Living It China-style

To give you a better sense of where I’m at and what I’m doing, the following list is a compilation of tasks and events that have become a big part of my life. I forewarn you that some may be shocking but I swear that it IS the lifestyle here and there is no way to avoid such things.

- Getting stuffed in a bus. Sometimes, you’d pay the fare at the front of the bus and enter from the back door because it’s just too packed at the front. One time, I had someone's hair in my face and smelt three different odours at once. In that same situation, I was standing at an angle and I would have fallen down if it weren't for the five people around me who were standing right against me, holding my body up.

- Eating meats that are beyond the Western menu, such as frog, dog and other animals that are good enough to be cooked...which is pretty much all of them.

- Enjoying squat holes, instead of toilets. (Secret: It comes out easier that way for girls...)

- Riding a bike through red lights or in the opposite direction. (The key is to ride in a crowd so you have less chances of getting hit.)

- Deciding on daily meals by always asking myself with the first question, ‘Do I want noodles, rice or dumplings?’ and then go from there.

- Spitting. (I know – it’s gross but it’s convenient when no one around you cares. Also, at this time of the year, there is constantly a mild cold bugging me so it’s nice to get the phlegm out. Haha, gross - in Toronto!)

- Not minding the tacky TV ads on the bus. There are too many, I’m not sure which one to share with you! One of my favourites: A boyfriend dumps a girl and leaves the room while the girl pouts. Then, he re-enters the room and the girl lightens up but he turns off the light instead. The moral to the story is that you should not waste electricity.

- Eating sheng1 jian1 baos1 but always being squirted on by its juice because it’s just so crunchy on the outside that you bite fast and the juice comes out unexpectedly in different directions.


[Yummy sheng1 jian1 baos1! Crispy at the top, juicy in the middle!]


[This sign does not help with the issue.]

- Pushing and shoving in a crowd in order to get onto the subway. I do it the nice way – walking into people with my bag in the front so I’m not really using my hands.

- Getting used to slow service, with the exception of food. People will guarantee you that they will arrive within a time range and then they’d come late – about an hour after the proposed time range.

- Doing peace signs in every photo taken (because it’s just the cool thing to do.)


[Karoake night with coworkers]

- Bargaining for products, services, anything!!! (unless it’s an international company, like McDonalds).

- Purchasing cheap massages (and I mean, CHEAP! $5 CDN can get you an hour foot massage).

- Understanding that when it rains, no matter what you do, the water will still leak into your rain jacket, making it useless, so you're literally swimming on land.

- Watching my step ALL the time because there is either spit or broken tiles, which, when stepped on, will splash dirty water all over my pants. I learned this the hard way.


The following are things I’ve yet to experience but eventually will because it’s just part of the culture here.

- Walk out publicly in flannel pyjamas and fuzzy slippers to go to the grocery store and run other errands. I sometimes feel like I’m at a pyjama party at the supermarket because everyone’s doing it.

- Become good at Mah-jong and play somewhere randomly at a park where there’s tons of tournaments.

- Argue like a madman in public. I’m not sure if I’ll ever experience this but it happens so frequently among citizens that I might burst one time.

- The most obvious: speak fluent Mandarin. This is what I hope for the most. :)

I think I have ESP...

At one point tonight, I felt like I had no idea what to do and I stared at my wall because I had no motivation to do anything, since I didn't know what to do in the first place. I think I sat there for a good few minutes and I was planning to head to the shower to cry everything out, whatever was bugging me (which I still have no clue what was truly bugging me. I know - it sounds strange.)

I didn't end up crying in the shower for some reason. It's as if my mind and body refused me to because everything will be A-okay. And they were right. I opened up my e-mail account and I instantly received messages from people telling me how much they loved and missed me.

I didn't mind the tears coming down at that moment.

It's a phenomenon. It seems I have this extrasensory perception that gave my friends a warning that I wasn't going to be able to hold myself together tonight. Is this how Life is telling me how everything is interconnected and when one is feeling emptiness, the glass is quickly filled again so there should be nothing to worry about?

Hm, if only I could remember this with my forgetful mind...

So You're Canadian, Eh?

In Nanjing, I am often the token Canadian whenever I’m out with other people. When everyone hears that I am Canadian, the stereotypical jokes start firing at me. “Ohhh, so you’re from Baby America ...Did you just say, ‘Eh?’ ...Ew, baseball. Who likes baseball? ...I can’t believe you guys add that extra ‘u’ in some words. And what’s with the weird pronunciation? ABOOT time we mentioned that!”

