Shanghai and Suzhou, China - a nice weekend away.

So, my friends and I decided that a girl's weekend away would be just the thing for us to get through to our next scheduled holiday from work. We chose Shanghai and Suzhou (near Shanghai).  It was a beautiful weekend full of sun, lots of laughter, and only a few mishaps along the way. Below is our group on our first day there - heading to the waterfront.

Chinese translation and interpretation is so amusing to me. "Make tea chat"....hmmm....if my tea starts talking to me, I'm heading back to the shrink! 

Shanghai is a lovely Chinese city filled with beautiful park areas. It is much cleaner (at least on the ground) than what I am accustomed to here in Shenzhen where I live. This picture below is near the Bund - a famous area along the river that has a beautiful view of the skyline. 

The one below is of the buildings along the Bund. There is a colonial flair here, which makes it so intriguing. 

And, of course, there are modern buildings, such as the "spaceship looking thingy" as I liked to call it. I never did find out what it was, but it is cool looking if nothing else. 

We visited a section of town where all of the buildings are done in the traditional style. I love "modern meets traditional" within a single city. The diversity is enjoyable without being predictable. 

Amid the traditional styled city is a beautiful water area, of course, packed with lots of people taking pictures. But, lovely all the same.

The following pictures are from Yu Yuan Gardens. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in here, as each turn had another picture perfect setting for photos. I could have spent a long time in here, but we had other things we wanted to see and do in our short time. If you are ever in Shanghai, this is a must. 

After we left the gardens, we continued on our big bus tour we had purchased. We figured it was a great way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time. We were right. Along the way, I saw this and felt like I was on cloud 9. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to shop. I miss stores like this. 

Also along the way on the tour, we passed a temple. Outside was a large pole with these golden lions (?) on top. It looked so massive against the blue sky. 

So, here in China, it is rare that they wait their turn for anything. They push onto public transportation, will steal taxis from you, push in line at the markets, etc. BUT, when it comes to food, there is a respect that goes beyond the malicious pushing behaviors. It causes lines to be formed and rules to be followed. As a foodie, I appreciate this.  Now, below, I am not sure WHAT the line was for, but I will put money on the fact that it was for a food. 

Later in the day, we encountered this charming man along the side walk. He was playing this thing (no clue) and doing a comedy of sorts in between. We only know because we asked someone. It was all in Chinese, but others walking past were laughing, so it must have been amusing to them. Even without knowing what he was saying, it was amusing to us. 

We visited the Oriental Pearl Tower (TV Tower). It reminds me of something I would have seen on the cartoon the Jetsons. It just does not seem real. Yet, it is. We went up for a view of the city. 

The building in the background that has a square top...I called it the "bottle opener", as it reminded me of one. There is a hole in the building. It seems fitting for opening beer. :) 

A closer look.....see.....looks like a bottle opener, right? 

There is a glass floor, so you can see down. It was fun. I like things like that. I appreciate the different views and luckily, I am not afraid of heights.  

This is the view of the skyline at dusk. 

Now we move into Suzhou.  We planned to get there about 10:30 am on Saturday, but thanks to a holiday in China and too many cars, we were stuck in traffic for over 2 hours. We ended up getting out of our taxi in deadlocked traffic and walking to find a metro to get to the train station. By the time we did, the next available train for us was another two hours out.  We finally arrived in Suzhou around 4:30 pm. An entire day was wasted in traveling. From what we did see of the city, I liked it. I plan to do the trip again next year, now that I know what to do and how to avoid that much traffic!

Above: Suzhou is known for the canals the run around the city. It has been called the "Venice of China" .

This is just a cutie (above) that we encountered at a stop light. Below are lamp coverings that were beautiful. I loved the colors of them. I will get one next time. I am not sure why I did not get one this time. Probably because I do not have any normal light figures to put it over. 

The next thing was just disturbing. The bottles you see below are not for babies. They are filled with various juices for ADULTS. Yep, that's the new "fad" here - drinking from a bottle. I have no idea what the hell is wrong with people. haha

Speaking of drinking though, we found this bar that was decorated for various holidays. There was a spider web on the ceiling (Halloween), Santa decor on the wall (Christmas), hearts and love letters on another wall (Valentine's) and a lot of other mix-and-match decor that made no sense. I've learned, though, that here in China, things do not need to make sense. You just go with the flow.

Some of my favorite things about traveling to new places are the street foods.  I actually did not try these ones, but they looked so good!

