I'm still packing my stuff -- I brought a lot of gifts back to America lol and now I have no space for my clothes -- great. lol. This week I went to Silk Market again to do some last minute shopping for souvenirs and other stuff :) I must say that my bargaining skills have improved A LOT since I first came here lol -- I always go for 10% of the price they ask for hehehe -- of course it takes forever to shop, but in the end i got some sweet deals :)
It's hard to say good bye to everyone in the lab. I'm really going to miss them and I hope that I get another opportunity to come back and possibly continue more work with them -- I believe this collaboration is essential for research communication between China and America! It truly has been a blessing to work here and I cherished every moment! I really thank God for this opportunity to be in the program and do some amazing research with my group in Tsinghua University! And I also thank UofM and NSF, w00t w00t!
P.S. I'm going to miss the amazing Beijing food, the two large flat screen TVs, and the housekeeping ladies coming in every morning smiling and talking to me in Chinese even though I have no idea what they are saying and I think that they figured that out too lol. BYE BYE CHINA!!! <3 <3 <3
Friday, August 14, 2009
9th week in China
AAAHHH!! 1 more week left already?!?!?! but but but..... =(
It's okay...well, this week was pretty sweet as always! I went to the awesome snack street and had some interesting snacks **cough** scorpions on a stick **cough** -- and they were actually pretty delicious!!! lol TWO THUMBS UP! :) Also Wendy found an amazing hotdog place near Wudaoko -- and this was also "muy delicioso!" (as wendy would say lol).
Research is practically done. I'm preparing for my oral presentation on Friday and the poster and abstract. And I really need to make the best out of the following week!
I will miss you China!!!! Wo ai Ni, Zhongguo!! (I love you, China!!) <3 <3 <3
It's okay...well, this week was pretty sweet as always! I went to the awesome snack street and had some interesting snacks **cough** scorpions on a stick **cough** -- and they were actually pretty delicious!!! lol TWO THUMBS UP! :) Also Wendy found an amazing hotdog place near Wudaoko -- and this was also "muy delicioso!" (as wendy would say lol).
Research is practically done. I'm preparing for my oral presentation on Friday and the poster and abstract. And I really need to make the best out of the following week!
I will miss you China!!!! Wo ai Ni, Zhongguo!! (I love you, China!!) <3 <3 <3
8th week in China
Sooo...more research hehe ^_^
But we've figured out some cool things to do in our spare time while we run HPLC or wait for centrifuge or other things -- sometimes we just watch a movie (Terminator 4: Salvation) or play some multiplayer computer games hahaa -- there is one game that one of the undergrads showed me and since then, we've been hooked...sometimes after research is all over for the night, we just stay late and play this game all night -- Metal Slug! :) An insanely awesome shooter game!! w00t w00t!! But of course, research is first! Some nights there is no time to play any games, but luckily research is fun still :)
I can't believe that we only have 2 weeks left though!! AAHHHHH!! I still need to buy a couple more gifts for my parents! data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-lol="">Luckily my project is almost done and I need to prepare a report for my professor about my work. This will be helpful because we have to have a poster done soon too for NSF :)
But we've figured out some cool things to do in our spare time while we run HPLC or wait for centrifuge or other things -- sometimes we just watch a movie (Terminator 4: Salvation) or play some multiplayer computer games hahaa -- there is one game that one of the undergrads showed me and since then, we've been hooked...sometimes after research is all over for the night, we just stay late and play this game all night -- Metal Slug! :) An insanely awesome shooter game!! w00t w00t!! But of course, research is first! Some nights there is no time to play any games, but luckily research is fun still :)
I can't believe that we only have 2 weeks left though!! AAHHHHH!! I still need to buy a couple more gifts for my parents! data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-lol="">Luckily my project is almost done and I need to prepare a report for my professor about my work. This will be helpful because we have to have a poster done soon too for NSF :)
5th week of research (7th week in China)
Research, research, research :)
Of course there's always time for fun! Transformers 2 was amazing!! I saw the movie with Wendy one night -- we got student discounts somehow and saw it for 40RMB :). This week the lab seems more empty - it seems like everyone's going on vacation soon and one by one the lab gets smaller haha. I've also been going to so many places around China!! My professor asked my grad student to take me to different places and let me experience Beijing! We went to yuanmingyuan park -- such a beautiful and serene setting :). And Qianmen was amazing! It's a long road with stores/restaurants/buildings on each side! So many people come there to visit! They have a lot of famous Beijing snacks and food! We had Peking Duck at a really nice restuarant there!! IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!! Since that day, I've made the PEKING DUCK my favorite dish in Beijing!!! ^_^ We also went to many of the shops and I bought a few gifts for family :)
