Had a great night out last night and just wanted to share it with everyone right away! :) It was a friends/coworkers birthday dinner at a Japanese restaurant. This restaurant barely exists as it is just a small little door on the outside with 2-3 tables on the first floor. Hidden in the back was a set of stairs that barely fit an American body. When we got upstairs we were greeted and told us to take off our shoes before entering our eating area. It was such a cute place. It was all you can eat... so we order a whole bunch of stuff. We ate all sorts of things and I even tried salmon and quail eggs. I almost passed on the quail eggs but Lauren and another coworker (Mark) said "Hey I am being adventurous!" So I decided to go for it! I actually thought that it would be exciting to tell everyone that I tried quail eggs and how shocked everyone would be! But... I have an even better tale to tell :)
So we got all types of foods and meats (It was probably the lowest carb meal I have had in China). We got a sizzling meat platter and then meat on a stick. I told everyone that I hate eating stuff that looks like beef because it could be any type of meat and never know it. So we got the meat on the stick and it was DELICIOUS! I even grab another stick! :) Later on in the night we decided to order more of this delicious dish. We picked up the sticks and gestured that we wanted more of whatever was on the stick. The lady goes "OHHHHH" and points to the item on the menu: COW TONGUE! Yes ladies and gents thats right Meghan ate cow tongue and LIKED IT! And in case you were wondering we did order more and ate it! :) I was a tad bit freaked out but hey... I'm in China! :)
Pics of me eating it will be posted later! :)
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Stalker, Suzhou, Oriental Land, and Bargaining .. OH MY!
Hello! Sorry for the lack of writing! BUT I HAVE BEEN BUSY! Since my last post I have done lots... including getting paid! :) So I will make this nice and long!
Let me start with the man who is stalking Disney English girls! LOL actually I think he just hangs out at metro stations and looks for foreigners. A few weeks ago I went to get my lunch down at the metro station (The metro stations are awesome and they have shoppes and food places in them). Then this guy comes near me and the conversation went alittle something like this:
Stalker: Hello. Where you from?
Me: America
Stalker: I am from South Korea visiting my sister.
Me: Cool.
Stalker: You live here?
Me: Not for long. I have to go nice meeting you.
Stalker: You look like (something I could not understand)
Me: Oh thank you. goodbye
Stalker: And I look like (cant understand)
Me: Ok.. bye.
Stalker: How old you?
Me: 26
Stalker: I 16... You are 10 years older I 10 years younger (clearly not 16 more like 30)
Me: Yes that means I should not be talking to you... Leave me alone good bye.
(I walk faster and up the stairs. Stalker follows me I get off the stairs he bumps into me and changes directions to go with me)
Stalker: Ok it was nice meet you. (Extends his hand AND FAKED ME OUT and KISSES ME ON THE CHEEK!!!!!!YUCKKKKKK)
Me:NO NO NO! (I run across the street and he follows)
Stalker: Nice meet you (and tries to go in for another kiss. This is when I pushed him and a chinese woman just stared and laughed)
The reason he is a stalker is because there has been numerous accounts of a south korean man telling them they look like a disney character at the metro station trying to kiss people. One girl was actually chased on the metro while chinese people pointed and laughed. Lauren wonders if she will go to chinese jail if the stalker comes near her cause she is punching him.
