Actually don't know what she meant by CDN style, must be something new! My style is over easy cooked with butter! And as for cheese, well we are one of biggest exporters in the world of any kind imagineable!
Big hug to you !
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Actually don't know what she meant by CDN style, must be something new! My style is over easy cooked with butter! And as for cheese, well we are one of biggest exporters in the world of any kind imagineable!
Big hug to you !
Her style was too much grease, cheese not melted good and no salt.
But that was good compared to the coffee.
OK, not my best meal of the day,
Ok it is official, my first real Asian toilet. Lady Toni said I could not frame a photo of it, for the wall.
We did all of the normal tourist things yesterday, Saw the Great Wall. And I can fully understand how that would have stopped a army. That was huge.
Went to the Forbidden Palace and saw some of the Government buildings down town.
Here is a few of the photos.
And we felt like movie stars at these places, Chinese tourist would come up and hug us, and others come up with cameras to take our photos, they wanted to start next to us and have their photos taken. Actually Nate and Lady Toni were more popular than I was to get photographed.
Some of the larger differences I have seen, there are clerks in all the stores, every isle or at least every two isles has a clerk there to help you. None of them speak English of course but if you speak Chinese they are there to help you.
There are more coffee shops here than in the area where I live. So who ever told me I would not find coffee was trying to scare me.
American Food ( not doing it right now) but there are McDonalds every few miles. Subway and KFC seems to be on almost every corner. Ice cream shops are common.
Many ( a lot) of the teenage kids and even adults are all wearing T shirts with American wording, they think it is better and prettier writing than Chinese to show off on shirts. And a status that you can afford an "American" brand shirt.
Worst, Hello Kitty, OK, maybe just me, but one can only do so much Hello Kitty,
Well here I am at Zhengzhou and getting settled in. We are in a temp housing till our apartment gets ready. We are living in a traditional Chinese apartment now but will get an american style one in a couple weeks.
They don't have soft matress like we do, it is about a one inch hard mat on a wood frame. The stove is one burner, all food is done in one dish or in a rice cooker.
We were told how lucky we were, we got a washer and "dryer" the washer you have to turn it by hand from wash to rinse and guess where the water goes, unto the bathroom floor, which is also the shower, You can use the toilet, show and watch the washer rinse at the same time.
The dryer is nothing but a spin cycle, but here on campus all of the students basically wash their clothes by hand.
But this is fun, the markets are unbelievable, and while we are eating the same foods everyone else does, for now, everything you want is here.
Just sometimes slightly different, miss butter and cheese the most since they are too costly to get a lot of.
But there are KFC ( and fake KFC's) there are McDonalds and fake one, we ate at a McDove a couple nights ago for Nate.
Buying meat is interesting, you can pick your own chicken, duck or fish out, still alive and they kill and prepare it for you right there. Plus things like squid and ell are all fresh. Veggies come in every day and you can get to the market early and get them off the trucks.
Eggs are a laugh, every type, size you can think of.
I will have some photos here of the markets latter with a hidden camera, they did not like me taking photos there.
But here is a gentleman teaching me to squat properly, that is very important when you use the toilet here ( or should I say hole in the ground)
Wow, this is all so very strange, yet so very interesting. Please keep us updated.
Some things the same, some different.
Did not eat there today but about 3 blocks up from the Apartment is a KFC, they are big over here. Can't go a few miles without seeing one. Plus of couse almost every block has some sort of "chicken" to eat.
But some things a little strange also, here is a photo of either peas or lima bean pop cycle. ( they had both and appear to be popular)
If anyone has any questions about life here, please ask, I post some as education of the difference in culture, so many things about the same, but others so different.
These three photos show some of the same but different.
We were told we were so lucky we were getting a washer with a dryer.
Yes it is a washer, you have to go and turn the water on to fill and then turn the water off. You wash, then you have to go and turn it to drain, ( which it does onto the floor of the bathroom which which is OK, since the toilet and sink and shower all share the same space)
Then you fill the water for the rinse and then turn the button for the drain.
