Ok so here is class.

3 hours a day. 10 minute breaks in between each hour.

Guys…it sounds intimidating but it goes by SO FAST. These teachers know how to teach. They are really incredible and you adapt to their styles. You get a homework sheet every day and have to do weekly recordings and have bi-weekly exams.

Every morning when class starts you have something called dictation. Your teacher will read a couple of lines out loud and you have to write out the characters. It really helps you remember everything you need to and studying for it always applies to what you will be learning in class.

It's fun. You and your classmates will get pretty close. Most of the class sizes are pretty small. You will struggle and succeed together. It's really quite cool.

I absolutely love this program and encourage anyone who wants to learn Chinese to apply for it (whether you know any Chinese or not).

If you do not know any Chinese, don’t be scared. It’s not impossible to learn and you wont be the only one on the program who doesn’t know Chinese. 

You not only use Chinese in the classroom, but also outside in the day-to-day. So, all of your lessons apply to situations you will encounter when you least expect it.   

Some people in China speak English, but it's not guaranteed. This forces you, in the most proactive way, to study, practice, and really learn this awesome language. 

Overall, I’ll give this program a 10 out of 10. If it should improve, I am jealous of all you will get to experience. Just know, you’ll be a stunna in no time. 

And on top of all the learning, it's really fun. 

In the SUFE program, you are lucky enough to get a Chinese roommate. 

When I say "Chinese," I mean REAL Chinese. Born and raised (typically) in China these roommates, with their Chinese culture and language, are a part of this program to help you you’re your Chinese and learn about all of your foreign-person traits. Typically, the roommates will know some (or a lot of) English and can help you get acclimated to Chinese culture, help you with the language, your homework/essays, and become a great ally (or hopefully a good friend) during your stay.

This part of the program is really incredible and forces daily face-to-face encounters with an unfamiliar culture. 

Now…for 顾玉华！(Guyuhua)

First, I would like to state that I am incredibly lucky to have had her as my roommate. 

When I first arrived in China I had two days without a roommate. I was SO nervous to meet her. Before I arrived at the door to my room in China, I didn't even know her name, let alone where she was from, how much English she knew, what she was like, etc. So, when I arrived at room 410 in the dorm and saw the name below mine was “Vna” I felt like I knew her. That is a lie…

I was in shock. I couldn’t even begin to fathom how I was supposed to pronounce that kind of name. 

Side note: All roommates have English names that they are either given in grade school or have chosen for themselves – other names on the trip included “Fancy,” “Indy,” and “Sasha.” Needless to say, I was confused and still nervous. I was going to be living with a complete stranger with a crazy name for the next four months. 

Two days passed after move-in and I fell in love with the people in my program. They were funny and excited and ready for the adventures to come. 可以！

Getting used to a certain group of people and a quickly forming dynamic, I was less than ready to meet my roommate – or have any of the other roommates move-in too. But, time is a funny thing and just as expected my roommate moved in. 

It was inevitable. She appeared out of thin air.

She was in our room when I got back from lunch (or something) with my new friends. She had one suitcase and books already in the shelf. 

Fun Fact: The “V” in “Vna” was a mistake. The name she chose was “Una,” – makes a bit more sense in English.   

We just stared at each other for a bit, said “Hello!”…

…then this happened: 

Me: "I don't know any Chinese…"

Una: "My English, not so good…"

Then we just nervously laughed a bit together. I couldn't even ask, "How are you?" in Chinese. 

Thank goodness for the intelligence of our program director. A trip was scheduled to encourage bonding between the American and Chinese roommates. We piled in a bus and journeyed to the Pearl Tower to begin our tour around the city. 

About 60 20-somethings, American and Chinese alike walked about Shanghai arm-in-arm or side-by-side. Needless to say we had a lot of pictures taken.

This was the moment that I realized what I was in for…the weirdest and most positive roommate experience of my young life. 

Even though her English wasn’t great and my Chinese was non-existent, we laughed a lot. 

For people who literally knew nothing about each other, we got along famously. 

Actually, we went a little crazy (call it jet lag, call it excitement, it was insanity). 

Then it happened – sort of the defining comment that would perfectly and constantly describe our time together.

Her friend, Sasha, said something to Una that made her really laugh. Curiosity killed me and I asked the obvious, “What?” 

