Bank

I think I learned this from Mr.Chuang, perhaps the only thing I learned from Mr.Chuang was:
Ke bu ke yi shang ce suo?

I went to the bank today to ba mei yuan huan cheng ren ming bi. I asked the guy at the front desk, and he looked taken aback by the question. I asked it again to make sure my tones were correct. He said, "Do you mean Xi Shou Jian?" I said yeah both mean the same thing. Apparently one is more appropriate because using the former is like saying can I take a dump, and the other one is more discreet because you are saying you are going to the room where you wash your hands. Just to let you know its more courteous to use the latter question if you are out for dimsum. That is all.

I haven't decided who to take to Nancy's wedding. Actually I thought about it. Should I? I dunno.

My Tong Wu just woke up almost naked again. I mean she had the basics, but this is so AWKWARD. How can you tell someone to change a habit like that? I mean, for peat's sake, she Chinese.

Midterms

Not to cast a damper with the title, but this marks the middle of my semester. Yay! I went to Beijing during the weekend with my parents and it was a blast! I met Jiang Ma Ma who owned an awesome Vietnamese Restaurant, who treated us to dinner, and taught me how to bargain. My parents are as dark as people living in the tropics, but that seemed to be the only change. My dad was just as amiable, and my mom was the shopaholic. I never realized how good it was to be around my parents until I was actually with them. In fact, they helped me find food I had been longing for: Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds (with Vitamin D milk, no artificial sweeteners!) and Durian. We went to River Romance, and my dad bought me a Gelato. He also cut mangoes and bought really soft (albeit without flavor) bread. They also bought mangosteen, something I adored while I traveled with them. I only remember the food because I haven't tasted different flavors for a LONG TIME. I felt so pampered having them with me, because everything I wanted I got. I wasn't tyrannical or anything but it was the simplicity of just asking and getting it immediately which made it seem so gratifying at the end of the day. Sometimes I didn't even have to ask. I realized the convenience of having my parents around. But it really wasn't the convenience they offered that I cared about, more of just realizing they were a couple of meters away for a couple of days was comforting. I kept glancing at them while we were on the taxi because I knew I wouldn't see them until the end of December. I only now know how real living in another country is like. I think in Philadelphia I lived life subconsciously because my life was a routine. Sure its becoming a routine, but I waking up thinking that I've been displaced. I used to say perception is reality. If you believe it, its true. But you can only fool your senses for so long. My parents aren't watching my back anymore. Maybe thats a good thing, but I really haven't taken advantage of being independent.

My skit is in three days. Thao, me, and Steven are in a group performing "AiQingGuShi,YeAiQingShiGu". Who would've guessed! Siwen just wants to sing Tian Mi Mi and Thao is the sumo wrestler. They are both going to fight for my affection. I don't know if this is a good thing, but I'm intrigued that the story line would put me in this predicament.

I think CET really brings out the kid in me. More like the high school nerd (with a fashion sense)with all this Real World drama. I say that because whenever Caoyin and I study, we'd eventually talk about how our roommates are totally in love with other people. I kid you not. The difference is no one really does it publicly in China. Its so obvious they are attracted to one another, but its like a Chinese drama. No I'm in love with so and so, no we've been apart for years. Just like Gov School love!

I talk like there's only 2 people. To tell you the truth my class has other other people (being the advanced level). I mentioned Siwen and Caoyin. There's BaiJunNin(KFC spokesperson lookalike who loves cookies), Oelian(best Chinese speaker I've learned), AiYun(most sophisticated), Qiyin(HK gurl from Swarthmore), Mungxue(has a bf from Penn). That's about it. My teachers are like Big Brothers who just know everything. We just learned to keep our private matters to ourselves.

I think being back in an institution limits my focus on why I came to China, which was to learn to speak Chinese fluently, sing chinese karaoke without missing words, and enjoy immersing myself in the culture. Now I just memorize all day and it burns me out. I have to say its not as hard as Wharton. Nothing compares to Wharton. But sometimes I just wish I had more time to myself to explore.

