Those three short phrases are the truth. I do not deny bad things happen everywhere, but in my little corner of the world, life is pleasant. I have not witnesses anything that would contradict my statement. Call it naiveity or blindness, but it is not what i am here for nor will be a part of anything remotely controversial. I am here to study language and culture and to stuff myself full of delishous food. I am here to make friends of all kinds, and i have in all levels of society, government, business. I have NEVER been treated badly, harrassed or felt unsafe while being here. I am not saying this because of the status of my scholarship, which was awarded to me but the government. I am saying this because of some things that may or may not be happening. I dont know of anything so please dont ask me. I never see anything inappropriate, aside from kids pooping in the streets. So please dont ask. I will not become involved in anything remotely controversial on any level. So, I close with this, do you blame children for the parents being bad?

As yet another night turns into day and my 4 hours of sleep then 2 hours of awake pattern continues, I began thinking about goals.

I have only 10 days until my next semester begins. Last semester my only goal was survive. But not that I am neck deep in life in China, I think it is time to set some conrete goals for my learning.

Not sure how to start (or implement them) I think of one that is relatively easy: prepare for the May HSK. Not only for the test itself but I want to shoot for the stars and get a Level 4. Last year before the trip here I barely was a level 2. In November my score put me firmly in level 3. So I think level 4 is doable.

Now, for actual class game plan.

Ok, I will commit to at least 2 hours of study, beyond homework, to practice speaking and listening every other day. On the other 3 days of the week I will do at least 2 hours of reading. I am leaving off writing hanzi because once out of class I will never use it because of computers. I will do my writing homework and I think that is plenty. My reading however, needs to be strenghtened.

Ok that is a good start. Hmm what about vocabulary? I need to learn more words, especially every day conversation words. Maybe commit to 10 everyday words (in addition to course work) a week. If I find this too easy I will adjust it to more. But I have a feeling it won’t be.

Not too bad.

To keep myself on target, I will find away to track my progress on my blog/facebook/twitter (provided i am able to access them). This way you can hold me accountable for what I say I am doing or not doing it. I work well under pressure and under guilt.

Alright, time to try to go to sleep again. I mean after all it is 3:22am. Maybe I can get to sleep until 7am provided there aren’t any morning fireworks.

I found out that Millineum Park was having a big lantern festival celebration complete with giant dragon displays and amazing fireworks. Thinking, cool I can do this, I bundled up, gathered the camera and headed to South Gate to catch a cab. It was 545pm.

While waiting for a cab fireworks erupt a block or so away. Unlike in the US you can actually purchase the big guns, you know the kind you see at 4th of July shows that they have secruity surrounding so you cant touch them, and you can buy them in large quantities and shoot them off anywhere. I pull out my camera and try to film, but by the time I got the glove off and bag with 4 layers of security open and camera turned on, of course they stopped. Ever hopeful I kept it out and wasn’t disappointed.

Standing in the freezing cold, dark street, I was still trying to find a cab. Finally at 610pm a sweet lady cabbie picked me up and proceeded to try to take me to the park. And that is where the adventure really began.

We tried to go the most direct route only to discover it is closed and has police barracades blocking it. Well you should never tell a Chinese person they can’t do something because where there is a will or an unpaved path through old hutongs, there is away.

After driving through this maze of hold homes we finally reach that street, only to drive a few blocks and find another road block, and thousands of people on foot, all headed in the same direction. The lovely lady felt it was too far and to confusing for this laowai to hoof it so she proceded to find another path way but it was through a new apartment complex and the road was paved. After a few wrong turns and dead ends we finally reached as far as she could go and we parted ways. It is now 645pm.

I begin to follow the masses to the entrance of the park. Along the way I see all sorts of blinking accessories that reminds me of Mardi Gras. With the amount of people converging I feel like I am at Mardi Gras in the French Quatrer, minus the boobs and beads.

<

At 700pm, I finally reach the gate only to see it is blocked off by military men (very handsome I might add) I discover through my broken chinese that you had to purchase a ticket to enter in advance to be able to get in and see the lanterns. Oh. Oh well.

So trying not to panic, I decide to see what all the crowds are watching. I head out across the street to discover I am across the lake from Long Ting. Oh what a beautiful site! It is all lit up and you can see many firework shows across the lake. I filmed for a few minutes then looking up I noticed that it was a beautiful full moon. I also saw tradtional paper lanterns being lit and sent flying through the air. It was incredibly beautiful sight.

