Call me anything but lazy

Hi one, hi all (hi friends!)

So, I've discovered that some of my friends here on my China trip have actually decided to become (semi-) loyal readers to my blog! Thus, in case they're reading, here's a shout-out! Hi you guys! I don't know why people would read this regularly, but I suppose I created a blog for the hope that that would happen. Mission accomplished? Maybe?

So, classes have become more serious lately, and thus I've become insanely busy with planned trips and studying for my Chin107 class. That is no joke. We have a quiz every day and an oral presentation every day. Today we had a quiz on the chapter lesson, and then we had a test on the entire chapter, all within the same class period. Today, I accidentally spoke when nobody else was speaking because I thought we were supposed to follow the teacher's words. You know how that happens? It was kind of loud and awkward, especially because it was the first pinyin tone for "duo." If you know Chinese and know what I mean, you know it sounds silly when randomly yelled during the broken lapses between speaking. Christina and I had a good laugh about that one.

Dinner consisted of extremely spicy food (in a good way), great tea, delicious buns (which come with a small plate of sweet condensed milk that has the consistency of caramel and is delicious), and an amazing smoked fish dish that the restaurant is known for.

So here's a recap of what's happened these past few days:

On Jan. 8, we went to the Great Wall. It was soooo cold, but my body was fighting between being extremely overheated from the difficult climb and being so cold that I couldn't feel my fingers. I wore three pairs of pants. So styling. Almost everyone was able to make it all the way up to the top of the section of the Great Wall that we climbed, but it was no easy task. It was just so, so cold outside, I can hardly describe it. I don't think it's the climb that was tiring, but rather the fact that I couldn't get my body into a natural climbing rhythm because the steps are all unevenly spaced in height. When we got up to the top, it was really amazing and nice that so many of us were there at the same time.
After the Great Wall, we went to a local rural village to see how many Chinese people still live. What was interesting was that although the alleyways were skinny and filled with dirt, outhouses, and random blankets or logs or coal, the house we ended up entering was really large. It had a middle room that had a sun roof to allow for more natural light to enter. The man that lived there was so proud of his home, and although he looked only 60 he was close to 80, it turns out. I guess manual labor can do a body and spirit good. Although I did think it was weird that Professor Chen just tracked some guy wandering along the neighborhood's alleyway and asked if he could bring 28 random students through his house so they could see what life was like in the local villages. Weird.
For some reason I always get really sad when I see stuff like that. It just makes me think about how lucky I am, and how he appreciates his life so much, despite its shortcomings. *A fun little fact for those who are impatient and prefer to skip ahead to the starry parts* : All the small shacks in this neighborhood had only one door per house, and they all faced South, to comply with the fengshui system of thinking that so many Chinese people share.

Then, we went to a really old part of Beijing that had stone streets and lots of streetside stores. It has become kind of tourist-ridden in recent years, but I got to hangout with Du Laoshi and Pong Laoshi for a decent amount of the walk, which made it worthwhile.
Finally, we went to the Peking Opera after eating dinner at a hotel that happened to share the same name as Professor Chen. The opera was really interesting, and it was shorter than I remembered it being, which was a good thing. There were three short scenes that lasted about 1-2 hrs altogether. The first play involved an action-comedy and lots of ninja-like fight scenes. The second involved classic female Peking Opera singing (not quite my style; it's very very high-pitched), and the third involved a title that was misconstrued by many members of our group and became a laughing joke for most of the night. All in all, very enjoyable. Plus, we got to watch some of the actors put their makeup on. Phew, that was a long day. Thanks for sticking with me, if you stuck with me, readers.
Jan. 9 we went to Silk Alley, but I can't talk about what I purchased because then it would give away my surprises! But, basically Silk Alley is a huge indoor bargaining bazaar of questionably legal clothes, bags, jewelry, sunglasses, electrical equipment, etc. It is intimidating and the sellers attack like vultures at any unsuspecting visitors (mostly Americans). At night, a ton of us went out to a bar and then dancing. It was absolutely amazing! Steven knows all the great places for us to go out to. Wonderful!

Jan. 10 I went to a museum, but it was pretty boring. The class went. Maybe against our will? I wanted a piece of decorative bamboo, and when Professor Pong tried to get it for me, he got a bamboo stick splinter! I felt so bad, but when I was able to extract said bamboo piece from said professor, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Then, we went to the Forbidden City. I followed Professor Pong, who know so much about the history of China and the Forbidden City!
It was quite cold but I was layered and prepared. Teresa and I went to see a clock exhibit of clocks that the emperors collected, and it was incredibly impressive. I really liked it. Perhaps my favorite part of the Forbidden City and worth the 10 kuai.