Suzhou is also known for silks. I bought some silk scarves while there. These ones were out of my price range, but definitely worth looking at. To be so soft and gorgeous....ahh....

Below is one street food I DID eat and boy, was it worth it!! It was like a tortilla in size, like a crepe texture, and had bacon and egg in it. And, it was under $1 USD. Yep...that's the good stuff. 

On a bit more expensive meal, we had some of the best sushi that I have eaten outside of Japan. It was excellent and overall, reasonably priced. The entire tray of varied sushi on the right hand side was under $15 USD. Seriously. I can't get that scrumptious-ness back home for that price. I wish I could! 

I found this sesame cake thingy-mabob in the store at the train station. I should have purchased it, as it just looks good and says something sweet. But, again, I walked away. I'm sure I will see these again though, and I plan to pick one up when I do. 

Shanghai and Suzhou was a good weekend trip. Like I said, I'll do it again sometime next year. The cities were nice. The pollution wasn't bad while we were there either. And by bad, I mean in comparison to China's standards. As an American who grew up in a small town without big factories, I have a much different perspective on clean air and what I consider "not bad".  But that is another story for another day.  

A rain day off of work. Yes, I said rain.

So, last night it started. The rain was in full force. It wasn't long before Shenzhen (city where I live) was put on a "red rain" status. That means high winds, excessive rain, and possible damage is expected. When we remain in this status for a while, it becomes a safety issue and the government requires schools to be closed. So, here it is, the last day of March, and the rain has kicked in and gave me an extended weekend.

Now, last time we had one of these days, it was in the fall. It had rained ALL night, and they cancelled school. Then, the sun came out and I basically had a free day to play! Unfortunately, that did not happen this time around. Oh, the sun keeps popping out here and there, but it is short lived. In between, the rain keeps coming. It is no longer at a "red" status, but rather just good old fashion "not gonna stop until my clouds are empty" type of rain. This has caused lots of flooding in the lower lying area.

This picture was taken by a friend on his way home from dinner last night. There are several more just like it circulating on the internet today. I am thankful I live up a hill and not near the bay, so this is not my area that is being washed over with the germ infested waters. I have good rain boots and a rain jacket, so I could venture out. BUT, I think I'll keep nice and cozy in my apartment where it is dry. 

On the bright side, I was productive and did my lesson plans for next week! :) Now, I can relax the rest of this week, which is good. I hate to be stressed out before traveling and my girlfriends and I have a vacation planned this weekend (we have off on Friday for a holiday). We're heading to Shanghai. 

"Dear Rain,  Thank you for a Monday off. I appreciated it. Now, it is time for you to stop.  Yours truly, Johanna."

Odds and Ends

As my time draws closer to go back to the U.S.A., it makes me think of all things I have missed, and the oddities that are out there in the world.  Here are just some fun photos of things that have made me think, "What the hell??" Not all our that odd, but still worthy enough to be an "odds and ends" type of photo...

This is the make-shift wall they set up for "housing" when they were doing construction on my street. 

This is the balloon guy that makes awesome balloon hats (yes, I will get one some day) 

and they are under $3!!

NEVER had this happen before, but apparently, mixing antacids, such as Pepto, and alcohol can give you a black mouth. Luckily it happened to my friend or I would have been super freaked that I was an alien.

In case you are not a fan of regular white milk, but aren't in the mood for chocolate either - you have choices! I have not tried these yet. With the right cereal, they may not be that bad. :)

This is part of our "Sea World" area...shopping/dining area. The picture below is another angle of the area. The boat used to be in water, but over the years the water left. It is now in a man-made fountain area. 

I was not as quick as I would have liked, but that is a person on a bike with a HUGE pile of boxes on the back. This is very common here. 

Whizzing by is also a woman pushing a portable food cart. I guess you just stop whenever you find someone hungry. I'll work on better pictures of these things. They are interesting to see. 

They say "everything's bigger in Texas" and while that is often true, things can get big here too! Granted, I was at a Tex-Mex place. That is my mojito on the right. It is too big for just one hand. 

This isn't odd..just funny. I was at a soccer tournament today and the one team has these jerseys. I couldn't help but crave fried green beans from TGI Fridays. Hahaha. 

This summer, I'll be on the look out for weird or unusual things that you would only see in America. 

