Fat chick abroad: April 2016

Being the protective mother, I decided that was just a little too dangerous for my 17 year old daughter in her 1st year of college, plus the fact she had never been out of country. I felt it was my duty to travel with her and to help her navigate the new experience, after we did a little sightseeing.The plan would be for me to fly back home, once I settled her into the new dormitory. My vast knowledge and traveling experience to other countries consisted of a resort hotel in Cancun, Mexico arranged by AAA. With my wealth of knowledge and with her Rosetta Stone language learning program; I was confident we would be perfectly capable.

Flight from Tri cities and layover in Atlanta was uneventful, it only began when boarding for our flight to Tokyo took place. Leave it to me to find the elderly, feeble looking man to run over with my extremely large heavy suitcase: not the side of his foot, but on the entire foot. With a wince and a pained smile he said, "it's ok," after I apologized. However; the loud Japanese lady sitting in front of me was not as forgiving, and I don't believe those were the words she used when I was returning from the restroom and tripped, landing my elbow square on top of her skull. On the upside, she was much quieter the rest of the flight.

The flight to Tokyo was exhausting. Being the longest flight, 13 hours, and only the third one I have ever been on, I was not very confident on my knowledge of planes and protocol. It was extremely large, and I was being served two meals along with snacks. I was very surprised how often they wanted to feed a person. Legs cramping and bottom sore, it was pretty grueling. I did not realize how dehydrated I had become. I was seated with a nice young lady from Knoxville. My daughter was not able to sit with me due to how we booked. Being a larger woman, I desperately tried to keep my spillage from the young lady's space.

Layover in Tokyo was more about running from one side to the other of what had to be a mile long airport. Pulling my huge suitcase, maneuvering my backpack, purse, passport inside my bra, drink in hand I sprinted...(okay, I trotted awkwardly) across the Tokyo Airport in hopes of reaching the Beijing flight gate. Chit chatting with numerous people while my daughter eyerolled my friendly, extrovert, conversation topics with the various strangers I met. Once, we boarded the plane to Beijing, U.S. comforts were not as abundant. The seats were cramped, with breathing only option if you were time. One issue I encountered was the audio to be connected to the in-flight movie. The earplugs were not wireless and actually plugged into the arm of the seat. After about 20 minutes, I finally found the input location but for some reason the audio to the movie ,“I Bought A Zoo” with Matt Damon. Was nothing but chinese music , and on the screen was chinese subtitles..Halfway through the movie, the attendent helped me figure out what was wrong with the audio.

Landing in Beijing we were greeted with one of our guides I had contacted before leaving the U.S. her name was Grace. Grace brought Mekia and I to the hotel we would be staying at while we were in Beijing. 12:30 am was our arrival followed by a shower. Our room, which was actually a private room in a hostel, included 2 twin beds that my feet overhung. I'm only 5'7". 59 hours awake, 17 of those hours in airplane seats, 8 to 10 hours running end to end of airports .Exhausted, dehydrated, jet lag, I can actually say it already is classified as an adventure.

Stull dehydrated severely, we still got up at 6am (accident) when our guide called to let us know he was down stairs for our first China experience... guide Samuel, greeted us and informed us that instead of ouelr original plan of going to market we instead would be heading to the Great Wall....I was still about only about 10% recovered from jetlag and dehydration, but was still excited for the adventure. The Great Wall was not what I had pictured in my mind, but maybe I should had done a little research before hand. When we began climbing the stairs to just get to the entrance, it was obvious that this oversized, out of shape, middle aged, jet lagged, dehydrated, noodle legged tourist, couldn’t make it to top of a lookout that we were being guided to.. Actually barely made itbhapfway, however Mekia made it to the top. , I placed my worn out bottom on a bench nearby while I waited for her and Samual. My legs were shaking and could barely carry my large stature....only way to describe them were noodles....I did feel I did get a great experience, and a beautiful view I was proud that Mekia made it to the to the top. I could had been very hard on myself for my inadequacies but instead I decided to say I was just being helpful to my guide, so he wouldnt have to walk so far. You know me, always thinking about others.

After the Great Wall, our guide had planned a visit to see we the Birds Nest (Olympic Stadium for 2008) and Water Cube (used for swimming events in the olympics) The construction and architecture was so amazingbalong with other buildings in that park. One building resembled a torch with fire in the wind...Tourism is subjected to aggressive sales practices China for example at this park, a salesman wanting to sell me a kite kept following me. "Kite, Kite, 2 Kites, 3 kites, …kite you need kite…."he said.

