I have been talking to my security guards more and I'm really going to miss them. They are my only Chinese friends in Shanghai. We laugh and talk and one guy complains to me all the time haha. We figure the differences with china and America and I get to look into their mindset. Sometimes it seems like they are blocking me when I say anything is possible, but I'm more aware now of why they would give up some goals in life. But overall I think China is doing better.
Another note that I want every girl to remember is that : Chinese men are not afraid to get close!!! It seems like one guy claimed me and so he was the only one to be so close that our hats touched when talking sometimes. I wanted to explain to him that in America we have unconcious space!! hahaha The others would wait for him to leave to get close but they wouldn't be THAT close. Oh well, I'm more comfortable now with my bubble being popped. I think it makes me feel more welcome too. I'm gonna miss that closeness.
My program friends and I went to the tallest bar/lounge in the world called Cloud 9. It was great we all dressed professionally, or at least no jeans or sneakers, and we ate and drank and enjoyed being upper class. Of course when we left we decided that we're all too young to enjoy that place often, for now, so we'll have to do it again in our late 30's or something haha :p
Saturday, May 9
Sunday, May 3
Brighter X Day
This morning I got up a little late because of the slight fever. I still got up, ate breakfast,changed and then headed out to the X Games!! My throat was feeling much better considering it was morning.
i took the 812 and the 866 bus this time because I'd found out yesterday that 866 went to the back gate. Unfortunately the assistant on the bus told the driver that no one was getting off and I was too late to say, "wait I am!!" so I had to walk back to the stop. On the way I bought some snacks, because I tought they didn't sell food. Unfortunately when I got in the gate this time around 12noon I saw the BK stand...and a 7up or mountain dew stand....
Whatever! I marched happily over to watch the BMX stunts and it was pretty lame for a while then a guy from Thailand game and brought real competition! After him some Americans showed what they had haha It turned out to be a really good show towards the end.
I had been concentrated on trying to find my friends without moving spots but my phone had run out of minutes. Suddenly a really tall chinese guy (6'3?) decided to stand right in front of me...Do tall people not realize they are tall? Is it nnatural to stand directly in front of someone shorter than you? Seriously, I could reach out my hand 4in and touch him!! So I did and I asked him if he could move. He acted like I was rude...or maybe he was annoyed cause he got that a lot...but he should have stood off to my side!
After that I found my big group of friends and we watched skateboarding on the U台 (sorry I forgot the english name) Then we moved over to the In line skating to wait. While we waited I decided to watch the dirtbike stunts form our spot. (No need to get close when all the stunts are in the air.) But unfortunately about 10min into the show a biker got hurt so it was cancelled. Do you know the MC's were having to announce not to take pictures? Why do people video and shoot pain?
I decided to hold a good spot at the stage to await today's concert, but they started so late that I ended up leaving so that I could get a front spot to watch the roller blading contest. It was a great contest. So interesting! I loved how Japan brought the game but America took first lol I was excited about the way people were actually doing different tricks today! Yesterday I saw a lot of ...re-runs o.O??
Even though all events ended at 5pm, because of yesterdays rain the BMX still needed to do finals. So I was able to cheer and dance to the music and take crazy pics wth my friends haha It's so much better to be around people who are just as crazy as you are. They even wanted to go outside, after it closed, and tke pics of the winners with me.
It was a good day. I decided to go straight home and heal. I was able to eat dinner today more comfortably. I noticed that the pain was only extreme around 6pm and after until... maybe 10am. I'm pullin through though. No swine flu for me!
i took the 812 and the 866 bus this time because I'd found out yesterday that 866 went to the back gate. Unfortunately the assistant on the bus told the driver that no one was getting off and I was too late to say, "wait I am!!" so I had to walk back to the stop. On the way I bought some snacks, because I tought they didn't sell food. Unfortunately when I got in the gate this time around 12noon I saw the BK stand...and a 7up or mountain dew stand....
Whatever! I marched happily over to watch the BMX stunts and it was pretty lame for a while then a guy from Thailand game and brought real competition! After him some Americans showed what they had haha It turned out to be a really good show towards the end.
I had been concentrated on trying to find my friends without moving spots but my phone had run out of minutes. Suddenly a really tall chinese guy (6'3?) decided to stand right in front of me...Do tall people not realize they are tall? Is it nnatural to stand directly in front of someone shorter than you? Seriously, I could reach out my hand 4in and touch him!! So I did and I asked him if he could move. He acted like I was rude...or maybe he was annoyed cause he got that a lot...but he should have stood off to my side!