She replied that Sasha said: 

“You two have the same character: CRAZY!"  

And that was it. From then on it was out in the open and true for the rest of the semester. She and I have been “crazies” and crazy-great roommates through and through. Without her, this experience would not have been as incredible or life changing – of that I am sure. 

Also – and bring the judgment, I care not – I taught her “Kiss You” by One Direction and had her listen to “Bangarang” by Skrillex. I’ll let you know now…Skrillex is not that common in China, but One Direction is. 

Go ahead; weep for your loss of faith in humanity and overwhelming desire to listen to at least one of their hits (you wont be the first).  

This weekend was full of laziness, relaxing, and then some daring feats. 

My roommate invited me over to her house for lunch this past Saturday. Obviously, I was reluctant to agree. And by that I mean that I jumped up and down when she asked me and nodded so much that I could've cracked my neck. We were both excited.

So, at 10 am on Saturday - after a very quiet and well-behaved Friday night - Una (her Chinese name is pronounced Guyuhua) and I got our things together and hopped on the metro. 

Her home is about an hour or so away by metro. It was a long trip, but it was filled with conversation and a lot of laughter. I've said it before, we have the same character. 

Once we arrived in her home town we went to the market and she asked me what I wanted to eat for lunch. "Whatever you want to eat, I will try," I said to that dastardly child. "Ok," she said with a dastardly smile. What did she pick? Why, pig snout and some animal ears, uh duh! I'm not the biggest fan of meat to begin with…so there was a lot of nervous laughter and gagging to go along with her choice. BUT, YOLO. Right?

We walked to her home after purchasing those piggy sniffers and I was instantly filled with delight. She lives in an apartment on the third floor of a complex. Her parents know no English but they greeted me with open arms and a pair of slippers. 

Her dad is very funny and her mom is so incredibly cute. They were both so welcoming and warm. Clearly, there was a language barrier. We looked at each other for awhile wishing we could actually have a conversation, but Una was able to talk to them and translate a bit for us. This is one of those many moments I wish I knew more Chinese than I do. 

Anyways…THERE WAS A LOT OF FOOD. A lot. It's also impolite to refuse food, so, I was bursting by the end of the meal. Halfway through I was full, and then I was bursting. There was a lot of fish, shrimp, roots, and different kinds of meat that I didn't know how to eat. Whenever I had a problem, I would look at Una and she would give me a tutorial. 

Her dad asked a lot of questions about America and I talked about my family for a bit. He told me I looked very young and he asked me if we had the food they were serving in America. My answer: Yes…but we don't usually eat them. It was cool to actually make that observation. Since coming here, I've just accepted the culture and food. It's been awhile since I thought about life here in comparison to life in America. 

After lunch, Una and I looked at pictures of her and her family from the early years until now. She's adorable. Still is. Always will be. 

We took lots of pictures and I gave hugs to the lot before we departed. I was invited back. For that, I am very grateful. 

Una and I then took a cab to a very popular outdoor market that is near her home. She told me that she doesn't like going there because she has been so many times before, but she wanted me to see it. It was absolutely beautiful and filled with people, even on a rainy day. At this point, neither Una nor I had money to spare...for me, that means I've had a wonderful time studying abroad in China and traveling. We ended up buying some banana cakes (in the shape of bananas) that were fantastic. They also had pig feet and stinky tofu. But, no. Never again.

It began to rain and we made our way to the subway. One hour (or so) later we got back to our dorm. We were delusional and exhausted, but both smiling. 

She napped, like a smart young lady, and I did not. That's alright. I slept in Sunday and spent the day blogging and doing homework. 

Ah, the life.   

5.10.13

OK. So we have a friend who is from Kunming. When did I find this out? When we got back to Shanghai. Kunming…was nothing special. 

Early in the morning we flew from Shangri-la to Kunming. 

After arriving Kunming, we immediately wanted to go back to Shangri-la. 

I'm sure it's a nice place, but we had neither the money nor the desire to go farther than a two-mile radius of our hostel. 

The highlight of the day…well, playing cards. 

In the evening we had a French Press of Yunnan coffee at the local Starbucks. We ate, shopped, and slept soundly.

