China Moments [第三册]

Here's a very important thing you HAVE to realize: China is filled with people.  There are days when you are going to stand on a subway and mutter under your breath, feeling like canned sardines, squished and compressed against each other, with little air conditioning.  There are days when you see a single seat on a bus and want to dive, throw yourself onto it, even if you just sit for one stop.

Outdoor concerts in China are ridiculously packed with people, trash, mosquitoes...

And then, there are days, hours even, where you get lucky and get to feel ridiculously free from the human constraint.

There are lakes that are empty and clear, with nothing on the horizon but the sun...

The thing that I actually love the most about being surrounded by people in China is the madness that seems to erupt.  I'm not talking about tempers that get too short, and burn everyone in the vicinity.  I'm talking about the creative powers that no one seems to really tap until they can't help themselves.

In Beijing, there's an area called 七九八, which means 'Seven Eight Nine.'  It's also called 79Bar. It's an artist haven, getaway, forever place.  There's graffiti, sculptures, art exhibits.

Hey Che!  First China, then Morocco... Where next?

Alright, yes, Bumblebee was there.

It wasn't just this side of the bus that was painted.

The face freaked me out.  And the mug was actually tall enough to reach my waist.

79Bar is so full of art and beauty.  A friend I know would also say it's full of hipsters.  And he's right.

They're Chinese hipsters who smoke French import Gauloise cigarettes and talk about Europeans in the south.

M

China Moments [第二册]

My China itinerary was planned somewhat along these lines:

Mother: Sweetie, you need a break. You're working too hard.
Me: [looking like death] Alright...
Mother: You know your internship?  Well, it got cancelled. So, I called some friends to help you around China! Just fill out this visa.
Me: [blinks] ....WHAT?!

To explain, I had just come off a semester of a full 18-hour-course-load, taking a 20-hour per week internship, doing 5-7 hours a week in a psychology lab, tutoring, working as entertainment producer for our student television program, contributing to the student newspaper AND participating in three different student  clubs.

I then decided to spend my summer doing some biology research, taking a summer course and continuing my 20-hour per week internship.

Of course, my mother (bless her heart) somehow took this to mean that I was working myself too thin.  And decided to do what mothers do best: (s)mother me with love.

Originally, I was going to China to do an internship.  The paperwork had been filled out, I was in the process of getting my visa, and I even had my ticket purchased.  But then, the position was stopped. Finished. Paused.  Insert bureaucracy that I cannot understand.

Of course, my mother filled in the blanks. Why not use the time to decompress?  After all, the ticket HAD been bought.  There was just a small matter of getting a tourist visa.  So, she called some friends.  The recommendations came in.  She created a list.

1. Beijing
2. Nanjing
3. Hangzhou
4. Shanxi
5. Shanghai

And that is how I ended up heading to Beijing, China.

My cousin and I decided that we'd do something touristy.  We took a rickshaw tour. 

China Moments [第一册]

So, I went to China last summer (the summer of 2012), before I went to Morocco for study abroad.  In my rush to pack and organize for my semester of journalism, I never got to update my Chinese moments.  Let's start with this list of TOP 10 standouts.

1. Chinese traffic is crazy.  Trying to drive is like playing Mario Cart, except that there are constantly cars/trucks/bikes coming towards you, squeezing in front of you, etc.  And that friggin' blue turtle shell?  Yeah, it's ALWAYS THERE.  Trying to cross the street is like playing Frogger.  On expert.  In double-time. (And public transportation isn't any better...)

2. People are just as likely to believe that everyone in the States lives in a mansion (which, given apartment costs in China, might as well be true), has had plastic surgery, and has a wardrobe full of designer items as they are to believe that the government has ... issues.  If you don't  believe me, check out weibo.com, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

3. When you go to a shopping center, please do not provoke the vendors.  Please, for your safety, please. I witnessed three fights in the span of one hour.  Mostly, it had to do with the vendor throwing punches (or items) at a disgruntled customer who had haggled over the price and then left.  Seriously, if you do decide to buy and haggle on the price, you better be prepared to pay for it.

4. If you do not speak your mind or stand your ground, you run the risk of being scammed.  I say this as an observation: anyone who is a tourist knows that their best chance of escaping harassment is looking like s/he knows what's going down.  Otherwise, you run the risk of being scammed. So, please, please, please, be aware of your surroundings.

5. Chinese food rocks. Hard. All night long.  There's so much to try, and if you know where to go, it's fresh, cheap and DELICIOUS.  I had the privilege of experiencing authentic Taiwan egg custard tarts, rose pastries, fresh dumplings, and sixteen types of minority food, in the span of a day.

6. There are always fun things to do.  Case in point: I went to a concert in Hangzhou (yay for Coca-Cola sponsorship), sang karaoke in Shanghai (even though Anthony Bourdain would have screamed "NO" as soon as someone said "Kara-"), went to the Fire Torch Festival in Kunming (which is basically a pyromaniac's wet dream.  Seriously, over three tons of flammable materials), and went hiking in Chengde.