Had my fill of upsets lately

It's been a very frustrating two weeks for me. It began last weekend, when I went to hail a taxi. He turned his light off, so I figured there was someone in the back. As he drove past, I noticed there was nobody inside. As soon as he got past me, he turned his light back on. Then, he happened to get stopped at a red light. So, I went and approached him. He pointed at me and then shook his hand no. He would not take me. I almost cried. I can't believe he was discriminating against a paying customer. Was he racist against whites? Was he sexist and refusing to take me because I was a woman? I'll never know, but I do know that I was very hurt.

Then, while in Hong Kong seeing a doctor, I found out my first round of meds didn't work and my cervix is still having problems. Ugh. After 20 years of hormones, etc., I am fed up with being a woman. I would love to have it all taken out - rid the house of the plumbing, so to speak - but I am too young. It would just mean a different type of hormone treatment.

This week, I had to say good-bye to one of my favorite students. She is moving back to Japan and I am going to miss her terribly. I cried. That is the THE hardest part of being an international teacher. People come and go much more frequently.  I also had to go say good-bye to a former student and his family, as they are going back to Israel. My heart was very heavy this week.

To top it all off, I have a pinched nerve that is causing tingling in my arms and I went to the doctor. Until I can see a chiropractor in Hong Kong, I got meds. I told her about my stomach ulcers and she gave me meds to take with the pain pills to protect my stomach. Guess what isn't working. Now, my stomach is in pain and I'm back to no pain meds, a strict diet, and wishing it didn't have to be this difficult sometimes to get good medical treatment. I am wishing I were at home in the States, where I know this could all be fixed so quickly and easily. Don't get me wrong, I love living overseas and traveling, 95% of the time. When it comes to my health, I would much rather be in the States. So, I'll have to made due for 85 more days until I can get back to PA and see doctors I am familiar with.

We have parent conferences this week, so I am hoping those at least go well and give me the boost I need to re-energize and push through.

It's been a while and I am ready.

There is nothing I love to do more than travel the world. Well, teaching is pretty awesome. :)  I'm lucky that I get to do both. But, in all of my travels so far, there is one thing that always holds true for me. Shopping in the U.S.A. is the best!

Oh, do not get me wrong, buying artwork, antiques, knick-knacks, etc. in other countries is fantastic. You find things that you do not see back home. But, when it comes to clothes, it is hands-down the U.S.A. that wins my credit card.  Here are the main reasons why:

1.  In Asia, I am considered "large" and it is difficult to find clothes. And shoes - not a chance. Although, if I want to wear men's shoes, I am fine.

2. The quality is MUCH better back home. Europe has some good quality as well, but then that brings me to the final main reason.

3. Cost. The long-term cost is much cheaper back home. Yes, it is true that you can buy clothes in India, China, and other countries for next to nothing. But do not be shocked when they fall apart in the washing machine.  They are cheap, but are made as "throw away" clothes.  On rare occasions, I have found an item of clothing in Asia that has lasted longer than expected. But, it is rare.  I still have shirts that I purchased in college (13 years ago!) from Old Navy that I still wear, and they are not even close to being worn out. And do get me started on jeans. I can get great Levi's jeans for $20 back home. The cheapest I have seen them anywhere else in the world is $50 and that is for ones I wouldn't wear. The classic ones - $100 and up. NOT HAPPENING!

So, this summer, after two years of traveling around, it is time for me to shop. I am going to get new socks, shoes, bras, clothes, and sneakers. And, anything else I see that I feel I need. I am looking forward to being in a store, NOT having someone tell me I am too big for their stuff, and being able to hand over my visa at the register.

There are other things I am looking forward to back home, like buying food products where I can read the ingredients, eating out without wondering if they will sneak in peppers or not, and being able to drive again. And, of course, time with friends and family. But that should go without saying. So, here is to 100 more days of Asia before I head back to the States. If you plan to be in the Dubois/Punxsy/Pittsburgh area the end of June through mid-July, feel free to swing by! :)

Lost, but not forgotten.

By now, you are noticing a recurring theme with me: I often go long periods without blogging. It is not that I do not think about doing it, because I do. Every time I see something that still manages to shock me here in China, or travel to some splendid adventure, I want to blog. So why don't I? Easy. I lack motivation. Not all the time and not in all things I do, but in this, yes.

