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).