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Hey guys, how've you all been? (Looks at date gap between this post and last post)
Ok, so I might be a bit lazy.
So anyway, we arrived at our hotel and the first night was probably one of the best dinners I've ever had. Not because the food was spectacular, though the spicy chicken was rather nice but rather, our group chat was just amazing. I don't think I've ever lost my s*** laughing as many times as that night, from the two Welsh people speaking Welsh to each other and maybe making fun of us (I don't know, I don't speak Welsh) to my stunning awkwardness leading to Brian's coughing fit, it was just a fantastic time. Seriously, really looking forward to seeing you lot in Spring. The next morning we all had our first lesson at a Chinese school. We were shown around #50 middle school (Yes, all the schools in china are like that. I teach at the #1 middle school in Kuitun). It was all rather impressive and modern looking with basketball courts, projectors and an automatic gate that was always shut which I found unique just because my school gate was always open in Glasgow (And even my school in Kuitun, it's always open).
We were given Chinese lessons for 4 days from 8:30am and you can bet your ass some people struggled getting up that early (Reece, Brian). Each of these lasted for four hours but towards the end the lessons dissolved into just asking the teacher for useful phrases like how to haggle during our inevitable market excursion. I surprisingly bought nothing from the markets because my headphones were fine enough and honestly, how do you trust £12 Beats headphones? I sure didn't, and I think a fair amount of that stuff the others bought are broken now, like Harrison's Beats speakers. That said, I was tempted to be an ironic tacky tourist and buy a fan or those straw hats and immediately draw the ire of every Chinaman everywhere.
The markets were just one part of Beijing that we explored. We also went to the FORBIDDEN CITY... It was ok. Really though, it certainly looked impressive but there was something hollow about the whole experience. Maybe it was because you're constantly funnelled through tight squeezes with other people visiting and I never felt I could witness the whole architectural splendour with so many people like I could with the great wall. It was always just too much effort to see a throne 10 metres away that was blocked by so many cameras.
The Jingshan hill we visited just after was more to my liking. A peaceful hill surrounded in luscious greenery and topped with a beautiful sunset view of Beijing, showing you the true reach of the city and how terrifyingly large it is. The day after we visited the Temple of Heaven and that was not the greatest day weather but damn it if it didn't damp our spirits. I mean for Christ's sake we did the macarena on an open circle with everybody watching whilst wearing ''I heart BJ'' shirts which, god damn I wish I'd gotten one of those. After that, we split up and we went to markets where people haggled for Beats products and then we had Pizza Hut. I know that might look like we're not taking our opportunity by eating western fast food instead of delicious local food but here's the thing. It's not certain what western food you'll get in your project so when you're in Beijing it's ok to go to McDonalds or Pizza Hut because Kuitun only has KFC (and it doesn't do the chicken as good as back home). I squealed when, just two weeks ago I went to Urumqi and took my first bite of a proper burger at Burger King. Sorry, no beef burgers in Kuitun.
Our last lesson of the day was marked by watching a Chinese movie called ''Back to 1942'' about the drought in Henan Province during China's war with Japan. It certainly wasn't cheery but it did have Adrien Brody so there's that. After that we played basketball with our Chinese teacher and we then went back to the hostel from the first two nights and spent our (supposed) last night in a western bar called 'Four Seasons'. Also that was the first night we tried Baiju. Christ almighty Baiju.
This is where I will stop because actually leaving Beijing and getting to Kuitun was quite the challenge I'll tell you that much.
You will find out how... Next blog post... Which will be this week, I promise. xx
- comments
James FOUR CORNERS, YOU HACK! THE BAR WAS CALLED FOUR CORNERS! Seriously though, nice blog, even if it is about 4 months late. My beats knockoffs still work, hah! :P