5.11.13

It really was a place to rest. We spent the day reading and I drank too much coffee (more than one person should be able to handle). But I had two drink tickets and a Starbucks down the road. What was I to do? 

I finished The Girl Who Played with Fire and was just so happy. It was an exhausting day.

We ate dinner at the hostel and bonded. 

Basically, we all love Shanghai. We miss home in some respects. Are excited for our futures. Really, we all love life and are very appreciative of what we have. 

5.12.13

8:00 am flight. Got up at 5:15 am.

5.15.13

So…on the 11th we all maybe went out in not the best mindset and had street food (amazing scallops cooked in such amazing spices…dumb…and I had dumplings…). I got food poisoning right when we got back to Shanghai. Justin got sick the next day. Chase the next. 

Great end to a great trip. Stay away from street seafood. Even if you're a couple beers in.  

5.7.13

Up nice and semi-early, we grabbed the breakfast and caught a cab to the airport. We hopped on the plane, landed in Lijiang and got a sketchy cab/van with a couple who lived and worked in China for many many years - enough that we trusted their judgement despite the sketchy cab/van scenario. We said our goodbyes after dropping them off at their hotel and got on a bus to Shangri-la. We were the only 3 going there...on a coach bus. And the scenery was brilliant and wild and rural and mountainous and green and alive and incredible. 

The gents and I were pleased with the trip. We were able to rest during that 3 hour tour of the countryside. It's amazing that places like this exist. You forget...that donkeys just hang out on the side of the road and mountains are part of the scenery that people are used to.  

We passed herds of goats...or they really passed in front of our bus. We turned corners to see rainbows breaking through the rain. There were small houses with rocks holding down the rooves and Tibetan women walking along small donkeys, carrying water or food or whatever the imagination can dream up. The scenery was like something you wouldn't believe. There were animals on the cliffs and men in business suits digging in the dirt, enjoying the rocky ravine. The setting sun, the passing clouds, the snow-capped mountains hidden by the falling dusk. Like a dream. 

And then we arrived in Shangri-la. We made it and the air was thin. It was apparent. 

We chose a sketchy van driver out of the bunch to take us to Old Town for only ten renminbi - not bad my friends, not bad at all. The altitude was insane and we could all feel the effects of the lacking oxygen. Weak and weary we went down a road that seemed much longer than it was. After attracting many a native with our "I'm lost" looks, we made it to our hostel. 

I had about twelve laughing attacks and could barely breathe, but Chase and Justin felt it too. We were exhausted, I was sassy, and we were starving. It was time to eat. 

After exploring a bit we asked our good friends at the hostel where we should go to eat. We then found our favorite restaurant in all of Shangri-la. It would see us all three nights of our stay: Arro Khampa!. We feasted on yak and vegetable dishes that left us wanting more, but instead of spreading ourselves thin (in the form of energy and expenses) we returned to our hostel to sleep. 

5.8.13

Our hostel was beautiful. It was called The Shangri-la Lamtin Hostel and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. Meaning…go nowhere else. 

There is and indoor and an enclosed outdoor area to sit and relax, drink a beer, read a book, etc. We spent this morning exploring the town, bartering for scarves and beads, and obsessing over all that the city had to offer. We tried the seemingly popular "Yak Butter Tea" and "Yak Cheese with Honey." We tried...and yes everything just tasted like butter and I don't care who you think you are but no one can drink straight butter. Hot butter tea...it ain't right. We ordered bread, cursed ourselves for ordering the BIG pot of tea and went back to the hostel.

After more reading and relaxing we went back to Arro Khampa! and all agreed (again) that this place was brilliant. Enlightened. Fulfilled. Poetic. Etc. 

Arro Khampa! has a magnificent atmosphere. The dining is upstairs and perfectly spaced out. There is a fireplace near the stairs and the owners have their dog as a lovely and calm reminder that life is simple. The lighting is warm and makes everything around you seem just as warm as you are. Each dish is brought out separately and right when it is ready. It is incredible. The owner - Damien - is friendly and French. He is classy and wears collared shirts. If you are lucky he will be wearing his tall and warm boots when you first meet him. They're a lovely sight to see. His wife is beautiful and wears the perfect amount of sweaters to match her delicate and calm aura. I'm sorry to get so detailed, but I do not kid when I say that it was a magical place. We were so relaxed and so at peace while we were there. We talked about art and life and literature. Ho hum, I know you must judge but do not deny that you've been there at one point in your life - in a place of unabridged happiness and peace. To top it all off, we seemed to be the only non-French people there. Clearly, word spreads from Frenchman to Frenchman. So in the background, as we are conversing and becoming slaves to the flavorful food that became the centerpieces of our table, there were the soft and thoughtful conversations in that terribly romantic language. There's really nothing not to love. 

