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Hello from CHINA!

Sorry for not updating sooner, I’ve been very busy. I’ve been here in China for three months now. I already know my way around the city, by foot and bike. I LOVE MY BIKE!

The place that I live in, is a very nice place. My room is still a little messy, but that’s because I don’t have anything to put my clothing in….bummer….but I’m going to be off tomorrow and I am so going to clean it, move my bed away from the window, dust in here and what not.

So look around, my room. Its nice, cleanish and I think EPIC!

Well, on the trip over here, from Portland to Los Angeles, I bawled my eyes out, I cried. I was really sad and bummed out, but got over it. From Los Angeles to Soul, South Korea. I sat next to a nice old woman and a Russian boy, both teachers. Got a lot of insight. After that, went to Shanghai, China. I had to get to another airport, so I took a subway train system. That was fun, like 122mph. A Chinese man helped me find my right exit. Thank you stranger!

Then took a flight to my new home town, which I will not name, cause I’m strange like that. That was where I met my friend, Fish! Fish is a very nice girl, her mother and father are nice people. She has a little brother named Peter, he’s so cool! He just needs to see that he’s cool.

I took it easy for two days, sleeping off the jet lag. The food was so good, Fish’s father cooks really good. I missed my dad thinking about it. Love you dad, love you too mom. And Tara, you little brat. After that, I sat in watching as other teacher worked the class. Just to have a feel what its like to work in the school. A guy name Joe showed me around, he moved out to another school else where.

After that, I had to go to school and learn and be certified to be a teacher. I got a B grade! Well, it was a nice city, but it was a long drive, bus ride for 7 hours, there and back, a place called Jinan. The hotel I was in was very nice. I miss the hotel, it had an American feel to it. The breakfast was very good. Headed back home on bus, an accident happened. I didn’t see it happen, but the bus had to break really quick. The passenger behind me, another American, was sleeping behind me. He hit the back of the set rather hard, but got up and went back to sleep. I asked him if he was ok afterwards and he was like, huh? He slept like a rock the whole time. I liked being back home. Didn’t get much of a break, had to work the next day.

Then Saturday happened. My first day on the job, my first class, sucked so hard….but after that, the classes got easier. My C10 is the best class, all good girls! My least favorite class is PC2 a parent and child class, its my last class on Sunday. If I don’t make the kids happy, there is no way in hell I can make the parents happy. So Saturday, 5 classes, from 8 am to 7:30 PM. Sunday Five classes, 8 am to 5:30 pm. On good days, I either walk or take my bike to school, it’s a 45 minute walk, bike I have no idea, hadn’t timed it yet. On bad days, I take a cab. Its 5 Yuan and + whatever amount used to get to place to place. (I find it real gay that the price went up 1 Yuan because of Spring, but 5 Yuan is like $0.76, so I shouldn’t complain too much.) A bus ride is like 1-4 Yuan, depending on the destination. Like if I wanted to go to Xinpu or Shugo, it would be 4 Yuan because of the distance. (Well 8 Yuan there and back) if I wanted to go to some other place, it would be 1 Yuan. My other classes are new. Monday and Wednesday at a Kindergarten at 8:30 am to 10:00am and another Kindergarten at 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm Monday and Thursdays.

Well here is what the money looks like. See those five little coins, that would be 1 Yuan. See those two gold coins, that would be 1 Yuan, see that one coin, it’s a Yuan. See that paper 1, it’s 1 Yuan. So many things to make a Yuan, but its not done yet. See those small ones that are marked “1,2,3” that right there, would make 1 Yuan……….yeah

Well here you have 5 Yuan
Here you have 10 Yuan
Then a 20 Yuan
A 50 Yuan
100 Yuan

Right now I have 700 Yuan on me, which is like $107 something dollars and can and will last me for a whole month or more. I can’t wait for pay day….I dream of it….The only thing I have bought for “just for fun” was a little Chinese book that I am trying to translate. So far I got “Always remember the ones you love, whom are forever by your side, even if they are no longer there.” I think this will be a tearjerker book. A hair dryer. I went a day with wet hair in this place, it sucks….and a necklace for 30 Yuan, $4 US.

The most I spend on, like needed things. Water, anything drinkable, coffee, toilet paper, shampoo, tissue paper, food, lots and lost of water/drinkable items.