I’d struggle to defend my country and describe how wonderful Canada is but for some reason, the message never really gets across and the conversation would always end with a rupture of laughter. These several experiences have made me reflect on my Canadian identity but as I searched more, I realized I may not be as Canadian as people expect me to be. Apart from the obvious fact that I don’t live in an igloo, I am not a hockey fan, nor do I watch lacrosse games – two sports that are very much Canadian. I don’t drink Canadian beer and I’ve grown fond of American football, which is a big no-no for Canadians apparently.

However, I am a huge Blue Jays fan and I still like to watch their games, even though they tend to go downhill later in the season. Tim Hortons is a Canadian favourite that I like to gush about and it is the only thing I wish for in China. (Convenient, good and cheap coffee is so hard to find here.) And I actually tend to say, ‘eh’, at the end of my sentences. (I have no idea what the origin of that word is but I can’t recall any of my friends saying it so I think it’s just a part of my personality.)

When I hear other people talk about why they’re proud of their country, there’s a lot of history references and mentions of big name corporations that have marketed famous products internationally. Another hot topic is the country’s sports teams and how one’s team is the best in the world.

I believe the true question of pride is: what has your country done for you? I find it irrelevant for people to say that their country saved so-and-so’s country and how they should take credit for winning numerous wars. There is no pride in war. If there was anything to be proud of, it'd be the peace treaties their country has accomplished or how post-war developments have benefited the citizens of the country and the world. More importantly, one must be proud of the brave souls who were under the unfortunate circumstances to endure such atrocities. Lest we forget.

As a Canadian, I think the reason why we don’t seem to be as patriotic as others is because we are humble of our pride. We already know we belong to a country of greatness and we don’t feel the need to rub it in. We have practical achievements for the majority of Canadians – free health care, freedom of speech, multicultural cities, peace...

It’s like the smart quiet kid in class. Everyone makes fun of him because he’s a nerd and doesn’t say much. In reality, everyone is jealous of this individual because of his intelligence and mindset, which makes him ahead of the game. Everyone else pokes fun at him to make themselves better. It’s purely an ego boost and as a conscious Canadian, I do not take those jokes personally.

I believe it is the experiential aspect of being a Canadian that makes me proud to be a Canadian. Without Canada, I wouldn’t have had the chance to obtain a university degree, to be able to express my thoughts, to meet people from various backgrounds (ethnicity, education, sexual orientation), to have lived through various seasons and weather, to travel internationally, to enjoy foods from different cultures (which makes eating incredibly fun in Toronto). I wouldn’t be living in peace. Most importantly, without Canada, I wouldn’t have met some of the greatest people in the world – my friends. Thanks, Canada.

A good friend showed me photos of her recent trip across Canada and I almost forgot how magnificent Canada was and how much beauty there was in such a grand country. I am embarrassed to not have fully appreciated my own country so it has now become one of my top places to travel. I strongly encourage everyone – Canadians and non-Canadians - to experience all areas of Canada.

November 11th. Remembrance Day. Let’s all remember the history that has shaped our country and also remind ourselves that we are proud to be Canadian.

The Hero Within

These past few days, I’ve been making a big scene to everyone about my dad coming this week to visit me. (Refer to my second blog post about my dad). Deep down, I was dreading the spiel that he usually gave me about every little tiny thing, which was pretty much warning me of all the bad things that could happen to me. (I think growing up with that has had a huge influence on my personality but anyways, that’s another topic – which I may delve into when I have the chance.)

The day he arrived, I was caught up with work and made him wait for a few hours at a nearby McDonalds before I was done. He complained about how the food was too oily when I took him out to my favourite local restaurant and I was slightly disappointed. (I realize now that it’s a good thing he complained because he is the best cook in the family so he knows what he’s talking about. Thank goodness my parents are health-conscious. )

I was actually nervous when I led him into my apartment but secretly proud because I thought I did a bang-up job keeping the place tidy. He didn’t say much about it so I assumed he was impressed. For the next 4 hours, it was a big whirlwind and my dad managed to make my place 100 times better. He fixed my lights, he brought things from Hong Kong that’d make my life so much easier (Swiffer-like dust cleaners, for example – I swear, I couldn’t find them in Nanjing for some reason), he fixed the pressure from my showerhead (I am aware of the protocol of fixing showerheads but in my experience, I have broken too many so I was too cautious to try fixing this one), he sorted out apartment issues with my landlord who only understood Mandarin...and so much more, which I did not expect. Later, I was sad to hear that he was tired because he ended a great conversation that I would have much enjoyed in the wee hours of the night.

My dad was the unexpected hero that seemed like your average Joe but made my day because he is my dad.

I shouldn't keep a hero waiting at a McDonald's next time.

