packing for peking

i've been stateside for just over a month and now i'm heading back to the land of mandarin-speaking, chopstick-eating, smog-choking, beijing living.

activities include: the beijing olympics.

dates:
august 1-12: showing my uncle, aunt, 2 cousins, and 80 year old grandma (cuenta lo!)all the joys, thrills and sights of beijing.
august 12-15: r&r in the suburb of huairou.
august 15-26: hanging out with some infamous college friends- vince and james. bronze medal soccer in shanghai among other things.

my goal is to try and keep the ole blogger updated on a daily basis...yikes!

i haven't packed a thing...but i got an apartment in little italy/south mission hills. a real beaut! house warming party upon my return.

global warming is real.

i taught swim lessons today in 112 degree weather.

pictures of childhood

I was a cute kid, not gonna lie. But I've found a couple themes, while sorting through a large box of childhood photos. Every picture can fall into one of the following categories.

1. Forced picture with a gift for a long-distance relative: Basically, I'm holding up a new dress or other Fed-Ex'd gift, giving a reluctant smile (no teeth), and have a hand on my hip. I'm usually squinting, not because it's sunny, but because I'm trying to convey the pain of the forced action. These pictures were taken for the dozens of family members in California, that spoiled the first grandchild in the family. What an ungrateful child!

2. Military stance mixed with excitement: Long straight brown hair with straight-across bangs, ruffles/bows/flowers/ribbon dress, arms straight by my sides, and huge "I can't stand like this a second more, all I want to do is hula-hoop!" smile.

3. Swim-suit shot: I'm convinced that 88% of my childhood was spent in a bath suit. Living in 'Lauderdale by the Sea' steps from the Atlantic, with an adorable black lab named Sheena, a bright red convertible Volkswagen Bug, and an unlimited supply of bikinis.

4. Nakie with cowboy boots on: It seems post-beach, I liked to get out of the bathing suit, put on my birthday suit and my cowboy boots. Now one or two of these would be cute, but I have dozens over a span of 0-5 years old. Seriously, what's that about?

5. Young and in love: During my same cowboy boot phase I was also having a serious relationship with a young man named Alex Pacman. Our moms were friends. Pictures include sitting side by side, swimming, birthdays, and roller-skating.

6. Narcky shot: It's late in the day, I'm tired, but I want to stay where the action is. So instead of admitting defeat, I continue to 'pretend' that I'm awake, while getting some great rest (in the middle of the action). That way, if something really exciting happens, I'll wake up. These pictures look like I'm completely disinterested in the activity (even my own birthday party). The reality is that I just swam for 8 hours, or rocked out in my cowboy boots, and I'm exhausted. My mom must have found these moments particularly endearing because I'm finding dozens.

I promise to scan and post an example of each for your entertainment. Sidenote: Former roommates and other close friends, I realize that I'm still a narky.

Substitute Nanny

La Jolla Recreation Club on a sunny Sunday morning, a tennis tournament nearby, and I'm running around chasing a 1 and 4 year old on the playground.

The sun is shining, the diaper bag is on my shoulder, and I'm using banana chips as currency.

The most urgent thing on my mind is helping the 1 year old go down the slide feet-first. What a contrast to just a week ago in China.

Check out that spiderman web action.

The ENFP Box

I took a personality profile test. I've managed to dodge them for years, but after living in China for two years I've encountered some personalities that have boggled my mind. Someone recently explained/opened my eyes to the facts of overseas living- there are two types of people that move overseas (said somewhat in a hush, as if it were a secret). The first group- legit people, that "get it" and are living the adventure of Life. The second- weirdos (very strange people), that move to escape something, are trying to find their niche in society, and might be (usually are) highly socially awkward. I would agree that people in the long term expat community fall into one of these two groups. You can just hope that you have a higher ratio of group one around you.

With a return to the States just a week away, I thought it might be helpful to finally give in and see what personality "box" I fit into, to help with job opportunities. It turns out that I'm an Extroverted Intuitive Feeling Perceiving, with the title of "The Inspirer". Nice...


So this is how I'm described:
ENFPs are initiators of change who are keenly perceptive of possibilities, and who energize and stimulate through their contagious enthusiasm. They prefer the start-up phase of a project or relationship, and are tireless in the pursuit of new-found interests. ENFPs are able to anticipate the needs of others and to offer them needed help and appreciation. They bring zest, joy, liveliness, and fun to all aspects of their lives. They are at their best in situations that are fluid and changing, and that allow them to express their creativity and use their charisma.

ENFPs are energetic and enthusiastic leaders who are likely to take charge when a new endeavor needs a visionary spokesperson. ENFPs are values-oriented people who become champions of causes and services relating to human needs and dreams. Their leadership style is one of soliciting and recognizing others' contributions and of evaluating the personal needs of their followers. ENFPs are often charismatic leaders who are able to help people see the possibilities beyond themselves and their current realities. They function as catalysts.

It says a lot more about living, learning, loving, working, and leisure. The leisure part was right on- it basically said that I love to read and travel. I fit into the box, and I don't know what to think of that.

The 5 Zi's

This is success in the eyes of the Chinese:

1. Fang Zi- House
2. Che Zi- Car
3. Qi Zi- Wife
4. Er Zi- Son
5. Mao Zi- Hat (means political power)

A little cultural insight: By the year 2020, there will be a shortage of 40 million women.