As the day was winding down, i coupd not believe that my body was holding up from the dehydration and exhaustion; but I pushed on. We went to eat at the Golden Dragon. I assume because i am not a small person, plus the fact I am from the U.S. a buffet would be the best place to take us.; it was very good. I didn’t know I could like fish balls, but I didn’t realize I was getting fish balls because I cannot read chinese. . Before the dinner we toured the handicraft place where they make beautiful copper items. After the dinner, we asked Samual to take us to the Silk Market, which is an extremely large market for all kinds of items at low prices...Samual did not understand where I was saying, so we ended up at the Silk Museum….not exactly the same.

The Peking Opera was visually stunning. The masks, the makeup, the costumes were jaw dropping. The insturmental music, the fighting, the betrayal, the acting, the drunkenness was very interestingto watch...but the singing made me marvel at my capabilities to fall asleep during anything. I was able to do it also , without others noticing, well I think I did. . The trick is not to sleep for too long at each interval....when you ajar awake you continue to to hold the video camera onto the actors, although you will have many portions of your photography effors facing the floor, it still will have elements of the real performance. Take breaks by taking pictures and and then return back to video camera so you can return eyes to sleeping position. Samual was such a great tour guide. He definately knew his history, and conveyed it well. Besides the obvious exhaustion, it was a wonderful day. I was ready for the next.

We got up about 7:30 am. Muscle soreness is a extreme light term due the Great Wall walking. Grace our tour guide met us at 10:00 am, she told us we would be going on a walking tour…(geez, how fun:) from our hotel to Tienanmen Square. Yes, it is a big square. Because It was a Saturday, the Square was extremely crowded. It was also nearing a Chinese holiday called Nations Day Holiday. Numerous pictures were taken at the square, and government building before heading across the street, through tunnels, through traffic, to Forbidden City. The buildings with the Pagosa architecture and marvelous curves were very visually appealing. I enjoyed the history that Grace recited to us, regarding the emperor, the Concubines, the lives and their story.

Grace warned us that many of the people who will be visiting these places have not seen many or any foreigners. She explained that they will probably want to take picture of us since we were (especially me) was such an oddity to their sight.. We didn’t get too much picture making, but we did get a lot of pointing, smiling, waving, but the giggling really gave me a complex. There were several of the young men giving Mekia the look overs, the ones that were fascinated with me usually were the elderly people, or the ones that had few teeth. The tour was about 4 hours of walking, up and down steps.

After Forbidden City, Grace took us to eat at "Kim Mansion Roast Duck".(Peking Duck) This is true eating of the Chinese. Needless to say chop sticks are the best diet tool, something I learned pretty quickly. I was horrible at using them. Actually I was so bad the waiter felt so sorry for me he came and took my chop sticks away from me and started picking up my food with them to hand it to me getting me …I was almost waiting for him to try and feed me!!! A portion of the dish were spring roll wraps you do yourself. You have a dish with several ingredients on it, and by using your chop sticks you put the items you want on to the wrap and fold it up. I guess he thought I was a hopeless case so he went and got plastic gloves and started making my spring roll for me. Now thats service!!!!

Following lunch we went to the Pearl Market. The Pearl Market is like a large indoor flea market of new stuff.( Funny how my feet didn’t hurt so bad shopping…go figure.) The tradition in Beijing is that customers are suppose to haggle for better prices. I have no problem haggling, but I found myself getting caught up in the haggling and then realizing how much the convergence of money was actually costing me. I overpaid for a few items, but overall I was pretty successful at haggling. Mekia has a little less comfort in haggling, but being the daughter of a flea market king, I’m pretty good. The vendors would have a good time with me, and really was surprised. Mekia really got cornered and attacked by the shoe ladies. They overwhelmed her, but she haggled through and got a decent price.

One thing that really surprised me was the price of stuff in Beijing. I have been told how cheap things were here, not so anymore. The economy has grown so much, that the prices I have paid for such things as hotel, souveniers, and the stuff from Pearl Market is about the same as I would have paid home, some even higher. Grace told us that the past 5 years China has changed dramatically. Still love it. On the schedule for tomorrow is Summer Palace and Rickshaw tour….The rickshaw driver will look at me and charge me double, I predict.