All of you probably had a chuckle but I assure you my cheek did not think it was funny as it got disinfected 5 times and lost a layer of skin!:)
On Saturday the 24th we went on a spontaneous trip to Suzhou which is pronounced Sue - joe. (We in this trip includes Lauren, Lindsey, Abbey and myself). We decided that low funds should not keep us from seeing CHINA! So Saturday morning we ate breakfast and headed out. We werent sure if we would even get tickets on the train but we decided that if anything it would be an adventure to try. We got on the metro and found the train station (accomplishment 1). We got there and we stood in line wondering how the crap we would order a ticket as the brilliant and well traveled people we are have only thought about one step at a time. We say the train schedule (all in chinese) and tried to search for the chinese symbols of Suzhou... no luck. The train schedule looked like there were no available tickets for anywhere and pretty much decided that if anything we would try and buy a ticket for the next day or weekend. When we got to the attendant who spoke no english we once again relied on pointing and gesturing. We pointed to our book and WE GOT TICKETS!!! We were so happy we ordered four and then tried to gesture round trip but he didnt understand and ended up with a one way ticket to Suzhou! (I count this as accomplishment #2 cause we atleast got a ticket.. we may not be coming back but hey we got there!). We found the gate (again in chinese) and waited for the train. It felt like an old time movie walking out to the train and hopping aboard! As it may have been an accomplishment to have a ticket, we found out the moment we starting moving that we purchased a ticket on the SLOW SLOW SLOW train. I was just super excited as this was my first time on a train. My first trip on a train involved a woman storing her groceries where my feet should be and her bag taking up the whole table were my purse should go but none the less I was on a train! :) Now I dont know if I said this before but I was on a SLOW train... When we started moving I said "I hope this isnt as fast as it goes" but ... it was. But most things that are chinese are (ie. THE PEOPLE!)so we just enjoyed our seats and waited till we stopped. The train stopped.. but we had only been on the train for 30 minutes and we were suppose to be on an hour. We were confused because you see we dont know chinese. But we took the chance and stayed on... so did everyone else. and I said to myself...But why are there so many people outside? THERE ARE NO SEATS...The new people piled on in and put their stuff where ever they found room, fortunately I had the woman in front of me who already took all the available space I had and then some. But Abbey who did not have the luck of no space. She had a man shove a huge bag of something that weighed the same as an American body (chinese people dont weigh much) and then had this man lean on her for the remained of the trip. Thank you for window seats! :)
The second stop was OURS! Although it wasnt what I was expecting. Suzhou is described as the venice of the east. What do you picture when you hear that? THIS?
But guess what... we made it! (accomplishment #3) We were greeted by many people who wanted us to go on tours with them. A few followed us to the ticket window (we wanted to buy our tickets home just in case they were sold out later) as we were trying to figure out how to gesture 'fast train' not slow train... the tour guides told us that we were in line for the slow train and found the fast train WOAT WOAT!
Now we venture off! Now we werent sure what we were going to do (this goes back to the whole one step at a time). As we are looking for a taxi/looking at our book, a man followed us out of the train station and down the street. This was alittle shady and a few of us were alittle scared but we found a taxi line and PUT THAT BOOK AWAY! I was alittle worried at this point thinking that maybe we should have gone to such a little city of 5.91 million but still was not discouraged. We saw signs at the train station that said you have not experience Suzhou unless you have been to Tiger Hill so Tiger Hill we went! Tiger Hill was beautiful and we saw GREEN things that I think are called TREES! :) We saw a leaning Pagoda and beautiful gardens... it was breathtaking.
We also went on a boat ride around the canal and saw the community. Although I was really confused about why Suzhou is referred to as the venice of the east, I mainly just thought about how lucky and blessed I am to have all the things in my life. Watching people clean their clothes in the canal and seeing them in what they refer to as homes is very humbling.
But yet all of them were so happy and most waved and smiled as we passed. It opened my eyes to be appreciative of what I currently have instead of always wanting more.
It was starting to get dark, but the town seemed to get busier! We were hungry and decided to try and find something to eat. We decided on STREET FOOD! alittle nervous with eating something that came from this....
But when in china.... :) It was delicious... we had chinese pancakes ... yum yum yum! it dough with egg and green onions... man was it amazing... also tried noodles (shocker) also very good. We fetched a cab from the corner of a street that had no traffic lights but lots of cars coming from all directions. We got to the train station and jumped on the very very very fast train that went 347 km .... and made it back to Shanghai (accomplishment #4). It was a ridiculously long long day but man it was worth it and so awesome to experience real China! Go us! :)
The following day I decided to go to a church (arent you proud mom!). Its kinda confusing about the rules of religion but at the church I went to it was understood that chinese people can only go to the chinese service, where foreigners could only go to the designated services. I heard that alot of churches arose recently because of the expo. But the church was amazing! It was crazy to see people all over the world from Europe to Africa to America coming together for the same reason. It was crazy! And I am really glad I went! :)
During the week instead of work we got to go to ORIENTAL LAND!!! :) all of Disney English went for team building day! This is where I competed in a dragon boat race and ended up in bushes! :)
We had great costumes (as seen in the photos!) and had another traditional chinese lunch where I ate Jellyfish! THATS RIGHT BE SHOCKED! :) It was an awesome day that ended in a Water city that I cant pronounce called Zhujiajiao Water Village.
