北京, Peking, Beijing, Běijīng

March 11, 2016

Whatever your pronunciation, visiting the capital city of China is an amazing way to be thrust into Chinese culture. At just under a population of 20 million people, Beijing has crowded subways, vague signage, busy city streets, people everywhere, and a plethora of options for tourists.

After having slept about 11 hours, we poured over the tour guide and opted for Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Shopping Street, Temple of Heaven, and the Pearl Market. To accomplish this on foot in one day would be a lot of walking. With map in hand, we headed around the corner to the subway, where we fumbled through ticket purchases and getting on the wrong subway a couple of times before we figured out the complex underground system.


As we rose from our subway stop, we found ourselves directly across from Tiananmen Gate. There was a strong police presence and extremely long lines of Chinese tourists waited to enter. Therefore, we opted to go around to a side entrance at an east gate. This turned out to be a great choice for us because not only was it NOT crowded, it was peaceful and even had a lower entry price!

Around at the side entrance, the grounds were very peaceful and it felt like we were truly in a forbidden area. We didn't feel rushed and the sounds of the busy city surrounding us vanished. Within the gates, a peaceful hush hung over us like a blanket. Even the incessant city car horns could not be heard from within these walls behind walls behind walls.



The grounds were meticulously kept and demonstrated a high level of respect for the extremely busy tourist attraction. Despite the massive volume of visitors on the site (based on what we observed outside the gates), it never felt busy at all. It actually felt extremely serene and quiet. We took a long time to explore the grounds and the many, many great halls with all their glorious detailed ornamentation and carvings.


In several of the great halls, there were exhibitions of ancient Chinese art, while in others, exhibitions of Chinese fashion. While the displays were interesting, we were keen to go inside to warm up a bit.

My favorite hall was Taihe Hall (Hall of Supreme Harmony) where the marble steps led to an ornately carved and painted ceiling and displays of colorful temple bells.

Imperial Palace

After meandering the Forbidden City grounds for quite a while, we decided we were getting hungry. We walked past the Imperial Palace and decided the line was way too long for us and we opted out. so we could go find lunch.


With our next planned tourist attraction being "Shopping Street", we headed south and found lunch. We settled for a busy shop that had what looked to us like dumplings. We learned that our notion of dumpling and actual Chinese dumplings are very different. The delicate bread surrounding a liquid center filled with what I can only call a meatball, was delicious...and cheap! She had soup and we also got two drinks. The calculated total bill was $2.87 USD!

Appetite now satiated, we headed to Shopping Street. We weren't sure what we would find, but we were intrigued by the name alone and wanted to see what it had available. Arriving, we saw many Chinese tourists and one shop after another offering the same things....little trinkets or tea. D had money burning a hole in her pocket and quickly spent just over $15. She was too eager and excited to shop, so she paid too much for her purchases. She will learn how to negotiate.

Onward to the Temple of Heaven. Originating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, emperors held Heaven Worship Ceremonies in this sacrificial building complex. Built in 1420, it was opened as a park in 1988 as a way to teach about ancient philosophy, religion, and history. Most impressive to us was the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. This large, round roofed palace was where the emperor held worship ceremonies to pray for good weather and abundant harvests. The emperor would literally crawl on hands and knees upon his lengthy approach to the temple. This is the earliest building of the Temple of Heaven and the complex includes the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Altar for Grain Prayers. The park complex that makes up "The Temple of Heaven" is huge; larger than the Forbidden City.

We were starting to tire so moved along to our final destination of the day, the Pearl Market. With its name, we thought it would be nothing but pearls but we were mistaken. The Pearl Market only has pearls on the top floors (in addition to other fine jewelry). On the lower floors, one could bargain galore on handbags, electronics, clothing, automotive accessories or you name it. The vendors were very aggressive and we learned not to look at anything for more than a split second or we would become targets. Seeing all the pearls on the upper floors was amazing. There are all sizes, shapes, and colors. By the time we leave China, we'll have to purchase some for sure!