Ok out of that self reflection mode. I finished the Harry Potter book. It rocks my socks. I'm happy Harry married Ginny in the end and named their kids in honor of the people who perished in the book. I miss Fred the most. George no longer has an identical twin.

Thanks for the warm wishes guys! I haven't been able to see the comments (although I do get notifications) since blogspot is blocked in China, but I'm sure I'll see them when Christmas rolls around!

Another week has gone by... (Celine Dion wordplay)

Yay! I got to watch the boolegged version of Harry Potter yesterday. My roommate's former boyfriend (yup I was right about their guan xi) put some crap on my laptop and I was able to view it. I asked him if it was wei fa (illegal), and he said "bu yi ding" (not neccessarily). Anyway...

I bought my guzheng! It costs about 1,150 RMB. I played it and I am absolutely in love with it. I can play it like a piano only it doesn't have fa or ti in "do re mi fa so la ti do". So the only song I can play is "Ma Li you yi zhi xiao yang" (Mary had a Little Lamb).

Thao and I have discussed a conspiracy theory about our teachers. We ren wei (think) that they have a meeting every night about what they find out about us in our yi dui yi (one on one) sessions. Whatever you say one day with one teacher carries over the next day to another teacher. They really care about us. But they don't believe in confidentiality. Again, ge qiang you er (the walls have ears).

Thao and I have been interviewing people every week about random topics. Last week it was about internet porn. It was a questionable method we used since we asked one guy next door who asked his one guy friend who asked his other guy friend who asked his other guy friend =4. It's like a Chain letter at its best. Anyway, all the guys have never witnessed it since there are internet restrictions in China. But I think its ke bu si yi (unbelievable).

I miss Abhi. My little apprentice tells me a certain IT guy is quitting, a blood related IT guy has a girlfriend (OMG), and my Ketki is lost in Europe. Well not lost, but its a big world. I just realized, if Abhi brings his salary over to China, he can live like a king.

My Tong Wu went to KTV twice in one week. KTV is karaoke, only the hours when its really cheap is between 12 AM-6AM. It's really inconvenient because I feel like I can't play my guzheng since she sleeps when I am awake. Today, I dunno, I was fed up with it, so I played a morning tune. It was really awkward because well she didn't chuan yi fu, like she went to sleep without yi fu. My conception of chinese people are they are really conservative, but you know "sheng ri fu zhuang" isn't something I am really all that excited in seeing.

Today I ate a bunch of mian bao (bread) that you would normally find in those Chinese bakeries in Chinatown. I am now unconsciously purchasing mian bao that I used to say had no flavor. I think my teacher described it best, what's most important is that you are full. Although today he told us he ate 3 mantous for breakfast and drank a pint of dou fu, which I think is a bit of an overkill.

Today I counted the number of mosquito bites I had. I have 22 small ones and 2 big ones. The small ones aren't noticable unless I scratch myself. Like they aren't spread out, more like juxtaposed. So 5 small ones are equivalent to one big one. It looks like I have 6, actually 4 because two are hidden.

I am so excited to see my parents this weekend in Beijing. Its not that I missed them but there are small things that remind me of them. Like yesterday, Si wen serenaded us with tian mi mi. Like I absolutely hated that song, but its an old classic my dad used to sing. Something about songs mark milestones in my life. Like The Killers "Mr.Brightside", Keane's "Somewhere only We Know", Fan Wei Qi's "Wo Men Ke Bu Ke Yi Bu Yong Gan", Jay Chou's "Qian Li Zhi Wai".
I'm going to publish a memoir in the future. Well if not publish, just tell an oral gu shi to my loved ones. I am staying in a five star hotel (AGAIN) owned by the Starwood corporation. Oh how I miss Western toilets. Also, I'm really proud with what I've learned within the past two weeks. With my friends here, I have no problem conversing fluidly. That doesn't mean I'm saying it right but I couldn't have imagined a more rapid progression. I need to learn to order food though. Chinese people don't really have an opinion about local favorites.