It was way to hot to enjoy to the fullest... i mean WAY TOO hot. But the locals did not seem to mind as the took naps along the sidewalk. Again be thankful of where you are because you have not experienced hot until you have come to China!
Last weekend included a paycheck and bargaining!!!! In china everything is negotiable! So when you get an offer dont pay it! :) How about a reinactment of what it is like!!! :) I am trying to purchase a silk dress at the fake market:
Chinese: Hello... watch bag dvd
Me: (ONLY ask how much it is if you really want to buy it... there is no such thing as leisurely shopping here!) How much is this?
Chinese: (picks up calculator .. no one verbally tells you how much it is they dont want others to hear) Ok normally its this (typed 1800 = $300 USD) but for you cause you my friend I give it to you for (types 1500). Only cause you my friend and i want you happy
Me: Oh that is too much.
Chinese: What you price?
Me: Oh well I can only pay (type 120 = $20USD)
Chinese: OH .... come on... be real.. i no joking... ok ok only cause you my friend (types 900)
Me: I am sorry (trying to give back the calculator) this is too expensive. Thank you.
Chinese: (pushes back the calculator) try another try another .. no joking
Me: I am not joking 120
Chinese: i go down alot and you no go up... come on friend noooo joking
Me: Sorry only 120 (again trying to give calculator)
Chinese: come on it hot outside I work ..
Me: I am broke college student
Chinese: come on... go tell me price no joking price
Me: That is what I can pay. Thank you (walk out of the store)
Chinese: (yelling) 800 (waits for response) 500.... 300... 200... (i still continue walking around the corner).... OKAYYYYYYYYYYY
Me: so 120?
Chinese: YES!
And that my friends is the art of bargaining! :)Lauren quickly discovered the art and I soon followed! So gifts and and more gifts were purchased (both for myself and others).
I recieved my residence permit yesterday! In it I was given a chinese name: 达利娅. This means Da Li Ya .. My chinese assistant translated it and I was so excited! Its a great name :) I asked why it resembles my middle name and not my first or last .. she didnt know. Even in chinese Dalia sounds beautiful.
Other things that I have seen in China include: A child peeing on the side of the street next to the metro, backrooms in a fake market (everyone knows you sell fake stuff why do u need a backroom ITS A FAKE MARKET!), a chinese man spit in the hotel hallway TWICE, a cab driver who danced and sang to Justin Beiber, a sign at a village that said no defecating anywhere but the bathroom and an old woman who farts and dont care who heard it! OH CHINA! :)
With only 2.5 weeks left there is pretty much one thing left to do: GO TO BEIJING! And its happening August 13-15. Its really expensive to go but once in a lifetime chance to see the great wall! We have tours arranged and everything! Cant wait!
China has grown on me.. the people not so much but the city yes. So just so everyone knows I am doing great! Miss you all!
P.S. excuse all the spelling and grammar errors... I didnt want to reread my post lol its too long! :)
Let me start with the man who is stalking Disney English girls! LOL actually I think he just hangs out at metro stations and looks for foreigners. A few weeks ago I went to get my lunch down at the metro station (The metro stations are awesome and they have shoppes and food places in them). Then this guy comes near me and the conversation went alittle something like this:
Stalker: Hello. Where you from?
Me: America
Stalker: I am from South Korea visiting my sister.
Me: Cool.
Stalker: You live here?
Me: Not for long. I have to go nice meeting you.
Stalker: You look like (something I could not understand)
Me: Oh thank you. goodbye
Stalker: And I look like (cant understand)
Me: Ok.. bye.
Stalker: How old you?
Me: 26
Stalker: I 16... You are 10 years older I 10 years younger (clearly not 16 more like 30)
Me: Yes that means I should not be talking to you... Leave me alone good bye.
(I walk faster and up the stairs. Stalker follows me I get off the stairs he bumps into me and changes directions to go with me)
Stalker: Ok it was nice meet you. (Extends his hand AND FAKED ME OUT and KISSES ME ON THE CHEEK!!!!!!YUCKKKKKK)
Me:NO NO NO! (I run across the street and he follows)
Stalker: Nice meet you (and tries to go in for another kiss. This is when I pushed him and a chinese woman just stared and laughed)
The reason he is a stalker is because there has been numerous accounts of a south korean man telling them they look like a disney character at the metro station trying to kiss people. One girl was actually chased on the metro while chinese people pointed and laughed. Lauren wonders if she will go to chinese jail if the stalker comes near her cause she is punching him.
