Blogs from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, Asia - page 6

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Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 25th 2012

Wednesday, we participated in the International Day sponosored by the local government. There were 7 large tourist buses for Foreign guests to enjoy the sites around Hangzhou. We had an amazing time at the events we attended and even met a few new cool people that live here in Hangzhou. The day started at Qianwang Temple on West Lake with a display of many Chinese traditions and an "Official Opening Ceremony" with speeches from many high leveled government employees. The emcee was an American professor who teaches at Zhejiang University and is fluent in Chinese, he spoke in Chinese while the Chinese man translated it to English. Quite strange but that is very "China". All of the speeches given by the Party Members were in Chinese and translated to English for all 210 foreign guests (that ... read more
Qianwang Temple
Tea Cups
Silk

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 22nd 2012

This morning, I participated in the Hangzhou Green Drinks Earth Day events starting with a 8am bike ride through the Longjing area of West Lake, 10am bike ride around the Southern area of West Lake, a BBQ lunch at Vineyard Cafe in the garden area along with free giveaways and a moving screening of "Earth" by Disney Nature at 7:30pm. I meet some amazing people today on the bike rides. The 8am ride was Tim, Australian; William, Junior Biomedical Engineering major at Zhejiang University (#3 in China); Vincent, Senior at Best High School in Hangzhou who is attending Tufts in Boston starting Fall 2012; J & K, American's teaching at HDU and myself. I have met Tim before at many Expat events in... read more
view along the 10am ride

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 19th 2012

What an amazing time we had on Monday taking our photos with 45 degrees Photography. They didn't speak much English but were super comforting and fun. My former student, Tibby, was an amazing translator for whole process. She found the studio, negotiated our package and price, translated during our meeting to chose our outfits and put down a deposit, along with the actual photo shoot day translating the photographers directions and lastly scheduling our DVD pick up and final payment. Thanks Tibby!!! Interesting Facts about Chinese Wedding Photos: They are taken MONTHS before the actual wedding..in order to have banners plastered at the ceremony!! (not too many church weddings in China) Usually the bride wears a dress she doesn't even wear on her wedding day ... read more
Tea pickers on Longjing Rd
another top pick
Song Dynasty era costumes

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 16th 2012

Two and a half weeks ago, we picked out our outfits to have our "Chinese Wedding Photos" taken. A couple we knew did this last Fall and I thought it would be fun since we came to China dating, then became engaged in Hong Kong and now are living here married. We had a blast doing it and a BIG THANKS to my former student for negotiating the package price and details along with translating. I pick up our CD on Thursday afternoon and will post the final photos then. These pictures we shot on our little Nikon S3000. Enjoy!!!!... read more
Umm...a little too small
hair piece put in my hair to make the "bump"
getting his hair did

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 15th 2012

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to celebrate Colin's birthday at the Regal Plaza Hotel's restaurant on the 23rd floor downtown Hangzhou. Colin is one of the kindest people we have met in China. He is an English instructor at Hangzhou Dianzi University, has studied in Hong Kong & Singapore, has a passion for travel and photography and has become a great friend during our time in Hangzhou this past school year. Happy Birthday Colin!!! A few Chinese birthday traditions: Eating long noodles on one's birthday is to lead to a long life When it is your birthday you treat your guests to a nice evening...bill coverd by person celebrating their birthday, instead of your friends or family treating you! Gifts are exchanged and cake is a newer idea in China...hence the sprinkles on lotus root ... read more
couldn't decide which one's to order so we got them all
Pete eating the last dish served...traditional birthday noodles
Galyna & I

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 6th 2012

This is one thing that blows my mind in China. How does the population grow to the largest in the world, when NO ONE looks both ways before crossing the road? The rules of the road in China are as follows: the bigger vehicle has the right of way. The hierarchial order on the road is as following: semi truck or car transporter, tour or city bus, luxury vehicles, SUV or van, sedans, Smart cars and look a likes, motorcycles, ebikes, bicycles and then finally pedestrians. Everyday, I witness cars that pull into oncoming traffic without even looking. They just honk their horns (sometimes) and go as if they have the right of way. Last week I saw a cop car that caused an accident as they drove like they were "above" the law and Tboned ... read more

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 4th 2012

Typically, during any holiday break Elyse and I jet off to some new destination to get out of the city. Hangzhou is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China for the nationals, so it gets packed full of people. During the normal weekends we don’t even try to venture to the lake as its wall to wall people. This year we found ourselves at home and wanted to make the most of the situation. This Holiday most closely resembles Memorial Day in the States, yet with customs and traditions that are unique to it self. The Qingming Festival (pronounced- ching ming) is a time to remember and honor ancestors at grave sites. The holiday is also called Tomb Sweeping Day. Chinese families go and pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer items ... read more
decorated grave
Monday in the nearby tea terraces
families with their loved ones

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 4th 2012

Pete & Elyse headed to the nearby Dental Hospital on Saturday, March 31st. It had been one year since either of them had a cleaning and they knew the cost was a fraction of the price in the US. Elyse had checked out a few places online through the Expat Forum and actually visited the Dental Hospital before making an appointment. Cleanliness, cost and a language barrier were her major factors when deciding where to have medical services done while living in China. When living in the US only 1 of these 3 factors would come into play as all dental clinics would have to be clean and speak English. Dr Wang was amazing and looked at Peter and Elyse's teeth first before sending them into seperate rooms to have a Specialist do the cleaning and ... read more

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou April 1st 2012

We just booked our return flights to the US and so the "Official" countdown has begun...... Days until we depart for Bali, Indonesia Days until we depart China for the USA We had to work on Sunday, April 1st in order to "make up" the few days off for Qing Ming Festival. Pete and Elyse being the pranksters that they are, knew they needed to pull a prank on their students since this holiday isn't widely celebrated in China. Being the cultural ambassadors that we are, we needed to educate them and what better way than first hand experience of a prank. When we both walked into our seperate classrooms we advised the students that it was that time of year that we have our 1st Oral English Exam....BIG, BROWN eyes all popped out of their ... read more

Asia » China » Zhejiang » Hangzhou March 29th 2012

Pete and Elyse last blogged about teaching during the 1st week of school, now they just completed their 6th of 18 weeks. So what has been happening around WXP? They got the approval to have smaller Oral English class sizes and it has been a huge success. This was implemented Week 3, 11-1 and 11-2 were split into groups of 19-21 students in each classroom with a foreign teacher: Peter, Elyse or Mark. Pete has had the pleasure of teaching one class on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Elyse has had the pleasure of teaching 2 classes on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons up until Week 5 when an "elective" night class was added to her schedule by the Hotel Management Dept. Remember they were the Dept that never had a foreign teacher before and Elyse was to ... read more
Time to Eat - 2 of the 3 took a burrito to go
11-2 Winners had pasta w/garlic chicken strips and cheesy & garlic bread




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