Of course there's always time for fun! Transformers 2 was amazing!! I saw the movie with Wendy one night -- we got student discounts somehow and saw it for 40RMB :). This week the lab seems more empty - it seems like everyone's going on vacation soon and one by one the lab gets smaller haha. I've also been going to so many places around China!! My professor asked my grad student to take me to different places and let me experience Beijing! We went to yuanmingyuan park -- such a beautiful and serene setting :). And Qianmen was amazing! It's a long road with stores/restaurants/buildings on each side! So many people come there to visit! They have a lot of famous Beijing snacks and food! We had Peking Duck at a really nice restuarant there!! IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!! Since that day, I've made the PEKING DUCK my favorite dish in Beijing!!! ^_^ We also went to many of the shops and I bought a few gifts for family :)
4th week of research
So I started off this week by going to the BCIF international church again on Sunday! It's a pretty good experience - you get to see people of all different backgrounds meet there and gather to praise God. But I do miss my church back home a lot. :) On the same day I also decided to go to the Summer Palace with Wendy, another member from our program! :D I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THE SUMMER PALACE TO VISIT! It's so large and so beautiful!! There are also boats there to rent to go all around the gigantic lake that's there, but be prepared to deposit a few hundred RMB to rent one out lol -- we forgot about that and couldn't go boating... =(....
Research is really kicking in full gear. I am pretty independent in my project and I've been pretty busy with research and just chilling with my lab members everyday -- usually 10-12 hours a day now -- hahaha, so I can definitely say that I've had a lot of bonding time with my lab members :)
I'm really enjoying my research right now -- I actually want to pursue a degree in pharmacology probably or some type of drug research!
Research is really kicking in full gear. I am pretty independent in my project and I've been pretty busy with research and just chilling with my lab members everyday -- usually 10-12 hours a day now -- hahaha, so I can definitely say that I've had a lot of bonding time with my lab members :)
I'm really enjoying my research right now -- I actually want to pursue a degree in pharmacology probably or some type of drug research!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
3rd week of research
We had our last monthly group meeting on monday. But before that we all had our group photos together!! w00t w00t!!!
There are some pretty funny and awesome photos, but I don't know how to upload them on this site yet lol... :P
So at the meeting, I gave two "reports." The first was about my school, the University of Michigan, because they all wanted to know where I was from. The second was about my research experiment so far.
And I actually finished up my first project this week! It was a small project to get me started, but now I have moved on to another project which I think is even more interesting!!! =) I have to write a report though on my first experiment before I go onto the second one.
So... one thing I've noticed is that many people don’t say “bye” much lol – just “ok” and then they walk off to continue their research lol.
July 1st – first surgery on a mouse! -- Lei Fan is a doctor in our lab and she is an expert!! She's so smart!! She showed me how to do a proper surgery!! And she also was the one who made me perfect my IV injection skills =). But she is also so modest at the same time!!! Lei Fan = awesomeness!! =)
There are some pretty funny and awesome photos, but I don't know how to upload them on this site yet lol... :P
So at the meeting, I gave two "reports." The first was about my school, the University of Michigan, because they all wanted to know where I was from. The second was about my research experiment so far.
And I actually finished up my first project this week! It was a small project to get me started, but now I have moved on to another project which I think is even more interesting!!! =) I have to write a report though on my first experiment before I go onto the second one.
So... one thing I've noticed is that many people don’t say “bye” much lol – just “ok” and then they walk off to continue their research lol.
July 1st – first surgery on a mouse! -- Lei Fan is a doctor in our lab and she is an expert!! She's so smart!! She showed me how to do a proper surgery!! And she also was the one who made me perfect my IV injection skills =). But she is also so modest at the same time!!! Lei Fan = awesomeness!! =)
2nd week of research
I finally got started on my formal experiment and so far things are good :). I prayed to God to just guide me and help me in lab, and I think I am making some good progress now!!
