This is just one part of a series of blogs to come that will be describing our time in China. The blue parts are written by Bry and are from an essay she wrote for a class. The green parts are from the travel diary that I kept while we were abroad. And the purple parts are from Bry's travel diary. The parts from our two diaries are also not the entireties of our diaries as not all of our entries were relevant or remotely interesting. Enjoy.
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| Rachel's travel diary |
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| Bry's travel diary |
Part I- Homeward Bound:
How going to China felt like coming home.
It is odd to think about still, but on this day two years ago I was in my favorite place on Earth. Yes, out of the whole planet, on November 12th, 2008 I was fortunate enough to have been in China. However, before I began my studies, I, like many others I suspect, had only the most rudimentary knowledge of this awe-inspiring country. I knew of the capital, Beijing, and thanks to several Jackie Chan movies I had heard of Shanghai in a much removed fashion. Despite knowing next to nothing about the Middle Kingdom I continued to hold it in the highest regard, respect, and awe. Even I knew not of the source of my own admiration, so a voyage to the land of the Sleeping Dragon seemed the best way to solve the mystery of the intense welling emotion that was produced in me whenever someone said the word: China.
Not to anyone’s surprise, my identical twin sister- Rachel- was possessed by the same overwhelming feelings toward China. Against my parent’s wishes, together we applied to the Study Abroad program in 2007, and jumped for joy when we received out acceptance letters shortly thereafter. We were surprised to hear, though, that only five students total were going to be in our group headed abroad. It was shocking to us to learn that a mere THREE other students in all of Humboldt State University felt the same burning desire to leave these shores and dive into the mysterious land of the East. (Five was the fewest allowed number of people to sign up, any less and the whole trip would be canceled!) The disappointment of having so few of us travel together was quickly replaced when it dawned on us that we were about to receive a very personal experience since there would only be the five of us HSU students in each of our classes. (Our personal experience meant separating us from all the other foreign exchange students.) Fantastic!
August 15th, 2008
Well, so much for that. I leave in exactly two weeks. 14 days until Rachel and I step onto that airplane in China.
People keep asking me if I am excited, and I dutifully answer “yes” because no one wants to hear all of my real thoughts. How would they react if my answer was “terrified, actually”? Does anyone know how scared I am to get on a plane? To land in another country of which I hardly know the language? Suddenly I wonder why I didn’t choose Mexico or France or Spain or Quebec or South America or Montreal or Senegal. I could hold easy conversations there.
People try to reassure me that I won’t have to worry about my still developing Chinese skills because China is trying to Americanize itself and they will all want to test their English skills on me. Hey, I hope so.
August 20th, 2008
Tonight is night one away from Arcata. We’re staying at Sarah’s home in Walnut Creek for the night, and tomorrow- on to the consulate!
T - 8 DAYS & COUNTING...
5:49pm PST
8-21-08
Thursday
This is Rachel Fix recounting day 2 of our journey home from Sarah's couch in Walnut Creek. Yesterday, Bry, Sarah and I made the incredibly long drive from Arcata to Walnut Creek, but not before running around in circles trying to get all of our papers turned in Once we had completed that, and avoided a parking ticket, we had our epic goodbyes with Chris and Jarod and then drove our pets to Petco to be put up for adoption. We paused at Taco Bell and then made our journey south.
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| The dates on the pictures are off by a few days. |
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| You're welcome. |
8:53pm PST
We stopped in Garberville and Cloverdale. At Sarah's house we had pizza for dinner and finally met Nora! After a mere 7.5 hours of sleep we all got up, had breakfast, and went to Build-A-Bear.. After picking up Sarah's paycheck, we pulled into San Francisco at about noon. First we accidentally followed the wrong street, but once we were on the right path it still took us almost an hour to walk there! Once we got there we were greeted by a long line and protesters.