7. There is a fear of rabies.  A legitimate, widespread, massive fear of rabies.  I went to the hospital a few times (yay for family members and such... :/) and every time, even on Sunday, the rabies office was open.  The hospital had so many cases of people being scratched or nipped by dogs and then coming in for a rabies shot, that they opened a office to deal with it.  And the office was open 7 days a week, from 9am-5pm.  There was always a wait.

8. If you think people in the US of A have a fear of immigrants, you need to meet some of the people I ran into.  There is a FIERCE territorial desire to protect their city (or in some extreme situations, their neighborhood) from "outsiders."  I learned that they define "outsiders" as anyone from a different province or city.  This territorial thinking probably comes from a very traditional belief: that the family is the center of your world, and anyone who threatens the family will be dealt with accordingly.

9. As much as people may believe there is an ignorance and arrogance in Chinese society (which, honestly, every society has), there is also a ruthlessness in all aspects of business.  I saw two beggars/panhandlers going at it, because one stated that the other had stolen his spot.  I heard a lady talk about watching a pickpocket threaten someone who wanted to go to the police.  My cousin came home badly shaken up because a female panhandler cornered her on the subway and threatened her with a pot.

10. The fast food culture is as integral to Chinese society as it is to the States.  While I really don't like Chinese KFC, or McDonald's, I'm very hooked on Starbucks.  Their desserts?  Delicious.

As an aside: While staying in my hostel in Shanghai, I met two guys from Chicago, IL.  We got to talking.  Interestingly, I introduced myself as Canadian, and they decided to disabuse all of my notions of the states.  Their biggest point: "It's bulls**t that people say there's hunger in America!  There's a f**king dollar menu.  There's no way in hell anyone's going hungry."  They were there because their uncle had bought them a three month vacation.  Draw your own conclusions.

Study Abroad: Part 29 [Crazy Moments. And Let's Do It Again.]

TOP 5 THINGS I DON'T MISS ABOUT MOROCCO:

1. The constant cat-calling

2. Being woken up at 5am by the call to prayer

3. Smoky cafes at 2 in the afternoon

4. The trash everywhere

5. The lack of indoor heating. Or air-conditioning.

So, we were rascals on our bus rides. Here's the proof.

The moment when we decided to let A.H. cook chicken...

TOP 5 THINGS I MISS ABOUT MOROCCO:
1. Being able to walk to just about anywhere
2. Having such a cheap currency (10 dirham cab rides, 5 dirham sandwiches)....
3. Reliable transportation (I can always hail a cab, or get a tram).
4. Fresh fruit smoothies and juices. Every day.
5. Couscous Fridays.

K.M. has always just been very chill, laid-back and cool.

So, E.N. joined us for cheesecake on our last day. Delicious Bert's!

TOP 5 THINGS I MISSED ABOUT THE USA:
1. Not being cat-called
2. Hot showers
3. Fast-reliable internet
4. Chinese food
5. My mother

For our last night, we blew approximately 400 dirhams (50 USD) on McDonald's, because our meal vouchers would have expired and been useless otherwise.

A video that I made of my day trip to Spain with friends. ;)

TOP 5 THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD MISS ABOUT THE USA, BUT ACTUALLY DO:

1. Being able to hug guys without them taking it awkwardly

2. Being able to go to dollar theaters and throw popcorn at the screen

3. Being able to walk into a bar without automatically assuming all the women are prostitutes, or having people assume that I'm a prostitute

4. SNOW.  Need I say more?

5. Shampoo and conditioner that don't strip my hair.

Study Abroad: Part 28 [Instant Connections]

The things that I dislike about travel? Let's see: jet-lag, pickpockets, traveler's diarrhea...

The things that I love about travel?  Instant connections.

Now, before you freak out, let me explain: I'm not talking about hook-ups or sex, or love at first sight.  Remember that scene in Fight Club, when he's talking about "single-serving friends"?

I found this via Google.

That's what I mean.  When I say an instant connection, I'm talking about that moment when you somehow can connect with this person you have never seen before, who has somehow stumbled into your life, and who may or may not be in your life after this exact moment.  This person, who may be in your head, who may be the leader of an underground resistance group, who may possibly want to see the world burn, this person is your connection.  To what? Who cares, just embrace the moment.

The other day, I read something that quite frankly terrified me.  "You have only 10 years to enjoy your 20s." That is 3,652 days to enjoy hangovers, a faster metabolism, the lack of responsibility that comes with kids and a mortgage.

And that is why I'm all for the instant connections I make.  A few of them have been awkward and terrifying, but most of them have been amazing.

The Spanish-Chinese shopkeeper in Tarifa, who through some miraculous act spoke Mandarin Chinese, and helped convert my American dollars into euros, so I could get on a bus and catch up to my friends...

The British man (whom shall be known as B) who spoke to Re and me, going on about how he was still in love with his wife, how we (Re and me) were still young so he'd buy us drinks...

The German girls I met, who were teaching young children and ended up so exhausted at the end of the day, yet so full of enthusiasm, and wanting to explore the city...