For dinner, we had Korean food, which is culturally usually spicy. And it was delicious, and Jonathan ate his body weight worth of Korean food. The tea had this unique wheat taste to it, which I really loved. Apparently that's a common taste that many Korean teas tend to have. It's fuller than most teas, with more "body" to it, so to speak.

Now, I'm off to study for two more quizzes. However, some cool info to note:

1. Asian people LOVE the classic blonde-haired blue-eyed American look, and it's not unusual for lines of girls or guys to ask to take pictures with the more American-looking members of our group. It's almost like they're celebrities.

2. The little Asian babies wear huge layers of clothes to beat the cold, but they'll have slits in the back of their pants so that they can easily pee and poop in public if needed. Thus, if they bend over, their bare butts just peek right out from layers and layers of clothing. It's really quite silly, but it only adds to their cuteness and my desire to steal one for myself and keep it.

Love,

Amy

My dad is a funny man

My dad writes the best and funniest emails. If you're reading this now (I'm pretty sure you are or will be in the near future) thanks, dad. You really cheer up my day. And, if you're reading this and mom's home, please tell her that I talked to Bei Bei today, and we're planning on going to dinner on Monday! Bei Bei's English is so good now! I am terribly embarrassed at the poor state of my Chinese, but I think I'm improving. My Chinese buddy Echo told me so :)

Today was great because we had class and the quiz was easy and Chinese was interactive. However, we couldn't find anywhere to eat breakfast because we had been banking on the cafe being open (it wasn't), so I ended up drinking warm milk tea and eating cookie/cracker things with one side of chocolate and one side wheat. They were good, but dessert in the morning is weird and unnatural, even in Asia.
A quartet of young musicians who are training at some of Beijing's best music universities, played for us today. We were in a classroom that didn't seem equipped to fit them and their music, but I think the best was made of the awkward setup. It sounded like classic Chinese music, and something about it made a part of me feel really comfy, like something fit where I hadn't realized a hole had been. The instruments were as follows (in no particularly professional order):
1. wooden flute thing
2. Chinese violin, which was a piece of wood shaped like a tin can with two string connected to it, played with a bow like an American violin, except the bow strikes in between the strings instead of above them
3. a harp that was played with it lying back against a table, almost played like a really graceful keyboard. her fingers kind of just skimmed the surface, like she was ticking the instrument
4. an instrument kind of shaped like a viola or cello, which faced outwards like a cello but was balanced on the player's lap. it kind of looked like a mango halve, with the fleshy part facing out
The most interesting part of the performance, or at least the most eye-catching, was the harp player's hair. It was cut in this femmebot kind of shape. The precision was a bit alarming. A short, crisp bob and straight, thick bangs. But the odd perfection wasn't the most shocking. What was most interesting was the shine. I've never seen hair so shiny in my entire life. It looked like it had been polished, like a shiny piece of onyx (I'm guessing, because I've heard people refer to those stones as black and particularly shiny). I'm not the only one who noticed - at least six or seven others commented about it after the performance was over, and at least three of them were guys who noticed. That's saying something.

I also went out for sushi tonight and invited my Chinese buddy Echo to come along too!!! I'm loving it. It was so fun! And I went grocery shopping, kind of, but I really just bought some green tea, chocolate cookies, and a chewy snack I remember fondly from childhood.
Today at lunch we talked about eating brain and swallow spit (swallow, like the bird). Tomorrow, the Great Wall!! Race you to the top!

I can hear your techno

I noticed that randomly at the end of my post yesterday, I had something about "more interesting facts!" or something of that sort written at the very bottom after my name. I attribute this solely to the fact that I was distracted by the girl sitting two seats over to my left, who was listening to blaring techno music. I'm thinking it was an American/Japanese fusion? I understood some words, in between the thumping and bumping and screeching.

Also, the convenience store on the second floor where the communal computers are located has a type of chocolate stick snack called "Boy Meets Girl." Yeah.

Today was my first day of classes! It started with me losing half my breakfast in the trashcan, all due to being polite. I was eating a bagel and went to check my email. When I was done with the computer, I went looking for some bottled water to buy, and the girl at the desk thought I was looking for a trashcan to throw away the rest of my bagel. She happily led me by the arm to the trashcan, pointing and nodding, smiling. Expectant. I was so nervous about making her upset, I thanked her and threw the remains of my bagel away. Luckily, I wasn't that hungry and I got the bottled water in the end. Mission accomplished.

