I decided it was about time I got around to writing something about China. I've spent almost two years living and working there, mainly in the East.
Before I went, I had never really considered China as a place to live or even visit and now...well, I'm kinda hooked on it. Why did I even go in the first place is a question I am often asked and the answer is quite simple really. A friend of a friend had studies Chinese and one of her lectureres had set up a school and was looking for summer school teachers. It was loacted in Yantai, on the coast, hot, 17 hours a week, accomodation and flights paid for...and so on a whim I said I would go. I was bored with my job; I knew they would have me back after the summer and I couldn't afford a holiday that year (1999). I told my family I was going and they just laughed at me and muttered a few "whys?". Until I actually got on that plane I didn't believe I was going either. But twelve hours, a trip to the cockpit and a slight turbulance later we landed in Beijing.
What struck me first was the heat. Second was the pollution and the fact that there were lots of Chinese people. I don't think that last part really sank in until the next day when all of a sudden I had a small panic because I had no idea what anyone was saying to me, I couldn't read anything and there were grey skies due to all the pollution. That first day, we were met by the boss's friend who was to take us to the hotel. We had been driving for about 90 minutes when it occured to ask him where we were going since we'd hit more rural areas by then. He took us for lunch, where we had to not only catch our own fish but then eat it raw (not what i wanted after no sleep and a long flight) but there was a big bottle of beer to wash it down with. After that delightful lunch we were taken to the Great Wall. It was amazing and I would love to go back as I don't think I fully appreciated it then. Finally we went to the hotel and I put mother out of her misery to say I had got there...
things to write about later...
1. spitting
2. staring
3. trains
4. food
5. market place
6. toilets
7. students
8. winter
9. accomodation
10. Qingdao experience
11. Beijing experiences