For an American, especially Southern this was unique dining experience. A metal pot that has burning coals underneath sits in your table with boiling water and oil,with spices. You take raw beef and mutten (Samuals Choice) and with chop sticks you put in oil. After it cooks you place in your bowl of soup(sauce) ours was oil and minced garlic and ginger sprinkled with onions. Make sure you cover it with your sauce then eat. Then you add veggies, our choices were: tea tree mushrooms, arucula, and some other skinny mushroom, also some leafy stuff like greens , cabbage, and finally a wide noodle.,. I loved everything but the noodle it was too hard to catch with chop sticks and was slimy. Needless to say I had a mess using chopsticks again. Mekia's and my side of the table looked like toddlers had ate there. While Miss Young (driver) and Samuals looked neat as a pen.

Following the lunch we went for a richshaw ride to see original hutongs. Im sure the poor richshaw driver looked at me and wanted to protest, but he didnt. (I made sure I tipped him double what others did, since I was the size of two riders) Our guide who rides along beside you on a bicycle was Howard. I think Mekia wanted to pack him in our suitcase and take him home with her. He was adorable and so sweet. I videoed him and he kept getting the giggles. We aggravated him telling him he was camera shy just so he would giggle more. There were souvenir vendors chasing us with bicycles trying to sell us stuff while we were in richshaw. Mekia got a musical instrument that he wanted 10 us dollars for. She told him that she only had 10yuen (1.50 us) in her pocket, so he sold it to her. I ended up buying chop sticks while riding. When we stopped and listened to our guide another salesman drove me crazy trying to sell me somebags…I finally bought them after haggling along time.

Besides our inadequate communication we were obviously pretty pathetic at our chop stik skills, because when we ate at the Beijing Noodle, after getting frustrated at watching us try to use them (I didnt think so bad because it was making it to my mouth) however the gentleman at this restaurant gave up and went to the back and brought us both “Space Mouse” childrens forks. I really don’t know what was so bad….80% made it to the plate and 75% of that made it close to my mouth. But it seems our technique just was not on point.

We get to Shanghai train station…..oh my god…..It was a monster. Not only is it a train station, it is a bus station, and airport. We wondered around the station for 40 minutes just trying to find exit. No one spoke English. Trying to find place to catch taxi, and also trying to buy tickets for when we leave Shanghai. Ticket booths were closing down, so didn’t get to buy tickets however did find taxi wait. Couple of airport shuttle tried to snag us into getting them to use their service for 5 times the cost, but we went straight to taxi area.

We have been getting around in taxis for a few days now with Grace and Samual and I know the driving. Anyone who has been to new york and know the taxi cab drivers there needs to understand the comparison is like a carousel to rollercoaster ride. The streets look like normal highway streets, lights, signs, etc….but for taxi drivers those things are only suggestions, not rules. Its nothing to be going face to face with oncoming traffice just to see who will duck over first. The bravest people I have seen are the pedestrians and bike riders. Fearless. Almost to where we thought our hotel was, at a four way intersection there was a traffic jam. Everyone going every which way in one pile up, so what does our driver do?????pulls right into middle of it. So here we are with people on all sides of us, bus in front, black mercedes on right, white car behind, and truck on left. Everyone starts blowing the horns, mercedes keeps inching up on me, but we could not move, so everyone starts yelling at car behind us, man in that car gets out starts yelling back, people get out of cars goes toward man in that white car….more yelling, more blowing, white car moves, all is well with the world

We get to the hotel, only to find out it is not our hotel. Gave the desk clerk our reservation, he said it was near football stadium…(like I know where that is) He helps us get another cab, and gives address to correct hotel. Only this cab driver cant find it..he goes up and down street where the football stadium was. He tries calling hotel, but they must not answer. At one point I thought he was going to kick us out near football stadium…but I sat firm. We finally found it. I had reserved the deluxe room for a little extra room….I’d hate to had seen the standard room. Clean, but not one person speaks any English.

Moved to a different hotel today. We had been trying to figure out a way to get tickets for the train from Shanghai to Nanchang. Didn’t have tour guide here. We tried to buy them in Beijing but they were sold out. We tried buying them when we got to trainstation, but the ticket booths were closed. Our last hotel couldn’t help because they couldnt speak English. So I asked my sister to get in touch with a contact she has in Shanghai. He called and offered to help. Really glad he did, because if I couldn’t get train tickets we were going to have to fly. 5 times the cost of the train.

