Candice's "Home Away from Home"

(Candice)

I have settled into my home in Hang zhou and i am very happy here. I confess that i have told people that i was not nervous about moving into my host family's home- but i was. I dont even think i realized myself that deep down inside i was worried that i was not going to feel comfurtable in this "home away from home". But to my surprise this nice apartment i am living in feels like a real home, not just a house. My host sister's name is Tracy speaks perfect english and is very nice. Me and her clicked instantly, laughing and talking all the time. I think we also get along because we both know the meaning of "alone time". Honestly i need my space at times because without alone time i get easily irritated. ( i think it is because i was an only child for 9 years and was used to just having my own space whenver i wanted it and she is an only child so she needs that space too). I feel like i have known her for a lifetime and if there is one thing that i would have to define as the best part of this trip, i would say it is making a new lifetime friend. I know me and her will keep intouch because i get along with her family and her so well. At dinner me, her mother, and her just talk about whatever, for hours while snacking on apples, chocolate, and hickory nuts ( SOOOOO GOOD try them if you havent) while sipping on tea. Her father is always working but when he is around he is just as welcoming, he even gave me a new name but i dont know how to spell it so im not going to try. Her mother said that i should come back every year and that she feels like she has a second daughter (tear..where is the tissue box when you need it). she has gone out of her way to make my stay here comfurtable. For example when they asked me what i use my butter with ( they dont use butter at all so they didnt know) i told them toast. Every morning when i open my door there is a stack of toast sitting on the kitchen table waiting for me. And i am not complaining because i love toast and i have been trying to get some bread in China everytime i sit down to eat. When i ask for bread the waiter looks confused and says "NO". Tracy says that i am simple because there are so many amazing foods in the world and out of all of them bread and butter is my favorite.

School is very interesting. I introduced myself to the class and for the whole period they asked me questions. "what do American students think of us? tell the truth", "what do you think about Bush and the war?" (ha ha please don't get me started on that man), "who is your favorite singer?", "your mother is puerto rican?","how do you feel about brittany spears now that she has done some very bad things?.i used to like her music but she doesn't act proper so i dont know about her anymore, tell us what you think", and so on. I really loved answering the questions and they really loved asking them. i have so much more to say about my stay here but tracy's father needs the computer so stay tuned......

(WOW IM IN CHINA EVERYONE...REALLY IM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, i am still in shock)

Train to Hangzhou: New Friends and Our New School

(Molly)

The train ride to Hangzhou had its ups and downs. When we first saw the compartment, we were horrified. It seemed very cramped, especially since we could not fit all of our suitcases under the bed. We got used to it, though, and had a comfortable first few hours. At dinner time I started to get cranky, because we had a hard time procuring food. We checked out the dining car, but everybody was smoking and we thought maybe we could do better. What we really wanted was ramen noodles in a bowl, which we see everywhere here. We walked up and down the train, and saw everyone eating the noodles, but no one selling them. We returned to the dining car and found that it had filled up during our walk. At this point I was very, very cranky. We decided to get out at the next train station to buy noodles. This turned out to be a lot easier than we expected. At one point we thought the train was leaving, so we sprinted back to the car. It did not leave for another 10 minutes. Oh, well. We tried to get hot water, and they understood what we wanted but gave a complicated answer that we did not understand. It did not seem to be about money, because I recognize most money words. Finally they just gave us water, and I was a very, very happy camper. I expected not to be able to sleep, but I slept about 12 hours, which was pretty great.

Our train arrived early, and our hosts and teachers were very apologetic when they showed up and we were already there. They brought us each a bouquet of flowers, and then took us out to eat at a western restaurant. I had French fries, chicken wings, and spaghetti, and once again was a very happy camper. When we arrived at the school, we had a short welcoming ceremony with some administrators and teachers. It was pretty awkward, because Naichuan told Jill to save the gifts for the welcoming banquet, which turned out to be a bad call. We just sat there awkwardly for a long time.