A few of my lab members (Gong, Lilly, and Hu Jun) and I went out one night to have some fun. We went to this cool outdoor restaurant and laughed the entire night. And then, the tried to challenge me to eat the most spiciest chicken in the restaurant -- translated it is "abnormally spicy chicken" -- it's supposed to be the hottest spice level lol........... And I was freaked out when they kept scaring me and telling me that it will be HOT lol.....when the plate came out, there was once stick of spicy chicken wings for me....it was literally covered in crushed hot peppers!!!!! I couldn't even see the chicken hahaa!! So i set it aside to eat later in fear of the pain my tastebuds would endure....but when it came down to it, I took a bite from the chicken and.....it was not bad at all!!! hahahaa....I freaked them all out!!! My mentor, Gong, is from hunan province, where they are known to have some of the spiciest food in all of China, and he was astonished!!! They were all scared of me after that hehehe :P
In terms of research, I've gotten really good at IV injections – usually one poke or sometimes a second poke and it’s done. I thank God for this! Especially with the technique they use to hold the mouse still so that I can inject -- it is so much harder than in America where we have the cylinders that we squeeze the mice in so they dont move -- here they are in a jar with a small hole where their tail sticks out...but sometimes the mice jump and i can miss my poke with the needle =(
Also random note, one of my lab mates (Hua Lei) and I always joke around about "shuanging" ourselves in this terrible heat lol (shuang means cool in Chinese)-- there is no A/C except in the mouse room, so we always go to “check on the mice" and say "schwan!" once we're in the room. And whenever there is a big A/C machine in the cafeteria, me and him have to stand in front of it for a few seconds before we leave the building, because as he says: "If you can schwan yourself, just do it!" =)
A few of my lab members (Gong, Lilly, and Hu Jun) and I went out one night to have some fun. We went to this cool outdoor restaurant and laughed the entire night. And then, the tried to challenge me to eat the most spiciest chicken in the restaurant -- translated it is "abnormally spicy chicken" -- it's supposed to be the hottest spice level lol........... And I was freaked out when they kept scaring me and telling me that it will be HOT lol.....when the plate came out, there was once stick of spicy chicken wings for me....it was literally covered in crushed hot peppers!!!!! I couldn't even see the chicken hahaa!! So i set it aside to eat later in fear of the pain my tastebuds would endure....but when it came down to it, I took a bite from the chicken and.....it was not bad at all!!! hahahaa....I freaked them all out!!! My mentor, Gong, is from hunan province, where they are known to have some of the spiciest food in all of China, and he was astonished!!! They were all scared of me after that hehehe :P
In terms of research, I've gotten really good at IV injections – usually one poke or sometimes a second poke and it’s done. I thank God for this! Especially with the technique they use to hold the mouse still so that I can inject -- it is so much harder than in America where we have the cylinders that we squeeze the mice in so they dont move -- here they are in a jar with a small hole where their tail sticks out...but sometimes the mice jump and i can miss my poke with the needle =(
Also random note, one of my lab mates (Hua Lei) and I always joke around about "shuanging" ourselves in this terrible heat lol (shuang means cool in Chinese)-- there is no A/C except in the mouse room, so we always go to “check on the mice" and say "schwan!" once we're in the room. And whenever there is a big A/C machine in the cafeteria, me and him have to stand in front of it for a few seconds before we leave the building, because as he says: "If you can schwan yourself, just do it!" =)
Week 1 of research
This week was all practice for the formal experiment. Being my first biology research project I've ever done, I had some mice that I could practice handling, catching, and injecting (ip, iv, po). I always eat lunch and dinner with my lab members. And we the culture is really cool!! I love the communal eating!! I don't know if I stressed this enough previously lol. And everyone seems really kind and extremely polite. Everyone has really good manners! :D
Also I finally unlocked my old phone since the cheap phones we bought here suck lol -- mine broke the second day...it cost under $20 though -- so not a big loss lol...
Also the labs are very...hmmm...how do i say this...lacking in safety procedures and animal ethics. I can go more in detail in this in private -- but for right now, that should keep you wondering what happens in the lab lol....For instance, gloves are supposed to last for one week. Hardly anyone changes gloves and sometimes they don't wear gloves. I've been really thankful though that ALL my lab members are very nice, friendly, and funny. We discussed movies together – American and Chinese films…prison break is really popular here although I've never seen a single episode of it. The food at Tsinghua is awesome!!!! Not only that but it's so cheap too!!! – lunch and dinner is around 7-10 yuan for each meal.
Also I finally unlocked my old phone since the cheap phones we bought here suck lol -- mine broke the second day...it cost under $20 though -- so not a big loss lol...