If you da pen ti (sneeze), say yi bai sui.

Good luck = Zhu ni xin yun.

Changhu and the World

Weekends pass by fairly quickly in China. Each week a different activity is coordinated by our Residential Director, Ling Jiu Bi. This week, it was "Take your tongwu out to bond day", meaning I spent time with my roommate. I brought Thao along because her tongwu's grandmother died over the weekend so she had nowhere to go. She's always fun company to have around. She's my age only alot shorter (Thao if you're reading this you KNOW its true). We went to Jiangsu province in the Changshu District and it was a very memorable experience.

We went to ShangHu, alot like Xihu's scenery only you have to pay 60 RMB because its scenery is maintained by the people who charge us for admission. I enjoyed just sitting on the benches and taking in the view. I kept reminding myself to live in the moment because I really don't know when I'll have an opportunity like this again. I can imagine retiring here, but I can't imagine paying 60 RMB to do it everyday. It was funny because XueFang, my roommate, was ultimately dissatisfied because she did not receive instant satisfaction. SuFang, QiYing's roommate (Qiying is from Swathmore) enjoyed the company of a friend she hadn't seen for two years so she didn't complain. Thao is so cute because she insists that I upload all of the pictures I took on facebook. I really don't mind, only that I know spending more than an hour uploading will change my study routine.

Qiying, Thao (Caoyin), and I talked while enjoying ShouLaMian (handmade noodles) for breakfast. Thao said her roommate doesn't eat breakfast or dinner. Qiying says that alot of Chinese girls think beauty comes with being thin and being really pale. I didn't really notice until it occurred to me how much my roommate and SuFang normally talk about how pudgy little boys are. When Qiying and I looked at them, we said they were "yi ban lai shuo de nan hai er" (average looking boys). When we started to describe obesity, they were really surprised. Also, XueFang became alittle tanned today and she kept complaining about it. To come to Changshu was different because everyone in Hangzhou is really thin and pale. Changshu looked like America, more industrialized, more western, alot more KFCs and McDonalds, and average looking people. SuFang said,"Nan guai wo men shuo Shang you Tian Tang, xia you Su Hang". It means, no wonder we say above is heaven, below is Suzhou and Hangzhou. My Chinese teacher in America said that Hangzhou has very beautiful scenery and beautiful women. If beauty comes with the above criteria, then I guess he's right.

I think my roommate thinks she really knows me. Its not just that she chooses my food, but she answers all of my questions. Everything, food, homework, family, love interest, hobbies, ya de ya de ya da. It's not overbearing but sometimes she's just completely wrong with her response.

I use to say the world's really small. In America, some friend ends up knowing some friend who knows a mutual friend. At most there is six degrees of separation right? I'm not really sure about that saying. Travelling alot within the past two weeks has made me come to realize how big this world really is and how I don't know anybody and how I don't understand the culture of a developing society.

A few random observations:
I saw a little boy who was balancing himself by the head to make money because his mom told him not to stop. He only made a couple of RMB. I saw a really pretty woman kick her dog across the face while she was waiting in line for food. I thought of animal abuse and vanity. There are alot of dogs that just roam around in Changshu without owners. They just kept following us around. A little kid threw garbage into a monumental foundation. There were students standing in front of a bookstore with signs asking for a job. The police station has no police. A local favorite is eating octopus on a stick. Rollerskating is only getting big. Alot of old people enjoy dancing the salsa in the street (more than 100 ppl). There are alot of stores that are dilapidated with no business. But you know what? No one really kills anybody like in America. "Zi zhi zao gu zi zhi" (take care of yourself). All they need is money so the worst case scenario is getting something stolen. The problem with taking care of yourself and less stringent security is that no one follows traffic rules. Even in the mall, on the second floor people were riding bicycles and motorcycles. My biggest fear everyday is getting hit by a moving vehicle.