By the time we finished walking the 6 or 7 floors of the Pearl Market, we were exhausted and ready to finish our day, but we still had to get back to our hotel. More walking was involved but fortunately, the subway station wasn't far and now we knew how to navigate. Leaving the Pearl Market, we got to see a beautiful sunset through the haze of Beijing's infamous pollution. We watched people flying kites in the park as the sun went down over the Temple of Heaven and we felt satisfied that we had done and seen all we could in one day. We walked about 8 miles and our feet hurt. Next time we come to Beijing, more adventures will await us and we'll be slightly more efficient because we have now acquired some familiarity with the city.

Quintessential 半世纪 Birthday!

March 10, 2016

Arriving in Beijing, we were immediately impressed with the spacious and incredibly clean airport. Massive amounts of people moved through the space, yet it seemed quiet and not at all crowded. We followed the other passengers as we deboarded and made our way through immigration without a second glance. It took a while because a large group of students was arriving from India and our planes must have arrived at the same time. Pouring out of the standard zig-zag line, our queue snaked all over the remaining floor space. Seeing the organized chaos, the security guards didn't like it and lucky for us, several lines designated for Chinese citizens opened up to help clear the queue. We moved quickly from there, and on to customs where we found our suitcases immediately. The line in front of us there only had about 5 people in it and our bags were soon put through an x-ray tube. No papers were filed and nobody asked us anything. Our bags cleared and we rolled on through quickly and easily. The whole immigration and customs time took just over one hour. I was impressed at the efficiency.

As we came out of the international screening area, I scanned the crowd of people eager to meet their arrivals. Right by the exit was my friend and former student to pick us up. I was so happy to see her! She whisked us away and off we went into the insanity of Beijing traffic. Wow, people REALLY know their bumpers here!!  A couple of times, I had to close my eyes but couldn't stand to do so for long because I didn't want to miss a thing.

Other than the traffic and cars going every which way with little regard for street markings, lanes, or anything else, my first impression was that I couldn't believe so many people lived in this city and yet it seemed so well dispersed. In other words, although it was crowded, I didn't see the population density I had anticipated. My second impression was that there were many more trees than I expected AND the streets were SO clean! Thirdly, I was incredulous at the huge variety of electric vehicles and how many people could fit on one scooter!

My friend brought us to our hotel where we checked in and deposited our bags in our room. We freshened up a little bit and then headed off to our first real Chinese dinner. As I wrote in the last post, I skipped a year. Yesterday when I left Arkansas, I was 49. Today in China, I am suddenly 51. Why? Chinese consider a child to be one year old when s/he is born. Therefore, having been born in 1966, I am 51 because I was conceived in 1965. In China, the birthday tradition is to eat noodles, so my friend made sure we covered that base.

Because Beijing is world renowned for Peking Duck (Beijing = Peking), she took us to a restaurant with owners who had been producing Peking Duck for several hundred years. It had a stellar reputation and the food was delicious. The skin is supposed to be the best part, but I preferred the meat dipped in sauce. Then, the meat and sauce are rolled up in a tortilla-like bread with cucumbers and/or spring onions. Fabulous!


Of course, I got my birthday noodles, longevity noodles to be precise. These noodles are specifically for birthdays and a bowl will be filled with one single, very long, and unbroken strand of noodle which represents good health and long life. My noodle soup also contained a hard boiled egg (peeled), representative of wealth. Being with my friend and my daughter in a foreign country sampling many delicious dishes and participating in cultural traditions made this a quintessential birthday celebration.

Thanking and saying goodbye to my friend, she took us back to our hotel. We hope to see her again in a month or two. The next day, we anticipated tackling some tourist aspects of Beijing, so off to dreamland we quickly went.

Simulated Night

March 9, 2016

By 11 pm on March 8th, we were checked in to a hotel near the airport. This made life easier for all involved and would get us to the airport on time. The hotel had a decent buffet that they even opened for early flights like ours. We were delighted to take advantage of it at four in the morning before boarding the airport shuttle with other early birds like us. With butterflies in our stomachs, we checked in and then went through security. Mother and daughter, off together on an adventure of a lifetime!

The quick flight to Dallas went off without a hitch and we quickly found our gate for our non-stop flight to Beijing. Because it didn't depart for a couple of hours, we had a more substantial breakfast and then explored the various airport shops while we waited. We checked in at the gate, hoping to get seats in business class because the flight was going to be so incredibly long. We had to show our passports and visa pages three times during the entire boarding process. One would presume they REALLY need to verify that travelers have permission to enter the country. Once boarding began, we kept our fingers crossed that we would get those really nice reclining business class seats but alas, we did not. However, we did get an entire middle row, so sleep was to be possible.

