Gone fishin'

I will be out of the country for a week on vacation. During that time, I do not even plan to look at a computer. That means no posts for you!

I promise to put up pics of the beautiful beaches in Bali when I get back to Beijing. I am sure there will also be a few good stories to go along with them.

In the meantime, here are a few more random thoughts by yours truly:

1. My sister Rachel just found out she is going to have a little girl. Emma Kay, as she will be called, is due June 8. This means I will be an Aunt X 4!! When and why did everybody start procreating?

2. I have found a new favorite food here in China. It is a crepe with egg, chives and onion. There are also some unidentified sauces and a big crispy thing. Cost=50 cents. Tummy=happy.

3. One of my coworkers was asked to give a speech for Premier Wen Jiabo on Tuesday. It had to be edited, I mean censored, 7 times by our bosses. In the end, they took out every valuable word and turned it into a fluff piece. They verbatim told John that his speech needed more empty words. What a bunch of bull.

4. China is cracking down on porn websites. When our reporters were writing the English version of the story, we asked them to define pornography. You might think it is self-explanatory but porn in China is very different from porn in the west. What a discussion that was! Apparently, anyone naked is considered obscene and sites with naked pictures should be banned. Guess that eliminates one of my new pastimes... j/k.

5. Speaking of porn, one of my newly married, young Chinese coworkers was very intrigued with the idea of free speech in America. When we told him that you could buy porno magazines or look up pretty much anything that you wanted to online, he was floored. He said he would very much like to visit America on his honeymoon to see this for himself. When I told him he might not want to be looking at porno sites with his wife around, he very innocently told me that he would invite her to view it with him. Who knows what they might learn, plus America has all sorts of creative camera angles. I really had to work to keep a straight face during that conversation!

6. Despite the initial excitement, I think the Chinese are beginning to get a little apprehensive about President Obama. He did mention communism in his inauguration speech. Even though it was censored out on TV and in translated versions, my coworkers were able to read the English version online. They found it insulting that he said communism and fascism in the same sentence. Should be interesting to see their reactions and feelings towards him develop over time. On one hand, he represents the idea that anyone can work hard and rise to power. His success story is what they love. His policies towards China might evoke different reactions.

7. I got a perm. Yes, you read that correctly. I actually did this last month but haven't had the time to write the blog posting this experience truly deserves. I don't know what got in to me honestly. One minute I am on my bike, riding home from work. The next, I spot this salon which was always very crowded. On impulse, or maybe I was high from all the pollutants in the air, I went in. It was obviously the first time a foreign had done this because the whole place just froze and went silent. In a normal person's mind, they would rethink this idea and perhaps turn around. I have been in China too long for this sensor to go off anymore. I sat down, was handed a picture book. I don't know the Chinese word for hair cut so I just used my made up sign language to do a dramatic reenactment. They understood. Next I had to establish a price. This is something you have to do before you make any purchases here. If you don't do it you can end up paying much more than intended. This was the hard part. They could give me a cut but oh, I would look so much more beautiful with curls, they said or should I say wrote. By this point, one of the stylists pulled out a laptop and was using a Google translator to write what he wanted to tell me. Very clever of him. We haggled over the cost and finally they settled on giving me a perm for about $45 US dollars.

I was taken back to get my hair washed to a flurry of giggles amongst the customers. The poor guy who had to do this was obviously nervous. He just kept scrubbing away until the guy doing the cut came back and told him to hurry up. Then, while in the chair, I saw the stylist grab the scissors and take a prolonged deep breath. This is when I started to think, hmm, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Oh well, hair grows back and I have had it short before, I thought. After the cut, came the hour long process of putting in the rollers. I don't think it normally takes that long but the guy was again, very nervous to be working on foreigner. He took the curlers out several times to re-wrap my hair. Since they had been so kindly filling me with tea from the moment I sat down, I had to go to the bathroom. Of course this wasn't actually in the salon, that would just be too lucky.

I was led outside, rollers, bib and all, around a building and down a set of stairs to some other building's bathroom. By this point, I just wanted to get this thing over with. Once back in the salon, I was to sit for 30 minutes with the chemical in my hair. During this time, several people tried to communicate with me via the computer translator. They wanted to know if I knew Kobe Bryant, where I was from and why I didn't also want my hair colored while I was there.

After enduring constant attention, it was time for the big reveal. I had the guy trim a bit up front, but all in all, the impulse perm was well worth it.

In fact this brings me to random thought....

8. There are some incredibly creative haircuts over here. Since everyone has the same dark hair, people try to do as much as possible to make themselves unique. The bangs are cut at different angles, perms can be very loose or really crinkly. Plus, the guys really experiment. They can have varying degrees of spikes and colors. I really like it. Who knows what other styles I will try out while I am over here. It is so nice to not have to be on TV and have your boss tell you how to do your hair...