At 730pm, I decide that I am getting cold and tired so I head toward the thining crowds thinking I could catch a bus or a cab back to the campus. I was wrong. No bus or cab was being allowed because of the masses of people, and if you have seen the way they drive here you would be greatful!

I proceeded to walk down and around the lake, to long ting entrance, but still no cabs. The police have the area blocked here too because the night market is also going on.

So I walk down long ting road to the main road. Along the way I am again reminded of Mardi Gras when I spot several people on their balconies of the old style buildings. Very cool.

I get to the main street, but no sign of a cab, so I see the lights of KFC and decided to wait a little while and have a coke. It is now 810pm.

I walk across the insanity that is the traffic and get on the side of the road that is headed in the direction of campus. I try to find a cab but they are all full, and I am not on the right street to catch the bus back to campus, so I start walking in that direction. And walking, and walking, and still no cab.

Now at the street that the bus pick up for campus is, I head down in the direction of campus to the bus stop, only to discover the buses stop running after 8pm and it was now 855. At least there were fireworks everywhere, right?!

Great, so I try to hail a cab, but alas they are all full. At 930pm a nice cabbie who has a passanger stopped and asked where I was going and said “get in its on my way” (in chinese) so I did. He is so nice that he didnt just take me to the south gate but he took me all the way to my dorm front door. I give him a the money plus a nice tip for being so cool.

I am finally home and it is almost 10pm. I am frozen (it was 20F plus windchill) and tired. Curious I looked up the distance I walked tonight. A rough estimate is about 5-6 miles. SERIOUSLY? I walked 5+miles? Damn, I really am in better shape then when I arrived in August. I could barely walk 5 blocks.

So, as I looked at the pictures and videos I took, I couldn’t help but wonder…was it worth it?

Damn straight it was!

2012-2-5

Just as the title says China is not everyones cup of tea, and small towns and villages are even less peoples idea of a great time.

When I would tell everyon back home that I was coming to China not just to visit this time, but to live for a year I was met with mix reactions, yet all generally the same. I would get their laundry lists of stereotypes and bad media information given to them while 99% of them had never left the town they grew up in much less ventured into a country so, well, foreign. I would try to convince them that it wasn’t A) going to make me a “commy’ and B) make me a godless savage (I already was both, shhh dont tell) So no matter how hard I tried to show them evidence to the contrary they would hold their hands up and say things like “they did that while you were there to look good for the Americans.” Um, yeah China stopped evreything in its 1.8 billion people country and played nice for the 2 weeks I was there in 2010. Sure, ok, whatever. I gave up.

Then you meet people who are supposedly Asiaophiles like myself and my best friend I lovingly call wife (hi Kristin, its complicated, so don’t hate). They talk a big game but when plane lands and the doors open they suddenly are in shock that it isn’t like the pictures in books and magazines. Their discontent gets worse when they arrive in to Kaifeng.

Kaifeng is a small town(5.5 million) in Henan Province, one of the poorest provinces in China. The new China hadn’t arrived into the bigger cities in the province and it was light years away from my little corner of the world in Kaifeng.

Before anyone complains that I am complaining about Kaifeng, bite your tongue! I am merely tellng you that Kaifeng is not Conde’ Nast ready yet, but that is why I love it.

And I really do love it, flaws and all. It isn’t perfect but that is part of its charm. But for the first 4 months of being here I was made to feel guilty that I liked it here. I even got sucked into the world of westerners that complained inssently about their surroundings dispite the fact that THEY CHOOSE TO BE HERE!

It also went beyong that attitude, and that is when I realized that while having English speaking friends was great, I wasn’t one of them. This is because of how rude and snobby and down right disrespectful they were to the people of Kaifeng. They often walked around noses in the are like they were better then the poor farmer turned grocer. That is when I decided, I came for the life here, I came for the people here. I made choice to change friends and begin hanging out with like minded Chinese locals, who by the way are AMAZING PEOPLE!! I love everyone of them.

Am I ranting, yes I am, sorry about that. But I got fired up after I recently read something someone wrote about not only things in MY CITY but about me.

There is an episode of Sex and the City Season 5, when Carrie finds herself single, so she decided to “date” NYC. At the end of the episode she says, “you may only one great love, then New York may just be mine, and I can’t have nobody talking shit about my boyfriend.”

Well that is my Kaifeng and it is my love and I love it: dirty, smelly slighty balding with a bad comb over, and all. So stop talking shit about my boyfriend.