When we got to this hotel it was much closer to all the tourist area. With my little trip advisor app and gps we were able to find the Bund which is about 2 blocks away. Beautiful view. The buildings here are amazing. I feel like George Jetson. While here, again I think we were the main attraction. One man kept wanting to get the little boy he was with to come and sit with us and have his picture made. Boy wouldn’t do it….I can here the conversation now ..Father: “..Go son, sit on the space creatures lap, they won’t hurt you, lets get a picture….” Son: ” No Daddy, I don’t want to sit on the space creatures lap, they may eat me”

On our way along the road many people spoke and again pointed at us along with the stares. This is getting to be normal for us now…I just pretend we are celebrities, but I think its more like side show freaks. Two young girls approached us and asked us if we would take their picture and I gladly did so, (so nice to take someones picture without them wanting me in it). They talked to us for a while, about where they were from, and about America, Mekia’s school and we told them we were headed to the Yu Yuan Gardens, they said it was so crowded. They said they were headed to a tea festival that had been going on for a month and it was nearing the last day of it. They asked if we wanted to follow them, they said it was great. All of a sudden, a lightbulb went off in my head….”this is too familiar”. I realized at that point that it was one of the scams I had just read about. They get you to come to this tea house, where they are so nice and then you get a bill for about $200 USD….If you don’t pay they get mad, and they threaten the police or have people there that get aggressive. So to get out of our predictament with a little grace, I pretended I had a phone call and answered it. I told Mekia, who hadn’t read the article, that Atif had called and we suppose to go meet him at the hotel. So we told them, and they kept asking you have friend here???I said yes and walked off. Shewwwww…close one.

As we were walking we met another gentleman who spoke English. He said he was a shop owner and he was on his lunch break. He was very nice and talked about his family in US, he showed us around the shops and showed us the differences in the buildings of the actually old and new. He showed us to where the gardens were, and pointed to his shop. We went into his shop which was pearls, he had oysters there where he actually opened and demonstrated how they were inside. He gave us each one. He also showed us the tea ceremony and gave us samples. After shopping a little more we ate lunch…yes people…McDonalds.

We actually made it to the Gardens but decided we wouldn’t have time to make it to the Finance Center (on our list) and decided to go to the Gardens tomorrow, so we headed off to the Center only to change our mind and go back to the hotel for our midday siesta. Before we got there, Atif called and said he was on the way to our hotel. We met him in the lobby and told him how grateful we were. He was so nice, and refused to take any extra money for getting the tickets for us. Mekia and Atif

After our midday siesta, we thought we would go back to the place we ate lunch yesterday I think it was called Shanghai’s Grandma. I had the chicken again (Ms. Adventurous as Mekia calls me) and she had the River Eel…Which had so many spices it could had been anything. I just know it wasnt chicken. We also walked the Bund again and cannot describe how beautiful it was. The pictures I will post later does not do it justice. The only bad part of today was the beggars in the street. I usually do ok with them, but these were little and very old ladies who can barely walk, all except the young man without arms. These were nothing like the ones in the US. I had to give them something, they just broke my heart and was so thankful.

Today we thought we would get up and go see the World Finance Center. It is the tallest building in Shanghai. 100 floors. We read on trip advisor that it usually is a very long line to get to the top. They say the best thing to do is have lunch on the 91st floor and you get the same view. So since we were fairly hungry, that is what we decided to do. So we caught a taxi and headed to the New Pudong District of Shanghai. Now before I go further , I need to explain to you something. It is our 8th day here and we havent done laundry yet. I brought enough clothes to last several days but needless to say I am down to slim pickings. As a matter of fact what I wore today, (since I didn’t think we would be doing much) was a pair of cotton excercise pants, white tennis shoes, and a top which is actually a swimsuit coverup belted in middle….Mekia had jeans and shirt….Needless to say I wasn’t ready for a fashion runway.

So when we got to the Center we went to the 91st floor to eat lunch.. I then realized it was with the Hyatt Hotel, and was probably one of the fanciest restaurants I have been to, American style. Perfect linens, silverware, silver fixtures. The views were breathtaking. Luckily we were one of only a few there. I felt like the Beverly Hillbillies when they went to Beverly Hills. But, with all that fancy, the food was probably the worst I have had since I been there and definately the most expensive for what we got.

