travel – Page 3 – The Kinetic Canuck

It’s the little things that help…

The last week has been fantastic! The atmosphere at the school has been far more positive this week, we got out of the city last weekend and had a mini adventure and today, I got to hang out with an adorable kitten at my favorite restaurant:)

Meet Romeo...the sweet kitten that Kevin and Loman took in a few weeks ago. He's a confident boy now, and he spent most of supper today curled up in my lap, purring. Talk about comfort for the soul!!! — Meet Romeo…the sweet kitten that Kevin and Loman took in a few weeks ago. He’s a confident boy now, and he spent most of supper today curled up in my lap, purring. Talk about comfort for the soul!!!

But I think the biggest thing that’s made this week awesome, is the little bit of extra money we’re making tomorrow doing overtime for the school. We save this money so that we can treat ourselves to some of the little things we miss from back home. Of course, we can’t find everything we miss from Canada in Guiyang, but the things we can find are always a big deal. A chocolate bar can make up for missing some of the things you can’t buy on Tao Bao or at Carrefour…

Seeing our Maple turn red in the fall, for example... I miss that! — Seeing our Maple turn red in the fall, for example… I miss that!

We officially hit Month 3 in Guiyang on November 15th (My brother’s birthday!), and the end of this first quarter abroad is notorious among travelers for being when you really begin to miss things. I’ve mentioned some of those things in previous posts, but today I’d like to focus on the things we HAVE managed to find in Guiyang, that have made our stay here a little less ‘homesicky’.

If you listen very closely, you can hear the cushion on this chair whispering 'I'm pointless...I'm pointless..'. We still have not discovered comfort in China, to my dismay... — If you listen very closely, you can hear the cushion on this chair whispering ‘I’m pointless…I’m pointless..’. We still have not discovered comfort in China, to my dismay…

1. Western Stores

I’ve mentioned in past posts that Guiyang is home to several North American food chains, such as Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, KFC and Mcdonalds. But we’ve also found some western stores that have made our stay here easier. Walmart is common here, and Guiyang now has 4 locations. Walmart has come in handy for household items, such as: spray bottles (couldn’t find one anywhere else…), soft pillow cases (the ones that we originally had actually hurt my face), drain cleaner and stationary supplies. Carrefour is a weekly lifesaver as well. We were able to find everything we needed there when we left for China while our luggage stayed in Vancouver. Carrefour also has a fantastic ‘foreign foods’ section, that sells Cuban rum, Perrier sparkling water and salty popcorn.

We also found these babies in the import section last week. Too bad we didn't find them 2 months ago...could have saved my mom sending me a box full of them from Canada!!! lol!!! — We also found these babies in the import section last week. Too bad we didn’t find them 2 months ago…could have saved my mom sending me a box full of them from Canada!!! lol!!!

And there are even many western clothing stores here! H&M was a lifesaver during our first week in Guiyang. The biggest problem I had when our luggage went missing, was that I had no clothes. I’d been smart enough to pack some deodorant, my tooth brush and dental floss in my carry on…but I only had 2 pairs of tights and 3 shirts (that did not work with tights!) with me, so when I had to start work the next day, I would have been screwed if it weren’t for H&M. Women in China are tiny, so finding clothing that fit my Canadian Curves was a huge deal. I’ve since learned that China’s gained weight (probably from all the western fast food that’s popped up in the last 8 years), and it isn’t as much of a problem to find clothes that fit now, but at the time I had no idea where else to go, so it was a relief to find a familiar store, with familiar clothes.

2. Coffee: The Nectar of Life

There are many small cafes in Guiyang that make excellent coffee; definitely more than there were 8 years ago in Xiamen. There are times when my monthly Venti Caramel Machiato with an extra shot of espresso is my reason for living, and although I’d love to have this wonderful liquid more often, it’s monthly for a reason…coffee costs the same here as it does in Canada. That’s ok, for someone who’s making a Canadian salary, but for me…well, I just can’t justify it. So coffee is one of those things that we do rarely, and only when we’ve stuck to our budget for a while. Don’t get me wrong…I’m paid well here in Guiyang…but we are trying to save our pennies (or jiao, rather) so that we can do as much traveling as possible, so daily coffee is out of the question. But we do treat ourselves when we can!

Today's Caramel Machiato at Void Cafe. PS...Denara...this is ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!! (She got me hooked about 4 years ago on the things...) — Today’s Caramel Machiato at Void Cafe. PS…Denara…if I go broke, it’s ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!! (She got me hooked about 4 years ago on these things…)

Any time I work overtime I save my money for coffee. No matter how crummy my week has been…1 whiff of that delicious espresso and it all fades away. We actually spent 4 hours at Void Cafe today, here in Zhong Tian. We sipped our coffees and I corrected my students tests. It’s funny how such a seemingly boring day can be such an amazing one. Plus…correcting tests is always more entertaining than I expect it to be…

It would appear than in order to empty the trash, a Cheshire Cat must first be found....(it was suppose to be 'trash can' — It would appear than in order to empty the trash, a Cheshire Cat must first be found….(it was suppose to be ‘trash can’

3. Online Shopping

I’m not sure how many people in Canada are aware of Alibaba, or it’s extremely popular shopping site, Tao Bao…but for us…it’s a life saver. Last week was China’s ‘Single’s Day’. Some students in Beijing decided to name November 11th (11.11) singles day, so that people who have no significant other can feel justified to buy something for themselves one day a year. Of course, online shopping companies turned this holiday into a money making monster and this year’s Single’s Day broke records. Over 80 billion RMB was made on Tao Bao and other Alibaba sites, and I have to admit, we took part in that great feat.

