China travel

ood, glorious food!

tripchina — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:01:54 +0000

Chinese food is delicious. No, I am not talking about the “General Tso’s Chicken” prepared by Salvadorean immigrants at your local strip-mall. I refer to the masterful culinary expertise of the local people in the Middle Country. My favorite meal is the “egg-pancake”. A young man (with a good sense of humor) places batter on a perpetually-hot circular pan. Next he expertyl cracks open an egg that be places directly on the rapidly-solidifying batter. He then adds cilantro, lettuce, green onion and a chili sauce (that has peanuts in it!). He folds this over, adds “Chinese barbeque sacuce” and a cracker. The result- something similar to the Masala Dosa found in South India, and just as delicious. Price- 2.5 yuan . A close second is the “peanut rice-burrito”. A circular portion of sticky rice is placed on a rolling device, on which is added peanuts, cucumber, a cracker, and some spices (meat and eggs are also available). This concoction is then “rolled” into a burrito-shape and heartily enjoyed. Price- 2.5 yuan . If I’m feeling cheap, there are many deep-fryer mini-restaurants available. They offer a wide range of meats, veggies (cabbage, lecutre, He folds it… He folds it… And adds more sauce and a cracker, then rolls it all up. lotus root, potato) and tofu. You select your skewers, they are deep-fried, and spicy or sweet sauce is added. Price 0.5 apiece. Of course, there is always the jidan chow-mein . At many restaurants, a large plate will set me back 3.5. If I’m feeling adventurious, there is the Pizza with Chinese charactaristics. I always get the “fruit” pizza, with apples, raisins, and celery. Unfortunately, the cheese is not real. Still not a bad treat at eight yuan or a small or thirteen for a large. When I am with a group, we often head to the “English Menu Restuarant”. Its a bit pricey at 5-15 yuan per dish for most items on the menu. Still not bad at all. Excellent service and belly-filling deliciousness. For breakfast, I usually have yogurt, peanuts, coffe, dried fruit and some sort of bread product. Once I week I go shopping for these items, and I usually spend about 20 yuan . I may get slightly fat after eight more months here.

There is nothing more attractive than….

tripchina — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:47:54 +0000

On the way back from breakfast today, I was reminded of one of the special Chinese customs that I have not written about up to this point. I thought it would be good to write about it before it seems to mundane to me. I see it everywhere, except in my classroom. On the streets, in the hallways, and some market areas. In fact many times just the sound of it reminds me of what we are missing in the US.

So today as I was walking back to the teachers buidling from the dining hall. There was a Chinese woman walking toward me. She closely resembled one of our building supervisors. So I wanted to say “Good Morning” but also wanted to make sure it was her. As she got closer I realized this was not the person I thought and then it happened.

I am sure it was her, a petite woman, maybe 5 ft 3 inches tall 100 lbs. If I only had a video camera so I could prove it. Some of you will not believe me. Please reference the picture to make sure you have the mental picture correct. The sound starts in her feet and as the flem builds in her throat it reaches full volume, then out comes a huge loogie. I keep picturing John Belushi as Blutarsky in Animal House. It maybe the secret to so many Chinese staying small. They drop a few ounces many times a day.

My Zhangjiajie Travel Diary

tripchina — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:53:35 +0000

zhangjiajie 1

D1：We arrived at Zhangjiajie in the morning, take bus to “Suo Xi Yu” ,there are many hotels there,in the afternoon,we went to the Yellow Dragon Cave, only half of a day’s enough for this view spot. We lived in “Suo Xi Yu”.
D2：Buy ticket from “Suo Xi Yu”, we took hybrid bus in the square to Tianzi Mountain,then we took cable car upto the He Long Park(hybrid cars in the park are all free of charge),we travel across the Tianzi Mountain,then get down from XiHai, thenwe arrived to Ten-Mile Gallery,we lived in a hotel in Yanjiajie beatyspot,
D3：We spent the whole day to travel cross the Yangjiajie and and the World Highest Bridge in Yuanjiajie.lived in hotel in Yuanjiajie
D4：Went from “Mi Hun Tai” to “Hou Hua Yuan”, we get arrived to the Gold Whip Stream . after that,it’s Yellow Stone Village.
Tips:
The very import 2 scenic spot are “Tianzi Mountain” and “Yangjiajie”.
1. The itinerary is suiable DIY tourist, Yangjiajie and Shentangwan can’t be arrived if you go with tour group
2. You have to go to Yangjiajie, although, it gonna be very tired, you can’t regret
3. you can get to Yangjiajie by foot, but you ‘d better

zhangjiajie 2

to get down by takeing “sedan chair ”
4.You may walk acroos the “Ten-Mile Gallery”, or else if you take car, you may not take good photos.

Homesickness?

tripchina — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:00:47 +0000

Homesickness is a funny thing. It creeps in when you least expect it, most likely brought on this time by the familiar sounds of rain in an unfamiliar place. I think I cried for about a week straight before coming here, and not because I didn’t want to leave. Anyone who knows me knows I get bored easily; I need a change of pace, a new scenery, a new job. I cried because it’s simply hard to leave behind people and a life that you won’t get to be a part of for a year. But, you can’t do all of that AND experience everything you want to experience, so sometimes choices are made and bags are packed. Keeping up with friends and family on the internet is both good and bad- on the one hand, it’s easier to see & hear their voices and it makes homesickness less likely. On the other hand, you see pictures and constant reminders that their lives are still continuing in the states, without you. You see all the fun things you’re missing out on, and you wonder how likely you’ll be able to fit back into their life like a missing puzzle piece when you return. Will it still fit, or will other pieces have moved around, making you unable to be a part?

Then again, no one else is here experiencing this with us. We’ll come back changed people, and it’ll be hard for others in our lives to truly understand what it was that changed us over here. It’ll be funny to come back and do things like use forks, drive, not get stared at, not cut in line, see SO many white people all over the place, be able to read menus and…have real coffee.

It’s funny how life does that to us all. We grow and change so quickly sometimes we can’t even remember when it happened.

I guess I’m not even really homesick. I’ve had days where I wished I was in the states only so that I could go outside without being stared at and get any kind of food I desired. I’ve had days where I really want to spend time with certain friends and family. I get sad when Eli does things like invite me to his 4th birthday party (not until April) and I know that I won’t be there. But I’m still ultimately glad we’re here. We’re making new friends, learning a new language, living in a completely different culture, eating different food and seeing things that we might never get to see again.

Tell us about your lives. Update us. We get to talk to our parents quite often, and I talk to a few friends here and there. You can sit there and read our blog and know everything we’re doing, but that doesn’t mean we know about what you’re doing with your life. I don’t want to come back a year from now and not know anything about anyone else’s life over the past year. You know our email addresses. Better yet, come visit us. No, it’s not as glamorous as Europe…or as easy. But it’s SO worth it.

Hello world!

tripchina — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:38:41 +0000

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