Faulty Terrorist Attacks are Beautiful

One morning, I woke up to the sound of loud cracking noises outside my window. They then became awful booms with piercing gun shot sounds in between. It was way too early for me to wake up for a work day but I was too frantic to even think about that because I was scared out of my pyjama pants!

I quickly searched my mind for the 10 minute "training" we had back in high school when it was the beginning of the post 9/11 era and everyone had to learn how to react if there was a possible bomb threat in the building. I immediately went into Code Red mode, which was simply finding a place where I could crawl underneath to protect myself, assumingly, from the ceiling crashing down on me.

I'm in China so my furniture is bare minimum in my flat. I obviously couldn't crawl under the couch or the coffee table. I had a table - but it's a folding table so you couldn't really hide underneath it. My flat is a loft so the first - and only - thing I could think of when I first heard those sounds was to hide underneath the winding stairs that led up to my bedroom.

I look back now and I think it must have been the one of the most ridiculous scenes I've ever been in because I was in such a state of panic and I was just grasping to these skeletal steps, which probably wouldn't have protected me from a collapsed ceiling anyways!

Seconds - which felt like several minutes - later, I peeked out my window and after seeing nothing on fire or traces of smoke in the air, I concluded that some idiot thought it was funny to play with fire crackers to wake up the whole neighbourhood. I found out later from my boss that people in China regularly use fireworks for weddings, special occasions and moving days. I guess I got a new neighbour.

Since then, I've been feeling all crummy about fire crackers because they seem such a nuisance but tonight, after a day's work and a dinner with a colleague, I was on my bike and on my way home, a burst of colours lit the sky on my street and it was beautiful, especially since I was so close to the lovely scene. I stopped cycling and enjoyed the array of multi-coloured splashes until the end, which was when I realized that they echoed the sounds created by the fire crackers that made me go Code Red the other day.

I guess fireworks - or should I say, fire crackers - ain't so bad after all. After all, I am in living in the birthplace of such inventions! :D

Back to the Globalized World

Well, more like a few days ago but wow, does it feel refreshing to have convenient access to the Internet. The following blog entries are late but I promise there will not be any more delayed ones. Some are written from my journal and I am delighted to share them with you.


Oct. 2/09 - Opportunities in the Ocean
The waves in Boracay, Philippines, were incredibly fun, especially the big ones, because you could “ride” them. They’d pick you up with their speed and height and carry you back to the shore.

This one time, I went out into the ocean until the water was up to my chin and this big wave began towering over me. It was at least 2 metres tall and I panicked a little, thinking I’d make the wrong move and go under, ending me up with scrapes on my arms and legs. Instead, I jumped at the right moment and caught the wave. It carried me so high and fast that the adrenaline rush was incredible. It was my best wave ride ever. I laughed and thought to myself that I had to do it again. I eventually became too tired as the day went by and I couldn’t catch a beautiful wave again. That big one was unforgettable.

This experience reminded me that an opportunity could seem scary at first and it could come by in an instance so you must act quickly and carefully to make sure you get to “ride” this opportunity. Once you “ride” it, it becomes one heck of a ride and you yearn for more because you had such a good time.

I faced this big wave like an opportunity, which had risks that I considered, but with confidence, I quickly overcame my fear of those risks and timed it just right so I could catch the wave and experience the excitement.

These big opportunities should not be expected to happen all the time. Little waves would come by, I wouldn't be in the right spot, the weather would changed and I'd become too tired to pick up any waves.

The adrenaline I got from that one wave makes me look forward to my next big opportunity and I will make sure that I am ready for it - prepared and full of confidence - because the outcome is well worth it and I cannot bear to miss such an opportunity.


Oct. 3/09 - Essence of the Moon
Never have I done this before but the night before Mid-Autumn Festival Day, I watched the full moon while I was surrounded by Mother Nature – and only Mother Nature. Her beach, her ocean, her trees – there was nothing around me except Earth. Although it was cloudy, the moon seemed to have pushed the clouds away and a circle of space was created, which formed this ring around the moon and intensified its roundness.

The moon shone majestically across the ocean and it helped me notice the black water underneath as it softly rippled against the white sand. I actually saw the horizon, which was rare because it’s always too dark to see such a thing at night. It was fascinating to see so many shades of black emerging together to paint a beautiful scene, even though they were all the same shade of colour.
As I laid on the beach, I couldn’t take my eyes off the craters of the moon. I felt the dark shades of the palm trees behind me and its leaves peering over in my view as I looked up at the bright sky, them swaying so gently with the sea breeze. I took a deep breath, allowing the soft smell of the ocean to tickle my nose and I smiled to myself - this was paradise.


