Saturday, May 19, 2012
Go girl, it's your birthday!!!
I turned 21 in Shanghai. Which sounds pretty nice in an exotic, adventure-traveller kind of way. But I was quite homesick and a tad worried that I am aging so fast (emphasis on aging). I took stock of my life and realized that I have subtly become quite disillusioned. According to my life plan (made when I was 15 years old with inputs from my equally crazy best friend), I should have moved out of my parent's home, gotten married and maybe had a child by 21. As it turns out, I'm still extremely single and have no desire to move out so forcefully anytime soon. The baby part is still extremely alluring but without any candidate for the paternal position, that will have to wait a while as well.
I was really really homesick, I kept smelling the aroma of my homeland's dishes (waakye, jollof, nkrakra etc), and would stay up till 3am to talk to family back home.
BUT
My friends here stepped in and made my birthday so worth it. I got a qipao (cheongsam, a traditional Shanghainese / Chinese outfit) custom made for my big day. Hey, you turn 21 only once right? And I'm in China now right? And I enjoy messing with people's heads right? So I got it and I loved the looks and stares when I wore it out to my birthday dinner. My friends and I went to Pasha, a Turkish restaurant here in Shanghai for my birthday dinner.
So even though I was homesick, good friends, a good meal and a good time made for a good cure :)
I was really really homesick, I kept smelling the aroma of my homeland's dishes (waakye, jollof, nkrakra etc), and would stay up till 3am to talk to family back home.
BUT
My friends here stepped in and made my birthday so worth it. I got a qipao (cheongsam, a traditional Shanghainese / Chinese outfit) custom made for my big day. Hey, you turn 21 only once right? And I'm in China now right? And I enjoy messing with people's heads right? So I got it and I loved the looks and stares when I wore it out to my birthday dinner. My friends and I went to Pasha, a Turkish restaurant here in Shanghai for my birthday dinner.
So even though I was homesick, good friends, a good meal and a good time made for a good cure :)
Nanchang; turtles and my host family
Two weeks ago, I spent four days with my roommate Hu Qianwen / Wendy (I call her Wendy for obvious reasons) and her family in her hometown, Nanchang upon invitation from her family. Wendy and I study at the same university; Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. We were paired without our knowledge or consent but I must admit its worked out quite well between us. So close are we that I was privileged enough to meet most of the members of her extended family. On her grandmother's insistence, I was formally adopted into the family and am now one of their own. So cute!! Here are a series of pictures and videos of my trip to Nanchang along with a few brief descriptions.
Turtle. He really is called Turtle.
My first home cooked meal in China! (home chow ^_^)
Wendy, her mum and cousin Bella
Meet the family
Me and Wendy's niece...she calls me gougou (auntie) :)
''It doesn't matter whether it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice'' - Deng Xiaoping on China's economic development. Here are his cats!!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
In and around China Part 3
1. Hong Kong. 'Nuff said
At the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Peak Tram Experience, Hong Kong by night from its highest point
At the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Peak Tram Experience, Hong Kong by night from its highest point
Cable car to Lantau Island and the Island itself, huge Buddha statue!
2. Macau a.k.a Casino Land :)
The world's largest Casino at the Venetian Hotel and Casino
In and around China Part 2
So where did we leave off? Ah yes, I was about to talk about Xinchang.
1. Xinchang, somewhere in Southeastern China
The thing about Xinchang is, not many Chinese have heard of it, much less know about its location. Our group was fortunate enough to have our Resident Director put this on our weekend field study trip itinerary. We went hiking in the Xinchang thousand step valley and had lunch in a farm smack in the middle of the valley! Did I mention that I tried my hands at tea picking?
2. Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Visited the beautiful West Lake and the famous food street!
1. Xinchang, somewhere in Southeastern China
The thing about Xinchang is, not many Chinese have heard of it, much less know about its location. Our group was fortunate enough to have our Resident Director put this on our weekend field study trip itinerary. We went hiking in the Xinchang thousand step valley and had lunch in a farm smack in the middle of the valley! Did I mention that I tried my hands at tea picking?
2. Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Visited the beautiful West Lake and the famous food street!
In and around China Part 1
So I've been here for 3 months already, whoa!
This is just a compilation of where I've been, with a footnote about my favorite things here and there. Enjoy!
1. Yu Gardens, Shanghai
Built by a government official for his parents to enjoy in their retirement. Sadly they died before it was completed in the late 16th century. Yu means 'Happy' so its the 'Happy Garden'. Lots of halls and quaint structures in the various sections, love!