Beijing Blue Crayola Crayon

Dear Crayola Crayon Company,

I've been meaning to write you for quite sometime. There's a big problem in Chinese classrooms that I believe MUST be addressed. Children all over this vast country love to color and draw but their pictures are inconsistent with their surroundings. You see, when they pick out the "Sky Blue" crayon from their crisp yellow Crayola box, the color is nothing like the color they see out their window. This confuses the youth. It starts with confusion at the crayon box, and it's all downhill from there.

I suggest that you make a new crayon named "Beijing Blue". Only it won't be blue at all. Now, let me explain. It's going to take a mixture of black (for the coal in the air), with some dark gray (for the exhaust from the millions of cars). Last you'll need to add a bit of glowing yellow (for the fires, and the effect of the sun trying to get through the gray thickness).

With one in every four people in the world being Chinese, this is sure to be a 'best seller'. Kids all around China deserve to have a crayon in their box that they can use to color the skies of their pictures. Leaving "Sky Blue" as is, will only increase their longing for a distance land named 加利福尼亚 (Jialifuniya/California). Once they see the blue skies and (gasp!) sunsets, it'll be hard to get them to return. Like I said earlier, it's starts at the crayon box...

Yours Truly,
Disgruntled Californian/Beijing Resident


P.S. What's up with the pronunciation of your product? I say the one syllable "cran" like cranberry, but others say a two syllable version like "cray-on". What's your official stance on this?

Another Day at the Office

I teach ESL (as you know) and with the low class today we were brainstorming food for an activity.. the categories on the board were meat, fish, veggies, and fruit.
It was boys against girls and they had to yell vocab out as I wrote their responses on the board. It sounded something like.. "cucumber! tomato! squid! beef! pineapple!"
And then just as it had become quiet down for a second- sweet, little Leona yelled out "ass meat!" very loud, kind of proud that she found one that hadn't been mentioned yet...
It took everything in me, my friends...

my empty water glass

This morning my roommate and I woke up early for some Olympics festivities. The city is buzzing with Olympics excitement and with 77 days left until the Opening Ceremonies, I suppose they should be. Leading up to the actual Olympics there are Good Luck games at the venues for a fraction of the price, and a fraction of the athletic talent (let's be honest). Today, the Bird's Nest was open for Athletics events (javelin, shot put, hurdles, long jump and sprints galore).
After 3 hours of watching other people run, Diana and I took a walk to T.G.I Friday's for lunch. My favorite Western food in Beijing is a Friday's BBQ Chicken salad. (My mouth just watered and I ate one 6 hours ago!)

Some people say that one bonus of living in China is that there is no tipping for services. Tips are not expected for waitresses or taxi-drivers. Amazing, right? Well, kind of. It comes at the expense of service. If you want more water for your teapot, or napkins, or anything for that matter- do not expect a waitress to come over and "check on you". You need to belt out "fu yuan!" (waitress) in the dining facility and eventually someone will mosey over and raise their eyebrows, no smile. That's your cue to politely ask them for more water in a sweet voice...because, remember, they're doing you a favor. I don't mind this usually, especially when it's an older woman that give an extra portion of attitude. Beijing is famous for cranky old women waitresses, and I openly try to befriend them. This is confirmed the next time we visit, when they say "Hello" before taking our order.

My frustration comes when I go to a place like Friday's...a Western restaurant. The poor waiters and waitresses must weigh an additional 10 kilos due to their abundance of 'flair'. The place feels like America- guitars and STOP signs on the walls...but the service is distinctively Chinese. It's disheartening when a person wearing smiley-face buttons, suspenders, striped socks, and a Dr. Seuss hat gives you an eye-roll when you ask for more water. I understand when China Grandma gives an extra sigh, and I empathize with her...she's old and tired, and serving a lot of KungPao Chicken. I get that.

I wanted to draw in the waitress today and whisper to her, "If you manage to keep this little glass of water full for 50% of the time that I'm here, I'll tip you.. I really will. I'm American, it's what we do! And it's not just a few coins, we usually give 20 percent!" (At this point, I'd nod and raise my eyebrows, as a way of saying "Ridiculous, right? But it's true!")

I tried to respect her and do the two-finger raise as a sign that I needed some attention, but she didn't get it. Eventually Diana said "fu yuan" and a waitress came over. We gave up on the water and asked for the bill. When it came, we didn't tip. My water glass was bone dry, and plus, there's no tipping in China. No need to disrupt the system, right?

