Extremely Lazy Day

So...I accidentally slept away most of today. It was a combination of things. Jet lag. Being very tired. And, oh yeah, the Cold. Last night, I was so tense with cold that it was almost impossible to go to sleep. I eventually stole one of the blankets off of one of the empty beds, put on a hoodie, and even put on a pair of socks ("even" because I know I'll always pull them off in my sleep anyways). I was still cold.

I think I might have fallen asleep at about four or so in the morning. When I woke up, I looked at my phone and...wtf? 16:30? That couldn't be right. But it was.

So, I scrambled out of bed, which had finally gotten warm (why must beds always be cold when you try to go to sleep but so enticingly warm when you have to get up and leave the warmth?). I walked around a bit, no destination in mind really. I just wanted to explore the area close to my hostel. I got my phone 'fixed' at a China Mobile, because I figured out that the phone had no money on it (even though I purposefully left it with 50 kuai before I left, hmm...). I also found a tea house. It was closed (packed away for the winter, I guess) but looked so cool, especially with the cloudy, humid (and cold) atmosphere of today. It was situated along the river, had a large river wheel, and honestly looked like the bath house from Spirited Away.

Beyond the tea house, there was a park where they had small, artificial wetlands (??). Then the sun set and I was feeling a little sketched out, so I started heading back to the hostel. I really have to get up earlier tomorrow...

UPDATE: I just asked for an extra blanket for my bunk, and it turns out there's a heater in the room! Yay, for my brilliant lack of perception, lol. I AM SO HAPPY! :)

Arrived in Chengdu

I just arrived in my hostel in Chengdu!! Today was long, and technically today started yesterday. Mom took the metro with me and walked with me as far as the train, which I then took to the airport. I was feeling a little gloomy after saying goodbye (it feels like a loonnng time before I go back) but excitement returned. Especially when I got to my gate in London and everyone was Chinese. Plus, being in London made me think of Doctor Who, which I really need to buy while I'm here in China. Where it is super cheap.

Anyway, my plane was super long. I got to Beijing and was so happy, except for the fact that I had to go through customs, picking up my bag, re-checking my bag, whatever. And then I turned on my cell phone for the first time in a month and a half, so excited (and, yes, reminiscing sadly over old text messages), and I tried to text Xiao Zhou. But. It. Did. Not Work. Argh. I don't know what's wrong, but I can't text. I need to figure that out.

So I kind of lollygagged in Beijing, almost got on the wrong plane because I really wasn't paying attention (so tired!) but they stopped me, as well they should. Haha, I would have ended up in Chengdu anyways.

Anyway, the Beijing airport certainly doesn't feel like the China I've gotten to know, so I felt like I "arrived" more so when I landed in Chengdu. I found the bus I wanted to take really easily and ended up next to a Chinese man who had just arrived home to Chengdu (for the Chinese Spring Festival/New Year) from Germany. He spoke English very well and pointed out a few things to me as we went through the city.

Then I took a regular city bus to my hostel. I was nervous about the bus being packed into something like Kunming rush hour extremes, but it wasn't too bad and I figured out my stop easily enough. The hostel was a short walk from there and now I can finally relax properly on a proper chair with internet (and I think I saw hot wings on the hostel's cafe menu, although I'm really craving more Chinese-like food, which I'm sure they have). The hostel is really nice actually. It freaked me out a little, upon arrival - I looked around thinking the hostels I usually go to are a little dumpier and cheaper but whatever the price isn't too bad. I booked five nights. Things are going very well so far! The people here are super nice.

Leaving Paris

So it's Saturday morning (finally!) and I'm leaving in an hour or so. Yay!!! I have three planes and a lot of time before I actually get to Chengdu, but I also have a book, ipod, and Chinese dictionary should I manage to contain my excitement long enough to stop chanting "I'm going back to China! I'm going back to China!"

Okay, that's all really. I have to get dressed now. :)

Salzburg, Austria

I just got back from Salzburg, which was really cold but also kind of awesome. I stayed with my great-aunt, Carole, and her children: Nadia, Arno and Bernard (Nadia's fiance). They were so nice and basically brought me all around Salzburg, showing me all the sights. We visited the Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mozart's natal home and walked around the old town. I could not get over how old everything was! We had tea in Salzburg's oldest cafe (Tomaselli), which was founded in 1705, and then had lunch at Austria's oldest restaurant, Stiftskeller St Peter, which was founded in the 800s! The food there was so good (slices of pork with gravy, something that was a lot like stuffing, and sauerkraut with bits of bacon), but Carole's cooking was also so good. She also bought bread that the monks make at St Peter's and it is really good stuff.

It was also really funny recognizing so many places from The Sound of Music, which Nadia and I watched Friday night (even though it was in English and she doesn't speak English). Nadia also has two horses, one of which I got to ride on Saturday. At first, I was a little intimidated by how massive this horse was (you know those gigantic central European horses used to pull carts and such?) but she was such a sweetie.

I left Monday morning on my train to Mannheim, and took another train back to Paris. Nadia packed me about three days worth of food so I had plenty to eat on the ride. I wish I could have stopped for a bit around Germany - it was weird just taking a train through without actually seeing anything, especially when the train went through towns I'd read about or watched in Monster (an awesome Japanese TV show that's set in Germany and the Czech Republic). Oh well, I'll visit Germany one day. Wow, I can't believe I'm complaining about not being go somewhere when I've already had so many opportunities.

Speaking of which my Chinese visa is due to arrive soon. Only four more days until China!

Julia is so silly...

Corsica

So, I have not updated in a while. I wanted to try a wrap-up entry of the SIT semester, but I was too sad (and busy). Everything was so strange when I first got back. I missed (and still miss) all my friends, crazy drivers, strangers in the street, and just…Chinese-ness. Also, food, like 馒头 (mantou, steamed buns), 饺子(jiaozi, dumplings) and 耳块 (erkuai, rice square things). Not to say I’m not appreciating French cooking. Mom made soufflé a few days ago, yummy.

So, I kind of lazed around Paris the first few days, recovering from re-entry shock or whatever. Then we all went off to Lyon for Christmas at Mady’s (my grandmother) house, with all the cousins. This was the first Christmas I’d ever spent there (that I remember). Julia (little sis) has spent the last five months in Paris, supposedly filling in the gaps in her French, although this particular incident puts doubts in mind: “Mom,” she asked, “how do you say crème brulée in French?”

I’ve also been feeding my newfound Doctor Who obsession, although with the Tenth Doctor gone I’m enjoying the show less. Come back David Tennant!

Oh, and we went to Corsica.





We went to Ajaccio and…some other places. We visited the house Napoleon grew up in, walked along beaches, looked at (too) many churches, and ate lots of food. I’ve been back in Paris for about ten days and been dealing with getting a French passport, Chinese visa. Same old, same old, except I gave my study abroad program the wrong address and now I have to wait in tense anticipation for a new set of documents. Argh.

There’s good news, too, though. I’ve been accepted by a volunteer ESL program in Mianyang, Sichuan for the summer (see here).

And only fifteen days until I head back to China!