To top it all off, that night I was able to enjoy a cup of Yunnan coffee in a ceramic mug. It was the best coffee I've had in China so far. 

The night ended with Egyptian Rat Screw and the loss of two aces from a deck of cards that cannot be replaced...whoops!! My apologies to my good friend, Justin. 

It was a really wonderful evening, and then to bed, to bed we went.

5.9.13

Even a rainy day in Shangri-la is absolutely perfect. 

We greeted the rainy day with a goal: to see the Songzanlin Monastery. Something beautiful. 

We found our same van-man (really, he found us) and headed to the bus station after breakfast. We got student tickets and got on the bus where a little girl, determined to open a pack of Oreos, opened that pack, ate one, and then gave one to each of us. She. Was. I just can't even. We died and took pictures...

The ride was short and all of the sudden we were awestruck by the beauty of the monastery and explored mostly in silence and appreciation. 

There are some things in this world that you see and can't believe. The statues, the lifestyle of the monks, the peace, the difference in culture. The scenery. There were so many things I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams. 

In one of the main temples there were two monks praying quickly and in sync. That is part of their life. That is incredible. Really, this experience made me want to study religion even more. It's fascinating what we hold near, dear, and true to us. 

When we were satisfied, we went back to Old Town and then our hostel to refresh and decide where to eat. We shopped for a bit and then got yak burgers………yak, is my favorite meat ever. 

It is, just as Borderlands 2 is, the best. 

I bargained, got some fantastic gifts - sister, get ready - and found out from the Tibetan store owners that a café right near our hostel (Somewhere Else Café) was owned by Dutch folk...so naturally, their chocolate was going to be legit. The boys went back to the hostel and I checked out the café. Obviously, I fell in love. 

Justin and I ventured to the café where we found books and games. He taught me how to play Dominos, which is actually so fun, and we had some real, REAL hot chocolate with REAL whipped cream. I also had a REAL chocolate chip cookie. Chase joined us, got the best brownie in all of China, and the three of us played Egyptian Rat Screw, Dominos, and read together. 

It was sweet. 

Then, for the third and last time, we had dinner at the Frenchman's kingdom. The restaurant of glory. We had steamed yak meat in spices, a yak calzone (which was more like a mutton pie), Pu'er tea, and Momo dumplings. It was amazing. We retired to our hostel, said one last goodbye to our beloved streets, and got ready for the next day.

5.6.13
We arrived to our hostel (Chengdu Traffic Inn Hostel) in Chengdu very late. Late enough that we couldn't do math and I almost cut the head off of the receptionist because he may or may not have been trying to keep our change...we had no change. I was embarrassed. Alas, a good night sleep in a triple-bed, private room allowed us to greet the next day with energy and excitement. We tastefully greeted the morning looking fresh and smelling the same. Breakfast included eggs and coffee downstairs. 

After conversation and delight we hopped on a bus to go see the pandas. Ok. The boys did an incredible job finding out where we were supposed to get off. Brilliant. I could have not done it with my elementary language skills. So thank the Lord above that they were there, persistent, and divine. With the help of our hostel, a school girl, our program director, and a grandfather, we got off at (basically) the last stop. From there we walked down the highway to the China Giant Panda Breeding Research Foundation. Panda. Breeding. Foundation. Pandas. Pan. Da. S. 

Needless to say we paid to enter the park and made our anxious ways to the first panda exhibit and, as anyone could have guessed......we died slowly and willingly from the life-destroying cuteness. Pictures. There are so many. The facility is absolutely beautiful and I highly recommend the trip. It's absolutely worth it. They were roaming around and relaxing. The cubs were stumbling around and being blindingly adorable. The two gentlemen and I were in shock and awe at every cuddly sight. 

Then I had to..........yes........hold a panda. 

