bschonwald

After Yangshuo, I went back to Guilin and caught a flight to Shanghai. So many people had told me they loved Shanghai, and I must admit, I do as well. Next to New Orleans, of course, Shanghai was the coolest city I've been to. A large part of the population is a mix of every nationality under the sun. This, in combination with millions of Chinese, makes for an incredible place to visit. Every type of food can be found: Indian, Nepalese, Mediterranean, French, Russian, Spanish, etc. And there were even a few Mexican and South American restaurants. The strong British influence can be seen in the architecture throughout the city, especially on the Bund, on the West side of the river. The West side is Puxi, and the East side of the river is Pudong, ... read more

Saying good bye in Beijing was a sad affair, but my excitement to get out of the city pulled me through. My students loved their gifts: OKC "Thunder" T-shirts and Hershey's Kisses, (made in Pennsylvania, not China). They really were a big hit and I owe my parents big time for bringing them. The flight to Shenzhen, and then crossing over to Hong Kong by train, was a breeze. The city itself was pretty incredible...and incredibly expensive. I knew this ahead of time, which is why I planned only to stay for just two nights. Knowing I'd have to leave China to get my visa extended, I also planned ahead and got a multi entry visa, so that I could get back into China. Imagine my surprise when I was full-on denied entry back into China ... read more

China, like all countries I suppose, hates to see money cross the border to be spent in other countries. In order to prevent this from happening, the Chinese government has come up with several creative roadblocks. A foreigner cannot exchange RMB back into his native country's currency while still in China. In order to get a tourist visa extension, the foreigner must have US$100 in a Chinese bank account for each day he plans to stay in China. (This meant our program director had to gather US$3000 for each of us so that we could extend our visas.) Finally, the government makes it almost impossible for an individual Chinese citizen to invest in a non-Chinese company. Just an example, one of my students is employed by an Australian consulting firm. All employees have been given the ... read more

It will be three weeks tomorrow since I arrived in Beijing. Just to give a quick update: this is a fabulous city! I'm living in the Chaoyang district, in East Beijing, which is a wonderful location. My apartment is a 30min walk/ 15min subway ride from where I work. A picture of Jianwai SOHO, the office complex where I work, is pictured here. I'm somewhat familiar with the subway system and layout of the city, but I seem to spend most of my time in Chaoyang. A few times a week I teach at my students' homes in an apartment building in the Sanlitun Embassy area. It's a beautiful part of town and fun to explore. Lots of good international restaurants around that area as well. I began teaching on just my fourth day in Beijing. ... read more