My host sister’s name is Natalie. Her English is quite good; she is hoping to come to DS next year. Her parents speak a bit of English from college. When I first arrived, her father was on business in Beijing (he seems to help design the test to get a medical license). Her mother likes to feed me. We have a big dinner, and then we always have fruit, and then we have nuts. I’m going to put on so much weight while I’m here! Her father is delightful. When he got back from Beijing, he pulled out his English phrase book and pulled out every semi-applicable saying he could find: “have fun,” “I hope you feel at home,” “have a good trip,” “give my regards to your parents,” “remember me to your family,” etc. It was really cute. He also liked my pictures. I am having a hard time describing the kid I babysit in simple English, because he has 6 diseases, none of which is simple. They also tend to think he’s my brother – why else would I babysit him? Also, kids here call their cousins “brothers” and “sisters” for some reason, which makes it hard to tell whether they understand that Nat is really my brother. One girl was also worried that it might be too personal a question to ask how many children were in my family.

Our first class at Hangzhou High School was Hangzhou History. Calligraphy was much better. Our teacher didn’t try to speak English, which was easier because it is a show, rather than tell, class. Plus, I was not as bad as I usually am at calligraphy!

It’s hard to get a plain glass of cold water here. Yang, Steve’s exchange student from three years ago, told us that when he got back from America, he was ready to drink a glass of cold water, and his mother snatched it away from him and put it in the microwave. I guess it shocks your system. But it quenches my thirst! Every other drink tastes really sweet.

On Wednesday night the school took us out for a welcome banquet. This was AMAZING. The food was maybe the best I’ve had. Natalie must have told her mom how much shrimp I ate (bowls and bowls – it was sooo good), because we have had shrimp for dinner twice now.

At night I have been watching movies on my laptop (yes, I have a laptop in my room!). There is a website with free movies in English, with Chinese subtitles. The resolution is bad and they sometimes freeze, but there is a pretty good selection.

Our Chinese class on Thursday was great. Our teacher, Gao Li, is really good. I get confused on grammar sometimes, but he is good about making us practice the words we have just learned, and is really friendly. I also like William, Natalie’s English teacher. Mrs. Preiser refers to him fondly as “little William,” because he is short and young. Helen, who came three years ago, is very funny. She speaks very abruptly. Mrs. Preiser gave her a decorative box, and Helen was convinced that there would be something else in it, which was amusing.

Charles (Steve’s host) and Natalie took us to KFC for dinner on Thursday with a couple of their friends. I think we serve as an excuse for them to put off their homework and eat unhealthy food. KFC has awesome ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Many nights Natalie takes me to a bakery to pick out a pastry for the next morning. I have had doughnuts and éclairs, and once again am a very happy camper.

Being here is very different from traveling. I feel very out of control, because everything is planned out for me and a lot of the time I am not aware of what I am doing until an hour before I leave. I also have to eat whatever is put in front of me, which is all good food but not all to my taste. I think I will never be a picky eater again.

Xi'an Remembered

(Molly & Ms. Arkin)

Day One

(During the day, Pang Liu Village. See previous entries Pang Liu Village and Pang Liu Cont'd .)

For dinner we went to a dumpling restaurant. Downstairs they had a display out of all sorts of different dumplings shaped like chicken, turtles, pigs, flowers. You name it, they had it in the shape of a dumpling. We ate upstairs and they gave us rice wine to drink. It was warm and extremely sweet. The dinner must have been 10 courses of assorted dumplings. It was overwhelming but very tasty!

Day Two

On Saturday we went to the Terracotta Warriors. It was about an hour and a half from the city so on the way we stopped at a few museums and shops. First we went to the hot springs museum in which the name is deceptive. We froze to death. It was pouring rain and our umbrellas kept turning inside out and our clothes were soaked. We saw the ruins of a king’s bath houses and learned about a romantic(?) love affair between an emperor and the concubine whom he stole from his son. After the museum we went to a pottery workshop which was more like a giant souvenir shop in disguise. At first you get to see how they make the molds for the replicas of the terracotta warriors and see a few artists at work making lacquer furniture. Then you are released into a gigantic room full of souvenirs which included the replica warriors that were priced ten times higher than everywhere else!

Finally we got to see the terracotta warriors. It was very impressive. Many of them have not yet been excavated because they are waiting for improved technology. Also one thing we learned was that when they were first excavated, some of the statues still had paint on them. However, the paint has disappeared from too much contact with the atmosphere.