Every single person who has spun in and out of my life has somehow made an impact on me.  Whether that moment of interaction will somehow reflect on my life, I can't say for sure quite yet.

But these quick interactions are worth it.

Study Abroad: Part 27 [And So It Goes... The Final Countdown]

Six.  That is the number of days left in Morocco.  Right now, I'm back at Hotel Velleda, the hotel where I started this crazy adventure.  Before I met everyone, I was worried.  After all, I hadn't met them before or gone onto their Facebook pages before I arrived (thank you China for internet censorship).  And now, I kinda don't want to say goodbye.

But in six days, I hop onto a plane at 6:40, the morning of December 15, and head back to the States.  At that point in time, I then have approximately 23 days to finish my Belgium visa application process before I go study abroad in Belgium... They told me to plan for four weeks to process my visa, but I have to apply for the visa in the United States.  Also, I didn't have access to the necessary paperwork until I got to Morocco.  Therefore, oops?

So anyways, that's what is ahead of me.  What lies in the ruins of last week: edit upon edit upon edit, my completed ISJ, finding a printer, participating in the mad dash of rabble-rousing and farewell parties, and moving out of the medina apartment.

To be honest, I regret nothing. Sure, there have been a few hair-raising moments (like witnessing a fight outside a club), moments where I wanted to scream (like arguing with our former landlady who swore she'd make us pay 2000 dirhams and would call the cops if we didn't leave at 11 in the morning, even though we told her we would leave at noon), and moments of pure apathy and exhaustion (where I essentially feel like I'm experiencing finals from across the world: sleep deprivation, frustration, and wondering where I went wrong with my life choices).

But it's been worth it.  My soundtrack has been: laughing, crying, shouting, screaming.  I've been sick, been homesick, been (almost) lovesick, and been cured.  I'm looking forward to fast internet connection, hot water showers with high pressure, walking down the street without harassment and eating Chinese food.  I'll miss couscous on Fridays, two or three hour long coffee/tea breaks, feeling salt spray on my face, and my friends.

And despite everything that's happened, I can honestly say that, when I'm looking back on my Facebook photos and everything else, I can say that "Yeah, I totally did that."

Moi and my final project (in a pretty blue folder).

Study Abroad: Part 26 [To Run Away, but for a day]

It's December and I'm a horrible person. Not really. But kinda.  I'm desperately trying to procrastinate on this final project because I am DEAD worried... It's taking a very long time to come together and I need to take a break.

So, my plan is to run away (for a day).  Day trip anyone?

The first place I'm thinking of is Chellah.  Chellah refers to a city of ruins are near Rabat, actually located across the riverbank at Sale.  Every year, the Jazz of Chellah music festival takes place there.  The cemetery has a few interesting tidbits and legends associated with it. Also, it's close, my friends have made it sound interesting to me, and I honestly just need to get out of the city.

The second place I'm considering is Volubilis.  It's an ancient Roman city near Meknes that is partially excavated.  Yeah, it's more ruins.  Yeah, it's kinda far.  But what makes it interesting to me is two-fold: it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Arch of Caracalla is the most notable structure in the city.  Google it for some more history.

I would go to El Jadida.  It's only about two hours away from Rabat, and it's on the beach, which makes it seem very pretty.  At the same time though, the water is freezing cold (we're in the middle of winter and the rainy season in Morocco), and I have a feeling that the rain is probably going to come down hard soon.

At the same time though, I might just stay in Rabat.

The places that I hang out at are so much fun.  Granted, they're all in Agdal, which is the more European and expensive part of town.

Bert's has good cheesecake (for 23 dirhams), and the gingerbread latte (21 dirhams) is definitely one of my favorite hot drinks.  The atmosphere is kind of loud at night, but during the day, it's a great place to study.  They even have sandwiches in case you get hungry.

When I want something else sweet, I go to Chez Paul.  It's fancy French, but the chocolate desserts are to die for.  Literally.  I have had raspberry macarons, tried the gelato, and even had their chocolate torte.  They have their own bakery, and they're going to try making cupcakes soon. I hope I get a chance to try them before I leave!

[Side note: I found cupcakes (REAL CUPCAKES) in Casablanca.  The store is called "J'adore Cupcakes", located inside the Twin Centers, and even has mini-cheesecakes.]

The Casablanca (vanilla-vanilla and a gummy heart on top) cupcake, and the mini-cheesecakes.

Upstairs is an Irish pub/bar, located on Avenue Michliffen, has this drink that I really like, called VK Apple (Vodka Kick) that tastes like Smirnoff Apple.  It also has great rock music and this live band on Fridays.

When I want to dance, it's either Yakout's, which has a ton of reggae and is a bar/dance floor, or Amnesia, which is a full-blown club that I would expect to see in a place like New York.

But, to be completely honest, my favorite place is probably Le Cotton Club. Ohmyfreakinggawwwd. I love this place.  It's classy, but also kla$$y.  This is where I tried sambuca for the first time.  This is live music, hot dogs, and where I met most of my Moroccan friends.  Honestly, I love this place.

So, who knows.  I might run away for a day, or I might stay my last week in Rabat and finish up this project.