Also the labs are very...hmmm...how do i say this...lacking in safety procedures and animal ethics. I can go more in detail in this in private -- but for right now, that should keep you wondering what happens in the lab lol....For instance, gloves are supposed to last for one week. Hardly anyone changes gloves and sometimes they don't wear gloves. I've been really thankful though that ALL my lab members are very nice, friendly, and funny. We discussed movies together – American and Chinese films…prison break is really popular here although I've never seen a single episode of it. The food at Tsinghua is awesome!!!! Not only that but it's so cheap too!!! – lunch and dinner is around 7-10 yuan for each meal.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Day 16 -- First Day on the Job
Finally started on my research!! Today I planned what I would do for the next few weeks for my project. I got to practice different types of drug administration on mice. I practiced IP/IV injection and PO administration. I also got to chat with my professor for a little bit. He’s a really fun guy. I am really glad I’m working in his lab for the next 8 weeks. I feel pretty close to a few of the members already. They're all pretty open about everything haha =)
Day 15 -- The Sexy Pizza Hut/ New bike!
Our small group that didn’t go to Xi’an split up today. Half of the group –the three girls (Amanda, Wendy, Mira) – went to the amusement park with Hong. I was exhausted that morning and had to read another 60 pages that my professor sent me via email for the following day (when I would start working in his lab). So, Brad, John, and I went to Pizza Hut for lunch and it was amazing!! Pizza hut is a pretty high-end place in China! It's nothing compared to the pizza hut's in America!! They have unique pizza toppings and the restaurant itself is really stylish, and sort of pricey.. :P
I chilled for a little bit after lunch, when my graduate mentor called me up and said he found a bike for me! I quickly ran to meet him and got a decent bike to rent for 45 yuan per month at Tsinghua University!! W00t w00t!! Then he and another grad student invited me out to dinner. We ate at one of the 10 cafeteria’s on Tsinghua’s giant campus. It was fun! My mentor was really funny haha. We kept asking each other how to say words in our different languages lol.
I chilled for a little bit after lunch, when my graduate mentor called me up and said he found a bike for me! I quickly ran to meet him and got a decent bike to rent for 45 yuan per month at Tsinghua University!! W00t w00t!! Then he and another grad student invited me out to dinner. We ate at one of the 10 cafeteria’s on Tsinghua’s giant campus. It was fun! My mentor was really funny haha. We kept asking each other how to say words in our different languages lol.
Day 14 - Temple of Heaven/Peking Duck/.........Kungfu?
Temple of heaven. I danced as much as possible with all those old retired people that were there. One old lady had a crush on me haha. YanYan (AKA sunflower lady) recorded Brad and I on video when we were dancing on stage haha..And then Wendy joined us in one dance. And then our whole group went in the middle of the entire dance party and danced away. We were sweet. Then we had PEKING DUCK – it was the greatest dinner EVER. =) I LOVE DUCK! After that we went to the KungFu Show which sounded awesome, but was really lame. It was just a bunch of guys jumping around, doing ballet, overacting, and smashing sticks on their heads…Even some of the natives were becoming restless and wanted the show to end so they could leave hahaha…
Day 13 - Beijing Zoo
aaaahhh :). I got 12 hours of sleep last night!! I’m ready to do anything today!!! W00t w00t!! The JI lunch was great this time -- I wasn't stopped by any guards again haha!! Then later, we all went to the Beijing Zoo with our language instructor, Liu Nian! Brad and I went to about 85% of the zoo!! We saw PANDAS, bears, lions, tigers, giraffes, gazelles, wildebeests, monkeys, rhinos, and various birds…including a chicken! I want to post pics here. I need to figure out how to do it though...
Day 12
I woke up early today and dressed up to meet my professor at 10AM! So I had to miss language class to catch a cab to Tsinghua =(…It was a journey to find the Life Sciences building…Tsinghua is HUGE! I took a 40 minute walk inside to get to the Life Science Building, and it wasn't because I was lost -- I actually guessed the right direction haha. So I met my professor and we were both surprised as he swung open the door to invite me in his office lol -- He was kind of short and I am…kind of tall haha. We talked and exchanged some laughs. He was really cool. He introduced me to all the students and doctors in the lab. After that they all gave me a welcome lunch at a pretty nice restaurant on campus!! I love the lab members. They all seem very intelligent, but fun at the same time. My mentor and a couple other grad students also helped me look for a bike after lunch -- we failed to find a decent priced bike -- but the search will continue! It was also funny when one of the girls in the lab thought I was a grad student haha and my professor responded “Nooooo…he is only a BOY…a big boy.” Hahaha…the look on her face was priceless. =D!
Day 11
Today I just relaxed…we’ve been to so many places in the last week and a half!! A day’s rest is so awesome right now!! All the students who are part of the PKU program have lunch together with their mentors today. I get to meet my professor tomorrow!! He has actually asked me to prepare something to discuss – like my interests in the research and my plans in Beijing. I heard he’s a nice guy though from one of the biology students at Tsinghua. So I’m EXTREMELY excited right now!!! W00t w00t!!
