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Published: September 1st 2009
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EELS
eels!! ewww.. Well, so far I'd definitely have to recommend coming to Nanchang for anyone who is sick of the scheduled mundaness of life in The States. I'm completely over the jetlag and now there is a sense of surreality. The things that I see and experience are so far removed from anything that I've grown accoustomed to, and through it all I cannot help but stop and laugh at it all.
On a more serious note, I recieved bad news from John yesterday. He has to leave because the government did in fact revoke his teaching liscence due to his ECG. They are reimbursing him for his troubles but he is clearly upset about their decision. Shelly and I made dinner for him last night and we both agree that his destiny is surely to do something positive with his time in China. So he has in fact decided to attend an herbal wellness program at Mount WuDang in Hubei Province. Perhaps, there he can focus on rectifying his health conditions. So all in all his trip to Nanchang musn't be viewed as a complete waste of time. Sad news but whatever higher powers plan for us is just what it is.
chicken feet anyone
this stuff is everywhere..!! I will be sad to see him go. 😞
First, school started today for the kids on campus but I don't have to teach until next week. Apparently, they have a week of orientation and various mysterious activities to do before I even step into the classroom. This leaves me with the rest of this week to get my bearings in order and explore the city.
Shelly (English teacher) has been here a year and she took me out to downtown today. We took the bus to Bayi Square, which is like Tiannamen Square but in Nanchang. There is nothing really much to do besides people watch and shop in the surrounding areas. So we went to this giant Walmart which has 3 stories and bought John's bandaids and Tylenol and some tape and wine for Shelly. The pharmacy was off the chains! There were seahorses and seaurchins and starfish and other unmentionable items at the pharmacy that were healing herbs. God forbid I get sick here, I might be trying some of these items out. There were also all types of oddities in the meat aisle. We're talking fresh and live frogs, turtles, shrimps, eels and other critters from
ducks
These ducks are all in a row. Are your ducks all in a row? the sea of which I wasn't aware existed. Then there were the chicken feet and duck heads that are fried, broiled, pickled, baked, raw, steamed, dried, and any other way to prepare them all over the store. Apparently, these items are the Chinese's basic snacks. Oh..and the duck neck. They eat this stuff like I eat mints! I'm quite the adventurous eater, but I don't know if I could go there. Or maybe I just need time but I don't forsee myself chumping down on some duck head anytime soon.
There are these little alleyways althrough the city with housing and little hole in the wall restaurants. They are actually really charming, and despite the obvious filth, they escape the citys constant biligerent hustle n' bustle. It feels more like a China I have romanticized about, with old men at tables playing mahjong and ladies hanging clothes on the line and making dinner for their families outside. Their housing is completly open to the elements and and they are in the better sense of the matter, the poor of Nanchang. Shelly and I decided to have lunch at one of the hole in the wall restaurants. A seemingly sweet old
alley
One of the many alleyways in Nanchang man cooked us up some chicken drumsticks, lomein and some duck egg and scallions. The lunch was delicious and as I paid for the meal this old little sucker tried to jip me! He shorted me 30 yuan! Now I have somewhat grown used to the constant staring and its no stranger that I am indeed a stranger here but I'm not stupid. So Shelly pulled out her notebook and asked how much each individual item was, and the math just wasn't adding up. He kept trying to change the price of the items with every passing question. First, the chicken drumsticks went from being 8 yuan..which was still too much because nothing on the menu was over 4.5 yuan..but at last he quoted the chicken to be 20 yuan!!!! This nigga done lost his mind! So we demanded our money back and he gave me back 10 yuan too readily because he knew he had just been found out. Shelly was getting heated so I decided to just let him have 20 yuan because karma is a bigger bitch than 2 angry women, and the gash/gangrene on his daughters knee needed some tending to, so clearly he needed that
raggedy
This poor thing...waiting on some food 20 yuan more than I did. The more important lesson was don't eat at hole in the wall places without paying first.
But aside from that rude experience, we saw all these dogs roaming around in the alley and they were somewhat fed and clean and appeared to be outdoor pets and not food, contrary to popular beliefs..but, I do suppose people love and take care of their cows, pigs and goats before they devour their tasty flesh..so who knows?
There are also random strangers in the street who are eager to practice their English skills and tried to talk to us everywhere. Even if they don't make conversation they just pass and yell 'Hello!' and then run away and start giggling. I notice the Chinese laugh all the time when they are nervous or don't know what to do in a situation. (Well except the old stinker who jipped me..he was looking stonefaced stupid).
Also, I have witnessed the start of a new olympic sport called ' Nanchang Pedestrian relay'. Crossing any street in this town is quite a risk. Even at one way streets, there are still people flying the wrong way, and the all the bikes, motorscooters,
Artie's Chinese cousin
This dog looks just like my friend Courtney's dog named Artie. buses and cars will only stop at a cross walk (or a traffic light for that matter) only if you thrust your way into the street. Shelly has grown accostumed to game and I was on the sidewalk freaking out as she lunged her way into traffic. These drivers are incredibly alert and flexible and it is no big deal to see a taxi beeping his horn to get through traffic on the sidewalk! Shelly even told me that the Chineses' second national anthem is honking, and spitting. That just cracks me up, because its definitely so true! A van comes to pick up all the foriegn teachers and take them to Metro or Walmart for groceries every Sunday morning. I witnessed the driver honking at no one but was just laying on his horn for the hell of it!
There are these bootleg dvd sellers all over the place also. Some of these movies haven't even come out in the theaters yet in the States! I scored about 8 movies for 50yuan which is roughly 3 US dollars a piece. A small price to pay to avoid watching Chinese television, which is laiden with ridiculous rip off shows like
what..
This little boy lured all these dogs into a restaurant with him..lol American Idol, America's got Talents, Starsearch etc. Though these soap operas are hilarious! If you think American soap actors over act, or even for that matter Latin soap actors, I would have to say the Chinese are far worse with the overacting. Its more like comdey than drama..but the fact that they are seemingly so serious is where all the hilarity fits in.
I am deep into the poorest province of the country, and though Nanchang is a provincial capital and there is tons of construction happening, it is clear that the people (old farmers) are having a hard time adjusting to the contemporary modernization of their town. Shelly told me that not all of China is this uncouth, and I tell you I picked just the right place to see it all! I don't have a problem with it, its just getting adjusted to it all and looking around thinking 'Did that really just happen' or ' OH MY GOD!'. This place is clearly a hardship post and not for the weak at will or heart. Even all the old people have better instincts and strength that I. These old folks are resilient walking in and out of traffic,
tofu anyone
There are also all types of ranges of tofu, including the one that looks like brain! lifting and pushing 3 times their body weight down a busy road.
But overall, I have a good feeling about this place and I know that if I stick it out, there is no doubt in my mind that I will leave here a better, tougher and more independent person that I am now.
Zaijian (Goodbye)
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Lia
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STupid comment titles - is that really necessary? LOL. Poor John... that really sucks, but your right, I suppose his trip won't be all for nothing, if he is going to join some herbal wellness center. I think you should go for it - that is - eating something totally not in our western norms. Can't wait to hear about it, and when you come and visit me here, you can eat cockroaches!! While I take pictures of you eating the cockroaches! (haha, I won't try that for anything!) Miss you, love the writing!