The dryer is of course not a dryer but a spin dry, and then you hang the clothes all around the apartment to dry. I can't figure out how to reach the rack outside of the window without half climbing out the window.
But on campus most of the students all go to the room where large sinks where they wash all their clothes by hand and then hang them outside on long lines ( we could take ours to the long lines too but it is about a block away.
The streets are keep very clean, as are the very very few public bathrooms I can find.
But they have people that actually go out and sweep the streets by hand. They hand make brooms from limbs. I sat and watched a older lady making brooms for the street crews the other day. This is her showing me how to use the broom.
The next is one of the market areas ( not during a prime time) and I will show the better market with live animals in a day or two.
But this is how I shop, who wants to go down this street with me?
There are security guards at the front of almost every apartment complex. Here on campus there are guards at each of the four gates, three gates close at night. But there are guards setting every few blocks. But on the street, every major intersection has 4 to 8 traffic guards ( or police) and there are obvious police every few blocks also. Now I am only a few blocks from the main government center so this may be part of it, but it seems to be about the same no matter where we go.
The people are wonderful, OK sometimes almost too wonderful, stores have clerks in every isle, sometimes two clerks who want to show you every product, help you make chocies and more. " I DON"T WANT" was the second Chinese phrase I learned.
But we have bought phones here ( since US phones are locked) Lady Toni bought a new guitar plus many household items we needed.
Unlike the stories we have heard, we have found milk, ice cream, cheese and almost anything you want. Coke products are big here , almost every store has them, and cheaper than the US, so the blogs we read about all of that just are not true.
My first morning here was a surprise, there were doing college student military drills on three sides of me. So to walk outside and find people in military uniforms surrounding your apartment can be a little unnerving till I found out that all college freshment are required to go though some military training. ** not really like our ROTC but the closet thing I can compare it to.
These pics are really amazing. Please keep them coming. It's really interesting to learn about different cultures.
I'm still thinking about the toilet.
Sorry I have been off line a bit, seems that down loading all of the Chinese programs into my US computer made it have some issues, so it crashed.
I had to get a new operating system, and yes all in Chinese. Have a wired interent but still can not seem to get wireless in my apartment.
Well Toni got her teaching schedule today, she will be doing part time here at the College. I don't start working till the 24th so I have not gotten my schedule yet.
We got moved into our new ( well new to us) it is a two bedroom. It has a better water supply, a two burner stove and move pots and pans. It also has a working home phone and a working TV.
On the down side, of course computer crash, and my US cell phone crashed. I had a older US cell phone, it would never text ( could not understand Chinese) but it did call but would drop all the time. So I bought a new cell phone last night and working fine.j
Lady Toni got a new guitar, we did not try to bring hers over.
People are still stopping us on the street to get their photos taken with us.
This weekend we are going to a anceint temple and the Old China Capitol. That the college is arranging for us. I will attach a few photos but was busy getting moved
One of the photos shows some local housing. Another a busy street with parents waiting for their kids to get out of school. The other is a local laundry with clothes on the line, but the funny thing is the duck walking around under the clothes
I guess the duck will be someone's dinner in the near future !
Wonderful news from you, keep it coming we miss you !
No, I think the duck is a college mascot or a dorm mascot of some sort.
All of these photos are from college campus.
We moved about two blocks off campus yesterday. We live in a regular apartment ( older) and everyone in our unit ( 10 apartments in our unit and total of 60 in the building) are all local Chinese from best I can tell.
We wanted to live basically the same as almost everyone else in China to shop and live like they do. Only way to learn the culture.
Things I really miss?
A mattress on the bed. Only have basically a bamboo mat on plywood, and covered with what I would call a thick blanket.
Butter, they have it, but it costs a lot.
Wireless internet ( OK that we should get at some point,) but still can't get it fixed by any of the local shops.