The plane was modern and full of technology. Each seat had an individual entertainment center with a large variety of movies, music, and games to entertain passengers of all ages during the 14 hour flight. Each station had plugs for earphones as well as USB powered gadgets. The most amazing technology, however, was the controlled window tinting. There were no window shades, yet it was dark inside the plane as if it were night outside. The only lights were the individual screens of the passengers and the occasional flashlight utilized by a flight attendant passing by in the aisle.

Watching the flight path take us over the Arctic Circle, then over Russia and Mongolia before descending was fascinating; A straight shot I would never have imagined. I wish we had a window seat, but the windows were tinted so darkly, even when I did go look out, I could see little. I guess it's better we got some sleep.

Three meals were served. The first was delicious: roasted chicken with rice. The second was like a hybrid lunch. Hybrid meaning weaning the customers toward Chinese food. It was foreign, but not too foreign...almost sandwich like. The last meal was really not good at all. It was incredibly salty noodles that were essentially inedible. By the time we landed in Beijing, we were ready for a real dinner!  As we descended in to Beijing, the window tint disappeared and it was suddenly daylight out. We were finally able to see some glimpses of the earth below through the windows across the aisle.

Having departed on March 9th, it was now March 10th, my birthday. The strange thing is, when we left Arkansas, I was 49. In China, I was suddenly 51. Traveling to this country where they age people differently, I lost an entire year! Fortunately, when I go home, I'll be 50 again. To arrive on my birthday was probably one of the best birthday presents I could have imagined. I am eager to not just visit this new country, but to truly get to know some of the people and culture. If I am extra lucky and try hard, I may pick up some of the language.

Visas in hand, the frenzy begins

March 7, 2016

We arose very early and crept out of the house, trying our best not to disturb our dear friend who kindly hosted us much longer than originally anticipated. With the consulate visa office opening at 9 am, we wanted to avoid Houston rush hour traffic and get in and out of there as quickly as possible. We met our goal and parked the car at 7 am, only 2 hours early! What to do in Houston while waiting for a consulate to open? Coffee and breakfast sounded perfect so off to Starbucks we went.

We leisurely dined on coffee, hot cocoa, and breakfast sandwiches. Forty five minutes quickly passed before we decided to go next door to the consulate and get in a line we imagined was already forming. We were right about the line, but we ended up third in line. Fortunately, the weather was pleasant so although waiting was boring, it was easily tolerable. When the doors opened at 9, we were in and out within 25 minutes and on our way back home to Arkansas.

The eight hour drive passed quickly and we made it home to Arkansas in time to unpack and repack with just one day turn around. Fortunately, I had started packing before we left for Houston. Our flight was to depart at six am on March 9th. We had so much to do in so little time!! In just 24 hours, we would be starting our real adventure!

Paperwork

Being offered a position in China felt like negotiating to purchase a vehicle. Back and forth, back and forth, using the WeChat app for what felt like hours. It was probably only about one hour, but it was tense and I am satisfied with the end result.

After being offered a position to work in China, one begins the long trail of paperwork to obtain first, a work permit, and then a formal invitation from the government accompanied by a letter of invitation by the employer. Providing copies of passport, graduate university transcripts, & diplomas might not be enough. I was asked for additional items which I did provide: criminal background check, physical examination, my daughter's birth certificate; and irrelevant items I was unwilling to provide: my marriage license, a chronological list of every job since high school, a copy of my both high school and undergraduate university transcripts and diploma. The process took way longer than I anticipated and my initial contract start date had to be adjusted to compensate for the delay.

Finally, after 7 weeks, my official letters came and I made my way to my closest Consulate to pursue my work visa. I had two options: A 10 hour drive to present myself in person and wait for the documents to be processed OR utilizing an agency to present on my behalf at an expense that matched the cost of the visa itself and risking still being called in to present myself anyway. I opted to travel.