Oct. 6/09 - A Mermaid in the Philippines
As my trip to the Philippines ended, I left with a mixture of feelings for the country, both nice and not so nice. Overall, it was a great adventure and I’d love to go back again.

It’s incredible how the Philippines is considered an Asian culture because of its location but there is a heavy Latino flair to it, which makes the culture so much more fun. People are very open with each other and it was nice to be welcomed with friendliness and great hospitality.

I was glad there were nice people because one day, I got lost in Manila (capital city) and it could’ve ended horribly if I didn’t make the right decisions. I liked walking around the city and to be a bit more adventurous, I decided to take a jeepney* up to Chinatown.

*There are tons of these vehicles that are apparently old army trucks but are now being re-used for civilians. They’re covered with graffiti to make them more appealing and they’re one of the cheapest transportation methods ever – 7 pesos = $0.15 approximately. You simply ask them whether they’re going by your destination and you jump on from the back and sit on a cramped bench with other locals while holding onto a metal bar because there are no seatbelts. There’s no door at the back so you have to make sure you hold on!


[A jeepney in the Philippines]

It was fun, touring the city with locals, and a lady beside me was nice enough to tell me when to get off. I jumped off while the jeepney was in the middle of traffic and saw the entrance to Chinatown, a typical set of red pillars with Chinese characters written over a green plank and a temple-looking roof at the top. Chinatown was not at all surprising and I ended the walk with an iced white mocha at a small cafe. I walked out of there, feeling confident of where I was, and began walking towards the direction of where the jeepney dropped me off. I was so confident with my orientation that I didn’t bother to check my map - and that was when things started getting a little uneasy. I walked by remnants of streets and buildings that the flood had damaged a few days ago. I walked by naked children playing Styrofoam in dirty street puddles. I finally found a main street, which I did not know the name, but I didn’t care because I was relieved to see jeepneys crowded in traffic. I think I must’ve walked up and down the block a dozen times asking which jeepneys were heading towards my direction but none were so I gave up and chose a small street that seemed to be headed towards my destination. (Mind you, there were no taxis either because according to a local, taxis didn’t go through that area because traffic was too heavy at that time of day.)

I was always told to never take rides from strangers and I never will but at the time, I felt the rule had to be exempt because it was getting nerve-wrecking, especially when the cashier at 7-11 couldn’t even tell me where he was on my map! I guess I was lucky to have someone offer me a ride and it happened that the person was a government worker who was head of traffic control and it was his day off. He showed me his ID but it didn’t matter because I was terrified to have broken such a rule that had been ingrained throughout my entire life.

When he dropped me off, he said he was sad to hear that I did not trust him entirely. I did not know how to answer him but I gave him a “phone number” so he could possibly have dinner with me later. Apparently, I was actually walking in the wrong direction and heading towards a dangerous part of the city. It seemed like I took the right risk.


[At Manila Bay, after the incident]

Other than Manila, I was in Boracay, one of the country’s gorgeous islands, and I spent as much time as I could on White Beach. On my last night, I stood - ankle deep in the water – watching the full moon while sipping on a mango milkshake and taking in the beach as much as possible.

And no, I didn’t see a mermaid. I just felt like a mermaid because I came back to the hostel for a shower after a day’s swim and I found pieces of seaweed in my hair. It was unbelievable how long I swam in that ocean. I couldn’t bear to leave.


[At White Beach, Boracay]

Oct. 8/09 - Culture Shock? Or Just the Fact that I’m Alone on my Birthday?
All this time, I wondered when it’d really come. The day when culture shock hits me hard. So far, it’s been an enjoyable and exciting cruise in China. It’s as if the culture shock was so subtle that there wasn’t really any shock at all.

I’d never think I’d cry on my birthday but as I occupied myself with classes during the day and nightfall came around, I realized that I became exactly 24 years of life and I believed it was an achievement that must be celebrated and shared with loved ones. My eyes are sore as I’m writing this because I just called my mom and hearing someone telling you that s/he loves you when s/he’s physically hundreds of kilometres away is unbelievably painful because those three words - “I love you” – are not just three words. There’s some kind of physical “phenomenon” that comes along with that phrase, as if they embrace you as a person conveys those words, and you feel that affectionate warmth around you.

That physical phenomenon was missing today when I heard those words from my mom and it felt so empty around me that I shuddered and my eyes started to burn. I had a hard time returning those words back to my own mother because it just didn’t feel right without that physical “phenomenon”. I ended up calling her back later to tell her that I missed her because I couldn’t stand that emptiness around me. I eventually calmed down and felt good to be reminded that the love from my family is an everlasting presence that should never be forgotten.