This was a postal sorting sight the day after 11.11 in 2012. The real accomplishment here is that I've received any of the things I actually ordered! Some items came in 2 days after they were ordered. China's a neat place... — This was a postal sorting sight the day after 11.11 in 2012. The real accomplishment here is that I’ve received any of the things I actually ordered! Some items came in 2 days after they were ordered. China’s a neat place…

Online shopping is a huge industry worldwide, and it’s easy to see why. You can shop from the comfort of your living room and you can find almost anything you could possibly need online. And you don’t even need to lug all your items home…they come right to your doorstep!! But online shopping is even more awesome for Lao Wei living in China. Here’s a breakdown of why Tao Bao is a lifesaver for the expat:

One of the items we bought was a foot warmer for Dave. There’s no indoor heating in Guiyang, so while he’s at home, working on the computer all day, his feet get very cold…even with slippers and an area rug to help. But to find a foot warmer in China isn’t as easy as just going to the store and getting one! First, you need to find a store that sells them. This isn’t always easy, as was proven during the month it took us to find a spray bottle in Guiyang. Then you need to find the right product IN the store. Once more…it might seem simple from where you’re sitting, but in China, finding the right product is an ordeal. The packaging on most items is in Chinese so you have to base everything off of the picture on the box . When looking for something of good quality (that’s actually going to warm your feet without catching fire), you can’t even rely on brands here, because all of the brands in China are foreign to us.

This is almost the exact footwarmer we ended up buying. And this is what kind of information you're given on the box....not overly helpful... — This is almost the exact footwarmer we ended up buying. And this is what kind of information you’re given on the box….not overly helpful..

Buying things online is just SO…MUCH…EASIER. For starters, you can punch what you’re looking for into Google translate, and search websites in Chinese. Then, Google Chrome translates the entire page for you so you can find out the wattage and other important stuff, and even check reviews online from other buyers. Best of all though, is that you don’t have to deal with a Chinese sales person trying to help you. They try so hard to be helpful, but they hardly ever speak any English (retail doesn’t pay well here either, so if you speak English, you’re most likely working somewhere that ISN’T a store…), so they talk to you in Mandarin…constantly…no matter how many times you tell them that you don’t understand. It gets very frustrating, and I often end up walking out of stores as a result. On Tao Bao…I don’t have to worry about that!

My absolute favorite thing ever, is when a sales rep or waitress is trying to tell us something in Mandarin and we tell them they don't understand. Then they pull out a notepad and start writing it out in Chinese, thinking that maybe we'll understand THAT! It happens all the time...I'm unclear on the logic... — My absolute favorite thing ever, is when a sales rep or waitress is trying to tell us something in Mandarin and we tell them they don’t understand. Then they pull out a notepad and start writing it out in Chinese, thinking that maybe we’ll understand THAT! It happens all the time…I’m unclear on the logic…

And when Google Translate or Chrome fail you, it’s easy to bring your laptop over to someone at the school and ask for help. The Chinese staff at Interlingua are great, and they are always happy to help translate if we need. One girl in particular, Lumi, has helped me on several occasions. Just this morning she called a number that had been calling me all morning to find out what they needed (It was about a tao bao delivery haha!). Today is her day off, but she was happy to help. So I try very hard not to abuse that help and I can tell you this: It is much nicer to bring your laptop over to Lumi while she is at work, than it is to have her play translator via cell phone on a Monday afternoon!!

She may seem sweet, but Lumi is kinda terrifying when she gets angry! So far I've been lucky and have never been on the receiving end of her rage. I'd like to keep it that way, so I shall keep translation requests via telephone to a bare minimum!! — She may seem sweet, but Lumi is kinda terrifying when she gets angry! So far I’ve been lucky and have never been on the receiving end of her rage. I’d like to keep it that way, so I shall keep translation requests via telephone to a bare minimum!!

So there you have it folks; 3 of the things that make our lives in China easier. Now I need to head to bed because I’ve gotta make some coffee money first thing tomorrow morning!!! Goodnight, my lovely friends!!!

Xiamen – Part 3: Gulang Island

I never had a chance to write this weekend, and I regret it but also know that it couldn’t be helped. We had to pack up the rest of our Christmas presents and bring them down to the post office so that they make it to Canada in time for the Holidays. This may seem simple: buy presents, pack them up, and ship! But in China, nothing is simple. It takes hours sometimes to find even the most basic things. When everything is unfamiliar (from language to brand names), finding the ‘right stuff’ can be difficult.

