if you can, giving it away or trashing it if you are not taking it with you.

There’s stuff I could have parted with. Things that I literally hadn’t used since I’d moved to Guangzhou, clothes I hadn’t worn, etc. This past year, if I bought something, I tried to make sure I would use it. I know I could have used metal shelving I’d had my eye on at Ikea, but I put off buying those too. I felt Guangzhou was bad karma; I felt I didn’t deserve anything nice.

Thankfully, Beijing has turned out to be good this past week and a half since I arrived. The sun shines, the apartment is gorgeous (check it out here) and I finally have my metal shelving. The tenant who was here before me offered a bunch of her things which I purchased, and threw quite a bit of stuff in for free. I’m now a fan of satin sheets, which I’d heard of but never used until now. There are three air conditioners in the apartment, and it’s bliss to turn the on in my bedroom on, turn the fan on, and snuggle in satin and my beloved comforter. Since I’ve arrived here, I have not had to use any Unisom or Sominex. So I don’t know if it’s a combination of the weather, getting out of Guangzhou, or sleeping in a nice cold room, but I’m sleeping much better.

I decided to go to Tiananmen Square last Sunday. The sun was blazing, there was a nice breeze, and I spent a couple hours walking around and taking pictures. It’s an interesting set up. It’s a tourist attraction, so you have to show your identification card or your passport. Thankfully, they accepted a photocopy of my passport, and my residence permit from Guangzhou and let me in. The roads surrounding the square are fenced off, so you cross the street via an underground passageway. Then you pass through a couple of security checkpoints and cross the street at a crosswalk manned by two security guards. As much as I wanted to recreate the iconic Tank Man photo (‘cuz I’m corny as fuck) I didn’t realize that had actually happened in the street, not in the actual square. The streets are opened to traffic, so I decided against it.

When I got to the square, I got a little teary-eyed. I’m not a history buff. Some sports history I really dig, but the other stuff not so much. But being there made me realize that Tiananmen Square exists. If you grew up in the Midwest and didn’t travel very much, you see places on television and think whatever city/monument/uprising is going on exists only in the television. For me, actually being there makes it real. I was aware what was going on in 1989, and if you were alive at that time, you can’t forget the image of that guy standing in front of those tanks.

If I ever get another cat, I think I might call it “Chairman Meow.” Get it? This is a photo of the MAOsoleum. Sorry.

And it’s sobering too, to stand where people were willing to protest for freedom, something a lot of Americans, including myself, take for granted. I sometimes think about it every time I try to go to a site that I can’t access. It’s frustrating. It doesn’t happen so much now, but having to have a VPN to access certain sites here in China is an inconvenience most people in the states don’t realize. But there’s at least one site I’d like to access, but can’t. It’s not because China won’t allow me, it’s because the U.S. won’t.

I couldn’t get over how blue the sky looked. I kept looking up like a total dork, but when you haven’t experienced this type of sunlight and blue sky for about six months, you get stoked.

I watch a lot of YouTube, because I’m too cheap to get cable. Seems like I have a good strong internet connection, so maybe I’ll break down and buy a Netflix subscription, but I’d rather have Hulu for The Handmaid’s Tale. But Hulu has denied me; they won’t sell subscriptions outside the U.S.

Talk about oppression.

Mr. Blue Sky, please tell me why, you had to hide away for soooo long, (soooooo long)? National Museum of China here.

Monument to the People’s Heroes, I think.

Moving on Up…

So I moved to Beijing. See the apartment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6SAFQL4a8o

For the first time in my life, I hired a moving company. It seemed like I had way too much stuff, even without furniture. But I guess I did indulge a bit these past few weeks. After months of just basically buying mostly the essentials, I discovered the wholesale markets. I did get some great deals, so I am happy about that.

Sometimes I don’t think I deserve nice things. But here I am in a two-bedroom apartment. It almost feels too big, but I guess I was tired. The woman who interviewed me asked if I’d be interested in a colleague’s apartment. I just went on pictures alone, but it’s very close to the school. So I will save on transportation. The former tenant and I ended up chatting on WeChat, so I bought a lot of her stuff, and she gave me quite a bit too. I’m in very good shape in terms of basic household stuff. And my own stuff will be coming soon. I can’t seem to catch a break with rent though. I always seem to get paid right after the rent is due. In a way, it’s handy because it teaches discipline, and by the time the rent is paid, a few days later, I get paid. But I’ve got to be careful.

Still, it will be fun to enlarge some of my photographs and use them as wall art. I will be able to put up pictures here. There’s a room that I really like for some reason, and I’m considering using it as my bedroom. I don’t know, it just feels happy. I may make it my happy room, and put stuff in there that is eye candy—the handbags I recently bought, pictures that I have taken that I love, figurines, actual real art (?) Christmas tree lights…whatever grabs my fancy. The fact that I found an apartment before I even left Guangzhou, and the ease with which things have been happening here (the visa office took maybe ten minutes) are hopefully good omens for the future. Moving is expensive, and I wasn’t exactly well-prepared for this journey. But I’m not completely broke, and everyone will get paid for their time and trouble.

I may be cursing the winter weather in a few months, but I’m enjoying the 11^th floor breeze from open windows on both the north and south side of the apartments. There’s only one other tenant on my floor, so I almost feel like I have a private elevator. I’m moving on up, to the southeast side, to a deluxe apartment, in the sky. I’m not a religious person, but I will pray the school year goes well, and that personal goals will be achieved this time next year.