I love to write and I love to tell stories, but those who know me well know that I rarely shut up. I prefer to talk. So, until I get up enough nerve to do video blogs (probably will never happen), then I'll just go through my phases on the written blog.  Just to fill you in, here is where 2013 ended for me:

December, 2013 - joined my mom in Prague for an early Christmas trip with her. It was great. I love her lots and enjoy our travels together, despite our bickering. It's just who we are. :)  We also visited Vienna while there. Man, it was cold for me. I'm used to Southern China winters now.  After my mom headed back home, I ventured on to Poland, which I LOVED.  I also took a day trip to Bratislava (not impressed) and then rounded out my three week vacation in Budapest, which reminded me in so may ways of Paris, but yet so enjoyably different on its own. Another place I can say I loved. That is where I celebrated 2014 and my birthday. Yep, another year older now. But, I'm sure 35 will be awesome.

February, 2014 - Chinese New Year means we have off work for a week. I don't complain. This vacay took me to Japan. It was very, and I mean VERY, difficult to come back to China. I loved Japan. It is exactly what I always thought Asian life would be like. Everything I have always longed for in China was there, in a much more enjoyable sense. I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Mt. Fuji/Hanoke area. It was such an amazing week. I could live in Japan for sure!!

Now, here it is, March 2 and I just finished up some lesson plans for tomorrow. Work is still going wonderfully. A few kids have been buggers lately, but nothing I can't handle. I love my class so much. It only took 7 years of teaching to get a class this well behaved. Haha. I wonder if it will be another 7 until it happens again. I sure hope not!

I have some weekend getaway trips planned this spring here in China. I didn't get a job offer I liked (transfer), so I'm in China again next year. It is ok though. I've already got my year of vacations planned out. That reminds me - I need to apply for a visa to Tibet. ;)

Life is good. I'm still single (and OK with that), no kids (besides the 18 I have nearly 8 hours a day), and holding steady at the "not fat, not skinny" weight my body does well with. I'm going to the States this summer for one month and really excited to see friends and family, but just as excited to get back overseas and hit up a few more countries.

In honor of Dr. Seuss (today is his birthday), here are a few quotes that could each sum up my life:

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose."

"The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

"You're off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!"

Trying to remain positive, but SUPER hard here

OK, this is going to be a rant of a post. And here it goes:  I have NEVER seen so many self-absorbed narcissistic people in my entire life as what I see here in Shenzhen!!! I know not ALL of China is like this (nor all Chinese), but I have had my fill of the arrogant ways here. I do not want to hear from one more person, "Oh, it's their culture, you can't hold it against them".  You wanna make a bet? Not shaving your legs, drinking rice wine, doing exercises where you slap yourself - I get those. But, when you are just so damn ignorant to the safety of those around you, that's just not tolerable. And, the locals with higher education are not like this (as often).

Tonight, on my way to a friend's house to watch It's a Wonderful Life (trying to get in the festive spirit), I was almost run over on my bike by another bike. Why? Because this person was texting while riding, and here, locals do not pay attention to those around them. It is your job to be on the lookout for bad drivers. It is not their job to be a good driver. But, I made it there, enjoyed some good friend time with a great movie, and was on my way back home when I was stopped dead in my tracks by a scooter. This S.O.B. came from the side, was running a light, and pulled right in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes and nearly fly off my bike to avoid hitting him. He stopped, smiled, and said "sorry" in an non-apologetic voice. I proceeded to tell him what I thought of his driving, in English. There was a crowd around (we were at an intersection) and some of them understood perfectly fine, due to the reactions I got. This is NOT something that just happened today. It happens all of the time. In taxi's, I see it. I see it on the bus. It's always an issue on my bike.  Even when in the stores, people walk around texting and just expect everyone else around them to be watching for them and move out of their way.

And in my building, where there are no smoking signs posted quite clearly, I had a man get on the elevator today with a lit cigarette!! My sinuses were going through the roof. I proceeded to tell him he will smoke outside only, not inside, and a few other choice words. He said sorry, and looked a tad frightened by my tone, so hopefully, he'll knock it off.

The "I'm gonna do whatever the hell I please and you can deal with it" attitude is wearing very thin on my nerves lately. I am ready for a break!!! I know that I could live someplace where it is a lot worse in terms of housing, food, cost of living, etc. But, I often think that I would gladly trade those luxuries for just common sense and manners. I miss those characteristics when they are not seen often. I try my best to set examples. I go around people on my bike. I say thank you when someone lets me pass, I stop at lights (and then proceed with caution), I always look behind me before crossing over, and oh, so many more things. Maybe I'm just being cranky. Maybe I'm just looking for things to dislike right now. Or, maybe, I just want common courtesy to be a thing of nature for all people. Whatever the case may be, I'm not in the festive mood right now. :(