7.9 Earthquake in China

Monday afternoon my roommates and I were on video Skype with a friend in Changsha when she exclaimed, "Whoa, I'm shaking.. Do you guys feel that?" Clothes hanging in the background were swaying and the shaking lasted a full minute. Changsha is in south-central China, and Beijing is in the northeast. We assumed it was a smaller earthquake closer to her.
But, a couple minutes later my roommate Megan got a call from her boyfriend who works at an International school here in Beijing. He said they were under their desks and wondered if we were o.k. He called back to say they were evacuating, and eventually canceled classes for the day. This was before any news was available. And let's be honest, news isn't readily available here.
That evening at the gym, I watched the Beijing news. The report was that 4 people had died and 900 students were trapped in their middle school. The largest city to the epicenter is Chengdu in Sichuan province and news reporters were among evacuated hospitals, interviewing what people felt, etc. There was no sign of damage and no one was hurt. People were just fearful and concerned, as well as unwilling to go back into buildings.
The fault line of the earthquake is where the Sichuan plain meets the Tibetan mountain range. That area is far from Beijing, to the southwest. Sichuan is also the most densely populated province in all of China.
When I got home the logic just didn't make sense, an earthquake felt 900 miles away in Beijing and there's hardly any damage? I checked CNN, BBC, and ABC and they were just reporting what they were hearing from Chinese media sources.
Late Monday night I checked my foreign news sources again and found a different story- 2,000 people dead, 80% of buildings in the area destroyed.
On Tuesday morning I taught two different classes. In the first class (higher level English) I printed out an ABC news report and we looked up new vocab, discussed facts and figures and then spent time Lifting up the people of Sichuan province.
In the second class (beginner English level) I talked in simple terms about the earthquake and suggested that we Think for the those that have lost family and friends. Leona started crying, her family lives in Sichuan, in the city of Chongqing. She had tried to call, but phone lines are down as well as power in the area, so she's just waiting to hear. Leona cried throughout class, the silent tears, that just fall down your cheek. She tried to learn grammar and pronunciation, but her mind was elsewhere.
As of today, Wednesday morning, over 12,000 have perished and authorities expect that number to rise as they start to clear rubble from the epicenter.
I am completely fine in Beijing, thank you for your emails and calls of concern. The Chinese government doesn't want International relief workers, but will take money and supplies. At this point, I just plan to help Leona attempt to get in contact with her family.
Earthquake in China, cyclone in Myanmar, earthquake in Japan... what's going on in Asia?

looking forward

As these two years in China come to a close, I know it's a good idea to both reflect on the past as well as look forward to the future. Here's some things I'm looking forward to...

*Sunsets! I picture a late afternoon reading a book at La Jolla Shores and then a San Diego sunset..sigh...I crave sunsets daily. Beijing smog affords one every 3 months, and it doesn't hold a candle to California.

*My mom, the Debster. Laughing a lot, crying through made-for-TV movies, playing cards/Scrabble, belting Rod Stewart lyrics, and getting pedicures. Our upcoming trip to the Grand Canyon is sure to be memorable.

*Couch time at 5111 with Cori, Jen, Mullins, Lovas, Teeny, and Ann..each in our unsaid, but assumed spots on the huge green couch.

*Reading the Fresno Bee newspaper at my grandma's diningroom table, eating Cheerios, and discussing all things Republican including some Rush Limbaugh zingers coming from the kitchen.

*Riding bikes through Gaslamp, along the embarcadero, to Hillcrest to have sushi at Ichiban with friends.

*Live music at Lulu's/Poetry slams/Flood worship with Kate and Shawn.

*Singing in the Previa with Sean, no music on because his radio is broken (insert beat-boxing, and laughter)

*A good haircut, let's be honest.

*Riding the San Diego trolley, I would say driving, but I don't have a car anymore and CNN has told me the price of gas. My friends, that's more per gallon than high quality orange juice.

*Spending an afternoon watching Kaitlyn and Emyle with Josh. Along with random marital advice from Russian grandma Boonya Frances.

*Coffee with Carly, Lo, and Lisa. People watching, catching up, being honest.

*Teaching swim lessons to adorable, yet utterly terrified kids.

*Seeing Mikayla and Rachel in their element in the great mid-west! Gosh, this could not come any sooner. These girls are pure gold.

*Thanksgiving in Malibu, surrounded by dozens of amazing family members, and a traditional fierce game of Spoons.

*Attending the 4th Annual project:connect this November. Wow, times flies.

*Cynthia- singing in the car, playing Dr. Mario, eating Mexican food, and talking about everything under the sun.

*A long walk through Balboa Park, with stops in museums along the way.

This, by no means, concludes my list. As I look at it, it's just another reminder that it's all about relationships. I truly feel blessed in that area.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

I've been lying in bed for quite some time, unable to fall asleep.
My heart in undoubtedly for relief work- aiding the displaced, homeless, and needy. So many things are running through my head. I think of the classic marketing model of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The most basic needs of humans are food, water, shelter, and clothing. As I lay here, under a down comforter, in a warm apartment, with great vegetables for dinner, and a buzzing water cooler outside my door.. I can't help but think of the thousands.. maybe millions that are across a river in Burma.
I'm angered that they aren't allowed access to humanitarian aid because they're under a military junta that is fearful.
I feel guilty that I have a decent apartment in China, and next door there are so many going to bed tonight without the very basics.
I realize that this is nothing new, poverty exists, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't churn with compassion every time we are faced with it.
Whether we build houses post-tsunami, or demolition houses post-Katrina, or feed the homeless in our local cities, we have to respond.
Father, thank you that you give us these desires. Thank you for the passion you've placed in me. Help me to be a good steward- that you'd receive all the glory. Comfort those in Burma tonight as they fall asleep and open doors for aid. If it's Your will, send me.