A oven, don't exist in most homes, ( you can get a small toaster oven but they are costly)
What we love.
The people, so friendly
The food, fresh foods on push or peddle carts along most side streets.
What surprised me the most?
The food is nothing like the Chinese eating places in US. At least the food the common people eat every day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
Cool!
I think the hardest part for me would be learning the language. All in all I think it would be really neat to learn another culture that way. Would love to see more pics come soon!
Did some tourist things today, There was a conference on grain storage attended by people from all over the world, Africa, Asia, Europe so I went with them to the Millennium City Park, it is a ultra large theme park basically based on Chinese culture from 1000 years ago.
In one photo, you see me petting a cow, all of the teen Chinese girls were scared to go up to the cow, So being from the farm, I held the cow while they got to get her.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
Don't you tower over just about everyone? I'll guess you are easy to spot in a crowd.
Well not everyone, there is a 7 foot student who plays basketball ( of course)
And many that come close in the younger kids. But yes I am taller than most likely 80 percent of the crowd.
But being American is like being a rock star almost. I was asked three times today to take photos with various people.
And the young girls just love Nate, I think I could arrange a marriage for him easily.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
Laughing...
Visited a Buddhist Temple yesterday. It was over 5000 years old, and they have 10,000 full time students that live and study there. The students are from 3 to 25 years old.
That bottom photo is a cemetery?
Basically, the more important monks, the ones who have reached higher states of enlightenment are all cremated of course but they build a monument to them, they call them a Pagadoa. On each is the Monks name and his life history.
Some go back to Ming Dynasty, the newest from about 2008. There were 100s of them. So no one is actually buried there, but they are in the monks memory
Well I took a walk around the neighborhood. And yes I was humming the theme to Mr Rogers till Lady Toni made me stop.
I posted a couple dozen short videos showing where we live to my blog.
Travels of Chuck, Toni and Nate - Home
Ok, hope someone is still reading these.
As you all know I can not use Facebook or YouTube here in China. Normally not a loss, but for posting video and photo for people to look at, esp longer video.
So they have something here called YouKu ( OK, it is the Chinese version of youtube)
I have set up an account and did a trial video ( very short)
But I have no idea if anyone in the US or Europe can log on and see it,
So if someone could see if this link works for them, I would love to hear back
KungFu??????????????????
I hope it worked, I have spent a long time translating pop up boxes that will not goggle translate to make this happen.
G'morning, Padre:Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
I got it... Was that you swinging the sticks?? Wow, that water must be powerful stuff...
excon
Links are working. Great job!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
Already bookmaked your blog.
That is some of my students here in China. We were having a English Club sign up, showing how powerful and great the English Club is. Plus the BBQ every Tuesday at 12 in the square.
I start my first official day of teaching tomorrow. They gave Lady Toni, all the advanced students and she started two week ago working. I was suppose to just be doing English speaking but they have over 1/2 my classes in formal English Writing.
Ok, lets get serious here, my spelling and sentence structure ? Glad to know even in China some things never change, find the person and assign them to the worst possible class they can do.
So I find out tomorrow if I start with what grade level. Lady Tonis advance class is at about 8th or 9th grade high school level. So I am betting my class will be more 3 to 4th grade level.
Ne how ma, Chuck
By now Chuck you will have learned you don't put paper in the toilets and that you need hand sanitizer, you also drink bottled water. I hope you enjoy your stay, the smog and the stench of tobacco smoke. Try some of the exotic dishes while you are there such as the crab. I expect you have also learned the chinese can't pronouce Chuck and they have a pecular way of translating english
Yes, learned the TP issue first day here in the hotel in Bejieng.
But every public toilet and they are every couple blocks have American Toliets, the only place that does not have them, is where I work ( both new and old campus) In fact the old campus does not even have the newer Chinese squat toliets, they just have a trench that runs length of building and you just squat over it, if you are down stream, you see the others float by.