2012-2-5

Well, for some reason, today I have been totally bummed. Not sure why. Usually I can shake it off pretty easy but today I couldnt. So I turned to the one sure fired cure for glumliness(yes it is a word because I created it) watch a marathon of Sex and the City.

No matter the baddest of bad days, watching this always makes me laugh, cry and feel happy all over. I have watched the series a million times but I enjoy each episode as if it is the first time seeing it.

Thanks to the wonderful world of online tv in China, I can call up any episode any time.

Today, I finished season 4, which is my favorite of all the seasons. From the modeling jeweled underwear to Big taking a napa in Napa, I enjoy each trial and tribulation (and crazy story) to its fullest.

I have always believed that when Candace Bushnell wrote this story she created the characters based on different parts of our whole sum of selves. We all have a little bit of Carrie, Miranda, Charolette and even Samantha inside of us.

Let me explain. You see, look inside yourself for a moment. Don’t you have a little bit quirky and shopping addict in you. How about your naive side that still hopes for happy endings and prince charming. Haven’t you ever felt a little cynical and judemental? And as much as many wont admit it, we all have a secret Samantha self that rocks the socks of someone now and again.

See we are all of them.

Their stories are our stories, well not exactly but sometimes while watching I will recall some similar circumstance in my life. Whether a disappointment failed or successful relationship or just finding our dream pair of shoes, we all can relate to them on some level.

So as today turns into tomorrow, I can’t help but wonder: if she were bummed, What would Carrie do?

Let me try to catch you up to speed with a brief run down of events to try and play catch up to current stuff. The more detailed info will be added later, I mostly wanted to get something out there so you know I ma still alive. (haha)

Ok so here it goes:

Aug 26, 2011: (AM)Left US for Hong Kong via Toronto.
Great flight, totally wired for some reason, hadn’t slept in days from excitement.

August 27:(PM) Arrive in Hong Kong! Picked up by a friend and go to mainland via Shenzhen. They are so close you can literally jump from one to the other. Everything is so surreal.

August 28- Sept 4: in Shenzhen, filled with a flurry of shopping (OMG post more later), traveling around this beautiful city, soaking up the amazing culture, visiting Hong Kong and trying to pinch myself that i am really here, living my dream. Also, realizing that my Chinese sucks!

Sept 5: boarded a sleeper train to Kaifeng 22 (hours!)

Sept 6: Arrive in Kaifeng! Boy has this city changed since May 2010. Glad I at least remember a few things near the south gate to get me by until i get acclimated. Picked up by staff of our program at the train station. Arrive at Henan University. Proceed to sign in, find my room (on the 5th floor with no elevator) and meet my temporary room mate. She takes my sorry hungry butt out to lunch at one of the many resturants near the South gate (this will become a point of reference) and we ate the most delish fried rice. Also, visited the famous Kaifeng Night Market. It was really rainy so not many places were open and not a lot of people out.

Sept 7: finally found the other akron students here. Leanne is in my program, ben and adam are teaching english. My roomate Angelika (from Russia), leanne and i go for a massage that was recommended by last years scholarship winners. It is a small place that looks very different from most massage places i have visited. But the owner, who speaks a little english gave the most wonderful massage and told me to ask for him any time i return. I pay my 30 yuan ($6usd) for my 1 hour full massage. (more on this unique and awesome place later)

Sept 8: Went with the other westerners to watch the infamous ultimate frisbee introduced a few years ago by a group of english teachers from Beloit University. Finally get to meet my dear friend Carl, who i have been talking to online and in emails for almost a year. We met through ben as a language exchange but became like family. After frisbee walked back to “Foreign area” (more later) and stayed to play, rather watch people play ping pong. Didnt want to leave but i needed to get some sleep.

Sept 9: studying and lunch with carl. His english is very impressive. It has improved dramatically since we met. His writing is very beautiful. You can see his tender heart and sweet innocence in his words as well as his passion for english. When i get back from studying i am moved (1st of many more later) into my new room with leanne on the 4th floor.

Sept 10: explore the west gate

Sept 11: 9:11pm All the americans gather at Adams place to drink a few in honor of those lost on 9/11 and since protecting our country. Since we are 12 hours ahead we have a moment of silence at the times for each of the tragedies 9:11 pm our time. Somber evening.