2. The Bund, Shanghai
Waterfront by the Huangpu River and right across Lujiazui, Shanghai's financial district. The Bund has a lot of historical buildings and boasts of romanesque, gothic, renaissance, baroque, neo-classical, beaux-arts and art deco architectural styles. The girl in the picture is Hu Qianwen or Wendy, my roommate.
3. The Canton Tower, Guangzhou
The Canton Tower, tallest tower in China and 4th tallest freestanding structure in the world, ~440m.
4. The Chen Clan Academy, Guangzhou
The Chen Clan Academy was built by Chen family members in the Qing dynasty as an assembly place for the family's ancestral worship and academy for family members sitting for imperial examinations.
5. Sacred Heart Cathedral, Guangzhou
Built in 1863, it is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guangzhou. This is where my friends and I attended Easter Sunday mass.
6. Zhujiang Breweries and Beer museum, Guangdong
This is just a compilation of where I've been, with a footnote about my favorite things here and there. Enjoy!
1. Yu Gardens, Shanghai
Built by a government official for his parents to enjoy in their retirement. Sadly they died before it was completed in the late 16th century. Yu means 'Happy' so its the 'Happy Garden'. Lots of halls and quaint structures in the various sections, love!
2. The Bund, Shanghai
Waterfront by the Huangpu River and right across Lujiazui, Shanghai's financial district. The Bund has a lot of historical buildings and boasts of romanesque, gothic, renaissance, baroque, neo-classical, beaux-arts and art deco architectural styles. The girl in the picture is Hu Qianwen or Wendy, my roommate.
3. The Canton Tower, Guangzhou
The Canton Tower, tallest tower in China and 4th tallest freestanding structure in the world, ~440m.
4. The Chen Clan Academy, Guangzhou
The Chen Clan Academy was built by Chen family members in the Qing dynasty as an assembly place for the family's ancestral worship and academy for family members sitting for imperial examinations.
5. Sacred Heart Cathedral, Guangzhou
6. Zhujiang Breweries and Beer museum, Guangdong
10 things peculiar about China
1. People here prefer to drink warm or hot water over cool or cold.
2. When the traffic light turns red, it doesn't necessarily mean stop and green doesn't necessarily mean go. The key is to survive.
3. Spitting is a cultural thing. People spit in my dorm's elevators everyday.
4. Finding soap in public bathrooms is a miracle, cherish it. Somehow, it is assumed water is all you need to have clean hands.
5. Still on hygiene, it is IMPERATIVE that you carry packets of pocket tissues with you everywhere you go, as toilet paper is not provided in most bathrooms since it is assumed you carry tissues anyway!
6. You will get pushed and shoved a lot. It's pointless to be offended, since you will invariably end up pushing and shoving others.
7. Most bathrooms have traditional toilet facilities, which means you have to squat to go. Think positive, reinforcement for you knees, hips and thigh muscles. Finding a water closet in public bathrooms usually makes my day.
8. Watch out for signs whose English translations will have you doubling over with laughter.
9. Walmart sells everything. That includes crocodiles, turtles, you name it.
10. Babies and toddlers have the bottoms of their pants ripped open. Do not be dismayed, this enables them to go to the bathroom (usually on the street, trash can, wherever is most convenient) faster.
2. When the traffic light turns red, it doesn't necessarily mean stop and green doesn't necessarily mean go. The key is to survive.
3. Spitting is a cultural thing. People spit in my dorm's elevators everyday.
4. Finding soap in public bathrooms is a miracle, cherish it. Somehow, it is assumed water is all you need to have clean hands.
5. Still on hygiene, it is IMPERATIVE that you carry packets of pocket tissues with you everywhere you go, as toilet paper is not provided in most bathrooms since it is assumed you carry tissues anyway!
6. You will get pushed and shoved a lot. It's pointless to be offended, since you will invariably end up pushing and shoving others.
7. Most bathrooms have traditional toilet facilities, which means you have to squat to go. Think positive, reinforcement for you knees, hips and thigh muscles. Finding a water closet in public bathrooms usually makes my day.
8. Watch out for signs whose English translations will have you doubling over with laughter.
9. Walmart sells everything. That includes crocodiles, turtles, you name it.
10. Babies and toddlers have the bottoms of their pants ripped open. Do not be dismayed, this enables them to go to the bathroom (usually on the street, trash can, wherever is most convenient) faster.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)