It was 2000 renminbi (320 US DOLLARS) my friends. So is food for two months in China...but who needs to eat right? 

After a disturbing PowerPoint presentation that made a point to discuss a baby panda's inability to poop in its own...I went into the facility with another out-of-pocket-payer from San Francisco. We peeled bamboo and got scrubbed up, exchanged cameras, and then OH MY GOSH HOLY MOTHER OF BEARS THERE WAS A PANDA BROUGHT OUT AND THEY TOLD ME TO SIT DOWN AND PUT THE DAMN THING ON MY LAP AND MY ARMS WERE AROUND A BABY PANDA BEAR AND IT WAS REAL AND ALIVE AND SUCH A BABY AND SO CUTE AND I DIED AND KEPT DYING AND GOT SO MANY PICTURES AND WANTED TO DIE RIGHT THERE AND BE GRANTED INTO PANDA-PLAYTIME HEAVEN FOREVER AND EVER. 

Ah. He was so cute. He was so young. So cute. 

These people are smart. They make you peel bamboo for the baby to chew on while you hold it so it doesn't freak. Honestly, you could bounce that thing on your knee and scream "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen and it wouldn't care if it had some bamboo to chew on. There was an instant in which it lost the bamboo, woke up from its trance and almost started trying to get free, but then it was given another stick and went back to it's sleepy-eyed content. 

But it was so cute. I'm so sorry not sorry for the repetition. But, pandas.  

They printed out a picture for me after and put it in a rad frame and I got more swag and more pictures and I didn't stop smiling or freaking out even after I left. Chase and Justin had to deal with the silent squealing and unnecessary but so necessary smiles and happiness and death and rebirth of my soul because pandas all the way home. 

We got ice cream and headed back to the hostel and Justin got sick and stayed in and then Chase and I went to get hot pot. Hot pot. 

Hot Pot is Chase's favorite food/meal, mind you. Chengdu is a place he has wanted to visit for a very long time, so it was very cool to share this meal with him. He ordered and the owner took kindly to us. She mixed our sauce and stayed with us to show us what to cook where - aka she took it upon herself to setup our dishes. We got beer and then proceeded to eat. It was incredible and we were stuffed by the end of our two hour meal. 

We went back to our poor friend at the hostel, saw he was better, and spent the night sharing stories and having a good laugh in the hostel's lounge. Good end to a good day.

Wise words to take to heart: China doesn't know chocolate or proper labeling. I don't care what you've experienced, but I've had too many "chocolate" cakes, brownies, biscuits, etc that are not what they claim to be. Liars. Packaged foods too. Just..........if you want chocolate........just take everything with a shaker (not a grain) of salt. Ok...there you go. I can't even begin to describe the (not even true to advertised) brownie sundaes...the horror...that Chase and I tried to eat. Stick with Oreos. 

5.3.13 - 5.4.13

It all started with a test. Doesn't is always? HAH. (insert Chinese language exam and the tears) JKJK.

Post test, Ariana and I taught a class about "clothes" (i.e. shirt, skirt, socks, shorts) to our beloved 1st graders. Her mother was visiting so she came along for the ride and the class (which, you could really consider both some sort of "ride"). The children were excited and enthusiastic this class which definitely made teaching them more fun - especially in front of another American observer. Here we go - advice that maybe some of you already know - it is a little bit dangerous to bring around the word "socks" to first graders. After a couple of repeats in class, Ariana and I really couldn't tell what word we were trying to say anymore. 

So, try it…pretend you aren't fluent in English. Try and say "socks" over and over again. Try it. …yeah so we won't be going back to "socks" for awhile. 

It was really cool to have her mom there, though. In the cab, at the school, and on the way back, we were telling her about so many adventures we have had. We were explaining things, now normal to us, that may or may not have confused her. We had a lot of "wow, we've been here awhile" moments, which did nothing but make us smile and talk about copyright laws…clearly.

But the time came to go back to campus and finish packing. At 5:45 pm the gentlemen and I made our way to the train station (snacks in hand, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed). 

We had originally booked four hard sleepers - one for each of us and for our MIA friend (Shaina, who decided to go to Japan last minute). We assumed that we would have a room to ourselves. No. We got on the train and found that our sleepers were not private, Chase and his tallness had no business being there, and that fitting three beds on either wall from floor to ceiling is possible. Safe? Maybe. Possible? Definitely.