Spring Festival

The year of the OX. When the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, I thought I would see dancing paper dragons and fireworks, people in traditional costume and lots of red lanterns.

Instead, I saw my drunken friends in sombreros downing margaritas. Still fun, but not the vision I had in my head of Chinese new year celebrations.

Turns out I was about 3 weeks off. The Chinese Lunar New Year actually takes place January 26th. They call the week-long celebration the Spring Festival. I am not sure why as it is cold. No snow in Beijing but a bitter wind and low temps.


The Spring Festival is the equivalent of our Christmas,
except without the whole Jesus part. Everyone has a week off and visits their family. Some people I've talked to, haven't been home in a year so this is a big deal for them.

Millions and millions of people will wait in line for hours to get scarce train and bus tickets. Some will travel for days. It doesn't matter, the important part is being reunited with those you love.

Just like our holiday, people buy presents to give one another. That's what these pictures are. Red symbolizes good luck and fortune.

You find red flowers, lanterns, stuffed animals, paper cut-outs, jewelry and even food. The stuff on sticks is fruit covered in hardened sugar. Very tasty.










A coworker also told me that he is expected to give each of his family members money during the Festival. He present about 1,000 yuan to his mother and father. He also is expected to pay his grandparents and cousins if he has any.

It can be an expensive affair, but because he is the working male in the family, he assumes financial responsibility for everyone. Talk about pressure.

He isn't worried about it, that's just the way things are, he says.

Speaking of finances, 2009 is the year of the OX. You see the animal everywhere. There are decorations on doorways, stuffed animals being carried around and even ice sculptures.

The Chinese say this year will be a year of "bull markets," meaning good finances. At least they are optimistic about it.

If you are born in the year of the ox you are very reliable, sincere and have modest ambition. You are also willing to tackle the workload when it becomes overbearing for others and are loyal and compassionate with family and friends. (No, I did not get this off a Chinese place mat.)

I am sure this won't surprise any of you, but I was born in the year of the monkey. That means I am: Imaginative, responsible, humorous, witty, curious, clever and sneaky.

You can find out your own characteristics by going to this website: http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes

According to several sources, there will be dancing paper dragons and costumes during the Spring Festival. Unfortunately, I won't be in China to experience. I will spend my week off on the beach in Bali. Pity.

While I am actually sad to miss this, I have already gotten to see and hear some of the celebration. The time is notorious for fireworks.

Chinese fireworks aren't like sparklers. There aren't safety warnings and restrictions like in the U.S.. These things are actually explosives.

People love them. They scare the shit out of me. With all the tall buildings around me, fireworks make it sound like Beijing is being bombed. My windows shake.

Fellow expats say they have to sleep with earplugs in for an entire week. I can't wait to tease them about it when I get back from the nice, quiet beach where all I will hear is the sound of the waves lulling me to sleep. HA suckers.

Randoms

Between work, parties and a snow festival- I am trying to squeeze in a blog post. There won't be a lot of coherency here, so bear with me.

1. I leave next week for vacation. Technically, I get 5 weeks after working here for 6 months. I have only been here 4 1/2 months (ahhh has it been that long?) but I finagled my boss in to letting me work a couple of extra weekends to save up comp time. The reason? BALI, Indonesia.

Get ready to turn green because this is where I am staying: http://www.hotelpadma.com/

A group of 7 of us are flying down from Beijing and will be at the resort for an entire week. Did I just type the word, resort? YES I DID.

Anyways, the break will be nice. I know I only work 7 hours a day but just going to the grocery store in China can be an exhausting experience. This should give my mind a bit of a break. It doesn't hurt that it comes with a nice tan...

2. Speaking of vacation time, my weeks are already booked. I have visitors coming- yeah! My mom, aunt and cousin will be in Beijing in April for 2 weeks. My sister Katie and her friends will be here for a week in May and then Devon is also planning on a visit. That last one is a shocker but I am super excited to see everyone. I try to relate my experiences over here as best as I can through this blog, email and web chats but you really have to see China to believe it. It will be nice to at least share a base understanding with people.

3. The new apartment is awesome. The old man has not come knocking once. In fact, the only noises I hear come from the school outside my window. The kids are out every morning for exercise drills. It is hilarious to watch. My neighborhood is also a lot more fun. There are tons of places to eat and shop- not that I have a lot of money to spend, cause oh yeah, that's right- I'm going to BALI.

4. Work has gotten significantly busier. The company is expanding in to the TV realm which means hundreds of bureaus around the world, hundreds of new hires and billions of dollars. The problem is that no one here has any TV reporting experience, except me.

This is a good thing because it makes me a pretty valuable asset. Not only will I be conducting training sessions but I am considered somewhat of an expert in this area and am consulted on several issues. It is nice to feel important and valued at work-something I never got in the States.