Sept 13: Meet my ‘lil sister Christine. We met last year when i came on a brief trip to china and have stayed in touch ever since. She is incredibly beautiful and and smart, her english also is amazing. Shave dinner with carl and friends.

Sept 14: Go with the girls to the “city center” to go shopping. Due to malfunctions our room gets changed and we move down the hall (number 2)

Sept 15: the dreaded placement test. It was worse then i imagined and was all in characters, which i dont know. We need more passport photos, and some other documents for our student ids and other paper work. Got my hair cut and began to feel more confident dispite my lack of chinese skills. Also got my hair cut and colored at a local salon (more later)

Sept 16: finally some sun shine!! We discovered a little pizza place and an amazing pastry shop/cafe. The pizza is good, not exactly american but still good in a chinese way. Night market, which was much busier and full of people.

Sept 19: Classes begin! Oh did i mention they are on the 6th floor (with no elevator)? Why yes they are. By the time i get up there i am dripping with sweat and cant breathe. I can only do one flight at a time, while the chinese students and other much younger classmates wiz by me like it is nothing. Deciding to leave 15 minutes early from now on do to 10 flights of stairs.

Sept 20: Was asked by adam and ben to go to help them at english corner with all the students. Loved it! While i felt like Britney spears at a press conference it was still really cool. These students are amazing and work very hard. Exchanged many qq numbers and made friends with many. First of many times at english corner.

Sept 21-30: a flurry of classes and meeting people including David and Mark, great guys in the Translation and interpreting masters program. They take us out to dinner and we meet their friends who are equally awesome and we play pool at this place you would never have thought was nice on the inside (pics later). Also met up with a good friend i met on his Wushu tour in the US. Leo (i gave him the english name) and received a very large wushu sword. It is still surreal to see people i know from home here. Also trying to get used to the constant staring and pointing.

China’s National Holiday Break Oct 1-Oct 10:
We (angelika, leanna and i) have choosen to take our holiday break in shenzhen because i couldnt shut up about it. We board a train for the 18 hour ride because we are stopping in Guanzhou on the way to spend the day, before taking a bullet train to shenzhen.

Guanzhou is amazing!! Beautful city. We visit an island of sorts that is the dimplomats former area. All the buildings are western and it reminds me of walking through the french quater in new orleans. Lots of fun (more later0

On to Shenzhen! We get lost trying to find our hotel, but after a 2 hour adventure in the middle of the night, we arrive at this awesome hostel. (more on it later)

During this week we shop, eat, and explore. We visit Chinese Cultural folk park. The take a few days to them selves because my feet couldnt take more walking, so i discover many cool places around the hostel including a wonderful massage spa. (more later)

One day we head to Disney Hong Kong! I am beyond excited! I now have been to 3 disney parks around the world and i want to go to more!! It was magical even though it was small, smaller then disney land in cali. (more later)

October 8: we board the train to return to kaifeng and to school and homework. 22 hours of not sleeping because of rude bunk mates (more later)

Oct 10- 28 fly by in a flurry of activities and homework, nothing major accept i have been asked to teach at a local preschool (kindergarten here) one hour a week of english. On the 28th my friend and teacher takes me to the crysanthimum festival at long ting. It was amazing and better then last time when i was too injured to walk up to the top of the steps to the palace. (more later)

Oct 31: foreign teachers have a truly all american style party for the students. Complete with apple-bobbing and costumes. The students love being involved and learning our strange traditions.

November beings pretty good but is brought to a complete hault when i catch a cold that turns into pneumonia. I am out of commission for 2 weeks. When i return i am behind in class even though i tried to keep up with my homework. Not being in class ruins my progression especially with speaking and listening. I am supposed to be taking an HSK at the end of the month but i havent had time to study with being sick, catching up and teaching. My wonderful teacher Li invited me to lunch and to dinner and to study at her home. (more later) The rest of the month is a blur of classes and minor frustrations. I have discovred that no matter how young i look or act i am not 22 and no longer enjoy that crowd. Find my own way to making my time here happy, my way. (more later)

Thanksgiving night: all the american teachers and students go out for an amazing buffet dinner full of meat (which i miss) and meet 2 cool guys traveling the globe. One from germany and one from scotland. They are passing through on their way to there next adventure. Took the HSK and wanted to shoot myself for doing so. I was so not prepared for how hard it was.

Is it december already? After discovering the source of my stress and depression, i move into my own room and dispite the expense it is worth every kuai for the peace and quiet and sleep gained. Also begin hanging out with people my own age and start really loving being here. Should have done this sooner. Now moved back to 5th floor.