So I wanted to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting with my professor. He had given me like 4 articles to read. I wanted to print them somewhere, but I don’t know any printing places around here. So, I called up the front desk and this is what happened:
Front Desk Girl (FDG): Ni hao.
Me: “Ni hao. Hello. Ummm…hmmm..Do you speak English?
FDG: Uhh…oh…..ya.
Me: Oh okay. Great! I was wondering where I can print paper?
FDG: Print paper?
Me: Yeah, I want to print paper from my computer. Do you know where I can find a printer or if you have one?
FDG: Yes, you can only one.
Me: What? Wait. Only one page?
FDG: uhhh…only one.
Me (very confused): okayyy.. nevermind…thank you! Xie xie! I don’t need it anymore. Thank you! Bye.
FDG: bye.
2 minutes later – someone rings our doorbell. I see it’s someone working. So I think he’s going to come and ask me if I want to print one page of paper, which I don’t! I need to print like 50 pages! Haha… So I don’t let him in, because I already told the lady that I didn’t want one page.
I go back to my room and read my articles…..KNOCK KNOCK….what??! he’s upstairs now now knocking on my door……uggghhh..I just went to answer it to tell him I don’t need the one piece of paper….and I swing open the door to see this guy in a hotel uniform with a one roll of toilet paper in his hand! He hands it to me and walks to the elevator. I’m stunned lolool and I follow him and tell him I don’t need it and then he thinks I’m asking him “how much it is” and he starts smiling and turns red and says “no no no” and waves his arms at me…LOL….that made my day –
In conclusion, I don’t think the girl at the front desk spoke English…. =)
So I wanted to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting with my professor. He had given me like 4 articles to read. I wanted to print them somewhere, but I don’t know any printing places around here. So, I called up the front desk and this is what happened:
Front Desk Girl (FDG): Ni hao.
Me: “Ni hao. Hello. Ummm…hmmm..Do you speak English?
FDG: Uhh…oh…..ya.
Me: Oh okay. Great! I was wondering where I can print paper?
FDG: Print paper?
Me: Yeah, I want to print paper from my computer. Do you know where I can find a printer or if you have one?
FDG: Yes, you can only one.
Me: What? Wait. Only one page?
FDG: uhhh…only one.
Me (very confused): okayyy.. nevermind…thank you! Xie xie! I don’t need it anymore. Thank you! Bye.
FDG: bye.
2 minutes later – someone rings our doorbell. I see it’s someone working. So I think he’s going to come and ask me if I want to print one page of paper, which I don’t! I need to print like 50 pages! Haha… So I don’t let him in, because I already told the lady that I didn’t want one page.
I go back to my room and read my articles…..KNOCK KNOCK….what??! he’s upstairs now now knocking on my door……uggghhh..I just went to answer it to tell him I don’t need the one piece of paper….and I swing open the door to see this guy in a hotel uniform with a one roll of toilet paper in his hand! He hands it to me and walks to the elevator. I’m stunned lolool and I follow him and tell him I don’t need it and then he thinks I’m asking him “how much it is” and he starts smiling and turns red and says “no no no” and waves his arms at me…LOL….that made my day –
In conclusion, I don’t think the girl at the front desk spoke English…. =)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Day 10
TEN DAYS!! w00t w00t!!!
Cell phone exchange update – The girl kept laughing at me and john’s attempts to communicate with them… but in the end they said they would give me a new one after it comes in in about 3 days. :) I couldn’t go to the art district because I wasn’t feeling well enough to walk around, but I wish I could go some other time. Instead I stayed in the apartment for a little bit and watched 300 with John and Brad. It was madness? Madness?? THIS IS SPARTAAAAA! Lolol haha.
Then we went out to get dinner. We tried some of the chrysanthemum tea and it was good! =D. We were also laughed at with our failed attempts at speaking Chinese with the natives in the restaurant lol. Luckily we were understood and the waiter brought us our food.
Cell phone exchange update – The girl kept laughing at me and john’s attempts to communicate with them… but in the end they said they would give me a new one after it comes in in about 3 days. :) I couldn’t go to the art district because I wasn’t feeling well enough to walk around, but I wish I could go some other time. Instead I stayed in the apartment for a little bit and watched 300 with John and Brad. It was madness? Madness?? THIS IS SPARTAAAAA! Lolol haha.
Then we went out to get dinner. We tried some of the chrysanthemum tea and it was good! =D. We were also laughed at with our failed attempts at speaking Chinese with the natives in the restaurant lol. Luckily we were understood and the waiter brought us our food.
