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ITALY!

Saturday, February 16th, 2013

After a 3-year absence, Chinateacher Blog is up and running again!  This time, my adventures are taking me to Italy!  Stay Tuned!

Life in China

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

I have kept this blog for almost 6 years now, as a kind of non-stop “postcard”.  While I mainly focused on the goods things (just like a postcard), admittedly there are tons of small things that happen on a daily basis that have often driven me crazy!  And this year EVERYTHING seems to be driving me crazy which confirms to me that, yes, it’s time for me to move back home to Canada. 

Yet there are still some really great reasons to live in China!  I can ‘pamper’ myself here for so little money, it’s just wonderful!  For example, my weekly body/foot massages cost just $10.  I can stop by any hair salon to get my hair shampooed and blow-dried – the cost is only $2 including an upper body/scalp massage.  Taxis cost anywhere from $1.5 to $2 depending on one’s destination.  It’s going to be hard to give these luxuries up!  And as a teacher in a Chinese university, I don’t know how I’m going to handle working a regular Monday to Friday office job with only 3 weeks’ vacation time each year.  Here in China, I’ve done my calculations and realize that I’ve been getting about 4 months holiday time each year – how fantastic is that?!  Life has been very good indeed. 

But then there are things that really drive me crazy here… lining up for something in China is a joke – people keep butting in, and no one says, or does, anything about it, even in hospitals!  Shopping is a continual adventure (both good/bad).  One look at a foreign customer, and you’re often charged more than a local customer just ahead of you.  But white faces mean big $$$ to the Chinese!  The excessive, and ear-wrenching SPITTING is something I have never gotten used to.  People here cough up gobs of phlegm – I honestly don’t know why they have so much inside their bodies – I almost gag whenever I hear it and of course the most important thing is to keep out of their way – some people’s aim is not so good!  And then there are the road rules that are never obeyed.  Near-misses are a constant because people dart out of alleyways on foot, on bicyles, in cars and rarely look both ways.  It totally shocks me that so many seem oblivious of the dangers all around them.  I often find myself catching my breath as I see an old man pedal directly into oncoming traffic, or an entire family packed onto an e-bike as it roars out of a backlane and crosses 3 lanes of mainroad, causing drivers to jam on their brakes to avoid hitting them.  And then there are the drivers who are simply inching along; turns out – they’re text messaging and it’s interfering with their driving.  Or the driver who double parks on a major street, jumps out and goes shopping – and nobody does anything about it! AAAGH!

 Another area of increasing concern is the fact that so many internet sites are blocked here: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and who knows, maybe in future GOOGLE.  I’m hoping I won’t be around to see that happen!

Just a few days ago, my former colleague and I were invited to a student’s new home for dinner.  When I arrived, while I noted the room was quite chilly, I gave the host my coat anyway.  However, I quickly realized we would not be moving to another, warmer room, so I had to ask for my coat back.  Less than five minutes later, I donned my gloves.  The student explained that she and her new husband really don’t  find Hangzhou cold enough to warrant heating (that particular night the temperature was -1 degrees Celsius!).  I couldn’t wait for my colleague to arrive and gauge his reaction – I know he keeps the heat on in his apartment 24 hrs. a day (at least I turn mine off when I’m not home!)  Sure enough, when he arrived, he kept his coat on the entire time.  Over dinner, he and I were huddled around the dining room table, glancing at each other and rolling our eyes.  We really couldn’t get warm.  We were just trying to figure out how quickly we could leave without offending our hosts!  We were freezing, despite the fact that we are both from Canada (he from Ottawa/me Vancouver)!  Strangely enough, it did seem warmer once we got outside!   

In the meantime, I sit back and fantasize about my future life in Vancouver.  My needs are simple now: an apartment with central heating, a comfortable sofa, and a television with unlimited English programming – that’s my new dream! When I return home, I will certainly be more thankful for the daily comforts we take for granted in the west.

Ready to Say Goodbye

Saturday, December 26th, 2009
This is my 6th WINTER in China - unbelievable!   I hate winters in China so much that it’s impossible to believe I have lasted so long.  I can still remember my first winter experience in China, back ... [Continue reading this entry]

Labrang Monastery (Xiahe in Gansu Province)

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
XIAHE One of my key reasons for visiting Western China was to see Labrang Monastery in Xiahe (Gansu Province).  People say that being here is the closest you can get to feeling like you’re in ... [Continue reading this entry]

Western Sichuan (Zoige/Ruoergai and Langmusi)

Sunday, August 16th, 2009
ZOIGE/RUOERGAI I didn’t like Zoige/Ruoergai very much because quite frankly, the rough-looking Tibetan nomads looked pretty scary to me.  Most wear traditional ‘chorpas’ (long-sleeved Tibetan coats) and many cover their faces as if they’re afraid ... [Continue reading this entry]

Western Sichuan (Tibetan Villages: Kangding & Danba)

Monday, August 10th, 2009
I am going to borrow the following quote from Lonely Planet-China’s Northwest:   To the north and west of Chengdu is where green tea becomes butter tea, Confucianism yields to Buddhism and gumdrop hills leap into ... [Continue reading this entry]

Chengdu (Sichuan Province)

Monday, August 10th, 2009
I love Chengdu, having visited several years ago.  So it was my pleasure to show Kathleen around.  Although my favourite downtown hostel, Holly’s Hostel, wasn’t available the first nite, I made sure to arrive early the next ... [Continue reading this entry]

Kashgar – Part II (Xinjiang Province)

Monday, August 10th, 2009
Back in Kashgar again, we took the opportunity the next day to visit Abakh Hoja Tomb (along with Juin and Kathleen). At first glance it seems to resemble a miniature Taj Mahal. It is also called the “Fragrant Concubine’s Tomb”. ... [Continue reading this entry]

KARAKULI LAKE (Near Kashgar)

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
The next day was our big overnight adventure to KARAKULI LAKE, a highland lake at 3600 metres, sitting below the majestic Pamir mountains between Kashgar and the border town of Tashkurgan (the border town between China and Pakistan). This place ... [Continue reading this entry]

Kashgar – Part I (Xinjiang Province)

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Our plane from Urumqi to Kashgar was filled to barely 1/3 capacity, so Kathleen grabbed the opportunity to wander around, taking photos of the spectacular scenery through the windows along both sides of the airplane. We had ... [Continue reading this entry]