So reality has hit, I have arrived in Beijing
China.
Quite interesting to see how convenient the U.S.
airline industry has made it to get here compared to the past when I was living
in China.
No more 7 hour lay over’s in Japan's Narita airport with my 1.5 and 2.5 year
old siblings interrogating every passenger within 100 feet. Now all you have to
put up with is surviving 13.5 hours straight in the same plane with the same passengers’
and flight crew! It actually wasn't bad until I woke up in a really
uncomfortable position with my neck throbbing and then realized that only 6 of
the 13.5 hours had passed and I still had more then half of the trip ahead of
me. But I solved the problem by rotating to another extremely uncomfortable
position and fell back asleep. We did however fly over the North Pole.....no it
didn't look like anything, but it is just cool to say. I had never before
been on a plane that flew the route that we did. We pretty much left from D.C.
and went straight north over the north pole, over Russia and Mongolia, got a
great view of the Wall of China from the air, and then arrived at our
destination. That was really neat seeing the wall from the air, because I had
never had that opportunity before. If only my camera had been easier to get
out, because I didn't have enough time to capture that moment for all of you.
Oh well, next time, or maybe on the way home!
So now that I had arrived in Beijing,
my first challenge was to get through immigration and then be surprisingly
disappointed if my bag didn't make it. (If just so happened I didn't pack a
carry on with extra clothes and whenever I don't do that, my luggage decides to
punish me!) Anyways, there is something to be said about the Olympics coming to
this country in the next year. Immigration took maybe 2 minutes, and customs
was a piece of cake. In fact it was so easy, that when I came out of the
arrivals door, and couldn't find my ride, I was in a bit of a panic. I originally
assumed it would be easy to spot Li Zheng (the man picking me up) because I
knew what he looks like. That was a lie though. I knew what he looked like in Rochester, and the only
Chinese person I was seeing at the time. That story sort of changed when there
were more then 1000 Chinese men (mainly) trying to find who they were picking
up and asking if ”You need taxi?!!!" So actually my luggage was
driving me crazy because it wouldn't roll, so I went to the side of the people
highway to fix that and take off a few layers because what seemed like a polar plane
now didn't seem so cold anymore! However, I couldn't have had better luck
because Li Zheng came right in the door I was standing at and ended the
first panic attack of what I am sure will be many! His driver was really funny
because he knows my mother. He wanted to talk about soccer because he took my
mom shopping for soccer jerseys for Luke and Leah when she was here last time.
I couldn't understand much of the mumbling, but I did the whole smile and nod
thing!
The drive from the airport to the living area I would be in was about 45
minutes. We drove right by the city while on the 5 ring road. When Li
Zheng told me this, I was like what? There is a 5th ring road. When I came here
back in 1998 there was only one circuit road around Beijing. Now there are 6 of them. Just gives
you and idea of how much the city has grown.
Li Zheng then took me to a supermarket where we bought a card for the cell
phone he was giving me to use. He told me this was the supermarket I would be
able to buy anything I needed at. Everything was in Chinese and I am pretty
sure that spending a day there would get me really speaking the language! Might
have to try it! However for now, mission one, to get a card on my own
failed. I couldn't understand the lady when she was trying to tell me to
choose a number for the phone. I didn't realize that I didn't already
have a number, so I was really just misinformed not
misunderstanding........maybe!
After the supermarket we drove by the kindergarten I would be working at and
the complex I would be moving into next Monday, before we arrived at the house
I would be staying at for the next week. It is the Gao family. They are very
nice and have a beautiful house which is similar to a townhouse. I have
my own room which is very large and has a TV. (I am pretty sure it is the son
Kevin's room and he is too embarrassed to admit his parents kicked him out of
the room to give it to me.) Kevin is very nice, but quite shy. He however is
very excited to show me "everything!" The nice part is their house is
right around the corner from where I will move to, so I can still go and visit
and see them when I want to.
Li Zheng insisted that Kevin let me rest and have my own time. However I had to
argue back that I had slept the entire plane ride and was not tired. This put a
huge smile across Kevin's face because he had 2 friends there that were waiting
to take me on my first adventure. Li Zheng didn't like the fact that his idea
wasn't being used but just made sure I was positive and then left to go back to
work.
After de-grossing myself from the plane, I was given an awesome Chinese meal
that Kevin made. (He is 19) If the food at the Kindergarten is like this....I
will be ok! I told him that if the food is bad, I am just going to come and eat
his food. He smiled and said "ok!"
After dinner Kevin, his two friends and I all went to Beijing Institute of
Technology. That is where is friend went to university. His name is Steve and
he is 23. We played some ping pong there, while everyone else in the building
just watched us. Oh how I forgot how many people look at you when you are the
only white red-headed girl amongst the crowd. We left the ping pong to not only
go to play pool, but be greeted by some of the most interesting Chinese guys I
have ever met.
The place we went was very sketchy. Pretty much the definition of "A
local place!" Their were four Chinese men playing pool with no
shirts on, underwear hanging out, and all I can say is then weren't sober. But
you know that stare you get when someone is drunk, well this stare was like
multiplied by 40 and then imagine that stare coming from a Buddha bellied
shirtless Chinese man. I was pretty sure I was going to get sick at that point.
However to make it worse, one of the guy comes over and puts his arm around me.
I was not thrilled, and tried to get my way out of the situation by saying
hello in Chinese. After a few exchanged of words, he brought his friends over
to watch us play pool. Awkward....and I am already really bad at pool. Imagine
me playing it with an audience. Audience + Audrey playing pool=really bad pool
playing. And I am pretty sure then after they watched the first game, they went
and got their friends because like 20 more people were there for the next game.
I guess they saw it as free entertainment!.......
So after losing about 4 rounds of pool we called it a night and came home. It
was a long first day in China,
but worth every minute. Tomorrow's adventure should be even more exciting.
What's on the agenda? -taking pictures of my new
home
-meeting at the daycare
-a first attempt to find my own way
home ....wish me luck!