Day 9
Rained all day. We had dumplings for lunch!! It was at this really authentic little restaurant in an alley. 25 dumplings for 6 yuan!! What an awesome deal! lol less than a dollar! =D
Later on, I watched the original Terminator with Brad. It was fun. I was also laughed at by cashiers in supermarket when I tried to talk to them…lol I seem to get that a lot haha. And I was laughed at by the waitresses in a restaurant for dinner with Amanda and Mira lol. I didn’t know the word for chicken and sort of just strutted my arms up and down like chicken wings and the waitress cracked up and laughed. The other waitresses were very amused by our big eyes lol and also laughed at my attempts to speak Chinese! Lol at least I tried haha. It was funny though. =)
Later on, I watched the original Terminator with Brad. It was fun. I was also laughed at by cashiers in supermarket when I tried to talk to them…lol I seem to get that a lot haha. And I was laughed at by the waitresses in a restaurant for dinner with Amanda and Mira lol. I didn’t know the word for chicken and sort of just strutted my arms up and down like chicken wings and the waitress cracked up and laughed. The other waitresses were very amused by our big eyes lol and also laughed at my attempts to speak Chinese! Lol at least I tried haha. It was funny though. =)
Day 8 - Great Wall and Ming Tombs
Climbed all the way to the top of the wall with Brad. We dominated that section of the wall!! Highhh fiiiive! Verryyyyy niiiiice! =D
The tombs were okay lol – I wasn’t a big fan of it because a lot of the things were replicas. I also was chasing a bird for a few minutes trying to get a picture of it. Lol, some of the birds here are so beautiful.
I then just rested for the remainder of the night. ^___________^
The tombs were okay lol – I wasn’t a big fan of it because a lot of the things were replicas. I also was chasing a bird for a few minutes trying to get a picture of it. Lol, some of the birds here are so beautiful.
I then just rested for the remainder of the night. ^___________^
Day 7 – Lama and Confucius Temple, Hutong Tour and Drum Tower
Confucius temple was interesting. The CRAZZZZYYYY cricket man was SWEEET lol….he was very excited to tell us his about cricket fights lolol…
The rickshaws were also pretty COOL. Yifang and I creeped out one of the drivers by pretending that we (probably the biggest in the group) were going to ride one together while the guy drives us lol..his reaction was funny
I also found out that Angela is a really good bargainer. Based on two instances where I’ve witnessed her bargaining skills, I’ve compiled a set of rules for getting the best deals when bargaining:
This is how she does it – she just says “no” lolol – she got a shirt dropped from 980 yuan to 80 yuan, and a flute from 50 yuan to 5 yuan. Lol...
At the end of the day we also learned “How to drink tea” – There is a smelling cup and drinking cup. The smelling cup is skinnier and we hypothesized that it concentrates the smell more towards the nostrils, while the drinking cup is shorter and wider for the mouth to get the most out of every sip lol...
The rickshaws were also pretty COOL. Yifang and I creeped out one of the drivers by pretending that we (probably the biggest in the group) were going to ride one together while the guy drives us lol..his reaction was funny
I also found out that Angela is a really good bargainer. Based on two instances where I’ve witnessed her bargaining skills, I’ve compiled a set of rules for getting the best deals when bargaining:
This is how she does it – she just says “no” lolol – she got a shirt dropped from 980 yuan to 80 yuan, and a flute from 50 yuan to 5 yuan. Lol...
At the end of the day we also learned “How to drink tea” – There is a smelling cup and drinking cup. The smelling cup is skinnier and we hypothesized that it concentrates the smell more towards the nostrils, while the drinking cup is shorter and wider for the mouth to get the most out of every sip lol...
