Even though Joee and I weren't in China for the New Year Celebration, it's always a time when we get together to eat some good Chinese food (thanks Mrs. Gong - we really should have had her show us what she was doing with all that oil!) and reminisce about our Chinese livin' days.
Joee asked me to come to China with her in the spring of 2005. She'd been the year before with her mom, and Joee wanted to go again, not so much her mom! Joee was willing to go herself, but thought she'd see if I wanted to come. Of course! My parents got excited too - and it must be safe if Joee's parents were letting her go again... right? Right!
I had grad classes in May and June and wrote and turned in my last paper the day before we left! (Good thing I took all those breaks to pack!) Joee and I shopped for stuff we wouldn't need two of, and looked through papers and lesson plans and game ideas and other teacher stuff. Joee gave me lessons in Chinese culture, and did her best to prepare me for culture shock.
Here are some highlights and memories...
- "I took a bus, I took a plane, to Beijing city!"
- "One time I hired a monkey..."
- Ice cream!
- Peking duck
- Bottles and bottles of bottled water - and Coke, too!
- "I'm a big, big girl, in a big, big world..."
- Getting voted off of the bus!
- Willage after willage after willage...
- Bus troubles, airline troubles - it's not our fault we're teachers with lots of stuff!
- McDonalds, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut!
- Chinese doctors - I'm the sick one? Really? Do they know who they're talking to?
- Instant messaging
- Sending emails while 'drunk' - not a good idea... but very entertaining for Lee!
- The Great Freaking Wall of China - and we get to spend 45 minutes there? Really? Don't they know we're at the Great Freaking Wall of China?! How often do you go there? And we have to be up and back in 45 minutes? Really? Really!
- Hair! No water shampoos, massages (and laughing through it, so they massage more!), and straight, straight, straight!
- Karaoke bar - microwave popcorn, Coke, and the best skewered fish I've ever had... yum! Thanks bus driver and Zeng!
- Taxi rides
- Shampoo is heavy! Whoever had it in her luggage always had the heavier bag, no matter what else was in it!
- When people speak Chinese to you, and you don't know what they are saying, it doesn't help for them to speak louder and slower, nor does it help for them to write it out for you!
- Bargain, always look for a bargain! Talk 'em down! Promise to bring all your 'good American friends' with you the next time you come to this part of China to do their shopping and you will get the very best deal on all the 'real silk'!
Gambe, my friend! Happy Chinese New Year!
1 comment:
That is so cool that you got to spend time over in China! I wrote to Linda today and wished her Happy Chinese New Year...sorry I forgot you! It was fun to see the pictures you had and read about your funny experiences! Someday I would love to go there...and hopefully spend more than 45 minutes at the Great Wall!
Happy Day to you!
ps...yes, my mom and I made the dresses that Abbie and Emma are wearing. They are the only girls on my side...so we like to play it up! Emma LOVES Abbie and getting to be the big girl cousin! I can't believe how big Abbie is getting...it makes me sad and happy at the same time!
Beat the children...ha ha ha (hope you remember Linda and me joking about that!?)
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