Tifa
Black n China Joined: August 26th 2009
Logged in: February 17th 2011
Logged in: February 17th 2011
Travel Blog Posts
The speed in which the time has flown by this summer has really taken me off guard. Moving, working, traveling for work, visa paperwork headaches, banking traumas and even hospital visits has me thinking how when you are truly focused on something, you can accomplish a lot in a small amount of time. I just finished a 7 week summer job in Taicang, a small city outside Shanghai. There is no train station in the city, so this really proves just how small the city is. I took a train to Shanghai where I was picked up by the two friendliest Chinese guys you could ever meet who made my stay in Taicang really comfortable by snapping their backs backward to help me with any question I had. I had been a bid skeptical about the ... read more
earth roads
I want to say that I LOVE CAMBODIA and I'm really upset that I didn't have the opportunity to stay there longer. I live in the neighborhood, so a trip back is a must. Traveling to the Thailand/ Cambodia border was a trip. On the Thai side, there are mean-faced serious military men holding AK-47's and the process to exit the country was fairly orderly and uncomplicated. However, by the time you cross to the Cambodian side, anarchy awaits. There are children everywhere trying to hustle you and make a quick buck and all these men waiting in front of immigration office persistently insisting that you need their help. They want to fill out your paperwork for you and take you to a hotel, but claim there is no charge for their service. Unlike Thailand, there ... read more
Sri Racha
Well in between the many delights Bangkok had to offer, things started going down for me once I departed Bangkok, and my general health began to plummet. I should start by saying that Travelers diarrhea is not a joke. For the duration of my journey I was plagued with constant stomach cramps and paranoia regarding the locations of restrooms. Though Thai food is very delicious, and generally healthy the consumption of so much uncooked seafood and vegetables wrecked havoc on my digestive tract. oh man. We took a bus to Sri Racha, where my friend Lia lives as an English teacher. She was just finishing up her contract and I happened to come in the nick of time to visit her. Sri Racha is most notably famous for its delicious chilly sauce that bears a rooster ... read more
yella buddha
Hello All: I'm actually back in China now and have been meaning to do some blogging about Thailand. Thailand is just absolutely enchanting to say the least. The food is to die for, landscape is amazing and the weather is a bit hotter than I would like but still would trade any day of the week. From what I have seen, Thai people are very nice and keep smiles on their faces, after all it is known as the 'Land of Smiles'. Most Thai people speak enough English for simple communication and English is everywhere! (unlike China), which made traveling throughout Thailand completely uncomplicated (unlike China). Thai people are also deeply spiritual and Buddhist temples throughout the country were a wonder to see with all the devout followers making their prayers. Thai people are also fairly ... read more
So, after three weeks of bumming around in the states, I had a plan to visit my Chinese friend Caroline and her family for Spring Festival. I missed my first of many flights on my way out of the states. I get to stay in the states one more day to bum it. Then, the next day I proceed on my 18 hour journey back to the other side of the world. The flight from Chicago to Shanghai was approximately 14 hours and 34 minutes long, and I know because I was awake at the window seat the entire time. The flight was full of Chinese Americans on their way to Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). I was really prejiducely in awe as I remarked how good their English was, as its a rarity that I ... read more
Yousuf and I
Greetings All: My trip back home was a bit of a shocker. The noises I had grown accustomed to were no longer there, so no beeping, unneccessary screaming, spitting, hacking and splashing of mop water. I must admit, though those sounds are at times unsettling, I find a strange comfort in the chaos and find uninterrupted silence a bit sad and lonely. The first five days were spent with me desperately trying to get my sleeping pattern back to U.S time. Then I kicked back, didn't do anything, or see anyone I was suppose to, and instead, I watched good old American trash T.V and read a lot of books. I've really missed using my ability of comprehension and pretty much drowned myself in English related materials. My sister had her twins! A boy and a ... read more
monday
Hello All: I hope everyones new year went well and hope this year will be as good or better than the last. New Years in China is not celebrated on the grand scale that we in the west do. I gave my students a presentation on Kwanza, of which many of them were already acquainted. I then asked them what they would do on Dec 31st to celebrate the new year. I was met with blank stares and questions regarding what there is to do. So evidently, its not like the high speed affair I usually plan for new years. Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) is apparently the time to ring in the new year (based off lunar calander, this year it is Feb14th) and they throw a feast and have crazy parties with fireworks. This ... read more
school of hell
Hello All: It has been a while since my last entry. I have been meaning to post an update but always fail to do so. Anywho.. I have 2 weeks left before the end of the semester and I literally cannot wait. Since I started a few weeks later than all the teachers I am now left being the only teacher still teaching. The halls in my appartment in the morning are quiet as everyone has the luxury of sleeping in, while I fume my bitter self to class this morning. Even the school is serene because it appears I am literally the only teacher still teaching and my students are the only ones awake and around. This morning I was a bit annoyed but ended up feeling bad because my students still have incredible enthusiam. ... read more
Hope all is well in your present world. I have recently gotten back into the habit of checking up on world affairs and I must say my optimism is once again depleting. However, I'm still in CHINA! so all the unfortunate mishaps befalling our world around us is the only reminder I need to actually count my blessings, and with that said, I'll continue my seemingly pretentious but unassuming role as a travel blogger. The last two weeks have been fairly busy. But only busy because I'm getting into another one of my old habits of procrastination. I gave my students mid-term exams 2 weeks ago. When I originally made up the test, I was a little oblivious with what exactly I was getting myself into. I designed a 25 question test and in addition an ... read more
candied tomatoes
Hello So, I thought I would write a general analysis of my life here, as my near 3 month anniversary approaches. It has started to get a little cold so I have resorted to hibernating because I realize just how far my appartment is from everything else. It is a 15 minute walk to the cafeteria, 25 minute walk to the closest supermarket, and almost 30 minute walk to the gate to catch the bus. There are these little golf carts that take people around campus, but I had an altercation with one of the drivers a few weeks back (because he was being a serious douchebag), so now they have all boycotted me and will not stop if I flag them down. (It's all good though, I'm plotting my revenge!) So I have been taking ... read more