Jump Into the Love River

I'm sitting Indian-style on my bed, wearing a pink Wheaton shirt and drinking some Oregon Chai.
I didn't realized the significance of Indian-style until I was sitting on a floor in India last winter in a tribal area, eating off of woven leaves...and it hit me.. Indian style. Mindlessly we pick up language, without realizing what it means. For example- in English we say we're "falling in love". In China they say they're "jumping into the love river". I love that. I'm jumpin' in, not to be confused with a catchy Steven Curtis Chapman song. (Apologies if you're now humming the tune).
The Wheaton shirt is comical. I didn't go to Wheaton, it was sent to me in a care package by a former teammate, Mikayla Hoffman. I don't wish I went to Wheaton, I'm proud I went to SDSU...despite it's current smearing on the news. This week over 100 people were arrested as part of an extensive drug ring at my alma mater. Six fraternities have been suspended, and ties have been made to the Mexican mafia. I'm not surprised, the subculture on campus was not really covert. I'll be interesting to see what comes of all this. Now we're the Rubio's Fish tacos, drug ring university.. great.
And Oregon Chai.. what a treat! I've been holding on to this goodie for months, waiting for a cloudy afternoon and some time to savor it. I'm just going to come out and say it- care packages are better than the sum of their contents. They are a package of caring. I've watched a group of sane Americans in China, go crazy. Now, don't misinterpret this as a plea. I'm leaving China in 7 weeks, packages wouldn't reach me in time. But James and Vince are in Thailand for the next 7 months and Schwenk is in Africa. Write a letter, send a few things- you'll likely make their day. If you need tips, contact the Wielands.. they're the best package preparers.
In other news, The Weepies have a new album titled Hideaway, and it's gold.

Sunlight for the first time

24 years in darkness. 24 years of fear, rape, and imprisonment. I'm referring to the developing story out of Austria- where a 73 year old man kept his daughter underground from the ages of 18-42 and had 7 children with her. What a horrible, dark existence. I've been shocked by this story and have loosely followed it with my limited online news sources. I'm reminded that we live in a fallen world, and more-so the depths of His grace. If Josef Fritzl repented and believed, he too, could experience full and complete grace. Is that hard to swallow? I've been chewing on it for awhile.
I wonder what it's like for an 18 year old who has spent his entire life underground. I've read articles on cnn.com about the two boys screaming in delight as they passed cars, experienced sunlight, and saw other humans.
I wonder, what's their concept of the world? What are their thoughts on the Creator? When all you know is captivity, what does instant freedom feel like?
The questions abound, I would be interested to hear your thoughts/questions and any updates that you've gotten on the other side of the ocean. Is this a big headline in the US?

grrrr....

It's a shame that a couple minutes of intense frustration can taint a great weekend. Today, on a beautiful, 72 degrees and sunny afternoon in Beijing, China I found myself making that growling noise through clenched teeth. I even raised my fists in frustration to show this city (and the dozens of surveillance cameras around me) that I, as a Westerner, do not understand the system. Let me explain.

With the Olympics a couple months away, Beijing has begun to host a series of Good Luck games, in effect a way to test the venues and work out any 'kinks'. I am not the first to say that there are a lot of kinks. Last month at the baseball game, there was an enormous line to get into the game (it took over 30 minutes to enter the baseball stadium, funneling thousands of fans through a single entrance with 3 guards checking tickets). Lesson learned I hope. We missed Jet Li throw the first pitch..bummer.

This weekend my Minnesotan friend Katie and I, again, spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the diversity of this city. I met up with a San Diego friend Pat Hall for lunch and together we took the subway to Wudaokou (the university area of Beijing). Pat was spending the weekend with some Chinese friends and I was meeting up with Katie for an afternoon of hiking (destination unknown).

We made a quick stop for coffee, but our conversation kept us sitting much longer, drinking our iced coffees in oversized and oh-so-comfortable chairs. We then set out to explore the vast campus of Tsinghua University. Two hours later we were still walking through it's tree-lined lanes and spent sunset watching a soccer game and some determined kite-flyers despite almost non-existent wind. As we walked home, we were invited to dinner across town at Pete's Tex Mex with friends. Pete's is the quintessential American restaurant and makes some tasty ice-cream concoctions that has earned it local honors for years.

After a nice dinner, we trekked back across town. When I say across town, I mean over an hour of walking/subway/transfer/walking. A street vendor was selling books as we were walking and I bought 'Good to Great' by Jim Collins. I've been meaning to read this book for quite some time, and 15 kuai was an amazing price. Once we got back to Katie's place I discovered that some pages were copied backwards.. you get what you pay for.

Katie and I slept in 'til 8:30, probably the first time in weeks that I've slept past 6:15, it was glorious. We had breakfast al fresco at a cute little diner called 'the bridge'. Sunshine, fresh OJ, granola with yogurt, and a fun friend.. it was good stuff. The rooftop patio reminded me of The Broken Yolk in PB, but instead of the distant ocean, I saw not-so-distant construction cranes.

After fellowship, we had some tempting lunch offers from other friends but decided to head over to the National Aquatic Center to buy some tickets for the Synchronized Swimming Good Luck games this week. We walked to the subway (25 minutes), jumped on one line of the subway, transferred, and got on a second subway line. The temperature outside was pretty warm, but the inside of the subway car was exceptionally warm and everyone was sweating. In a country of no deodorant, this was extremely unpleasant for the 25 minutes we stood side by side with our fellow commuters.