The Consulate hours are from 9-1130 am. I arrived at 9:40 and was pleasantly surprised that there were only about ten people in front of me. People chatted in line to share their travel plans and the time passed quickly. Often, someone would be sent from the line to provide an extra copy of something from the .25 per page machine conveniently located in the office. Unfortunately, it only took quarters and there was no change machine. Subsequently, visa petitioners frequently sought quarters. I quickly gave all I had away, thinking I had all my paperwork in order. My mistake. When it was my turn at the window, I had to make two trips to the copy machine, totaling more quarters than I had given away in the first place. Thankfully, people helped each other and I was able to successfully drop off my documents.

My request for expedition was met with complete disregard and I must wait four business days for pickup. Now, what to do with that ONE day after I return home to pack before flying to China?!!  Making my list....it's going to be a hectic day!

Adventure to the Middle Kingdom

Adventure is calling! It's appeal is never ending. The excitement of a new place, new culture, new food, new people...it's all overwhelming but so worth it!

In December, just a week before Christmas, my university position was eliminated. The worst time of year to look for a job in academia, I became depressed. Job hunting was not on my radar at all! The excruciating pain of the unexpected "punch in the gut" took a toll and hung like a shadow over my holiday. I began to think with dread of the job hunt ahead.

Gathering my thoughts, I knew that some of my favorite things to do are travel and teaching. After discussion with a few family members and professional colleagues, I decided to pursue my passion and get some more international teaching experience under my belt. The timing is perfect!

I began reading some international teaching blogs and perusing job postings on various internet sites. I contacted several recruiters who were interested in and valued my experience and training. Finally coming to agreement with one of them about a good package, I accepted a position in China that will last three months and twenty days.

Why so short, you may ask. I will be bringing my 8 year old daughter with me and leaving my spouse, my pets, and my wildlife rehabilitation behind. I can't in all fairness, leave it all for any longer. If I were single and childless, it might be a different story, but I have responsibilities I can't just shirk. Both my daughter and I will have birthdays in China this year. We anticipate an experience that is sharply in contrast to that which we are accustomed. Time and experience will tell.

We will leave in the third week of February for an employment start date on March 1st. The high school is public and has about 2000 students. Located in a "small" town of about 500,000, Pujiang is situated about 1.5 hours by bullet train southwest of Shanghai and northwest of Jinhua, which is the administrative seat of that prefecture. I will be the only native English speaking teacher, which I believe to be a plus because it allows us to be better immersed in the language and culture rather than having the opportunity to naturally gravitate towards the familiar. My daughter will attend an international school, where her classmates will be Chinese, but also the children of other native English speakers. We both expect to learn some basic Chinese and have already started working with a language app.

All of us affected by this temporary move have an abundance of feelings going on. Excitement, trepidation, nervousness, curiosity, etc. I can't wait to see how it develops. Keep up with me here, because I don't know what I will be able to access in China.

Chile revisited

Having been home from my latest adventure for but nine days, I'm already planning the next. I haven't even finished uploading the pictures from my last trip! Summers are always a busy time wonderful opportunity to travel.

This most recent trip, I took Devin to Chile to visit with the family with whom I stayed as an exchange student in the summer of 1984. The trip served double duty, as it provided Devin with the opportunity to be totally immersed in the Spanish language, thereby forcing her to learn more of the language and improve her skill. We got to see more of Santiago than I ever did before and a whole lot more! For me, the highlight was seeing penguins - in the wild - swimming in the bay at Valparaiso. That was most incredible sight I think I've ever seen. I just never fathomed seeing penguins!

Seeing my family was lovely and it truly felt like I just left them a year ago. We reconnected in a deeper way than ever before. Mamá and I sat up late several nights talking and sharing; Fernanda and I went on some wonderful adventures (Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Concón, Pomaire); Mabel and I had a grand time with our girls at the mall, and so much more! It was great to meet and start friendships with "nieces and nephews" such as Carole, Constanza, Clemente, Agustina, and Jacinta. Devin also had a lovely time playing with her newly discovered "cousins" and she looks forward to a return trip.



New foods were experienced too. Conger eel was sampled in several different forms. Fresh clams, mussels, locos (abalone!!) ceviche and who knows what other kinds of seafood came on our plates. It was all delicious!

Travel to Chile is expensive and the flight is long (10 hours from Atlanta), but the warm welcome from my family made it worth the effort. I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner. Next time, we'll be back MUCH sooner than later! Hopefully, when it's cold here and warm there, we can go back. Until then, I'll have to look at my pictures and start planning the next adventure.