Chase and I were in one room (we both got the middle bunk - score.) and Justin ended up in the room next to us. We made the most of the experience. 

We popped champagne (because that was appropriate) and ate some delicious snacks (Lays, Pringles, dried meat) while partaking in conversation with our cellmates. Oh my goodness forgive me I meant "cellmates." -_- <--- Asian for "like, OK"

I had a terrible night sleep, but it was an experience. Shout-out to Chase for shoving all of his belongings in my bunk so that he could stretch out. Maybe I'm over a foot shorter than you, but I didn't get to stretch out at all…thank you. It was an experience nonetheless and I would not trade it. There's nothing like sweating up a storm with five other sleeping bodies, being the recipient of secondhand smoke in a small box, and waking up to the morning light casually making its merry way through the window right by your head. It really was beautiful though. Watching scenery pass by that I had never seen before and will never see again was priceless. (this has been a semi-sarcastic rant)

We arrived in Xi'an after the 14-hours of travel and found quickly that the cab drivers there didn't actually know where our hostel was. We made it anyway after a lot of pulling to the side to "phone a friend" and tell us we were making trouble for him. What a guy. I'm gonna MISS HIM!

We stayed at a hostel called The Hang Tan Inn. We had a private shower and a six person room that held a man from Japan, a girl from (I have no idea where), a European, and these three Americans. We bathed and it was a big deal, made our way over to the Muslim District, and tried all of the street food we could get our hands on (from lamb skewers, to plum drank, to fried bananas, and back again). We tried out the mosque, enjoyed our time in the markets, and then made our way over to (apparently) the Small Goose Pagoda. 

The park was beautiful…the Pagoda made us want to cry. Or scream profanities. Tall, small, tired, and out-of-shape people beware. If you know yourself as a bitter person, this will not help calm the chip off the old personality block. The stairs were slippery and slanted, the ceilings were low, and to get to the top…well it was a bigger version of those hamster tubes made of wood…they don't make them for people on purpose. 

When we were finished climbing back down, sweaty and tired, we decided to not take a cab. Encouraged by the lack of cabs, we were. INSTEAD, we took a rickshaw/motorbike/bicycle-built-for-two. For over 15 minutes, Chase, Justin and I (clearly I was the lap-dog) sat in this cart-like metal contraption and were very much susceptible to oncoming traffic. It was so much fun and absolutely worth less than 5 U.S. dollars. 

That night we decided to bike on the wall surrounding Xi'an. It was incredibly beautiful. When we were at the Small Goose Pagoda we were told by two German women that it was open until 10:00 pm. We went at 8:00 pm. Of course that would be enough time. 

Quickly, I would like to point out that this was my favorite part of our trip to Xi'an. I loved everything else, but I haven't been able to bike in months and it is my absolute favorite type of exercise and mode of transportation. Getting to see the city from the top of the wall was also amazing. Not to mention, we rode bikes on the wall of Xi'an. 

After riding, taking pictures, and really taking our time, it was 9:00 pm and we weren't even halfway around the wall. If we didn't get to the bike rental place, we would not be getting our (total) 900 renminbi deposit back. There's nothing like having the thought of losing money as your cheerleader while you bike furiously and without slowing down around the wall of Xi'an. It's not the smoothest path. Nor can you really tell how far you've gone until you actually reach the end. It was fun. We were dead and could barely walk, but it was a fantastic workout. 

We took showers, went to the bar across the street, and called it a night. 

5.5.13
On this day we took a trip with a bunch of other expats to see the Terraccota Warriors. It was insane. Amazing. Dusty, even. Our tour guide was bubbly and bright. We went to the 2nd pit, 3rd pit, and then the 1st pit - because the 1st is the best and why not save the best for last? Our guide was extremely realistic and I'm so appreciative that we had her. She didn't waste any time in telling us the history and significance of every site. She also did her best to skip any idiotic touristy mumbo-jumbo that would've cost us a pretty penny and a whole lot of disappointment. All hail Lady Jia-Jia. Yes. Lady Jia-Jia. :) I was able to speak to some Americans that were in our tour group also, which I really enjoyed. They've been working in China for about a year and they seemed to be pretty tired of it. In my travels here, I have met Americans who've lived here for 3+ years and never want to leave. To each their own. 