After that I found my big group of friends and we watched skateboarding on the U台 (sorry I forgot the english name) Then we moved over to the In line skating to wait. While we waited I decided to watch the dirtbike stunts form our spot. (No need to get close when all the stunts are in the air.) But unfortunately about 10min into the show a biker got hurt so it was cancelled. Do you know the MC's were having to announce not to take pictures? Why do people video and shoot pain?
I decided to hold a good spot at the stage to await today's concert, but they started so late that I ended up leaving so that I could get a front spot to watch the roller blading contest. It was a great contest. So interesting! I loved how Japan brought the game but America took first lol I was excited about the way people were actually doing different tricks today! Yesterday I saw a lot of ...re-runs o.O??
Even though all events ended at 5pm, because of yesterdays rain the BMX still needed to do finals. So I was able to cheer and dance to the music and take crazy pics wth my friends haha It's so much better to be around people who are just as crazy as you are. They even wanted to go outside, after it closed, and tke pics of the winners with me.
It was a good day. I decided to go straight home and heal. I was able to eat dinner today more comfortably. I noticed that the pain was only extreme around 6pm and after until... maybe 10am. I'm pullin through though. No swine flu for me!
Saturday, May 2
And Then It Rained
The X games were pretty interesting. I have never been to one before. One of my friends from the concert showed up. Everyone else bailed out on us. I don't think events starting at 11 am are too early, but that's just me...
The first thing I noticed was that even though this was the Asia X Games there were other people competing. There were also more foreigners in the crowd. I suppose I haven't seen many lately.
Unfortunately there was no re-entry and we couldn't find food. It also started to rain and we stayed as long as we could but my friends jacket was not waterproof, plus I was getting a fever. At this point we ended up going to a place to eat but since I couldn't really eat, we went to DQ and got smoothies. I found out later that my throat does not need any cold!
After eating we went home. My family was eating dinner and I tried to explain that I didn't want to eat real food, but they all said that won't do! haha They gave me some type of sweet soup and told me to drink hot water. I am so thankful of how caring they are. My host brother even warned me not to get swine flu lol (Every one here is joking about it.)
Now that it's extremely early 10:30pm, I'm going to bed.
The first thing I noticed was that even though this was the Asia X Games there were other people competing. There were also more foreigners in the crowd. I suppose I haven't seen many lately.
Unfortunately there was no re-entry and we couldn't find food. It also started to rain and we stayed as long as we could but my friends jacket was not waterproof, plus I was getting a fever. At this point we ended up going to a place to eat but since I couldn't really eat, we went to DQ and got smoothies. I found out later that my throat does not need any cold!
After eating we went home. My family was eating dinner and I tried to explain that I didn't want to eat real food, but they all said that won't do! haha They gave me some type of sweet soup and told me to drink hot water. I am so thankful of how caring they are. My host brother even warned me not to get swine flu lol (Every one here is joking about it.)
Now that it's extremely early 10:30pm, I'm going to bed.
What a Day! and Night
So besides being sick and in pain I ventured out into the world to continue with my plans.
A friend of mine wanted so bad to see Jay Chou in concert and so I tried to help her out. I went to the campus early and got a massage across the street. After my friends were ready so we made our way down to the Shanghai train station to buy a ticket to Kunshan. [It's about 25min away by bullet train.] In the purchasing area we found that there are certain lines for certain cities, so we had to stand in the line for Kunshan. While we were there, we noticed that the line wasn't really moving. Why? The girls at the front were taking money from people who had just randomly walked up and buying tickets for them. I don't mind finding ways to make money, but I don't want to be inconvenienced by it. We had to literally push them out of the way and then decided to take a long time, pretending we couldn't read chinese, to buy our tickets.
After we went to get lunch but since I was having trouble swallowing I just ordered something small. **Funny story. I ordered you tiao (a bread stick like food) and I think it tastes like funnel cake with out the sugar. Therefore I wanted sugar lol I asked the lady for tang but I was so worried that she thought I meant tang . at that time I wasn't sure of which tone to use hahaha**
Finally we got on the bullet train. It was kind of like an airplane. I think it was new. Someone was sitting in my seat so I just sat next to my friends, but a man came on complaining so I ended up asking the people to move and taking my actual seat. He wasn't able to sit with his friends so I don't know why he didn't let me sit with mine...:( Oh well.
So we arrived in Kunshan but no taxis knew where to go!! The concert started at 7 and it was about 6:45 already!!! We walked down a random street and found a taxi (it was rush hour so almost all taxis were taken). A guy was going to grab that taxi but he let us have it. I thank him and said a prayer. The driver didn't know the exact place but he knew the area but as we were driving he noticed we were talking about the concert and he knew where to go :)
when we got there (6:58) my voice was going, but I wasn't worried because I'd never lost it. ***Notice: There are many people selling fake tickets in the open!! With cops around!!***We found the ticket office and the only tickets left were the ones we wanted to buy :) 380 yuan. And it turned out to be directly facing the stage. haha no need for front row seats.