On our way back to the hotel, we seen an American man speaking with the two young scam artist that we were talking to yesterday. You could tell he was being pulled in hook line and sinker. I told the gentleman it was a scam, and he asked if I was sure ;I told him yes. I watched him go anyways and all I can say is that we warned him. Actually right after I talked to him, two more of the same type scam artists were trying their pitch on us. I took their picture and when they asked where I was from, I said,”nowhere.” and walked on. There are warnings in some of these hotels of this type of scam. I guess the gentleman tonight didn’ read it.

The plan today was to do as little as possible because we had to checkout of hotel; although we could leave our luggage with lobby staff, I had blisters on my foot, and neither of us really wanted to do anything much. So after getting luggage downstairs, (not an easy task now with souveniers) we went across the street and got a bagel for lunch/breakfast. We met a couple from California and talked for a while, then we went down the street we went down when we first got here. Mekia had found a 2 string (chinese) fiddle she wanted all week, so we went back for her to buy it. She got a great deal. After that we came back to the hotel and just hang around lobby. Around 5 oclock we decided we better eat an early lunch before we have to board our overnight train. We got online and looked up some good restaurants. I said I wanted to eat something besides Chinese and so we agreed upon a restaurant called Tony Romas that didn’t seem too far away. We asked the lobby clerk to write address in chinese, and then we caught a taxi. The taxi driver seemed to have a little trouble finding it, then all of a sudden he pulled into a plaza….The Ritz Carlton Plaza….oh lovely. We got out and asked the attendents that were helping people out of taxis if they could point us to Tony Romas….he stated that it had been closed down for 5 years. So we decided to see what other restaurants they had in the plaza, as there seemed to be several.

As we were walking toward the restaurants a young man came up to Mekia and started being very enthusiastic and telling her You are so beautiful, you are likesnow white. You look like my teacher from Australia, he shook our hands then grabbed Mekia and what I thought was going to be kiss kiss on the cheeks ended up being kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss,kiss,kiss, and another kiss on her cheeks. I think we stood there in shock. He then kept telling her how beautiful she was and how much she looked like his teacher. He told me,”beautiful too.” and then he shook our heads to leave, once again he grabbed Mekia and did the whole kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss and kiss thing again! As we told him bye he turned back around and come back and told Mekia that she was so beautiful…just like Cinderella..He wanted to take pictures, she was just like his teacher from Australia, and so was I. He said Mekia was his new teacher now…beautiful teacher then kiss, kiss,kiss,kiss,kiss,kiss and kiss on mekia’s cheek. At this point I’m dying laughing at Mekia’s face. He took a picture using his camera phone, however; I don’t know what he was taking picture of 8 inches from our face…I felt like I was getting a retina scan. Then before he left he shook our hands. Once again he turned around and came back to tell Mekia how beautiful she was, and just for good measure….kiss,kiss,kiss,kiss,kiss, and kiss again on the cheek. Then he went away. I said to Mekia….Come on Snow, we got to go.

A gentleman did help us with one of our bags, however; when it was time to board the train it was like cattle trying to get into the gate for feed time. I was pushed and shoved like crazy. I could see the top of the man’s head that had our bag, and I was trying to keep up, but these people were trampling me. They can be vicious. Finally I just said I’m bigger than all ya, so with a sweeping motion of my rolling bag I plowed through, and as for the 87 year old, 4’2, 88 lb woman beside me, “take that granny” no holds barred. No mercy for anyone! I made it to the platform where the man was waiting for me.

We got on the train and we had sleepers..This is a four plank/bed room. We would be sharing with two young male students. However my ticket had me to get on the top bunk…ha,ha,ha…someone played a crual joke. I tried asking the attendent if I could find a lower bunk somewhere, but she couldn’t understand me. I tried telling her there was no way I could get my fat butt up on that little piece of wood, without killing the guy below me. Luckily one of the students understood enough english to understand and he agreed he would sleep on the top, and I could have bottom bunk…I guess he feared his friends life.

Well I woke up on the train a little earlier than the others, still dark outside….Feels weird waking up face to face with a young strapping,chinese lad sleeping beside you. (And I wasnt even drinking last night) Actually the train cabins are probably only 6 feet wide, 2 feet probably at most of floor space between you and the next bottom bunk on the otherside of the cabin. So if you do your math you will see my bunk was probably less than 2 feet width, and with a 2 1/2 ft width body…makes for a little uncomfort. Trying to get the luggage down from above our heads would have been very difficult without the help of the young men with us. They even helped us through the train station with it.

