Saturday, August 28, 2010

Bikes

Everybody loves bikes here! They are everywhere! And my host sister informed me that this is how we get to school. So yesterday, we went off to find e a bike. This meant me travelling to the bike shop across town on the back of her bike! It was SO SO SO much fun and incredibly dangerous! I did not for a minute of that journey feel sure that I wasn't going to fall off or we weren't going to be hit by an oncoming car/bike/whatever! So to say the least I enjoyed every second of it :)

Then, I got my bike! It is so cute, with the basket on the front and the chinese little stickers on it! I wish I cold bring it back home!
The ride back home was incredibly too :) Being witness to two bike - car accidents on my first 2 days in Xindu I was not the most confident about the ride back home, but I totally got on that bike and made it home in one peice! The daily bike to school is going to take some getting used to at first, but fingers crossed god be with me, I will survive! I have learnt one valuable rule of the roads over here, NEVER look back, always forwards, the person behind you is responsible for not hitting you, whoever is infront has right of way pretty much! And stick right, not left! One small vital peice of information there.. Hehe also.... my bike has a belll!! Ah it is too cute!

I'm starting to get used to this Chinese way of living, it's really qutie simple and very honest :)

Till' next time!

Kiwi :)

Wellcome to China - Family + Friends Lunch

Ok, I think I just had the most amazing lunch of my life so far. It wasn't so much the food (although the food was amazing!) but more the people! Everybody here is so so so wellcoming!
And although I can hardly understand anything, I CAN UNDERSTAND SOMETHINGS! It is very very basic but there is a level of understanding going on between me and the locals!

Also.... The most amazing thing of my whole exchange.. When I was being asked about New Zealand and myself and my parents the father proudly said "She is my daughter" It was the most amazing feeling!! All those tiny little feelings of homesickness vanished and I started to feel like part of the family :) In turn I responded "yes, he is my father!" And this received a round of applause from the whole table! And of course we were totally speaking inchinese and yes people could understand me!!

I'm still a little afraid of the food though, I have no idea what so ever as to what I am actually putting in my mouth, and when I can't chew it (some things are really tough!) I just have to swallow.. And I have learnt not to ask what I'm eating because the lat two times I have had the response of "just eat it is delicious but if I tell you, you won't eat because it is sick" and then I found out I ate duck intestines so I'm totally adopting the opinion that ignorance is bliss when it comes to the food over here!

Cheers. The Chinese love to say cheers! To anything, it's great! There was just a whole lot of toasts and a whole lot of skulling (the glasses are tiny so it's really not too muc)!
They asked me if I could drink, and with my policeman father sitting next to me I replied "I am 17", they alughed and said "no no but can you drink this?" and like a true kiwi I said in New Zealand I can drink it, and that was that, after that they pretty mich fed me Chinese beer and a whole new round of toasts began! It was definitely a festive family gathering to say the least!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Chinese Life

Ok so there are some totally crazy differences in life over here! For instance this blog is NOT easy to get to, so I might have to change sites, i'l keep you posted

I have eaten soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many crazy things already! My host sister took me out for a delicious snack of spicy duck throat the other day, and aftedinner last night a friend was kind enough to buy me a Rabbit head...... WHICH I TOTALLY ATE!!!!! It was the most incredibly thing I have ever done. Eating a Rabbits Head. Be proud New Zealand! I had to litterally tear it open, and then you make your way to the brain... Which taste like rotten egg...... But I did it and swallowed and it stayed down, I have no idea how it stayed down, but it did!

Also the whole attitude towards privacy is totally different over here! Like I share not only a room, but a bed with my host sister! It's so incredibly different to new zealand, it's much less individualistic and much more communal. It's so interesting, like in the shower.. we share a towel! which is taking some getting used to... I'm kindof itching for a new towel but it'll probabbly be rude if I ask! I just keep thinking, if they can put up with it so can I! I'm here to live the chinese way and this is it!!!!

The toilet. The toilet is a hole in the floor! It's such a work out squatting all the time! I'm gonna come back with massive leg muscles :) On the train it was pretty scary, with the constant bumping and lurching of the train.. The floor of the toilet was pretty gross!!! Don't think, just do and count to ten and it's over and you can wash your hands and be clean! The importance of hand sanitizer has also become increasing apparent. It is amazing. Never and I mean NEVER leave home without it!

Ok so, the sharing the bed, hole in the floor toilet and I haven't even got on to hand washing my clothes yet! Probably isn't everybodies idea of an exotic holiday! But It is just so so so so amazing! It's incredible this is how they live, every day every week every month and every year. It's so extremely different and it's not going to be easy but I can adapt! I know I can! This is what I'm here for anyway ::) the extreme culture change, as well as learning the language, the ADVENTURE of China has begun :)

The AFS Camp

Over 200 students fromm all over the world, all brought together by a similar interest for extreme adventures and the Chinese language. It was awesome! We were each in rooms of two and my room mate was an Aussie! Being the only ones from our corner of the earth it was soooo nice to have someone who understood my humour and the "sweeet!" and constant "ae's" I seem to put at the end of every sentance! Gotta give it to them Aussies, it is nice to have someone who understands kiwiland when your in a completely new culture! Although I was pleasantly suprised that so many people knew where New Zealand was and what Rugby was! Flight of the Conchoards and Lord of the Rings has really put us on the map! But unfortunately it was so much so that on talent quest and culture sharing night I was litterlly dragged and carried onto the stage by the Aussie and a French Rugby player and forced to do the Haka infront of everyone! by myself. But after that the Aussie sang waltzing matilda all by her lonesome and there was an eye for an eye kindof deal going on. And as embarassing as it wasI did it! And apparently I've left a pretty awesome impression of New Zealand on everyone because so many people keep coming up to me and saying I want to go to new Zealand!! Wahooooo!!!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Hong Kong

Hong Kong. Wow.

The heat was the first thing I noticed when I stepped of the plane, like a slap in the face with a warm flannel.. Quite a change from the freeeeeeeeezing airplane!
So that was that, I had to whip into the bathroom and get my stubbies on. The amount of strange looks I have got, with my million bags, camera, and token stubbies are priceless. I can almost hear them thinking "typical foreigner" but I did see some ausies wearing close to the same kinda thing and we had that knowing wink between us ;)

I made my first purchase in China today! Two bottles of evian water :) I know right, woah big spender.. But none the less it was amazing. And I have the coolest change from my $100RMB note, except the change is in Hong Kong dollars so I better spend it up before the next flight to Beijing!
Would be so keen for a frozen coke right now...

The airport in Wellington was amazing, picking up my bag out of the security check and everything going flying all over the floor and then proceeding to lose my boarding pass.. It was brilliant. Couldn't have done it any other way. Thank you to all the awesome people who came and said farewell :)

Better go, find out where my gate is in this MASSIVE place..
Until next time :)