I Lost My Passport

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Good Morning Web Wanderer,

I lost my passport. An American losing their passport in America is a very stressful event. An American losing their passport thousands of miles from home in the middle of communist China is near unthinkable… well, was unthinkable. Those who know me sadly may not be surprised I lost the only thing I couldn’t afford to lose. Gone was my most valuable item, my most important document, my ticket home, and gatekeeper of all my exploring.

As a foreigner in China you need your passport all the time. Going the bank, staying in a hotel, picking up the mail, and most importantly leaving the country. I have since replaced my passport at the American Consulate in Guangzhou. Under the “endorsements” of my new passport it says “see page 51”. On page 51 is printed, “This is a replacement for a lost passport”. I’m hoping homeland security doesn’t have a ball with that when I get home. “So what have you been doing for this past year, exactly?” ha. I guess I’ll tell them to read the blog. Currently I am still waiting for my replacement Chinese Visa.

Being in China with a passport with no visa is better than nothing. Now I can go the bank and collect my mail but I still can’t leave the country. So for the time being I am stuck in China. Until the school finishes replacing my visa, I’ll be China bound. I maybe stuck in China but that doesn’t mean I’m not having fun.

I’m on a 5-day holiday and have seen a Chinese car show, gone the beach in Zhuhai, and climbed a mountain in Zhongshan.

The Chinese car show was just like any in the states except with lots of Chinese cars and a lot less American ones. I was impressed by the GM cars they were some of the sexiest ones there. I don’t remember seeing any of the Chinese brands back in the states, but I think that will change. I’m sure the thought of driving a Japanese car was once just as strange as the thought of driving a Chinese car is now. The mountain was beautiful. I took pictures. The beach was filthy, I also took pictures, but to be honest I don’t want to talk about that. All I want to talk about is Jackie.

Jackie for those who don’t check hourly for updates is my cat. I think he is a genius. Perhaps all people think this about their own pet but here is my reasoning.

First of all he plays fetch. Something I would never have believed a cat would do if I hadn’t seen it. Everyday Carmen and he will sit down on the apartment floor and she will toss a small paper ball to him and he retrieves it like a dog. I become frozen with awe when I’m watching this. Like seeing a once in a lifetime event I’m scared to make it disappear. I stare silent and unmoving hoping not to change the cosmic wormhole unfolding in my living room.

Second he is bilingual. Jackie responds to his name in Chinese and English and basic commands in both languages. You want him to bring the ball back to you say “gei wo” or “gimme the ball” and he will sneeze, roll around, and then find his paper ball for you. I assume this also means he is biliterate.

Lastly he doesn’t put up with me. If I sass him or push with my leg he will fight me. He gets what he wants and when he doesn’t he protests. For example he wants to go on the balcony and I don’t want him there. I go outside without him and he is liable to splash water out of his bowl and all around the apartment. He’s a brat.

I’m excited to get my new Chinese visa. I will be able to travel again and my sister Michelle and Tim are coming soon! I am making preparations to visit Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Tibet. Once I finish my teaching contract I’ll be zooming all over the place for a month or two. You can expect me to return to America around the 1st week of August. Oh and if any of you happen to lose your passport in China, I can help. Much love to everyone, Have an uber great day, Zai Jian.

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Photos

Plane store
Took off shortly after we left

Ford
One thing Ford had that GM didn't. YAOWZA

VW
VW displaying beautiful.. cars

the beach
The beach in Zhuhai

Seafood choices
seafood place, pick what you want and cook it up

seeing seafood
many choices to pick whatever creature you have a hunger pain for

Jackie
Have I showed this picture? this 2 seconds prior to a leaping jack attack in an attempt to reclaim his stolen paper ball

the park
at the park, notice how many people are here, it was nuts. Also in the background you can see the mountains surrounding the city as well as the Zhongshan expo center, that held the car show

critter store
this cat stuck his tongue out at me!!

padagoda
in the middle of the park, providing views of the entire valley

trash on the beach
they had baskets filled with trash scattered around the beach, better than in the water I guess

Pick N play
at the pet district in Guangzhou, you will see hundreds of pens like these full of puppies, cats, whatever

Chinese Navy
Ha just kidding, the beach had many vendors offering rides in these things

view of the northeast?
view of the northeast? of the city of zhongshan

Car
lots of makes you won't see back in the states

pets
more pets down in the pet district

east?
shot looking to the east of zhongshan?

Car
more foreign makes

zhongshan
looking back west towards the heart of zhongshan

entrance to the expo center
went to the zhongshan car show, the expo center is pretty new nice and modern

Comments

[deleted_49612]

What will happen to your cat, when you return to the US?

[NateK]

What will happen to Jackie (mycat) when I go back? I'd love to smuggle him into the states, but he would make for noisy carry-on. I'm sure he would start snoring midflight or something equally rediculas and then the cat would be out of the bag. Currently the plan is for him to live with my girlfriend and try see if there is a legal way to get him into the country before she moves to Canada. Last resort is Jackie moves in with my gfs cousin's (who is trying to steal him already) who are not immigrating to Canada.

[Sharing the Journey]

Cars ... and cats
That Ford looks like nothing I have scene before. Do you know which one it is? Cats ... My wife has a cat and it hates me. I love animals, live on a FAINTING GOAT farm with my family and have horses and dogs too. I just can't figure out why that darn cat hates me so much!!