There's no lack of selection in China, but when all the name brands are unfamiliar, and when there is little English on the packages, it can be a little overwhelming. It's much better now than it was 2006, but still...to find drain cleaner, we had to look at each individual bottle until we found a label with a drain on it. The most simple tasks in Canada can be a nightmare out East — There’s no lack of selection in China, but when all the name brands are unfamiliar, and when there is little English on the packages, it can be a little overwhelming. It’s much better now than it was 2006, but still…to find drain cleaner, we had to look at each individual bottle until we found a label with a drain on it. The most simple tasks in Canada can be a nightmare out East

We purchased a lot of our Christmas shopping in Guilin, while we were on holidays. So it might seem like all we had to do was stick it all in boxes and ship it off to Canada. But customs can be quite difficult…so if they decide to open our box up, everything might end up a mess when it arrives. I experienced this in Xiamen, so this time I labeled everything as best as I could, so that our friends and family on the receiving end know whose gift is whose. I also included a letter with each box detailing which item was for which person as a back up.

Oh...and when I say I made '46 labels'....this is what a 'Marie' label looks like. I don't half-do anything lol! I got paint...construction paper and glue (2/3 of those items too ages to find!) — Oh…and when I say I made ’46 labels’….this is what a ‘Marie’ label looks like. I don’t half-do anything lol! I got paint…construction paper and glue (2/3 of those items too ages to find!)

Then, we had to go to the post office and ask for boxes and wrapping materials (in Chinese). Of course, this should have also been simple, but the women there sold us boxes that were too small for their labels, so in the end, we had to pack everything up twice (as well as buy a second round of boxes). Oh China!

Just some of the boxes we have left to ship/have left over. In total, I had 46 labels to make, including all of our nieces, nephews, siblings and our close friends. Our living room looks like the cardboard monster threw up in there!!

Then, of course, there’s the long list of items that cannot be shipped anymore. Although we were careful with our purchases, knowing that they’d have to be sent via China Post, several items were removed from our boxes, leaving certain family members and friends with half-gifts. Some things in particular were especially confusing. Milk products aren’t allowed to be shipped. We were told this rather abruptly today, however, we have no idea which of the gifts we were sending contained milk! They didn’t take the item out. They left it in and scolded us instead. It is all terribly confusing.

This is a blank copy of the form we had to fill in before we could ship each box. Behind it are 8 carbon copies. When I finished writing it all up, (after we'd already been there for an hour), the guy told me to fill in the right side of the page in Chinese. I looked at him, pointed to myself and snapped 'lao wei!!' He got the point that I wasn't happy and said 'Ingwen ye hao da' (English is okay too). — This is a blank copy of the form we had to fill in before we could ship each box. Behind it are 8 carbon copies. When I finished writing it all up, (after we’d already been there for an hour), the guy told me to fill in the right side of the page in Chinese. I looked at him, pointed to myself and snapped ‘lao wei!!’ He got the point that I wasn’t happy and said ‘Ingwen ye hao da’ (English is okay too).

But have no fear, we will manage to ship the rest of them before too long. Tonight, I’m taking a break from that stress so that I can finish writing about our last 2 days in Xiamen! I bet you thought I’d never get around to it, eh??

We only had 3 days to enjoy in Amoy city, so we had to spend them wisely. We woke up early on Friday October 3rd and checked out at the hostel. We weren’t too terribly sad to go, as the hostel wasn’t the greatest we’d stayed in. It’s only redeeming quality was the excellent bartender who was both friendly and nearly fluent in English.

Unlike the sheets in our room... — Unlike the sheets in our room…

Our first stop was Nanpu Tuo or “The South Temple”. The location of this temple goes back 2000 years, and it has been called Nanputuo since the 1600s, when it was rebuilt. It received another facelift since I’d seen it last, and it now has even more elaborate wood structures and its old stone statues have been replaced by newer ones.

Nanputuo Temple from afar. Years ago, I climbed the mountain behind it. This year, it was too busy and crowded so we decided to skip the trek up.

One of the new structures. It is very well painted and the woodwork is beautiful.

Our next adventure in Xiamen was an overnight stay on Gulang Island. I’ve already written about the insane experience getting there, so I’ll keep this post short (er) by leaving that info out. (You can read about it in my post: Chinese National Day). Once we arrived at our hostel, and checked into our room, we set off to wander the island. What I was most looking forward to showing Dave, was the view of Xiamen Island from Gulang. At night, the buildings are all lit up and it’s absolutely beautiful.

From here you can hear the crowds and the music on ZhongShan Lu.

This is my favorite of the night shots I took (our camera didn't do the view justice, which is why I included a professional pic as the feature image for this post). In the foreground, you can see a small boat. It is carrying supplies either to or from Gulang Island, most likely for one of the many restaurants there — This is my favorite of the night shots I took (our camera didn’t do the view justice, which is why I included a professional pic as the feature image for this post). In the foreground, you can see a small boat. It is carrying supplies either to or from Gulang Island, most likely for one of the many restaurants there

As our stomach’s began to grumble, we made our way into the island’s center, where there are shops and food vendors waiting to be explored. I had my heart set on some fresh Xiamen Seafood, so we spent some time looking for just the right place.