Recognizing the strength of those three words reminds me that I also need to share them with my loved ones who are not blood-related but are pretty much family to me. I’ve always love to share a good time with friends and I wish you could all join me on this exciting ride in China but because that is not physically possible, I hope this blog provides a vibrant window of laughter, joy and most importantly, lessons to be learned.

Two Months of Outdated Blog Entries

I'd like to apologize for an outdated blog. I still do not have convenient access to the Internet but I strongly felt that my blog needed to be updated so it would be refreshing for all of you.

I still kept on writing throughout these past two months, even though I did not have Internet access. The following are my new (but old) entries. I hope you enjoy it.

I am off to the Philippines this week because we have holidays, due to China's National Day. Will be back with more stories to share! :D

Cheers!

Jaclyn :)


Aug. 4/09 - Moving Day!
Moved into my new place and it is AMAZING!!! I didn’t expect to live in a loft but it was cheap in that particular area for a single person and it’s only a 10 minute walk from work or a 2 minute bike ride.

My favourite part of the apartment is a nice tall and wide window that lets the sun in and it is an incredible view when I wake up in the morning. It is nice to discover this wonderful feeling of tranquility, as I begin to live on my own.


Aug. 10/09 - Wishing I Was As Good As Mr. Clean
An aggravating part of being a perfectionist is that you want your own home to be spotless – and I mean, SPOTLESS! I spent the whole morning cleaning the washroom and I wasn’t even done when lunch time came around. I think I got a workout from just scrubbing and wiping.

I am definitely not looking forward to the kitchen.


Aug. 13/09 - Efficiency, People!
Despite sharing a common language, physical appearance and foods, coming right from Hong Kong and into Nanjing was a drastic change. I usually walk at a moderate to fast pace in Hong Kong and Toronto. In Nanjing, people walk slow and take their time to different locations. My pace has shortened to half its length because I had to move with the crowd. I understand it may be too humid to walk so quickly (I think I have almost mastered the ability to walk without sweating like a pig) BUT on days that are not humid, people are still walking at a similar pace!

“Nanjing time” is not cool either. I know that I am not the best person to arrive on time but I personally feel that I have improved in the last few years. Now that I am better, I feel that I’m reverting back to my old habits because nobody in China ever shows up or does things on time! The hard part is that some people will show up earlier and expect you to be there at that time. Um, I did hear that 10:30 was the time to meet but I didn’t hear 10:23-10:41 as the meeting time.

I feel that Hong Kong is such a strong advocate for efficiency that I can sense it all around me. Services, transportation, people...everything seems to reflect a level of efficiency, which you become impressed with because Hong Kong is such an overpopulated city and it still is able to function as a successful metropolitan. I learned from my father that not one second is wasted when you have responsibilities that must be achieved, especially when you have a time constraint. Everything needs to be thought out carefully or else you will not maximize your outcome. Of course, this is not true in all aspects of life but I am reminded of it constantly and it has become ingrained in my life. In Nanjing, I sometimes feel like you don’t accomplish much in a day. A task can take longer to do in Nanjing than in Hong Kong. A process can be spread out throughout weeks and you will not believe how unnecessary it can be to go through so many steps. People in services will direct you to other people because they wouldn’t know everything about the services they provide...yet they work in that particular field of services. You may go in circles asking the same people before you figure out the solution to your problem. I was re-directed to several salespeople in the same store, none of whom knew where the product was, until I found the product myself. Gah!

The only thing that has benefited me from all this is that it may have slowed down my life a bit. As I decelerate my daily life pattern, I notice more of the culture around me and it still impresses me, as if I’m seeing all of it for the first time. I am enjoying it to the fullest and because of this, I have become fond of China.


Aug. 17/09 - Canadian Accent, Eh?
Someone the other day pointed out my Canadian accent. Apparently, I sometimes sound ‘ghetto’, as we (supposedly) North Americans call it but I think that Canada is so multicultural, I’m not even sure what our ‘accent’ is. I find it so interesting to hear Australians and Europeans say that they can’t really hear their accent, even though it’s blatantly clear to me. Are we so used to our voices that we cannot distinguish our own accents? I have to say, the locals I work with have identified that North Americans have the least thick accent so it is easiest to understand NA’s. I guess that’s a compliment? Apparently, the Canadian accent is a light American accent but less drawn out and less of a snobbish tone. Haha!


Aug. 20/09 - I am a Freak of Nature
The locals are stunned when they realize I can’t speak Mandarin. They give me this reaction as if the world has turned upside-down and hell has broken loose. They don’t expect a non-looking Asian to be able to speak Mandarin but an actual ‘zhong guo ren’ (Translated: Chinese person) not being able to speak Chinese? That’s preposterous! Fortunately, I am getting used to and not feeling ashamed of not knowing the language because it has increased my motivation to learn Mandarin. ‘Ga yao!’ (Translated: Good luck!/I can do it!)