I learned different ways to express my frustration in Chinese within the past two days. I'm so excited to teach people in America.

Classes OVER!

Yay! I survived my first week of classes. I think the reason why CET is a really hard program is because it is based on "si ji ying bei" (rote memorization). You come in to class with the teacher's expectation that you know everything because they give you everything you need to prepare for. We have 100 words a day, an essay to write, and an extracurricular activity. I have chosen to learn to play the Guzheng. I realize that in middle school, my biggest regret was not learning how to play an instrument, specifically the violin. I think I like the piano better but the violin was the only one offered. Not only is the Guzheng like the violin and the piano combined, but it sounds so much better. Cao yin also known as Thao only plucked a few strings and I was hooked. It costs 1600 RMB. I don't know how much that is in American dollars (divide by 7.53) but it is so amazing. I can't wait to bring it home and teach my future kids how to play it.

Right after my exam , I immediately hopped on a bus after avoiding a shit load of traffic to go to the Decathalon store. I bought two really nice $3 badminton rackets. After playing Yu mao qiu with a friend for a hour, we ended up looking like someone pushed us into a pool. Why? Because air conditioning doesn't exist in Hangzhou (with the exception of our dormitory).

I am starting to wonder about my roommate's life. She's really nice but I know nothing about her. Yesterday was the second time she brought a guy friend over to do her homework. Maybe I am misunderstanding her because of the words she uses in Chinese, because she told me the only guan xi she has with him is that he is from her class. This morning two of my friends asked me about something red on her neck. Trying to describe it is funny in chinese, seriously because you use really basic words, like below her head looks red. Last night she bought me octopus to eat. She says its a local favorite. All I could remember were the overt suction cups.

I started to think about what its like to be a liu xue sheng. To me, liu xue sheng and international student have different connations. For one, liu xue sheng means study abroad and international student sounds like I am an outsider. I am but I think the chinese word makes me feel more accepted. I am still getting used to looking at people who wear fake name brand clothing with thick bangs or Jay Chou lookalikes. Seriously every guy who has served as my waiter had a Jay Chou haircut. Wanglehom is on my Wahaha water bottles. I miss karaoking with Frankie. Everytime I think of singing, I think of Frankie. The only songs I'm allowed to sing under the language pledge are Chinese. Its ok because I did that in the states anyway.

My immune system is kind of gay. Everytime I eat something I need to diarrhea. There are exceptions. Packaged foods don't cause me to lose control of my bowels but everything else in China seems to have an adverse effect on my digestive system. What the hey.

Judy's birthday passed on July 10th. I remembered it because that was all I could think about. I don't know if I miss my family, only I hate talking about it. My teachers should stop delving into my personal life.

Tomorrow I am going to Jiangsu with my roommate, Thao, a Shanghai person, and her roommate. We are going to the Changsu district (I think that's the chinese transaction). She has a family friend from Jiangsu. Si wen wants to go and doesn't want to go. He just can't make up his mind. My roommate thought it would be weird since he would be the only guy, dan shi wo bu zai hu. I had every intention to go to Beijing, only that this week's activity required us to take our roommate along. Beijing is 10 hours away by train and about 2 hours by plane. My mom said she bought a really cheap Qipao for only $15. Jia you ma ma!

I've become really dark. Like Nick dark. My sunscreen isn't too effective, but my umbrella is amazing. I really blend it with an umbrella. I like the utilitarian effect, but since most people who use it are girls, it is a psychological need as well. But man, my color has changed.

The mosquitoes here are amazingly small. Like they bite you and you don't notice it. But the ones at the tu shu guan (library) are huge. I know because I ended up scratching those mosquito bites for days.

