So hi there everyone! Or as I should say, "Nimen hao!" I am currently in Hangzhou, China on a weekend excursion with my fellow classmates. I should probably catch everyone up as many do not know what has been going on for that last month.... or two weeks. I can't believe it has only been two weeks since I have been in China.
Well, to start off, I attend classes at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai China. This particular campus, as there are many, is off of Panyu Road, ten minutes from the hotel that we stay at. I guess the school got a good rate for everyone to stay so "women zhu zai IBIS" hotel (learning Chinese quickly so I'll throw in more as I go). What I said was that we are living at the IBIS hotel. It's not too bad, from what I hear better than the dorms on campus, but tight living quarters and the internet is not always working. The atmosphere is awesome in China, at least this part. As with any country, there are places that are more rural than others and we've met our fair share of blunt Chinese. That's one of the many characteristics of the Chinese: they are very blunt. Which means, if you are obese, they'll let you know; if you meet someone for the first time, they will ask you if you're married and how much money you make a year; if you are in they're way, they'll push you out of it. All these are very common and happen everyday. Classes started last Monday and yet, because of the exhausting amount of homework given, it seems like the semester should be ending any day, or at least midterms should be right around the corner. I am currently taking Chinese 102 and 201 (yes, all within these three short months), Chinese culture (that has a powerpoint presentation a week and two research papers), and Chinese calligraphy. The latter I am surprised to find that I really enjoy the fluidity of relaxation that painting Chinese characters brings. We listen to our ipods in class while painting and the teacher doesn't speak a lick of English; except for the little bit we've taught him. He's actually quite hysterical as he acts out what he's trying to say and really enjoys trying to talk to us. We get by. He's asked us where we're from and how we got there, about our lives, and even tried to find out our political beliefs (we acted like we didn't understand him). In Chinese, there are five people in my class and we are all convinced that she is a Nazi due to all the homework she assigns. Literally, in one day after learning the new vocabulary, we have a test the next day on the entire story that we have to write in characters and then on occasion, right a speech and memorize so as to present it the very next day. Last week I never went to bed before 3am. Horrid, just horrid.
A little about Shanghai while I'm thinking about it. The city is awesome! Not as dirty as New York but way more run down; in parts. I think the most surprising thing about the city thus far is the general lack of respect for police. Before heading here, the assumptions were that because China was a police state and run by a communist government, the police officers would be everywhere and in everyone's business. On the contrary, they are not like that at all. In fact, they ride around with their lights flashing and no one does anything about it.
Another aspect of life in Shanghai? The driving is insane! Tourists beware: Don't Drive! The people here drive with a mutual understanding: don't get hit. Who cares about the red lights, the no left turn on red, the right of way for pedestrians.... Those things just don't exist here. Every morning crossing the street from the hotel to the school, I feel like Indiana Jones running from giant boulders trying not to get hit. There are taxis that are built with cages around the driver seat (as in a go-cart or race car), there are regular cars and trucks, large construction truck, giant buses, and scooters who drive anywhere there is road, even on the side walks. Surprisingly, I have yet to see an accident but I've nearly been hit a dozen times. I am just sure that one of these days, I'm going to be taken down by a scooter with a little old lady on it. That's just how it is. Well, so long for now. I'll finish catching everyone up as soon as I get back. We're are heading out on the town: either Downtown Hangzhu or West Lake... we'll see!
Zaijian!
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