Day 6 - Silk Market
Shopping was intense at the silk market!! I was grabbed so many times for looking like a non-asian, or American I guess. And they’re trilingual!! I bargained for some nike running shoes down to 85 yuan – which is like $12 haha. And then I bought a Sony mic/headphone for 20 yuan, which is just under $3…I needed it to contact my parents! data-blogger-escaped-a="" data-blogger-escaped-all="" data-blogger-escaped-amazing="" data-blogger-escaped-american="" data-blogger-escaped-and="" data-blogger-escaped-appetizing="" data-blogger-escaped-around="" data-blogger-escaped-at="" data-blogger-escaped-awesome="" data-blogger-escaped-barbeque="" data-blogger-escaped-beijing="" data-blogger-escaped-both="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-but="" data-blogger-escaped-by="" data-blogger-escaped-cost="" data-blogger-escaped-d="" data-blogger-escaped-dessert="" data-blogger-escaped-district="" data-blogger-escaped-e="" data-blogger-escaped-end="" data-blogger-escaped-expect="" data-blogger-escaped-food="" data-blogger-escaped-for="" data-blogger-escaped-found="" data-blogger-escaped-free="" data-blogger-escaped-front="" data-blogger-escaped-got="" data-blogger-escaped-huge="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-including="" data-blogger-escaped-it="" data-blogger-escaped-jing="" data-blogger-escaped-john="" data-blogger-escaped-korean="" data-blogger-escaped-least="" data-blogger-escaped-like="" data-blogger-escaped-me="" data-blogger-escaped-meal="" data-blogger-escaped-mmmmmmmm="" data-blogger-escaped-of="" data-blogger-escaped-on="" data-blogger-escaped-only="" data-blogger-escaped-over="" data-blogger-escaped-pay="" data-blogger-escaped-per="" data-blogger-escaped-person="" data-blogger-escaped-restaurant="" data-blogger-escaped-right="" data-blogger-escaped-so="" data-blogger-escaped-standards="" data-blogger-escaped-starving="" data-blogger-escaped-subway="" data-blogger-escaped-the="" data-blogger-escaped-them="" data-blogger-escaped-then="" data-blogger-escaped-there="" data-blogger-escaped-they="" data-blogger-escaped-this="" data-blogger-escaped-time="" data-blogger-escaped-to="" data-blogger-escaped-traveled="" data-blogger-escaped-upscale="" data-blogger-escaped-wang="" data-blogger-escaped-was="" data-blogger-escaped-we="" data-blogger-escaped-wendy="" data-blogger-escaped-were="" data-blogger-escaped-you="">
Everyone went out at night, but I am way too tired to do anything tonight….so good night everyone ;).
Everyone went out at night, but I am way too tired to do anything tonight….so good night everyone ;).
Day 5 - Tsinghua Campus
Tsinghua university is b-e-a-utiful! Still didn’t meet my professor yet, but I heard that he was nice from one of his previous students from a class that he taught.
I also learned how great I am at living in a foreign country with absolutely no background in the language! I’ve used gestures whenever I talk and I’ve gotten really good at it! I think I can dominate in Pictionary once we get back to the States…haha :P
I also learned how great I am at living in a foreign country with absolutely no background in the language! I’ve used gestures whenever I talk and I’ve gotten really good at it! I think I can dominate in Pictionary once we get back to the States…haha :P
Day 4 - PKU campus
Language class was still AWESOME...my name is mai ke!!
After our lecture, I stayed a few minutes to ask some more questions. Adam stayed with me and we left a few minutes after everyone else did. We went to the entrance to PKU and were stopped! Hahaha The guards wouldn’t let us get past the gate of PKU campus – so after a lot of talking and calling around, they finally let us in and we arrived to lunch an hour late. Luckily, we were still able to get lunch and talked to Professor Coppola for a little bit about life in Beijing so far and the REU program
Dinner at pizza place – food eating competition :D. Me vs. Yifang. Yifang vs. Me. The battle was intense!! Well sort of hahaha….nah, I basically destroyed Yifang on the first competition for who can eat a slice of pizza. Then we competed again with half a slice and he beat me by a little bit hahaha with his AMAZING victory ROOOAAARRRR lolol
After our lecture, I stayed a few minutes to ask some more questions. Adam stayed with me and we left a few minutes after everyone else did. We went to the entrance to PKU and were stopped! Hahaha The guards wouldn’t let us get past the gate of PKU campus – so after a lot of talking and calling around, they finally let us in and we arrived to lunch an hour late. Luckily, we were still able to get lunch and talked to Professor Coppola for a little bit about life in Beijing so far and the REU program
Dinner at pizza place – food eating competition :D. Me vs. Yifang. Yifang vs. Me. The battle was intense!! Well sort of hahaha….nah, I basically destroyed Yifang on the first competition for who can eat a slice of pizza. Then we competed again with half a slice and he beat me by a little bit hahaha with his AMAZING victory ROOOAAARRRR lolol
Day 2 & 3
Day 2:
PEARL MARKET – I bargained for a sweet “Rolex” watch lol
Language class was great! Our instructor is extremely enthusiastic!! She’s AWESOMEEEEEEE!
Lunch at Italian restaurant was great.
Dinner at secret garden (food form hunan province) – probably the best meal I’ve had so far in Beijing – spicyyyyy food.