So here is my list:

Water: 2 Large 4 liter jugs. Once every week for the home. Cook rice with and drink or add to instant dinners.
Water: Small water bottles: Everyday. Work days, 4 a day. (20 bottles of water)
Soft Drinks: Sprite (2 bottles, Sat and Sun)
Other Drinks: Milk Tea, Gatorade, Milk, Yogurt (which you drink here) Instant coffee, and other items with unknown names but taste good.

Food: Eggs, really cheap. Apples, cheap. Potato’s, dirt cheap. Banana, grapes, tomatoes, onion. Just really good prices.

Meat: Liver, the only meat I have bought so far, will try others soon. Shopping again in two days.

Spoil myself: Skippy Peanut butter, honey, bread. Some strange food thing

Street Venders: 1-10 Yuan, depending on what and where you go. Rule of thumb, go to the one everyone else happens to go to, means the food is fresh and good. I had something that tasted almost like a burrito for only 2 Yuan. It had vegi bread, egg, potato, lettuce and some “don’t ask what it is” secret sauce.

Restaurants/Bars: 5-160 Yuan
For places that have just Chinese food, 5-50 Yuan. I walked into a restaurant close to my home. I call it Garfield Bus Restaurant, why, because it’s a bus with the cat on it. Yeah, I wanted something to eat, to lazy to cook dinner and didn’t feel like street food. (Also, just got off work) SO, I was like, lets do this. Went in, got it, got strange looks and then had somewhat of a fun little party. A few men wanted to buy me a drink called Bi-joe, I was like “no bi-joe, no bi-joe.” They all laughed. So the menu came up, I pointed to two items. Had no idea what is said. I kinda hoped it wasn’t cat or dog…..so I waited. My first dish was cabbage with hot peppers and rice. My second was Eggs and peppers. OMG, it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. I will go back there again.

Another place I went it, is called the Taiwan Bar. Its where everyone meets up at, but it’s the next town over. Most people just drink, eat and sing KTV (Sing along music video’s) Its just the place for all “Not from China People” meet up at. There foods good, but I liked the Milk Tea there more then the food.

And last, the big 160 Yuan. It was for deep dish Pizza, I don’t care spending on that much for something really good. I was just so sad when they didn’t have ranch here….boo.

So for sight seeing. I took my bike. I have a helmet, I dare not ride a bike without one. So, I wanted to just look around, on a nice sunny day. (It was freezing.) I didn’t bring anything like my purse, just enough Yuan do buy a drink of water or two and went my way. I took road 40. it’s a new place, meant for Tourist in mind. Its still being built and should be finished sometime this year. The bike ride, was very long. I had no idea where it was going to take me, or how long it would take me to get there. But I kept on going. Then I hit the ocean. Oh, it was so nice. I can’t wait for it to open. It looks really clean too! So many items I wanted to buy, but I would will wait for that later. I took a few pictures and left, headed back for home.

Well, I already worked by second Sat and Sun, done working Monday. Break day tomorrow. Night everyone!

Continued from another post….

Went a a trip to see YELLOW FLOWERS. It was nice, fun and oh so cool. Just took pictures.

RANT TIME
I am doing well. Missing home and all. Here are some more pictures! Now there are some people I like here and some people I don’t like here. 90% of the Chinese people here are ok, the other 10% are punks. (Those who call me white devil in your Chinese Language, (la-ow-way), those who ride on sidewalks with their motorcycles, (piss off) and those who pretend to be the almighty “God” of whatever is going on in their crazy little minds.

For the “white” people…I only Trust two Americans (Texan and California) , one Welsh and one Britain. All happen to be male. The female whites, blah, no thank you. They can go jump off a cliff, do nothing but bitch, spread rumors and drive me up the effing wall. For real, I am ready to tell them to shut the hell up, because they do more harm then good. The put down my good friends, both white and Chinese, by not inviting them to any get-togethers. Put down my Boss, who I will admit is a little clueless at times, but shouldn’t be bad mouthed like that every time I am around. I like my boss, even if at times she may drive me a little crazy. Still, she pays these people to do a job, they show up to work drunk off their asses, not only that….eh, I need to stop ranting about these people, I try not to hang with them. Still, I left Oregon to get away from people who like to talk BS, oh well. (I thought these people were educated as well, but alas, one guy doesn’t even have a high school diploma. How the hell is he teaching English?)

Well, I just chilled, visited some nice parks, went and climbed mountains. I so want to go to monkey mountain so I can get some postcards. Its so HARD to find POSTCARDS!

Had some good food this week, since it’s a holiday or something like that. Well got to go, please look around at the new pictures.
FOr the new pictures, please go to this link. Thank you.
http://my.opera.com/alexparr/albums/