But here in our apartment, the plumbing is up graded, as actually most of Zhengzhou newer areas and business areas. And upgrades going on daily.
But paper flushes fine here.
I don't teach at the old campus, but do go there to do some shopping, some things are cheaper at the campus stores, plus the medical clinic we use is on the old campus.
Water is OK if you boil it, so we use it in most all the cooking, even brush our teeth with it, as long as we don't swallow.
Smog not really that bad, no as bad as Atlanta, at least here in Zhengzhou. And it was not that bad in Bejing ( but was only there a week)
And there is not that many people smoking, again, I am living and working down town, central part of the city, There are people smoking some at the eating places, but in general, I actually see most people smoking back home in US.
Mostly the older people smoking here, from what I see there is not that many younger kids smoking. There is a very large anti smoking campaign going on.
And a super large safe driving program going. ** God only knows they need that.
One way streets are just suggestions, as are lane markings. Not sure why they have traffic lights but they are pretty.
We have traffic crossing guards on every corner, ( again this has to do with our locaton around government offices I think) but no one pays them any attention, they wave their flag, and blow their whistle but people still cross against the light.
Still hard to get used to cars driving on the side walk, that is where they park, so they may pull up on side walk 100 feet down and just drive on side walk honking for you to jump out of the way.
I was told I was a natural riding my bike here, I think that is a insult but not sure.
Not a single crab to be seen, but then we are way, way inland. So while there are large tanks of live fish to buy at the meat market, have not seen crabs.
Chicken is the main dish, and some pork. And if you get to the buther early, you can also get beef at times. We got fresh ground beef this week and did a meat loaf.
Between Walmart and the foreign food sections in several large stores, there is almost nothing we have not gotten. Pancake sryup and mustard are the only two things I have not found yet. Taco sause, no issue, cheese no issue, ( but pricey) Every American brand you want, can be gotten at the legal and the perhaps not so legal markets. ** not that I know the difference, I was told if I don't get a receipt they are most likely don't have a business license and don't pay taxes. ** sounds more like American every day, cheating on their taxes.
I am located about one block from the main province government offices, and other Communist party buildings, plus surrounded by 5 colleges. So between government workers, military, police on every street corner and 1000's and 1000's of college kids,
Yes, we got a bootleg copy of some of the movies ( just out in US) some in English, some with English subtitles, the subtitles are a laugh The person who did them, does not know english at all. Even the Google translator would have done better.
But the thing I found, China being the size of US, things are not the same in the NE, to the SE or to the Center or to the West. And get up near Mongolia and it all changes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by paraclete
Well I see you haven't learned yet and be careful of the oranges
Ah yes Zhengzhou, remember it well, couldn't make myself understood in the bus station and banged up my knee on the ice, take a side trip to Penggu sometime, the old town, not the new one
I was thinking of doing that teaching lark once but I heard too many horror stories. I will be interested to hear how you go.
You might have to go further south for the crab
Remember to bargain for everything Chuck the chinese like a good haggle, learn the numbers and remember to watch out for the hand signals where they multipy by ten
Yes first chinese words learned, how much, and no too much.
I went to work for one of the larger national university. Not one of the English schools.
This school, I am the only new teacher this year. They have 3 teachers who have been here for over 6 years, another few that have been here 3 or 4 and several who are starting their second year. Most of their English teachers are from UK or Philliphines.
This school did not make any big promises, pay lower than some of the other schools promised but at this point.
They do pay, already got pay check directed deposted ( have option of being paid in cash)
They furnish apartment, all utilities, phone, TV. They furnish bus to school each day.
Most likely some of the same issues I have read some. There is not much help with any lesson plan, they expect you to design and do your own classes. There is not much communication, you find out a day or two before the class, what class you are teaching.
Even in a new campus, while the restrooms are clean, and the floors sweep, nothing else much gets cleaned. About 1/2 the lights don't work, and air condition is a open window and I have a feeling, heater is your coat on.