All of you probably had a chuckle but I assure you my cheek did not think it was funny as it got disinfected 5 times and lost a layer of skin!:)
On Saturday the 24th we went on a spontaneous trip to Suzhou which is pronounced Sue - joe. (We in this trip includes Lauren, Lindsey, Abbey and myself). We decided that low funds should not keep us from seeing CHINA! So Saturday morning we ate breakfast and headed out. We werent sure if we would even get tickets on the train but we decided that if anything it would be an adventure to try. We got on the metro and found the train station (accomplishment 1). We got there and we stood in line wondering how the crap we would order a ticket as the brilliant and well traveled people we are have only thought about one step at a time. We say the train schedule (all in chinese) and tried to search for the chinese symbols of Suzhou... no luck. The train schedule looked like there were no available tickets for anywhere and pretty much decided that if anything we would try and buy a ticket for the next day or weekend. When we got to the attendant who spoke no english we once again relied on pointing and gesturing. We pointed to our book and WE GOT TICKETS!!! We were so happy we ordered four and then tried to gesture round trip but he didnt understand and ended up with a one way ticket to Suzhou! (I count this as accomplishment #2 cause we atleast got a ticket.. we may not be coming back but hey we got there!). We found the gate (again in chinese) and waited for the train. It felt like an old time movie walking out to the train and hopping aboard! As it may have been an accomplishment to have a ticket, we found out the moment we starting moving that we purchased a ticket on the SLOW SLOW SLOW train. I was just super excited as this was my first time on a train. My first trip on a train involved a woman storing her groceries where my feet should be and her bag taking up the whole table were my purse should go but none the less I was on a train! :) Now I dont know if I said this before but I was on a SLOW train... When we started moving I said "I hope this isnt as fast as it goes" but ... it was. But most things that are chinese are (ie. THE PEOPLE!)so we just enjoyed our seats and waited till we stopped. The train stopped.. but we had only been on the train for 30 minutes and we were suppose to be on an hour. We were confused because you see we dont know chinese. But we took the chance and stayed on... so did everyone else. and I said to myself...But why are there so many people outside? THERE ARE NO SEATS...The new people piled on in and put their stuff where ever they found room, fortunately I had the woman in front of me who already took all the available space I had and then some. But Abbey who did not have the luck of no space. She had a man shove a huge bag of something that weighed the same as an American body (chinese people dont weigh much) and then had this man lean on her for the remained of the trip. Thank you for window seats! :)
The second stop was OURS! Although it wasnt what I was expecting. Suzhou is described as the venice of the east. What do you picture when you hear that? THIS?
But guess what... we made it! (accomplishment #3) We were greeted by many people who wanted us to go on tours with them. A few followed us to the ticket window (we wanted to buy our tickets home just in case they were sold out later) as we were trying to figure out how to gesture 'fast train' not slow train... the tour guides told us that we were in line for the slow train and found the fast train WOAT WOAT!
Now we venture off! Now we werent sure what we were going to do (this goes back to the whole one step at a time). As we are looking for a taxi/looking at our book, a man followed us out of the train station and down the street. This was alittle shady and a few of us were alittle scared but we found a taxi line and PUT THAT BOOK AWAY! I was alittle worried at this point thinking that maybe we should have gone to such a little city of 5.91 million but still was not discouraged. We saw signs at the train station that said you have not experience Suzhou unless you have been to Tiger Hill so Tiger Hill we went! Tiger Hill was beautiful and we saw GREEN things that I think are called TREES! :) We saw a leaning Pagoda and beautiful gardens... it was breathtaking.
We also went on a boat ride around the canal and saw the community. Although I was really confused about why Suzhou is referred to as the venice of the east, I mainly just thought about how lucky and blessed I am to have all the things in my life. Watching people clean their clothes in the canal and seeing them in what they refer to as homes is very humbling.
But yet all of them were so happy and most waved and smiled as we passed. It opened my eyes to be appreciative of what I currently have instead of always wanting more. It was starting to get dark, but the town seemed to get busier! We were hungry and decided to try and find something to eat. We decided on STREET FOOD! alittle nervous with eating something that came from this....