I think I'm starting to forget what I normally do in America. Everything seems so normal nowadays. Like my morning cereal is actually crumbs in a bag that you put with hot water. My lunch is like "cha gui diao" (a Chaozhou dish or a Cambodian dish), only better because of the presentation. My dinner is something that looks good that probably isn't good for my health. I know the next day. If it looks too good, it probably isn't good for you. Oh another thing that is different is the time I eat. I eat at 7 in the morning, 12 noon, and a 4:30 dinner. That's pretty much it, unless you want pockey sticks as a midnight snack.

I want to go karaoke. The cheapest time is 12 midnight to 6 in the morning. I don't know if I have the strength but it seems like a worthwhile experience.

I really like everyone in my program, not like Governor's school. The difference between this and governor's school is that we had no homework back then, we just met CEOs, mudwrestled, and took dance lessons. I like everyone in the sense that people are passionate about the chinese culture, and at some point had chosen a less practical path of a Chinese major as opposed to a former engineer major. I think they live very fulfilling lives because after college, they have chosen a "I do what I want to do" kind of path, and no one can stop them.

It's an interesting experience when people get really excited because you are of Chinese descent. I say I'm Chaozhou, they say wow, so you are a Chinese person! I mean I'm American, but just to know a dialect of a surrounding province gains me acceptance. I think that is my edge. Also that I play Badminton. I went out to buy hair accessories, and asked the lady if I could bargain, she says offer a price. I wasn't really good, but she was ok with me taking my time to decide. Then she asked me why did I ask if I could bargain, I said cuz I am a foreigner. She said she couldn't see it. I think I am starting to blend in more. People have joked that one day I would marry a Chinese person. I used to vehemently deny it, now its just wu suo wei.

I miss work, Abhi, Kuong, Derek, Frankie. Experiencing a new culture has been a worthwhile experience. It feels like a displacement. It's so surreal but life continues and I just learn to navigate different scenarios day by day. At heart, I am definitely chinese. Even Si wen, and he's Caucasian. Getting ass kicked by local Badminton players, learning to use chopsticks to eat everything, enjoying a developing province's scenary, the whole she bang. I can't imagine living here because of the fewer opportunities to earn money because of the competitive nature of the living, but I can imagine coming back in the future and retiring at Hangzhou's Xihu.

What I have learned this week:
Chinese New Conception
A Superficial based on appearance Economic World
The Cellphone Revolution
Striking Down Porno in China

Awesome!

I spoke to my parents in Mandarin today. I think they are really proud of my improvement within the past week.

Where is the pirated version of Harry Potter? It should be here right now!

China Blues - July 9th

I've been in a somewhat depressing mood today. It's the first day of class, meaning exams galore and one ass kicking individual session with my teacher. I studied all of yesterday to prepare today, which I couldn't really prepare for because I can't prepare responses to questions that I don't know will come up. My teacher asked during the individual session, so how did you feel about your parents leaving you in China for the first time? In chinese, that's still a loaded question. You know to this day I just pretend they are on a longly postponed honeymoon vacation and they'll just pop in again. Then I sneezed today and my roommate said, "Ni dan pen ti, you ren hen xiang ni". I started crying. What a baby. Sui bian.

I plan to make an unprecedented trip to Hong Kong and Beijing during two of the next three weekends. I just need to see my family.

July 7th - Back to School

Well its back to school for me. I want to make this the most memorable and least stressful 6 weeks of summerso I decided to follow some recommendations from my teacher, Lin Jiu Bi.

1. Stay healthy
2. Stay independent
3. Study Hard
4. Don't study too hard
5. Work on my relationship with my chinese roommate.
6. The language pledge only gets easier.
7. Keep a journal
8. Consider what you'll regret not doing.
9. It's only 6 weeks. Don't beat yourself up, make the most out of it.

It makes sense. Being back in academia is alot different in a different country. I always have to be on the lookout because 1. cars look like they will hit me.2. thieves are around and normally steal bikes. 3. most of the people in Zhejiang University of Technology are guys beause I am in an engineering school.

