新年快樂 - HAPPY NEW YEAR


1st Feb

To do list:
Write a '100 things to do whilst in China' list


Last day at school. Yipee!!
Hot Pot restaurant: A little gas stove each and a pot full of water with spices. On the menu you select what you'd like to cook; Vegetables, noodles, meats. Everything is brought out and you cook your dinner in your pot, picking away at whatever you want.
Leaving the hot pot restaurant my face was burning up. Returning back to the apartment it looked like I had been crying, red blotches around my puffy eyes. Not sure what was going on, I smeared Sudocrem all over my face and went to bed.


2nd Feb


I stare into the mirror. "Gosh, I look pretty horrendous this morning!" I had a full outbreak of patches of something on my neck and a pink, blotched face. I was planning on going to Shanghai with Beth but I looked and felt awful. I told myself it would go down and I could always go to the hospital in Shanghai and so with this little boost of confidence I caught a taxi to the train station and we headed down town.
A city is a city yeah? Skyscrapers, busy traffic and all that jazz. I wasn't too fused about heading to Shanghai, the city, another typical city. I was wrong! This is a city from another world. Shanghai is the world's fastest growing city and you can see the development. Shanghai at night is just incredible. Everything from the trees, to the buildings is just lit up.


After booking into Mingtown Peoples Square Youth Hostel, we met up with Zach and John who we'd become pals with in Songjiang and decided to taste the Shanghainese nightlife.
100Rmb (£10) on the door, for a night of open bar, pumping music and many faces. We'd all had our fair share of alcohol to probably last us all weekend but it was so much fun. With much difficulty I clambered up onto the top bunk and
enjoyed my sweet dreams…

3rd Feb


'Boooom, banggg, booom' goes my head, I can't complain, it's my fault but nothing that a big breakfast and fresh air can't cure.
I'd seen modern Shanghai and now I wanted to see behind closed doors, the people who were hiding behind the tall skyscrapers and flashing lights.
This man was kneeling in the blood on the floor, whilst he scraped away the scales off a long, thin snake. The head had been cut off before we'd arrived but you could see it in the rubbish bin along with a pair of shoes and a cabbage. It seemed to be that we were in the back part of a restaurant. The kitchen actually being in the alley, with the sink, shelves, utensils all on the outside building wall. With one slice down the middle of the whole snake, he pulled out all the organs in one go.


"Xiexie ni" He ends his conversation with a Chinese man"We can go this way…" Zach is 24 and had studied Mandarin for 4 years and is now basically fluent.
We entered a little tea shop. Sat around a table on stools, tea was being prepared. On the table lay a board with the tea set on and in the corner a little hole had been made with a tube leading into a bin. The board was not only used for placing the tea set utensils but as a sink too.
Jasmine was first. The pearls were added into a teapot with hot water, but it's never drunk first time. Using what looked like long tweezers, the small, delicate cups were washed in the jasmine water and placed in front of us, as the pearls expanded in a dish. The Hot water was added to the pearls again and this time served to us. The cup is designed for only 2 or 3 sips but it's continually being filled up. Sometimes I didn't even see him do it, but your cup must always be full.
We sat for over an hour watching this elusive procedure happen four times, as we tried green tea, cranberry and another leaf tea. Anyone can go to a tea shop and enjoy tea. You're not expected to pay nor even buy anything, it's like a little celebration in some ways. The owner shared his walnuts, almonds, leeches with us, continually smiling.
Zach chatted to the man translating for us, explaining the history of tea, what certain utensils were used for, he was so passionate, he is so passionate about China, after living here for 2 years. I was quite taken back when we left the tea shop, feeling emotional about how great the day had been, how lovely the man had been to us in the tea shop and how Zach is very fanatical towards my new culture. I felt upset because I truly love and loved Uganda and it made me wish I'd been like how Zach is here, that I'd learnt the language to a better standard, learnt more about the history, culture, done more cultural customs. Yes I did immerse myself in Bulenga, I was living in a village, going about the African way, I'm not knocking myself at all but it's made me realise how I want to learn more about the country I'm in and not just live the life. But you can't live your life with regrets and this takes me to Songjiang. I've only been here 3 weeks, I'm still classed as a tourist, not a local jusssst yet! It feels like I've been here for much, much longer.


