No toilet paper, goodbye socks!

I've decided to avoid words like "awful" or "disgusting" when I encounter the new and...bazaar here in China.  Instead, I will be as objective as possible, laying out facts....while, probably, focusing on things my Western mind is trying to understand.  One of which is the public restroom siti'ation.

I say "Siti'ation" cause, to you my reader, it will be just that.  Exhibit 1:

Now, I'm not going to say this is the toilet at work, or that it does not have a door, nor am I going to say that I'd have to be on the verge of exploding before I use it.  I will, however, like to bring your attention to the lack of toilet paper.  If you are visiting/moving China, note that bringing your toilet paper with you is some what of an expectation. Don't leave your home ignorant to this one critical rule...you'll be forced to use your socks as your body adjusts to the change of food.

All is not gloom and doom though.  I have enjoyed the food here...a lot.  Here are just a few...well...2... I've remembered to capture pictures of:

This chicken and rice reminds me of food I eat all the time at home, but the eggs and tomatoes must be a Chinese thing....I like the school lunch though....ask me again in 6 months. 










This spicy soup stuff was basically DYI.  I got a bowl, put the ingredients I wanted in it and gave it to the cook to make soup....be careful when trying this...you will not be familiar with all the foods and veggies and some may not be as....delectable as they look.  overall...I like this soup.






That's it for today.  I hope you enjoyed reading and will continue to follow my travels.

Ayeshah

Ni Hâo!

Ni Hâo!

I have safely arrived in China and am excited to say I am experiencing the honeymoon phase right now!  Although it’s cold, yesterday was -3C according to a sign I could actually read, I love it.  I lucked out a bit and have been embraced by the foreign community here in TEDA and it’s great.  I lived in Columbus, Ga for 1.5 years and I found it difficult to meet people who shared the same interest as me or didn’t have a family or didn’t make me feel super weird….

BUT, I have found my people here!  Wanna know where very bright expats who get excited over books that include the title Game of Thrones and Philosophy, people who walk all over the city to find HDMI cables so that they can watch internet tv and DVDS on their laptop, people who were bored at home and decided to move to another country where they don’t know anyone or speak the language, people who love to make tentative plans and change them at the last minute, people like me….MI GENTE.

It’s nice to have guides that go to the supermarkets with me…It’s slightly overwhelming not being able to read things and I’m trying to avoid the soju incident of 2008….please ask if you don’t know what I am referring to.  Lol

So far I have found my brother from another mother comrade we’ll call Mo-Mo from the UK and a ginger pal from BC we’ll call Special K.  I don’t usually take to people so quickly, but these two are my lifelines.  WE get on well and have excellent conversations about nothing and everything and they both have access to either a phone or the internet…so I need them, lol.  But definitely solid people. 

Plans for the coming 2 months:

1.       I walk everywhere….or take taxis if I am just knackered.  Also, this school I work at is huge campus with man buildings all spread out and no elevators (my office is on the 4^th floor, but it feels like the 10)!!!!  This is a jolt to my system because in GA, walking was not a logical form of transportation. I have to retrain my body to walk EVERYWHERE again….so as not to look like a complete lazy ass, I am making an effort to walk more and refrain from taking the taxis…although a trip anywhere is like 9¥….I think that’s $2 American…I don’t have a phone or internet in front of me to do conversions, so I am not sure.  Lol

2.       In the same vein as the previous post:  Commence Operation “Get Fine”.  I want to be able to shop in the Chinese shops and not be stared at from being black AND fat, so I am forcing Special K to workout with me a few times a week.  I’m really motivated (or sickened) by people like Mo-Mo the resident jujitsu master and “football” (soccer) aficionado. He spends an inordant amount of time discussing both hobbies in glories detail and teaching strangers about the art of “trianguling” someone…..yes, it’s as weird as it sounds, but I love it!

3.       Spruce up the apartment.  I plan to post a vlog about the place when I get internet and what not, in the mean time imagine that it lacks many of the things you lack when you move and bring things with you other than clothes.

4.       Learn Mandarin…which is really hard.  I need to first get more Pinyan under my belt because reading characters will take too much time out of my actual life…There are 5 different tones in Mandarin and the same syllable with a different tone makes a different word….just like Read and Read (red) but much more difficult because the tones are typical sounds we don’t use in English….I’m probably calling people “Penis Head” when I really want to say “Where is the bathroom”….the struggle is real. 

Anyway, that’s my life so far, not terribly exciting, but I’m in freaking CHINA!  I hope you continue to read my adventures.  :) 

Xíe-xíe,

Ayeshah