Katie and I were still in good spirits as we exited the sweaty subway and made our way to the box-office to get our tickets. The internet said they would be on sale from 10am-6pm, but when we got there, the place was closed. An angry Chinese man was banging on the glass window. Finally, someone opened the window and the man expressed that he wanted tickets. The response was "Come back here tomorrow at 10am. We're not selling any tickets anymore today!" The Chinese man continued to yell "Wei shen me?!" translated "Why?!". No reason was given. Our Chinese advocate stormed off. Now it was my turn to knock on the window and represent the small crowd of foreigners that had gathered with hopes of buying tickets. Again, the same response. This time in English, "Come back to this place tomorrow, 10am, ok?" said very sweetly, and then the glass was shut and the conversation was over. I wanted to follow the example and yell "WHY?!" Instead, I grrrr'd. This is when I raised my fists. There's no reason for this disorganization. The inconsistencies are everywhere...plans change constantly. It'll be interesting to see what happens when some less patient people come this summer, and much more is on the line. Defeated, Katie and I made our way back to the subway, not really saying much, trying to be quiet rather than giving a voice to the negativity brewing in our thoughts.

The best part? We're meeting back at the National Aquatic Center tomorrow morning at 9am to get tickets. China, you win...you always do.

Resident and Tourist Part 2

Xi'an Soldiers
Classes were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week and it didn't take more than a few minutes for my roommates and I to decide to travel together. Our destination was Xi'an, the home of the famous Terracotta Warriors. With limited time, and even more limited money, we put together the cheapest and fastest trip possible. We left Beijing Monday afternoon at 5pm, on a 13 hour overnight train that put us in Xi'an at 6am. The train ride was eventful- Diana and I played rounds of Speed, we befriended a great young woman, and I spent the remainder of the evening talking to a Chinese professor who's top bunk sleeper bed was directly across from mine. Our conversation ended when an old Chinese woman reprimanded us in slurred Mandarin and told us to fall asleep. We silently laughed, but immediately obeyed her. The elders rule this country- respect!
Some local friends picked us up from the train station and took us to their home for showers, breakfast, and lots of coffee. By 9am, we were on the road- bound for the warrior's archaeological site. The area was split up into 4 different discovery sites, each with specific significance. The most impressive were the layers of soldiers protecting the Emperor's Tomb. They stood with weapons and chariots prepared to symbolically defend their leader in the afterlife.
The highlight of the 2 hours walking around looking at human and horse pottery was when I (with a great concerned face) told Diana that I accidentally dropped our giant China Lonely Planet book into the tomb and broke a clay soldier. Amazingly funny, I got a video of her reaction. Seriously though, the Warriors were interesting, but I couldn't help but think of dozens of ways to improve the museum. I think Chinese museums have more of a "look from a distance" approach. There is no interaction/experience component, no video component, just poorly translated informational posters. I've learned to visit a Chinese museum after I've studied the contents beforehand.
After the Terracotta Warriors we explored the vibrant Muslim Quarters for the reminder of the afternoon and then made our way to the train station for another 13 hours on the train back to Beijing. As I climbed onto my hard-sleeper bunk that night, I definitely didn't need a Chinese grandma to tell me to go to bed.

Resident and Tourist

I live in a rich culture, one I do not claim to understand. And although I'm in my second year here, I sometimes approach my daily surroundings with a renewed sense of awe and amazement. When I see a sidewalk haircut, or an extremely crowded subway, I'm reminded that I am, indeed, a foreigner.

The last couple months have afforded me the amazing opportunity to be a tourist in this giant city. I can't really describe the sheer size of Beijing, but trust me when I say it's BIG.

Hutongs


In small clusters all around Beijing there are 'hutongs' which literally means alleyways. These alleyways thread together to created a unique tapestry of traditional Chinese homes. Four homes face inward toward a center courtyard, where meals are shared and people relax in community. My friend Katie and I spent an afternoon navigating these one of these preserved communities. Many hutongs are being replaced by more profit-making high rise buildings.

Padres Baseball


Major League Baseball made it's debut in Beijing on March 15th and my friends and I were there to witness it! Most of the game's attendees missed the first pitch- in fact most of the first inning had empty stands due to a bottleneck at the security check. We took it in stride knowing that this was just a kink that needed to be worked out pre-Olympics (when much more is on the line). The most fervent Padres fans (besides yours truly) were a group of Korean and Japanese exchange students that chanted just behind us. Parellel with the 3rd base line, planes took off and landed at Beijing Airport. The wind cut through every layer of clothing, and the blue sky glistened up above. I've said nothing of the Padres performance, which wasn't exactly exemplary. I think the real joy of the game came from the overall experience of baseball in China. Watching young Chinese boys shove a hot dog into their face, hearing baseball chants in other languages, seeing Fox News cover the event, and contemplating the use of cheerleaders in baseball were much more entertaining than the Dodgers and Padres 2nd string players. The final score was 3-3.. a tie..so collective and ultimately very appropriate, I suppose.

the The's

Lately, there's been quite a bit of wedding talk in China...
The Ring, The Vows, The Reception, The Honeymoon.
I'd like to this opportunity to publicly congratulate my peers on their recent engagements! It's looking like a summer of weddings ahead!

Ryan and Amanda
Jev and Rachelle
Dan and Jenny
Peter and Shannon

A huge congratulations! I'm stoked for your lives together! Also, Emily Chernekoff and her recent engagement in California!

Padres in China!

I've been excited for this game for weeks! The Dodgers and Padres will play the first professional baseball game in China, this weekend.