Us four, an Irish, Andrew, a Canadian, Shannon and an American, Chas we'd met the in the hostel bar and two Swedes (names??) from my dorm all went to KFC, only because, before you judge us! Only because it was New Years Eve and everywhere shuts down. It's not like in the UK, the Chinese tradition on New Years is very family orientated and so the only places going were fast food. Anyway, after my zinger burger my face started to burn again, my neck getting worse and my eyes becoming sore. Am I allergic to CHILLI?!
We bought some beers and headed towards The Bund in preparation for the New Years Eve celebrations. Sat underground, randomly outside some toilets but it was in the warmth, a crowd gathered around us. Literally just stood there as we chatted, played games, they loved us! The Bund is on the other side of the river, looking back at the Oriental Pearl TV tower and the amazingly lit up skyscrapers. We were expecting a brilliant fireworks display, only to be let down within 15 minutes. Although the display wasn't huge and spectacular, we had a 360° view of fireworks going off everywhere across the river, behind buildings, not knowing where to the look. The sound was just immense!
A bar was followed by a nightclub and an extremely late night. Happy New Year! hiccup.


4th Feb


Checklist:
Celebrated Chinese New Year in CHINA!


'BeepBeepBeep' at 10am, it was way too early! But Shannon, Chas, Andrew, Beth and I were going to Suzhou with a hangover or not! My face wasn't as red and the slight swelling was going down, atleast now it just made me look like a bit chubby instead of odd looking! Shannon thinks I have hives on my neck?..
The train pulled into sunny Suzhou and I could smell the fresh air straight away, taste and feel it. My throat felt clear. I hadn't realised how polluted Shanghai was until that moment.
We walked towards were we thought the Youth Hostel was and well, we were completely wrong. Flagging down taxis, they looked at us like we were mad. A young spotted us and took away Shannons notepad to ask others if they knew. Half an hour later she returned with the Chinese translation of our Youth Hostel. "I'm feeling nervous talking to you. It is my first time to talk to a foreigner" She explained in broken English. "I took ages to decide to come and talk to you" We 'awww'ed and allowed her confidence to grow, explaining how brave she was and never to be afraid of speaking to foreigners. So many people have helped us out along our journey, people in the train station walking us to platforms not just shouting a direction. I think it's do with their religion and Buddism, to do with karma. I really like it, it all makes sense. The world would be a much better place if we all had the mind set, hey ho...
Finally we caught two taxis to the Suzhou Mingtown Youth Hostel. Waiting for Beth and Shannon to arrive we experienced an odd scene that was soon to be with us a lot of the time. 3 squealing girls run up to us "Picture, picture!" Putting up the peace sign with their two fingers, a common hand gesture most young Chinese use in photos. I read that Suzhou is extremely touristy, reading that I think of where all foreigners flock, nope tourists meaning Chinese people from across the country. We soon came to realise what it's like being famous, some people being polite and asking for a photo, others grabbing you or the classic of standing just beside you, so it looks like a profile photo of them but their actually sneakily having one with you.
Suzhou is a township on water and believably beautiful!
We spent hours walking the roads, looking at the many food stalls, one including what we thought was boiled eggs until on closer inspection saw chicks feet coming through the shell! There were so many antique sellers who so much unique items I could bought it all. Lunch was at a local restaurant, with the menu in Chinese so taking pot luck on a few meats and vegetables. The Pork just melted in your mouth, dribbleeeeee!
That night after many card games and a few beers, we headed outside to set off the fire crackers Andrew and Beth had bought. They were so great, lighting them on the bridge looking over the beautiful river, with the red lanterns reflecting into it.


5th Jan


A 7 mile boat trip up the canals, seeing so much again that what we saw by foot. It's just so peaceful, even with the barge boat were sat on roaring in the background. I was lucky getting a pew sat outside in the middle. It felt like we were floating by all the canal homes, waving to old men sat in their chairs or young children running over bridges. I just love this place! Transfer of job? :)


Booking our train tickets late, we ended up with standing, although annoyingly you pay the same amount as sitting! The express 40 minute journey whizzed by as we chatted with locals and everyone drank beer. At this point my body felt so yucky with all the bad food and drink I'd had, I wasn't fancying anymore bubbly beer!