The live seafood is kept outside restaurants on GulangYu. You can choose your fish, eel, clam, oyster etc…

mmexport1412784023570 — The fish we chose. It may not look like much, but it was very tasty 🙂

We spent the rest of the evening drinking beer, journaling and relaxing after a hot day in the sun. We did get adventurous at one point and tried to find some wine to enjoy out on the terrace. We did find some wine, but it was a tad difficult to enjoy. I love many things about China: the food, the beer, the people….But I do not enjoy Chinese wine!! We called it quits at around 1am and jumped in the most comfortable bed we’d slept in since we arrived here in Mid August (a western style bed is a HUGE selling point for any hotel in the Orient!!)

The terrace where we sat writing and enjoying some Chinese beer :) — The terrace where we sat writing and enjoying some Chinese beer 🙂

A view of the hotel from where we were sitting

Gulang Island is beautiful any time of day

The following morning, we set out to explore the island some more, but with 80,000 people in such a small space, it was a bit rough to get anywhere. We did manage to enjoy some very good skewered potato as well as some steam dumplings and other treats as we walked the paths and squeezed through the crowds

I pity all those who do not 'do street food' — I pity all those who do not ‘do street food’

Eventually, we began to feel the effects of the sun, so we set off down a shaded path that was mostly empty. The lack of tourists lead us to believe that there wouldn’t be much to see, but I can say that the time we spent in that shade was the best I had on our last day in Xiamen. There is so much interesting architecture on Gulang Island, and it’s all so well kept! We took our time, taking photos of the beautiful walls and the winding path. Eventually we found our way into a mini-shopping area, where we discovered a bar with free Wifi. We spent about an hour in there, trying a Chinese iced cream dessert and chatting with Dave’s brother William on Skype. This was definitely another highlight of our day!

Nice place to stop for a photo :) This tree was growing up against a wall — Nice place to stop for a photo 🙂 The tree behind us was growing up against a wall

This quiet path eventually lead us back to our hotel, where our bags were waiting to be taken with us to the airport. It was time to leave. But this time, at least I left Xiamen on my own terms.

I can’t say enough times how lucky I felt to visit this hometown of mine. Part of me has always stayed in Xiamen, and it’s hard to put into words how much this trip meant to me.

Stay tuned! I’ve got many more stories and pictures to come!!

Xiamen – Part 1: Then and Now

After a long weekend of teaching my wonderful students, I am back on my blog and ready to finish up my posts about our holidays! Mondays and Tuesdays are my weekend here (I teach 24 of the 48 hours that make up Saturdays and Sundays), so tonight, instead of our typical ‘end of day’ tea, we’ve switched to some Cuban rum! We discovered a Havana Club white rum at Carrefour tonight and couldn’t help but get some. Due to Cuba and China’s communist bonds, the trade prices must be good, because we paid under $20 Canadian for a bottle! It’s closer to $30 Canadian for most other western bevies, so this was a grand surprise! But that’s enough about the rum….onto Xiamen!!

It tastes like our wedding! It's like drinking happiness :) — It tastes like our wedding! It’s like drinking happiness 🙂

I was fortunate enough to live in Xiamen city 9 years ago. It was the summer of 2005 when I arrived there. I was 19 years old, full of rebellion and wanting an adventure. I can definitely tell you that it was QUITE the adventure. I am a small town girl. I grew up in a farming town, where there is lots of space and where everyone knows one another. I always joke that St. Malo has a population of about 1000; and that includes the cows!

So, when I arrived in Xiamen city in 2005, I was blown away by pretty much everything. The smells made me nauseous, the crowds made me hyperventilate and the heat had me sick and in a constant state of exhaustion. Culture shock hit me hard, and it took about 6 months for me to really appreciate the beauty that is Amoy City.

Eventually I grew to love Xiamen. Since I left 8 years ago, I’ve missed her beauty and her endless potential for adventure. I’ve dreamt of her cobblestone paths, and her abundance of palm trees. I’ve missed the smell of street barbecue and an ocean breeze. I never really believed I’d ever make it back to Xiamen, so when we arrived on a late flight from Guilin on October 1st, the excitement I felt is really difficult to describe. I felt like I was home, in a sense. I felt like I’d returned to the place where I’d found myself, and become the person I am today.

Xiamen 2006 — A picture of me at Nanputuo (The South Temple), taken in February of 2006.

mmexport1412784047945 — Me in front of the same Elephant (well, an upgraded version of the same elephant), in October 2014. What strikes me the most is how much more comfortable I look in my own skin. Xiamen was a big part of that. I grew there. I became the strong, confident individual I am today, because of the crazy experiences I had there then

Xiamen has grown a lot in the last 8 years. When I lived there, the population was just over 2 million people. In 8 years, that population has more than doubled. Because Xiamen is an island, there is limited space, which means that there are 4 million people living on an island one QUARTER the size of Winnipeg, MB. This means that there are very high buildings, and the space here is used very wisely.