Today the players, staff, families and media of the Padres climbed the Great Wall at Badaling. They couldn't have picked a better day. The sky was cloudless and deep blue, air quality was excellent, and the sun was really shining. I read on a MLB.com blog that the Friar mascot confused Chinese tourists at the Great Wall. I must admit, the bald, robed, double-chined Friar is a bit strange without context.

Six of my closest China friends are making the 12 hour journey to Beijing on an overnight train to spend the weekend with me! We're going to the game together on Saturday afternoon and then the plan is to celebrate Michael's and my birthday (we're just a day apart in age).

With no real "home team", I wonder if AC/DC's "Hells Bells" will come on in the 9th when Trevor Hoffman gets on the field to close the game. And I wonder if anyone will be with me to stand and cheer?

Shiny Black Shoes and Crickets

I go to a gym in China. I'm the only foreigner that goes, so I don't need to show my membership card, everyone knows who I am. I basically stick to the treadmill and elliptical because I'm also the only the girl that goes to this gym. I wonder if it's males-only and they just didn't have the heart to reject me in my broken Chinese? Or, perhaps they told me and I just nodded and smiled? I wonder this mainly because this week I saw something really funny.
On the treadmill I was rocking out, when a businessman walked in, in a full suit. He started to work out.. suit, tie, shiny black shoes and all. He was building up quite a sweat so he left for the locker room. He returned wearing only his long underwear and shiny black shoes! He continued to work out (through what I'm assuming was his lunch break). When he got on the treadmill next to me, I moved to the elliptical, I just couldn't do it. I could feel the laughter rising and knew I wouldn't be able to stop if I started.

This week I rode the bus to Beijing to meet up with my new (awesome) friend Katie. On the bus I sat in the very back row with two old couples. I wish I had a picture of us. 5 of us crammed into the back, me in the middle, with a couple on each side. Every time my iPod lit up (changing a song, turning up the volume) they'd lean in to see my gadget. When my phone rang they unashamedly stared as I spoke English. When I hung up the nearly toothless woman on my right nodded and said "hen hao, hen hao" (translated very good, very good). The only annoying thing about the ride was there was this consistent sound coming from the left side of the bus. Every time we hit a bump it would stop and it'd only start again when the bus slowed down or got stuck in traffic. I couldn't place the sound and even looked around to find it's source. The mystery was solved when the old man on my left fell asleep and his jacket popped open. Inside was the source of the noise..his pet cricket in a small wicker cage. The sound is apparently soothing to the ear and a source of good luck and entertainment for the older generation in China.

I love China. Today I'm exploring the hutongs of Beijing with above-mentioned Katie. We're collaborating on a Beijing Bucket list, there's so much to see in this city.

Mighty to Save

I love Hillsong's "Mighty to Save". It's my jam! Download it from iTunes, it's worth all 99 pennies.

brothers

The biggest appliance company in China is Haier. They make everything from washing machines to TV's to phones. I can't go a day without seeing a Haier product, specifically their logo- the Haier brothers. They wear Speedos, eat ice-cream, and give a big "thumbs up" to the 1.4 Billion Chinese citizens.

I think the Haier brothers look a lot like my friends Vince and Sean. Gnar-shredding, steezy brothers in their own right.

Do you see the resemblance?

the kids

i taught kids classes today for the first time ever. this is not a new job, i was just covering for a friend that's out of town. elementary substitute teacher, if you will. this is a brief summary.

the morning class: a group of seven, ranging in age from 6-10. our topic was 'sea creatures' which was less than thrilling. the lone 6-year-old gave himself the name Bush (like the American guy). this kid is the classic Chinese "little emperor". and he was a flirt! this little guy even knew how to wink. we sang a song about fish, we colored fish, we pronounced different fish names. basically it was all about fish for an hour and a half. the fish song was the biggest hit of the morning, Bush was all about the song.

the afternoon class: a group of four, middle-school aged kids. this group was definitely there against their will. it was visible all over their faces. i think every teacher hopes to be the one that "makes learning fun", the inspired teacher that turns the bored into the engaged. with this group of four miserable middle schoolers i just hoped to entertain.
the first kid to come into the classroom was Jack. He was a tiny guy, with huge eyes and an adorable smile. he entered with a yellow racecar in his hand- the kind that clicks when you reverse it, and self propels once released. Jack was using the walls of the classroom as his racetrack, zipping around the perimeter of the room as fast as his little legs could take him.
about 10 minutes into our lesson, i asked Jack a question while the others were attempting a worksheet. his eyes rolled up, he sat completely still and became completely non-responsive. i thought, "kids are funny and they do strange things to express boredom". i said, "Jack, come on, answer my question." I touched his arm. Jack wasn't faking it. he wasn't with us. i had learned about seizures while taking a WSI course through the Red Cross and i knew that i shouldn't interfere, but just to make sure he didn't hurt himself. probably 30-60 seconds later (but seemed like 5 minutes) Jack just snapped back into things and it was as if nothing had happened. i said "Welcome Back Jack". that's the only thing that came to mind.