On second day, have no idea where the copy machine is, but found the teachers lounge and where the teachers water is ( teachers get bottled water, students get boiled water)
Learned somewhat how to buy my lunch, but I think it is suppose to be furnished free, so I stlil have to figure out how that works.
Enjoyed their National holiday, I celebrated with one of the locals today by doing one of the local morning customs, We went to Dunkin donut for coffee and a donut. Strange custom but when in China do what the local Chinese do.
Yesterday, was the moon festival, and we got to be part of the reinactment of bowing to the moon when it rose into the air. Lady Toni, got to dress up in traditional Chinese clothing from about 200 to 300 years ago. Pick a outfit and use it in the reinactment.
I took tons of photos, they are on my daily blog site, listed at bottom of question
I don't think most Chinese 300 year ago, were a size XXXL, so I opted to take photos.
For those Chinese not going to Dunkin Donuts, the other breakfeast of Choice is KFC, ( they are open 24 hours a day and deliver) at our local one. They serve a sandwich that tastes just like a Egg McMuffin except on a hamber bun.
Tomorrow, since I am paying of course, my new local friend wants to show me the new McDonalds that is a few miles away, so we are meeting at the main gate at 11 am to ride out bikes there.
All Americans are required to live in a gated community with a guard at the gate. I understand it is for our protection, But we live off campus, in a older housing area where just Chinese teachers live. Most Amerian or English teachers are single and live on campus in housing for single persons. So to have a two bedroom, we live off campus where some of the Chinese teachers live.
Ours like many larger apartment complexes, have a small market and several vendors who are in the housing complex. There is also indoor parking for your bikes, if you want to pay a extra 6RMB a month for parking. We also have a police office in the complex, they are not always there, but are there if not out for other purposes.
McDonalds, that sort of says it all, a Big Mac, fries and a Coke on ice for 4 dollars US. And yes it tastes exactly like the one at home, pickles, cheese, lettece and onions.
Fries were not quite as salty, but still great. Was told the ice was safe to drink. Will tell you latter tonight. Most places it isnot, since it is not purified water and it is not boiled water.
But McDonalds uses fountain drinks, just like in the US, and a ice machine, we were told all purified water. Lets us hope so.
Yes Chuck it can be hard for some, I had some friends who only lasted a week. I hope you have a good experience
That sort of sounds somewhat more expensive than I remember it Chuck. 20 RMB is a lot for a hamburger. I know Macca's is the only way to get western food but when in China... I remember the sweet rolls from the street vendors were great for breakfast 1 RMB. You can buy a Restaurant dinner for two for 40 RMB and live it up, private room and all.
That rule on living is to keep an eye on you so you don't do anything too subversive, watch for the fellows in the black leather coats and yes you have acquired a local friend, interestingly did that the second day I was there, very welcoming, the chinese
Yes, we have our income from the Karate school plus some of my other investments, plus Toni and I both have incomes here. So we can spend more than many here.
It is the dollar value that has fallen over the past few years. It is like a Pizza at Pizza Hut is 100 RMB but we can get one from the local company for about 60.
But yes we normally eat dinner at the local street vendors, and spend about 4 US dollars for our entire meal for 3 people. Or eat at a little more fancy Chinese place for about 30 RMB for the entire family.
The US food places are near the higher end income people, For example, stores where dresses are 800 RMB and shirts for men are 400 RMB. We looked at watches today that were 9000 RMB. This is the mall where McDonald is. Now the Chinese are lined up for this, but this is most certainly a high income area.
I bought a shirt today for 49RMB and it is a nice as the other ones. I had one hand made last week for less than 100RMB. My best shirt deal was at Walmart, a special clearance sell. All for the odd non popular sizes ( yet that is the 3XL) I got it for 20RMB.
This week we are on vacation for the National Holiday, and we have a tour guide to show us how to get to all of the US buying places. Of course we buy their meal when we go, so they get a good meal and often get us special pricing. Now they will get very loud, yell and ask for the manager. At Dunkin Donuts we all got free coffee and they get to take photos of Americans eating at their place to show off.