I worked in one building that was over 70 floors high. I taught conversational English to the employees of a company that manufactures hearing aids. We discussed everything from paranormal activity to Chinese traditions during those classes, but the best part about teaching there, was the view. I was up on the 68th floor and in a large room that had windows from floor to ceiling. When the blinds were open, I got a full view of Xiamen City. I’d often go in early, just to see that view. From that floor I could see old, dirty buildings, with rusted tin awning and school uniforms hanging off of balconies to dry (there are no driers in China…everyone hangs their clothes to dry). I could see new buildings, free of the weathering of typhoons and pollution. And I could see the buildings that were coming up. The green netting used to protect the new building from falling debris. I could see countless cranes, building up the city… the city that I was eventually able to see in 2014.

It is common to see several new buildings come up, all at once. We've seen up to 7 cranes side by side, adding onto Guiyang — It is common to see several new buildings come up, all at once. We’ve seen up to 10 cranes side by side, adding onto Guiyang

Xiamen has changed a lot since 2006. The city is much greener than it was then. More trees have been planted in the medians, and a greater effort has been put into beautification. Like Guilin, Xiamen is a tourist area so it is in the city’s best interest to stay clean and visually appealing. In 2006, people still spit and smoked indoors in Xiamen. Now, it is rare to see someone spit on the street, and many restaurants and stores have ‘no smoking’ signs posted in both Chinese and English. In 2008, Xiamen tackled its traffic issues by building a long overpass that is solely for buses. This speeds up the commute to the most popular places in the city (downtown as well as the big tourist attractions) and removes many buses from the streets. Traffic is hardly a problem now.

Still, some things have stayed the same. The most incredible part of my trip to Xiamen occurred our first day there. I took Dave downtown to see if any of my old hang-outs or apartments were still standing. We managed to find 2/3 of the places where I lived. I spent the final (and most enjoyable) 6 months of my time in Xiamen in one particular apartment, located right behind Wen Ping DaSha (a large apartment complex where many of the other foreigners lived). Amazingly, this apartment was still there! I was able to show Dave where I hung my laundry to dry, and the courtyard where I played badminton with the neighbors.

I lived on the third floor…so the second balcony you see there. I used to hang my clothes out that window. It was so surreal seeing it there again, and knowing that my old bedroom is on the other side of that wall!!

More incredibly yet, we found the small store where I bought my water every morning. These people were unbelievable sweet and always kept water in the ‘freezer’ (basically a fridge) for me, because they knew I enjoyed my water cold. In China (circa 2006), water was mostly served at room temperature, so I really appreciated their effort in keeping me cool. The same people were still working at this store. They are actually the landlords for the building. I remember the morning I left Xiamen, the woman there started frantically trying to show me other apartments that were for rent. She didn’t want us to go. She was so very sweet! And now here she was…8 years later…selling me water. Her husband was sitting on a chair in their house (behind the store). Neither of them recognized me, of course, but I sure recognized them! It was a moment of pure beauty, and I felt more linked to my past than I have in a very long time. I felt that Xiamen was no longer just a cool dream I had. It felt real again…

The small store, that was so significant to me, that it made an appearance in several of the non-fiction pieces I wrote while in University. It looks the same as it did then…

On our way out of the courtyard, I spotted another familiar face. She was around 16 then…the landlords’ daughter. She and I played badminton in the courtyard together several nights a week. She taught me the word for Cat (mao) in Chinese. She was so shy with me at first but we became friends. Friends that couldn’t really communicate, but friends nonetheless. Now, she is much older. She is probably married and may have a child. She didn’t recognize me, but she came up to us to ask if we were looking for an apartment. She’s apparently helping her parents with the business, which is really neat :). I was kind of sad that I couldn’t explain to her who I was because our translator app wasn’t working well in Xiamen. Still, I truly enjoyed the fact that I was seeing a familiar face 8 years later. A very large part of me just wanted to grab her and hug her but I figured that would be too strange…even for a Lao Wei! So, I smiled instead and we bid one another a good day. Dave and I continued on our way to see more of my past.

A tree outside the first apartment where I lived. I arrived at this apartment in August of 2005, at 11pm and walked past this very tree. In that apartment, I found several dead cockroaches (they killed them ahead of time but didn’t clean them up) and dealt with a slow gas leak and several break in attempts. This tree, in 2005, was small enough that I could get it all in one photo. Now, it is so big that I had to go as far back as I could to get the shot, and still couldn’t get it all in the frame. Both the tree, and I have grown quite a bit in 9 years…

The fruit stand where I stopped nightly for a fresh mango; one of the many perks of living on a subtropical island. This is also where I tried Lychee for the first time. It was love at first taste 🙂

In my next post, I’ll be telling you about our trip down Zhongshan Lu, our time at Nanputuo and our night on the beautiful Gulang Yu! Stay tuned, friends!!!