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| They were yelling "Shame, shame!" but it sounded like "Xie, xie!"... Chinese for thank you. |
It took two hours, two trips to the ATM, a trip to the Japanese Mall, and three trips back to the lady behind counter number 9 before we settled and agreed to return tomorrow morning to pick up our visas and fork over $150 each. What was awesome about today was the fact that we were in and out of the Consulate so many times that they stopped using the metal detector wand on us. I hope that the same guys are there tomorrow. We also were forced to get our pictures re-taken for the visas. I got three extras. That's all for today. I'll write more when I'm home tomorrow.
August 21st, 2008
Sarah, Rach and I are at the Chinese consulate building right now. Yay Yay Yay!!!
6:50 PM Same day. We’re back at Sarah’s and we’re going to be spending the night again. J We pick them up tomorrow. We had to pay $10.00 for passport photos, but they gave us 3 extras. I’m keeping one, giving one to Jarod, but #3?
T - 7 DAYS & COUNTING
9:51 pm PST
8-22-08
Friday
Home. It's a good feeling. It's a unique feeling that I shall have to describe tomorrow.
T - 6 DAYS & COUNTING
11:56 am PST
8-23-08
Saturday
We got a bit of a late start yesterday. We ended up getting a late start and bought breakfast at a 7/11. We got donuts but I bought the kind from the Simpsons and a Radioactive Man comic book.
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| I'm a big Simpson's fan. |
We got our visas hassle-free and the guard was happy to see us again. After that we ate at the Japanese mall. today Aunt Kim came up to give us a long over due visit. At 5:40 I have to go babysit four adorable boys. I'll write about it tomorrow.
T - 5 DAYS & COUNTING
10:20 am PST
8-24-08
Sunday
Today, before I'd gotten to shower, I was driven to Kat's parent's house to visit Kat and Iris. She's getting so big! We exchanged gifts.
T - 3 Days & COUNTING
6:07 pm PST
8-27-08
Wednesday
Bry and I took him to Davy's Dam where Bry and I swam in our bras and jeans. Today he took Alia, Bry and me to Highland Springs. The water was nice but there was seaweed and a pair of mayflies kept trying to mate on my head. There was a rope swing but only Eddie was strong enough to use it. On the way back we were briefly followed by the cops but we eluded them. Before we left the car, Eddie made me go into the glove compartment and take out a letter addressed to me and Bry. After he left, I opened it to find a bunch of fun things alone with letters to us. I wish I could find my gold notebook because that's where my letter to Eddie is. That's all for now. I should shower.
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| A sticker from Eddie |
August 28th, 2008
We’re going for it. This could be either a huge mistake or a good thing. Also, our flight was postponed so we’re leaving on Saturday instead of tomorrow.
Poo.
T - Haha, just kidding 6:30 pm PST
8-29-08
Friday
Yesterday was hell. When we called Air China to confirm our flight we found out it had been cancelled! They bumped our entire trip back a day at no charge to us because it was their fault. Now we arrive in Xi'an just in time to take our placement test. Woo! After that we called Wells Fargo and had a huge hassle with them. It would be best if while we're abroad we don't use our credit cards. On top of that, Eddie never called me back yesterday.
Good Goddess, I'm really going, aren't I?
August 29th, 2008 Friday
Slightly drunk. Hiccuping. Very tired. Last night here. Ooooh.
Need sleep.
The flight from SFO to LAX was not only our first flight without parental guidance, at nineteen years old it was our first flight ever. The tone for the whole trip was set when- due to the Airports fault- our flight was delayed by one day a mere three days before the flight. I called and argued with a representative exclaiming the urgency of my need to be in China by a specific date- the first day of classes was September 3rd. In retrospect, this outburst over the phone was likely the reason both Rachel and I were pulled aside in SFO for a special security check-point where we were individually placed in a tube to be bomb tested. Yes. This was post-9/11 America. Two nineteen year old, identical blond twins were stopped because our tickets had been marked for extra security the moment they delayed our flight and I called to complain.