All was wonderful. We returned to our hostel around 5:00 pm and Justin and chase went to the Muslim district again to get food. I was a bit run down so like a good girl I downed two gatorades, a banana, breakfast for dinner, a huge water, a coffee and read The Girl Who Played with Fire outside in the enclosed terrace of the hostel. It was cool and it rained and it was perfect. 

After the guys got back and finished playing a game of pool, we headed to the airport to get on a plane to Chengdu. 

It was panda time. 

I went to Beijing. That’s it. From March 21st to the 24th...

Just kidding. There is so much to tell and not enough space, time, or words in the English language to express the overall brilliance of this experience. I’ll try, though. 

I travelled after the Economic Giant course on Thursday evening. Travelling with me were my jolly-good, chummy-chums Shaina, Ariana, Chase, and Justin: a delightful bunch of gents and Juliets. 

After taking a taxi, a plane, and another taxi* we arrived at the Song Hua International Youth Hostel on a small, quiet, dark, and shady side street. Our taxi driver didn’t want to drive down it…questionable. 

There were a lot of firsts on this trip for my good friend, Shaina. She gets a shout out for staying at a hostel for the first time in her life, for being the main translator at 12 AM for a taxi driver with a thick Beijing accent and no idea where he was, and for eating the mushrooms at Liqun (where we consumed the famous Beijing Kaoya). 

The hostel was wonderful and we had our own room with bunk beds. Clearly I chose the top bunk and clearly that is an important fact (it’s not, my apologies). We passed out and decided to tackle Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City the next day. 

We rose up and headed over to Tiananmen Square – after realizing that Beijing dumplings are 100% better and more delicious/divine/Godly/brilliant than those in Shanghai (ohmygodtheyweresogood) – where we took pictures of Mao, Chinese tour groups, and ourselves. The pictures speak for themselves. We had a good time. 

Immediately after being hams and failing at the classic “jump-shot” we went over to the Forbidden City. It was incredible, but I wish I knew more history than I do – I’m sure it would have been even better. Fun Fact: PEOPLE ARE PUSHY AND HAVE NO IDEA THAT PERSONAL SPACE IS A THING AND IF YOU WANT TO GO AND ACTUALLY SEE THE ROOMS IN THE BUILDINGS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY THEN YOU BETTER GET YOUR JERSEY-STRONG-FIST-PUMPING ARMS READY AND ELBOW THE HECK OUT OF LITERALLY EVERY PERSON YOU PASS BY. If not…you’ll go nowhere in life. Lessons: 1) Be aggressive in China. 2) Be aggressive at tourist attractions in China. 3) Take a break right after…or you’ll just start yelling and furrowing your brow into wrinkle-city. 

Then my blood sugar got low; I got dehydrated, and almost died. It was great. 

Good thing my good friends Ariana (Mary Poppins, Doctor, Wine-Connoisseur - the savior of my life) and Shaina (she loves mushrooms…and casually attends an Ivy League) were there and concerned and willing to take care of me. I wont go into gritty details…let’s just say I was a 4-year-old with a tummy ache for the next 6 or 7 hours. I recovered late, we got dinner, and then we all passed out. 

The Next Day (the most important day of all) WE WENT TO THE GREAT WALL LIKE CHAMPS. Another fun note: I had a health monitor the entire day with hydration and nourishment checks, blood-sugar checks, energy checks, etc. I consumed a lot of liquids that day. 

ANYWAYS: THE GREAT WALL (2013)

We rented a car (who was ours for the day) to take us to The Great Wall. It was a 1.5 hour trip – no hassle and absolutely worth the money we spent. It was a chilly, sunny day, and we went to a part of the wall that wasn’t as touristy, or crowded. 

To get up to the wall (where we wanted to be) we took a ski lift. It could be considered questionable…and it was amazing. Taking the lift started the adrenalin rush and the way down made it last (but I’ll get to that in a bit). Also, I may or may not have sung Mulan on the way up the ski lift. Meaning I did and it was wonderful. 

Fact: I didn’t realize that the wall was mostly made up of steps (of all shapes and sizes), so, the first 30 minutes of our trek on the wall (for my friend Chase and I) consisted of overdramatic gasps for air, struggle-busing up the steps, and posing for pictures. 