At the train station a young assistant from Mekia’s school was waiting for her to help us to the campus. We said our farewells with our train cabin buddies and off we go with the assistant. The assistant probably was no more than 100 lbs at most and here she was trying to help us with our bags. She takes us to a van where a very elderly man was trying to put our bags in the car…Yeah Right. On our way to the campus we had to pick up another exchange student. He was from Tennessee also and his name was Chris. It was nice to see someone else with a huge luggage bag.

When we got to Mekias dorm, the assistant and other students were going to go get lunch and take tour of campus. I had no desire, instead I collapsed on bed and took a nap. While they were gone I decided I could do some laundry. I got three loads together and went to washroom. Of course it was in chinese, and extremely new and bizarre to me. So I played with the buttons till I got it running. Hey, not so bad, till I came back later and seen water all over the floor…The drain hose was not connected to the drain on one of them…oops. When I went to the dryers, I did same thing…plug it up, push buttons and watched it turn…2 hours later, they are still not dry. A couple of other students came and asked me how to run the washers, ….what was funny is that they were Chinese and could read the directions. I showed them what I did and they were happy. I asked them what a certain button on the dryer meant and they told me that it was cool air…(what I had it on) you have to push it in for the heat to work…explains 2 hours.

This morning Mekia and I decided to go to the Pedestrian Street called Shangli. A lot of stores but I was really disappointed because they wouldn’t haggle with me. I have gotten so use to haggling, I was very frustrated. Food is cheaper here, however; items are not. There is no foreigners here, so you can imagine I was stared at. Ive actually gotten use to it, but at least in Shanghai and Beijing some foreigners were seen everynow and then…but here…none. No English is spoken anywhere either, at least in the other cities merchants would learn enough for sales. We walked in all parts, and then got into the flea market area. Unfortunately it was very dirty, a lot of trash, and I was surprised at how people would walk right through it.

Today Mekia had to go get class schedule and orientation. I stayed in room for a little while. I went down to the park area and read a book about Nanchang deciding where I wanted to go. When I came back I met 2 exchange students and one of their mothers. Linda and Trina(mother). Linda was from TSU in Cookeville TN, her mother was from Shanghai, and lived there now. It felt good there was another mother here. Linda is a little fireball, very peppy. Trina is very nice. The other student was Jeremy from California. They said that the other students were at lunch and they were headed that way. They asked me to walk with them. We met up with Mekia and some other students and had a very good lunch. It was buffet. I was trying to pick out things that I recognized so note to others: Do not mistake lotus root for noodles….Do not mistake tofu for chicken….So the chicken I got, who knows what it was.

After Lunch we went on Campus tour with the rest of the exchange students. It is amazing how the exchange students are privileged. Each exchange student has their own room, cherry finishes, full size bed, thick bedding, fridge, pot, huge bathroom with granite sink and shower big enough for 3 people with rain shower head and jet hand held. Silk ceiling to floor beautiful draperies, and picture size window. Plasma tv on wall with cherry desk. This dorm room is better than a couple of the hotels we stayed in. What is so different is that the regular chinese students sleep 6 to a room. They do not get theses luxuries.

While we were walking the campus tour…always walking…..they were showing the classroom; of course it would be on 4 th floor, and no elevator…So as I pant my way to the top, sweating profusely; it was time to come back down again. Trina was worried and held my hand; I guess she thought she was going to have to do CPR. The rest of tour was easy. The gymnasium is huge it had one floor with 4 basketball courts. It has a roller rink, huge table tennis place with probably 30 tables, dance area, martial arts, badminton, tennis, areas.

On our way back to the dorm, we got lost….by the way everytime we go out of dorm, we get lost. For some odd reason it is just harder to find. Its pretty dark by this time, and two other young ladies tried to help us. They got us so far and then I heard Music….I said I know where we are…we are near the square where they dance, and sure enough we were. Mekia, Linda, Jeremy, Trina ran to the square to dance, I went to dorm to wash off inch of sweat…I don’t think I need “ sweatin with the oldies” tonight…Im old and sweaty enough!!

After the Great Wheel, we went to lunch. In most places of china, it amazes me how you will be going into a building, that doesn’t look like much on the outside. You usually have to go to the second floor for the good stuff. After you get to the restaurant part, you get some of the best food you will ever eat. Very nice plates, with decorative decorations on plate written with sauce, chocolate, etc. This restaurant was exactly like that. They kept bring plate after plate of food. I think we got 10 or 12 plates of different foods. Most of it was delicious.