We had a Muslim dinner that night, which was amazing. We all liked it! There were many snacks – our favorite was the red bean pastry that was quite sweet. First they brought out a piece of thick half cooked pita bread that we tore up into TINY pieces and put in our bowls. They took our bowls and cooked the bread with lamb and cilantro soup. It tasted amazing but was very filling. Richard talked the servers out of giving us each four pieces, so we each got one. None of us even finished that!

Day Three

We went to the city wall and Molly and Steve rode tandem around the wall. Jill and Candice walked around and waited. We saw some amazing kites in the park in front of the wall. The wall was decorated with lanterns in every shape and size for the lantern festival that night. They had one lantern set of life-sized 101 Dalmations. We left and visited a mosque in the middle of the city. The architecture was in the traditional Chinese style and the mosque’s minaret was a tall pagoda in the middle of the complex. Then we went shopping in the mosque’s bizarre which had every type of souvenir we could possibly want for very cheap. That night we met Steve’s climbing friend, Liz, who is staying in xi’an for about four months. She was surprised to hear that we would stay with our host families for only two weeks each because she only stays with one host family the whole time and after three weeks still felt like she was just settling in. We went to dinner with her and then walked on top of the wall for the lantern festival. The lanterns were not much changed by being lit up, but the fireworks were impressive. People were setting them off all over the city. It was nice to be able to see them, after only hearing them all week. All sorts were going off in every direction, and it was very exciting.

Every night in Xi’an Molly. Steve and Candice went to the internet café across the street from the hotel. Jill used her computer in the room.

Internet Bar in Xi'an

(Molly)

Every night in Xi’an, we three kids would go to an internet bar across the street from our hotel. It was not marked in English, and to get there we had to go up an escalator in a store, but once we got there we were amazed. There must have been over 150 computers there; I kept expecting it to end, and it never seemed to. Everyone was playing video games, a big screen was displaying what looked like a DDR game (and was playing the music), and from another corner we could hear some sappy pop music that reminded me of Celine Dion (that happens with a lot of the music here). It was cheap, too! The internet cost maybe 50 cents an hour.

Pang Liu Continued

(Candice)

Yesterday we went to visit an elementary school. This was the highlight of the whole trip for me. We sat down with two teachers and the principal and got to ask them questions. I found this so interesting because i want to study education in college. All the students were so happy. I really enjoyed talking to them in English because they were happy top practice with me.."HELLLOO!" And "THANK YOU!" were the most popular phrases. Me and Jill taught the 5th graders the hokey pokey and they had a blast, i walked around an gave eveyone a sticker and they all were so grateful for them, i was happy to put a smile on their cute faces. This trip to the school really made me positive that i do want to work in the education system...because i loved being at that school, it wasn't a tourist spot. It gave me a good look at what life in China is for students in rural areas.

The students are not the only people who were amazed by our presence. I knew we all were going to stand out but I don't think i am ever going to get used to all the stares. When the children stare and smile its nice, they are so excited to speak to you. But when the adults, the ones who aren't smiling, stare and whisper, or switch seats with their daughter so she doesn't have to sit next to you, it gets annoying. I decided not to just sit there and stare back. I was standing outside and a group of people who were a few feet in front of me just turned around and stared at me and whispered. I put a big smile on and said "hello" and then they gladly smiled back and said "hi". I know its not them trying to be disrespectful, i would probably stare too if roles were switched. In America almost everyday i am reminded that i am Black and Puerto Rican. But in China i am reminded every second that i am Black, Puerto Rican, and American. And that is something that i had to adjust to.

Speaking of adijusting lets talk about asthma :). China is not the fresh air capital of the world. It is so wierd to walk into the hotel or a restarunt and always smell the strong scent of cigarettes. I haven't gotten sick from it but it is so irritating! It makes me soooooo grateful that i live in a place where people have to smoke outside...i have had to get used to sitting down chomping on my delicious rice and noodles (fried rice with egg is sooo good mami take notes lol) and then getting a wiff of the strongest cigarettes i have ever smelled.

Besides that i really do like it here. I admit it took me a while to get used to it. The toilets ( i avoided any toilet besides the one at the hotel for the longest time) the time difference, the food, crossing the busy streets ( cars don't stop at all!), and passing my nike shoes (air force ones) without being able to buy them :)...but i am adjusted and excited to get to Hangzhou.