There were vendors with beer and water every couple hundred feet – which is hilarious because they sell chocolate and drinks for more than you should ever pay for those things ever. One hit me as we passed him…it was a joke but I’m a wimp and he had a moustache so I don’t really know what else to say about that (I liked his uniform).

The most amazing thing happened though. My friend Chase and I went ahead and off the beaten path. We climbed down some side stairs, into the brush below, climbed up a very steep hill, and began to walk upon a part of the wall that isn’t really supposed to be occupied. It was falling apart. It was brilliant. 

As we walked on the wall we got farther and farther away from the noisy tourists, away from the vendors, and closer to the natural beauty of the great wall. There were parts of the path 6-inches across. Barren trees were riddled throughout the walkways and the weather-worn walls still in-tact were slim to none. As we walked, the air was still, our minds were quiet, and it began to snow. I don’t know if I’ve ever smiled that much. It was the most peaceful experience I have had here so far and I don’t think I will ever experience a moment like that again. Every second was like a lifetime and it truly didn’t feel like anything else in the world existed. No past, no future…it was a moment. It was a time experienced in the presence. 

After some time – and I couldn’t tell you how much time – we met up with the rest of the group and a concept of time was restored. Naturally, we did The Harlem Shake with a group of people our friends met. That snapped us back into reality very quickly. 

We decided it was time to go and proceeded to the exit…which, clearly, was a toboggan ride down the mountain. There really isn’t much more to say. It was like being a child again and I didn’t stop smiling until I fell asleep in the car ride back to the hostel. 

After a nap and a pit stop at KFC, we arrived at our hostel, got all nice and pretty, and went to a restaurant once graced by the presence of Anthony Bourdain: Liqun. This is where we had our Beijing Kaoya. It was impressive, to say the least.

Later that night we met up with Chase’s friend Kat and I was able to meet up with my neighbor’s grandson and the night was grand. 

The next day we went to the silk market and a Starbucks…because…well…we were exhausted. We ran around, got some food, and headed over to the airport in the evening and took our time getting back to Shanghai. 

* Shaina did an amazing job translating, but the Beijing accent of our cab driver was so thick it was a struggle. They add an “r” to the end of a lot of words, which makes some very simple phrases difficult to understand. It was also 12 AM and we had been travelling since 5 PM. Our cabby barely knew where he was going, made a lot of U-turns, needed to get out of the cab and ask locals where to go, and called our hostel twice to get us to our destination. Needless to say…we were grumpy. I’m not sure how quiet – used loosely – I would have been if he spoke English…or if I spoke more Chinese. So, bravo Shaina. 

It was a wonderful trip. 

This Friday we had an exam and it was wonderful. 

I’m just joking...but we had an exam. 

A couple of things were accomplished on this day and the next:

1)   Saw the weirdest dried food in China so far at a supermarket in the mall. Pig face. 

2)   Bought little cakes, a badminton racket set, turkey-flavored Cheetoes, and stole Costa coffee sugar packets for a friend’s birthday.

3)   Went out and celebrated the birthday of this friend. 

4)   The next day, surprised her with the cakes.

5)   Had a celebratory and deliciously American meal at Pizza Hut.

6)   Celebrated more at a club.

7)   The End. Happy Birthday Shaina! 

We also went on a tour of YuYuan Gardens with our program director. It is so beautiful and the memories we made are priceless. 

It’s about 60 degrees Fahrenheit today, and the sunshine, warm breeze, and lack of a jacket has put me in an INCREDIBLE mood. Last night, I spent most of my time writing an essay, rereading notes, munching on snacks, and wishing I had an American coffee pot and some Foldgers in my cup – ho hum.

Chinese class was shiny and bright and we finally learned how to count – which I knew a bit because I spent a 30 minute cab ride with my friend Collin stumbling over “yi, er, san…shi,” messing up tones, and being corrected and shone-up by a very funny and patient taxi driver. 

I have decided (after being here for about two weeks) that I’m in love with China. Wait, I already said that? 

Side Note: I have funny friends here. The past two economics classes I have been to began with me laughing so hard and silently that I cried…and tried to stop…and failed. I’m that kid.