It hasn't been as eventful as it has been with my parents roaming in the wild withcheetah signs, birds that repeat "ni hao", and taxi drivers that keep following us to drive us to shady locations, but its still interesting in a different way. This is myfirst experience washing clothes by hand, peeing in toilets in the ground, and changing my diet. I either eat congee, noodles, or less flavorful bread for breakfast. I still can'tget over the no nutritional facts ordeal, but sometimes I can't worry so much.

My roommate is cool. Her name is XueFang, she's from the Wenzhou province, so she doesn't know Hangzhou as well as her former roommate, TingTing. XueFang is really nice. In fact, she worries about me too much. She's likea second mom. She brought me to drink Bubble Tea here. Man it is so much better. It is a white drink instead of a brown drink, and just healthier without all the additives.I hate tapioca, but something about it made me continue to drink it. Again no durian shake but it's ok.

Yesterday we took our qualifying exams. I am in the most advanced level. Oh crap, that means I have to study alot more. I accidently skipped a class field trip to the Lonjing Tea Mountainsthis morning, but I remember doing that with my parents the other day, and that was a tripI am ok about missing.

There is a girl named Ruby in my program that I met on the first day. She looked at me and asked are you Vietnamese? I said no, but ever since then, she said she could talk to me better than most people in the program. I said that's probably because we are Asian. Mostof the people studying Mandarin this summer are Caucasian. I really don't mind, but there are stares from people on campus because everyone else is from or either looks like they arefrom China. I've met alot of people.

I haven't spoken English for a couple of days. It was really funny that things are becomingmore instantaneous. Normally I wake up and greet people with a what's up? This morning, Isaid to my roommate, "She me Shi?" It means what's wrong but I think its because I stillthink in English and I am translating things into Chinese. I think the language pledge is fun because we talk about really stupid stuff sometimes and its a great way of bonding withpeople in the program. I like the people in my program. There's a guy name Nick whoreminds me of Tom Hanks in CastAway. Jonathan sounds like a bad guy in a Disney Movie.TingTing sounds like she could be in a chinese soap opera. Aya is a really striking Japanese graduate student. Interesting people. Loads of fun.

The Language Pledge: If I speak English 3 times, I am sentback home to America. That is their policy. There is no restriction with Chaozhou, so yayI can still talk to my parents on the phone. That means if you are an English speaker whoknows no other language, I can't talk to you until the program is over. I can write Englishbut that makes me look like a mute.

For people interested in learning Mandarin:
You know those skits that the teacher makes you do in Chinese class? Well its like you
actually do them in real life. Chinese sentences that you formulate just don't come from thin
air. Alot of words I have come to use has been what I've been learning in Chinese class. Coming
to China is like chinese class 24/7. With the aid of Plecodict, an online chinese dictionary, I've
learned alot of crap. Not sure about retention, but recognition is a plus. The first day I struggled
with words as with utensils, favorite foods, sleeping, washing clothes, etc. Basically, whatever
words you use on a normal basis, write it down in a notepad, look up the definition and use it
in Chinatown. I basically do that here, only chinese is a neccessity because using English will
get you ripped off by people who sell stuff. My sentences are rather short, but people understand me as long as I use the right word. If they don't understand me, they correct me, and yay I've gained something. Listening and watching Chinese expands your vocabulary. Even if you don't understand it, being surrounded by it allows you to mimic those sophisticated people on TV, and that is a plus in social situations. Its strange. I never really had the guts to do it, but now that I have no choice, its like I throw random sentences and I think I'm improving. I don't neccessarily think you have to travel to China to learn Chinese, but the culture and the environmental reminders make it easier to learn it alot faster.

Random Tidbit:Mosquitoes are vicious. Everyone needs those Raid plugins. If they don't have one, they are the victim of several hungry mosquitoes the next days.