On our way back to the dorm all the students wanted to go to Walmart. Of course kids from all the different countries and where do they want to go….Walmart. So we went to Walmart. It was a unique experience. You get your buggy on 1st floor, you put it on a flat, inclined escalater to go up to second floor. You can shop, but to pay you and your stuff go to 3rd floor on incline escalator. There they have groceries, and so on, but that is where you pay. I was exhausted, and Mekia and I had gotten seperated from rest of group. We hopped in taxi and headed back to dorm….Mekia was so tired she fell asleep at 7pm. I sat up and watched our one US station that play Big Bang Theory and Greys Anatomy over and over. Fun Fun

When we got back, we watched TV (same episode for 3rd time of Big Bang theory) also got a treat with an episode of CSI miami. A couple of the students, Linda and Jeremy came over and hung out in the dorm and used computer to sing karoke. We then got Trina and Irina (ukraine) and went to eat noodles at this place near campus….OMG, I thought I was at soup kitchen on broad street. In USA it would be closed down. It was partially outside, there were about 3 tables and you sit on chairs that I first thought was crates. My first thought…no way will I be able to sit on that….but I did, and actually quite comfortably. But I can tell you this, it was delicious. Cost was 6 yuan….$1.00. The kids went back to dance in the square while Trina and I went to a few open air shops. She found two skirts for $4 for Linda. I found Mekia a shirt, and I had Mekia’s money with me so I was going to buy it…the lady I thought said 17 yuan, here I am paying her and she is saying No. Trina who is Chinese from Shanghai, talked to her, and it was $70 yuan..I said nevermind and put it back…I got half way up the road and realized that was only about $10….That was a good price for the shirt…but $70 just didn’t sound good.

The kids and I decided to walk to the Karoke Bar. Sure they knew the way…..we ended up walking around the outside of the entire campus against a concrete wall with oncoming Chinese Traffic…we were definately living on the edge tonight. After about a mile we finally got to the Karoke bar…(if we had went the correct way it was directly across from the campus!) we walked up to the bar, and it was too full and they wouldn’t let no one else in!!!!! So we hit a few more shops and I stopped and bought this fruit I was introduced to when I got here, called Dragon’s Eye. Its the size of a large grape, Its got the skin of a kiwi you peel, the texture inside is like a grape with a chestnut taste..Mekia and I are hooked.

Last night when we were in the dorm, Mekia or I accidently pushed the aircondition button to the wrong setting… I don’t know what it was but it sent moisture through the air, we only had it on for about a few minutes before we realized it was on the wrong setting. Within 30 minutes both of our sinuses were a mess. We were sneezing, and having a horrible time. We slept very poorly that night and woke up even worse this morning. Bed time for both of us.. We took our amoxicillan that we brought, along with zyrtec, and any other med we could find. We did manage to get up and go to lunch. Trina, Linda, Jeremy and the two of us went to the market street. It reminds me of a fair,with street vendors, we got fried vegetable balls at one, grilled duck leg at one, spicy fries at another, oh my how delicious it was….trust me when I say those spices will open up the sinuses…for a short period of time. By the time we got finished eating, I could tell my meds had wore off. The kids decided to go dancing while I went and crashed in dorm..

I crashed for another hour, and this time Mekia decided she was going back out with friends to the karoke place and she would look for medicine. She came back with more amoxicillan (no prescription necessary) and a nasal decongestant. However while she was gone, I ended up doing some laundry and met another student (post grad) her name was Joy. We ended up talking for over an hour. Such a sweet person. Irina seen me in laundry room and seen how stuffed up I was and she said, “I got what you need,” and off she ran down the hall. She came back with a little bottle that she said was a wonderful chinese medicine. How she would know I don’t know…she is from Ukraine. But I was willing to try anything.

Sick, Sick, Sick…Bed, up, Bed, up. Yes this is about what my day was like. At lunch time however; I went with Mekia and a couple other students to the market to get noodles. We also went to market…It happens to be the time when all the other Chinese students were moving into dorm, so the market area was swamped. I believe I was knocked in head two or three times by students and their parents buying brooms. You could tell the parents were looking so intently at me, wondering where they are sending their babies.

Fat chick abroad

Saturday, April 2, 2016

China 2012