And we had been a month, without any of this, so a little over the top extra
But you can buy spice cake on the street or in the store bakery, donuts and most of the things. I can buy sort of of large bun and hamburger and make our own burgers.
But even their regular places have spaggitti ( they claim discovered it first).
I am getting some Chinese down, and love to bargain prices, we are starting to play ping pong and wanted to get some paddles. I looked at a set and they asked 40RMB, I made a face, just put them down and said NO ( in Chinese of course) and started to walk off, he followed and said 30, and I waved my hand and laughed. Sort of a insult I am told, that they must be joking on the price. I walked back when he said 20 and ended up with 15 as the price. About 2.25 US for two paddles and 4 balls. They have a large ping pong area near us.
Toni can read and talk more Chinese than I can, but she does not bargain as well. She shows too much emotion on things she likes. I had to act like the mean husband today, she saw a back pack, not that she does not have one already, but she wanted this purple one. Like all the "girls" carry. Yep, back pack envy. Well they asked 60 I think and she got it to 55 or something and was getting ready to pay, so I walked up and yelled like no it was a waste of money, look at cheap it is made. I got another 15 off and most likely could have got more but I think Toni was not playing along well.
I think we get followed every now and then, We are two blocks from the main headquarters of their Province government. And there are lots of government buidings all around us.
Of course they have all of the military training for the college students, we see some only because it is done in the open fields where we have to walk past.
I have a National Party member monitor in all of my classes, they don't set though all but come in and sit in the back of many of the classes.
There are two army soldiers who stand across the street from our complex all day, but I think they are guarding or watching the place they stand in front of. It looks like a lot, and I mean a lot of important people eat and meet there all the time. Lots of big cars driving in
There are about 10 foreign people in my complex, but we are the only Americans.
There are only about 3 Americans working at our campus besides us, the rest are from Europe.
Hi Chuck I expect you know that there is, shall we say, special places in each city where the cadre meet privately, you are probably across the road from one. Don't make the mistake of taking photos. I find it interesting that inflation has taken over there, but I expect tourism has brought a certain amount of profiteering you should avoid buying anything for more than half the asking price. It is hard to get used to such a system but it is the way things are throughout the orient, it's sort of like tipping, not done there
I hope you do well with Chinese, hard to get used to that tonal thing. But I'm sure you will be able to use your background well to teach english
One secret Im going to let you in on. If you want the "best" bargin for your money on an item especially a big ticket item be the first one to buy for the day. Tradition has it that the first customer of the day is going to dictate how the day is going to go. So be first and make the sale happen.
Some great videos of my day today, a giant mall, some wonderful street music of traditional music, and my eating at a street café. Funny at the café, they were using plastic stools, I guess I am so heavy, I broke it and hit the floor, they were so concerned but I just laughed to let them know I was OK, and the entire café starting laughting once I did. So polite they would never have laughed no matter how hard they wanted to unless I did.
Great mean for all three of us for 7 RMB ( about 1.10 US dollar)
If you though in the cokes, the entire meal was under 3 US dollars for all three of us to eat.
There is a video with traditional music, and another showing the areas largest mall.
My blog shows my photo with some local soldier who was helping take some of our photos and helping "protect" me in the crowd. Also a great photo with a large group of cheer leaders.
Street Music
Traditional Chinese Music??????????????????
Large mall
Large Mall in Zhengzhou??????????????????
Our sidewalk café
Side walk dinner
City Center
Two Seven Square??????????????????
Hi Chuck I see you are learning about the difference between locals and tourists, yes watch out for plastic chairs, they are not UV stable and degenerate quickly in sunlight. I've done that myself and seen it happen to others. There are some really big malls in China but what ,Zhengzhou has 17 Million people? So scale is something you have to get used to. I was amazed at the width of the streets in Wuhan and the scale of the bridges
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