We left early on August 30th, 2008 and after a 14 hour flight of traveling into the future, we landed in Beijing on September 1st, 2008. Somewhere in the sky we had lost a whole day. It seemed very fitting to be completely disoriented in the Orient (to use an outdated and racist term politely). Picture two children carrying too much, walking alone, scared and excited (admittedly mostly scared) into the largest airport terminal in the world. (Construction began in March of 2004 and was completed in March of 2008.) We stepped foot into the massive terminal a mere five months after its completion. You are now imagining in your head the moment the culture shock hit us.
Lift-off!
8:24 pm PST
8-30-08
Saturday
I'm in the air! Goodbye San Francisco! the lights are so pretty! We're curving...? Still waiting for my ears to pop... Well, now is as good a time as any to have an adventure.
8:43 pm PST
Bry and I have just been hand delivered cans of Sprite. Sweet.
(Bry writes:)
I know I wasn't paying attention in physics, but:
A) How have the soda cans NOT explode/imploded/disappeared into the same dimension as Babylon 4?
and
B) Who decided that if you pointed an aerodynamic object skyward and put the pedal to the metal... you'd end up in the air??
also
C) What is that on the wing???
and lastly
D) Where are my peanuts?
2.5 million tons of spinning metal, all alone in the night...
August 30th, 2008 Saturday
Okay, technically it’s Sunday morning. I’m at LAX. Los Angeles International Airport. Sooo tired. What an ordeal. This is definitely not something I recommend anyone doing alone. So far my day has been rough and I hope to sleep well on the plane. A word from our sponsor while I go pee:
All I want to do is brush my teeth, put on a pair of pajamas and sleep. It sure was nice seeing Eddie this morning. J China? What were we thinking? We don’t speak Chinese. I have no idea what: Ni mama! Means.
I am ready to nod off. This old man, who looks like Mark Twain after a deep fried Twinkie eating contest, keeps staring at Rach and I. That’s all for now.
Air China says 6242 miles to Beijing. Wow. Well that explains the 14 hours flight. We are on the plane now. It’s HUGE.
I’m amazed. :O Two stories. Windshield wipers. Onboard music. Complimentary pillows and blankets!
We’re ten across and at least 18 back.
We’re moving! 1:37 AM
1:43 we’re moving, again.
We’re 16,000 ft up. Traveling at nearly 500 mph. Wow.
11:39 PM PST Haha, just kidding. We’re 35,000 feet in the air. Isn’t it nice of the airline to tell us?
How sweet of them.
Yata?
8:10am Beijing
9-1-08
Monday
Haha... funny story. Here I am, waiting for the plane to Xi'an to take off, an hour later than we were supposed to. Why? Let's start back in LAX. After we take off.
8:45am
My Goddess is it beautiful from up here. It doesn't look like there are trees on the mountains. It looks like they're covered in moss. Anyway, after we arrived at LAX we went first in search of a bathroom and then for baggage claim. Once we waited for 15 minutes to no avail, we asked and we were told that our luggage was being moved to our next plane for us even though United Air had told us we'd have to do it ourselves. We then walked from Terminal 7 to terminal 4 (a long walk) before being stopped by a solicitor. We gave him money in exchange for directions.
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| Behind her is a very pretty plane headed to Thailand. |
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| Finally! |
Once at Terminal 2, we stood in line for at least half an hour before we could check in. Hold that thought. Breakfast.
9:27am
We're above the clouds! Or, alternatively, the smog. (I'm such a dork, but I keep looking out the window in hopes of seeing the Great Wall.) After we finally get to check in, Bry and I buy coffee from a Starbucks and a lemon loaf. We settle down for a bunch of waiting and call home. They stayed up so they could talk t us! It made me so happy to hear from them. Anywho... Bry and I were some of the last to get to board. The plane was huge! It had two stories! Bry and I were stuck in between an elderly married couple. Sleep beckons.