Here's what I found on Google:
An absence seizure causes a loss of consciousness that is usually very brief — 30 seconds or less — and barely noticeable, if at all. The person simply stops moving or speaking, stares straight ahead blankly, and does not respond to questions. The seizure is so short and hard to even notice that a person can have 50 or 100 absence seizures a day, without them being detected. When the seizure ends, the person goes back to his or her normal activities without realizing that anything has happened; he or she also does not have any memory of the seizure.

i think i'll stick to kids swim lessons for now. it's way more interesting to teach them to swim "like a fish", than to pronounce different fish names.

Randomly Meeting Matt's in Asia

Meeting Number 1:
I was horribly jet-lagged from two weeks in America and found myself wide awake at 4AM in Hong Kong. I threw on a hoodie and some shoes and went for a sunrise walk through Kowloon and HK Island. One of my favorite spots in HK is the Pacific Coffee near the Central Station, exit J2 in the Financial district. I walked there and along the way saw the paper delivery routes of hundreds of workers. It was pretty amazing to see hundreds of thousands of newspapers being distributed. (That was a sidenote, and regretfully I was too embarrassed to be a picture-taking tourist. I felt like pretending to be a local.) Pacific Coffee offers free internet, so after checking my email in an empty coffee shop I decided to browse some of my favorite blogs, one of them being that of my friend, Matt Slack. He's one of the most honest/hilarious writers I know. His blog talked about being in Hong Kong for just one night, among other funny things. I emailed him and we met up. So random that we were both on a HK stop-over. I took him to Victoria Peak and he met my China friends. When we were there, I ran into another friend, Michael, that I didn't plan on seeing! Jaw-dropping, I know.

Meeting Number 2:
Early yesterday morning my friends and I took at tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat (in Cambodia) for what they call "Sunrise at the Wat". When I got there I realized that the battery on my camera was dead! Huge bummer when you're at a 'world wonder'. So I ran to the motorbike guys and asked one of them to drive me to our hotel so I could get my back-up battery. Needless to say, I was bumming that I couldn't capture the Wat Sunrise with my trusty little Canon. My friends explored for an hour while I was zipping through Cambodian early morning traffic with the most impressive motorbike driver I've ever met.
When I got back, we walked through the Wat, sat and journaled, and took in the vast ruins. (I'll post pictures soon.) As we were leaving through one of the many exits, I happened to look over to my left and there was an old friend, Matt. Matt and I were both a part of a CCC Tsunami Relief trip in 2005. There were only 8 total Californians on the trip (there's a pattern of Californians sticking together) and they put us in charge of digging and constructing latrines (that's a fancy word for toilets.) Anyway, in the dead center of Cambodia in the middle of January, there was Matt with his wife! We chatted for a little while and they're actually coming through China this summer, spending 6 months touring around Asia! I look forward to hearing about 6 months of Asian adventures.

Anyway, this probably isn't very exciting for you unless you know them.. and I guess the only person that knows both people is Vince Garvey. So there it is, Vince. Pretty cool, huh?

Just makes me think that jet-lag and a forgotten battery aren't really set-backs afterall.

America and Back Again

On Christmas Day I was sick. Annoyingly sick, the same sickness that has dragged on for 5 months. So, I went to SOS International in Beijing and eventually was recommended to see a specialist. In what seemed like a whirlwind, I was put on a plane and sent to California on New Years Day. I celebrated New Years Day twice, once with my roommates in China and the other with the people next to me on the plane.
So, for two weeks I had doctors appointments, 'procedures', a biopsy, lab results, follow-up appointments, etc. And then, when it was determined that I have giardia, I was put on 2 months of antibiotics. Two months on strong antibiotics should do the trick. I'm glad it's over.
Once I knew that everything was ok, I was able to spend 3 solid days in San Diego. We went rock-climbing in Santee and I got a rock named after me (actually it's already named Carousel, but a side is named after me). Sean named it "Take THAT parasite!" because I was pretty weak and wasn't really feeling the rock-climbing. I also went on a yacht from Seaport Village to Shelter Island and back...it's a long funny story...ask Lucy.
I saw Rudy Francisco feature at PoeticBrew, had a Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Kate at Java Jones, walked from First Pres. to Ichiban with Sean, hung out at LAX baggage claim with Mullins, had couch time with Cori, drove around town with Ariel, watched Lotus perform card tricks at Boba, had lunch with Becky at the Cheese Shop and sat around the dining room table with Drew, Kyle, Wendy, Misty, Reid, and baby Emma.
Not to mention that during my time in Clovis with family I was able to see plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins that put a huge smile on my face. I look forward to the day that I can hang-out with my family for longer than a couple hours every 6 months.
Cynthia came down and we pretended that we were best friends that actually lived in the same country. She's a fun one. She tells me about married life and I pretend like I get it.
Reflecting on my time in America, I spent a whole lotta time with married friends and family. I was able to visit the Collins' and Starr's in their new homes and hear about lives as newlyweds. I observed with wide eyes as I spent an afternoon with my aunt and uncle as they raise 4 kids ranging from 11 to 3 years old. I helped the Wielands take down their Christmas tree and watched old episodes of The Amazing Race. In all, America was great.
The next time I'll be back will be sometime in September. I felt that reality as I said goodbye to my mom at the San Francisco airport. I was teary as I got to security screening and I appreciated the sympathy as the guard asked, "Are you alright honey?" I nodded and wiped away a tear. Then he told me to take off my shoes and belt and pull my laptop out of my carry-on. We both laughed.
Today at 3 o'clock I'm saying goodbye to the high-level students as they leave to go change the world. Nothing I can say will do justice to how much I love/respect/admire these students. I need to go write good-bye letters.