December is a whirlwind of meeting new people and visiting many parts and resturants of kaifeng that i didnt know existed. Li introduces me to her neice who i will tutor and her family. I also meet her friend who is a vice-principle and father to the cutest 7 year old. Lao song and Xiao song, my new friends. I also meet someone that will change my life forever, Xiao Fei.

Christmas was spent mostly alone but Mengmeng (niece) and her family and Li had me over and in tutoring i am getting many really good free meals! But that is ok because or final exam is the day after christmas. That is also our last day of class for the semester.

Before i know it is new years, and again alone but that is ok. I am beginning to fall in love with someone:

me

.

Spent new years weekend with many friends of li and who are now my friends too. Unfortunately li is leaving for a 2 year teaching job at univeristy of akron, plus side i will see her again in july. She truly became my best friend here and helped me so much. She even took me to her salon to get a cut, color and perm, which was amazing and cheap!

2012: Wow what a year that has passed and if this one is like it will be amazing.

Jan 1-10: again not sure where the time went, but I am really enjoying hanging our with myself. I have gone all over the city and eaten alone, shopped alone even took the bus alone. I discover new stores and also discover that i am pretty good company.

Jan 6: Spring Holiday begins

Jan 10-20: i go to zhengzhou. I have been invited, thanks to xiao fei, to teach some students over break. I have been put in an amazing hotel, fed well and really had a great time despite being tired from 2 classes a day. I learned so much, most of all that i definately want to teach english here. Make some great friends and even have a cupping session (more later). Oh and got some cool toys: New HTC touchflo 3d/hd and a chinese version of ipad with andriod on it. Both amazing!

Jan 20: return to kaifeng and thanks to Xiao fei, i have been granted a 1st floor room. Thank goodness. He and several other friends help me move then take us all out to dinner. If feels good to be a teacher, you get tons more respect and privileges, not to mention the reward of helping others.

Jan 21: suddenly realize i need to stock up on food before the big shut down that lasts from 1/23-2/5. Thanks to the amazing kindness of Lao Song i stock up on many foods and bought a hot plate that i sneak into my room so that i can cook during this time.

Jan 22: dear god shoot me…i am so incredibly sick with stomach bug that i want to die

Jan 23: Happy Chinese new year! I spend it in the hospital with an iv, thanks to mengmeng and her mom i am able to get there and back.

Jan 25: beginning to feel better. Gotta love chinese medicine, it really works (more later)

Jan 26- today (feb 3) spend alot of time relaxing and walking around the city. I love kaifeng, dispite all of its flaws i still love being here.

I have been very busy with life in China. It has been no-stop since I got here on August 25th.

In a very brief run down while on a brief slow down (with an internet connection) here is a summary of things:

August 25-Sept 4 Shenzhen with friends. Love this city and plan on living here some day soon. Shopping, shopping and more shopping. Went to the beach and began to get my feet wet in life in China. Also visited Hong Kong for a day. Not that impressed with it but i am glad i went.

Sept 4-5 23 Hour train ride to Kaifeng

Sept 5 – Oct 1 Kaifeng (much happened will give details later)
attend class, make new friends, catch up with the old friends, residency permit and health check, english corner and strange looks.

Oct National day holiday – Me, my roomate (and classmate in Akron), and our new Russian partner in crime take vacation in southern china…

Oct 1-2 17 hour train to Guangzhou
Oct 2 Spend all day in Guangzhou and love this city! will definately return when i have more time.. (more details later)

Oct 2nd (very very late) take bullet train to Shenzhen (yea!) and arrive at awesome hotel.

10.3- visit splendid china,, shopping
10.4- i stay in city and the girls go to hong kong
10.5- i stay local, girls to folk china and splendid china
10.6- disney hong kong!
10.7- i stay local, girls to maccao
10.8&9 – 23 hours back to Kaifeng

I stayed put alot of the times because my knee injury from last years trip to kaifeng has been aggrevated from all of the stairs i have to climb on a daily basis (i live on 4th floor and my class is on the 6th floor with no elevator) so i am unable to do large amounts of walking for any length of time and saved most of my energy for Disney. I filled my days with amazing massages, hair cuts, light shopping and relaxing in our awesome hotel (more to come)

so i will leave you with this picture that says it all…

GOD BLESS THE USA!

some of my unrelated to china photography… let me know what you think.