Blogs from Liaoning, China, Asia - page 10

Wow! How time flies, right? I can't believe it has been four months since I have been in China. So let's recap. Last I remember writing, I was still trying to get used to everything and seemed to be moving along just fine. Now I'm starting to believe that you can't ever get used to anything here. Everything is always changing. And I say that particularly with the education system in mind. There was a point where I was really starting to feel settled. The kids and I were really groovin. I looked forward to seeing them. The kids at Guang Yu became my favorite. They would come into the classroom during my lunch break and hang out with me. One day, three boys came in with a chocolate surprise. They said, "Here, this is for ... read more

Since coming to China, adaptation has been key to any successes enjoyed. Being viewed as an expendable commodity, even with plenty of experience and qualifications, has been the hardest truth to swallow. A little sweeter on the ego though has been the celebrity status granted my presence for nothing more than having blue eyes and white skin. You can never grow tired of such attention, whether it be excitable teenagers or giggling mothers. It cannot fail to boost self-confidence levels. With any positive though, there’s always a negative, and like any ‘z’ list celebrity I’m sure would tell you, with ‘fame’ comes plenty of mocking and abuse. Up until now, I’ve taken the mocking and constant gawping in my stride and with only weeks left in the ‘Middle Kingdom,’ I thought I would leave with my ... read more

Drinking in China has always been a minefield of potentially explosive situations. Even after learning the drinking customs and the consequences they bring, drinking in China still brings about new experiences that surprise me. I was recently sitting in a local bar with friends, contemplating the merits of English classes that day. As we exchanged stories regarding the questionable behaviour of students and their parents, a procession of eight young Chinese girls entered the bar. They were dressed to impress with high heels, short skirts, and enough make-up to make a clown wince. These beauties wouldn’t look out of place on a night out anywhere in Britain, but here in China, their appearance could only mean one thing: they were prostitutes. Like a police line-up, they sauntered up to the table behind me and stood in ... read more

so we got to Beijing on a thursday night. headed to the hotel and then went to their buffet for dinner. it was the best buffet i ever remember going to! Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and American food. it was delicious! i typically am not a buffet person, but this one was wicked good. the next day we woke up early and had breakfast. then we headed out to the Forbidden City. that was pretty interesting. i took a lot of pictures, and fought my way through the crowds to get good pictures. after that we went to the square across the street. it was by some government buildings. then off to the silk market! i love shopping here, everything is so cheap. i am also pretty damn good at bartering. i got shoes, jeans, a belt ... read more

so the majority of my xi'an pics are on my dad's laptop, so i will post them as soon as i can. the xi'an pics i have in here are of the last day we were there. out hotel room was insanely awesome. it was probably the best hotel i have ever stayed in. on the last day there we went shopping, visited a very old mosque and ate delicious food. it was a fantastic trip! since i have been back, one of dad's amazing coworkers showed me and ze german around another part of this city. we ate donkey, shopped and had Japanese food for dinner. then i hung out at the tea shop till two of the girls got home, they taught me a fun card game. i have been keeping up on my ... read more