The train pulls into the station and 8 uniformed cleaners are readily waiting to clean each outside compartment. The train comes to a stand still and the windows are wiped, sides cleaned down and doors washed just in time before it pulls away again.
China, well I say China, I obviously haven't seen it all but where I've been so far, it's just so clean and tidy. The take so much pride in their country. Everything seems to be in military standard, very efficient. Being a cleaner in a train station in the UK, people may not think highly of you as if you were a police officer, or at least there aren't queues of people wanting the job. Here it seems to be you're treated with respect whatever end of the spectrum of job you're in. You see the ticket wardens standing to attention, awaiting their time to start their shift. People want to do their jobs, suppose there aren't many jobs going but at the same time, they seem to be happy doing it.


We were walking to Blue Frog for a few drinks and food before Beth and I caught the train back to Songjiang. Whilst walking past the Oriental Pearl TV Tower we jokingly saw a couple having their photo being taken and so jumped into it, peace signs at the ready, pretending they were the tourists now. The couple got so excited and so we randomly ran to whoever we saw taking a photo of their friend. This must sound so stupid to an outsider, 5 foreigners running around jumping into people's photos but you didn't see their reactions. Yes extremely scared at first, this one poor lady ducked down holding her bag out! But then she was soon smiling, laughing with us, taking photos. At one point we had a photo with 20 others, with the TV towers glowing behind us. He took my email, I cannot wait to see it. People here love having photos with foreigners and I've always said I love making people happy and you know what, the half an hour, after the 20 plus photos we had done, I lost count, we made so many families, children happy. Even a police officer wanted his photo with us. I can't explain that simple moment in time. We finished the lap, deciding on our last mad dash to a young girl for our final photo moment, the adrenaline was so high, we were buzzing, I was fighting back the tears, Shannon said she shed some. It was so un-real and sad at the same time because as hard as I try to write down the words, the feelings, it's just not the same, it sounds silly! Shannon has an amazing photo, a side on shot with Andrew holding up a small child by his side and an old women smiling beside me, true happiness captured in a single click. A single click that all those people will have forever. It is high up on my list for my best moments in life!
Finally reaching Blue Frog for dinner, it was 9pm and the last train back to Songjiang was at 10pm. We really weren't going to make it. I rang the hostel and luckily they had room for us to stay. I didn't want to spend any more money in Shanghai, after spending way too much the past few days but that moment was so worth it, so unbelievably worth it!



6th Feb


"It was so great meeting you. All the best for the rest of your teaching time in Korea" as we say goodbye to Shannon, Andrew and Chase. They were great people and I decided on the last night to tell them my age. Everyone I've met so far are at least 22 and over and when I've told them my age during conversation they change as if they don't want to continue with someone immature basically. I've taken this on board and now let people see Emma first before they judge me on my age.
"Hope you don't think I'm being rude, what are your ages?" I ask whilst we played a game of pool yesterday. We had 22, 25, 26 years I think. "How old are you Em?" "Oh I'm 19…" I say smiling. Andrew stands up from his shot "What!" They just couldn't believe thinking I was at least 24. "Not only do you look older than 19, but you act 40 years older than your age, in a good way, you're just so mature" And so that's why I want people to get to know me before judging me on my age!


A lovely Turkish lunch with Beth and then we caught the subway back to Songjiang.
I was so happy to see the lift was working, lugging my bags up 10 floors, I was praying that wasn't going to br the case. 'Home Sweet Home' as I walk into my room.


"BANG! BANG!" Rushing to my window to see what was going on. Fireworks were being set off in a garden a few doors down. But usually I'd be looking up to see fireworks, in this case being on the highest floor in the apartment blocks I was pretty close to these fireworks, the closest I've even been to a firework exploding.


I'm going to try and attempt the hospital tomorrow. I'm hoping by them just looking at me, they'll understand what's up.


So, a Happy Chinese New Year to you all! It's been an extremely demanding first 2 weeks in Songjiang but I coped and I'm enjoying my time off work meeting new people, relaxing, well I really need an early night! I think it'll be difficult having so long until my next holiday in October but I always like a challenge, so wish me luck.


Lots of happiness and love, Emma x x x