I think I forgot what classes are like. Chin208 is no joke; Professor Chen is really trying to fit a whole semester into this tiny little capsule of time in Beijing. It's not bad, though. I just have to find some reliable study buddies :) My Chin107 class, on the other hand, is AWESOME. And by awesome, I mean seriously pee-my-pants fantastic. The teacher is a professor from China. As in, he currently teaches in China. He is slightly tubby, which he points out often by referring to himself as "pong" or something sounding like that (which apparently means "fat" in Chinese). I personally think it adds character. He is sooo cute and ebullient, sometimes I think his cheeks are going to explode from his smile. And, if they did explode, hundreds of bubbles of joy would come floating out of them, like an even happier explosion. It's crazy. He only speaks in Chinese to us, which is difficult to understand but helpful for learning purposes in the long run, me thinks. Starting tomorrow, speaking in English is not permitted. There will be a lot of "Zenme yisi..." ("how do you say...?") Whatever works.

Btw, yesterday we had a funny conversation over drinks at the bar. It involved the American names Chinese people choose. Steven was mentioning the names some of his students have chosen before, and I realized there is so much weight to a name. For example, one of his students chose the name Yolanda or something of that sort. Steven didn't know how to explain that the name sounded like something only Latino girls tend to have. But it's true, when I think of that name I think of Latino girls. I don't know why. Maybe it's because the only Yolandas I can think of are from movies, with Latino girls. Also, two people chose the names Sadie and Rex. These, Steven tried to explain to them, are mostly reserved for people's pets in the US (no offence to those of you named Sadie or Rex), but again, I had to agree. Not to mention the girl named Clitia, who, for obvious reasons, was encouraged to change her name due to it's striking similarity to certain genitalia in English.

Dumplings have become the drug of choice here in Beijing. I had them for lunch (with a bunch of classmates and Professor Pong aka funniest man alive) and dinner (with Steven and some of his teacher friends). We also got our nails done! Mine are dark purplish/gray with rainbow glitter (of course). Fab.

As for now, I have to study. I'm sure something funny happened today, but I can't really think of what. Highlights of the day were (not in chronological order): getting my nails done, Chin107, and getting a calling card for my phone. Calls to the US are apparently embarrassingly expensive, but we shall see. I've got reason to call home. Life is so good and weird sometimes, it'd be a shame not to share.

Good night, sweet moon and readers too.

Love,

Amy

And we're off!

Today was kind of silly and kind of weird. First of all, I actually woke up at a slightly normal hour (thanks Tylenol pm! And mom, the buyer! And Lily, the suggester!) and went downstairs to meet my Chinese buddy. It's funny how we were paired like little children (who still uses the buddy system?) but it turned out to be a great experience. My buddy's American name was Echo! It's funny how names work here in China. All of our buddies had Chinese names, but they also had American names, as though they were already preparing for the workforce or higher education abroad. I met one buddy named Delia who had changed her name from Jennifer, to Tracy, to Delia. It's like it changes with their mood or the weather or the fashion. Who knows? Tis a Chinese mystery.

We were herded into McDonalds for breakfast, which was weird for so many reasons. I'll name a few. 1) it was McDonalds...in China 2) it felt like 8pm American time, so I was starving and just wanted some lunch food but instead ordered breakfast food because of peer pressure and the intense need to get used to the time change. Someone annoying once told me that the word "few" actually meant "three," so I'll add one more for him/her. 3) we got our own little back room of the McDonalds, like a secret MickeyD suite or somewhere where they would hold birthday parties.

My buddy was so friendly, she reminded me of my cousins a lot, although I may just think that because she's friendly and Asian. I'm sure a lot of people are that same way, especially here, in Asia. She had two roommates who were also volunteering to be our buddies. One was a beautiful girl with porcelain (sp.?) Asian skin and these round almond eyes that were accented by the sweeping upward lines of her eyeliner. She also had dainty features, like a dainty nose and ears. And dainty earrings. Then, there was the other buddy. She was so tiny. Miniature. Pocket-sized. Although she was a college student of college age, she literally looked no older than 8 years old. She had this cute, wide slab of a face, fitted with the smallest lips. It was quite cute. She couldn't have been taller than 4 ft 9 in or so.

We went to Tianemen (sp.?) Square and walked around. Although we didn't see the actual body of Mao, we were able to take pictures outside, and we saw the statue to the fallen heroes where the students protested years ago. It was such a sunny day with clear blue skies. Professor Pong said it was the best weather he'd ever seen this time of year (knock on wood.) I wonder if they have superstitions like knocking on wood in China.