She was really tired...

Sheng Dan Kuai Le

That's "Merry Christmas" in Chinese. It literally means "Happy Holy Birth", I like that.

Holidays overseas are always interesting- a patchwork of your teammates traditions until you have a celebration that is unique while still resembling something familiar. It's beautiful to live in an international community- like hearing the Christmas story in 5 different languages at your Christmas service.

Granted, there's moments of difficulty and Christmas is the hardest. I called a friend today and he was playing Dominos with his family and I found myself being jealous. I wanted to be with my family playing Spoons or football on the lawn.

Last night though, we had a Christmas program with our students- 4 hours of thought-provoking skits, dances, and songs. With no budget for props I really enjoyed their creativity. At one point the lights went out for the three wise men to follow a star. And then I watched as an arm with an Indiglo watch was raised into the air. I thought "Oh no, that's distracting." But that watch started to move, and the wise men followed. And then it registered, and I just had to grin. What did the planning look like for that? "Wait, what will we do for a star?" "Don't worry, I have a watch that stays lit for a full 5 seconds. I can just hold my wrist up really high".

So, whether you're playing Dominos in America with your family, or making new traditions in other parts of the world, Happy Holy Birth, friends.

Massages in Asia

Asia is famous for having goods and services at a low price. You might think of food first- yes, I can go out for dinner and my bill will be less than 50 cents. But, I think the real bargain is in massages. I used to get discounted or free massages through Aveda, but you just can't beat an hour massage for the consistent price of 40 yuan (5 dollars).
As a group, the 3 of us roommates splurge on massages about once a month. It blows my mind to think that I used to spend 5 dollars on parking or on a cup of coffee.
Today Diana and I decided on our walk home from work that we 'deserved' a massage. So we stopped at the blind man massage parlor near our house. At one time in Chinese history, blind men were trained in the trade of massages. I've heard that nowadays, some sighted guys fake being blind. Why? Apparently, it goes with the territory- if you're a massage guy, you're also blind. A little cultural note for you.
Our massages began by being greeted by clearly sighted massage guys. I almost wanted them to fake it for us, maybe stub their toe or reach their hands out in front of them. But alas, they made eye-contact and pointed to which table we'd spend the next hour. Now, I'm used to tough massages, when they use their elbow in your lower back or plunge their thumb into the space between your spine and shoulder blade. But this guy, I'll call him Steve, was of a different caliber.
You know those times when you begin to laugh and you just can't stop? You try with every ounce of self control..you mentally scold yourself...but nothing helps? And then the tears flow and you gain a second of composure.. only to burst again with laughter?
I think the only thing better is when a friend is in the exact same predicament. You spur each other on towards laughter and embarrassment.
For a full hour this happened- face down on a massage table, tears flowing, screaming in pain with a bony elbow in our backs.
And let me tell you that laughter doesn't need to be translated. Our massage guys started laughing too. The words "Ouch!" and "Ow!" don't need to be translated either, but it didn't seem to stop them.
As we walked away Diana exclaimed, "Now I need a massage to recover from my massage." So true.

The guy in the blue.

Conversation this morning on the way to work...

Diana: I think the guy at the vegetable market, the one that wears the blue coat, tries to flirt with me.

Me: (Slight pause, with a voice of total concern) You know he's mentally handicapped, right?

Diana began convulsing with laughter and I had no idea why. Turns out there's two blue coat guys at the same market. Likely story, Diana. On a team of 3 girls in the middle of nowhere it seems that the vegetable vendor is newsworthy.

(Sidenote: My grandma taught Special Ed for 30(ish) years and I was always taught to say 'mentally handicapped'.)

Wild, Draw 4!

This morning I wanted to reward the students and play a game of UNO for awhile to give them a break from the textbook. The only rule was if I heard any Chinese, the game would be immediately over- I'm trying to crack down on Mandarin in class. One of the students named Charity is a giggler. If she feels uncomfortable, she giggles. If she doesn't know the answer to a question, she giggles. If she is corrected in pronunciation, she giggles. It was discovered 20 minutes into UNO that Charity had no idea what she was doing. Even if the current card was a blue 4 for example, and Charity had plenty of blues and even a red 4, she'd still put down a Wild card. Once she even put down a Wild Draw 4 and then another regular Wild on top of it! No one could understand the careless use of the precious Wilds. We corrected Charity and tried to explain the value of the Wild cards. She just giggled. This continued again and again. I was starting to wonder if Charity understood what we were saying in English.
This is the kicker...Charity constantly had at least two Wild cards in her hand at all times! She had no idea that they were rare. And the victim of all the Wild Draw 4's was Amy, ever competitive Amy. I'd watch her grit her teeth with each round. At one point I asked Amy, "How do you feel?" She said in a low voice "I want to hit Charity!" I laughed and Charity giggled, Amy's eyes just remained on her 15+ cards. The next round Charity put down a green skip on a blue 5- totally random. People were about to throw their cards in the air. I interjected with "No Charity! Wu or lan... that's all." (Translated: No Charity! 5 or blue...that's all." Ruth, the constant rule-keeper exclaimed, "Miss Allison you just broke your rule!" What's more Charity just giggled, picked up her card and put down another Wild Draw 4 for Amy. Poor Amy.