Guilin – Part 3: Rice Terraces

We are all moved into our new apartment! It was a rough few days of scrubbing and painting and more scrubbing, but we’re here now, and very happy to be in our cozy new (mold-free) place! We are about half unpacked, and are emptying our suitcases by priority. First, I unpacked the tea 🙂 Tonight, it’s Oolong that we are enjoying. It was purchased at one of the many shops along ZhongShan Lu in Xiamen during our holiday. But before I can get to that, I must finish writing about Guilin!

20141014_235831 — We stocked up in Xiamen. Sadly, this will probably not last us the year! haha!!!

Our 3rd day in Guilin was spent at the LongJi Rice Terraces. Emily picked us up bright and early, and we took the 2.5 hour drive to one of the three minority villages there. Our wonderful tour guide paid great attention to our personalities, and brilliantly brought us to the most calm of the 3 minority villages. The village where Emily took us has only been open to the public for a year and a half, and (minus some satellite dishes) the people here are still living quite traditionally, nestled in these beautiful rice terraces.

Like the rice terraces, these houses are built on an incline

As we walked through the village, we saw elderly women taking care of small children. Emily explained that nearly everyone who is physically capable of working is either in a rice field or selling goods to tourists,so the elderly stay at home and watch the children. Nearly everyone in town was dressed in their ethnic group’s traditional clothing. Both the colour of the fabric and the stitch work are unique to this minority group, and they still dress this way to honour their traditions (and probably because the tourists like it! haha…).

Yao-minority-lady — Traditional costumes

This picture I did take myself. We were far enough away that she couldn’t see us haha! She is picking chili peppers. They grow more than just rice in LongJi!

As we hiked through the village and up the mountain, we saw horses and dogs, and heard many roosters calling. The town was quaint and both Dave and I were so happy to be away from the city, in this quiet, simple atmosphere. The smell of cow manure was welcome and the cool mountain breeze was refreshing after the heat in Guilin city. This particular day was the highlight of our stay in Guangxi Province.

The first animal friend we made at Longji. He initially 'grumped' when Dave started to pet him, but then soon realized that he liked being pet haha! He was very cute :) — The first animal friend we made at Longji. He initially ‘grumped’ when Dave started to pet him, but then soon realized that he liked being pet haha! He was very cute 🙂

There were roosters everywhere! This one was particularly beautiful

They followed us down a little ways, probably hoping for some food. They might have also just been interested in seeing what the Lao Wai were up to!

As we hiked, Emily told us all about the rice fields and rice. I’d never seen a rice plant before, so it was very neat to see how a food that sustains the better part of the world’s population is grown. She showed us the difference between long grain and sticky rice plants. She also explained that in the springtime, these fields fill with water. The way these fields are built to be cascading down a mountainside was not a mere coincidence. Gravity works as a brilliant irrigation tool, and seeing as how rice needs a great deal of water to grow, this method of growing the plant is very successful. We arrived in LongJi just days before the crops are harvested, so we got to see them in their golden splendor.

A view of the fields as we hiked up the mountain

Eventually Emily lead us to a set of stone stairs, going up to the peak of the mountain. I was really able to appreciate the 11 flights of stairs I’ve been climbing daily to get to the apartment, because the trek wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been! The view was beautiful the whole way up, and I soaked in the quiet and the smells of nature. Living in a city is exciting, but nothing beats fresh air and silence.

Our first view of the stairs. At this point, I didn't realize how many of these things I'd have to climb! — Our first view of the stairs. At this point, I didn’t realize how many of these things I’d have to climb!

The air was a bit thinner up here and we had to stop a few times on the way up to catch our breath!

I swear the stairs just got more beautiful a we continued the climb

The scene at the top of the mountain was amazing. The two hours it took us to get up there were worth every step. I took a video because no picture alone could do the scene justice, but the video is too large to upload 🙁 I’ll see if I can post it on facebook eventually. For now, here are some pictures of that incredible view…

The walk down was just as nice as the walk up, though it took a lot less time. We stopped for lunch in the village, and were treated to some herbal fruit tea, which I am now definitely addicted to. We were served a bamboo dish (because Emily overheard me say that I love bamboo), and a taro dish (because Dave had never tried Taro…Emily is SO thoughtful!!) and finally, a chicken and mushroom dish, which was made with white meat, so that we didn’t need to worry about bones! In China, chicken is chopped up, and you have to eat around shards of bone with your chopsticks. All westerners hated it. Emily knows her clients so well…I love that girl!!! Also served at lunch was a special rice that is roasted in bamboo, as well as pig blood soup. Emily originally ordered it for her and her husband (because she still hadn’t learned that we’ll eat anything), but was happy to share and let us have a try. It wasn’t something I’d necessarily order myself, but if it’s ever on a table in front of me, I’d try it again!!

A neat shot I got while coming down from the peak. Emily took a different route because she knows Dave hates seeing the same thing twice (it became an ongoing joke throughout the trip)

Dave had fallen behind after seeing a line of ants moving up the mountain. I turned around to see if he was coming and saw this incredible view. One of my favorite pics of the day.