Aug.-26-09 - Exploring Shanghai!
Shanghai trip was awesome - loads of fun and packed with things I wanted to do, including exploring and doing the little things in the city, like taking the subway to places and getting to know certain areas by their street names. Before going to the Shanghai museum, I asked several people for a recommended time to spend and they all said approximately 2-3 hours. It took me 4 hours and that wasn’t even the whole museum because I went straight to the top exhibits first. Coming out of that museum actually got me excited to buy Chinese furniture for my future home! Haha! I may consider investing in an emperor’s chair with a seat that is the size of a table.

I became quite proud of my ancestry after leaving the museum. It was also interesting to meet a fellow foreigner at the museum and we ended up enjoying an exhibit together. It’s nice to meet friendly people while travelling.

Shanghai trip included a boat cruise down the Huangu River to see both sides of the city: Pudong (Modern Shanghai) and Puxi (Old Shanghai). The Oriental TV Tower wasn’t as bad as people said it’d be. It was prettier at night time, when its lights were flashing and the different colours were pretty against the backdrop. Other buildings were lit up as well but I’d have to say, the Hong Kong skyline was a lot better. I highly recommend the Symphony of Lights, held at 8pm every day in Hong Kong on the Kowloon Bay side. It can be cheesy but it is cool how Hong Kong came up with the synchronisation of the lights and symphony music. My lovely cousin was kind enough to show me. :)


[By the Oriental TV Tower]

It was worthwhile seeing the Shanghai Aquarium. At the time, I wish I was a senior or a member of the military because I would’ve only paid 80RMB but I had to pay 120RMB instead. I had low expectations at first because an aquarium just has fish but I saw a lot of interesting creatures I never saw before and I got so close to some of them, it felt like I was scuba diving! I absolutely loved it.



[It's like finding Nemo!]

Walking along the Bund was not as spectacular as I imagined because there was a lot of construction going on so there wasn’t much of a boardwalk. The 2010 Shanghai Expo is on its way and the city is currently renovating for this special event.

My trip ended off well with compliments on my Mandarin from the taxi driver who drove me home.

Although Shanghai was fun, I was glad to come back to Nanjing in the end because it was a weekend of touristy activities and I wanted to blend back into the China culture again to truly feel like I’m in China.


Aug. 28/09 - Bananas are Bad News
Today I was told that I couldn’t eat bananas because apparently they could release this chemical in my body that would attract mosquitoes. WHAT?!?!?! Sadly, I have to stop eating bananas for the time-being.


Sept. 9/09 - Two Beautiful Towns
My appreciation for China has grown tremendously, after visiting small towns, such as Hangzhou and Suzhou, which are nearby Shanghai. Hangzhou is known for its gigantic lake called Xi Hu, or also known as, West Lake. It is like Lake Ontario, except 10 times cleaner. The “beggar’s chicken”, a delicious dish famous in Hangzhou, was so good that I was nibbling on the chicken’s neck because I wanted to eat all the meat off the chicken! Also, visitors in Hangzhou consider a squirrel as an ‘exotic’ animal. I just laughed.


[West Lake]


[beggar's chicken]


[soya sauce pork dish, another delicious meal]


[By the pagoda that looks over West Lake]

Suzhou is known for its little canals and it has been known as the ‘Venice’ of China. Speaking of squirrels, I had Mandarin squirrel-shaped fish during my stay and it was scrumptious! It didn’t look like much of a squirrel though!


[At the Lions Garden, one of the biggest gardens in Suzhou]


[Mandarin squirrel-shaped fish]


[Steering a canal boat]

I’ve realized that living in the present as I’m traveling has made travelling – and life – so much better. When you’re genuinely travelling, it means a change from your home. You’re leaving home, which means a change in the environment. You should be appreciating the differences of the environment and not asking for the same luxuries as back home. If the environment consists of different foods, lifestyles or language, you must appreciate all of it to be truly travelling.

