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Published: September 11th 2006
Greetings all, its your Asia corresspondant back to redeem himself after a somewhat shakey opening blog. So yeh... im in China and what a big few days it has been in the PRC. I left you last as my Japan Air flight was decending upon the Chinese seaside (Daniel) metropolis known as Qingdao. Qingdao is a city located on the east coast of China in between Shanghai and Beijing. Mostly renowned for its world class sea food and producer of the most popular beer in china, Tsingdao Beer. After strolling the city for the past few days i would best describe it as the Gold Coast equivalent of CHina, but on a much larger scale. Very hot, somewhat dated infrastructure and moderately crowded streets. Qingdao is home to 5 million Qingdaonese which is considered small compared to Beijing who is tipping 40million so they tell me. Just whilst i talk about population, i got told that 8% of China's population carries a Y chromosone of the great Ghengis Kahn! That wiley Mongol! Covered more ground than Simon Minton-Connell and Richard Osborne put together!
As i was saying, the last few days have been quite the eye opener. Ive been walking around looking like Mark McGough for the past 72hrs just taking it all in. I think i mentioned previously that Gregory and i were the only westerners on our flight and this was pretty much the case at the airport as well. First thing i saw when i stepped off the plane was a huge sign saying 'Welcome to China, home of the 2008 Beijing Olympics'. Its everywhere over here. After being harrassed at customs, greg and i finally walked through the arrivals gate where there were a sea of chinese waving paper with various scribble on it. Felt like i had walked into a betting ring and they were all hedging their bets. After an exaggerated sigh we both assumed it was gonna prove tough to find our ride. Within seconds two short rather excited fellows rocked over with a sign saying Mr Tom and Mr Greg MIFM. Pleasantries were exchange then it was, 'Time to hit the road'. I think they both developed hernias lifting our suitcases, which were bigger than them, into their car. I chuckled slyly to myself i must admit.
It was in the car that that culture shock began. In China they seem to have an extrodinary ability to make the most simple of tasks insanely difficult. For us to get out of the car park took furious cutting in and out, excessive horn use and just cunningness (had to be careful on the spelling of that one!). Once out of the car park we headed for home, wherever that may be. I forgot to mention that neither of these two knew any english, not one word. At first i thought the driver was being super cautious driving us home as i never saw him get out of second gear or exceed 40km on the freeway. It was at about the 7th time he stalled the car that my eyebrow raised and 'Teacher Li' (passenger seat) turned to us and said "...learning haha". Perfect, i was in a steel coffin with four wheels. Its bizar that going so slow and cautiously actually made me feel less safe than passing motorist who flew by. Would you believe it, after avoiding a narrow accident, and i know it was close because even they looked scared, we arrived at the University of Qingdao.
The grounds of the university are stunning, as is the city. The Uni is about a ten minute walk from a picturesque coastline with a glorious mountrain range as a backdrop. So far so good! The Uni is made up of a large garden and lake with several buildings just like any other uni. I hope to get a camera from Walmart tomorrow so i can begin to post pictures on here as im pretty average at conveying scenary. So we went up to the office/staff room where there was a desk each for us with text books and various requirements waiting. No body there though, and the two jokers who drove us to the uni had no idea what was going, or so it seemed. They thought it was a good idea to leave the uni and take us to our apartment, brilliant, another car trip with this 'prodigious' motorist.
It was only a short drive before we stopped at the ghettos of Qingdao where Greg and i looked at each other with both our eye balls extended from our sockets like an acme cartoon. There was a fellow expatriate already living at this apartment who had been in Qingdao in 3 weeks longer than us. His name is Mark, he is a fair dinkum character from Stawell who came across earlier as a replacement teacher. We stood out the front of the building waiting for a good 10minutes whilst Teacher Li and the other bloke walked around aimlessly scratching their heads. It was then we were ushered back into the car and taken out for lunch. Lunch was quite the experience. Instead of having a menu, its custom at this particular venue to walk out the back a pick a picture off the wall of what you want to eat. To be honest, none of it looked to appealing so i just chose one that looked like fried rice. We sat back down at the table whilst everyone around us smoked and talked in native tongue. Our lunch finally arrived and was actually pretty good. My rice was accompanied with shell fish and some fish soup with chilli, apparently quite a traditional chinese dish.
During lunch someone had got onto Mark so we headed back to the apartment where Mark was waiting. Now i dont wanna scare mum or anyone but apartment isnt the most flash piece of real estate on the market. Very very basic indeed. We have hot water, tv, 3 bedrooms, shower, electricity, stove, ac, heating and a microwave. I think we were both just shocked initially but we have accepted and got used to our home. Im greatful that it is clean and we have sufficient living requirements. Time for me to toughen up a bit i think. I was thinking about it that night whilst in bed and its the entire reason that i subjected myself to such an adventure. I wanna live their culture, get out of my comfort zone and just broaden my outlook on the world! Just on my bed by the way, its a single which is fine but instead of a matress its this wooden slats which are covered by very thin blankets acting as cushioning. I thought i was gonna hate my bed and just not be able to handle such an arrangement but my first night was fine and i actually slept rather well. Not sure whether that was because i was so tired or because the bed was moderately comfortable. So that was my first of many nights in the former Qing dynasty and i conceeded that things were good. Felt ridiculous but i already miss everyone at home and just the convenience of being able to contact everyone so easily. You take it for granted. I still havnt worked at how to call Australia. The area calling codes dont seem to work and no one here speaks a word of english. ANyway, for now this is my best source of communicating to everyone so once again thank you for reading my blog. I have plenty more to tell u but this is getting far too long and im tired. Hope all is well back in Terra Nullius. Tom Munro, your Asia Correspondent.....Qingdao
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first off, love the obscure references to footballers. especially simon minton-connell! if you could throw in jason trianides and ashley blurton it would be much appreciated. are you gonna become one of those guys that follows the olympics around every 4 years? first at seoul where you were debbie flintoff-kings coach, then at barcelona where you were singing with jose carreras at the opening ceremony, then atlanta when you were the false start official for kyle vanderkuyp's quarterfinal in the 110m hurdles, then sydney where you were the controversial judge who gave allana slater a near perfect 9.973 on the uneven bars, and then finally in athens where you had to apologise to sally robbins for clocking her with an oar shortly after the final. and now china... you've led quite a life tamserian!