I'm officially addicted to this tea! I brought 20 of these fruit back with us, and I'm already looking to see where I can find it in Guiyang for when I run out!! — I’m officially addicted to this tea! I brought 20 of these fruit back with us, and I’m already looking to see where I can find it in Guiyang for when I run out!!

Pig Blood Soup…the stuff floating in there is congealed blood…

Roasted rice in bamboo :) — Roasted rice in bamboo 🙂

Well, I had originally intended to finish writing about Guangxi tonight, but it would appear I’ve already gone over my word count goal (I try to keep my posts around 1000 words so I don’t bore anyone), and I still have more to write, so I suppose there will be a part 4 to this part of the trip! I hope I haven’t lost any of you yet!! Thanks to everyone that’s been following me and especially to those of you who have written such nice and encouraging things in the comment section. This project means so much to me, and I’m so glad some of you are enjoying it as well 🙂

Guilin – Part 2: Yangshuo & Bamboo Rafting

Tea and blogging: a fantastic way to end the day! After a long day of cleaning the new apartment, it feels nice to sit back and reminisce about our trip to Guilin 🙂

Tonight we are enjoying some red tea. It has a sharper taste and a darker colour

After the cruise, our tour guide lead us into the town of Yangshuo, which is roughly 2 hours away from Guilin. The small town might not seem like much on the map, but it became a very popular destination for backpackers and tourists in the 1980s and has continued to be popular now. There are shops everywhere and we were warned by Emily before getting out of the van, that people would try to trick us into spending money on unauthentic products (silk, pearls etc…) and that we should bargain…HARD! This was great news to me, because Dave and I are a stellar bargaining team 🙂 I won’t go into details because we bought many Christmas presents along this street, but we got several items for as much as 75% less then their original asking price. Even Emily was impressed, and she’s all about the bargaining!!

After using the washrooms (or as the British like to say: the toilet) and getting some iced coffee at KFC, Emily lead us to the sleepy riverside where a bamboo raft awaited us. The relaxed scene that greeted us was a fantastic shift from the chaotic atmosphere in Yangshuo. Soon we found ourselves drifting down the river, enjoying Guangxi’s stunning scenery.

After enjoying some delicious barbecued fish and a quick bump down a small rapid, we head back to the shore where Emily was waiting for us. By this point she’d learned that we are more adventurous than her average tourists, but still, she was surprised we’d eaten the fish. She told me: “I’ve decided that I consider you both Chinese. 95% of my clients don’t eat the fish. I’m glad you enjoyed it!” (and we did…half way home I was still talking about haha!!!).

Emily dropped us off downtown and gave us a quick tour of the area, showing us how to get to the night market and giving us tips on where to find the best deals. We spent the rest of the night buying Christmas gifts, having our feet cleaned by fish (a strange experience, but oddly awesome!) and having a nice outdoor dinner by the market.

These little fish eat the dead skin on your feet. It tickles like CRAZY at first, but once the nerves in your feet calm down, it's pretty cool. This was definitely the most interesting pedicure I've ever received! — These little fish eat the dead skin on your feet. It tickles like CRAZY at first, but once the nerves in your feet calm down, it’s pretty cool. This was definitely the most interesting pedicure I’ve ever received!

Emily’s job ended when we arrived back in Guilin, so the extra time she spent showing us around down town was truly above and beyond what she needed to do as our tour guide for the day. Most guides I’ve had in the past spend their time trying to get to you spend money shopping and telling you to book extra tours (they make commission if you spend money or buy anything at the market). Emily never once pushed us during either of our days with her, and for that alone she stands out to me as the best guide I’ve had. More importantly though, she was very friendly and open with us throughout the tour. We spent hours chatting together on the cruise and on our way to and from the sites she was taking us to see. She is incredibly thoughtful and even got us our favorite chocolates for the ride back (she knows I like chocolate with nuts in it, and that Dave likes anything that’s made of chocolate…). She and I exchanged WeChat IDs on the first day (that’s kind of like facebook in China) and have been in touch since our trip. The best text I received from her was a picture she took while at work: an English school in Guilin was hiring, and she wanted me to apply. I hope to live there one day so we can become better friends. She’s really a fantastic person and Dave and I were very fortunate to have her as our guide.

Stay tuned for my next post, where I’ll be writing about the Longshen Rice Terraces, The Sun and Moon pagodas and our last day in Guilin 🙂

The Life of the Lao Wei

China is an interesting place to be for a foreigner.

First, let me begin by asking you: what do you know about China? Really? The fact that dog is eaten here may have popped into your mind, and perhaps you pictured deep fried ‘honey garlic’ something or other as well. Maybe you thought about the Great Wall. But really, for a country with 5000 years of written history, many North Americans know very little about life in the Orient.

