Blogs from Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, Asia - page 62

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Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 31st 2006

Limited chinese leads to great speculation. Since my extent of conversation with someone who speaks only chinese can go no further than "hello....how much does that cost?" I have learned very little, besides the price of a popsicle, of my surrounding areas. I live in the city of Shenzhen which is just utop of Hong Kong on a world map. However the city of Shenzhen is massive (on the books its 5million, but I have heard reports it is more like 10 million) and the city is comprised of 5 districts. I living on the Long Gang district, the largest and one of the furthest from the city center. The district is relatively newer, about 10 years or so. (The city of Shenzhen is only 28 years old) Within my district, i guess is the same ... read more
Hansen Metal Factory
Biker Boys
Factory apartments

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 29th 2006

Our official - well maybe not so official in the sense of meaningful, in the sense of fun - welcoming party was held last night at Ibiza bar, where one of the second year teachers works. The theme was a classic one, especially since in the 3 weeks our group has been together, their have been, oh let some, some pairing off.....if you will. So in an effort to make all the new couples or oops! a little uncomfortable, Andrew, our fearless leader in the party planning department instituted that our first party be a STOPLIGHT party. For those of you who are not familiar, the premise is fairly simple. Were red if you are unavailable or uninterested, where yellow if you could be available or interested and wear green if you are roaring to go, ... read more
DJ James
getting the party started
Andrew, our fearless Party Planner

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 29th 2006

I can't say that I am a celebrity, because I don't know what that really means, but if it includes someone taking your picture with their camera phone while just walking down the street, then maybe yes I might qualify. But if that isn't celebrity proof enough how about, when you walk past a group of your soon to be students and one of them realizes "who you are" and then they all start to yell "Helloo!" "Helloo", one after another kinda like the wave at a sports stadium. Or maybe I would make it on the cover of Asia Weekly in one of those sections "Stars just like you!" Only the Asia Weekly version would say, "Americans just like you" - and there would be a picture of me with my shopping cart and a ... read more

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 27th 2006

I guess that leaving your home in search of another one deserves at least some sort of explanation as to what the hell i am doing. After 3 years plus 2 months in Chicago, I guess I was at a point where I had enough (in a good way). I don't know if I am here by accident, I was really looking for something to do for a summer when I realized that I was applying too late and the only programs I had a chance of getting accepted for where at least year long programs. I guess the thought of spending another summer searching for things to fill my time, I justified picking this program as a new way to fill my time. The program is called The Center for Teaching and Learning in China(www.chinaprogram.org) ... read more
Temple hopping
Shopping in China

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 27th 2006

Being an ocean away as proven to have its disadvantages. Hearing about the death of you grandma through email is my reality (thank you sara for keeping me informed). It's as if I could delete the email and she would be alive again, maybe just enough for enough time that I could say goodbye. I'm not very sentimental when it comes to death and when its so far away it is very easy to push the reality of a situation to the back of one's mind. I just wish I could be there to help.....to stand next to my mom as she buries her mom, to squeeze her hand when she is starting to feel to weak, to be the first to relive the story of when you first saw naked grandma naked, to laugh, and ... read more

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 25th 2006

Go Shenzhen. Go. What do I write about this place? First off, a hair cut is never just a hair cut. This place is all about nuance. Go. Go get a hair cut. This is capitalism. Oh my god! Just go. Shenzhen, City of Angels. End of all quarrels. Go. ... read more

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 12th 2006

So, you would think that in most countries they have a system in place to move people from one side of the border to the other...like perhaps a customs officer comes onto our bus and processes each of us or you have enough officers to handle the volume of traffic they typically get.... Well, not in China! We were told that we would be driving to the border, changing buses and then getting a Hong Kong driver to take us to the hotel. When we got there, we had to take all of our stuff and WALK across the border to Hong Kong...with 8,000 (est) Chinese day visitors to Hong Kong!!!! It took us 4 hours to make it over and that is with cutting the line at some places (rude Americans). We took in total ... read more
Only one small part of the line

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen August 10th 2006

We are in our last city, Shen Zhen, located across the water from Hong Kong. The biggest highlight here was going to Walmart. I know, sounds crazy, but it was really neat to see how different it is compared to the US. They get 180,000 customers a day at this location and many of them come 2-3 times per day to pick up fresh food for lunch and dinner. They have live fish that they kill for you and while we were there one jumped out of the tank and landed on the floor. We all bought stuff b.c. the prices were so cheap! We also went to the port, which is the 4th largest in the world (I think). Our hotel here is one of the nicest we've had--it had a bowling alley, a pool, ... read more

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen July 27th 2006

Here I am, back in Shenzhen. I've been gone for a month, but I was surprised to find that I forgot how China smells. When I stepped out of the cab in Shenzhen, I took a deep breath and though, "Oh, yes. That's right. China smells." I don't want to say it smells bad, it's just much different from the US. Living here for so long, I had gotten use to it and didn't even notice it, but now I'm reminded of my first time coming to China 8 years ago. The smells keep sending me on trips down memory lane. I also forgot that China has 1.2 billion people (although Sen tells me it's now 1.5 billion). I was walking down the street and there were people everywhere. I was only gone one month, but ... read more

Asia » China » Guangdong » Shenzhen June 27th 2006

China Splendid - or Amorous feelings of China! Ahh! We did not do the blog last night because we went to China and only got back about midnight. This was such an eye opener for us. We had wonderful guides Fiona (who was the government allocated guide) and Derek from the travel company. Anyway a brief rundown of our morning was the girls sort of fluttered through their journals while we waited to go outside and organize a very early lunch - which is just as well…..but I will explain that in a minute. The night before we had found a wonderful little al fresco restaurant where we went yesterday so this morning for our very early lunch at about 10.30am was our initial destination. Now you have to take this in the context that people ... read more
"The Pitts"in China
Lychee trees in the mangrove park
Ah!  Those Chinese Bins!




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