Sept. 13/09 - My Impaired Speech
I have come to accept the fact that ‘banana’ is articulated as ‘BAH-NAH-NAH’ in the UK/Australian/New Zealand accent, as well as ‘TOE-MAH-TOE’ as opposed to ‘tomato. Soccer is football here and baseball is non-existent, which makes me very sad, because it is one of my favourite sports, or should I say, faVORite. I have started to spell the American way...colors, favorite...yeesh, what’s next? Becoming an American? :O


Sept. 19/09 - Nanjing’s Anger Management Problems
It is sad to hear, see and feel all the anger that occurs within a culture. Parents beat up children - verbally and physically. Men mistreating women. Road rage rampant. Even people getting furious at each other on the bus. (This one time, I sat as still as I could because two people were screaming across opposite sides of the bus while everyone listened. These grown adults were acting like immature brats, accusing each other and calling each other names. I swear, it was THIS close before it turned into a physical argument.) I hope the violence in Nanjing will eventually lessen so it can become a happier community.

This reminds me of a scary experience in Beijing. I was there with a dragon boat team and some of us decided to go out for a late-night snack on the streets. We found fold-up tables and chairs outside this restaurant and it was late at night so we thought it’d be nice and quiet. While we were waiting for our food, two men started quarrelling at a table a few feet from us. One man actually took out a butcher knife and began threatening the other man. He was waving that knife so hard and so close to us, we thought it could slip from his fingers and hit one of us. We didn’t move because we didn’t want to make sudden movement and cause the guy to react. Fortunately, the restaurant owner came out and scolded at them to leave. The lunatic with the knife snatched a handbag from his “friend” and stormed off.

What kind of civilian carries a butcher knife in their pocket? And it wasn’t just a knife – it was one of those Chinese-style wide rectangular knives that you see at Chinese supermarkets.

The key is to not take it personally when you anticipate anger rising within you. It is not about suppressing the anger but to accept the current situation and become aware of the alternatives to solve the problem. When you become aware, you are not angry anymore and the ‘energy’ from your negative feelings is channelled into your focus on solving the issue.

I hope Nanjing will become aware.


Sept. 23/09 - Cycling Expert
A good friend of mine recommended me to invest in a bicycle during my stay in China. I currently own a bright pink mountain bike and the following is my cycling history:

Ran through red lights, crashed (lightly) into other cyclists and motorists, biked the opposite direction on a bike lane and almost got hit by construction vehicles while riding in pitch dark at 1 in the morning.

I think I have become the ultimate cyclist. I don’t think Lance Armstrong can handle Nanjing traffic. Haha!


Sept. 25/09 - The Anti-Banana Diet
I think this no-banana diet is working. It wasn’t as bad as I thought avoiding bananas - apples have been their replacement. I have not got any major mosquito bites. However, I have got used to a routine of spraying bug repellent twice a day and the weather has become cooler because autumn is just around the corner.

Speaking of weather, I have become fonder of China because of the nightly rains and breezy afternoons. It is perfect autumn weather – no sticky smelly humidity or blazing hot sun. Don’t get me wrong, the sun is amazing – when you’re on a tropical beach – but not in a polluted city with smells that you cannot imagine. You might get a whiff of yummy barbeque skewers at one moment and then a cloud of wet sticky garbage the next. In Nanjing, you need to live with this because there is no avoiding what you’re going to smell.


Sept. 27/09 - Good Chinese Drivers
You think the erratic driving in China is insane and that Chinese drivers are just horrible. You’re also probably aware of the stereotype of Chinese drivers being the worst drivers, especially female drivers. Well, it ain’t so bad here in Nanjing because drivers can weave in and out amazingly while they’re within an inch of the cars beside them. Drivers are able to anticipate cyclists and pedestrians. Drivers have quick reflexes and are able to swerve quickly when an obstruction suddenly appears in front of them. I have to say, I am quite impressed.

I’d love to learn, except it will annoy the crap out of everyone back in Toronto.

What’s Scarier Than Scammers and Thieves in China?

In a country like China, you’ve got to be careful with scammers and thieves. Fortunately, I’ve mastered the art of giving dirty looks so fewer people bother me now about taxi rides, money and tours. (You probably have never seen it before because I don’t normally give dirty looks to friends and family.) With my belongings, I’ve learned the hard way of getting things stolen so I have become extra alert with my bags whenever I am in a crowded environment.

I can deal with people but what I’m finding a harder challenge is my arch nemesis, who is best known for its reputation as a carrier of malaria and many other infectious diseases. Also known as the mosquito, these blood-sucking babies love my blood! Apparently, I smell nice and my sweat is like a fragrance to them. Not sure if it works for humans.

And there’s no need to recommend me the typical remedies. That’s the bigger problem. They will bite, no matter what. I’ve worn long-sleeves and thick pants and they still bite. (EVEN jeans, I tell you!) I’ll remain indoors during peak biting periods (dusk and dawn) and they’d still have me for dessert or perhaps a late-night snack. I am allergic so my reaction to their bites is twice as bad as an average human. Some of you have unfortunately seen some of my ghastly blisters. The best solution I have is to make mosquito repellent a part of my daily routine and plugging in mosquito repellent contraptions into the wall. I’m hoping I don’t have to resort to my Plan B, which is to eat a lot of garlic and rub garlic oil all over me so I can deflect these vampires away from me.