Sometimes I get homesick or face a bout of loneliness here. It's weird. It's a mix of missing things. At first, I feel like a fish out of water, being surrounded by a language I can barely understand or speak, and feeling like my head might explode with unspoken words and messages left uncommunicated. I am such a talker, and being faced with forced silence is mind-numbing sometimes. Also, I am experiencing so many new things with new friends, and sometimes I just really wish I had close friends with me to experience all that I'm going through and think that it was as cool as I do. Thus, I was sooo relieved to meet up with my good friend Steven, who is working in Beijing. I couldn't have been happier. Not only did he give me his old cell phone, but (not trying to sound cheesy) he gave me back a sense of normalcy and home and comfort. It was really nice. Even moreso than I expected it would be (and I had my expectations set pretty high.) I just noticed how many ( ) I use. I'm sorry if it annoys you, readers. And I'm sorry that I can't remember the technical name for ( ).

Interesting facts follow:
1. I learned how to make dumplings from scratch today - even how to cut and roll the outer flour shell
2. I ate a delicious treat today of something that looked like mini apples skewered on a stick, dipped in hardened sugar
3. I learned how to say "supermarket" and "cute" today. I learned "cute" because Asian babies are the cutest in the world, and they love to run around outside in hundreds of layers of clothing and funny hoods with elaborate designs
4. Most of the toilets don't have toilet paper here - you have to supply your own. Most of the toilets are just holes with foot pads on either side. I'm going to have strong leg muscles from squatting
5. I saw a mini toilet today in the mall
6. I saw scorpions on a stick today - served as food. Word on the street is that they're not bad tasting

And with that, I'm done for now :)

Love,

Amy

Now for a list of random facts!

It's 12:15 a.m. here...

Hey all,

So, it's 12:15 am here, which means it's like 11 am in the US...I think that's right. Either way, I hope to survive jet lag. Today was ALL travel. I mean, our plane left at 4:30 pm on January 3 and landed in Beijing at 6:30 pm on January 4. In US time, that is like, 13 hours on a plane. It was pretty intense. Enough time for three feature length films (although I only watched one - Sex and the City the movie! Yes!).

Since the time difference is so drastic (13 hours ahead in Beijing), our plane meals were bizarre. We had a beaf/rice/veggie platter twice. Which was weird because by the second meal, it felt like it was early morning so I really just wanted breakfast. They also gave out ham and cheese sandwiches cut into thin slices, like they were made for easy handling by kindergartners.

I was in a three-person row in the airplane, but there was noone in the middle seat, so the other guy in the row and I decided to use it as a kind of communal nook. I became kind of fond of our setup. I had my books and some food in the middle seat, my coat draped over me like a blanket, my inflatable neck support, my purse beside me, and my little stuffed animal perched on the side of my tray-table, surveying the scene. I only got a drink spilled on me once! And no, I stand by the fact that I truly believe it wasn't my clumsiness that caused the accident.

We also had a genuine Chinese meal after we landed and settled into our dorms. I wasn't really hungry, but I was desperate for a meal that wasn't prepackaged and microwaved for my convenience. The beds are not soft and the shower is not separate from the rest of the bathroom floor. I guess if I wanted a superhuge shower, I could just omit the use of the curtain and allow the entire bathroom to be my hygiene lair. I have a roommate named Rebecca, and she's really nice with cooler hair than me.

At night, a few of us decided to walk around the block to see some of the different shops and whatnot. Some of the students that have been studying in China on scholarship as representatives of UD, came by to help with our Chinese program. We walked around a bit, but it was absolutely freezing. Unbelievably cold.

Anyways, I'm getting kicked off the computer soon, so I must go. I should probably start thawing my toes anyways. Hope you've enjoyed this slighlty uneventful post! My apologies! More culture, less plane is soon to come!

Love,

Amy

Let's Start This Thing

Hi there,

So this is something new for me. I'm going to try my best to make it true to me. That's less of a statement and more of a warning, because if you know me you know I notice bizarre things in everyday life. This may or may not be interesting to read. No promises. However, there is some hope! I have the unfortunate luck of getting caught in awkward circumstances. Hopefully, that will add a flair of entertainment to this blog. In addition, I'll be recording my life and times in the wonderful country of China, getting in touch with my heritage and simultaneously improving on my Chinese for the entire month of January! How can that not be fun to read? It will surely be fun to live. I hope you enjoy!

Love,

Amy

Ps. The title of this blog site (is that what it's called?) is "I Hope This Makes You Smile." I am not being sarcastic, I am being optimistic. I genuinely want this blog to make people smile. Thus, my goals for this blog are to: 1. Be true to myself and my experiences 2. To make people smile while accomplishing goal number 1. Simple enough, eh? I don't know who I'm talking to. (Or rather "To whom I'm talking" for those of you fellow English majors who are plagued by people who end sentences with prepositions).