Unfortunately the last train back to Shanghai was 10:28 and we hadn't been able to pull that friend away until 10:00. and of course there were no taxis...I was a bit chilly from that concert outside and my throat was killing me, so I did the unthinkable. I had some random guy give us a ride for 20 yuan. **Notice: There are 'unofficial' taxi drivers who bargain with you to give you a ride.** I know it's not common in America but I did and I'm still here. So....we missed the train anyway and I wasn't about to trust the unofficial van/bus drivers...We bought tickets for 12yuan on a 4am train. we had no passports so we stayed in the station. I had completely lost my voice by then because in my group they depend on my Chinese...I think I should start charging for setting these things up.
It was horrible to spend the night sick and in pain there but I survived. Now that I am home at 6:40 I have to try and sleep before my next adventure.
A friend of mine wanted so bad to see Jay Chou in concert and so I tried to help her out. I went to the campus early and got a massage across the street. After my friends were ready so we made our way down to the Shanghai train station to buy a ticket to Kunshan. [It's about 25min away by bullet train.] In the purchasing area we found that there are certain lines for certain cities, so we had to stand in the line for Kunshan. While we were there, we noticed that the line wasn't really moving. Why? The girls at the front were taking money from people who had just randomly walked up and buying tickets for them. I don't mind finding ways to make money, but I don't want to be inconvenienced by it. We had to literally push them out of the way and then decided to take a long time, pretending we couldn't read chinese, to buy our tickets.
After we went to get lunch but since I was having trouble swallowing I just ordered something small. **Funny story. I ordered you tiao (a bread stick like food) and I think it tastes like funnel cake with out the sugar. Therefore I wanted sugar lol I asked the lady for tang but I was so worried that she thought I meant tang . at that time I wasn't sure of which tone to use hahaha**
Finally we got on the bullet train. It was kind of like an airplane. I think it was new. Someone was sitting in my seat so I just sat next to my friends, but a man came on complaining so I ended up asking the people to move and taking my actual seat. He wasn't able to sit with his friends so I don't know why he didn't let me sit with mine...:( Oh well.
So we arrived in Kunshan but no taxis knew where to go!! The concert started at 7 and it was about 6:45 already!!! We walked down a random street and found a taxi (it was rush hour so almost all taxis were taken). A guy was going to grab that taxi but he let us have it. I thank him and said a prayer. The driver didn't know the exact place but he knew the area but as we were driving he noticed we were talking about the concert and he knew where to go :)
when we got there (6:58) my voice was going, but I wasn't worried because I'd never lost it. ***Notice: There are many people selling fake tickets in the open!! With cops around!!***We found the ticket office and the only tickets left were the ones we wanted to buy :) 380 yuan. And it turned out to be directly facing the stage. haha no need for front row seats.
Unfortunately the last train back to Shanghai was 10:28 and we hadn't been able to pull that friend away until 10:00. and of course there were no taxis...I was a bit chilly from that concert outside and my throat was killing me, so I did the unthinkable. I had some random guy give us a ride for 20 yuan. **Notice: There are 'unofficial' taxi drivers who bargain with you to give you a ride.** I know it's not common in America but I did and I'm still here. So....we missed the train anyway and I wasn't about to trust the unofficial van/bus drivers...We bought tickets for 12yuan on a 4am train. we had no passports so we stayed in the station. I had completely lost my voice by then because in my group they depend on my Chinese...I think I should start charging for setting these things up.
It was horrible to spend the night sick and in pain there but I survived. Now that I am home at 6:40 I have to try and sleep before my next adventure.
Friday, May 1
Today
I woke up around 6:30am without a restful sleep. I kept waking up through the night because my throat hurts when I swallow. Do you know how many times you swallow in a day? Without thinking about it no. I haven't been counting because it happens every few seconds.
I remember when I had this in elementary school. I was forced t meet that horrible substance called licorice root. Being a kid I thought I had struck gold! But licorice root is in no way a member of the candy family. Right now I don't know what I'm going to do. I also don't know what caused it. It was very mild yesterday but it was getting worse through the night. I want it to stop before I have the experience that my childhood gave me.
'Stay back fifth grade!!'
I remember when I had this in elementary school. I was forced t meet that horrible substance called licorice root. Being a kid I thought I had struck gold! But licorice root is in no way a member of the candy family. Right now I don't know what I'm going to do. I also don't know what caused it. It was very mild yesterday but it was getting worse through the night. I want it to stop before I have the experience that my childhood gave me.
'Stay back fifth grade!!'
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