But when in china.... :) It was delicious... we had chinese pancakes ... yum yum yum! it dough with egg and green onions... man was it amazing... also tried noodles (shocker) also very good. We fetched a cab from the corner of a street that had no traffic lights but lots of cars coming from all directions. We got to the train station and jumped on the very very very fast train that went 347 km .... and made it back to Shanghai (accomplishment #4). It was a ridiculously long long day but man it was worth it and so awesome to experience real China! Go us! :)The following day I decided to go to a church (arent you proud mom!). Its kinda confusing about the rules of religion but at the church I went to it was understood that chinese people can only go to the chinese service, where foreigners could only go to the designated services. I heard that alot of churches arose recently because of the expo. But the church was amazing! It was crazy to see people all over the world from Europe to Africa to America coming together for the same reason. It was crazy! And I am really glad I went! :)
During the week instead of work we got to go to ORIENTAL LAND!!! :) all of Disney English went for team building day! This is where I competed in a dragon boat race and ended up in bushes! :)
We had great costumes (as seen in the photos!) and had another traditional chinese lunch where I ate Jellyfish! THATS RIGHT BE SHOCKED! :) It was an awesome day that ended in a Water city that I cant pronounce called Zhujiajiao Water Village.
It was way to hot to enjoy to the fullest... i mean WAY TOO hot. But the locals did not seem to mind as the took naps along the sidewalk. Again be thankful of where you are because you have not experienced hot until you have come to China!Last weekend included a paycheck and bargaining!!!! In china everything is negotiable! So when you get an offer dont pay it! :) How about a reinactment of what it is like!!! :) I am trying to purchase a silk dress at the fake market:
Chinese: Hello... watch bag dvd
Me: (ONLY ask how much it is if you really want to buy it... there is no such thing as leisurely shopping here!) How much is this?
Chinese: (picks up calculator .. no one verbally tells you how much it is they dont want others to hear) Ok normally its this (typed 1800 = $300 USD) but for you cause you my friend I give it to you for (types 1500). Only cause you my friend and i want you happy
Me: Oh that is too much.
Chinese: What you price?
Me: Oh well I can only pay (type 120 = $20USD)
Chinese: OH .... come on... be real.. i no joking... ok ok only cause you my friend (types 900)
Me: I am sorry (trying to give back the calculator) this is too expensive. Thank you.
Chinese: (pushes back the calculator) try another try another .. no joking
Me: I am not joking 120
Chinese: i go down alot and you no go up... come on friend noooo joking
Me: Sorry only 120 (again trying to give calculator)
Chinese: come on it hot outside I work ..
Me: I am broke college student
Chinese: come on... go tell me price no joking price
Me: That is what I can pay. Thank you (walk out of the store)
Chinese: (yelling) 800 (waits for response) 500.... 300... 200... (i still continue walking around the corner).... OKAYYYYYYYYYYY
Me: so 120?
Chinese: YES!
And that my friends is the art of bargaining! :)Lauren quickly discovered the art and I soon followed! So gifts and and more gifts were purchased (both for myself and others).
I recieved my residence permit yesterday! In it I was given a chinese name: 达利娅. This means Da Li Ya .. My chinese assistant translated it and I was so excited! Its a great name :) I asked why it resembles my middle name and not my first or last .. she didnt know. Even in chinese Dalia sounds beautiful.
Other things that I have seen in China include: A child peeing on the side of the street next to the metro, backrooms in a fake market (everyone knows you sell fake stuff why do u need a backroom ITS A FAKE MARKET!), a chinese man spit in the hotel hallway TWICE, a cab driver who danced and sang to Justin Beiber, a sign at a village that said no defecating anywhere but the bathroom and an old woman who farts and dont care who heard it! OH CHINA! :)
With only 2.5 weeks left there is pretty much one thing left to do: GO TO BEIJING! And its happening August 13-15. Its really expensive to go but once in a lifetime chance to see the great wall! We have tours arranged and everything! Cant wait!
China has grown on me.. the people not so much but the city yes. So just so everyone knows I am doing great! Miss you all!
P.S. excuse all the spelling and grammar errors... I didnt want to reread my post lol its too long! :)
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