Impressions

So it's been almost a week since I got here to China.  I'm only scratching the surface of experiences.  Yet I do have enough impressions to write about.

Food

SO good.  I've had some home made food, some street vendor food, and restaurant food.  I like it all.  I can tell that my body is processing the food much more efficiently.  I will eat, and be full, and then really hungry again in a couple of hours.  So far I haven't had anything that I don't really like.  Though, funny enough, the Thai curries I've had have been my favorite!  SO GOOD!!  mmmmm

Most food comes pretty cheap here.  You can buy 12 dumplings on the street for about 12 rmb (little less than 2 dollars).  Some restaurants can be a little more pricey.  I went to this noodle place yesterday with Julius.  We had a BIG noodles, potatoes, and meat plate with a lamb sandwich and a coke.  The cost for both of us? 30 RMB (about 5 dollars).  Depending on the type of food and atmosphere you want, it can go up from there.

At home, the Ayi (maid) comes once a week.  She cooks for the entire week though.  Always leftovers to be eaten.  Also, if leftovers are not enough, just order delivery.  Oh, and everyone delivers.  When I say everyone, I mean everyone including McDonalds and KFC.

Drivers

Wow.  Wow.  I don't know how more people don't die from car accidents here.  It's not uncommon for you to see 2-4 cars in one lane at a time side by side.  People more or less just do what they want and watch out for what may come close to hitting them.  People do a lot of honking at each other, yet I don't see much road rage.  It's a very strange phenomenon.

There are a lot of nice cars here.  It seems that most people who have cars have enough money to have nice cars.  A lot of these cars are European cars which are not common in the states. There are also a lot of scooters and motorized bikes to dodge.

People

I wish I could speak Chinese.  Yet, even though I don't, hand signals are doing an ok job for me so far.  I would like to see personalities more by understanding people more, but that's got to come in time.  People are generally nice and just mind their own business.  There are a lot of pretty girls over here!  Though I don't want people to think that means I'm coming home with a wife.  I have a certain need to converse with someone I want to marry.  Though I did get the numbers of a couple Italian girls I met the other night.  Good thing I know just a bit of Italian.

Weather

It's cloudy every day.  Also there is a lot of pollution, so that doesn't help.  Yet its warm.  It's very humid.  April and May will be the big monsoon season.  September and October will be the small monsoon season. Though there are some who say no matter if it's big or small, if season and monsoon are in the same sentence, it's probably not too much different.

Overall

I am happy to be here.  I am still working with a school to get a job.  I am excited to be completely set up and start having different types of experiences.

Oh, and I don't have a camera.  So, until I get the money for one by either waiting to get paid or by people donating to a camera fund, I don't want to hear too much complaining about the lack of photos beings posted haha.

Longest.Journey.Ever

I flew into Hong Kong International airport on Thursday, March 1.  I hopped on a bus coming here to Guangzhou at 10 pm (mistake).  Took shuttle through the border, where the Chinese guard kept looking down at my passport picture and then up at me.  I tried to explain that I was thinner and had less hair then in my picture.  They let us pass, luckily.  Then the shuttle van dropped us off at the bus depot.

At this point I called my friend Julian and I was also talking to a couple of women about where the bus would be taking me.  I ended up just sticking  close by to them on the bus.  When we got to Guangzhou, we got off the bus and the two women helped me fend off hungry taxi drivers.  Actually, one of the women called a cabi friend of hers and he came and picked me up to go to Panyu (district of Guangzhou I reside in).  The other woman helped me change some of my money and gave me a 50 dollar american bill.  I think because I had told her I had just moved here she felt bad for me and wanted to help (also, if you know how much money I came to China in hand with, you would know ho big that was for me).

The taxi driver was very nice and honest, although he was the first Chinese person that showed me how very little English they speak here on the mainland.   We drove about 20 minutes and he dropped me off at a hotel in Panyu.  The hotel was far too expensive, and I had little Chinese money at this time.  It's now about 2 AM.  I can't change my money until 9 am when the banks open.  So what came to my rescue?  Yep, you're right.  I'm lovin it.  McDonalds was open 24 hours.  So I slipped inside with all my luggage and sat down.  Everyone must have thought I was somewhat crazy.  Two in the morning, a tired, white American comes walking in with suitcases and just sits and watches everyone.  Luckily the crowd was mostly young adults sobering up from drinking that night and didn't care.

I spoke with the manager several times, since employees at McDonalds do somewhat speak English, and he was also very nice with me.  He let me use the store phone to call Julian later that morning.  Around 8 am I left my dear shelter and went towards a bus that would take me to Clifford Estates, where Julian lives.  Julian picked me up, and I finally got to rest after what was a very, very long and tiring journey.  I am now at his place for the night and settling in.

Over the next few days I will be settling in, starting a job, getting my own place, getting a cell phone, and getting an electric bike to ride around on.  It's going to be interesting to see how things go over the next few weeks and months.  I am so excited about everything going on and my possibilities here.  I will keep you all up to date on my adventures (Liz).