Plus, it is SO exciting to be working for a start-up. What I do now could potentially impact the way news is covered in this country for years to come. The possibilities are endless and that really invigorates me. Plus, my coworkers- both Chinese and foreign- are really great people. They have taught me so much and make coming to work- fun.

5. I have passed the point where I feel like a tourist. The first few months here were really exciting. I must have been running on adrenaline to get through all that I did in such a short amount of time. Then I hit a low point around Thanksgiving. I really missed my family and friends back home. While I have made friends here, I longed for something familiar. I just wanted to be with people who already knew me instead of introducing myself over and over again.

No matter how homesick I got, or how alone I felt- I can't see myself moving back to the states, at least not in the near future. There really are no career opportunities for me there. I still want to be with those I love, but find I am resolved to make a life here. That means establishing some sort of routine.

I need to go to bed at the same time, not sleep in so much, exercise, make my own meals. There needs to be some normalcy. That is hard to establish because in the course of a day I can see and learn so many new things. Plus, my work schedule changes every week. It is and will continue to be a challenge for me.

The other ingredient in this- no rules.

6. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have no rules. I don't live with anyone, so there isn't that unspoken etiquette of putting away your dishes or making sure you flush the toilet. I can sleep til 2 in the afternoon if I want, without having to feel guilt about how lazy I am because there is no one there to judge me. In China, everyone wears such eclectic clothing there is no need for my shirt to match my pants. Hell, even showering isn't mandatory. It is a cultural thing- people don't judge other people.

Being a foreigner also comes with some leeway. People don't say anything to me if I walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk. I could carry out groceries from the store and probably wouldn't be questioned. I am not sure if the reason is because they can't speak to me and efforts would therefore be useless or because it is a cultural thing not to question foreigners. Either way, my conscious and values keep me in check for most things.

The other stuff is different. I find having to make my own rules, or set my own routine, overwhelming at times. The only thing I have to do is go to work. My free time (and there is a lot more of it over here) is up to me. I wonder- has anyone else grappled with this?

If so, how do you get over it?

Crisco cleaner

Having finally settled in to my new apartment, I hired a woman to come clean it. Yes, I could have done this myself, but when it costs $3 U.S. for two hours of work, why not pay for it?

Lazy? Yes. Economical? Yes? Worthwhile? Probably not.

You see, Ayi's (pronounced eye-eee) here in China are not used to using various chemicals when they clean. A bucket of water and a rag does the trick for everything from wood toglass to your toilet.

Being a bit of a germ-a-phobe, I specifically went to an export only grocery store to buy cleaning supplies like Pledge and Windex. I actually had my mother ship me over a bottle of Comet.

The first time the Ayi cleaned, I had a translator help me show her what the various chemicals were used for. The place was sparkling.

Today, it was just her and me. I figured this wouldn't be too much of a problem. I figured wrong.

From the other room I hear an aerosol spray can being used in the kitchen. Hmmm, I think to myself., "my cleaning supplies aren't aerosol, so what is that noise coming from.?"

I go in to the kitchen to find the Ayi using my can of Crisco cooking oil (which I also bought at the export store) to wash my dishes. She was spray the inside of a bowl with it and wiping away.

She would have no idea of what it was because the label was in English. It also resembled some of the chemicals she used last time to clean with, except it was sitting with my other spices and not the cleaning supplies I had set out for her in the bathroom.

I take the can and use my version of sign language to indicate a pot on the stove. I imitate myself cooking and point to the vegetables on the bottle. She nods signifying her understanding.

An hour later (yes, it took that long to clean the place) I hear the aerosol Crisco can being sprayed again. I go in to the kitchen to see her wiping down the counters with it. Sure cooking oil gives a nice shine to the place, but I can't guarantee it's cleaning properties.

I take the can away for the second time and hold on to it while I call a coworker to translate. She bursts out laughing on the phone with him which means she understood, I hope.

Anyways, I would recommend watching your step in my kitchen as it is a bit slippery.

Speaking of my kitchen, here it is.


Oooh cabinets to store stuff in.... A+

Never mind the wine, look at my purified water!!! No more lugging gallons from the Wu-Mart!!

Yes, the washing machine is in the bathroom, but does your WC have tiles as provocative as these....
Ok, my shower is still by the toilet, but at least now I don't have to heat up my water. 24 hour hot water and a window to look out while dropping a deuce. What more could a girl want?


Bedroom. I already used the line, "This is where the magic happens." Let me tell ya- no magic in this place either.

Great big ceiling to floor window in my sun room. It's great for spying on the children who go to school right next door. Stay tuned for videos...

My built in bookshelves. Too bad all my books are sitting in a storage shed. Feel free to send me some to help the cause. Also notice my desk is actually a desk and no longer my kitchen table.


My entry way. I have my own shoe cabinet, granted it is right next to the refrigerator which does not fit in the kitchen. I view it as a positive none-the-less. I can come home and grab a cold beer before I even get my coat off. AAHH the life.