I’ve been in Shanghai these past 4 days for training and I thought I was going to have a blast enjoying the big city but the Sunday night before I left for Shanghai from Nanjing, my ankle became a buffet for a family of mosquitoes so it became massively swollen, which made me a cripple for the rest of the week. :( I couldn’t tour the city as much as I wanted so now I will have to return to Shanghai.

This comes to a lighter note as to how happy I am to have met some great people while I was in Shanghai. I trained with a fellow colleague named Juan, who is from South Africa, and Claire from Essex, UK, who will be teaching at the Shanghai school. (My employer, Shane English School, has many schools across China and the world. The head office of SES is in Shanghai, where they also teach students. I will be teaching at the Nanjing school.) There were also many other lovely people from all over the world: Australia, USA, other parts of the UK.


Juan and Claire


Everyone with David, our trainer from Shane English School

Funny story to others but not really for me: Not sure if people knew this but last weekend, when I first arrived to Nanjing, China, my dad decided to come along to Nanjing to “check out the area” because he was “conveniently” in the area. He was pretty much worried about where I was going and so he followed me around for my first two days of Nanjing. I thought it felt like eternity when he was there because he would lecture me at every second he got. He also spoke for me, since he knew more Mandarin, so it was as if he was making new friends instead of me. Instead of hanging out somewhere outside to wait for me, he came on the school tour with me and every employee in that school saw my dad. He even collected some phone numbers, including the headmaster, so he could be a “friend” (which really meant keeping tabs on me). Wow, you could imagine the steam coming out of my ears at the time. [My dad offered to treat the headmaster and his wife a cup of tea some day. This was my boss and the boss’ wife I’m talking about!!! Fortunately, it may advantageous on my part - possibly greater leniency on vacation times or a higher likeliness of bonuses.]

Of course, time flies by and I remember my heart wrenching as I watched my dad hop onto the airport bus. It was an early Sunday morning and he tried to be considerate by telling me that I could leave and not have to wait for the bus with him. I waited anyways. All the embarrassment I endured in the past 2 days flew right out the window. I guess people express their love for others in the strangest ways, even if it means embarrassing them.


My dad and I in front of my school

What I'm Really Excited For...

As you know, I am heading to China to teach English and I am definitely excited for the upcoming travels, the people I’m going to meet and the actual job experience with the students...

...but above all, the biggest thing I am looking forward to is the learning and how I am going to make the most out of this experience.

In order to learn, you must experience...

That is not to say that you cannot learn by reading and listening but I am a very tactile person. I learn best by personal experiences and in order to do that, I make sure I get out there and experience life! To do so, one must first ask himself, 'Why am I doing them? What are my values behind my actions? Why are they so important and who is it really influencing?'

One of my values is to continuously learn throughout life and make sure I learn - especially - from my mistakes. It has almost become an addiction for me because the feeling of truly understanding is phenomenal. Recognizing something that can better my life creates this warm rush through my mind, as if it triggers a mood and I feel all good and excited inside, as if you're taking the first bite of a homemade peanut butter cookie and you automatically let out a 'Mmmm!' This keeps me going - learning, that is - and this is why I live to learn...

...and write on this blog. It is not only a way for me to keep track of my learning but to share the treasure of knowing with the people I love and care about. It makes me happy to know that I am constantly growing and with that, it makes me even happier to be able to share my happiness with you.

I graciously welcome comments, suggestions and criticism. Oh how I love criticism! I like it when others identify my flaws because it tells me what I need to work on so I can become a better person. Becoming a better person should be a goal for everyone. Unfortunately, I think many people do not recognize this because of the superficial world we live in and sadly, they may not ever reach this level of self actualization. That is why I hope I will be able to reach out and inspire them to learn as well. I know I may not be able to enforce others to learn but if I let others know how I got through it and how it has bettered my life, I hope others will follow and pursue their own paths of learning.

You cannot imagine how ecstatic I am to have started this blog, as I look forward to the growth within me but most importantly, create the life I’ve always wanted and be the person I want to be.

My goal for this blog is to write once a week, sometime around the beginning of each week when I get into my daily routine, as my days off are apparently Mondays and Tuesdays. Next week, I will not be in Nanjing, but in Shanghai for a week of training so I will not officially start my contract until the first week of August. Please keep in touch with me through this blog via comments (by clicking the title) or subscribing to this feed...

Cheers!

Jaclyn :)