Many of my friends and family assumed that I would be going to a country with more advanced technology than we have in Canada. Many people also assumed that I would be eating nothing but rice and chicken feet. But in reality, China is an incredibly diverse country. There are hundreds of local languages here, an incredibly diverse geology and every city has it’s own specialty cuisine. In short, China is so much more than you can imagine.

There are over 50 ethnic groups in China. They all have their own traditions, holidays, cuisine and language. How's THAT for diversity!! — There are over 50 ethnic groups in China. They all have their own traditions, holidays, cuisine and language. How’s THAT for diversity!!

But as little as you know about China, China knows less about you!

Eight years ago, when I lived on the east coast, in a beautiful little city called Xiamen, I was stared at daily. I had people point at me and yell “Lao Wei!” (foreigner) so that their friends might notice in time and get a look at me too. I had people come up to me and ask for my photo. More often still, I caught people sneaking photos of me. There were times when an interested man or woman would come up to me as I shopped, pulling things out of my cart to see what the strange ‘lao wai’ was purchasing. Everywhere I went in Xiamen, I was pointed at, shouted at and stared at. Whether I was taking a 2am stroll (the only time I found quiet in that small city of 2 million people), or walking up the path to my apartment, I was constantly met with stares and pointing. And of course, the ever-present sound of the words “Lao Wai!!!!”

Beautiful Xiamen City. My home in 2005/2006

I imagined it would be different in Guiyang. 8 years have passed, and thousands of teachers have arrived and left the country since I departed in 2006. Nearly every young person here now speaks at least a little English. EAL teachers are everywhere, working for private training centers (like I am), for private schools and even at public schools. There are easily a hundred of us in Guizhou province alone.

I live in the capital of Guizhou province; Guiyang

And if the presence of white teachers isn’t enough, Western culture has also permeated life here. Guiyang has several KFC restaurants, 2 Pizza Huts, 3 Walmarts, a Starbucks and H&M, just to name a few. English is everywhere! In their music, on their signs and on their T-shirts. Any company who aims to have a ‘cool’ image must have English in their name, even if no one within the company speaks a word of the language. People here are obsessed with Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber, and today I even heard “Criminal”, by Brittany Spears, blasting from a lingerie store. 8 years ago, this was not the case. Sure, there was a Walmart and KFC in Xiamen, but seeing English on signs and T-shirts was hardly an every day occurrence.

We have a Dairy Queen and a Baskin Robs by the school where I work

Yet, the sight of a foreigner is still shocking for the majority of Chinese people.

A few weeks ago, I was driving my scooter to school, when a bus pulled up beside me. I had to focus on the traffic and ignore the commotion that my presence had caused in that bus. Windows were rolled down, and people were shouting and laughing and saying ‘Hello!’. I sometimes feel like an un-talented celebrity when this happens! (Perhaps this is how the Kardashians feel?) When Dave and I went and visited QianLing Hill Park, we were in as many pictures as we took! Even the monkeys seemed to think we were interesting and strange!

A wild monkey, staring at the Lao Wei! (Lao Wei is 'foreigner'. We hear it everywhere we go! We are treated like celebrities because there are so few of us in Guiyang) — He’s looking at me, thinking to himself “Lao Wei!!!!”

On good days, this isn’t an issue. I laugh and smile and respond to their calls with ‘hello’. A simple wave, or greeting in response to their excitement usually results in further excitement. “Did the Lao Wei just say hello to ME!!! Oh My God!!!”. I waved at a child who was staring at me from a restaurant this week. Her entire family waved back. Some of them even stood up to get a better view of me! And this, I should add, was in Zhong Tian Garden, where I live. There are between 8 and 10 EAL teachers who live in this area, yet it’s still exciting for them to see one of us.

On bad days, this aspect of life in China is less enjoyable. Being stared at while you are fighting back tears after a particularly difficult day, is not a pleasant feeling. Having a crowd form around you, while you struggle to chain your scooter to a gate because it has a flat tire, is exasperating. There are some days where I want to shout: “What’s wrong with you! Didn’t your mothers ever teach you that it’s rude to point!!!”. But I don’t. I know that even if I did, they probably wouldn’t understand me anyway, so I keep my head down and try to blend in with the masses. I’m vertically challenged so that’s easy, but it’s certainly harder for some of the tall teachers at Interlingua.

Still, in spite of these bad days, I’d say life in Guiyang is more interesting than upsetting. More often than not, people here are curious, but kind. We’ve had people bring out dishes for us that other customers in the restaurant have paid for us to try. Most people thrilled when I greet them in Mandarin, and embarrassed but excited when I respond to their ‘Lao Wei!!!’ with a ‘hello’ and a coy smile. (Yes, I know that you are talking about me…).

I consider myself lucky to be in China in 2014, during such a time of growth. In the last 8 years, many things have changed: I now see English everywhere I go, I hear English Music in cars and in stores and I can shop at H&M (I can’t even do that in Winnipeg!). But in some ways, China continues to be its cut-off-from-the-rest-of-the-world self. The people here still marvel at the foreigner as though they are something special and interesting. I can’t help but wonder whether this will still be the case in 8 years from now.