Day 3:
Language class again. I’m really trying to show some progress in my Chinese. Bought cell phones for only 130 yuan…too bad mine broke already! Haha, I have to replace it sometime soon. We had a lecture on museums – the video was cool.
PEARL MARKET – I bargained for a sweet “Rolex” watch lol
Language class was great! Our instructor is extremely enthusiastic!! She’s AWESOMEEEEEEE!
Lunch at Italian restaurant was great.
Dinner at secret garden (food form hunan province) – probably the best meal I’ve had so far in Beijing – spicyyyyy food.
Day 3:
Language class again. I’m really trying to show some progress in my Chinese. Bought cell phones for only 130 yuan…too bad mine broke already! Haha, I have to replace it sometime soon. We had a lecture on museums – the video was cool.
Day 1 – Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
After the longest flight I’ve taken in my life, we had lunch at an all-you-can eat vegetarian buffet! It was a neat experience, even for a fervent meat-eater as myself. We then visited Tiananmen square and the Forbidden city! I have a bunch of pics that I took below. We found that some of the Chinese natives have never seen Americans (or in my case, an Egyptian) before. One guy was extremely excited to see me and asked me to take a picture with him!! Hahahaa, it was hilarious!
We had lunch at a vegetarian restaurant – it was pretty good. I love meat and I need meat in EVERY meal, but I must admit that this restaurant was not bad ^_^
Dinner was cool – I really like the communal style of eating. It really lets all of us bond quickly haha :D
We had lunch at a vegetarian restaurant – it was pretty good. I love meat and I need meat in EVERY meal, but I must admit that this restaurant was not bad ^_^
Dinner was cool – I really like the communal style of eating. It really lets all of us bond quickly haha :D
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Day 0 – Departure from Ann Arbor to Tokyo and then onto Beijing
The security is tight at Detroit metro airport. I got stopped twice before I got on the plane. After getting a lot of my stuff confiscated (like my shaving gel, my shampoo, bodywash, etc etc), I was extremely frustrated. It was a good laugh though afterwards with everyone. I could always buy stuf from China for cheaper too!!
The 12 hour flight was exhausting to get to Tokyo, but nevertheless filled with so much fun!! It was great to bond with a few people from the group who were sitting next to me and just talking for much of the time, doing sudokus together, listening to music, watching Russell Peters on my Zune, reading books or newspapers, taking short naps, and just chilling in the plane together. Upon arriving in Japan, I noticed just a complete abundance of Asians and as a 6’ 3” Egyptian, I felt like I stuck out pretty well haha. Anyways, I strolled around the airport and checked out the origami for sale and the surplus of desserts/treats that were being sold at the small, clustered stores.
Yifan and the some of the girls were playing cardgames for the entire layover, while the rest of us either walked around, or rested.
Finally, it was time to board the next plane to Beijing! It was supposed to be a 3.5 hour flight, but it felt even longer than the first flight! There was this baby….about 3 seats away from me to my right that kept crying for about 85% of the time – yes, I was timing it, I got the biggest headache in the world and I couldn’t sleep because no matter how loud the volume was on my headphones, that kid’s shrieking and crying pierced right through to my eardrums…..
Once we arrived in Beijing, we were greeted by an incredibly friendly chinese man who drove us home in a bus. When we arrived at the apartments, I don’t remember exactly what happened except that I just lied down on the bed and instantly crashed…
The 12 hour flight was exhausting to get to Tokyo, but nevertheless filled with so much fun!! It was great to bond with a few people from the group who were sitting next to me and just talking for much of the time, doing sudokus together, listening to music, watching Russell Peters on my Zune, reading books or newspapers, taking short naps, and just chilling in the plane together. Upon arriving in Japan, I noticed just a complete abundance of Asians and as a 6’ 3” Egyptian, I felt like I stuck out pretty well haha. Anyways, I strolled around the airport and checked out the origami for sale and the surplus of desserts/treats that were being sold at the small, clustered stores.
Yifan and the some of the girls were playing cardgames for the entire layover, while the rest of us either walked around, or rested.
Finally, it was time to board the next plane to Beijing! It was supposed to be a 3.5 hour flight, but it felt even longer than the first flight! There was this baby….about 3 seats away from me to my right that kept crying for about 85% of the time – yes, I was timing it, I got the biggest headache in the world and I couldn’t sleep because no matter how loud the volume was on my headphones, that kid’s shrieking and crying pierced right through to my eardrums…..
Once we arrived in Beijing, we were greeted by an incredibly friendly chinese man who drove us home in a bus. When we arrived at the apartments, I don’t remember exactly what happened except that I just lied down on the bed and instantly crashed…
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