I tried to write earlier either upon my arrival, or right before I left but couldn't find the time. I was also unable to access facebook or the internet from my computer. I have finally figured out how to use the wonderful world of technology over here.
As most of you have seen, I have arrived safely. It has definitely been an indescribable experience coming back. I have considered walking around with a notebook in hand in order to write down the strange quirky things I see in the world of Beijing. It's so much different than the states, especially coming from a small town in Washington. I have had to adjust to not having a car but relying on public transportation. Subways and Busses are the way to travel, but they can be so jammed packed at times that you feel claustrophobic. You don't really have a choice when you are trying to get from point A to point B. Every morning I go to school I have to walk to a subway, take it five stops away, walk to a bus station, ride that for three stops and then walk to the school from there. It can be a very overwhelming experience.
I don't really have a point of reference with this blog at this point but wanted to let everyone know I am alive. The last week I have met everyone in my group-- there are 19 of us taking a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course and then we are split up into groups were we will be teaching at various schools. I was introduced to my colleagues at my school and saw some of the students. I will be working mostly with 3 to 6 year olds-- I didn't realize that 3 year olds had even a full vocabulary in their native language let alone could start to learn a second language, but never too early to start I guess. Plus, this is China. (You may see this phrase used a lot, sometimes there are no words to describe what happens here as it is so foreign, all you can really say is "this is China"-- or the newly acquired "it's different". Not bad, not good, just different.)
I have spent a few days and nights wandering around to explore and to try and get my bearings around here. I carry a map everywhere I go. It is quite strange but because everything has changed so much and I spend a lot of time in places I never really did before, I never know where I am. The city is huge!!!
I also had the wonderful experience of trying to, and successfully finding an apartment. The first day was quite interesting as this short little Chinese man met me at my hotel. I followed him to the Subway, 2 metros and 8 stops later we got off where we met two more men. I was told to get on the back of a scooter and rode around Beijing looking at various apartments. I was not impressed with what he showed me and felt ripped off. The next day i decided to find a new agent and started making calls. I met up with this very nice man (no scooters included-- but a taxi ride to the building)-- where he showed me 3 units. The first I wasn't too impressed with as the kitchen had been built inside the bathroom by the owner because he wanted to save space. How sanitary. The second was gorgeous but was expensive, and the third was the size of a box. We went back to the original and while the agent called the owner it was taken (thankfully as I didn't want to cook where my toilet was), so we went back to the second, I met the owner and with my wonderful Chinese skills (exaggeration) she fell in love with me and dropped the price and hired me to tutor her children. While it will never compare to living in an apartment in the states-- my main requirements were a toilet (some may have holes in the ground), a shower not over the toilet (very common here), a washing machine (most people hand wash clothes and it is rare to find dryers), a refrigerator (a luxury only foreigners usually require, most keep their food hanging outside to keep cool). Apartments are furnished so I needed a bed too. My place has a bonus of a couch, a tv, internet, cable, an electric stovetop AND a microwave (YAY). I also have a large bathtub with a shower. I am glad to have found a place so I have something to call home.
I will be moving in on the 25th as my hotel is paid for until the 26th. I have the 25th off, two days of work the 26th and 27th and then a week break from the 28th to the 4th. Looking forward to some time to settle in and have a break. I might make my way to Shanghai or camp on the Great Wall. The adventures at this point are endless.
I think that is enough for now, plus I have to get to homework. I will try to find some more exciting stories to share. This includes only a small fraction of what I could tell, but apartment hunting is worth sharing. But it is something one can truly only experience themselves. You have to see it to believe it-- Pictures will come, I promise.
