More Pictures! Yeah, I know...It's Been a While.

Matthew and I decided rent some bicycles last Saturday afternoon and try to explore the island. We figured out the price was 5 Yuan per hour, per bicycle, with a 200 Yuan deposit each. We started to ride down the island ring road, which follows the coast. We later decided that it would be good to turn around and go explore downtown for a bit. On our way there, the chain on my bicycle broke, debilitating the machine. We were close to the rental store and managed to walk the bike there. They fixed the chain, and we were on our way again. After exploring downtown for a few hours, during which we stumbled onto Sun Yat Sen Park...super cool, we realized that we were lost, it was getting dark, and we didn’t know when the rental shop closed. We needed to get a taxi. After no driver would take two people and both of their bicycles, we each got a cab. The driver was rather rough with my rental transportation, forcing it into the trunk. After we arrived and the taxi left, I noticed that the “derailer” of the chain had completely broken off of the frame and was dangling, helplessly.

I carried the bike to the store front, and, for the second time today, pointed at the mishap. He halfway concealed a concerned look, and began working on the bike. It took several minutes to fix, and I was sure they would not be as forgiving the second time around. The woman asked for 35 Yuan, and I began asking how much the repair fee would be. This took quite some time, and I began to get frustrated by the fact that she wasn’t even beginning to understand what I was asking her, even with my seemingly obvious hand motions. I eventually asked for a pen to attempt to write the price down. She brought back one and also their business card, circling the phone number. She wasn’t trying to charge me any more but was only eager to get our business again.

I was getting upset at my lack of being able to communicate such a simple topic, while I couldn’t understand what she was trying to convey either. It was such a surprise to not be charged extra for breaking their bike... twice. Also, they allowed me to wash my bike-greased hands in their personal bathroom, which was above and beyond what I expected from them. Even though I am a foreigner, who is often treater better than locals, I have been completely blown away by the hospitality of the people here. It has been very refreshing to begin to feel exposed to this culture. I think about my first China trip so often, and it was only for three weeks. I am positive that this semester will change my outlook on how i view other people as it already has. It is always a good thing to take a step back from things and put yourself in different and bending ways. These frustrating circumstances and ocurrances don't make you act a certain way, they just reveal what you really are like. Its uncomfortable to be confronted with buried aspects of yourself, but its good also.

Ni Hao Typhoon

So we're about to get demolished...
not really, but its really windy and we're supposed to get rain for the next few days. We were planning on going to the Buddhist temple near campus today, but it might have to wait.

Our lecture went really well this morning. Our professor was an older man that studied at Cornell and also was sent to the countryside during the cultural revolution. Very interesting to hear him talk-some guys and I are planning on eating lunch with him sometime to talk some more.

There's a restaurant on the second floor of our dorm AND THEY DELIVER, so right now we're waiting on our lunch.

For all those concerned, we're not drinking any milk and/or baby formula.

The history presentation I am going to give in a few weeks is about "When China Ruled the Seas." It follows the story of the explorere, Zheng He, and discusses his travels to Africa 80 years before De Gama. So that should be interesting.

Lunch is here. Hope you are doing well. I got some Skype money, so if you message me your phone number, I would like to call you.

-Park

Xiamen Daxue (Shah! Men? Dah shweigh)

The group made it to Xiamen on Saturday evening and started official class on Monday morning. Classes have been going well. Its interesting to listen to our teachers' accents; you can tell where they learned English : from either Australia, the UK, or from the states.

Our group is staying on the third floor of the international students dorm and from the top floor you can see almost the entire campus, which is really pretty and well kept.

We've been trying out the local restaurants around campus and have found some good ones nearby. My favorite thing to get currently is Ji Rou Jaozi (chicken dumplings).

Its been good to finally be able to settle in: buying some much needed groceries like coffee, tea(xiamen is a famous exporter of tea) anime coffee mugs, and some asianish wall posters.

We had the first English corner last night. They're kind of awkward and I was apprehensive about going, but after getting swarmed as soon as we got there, the whole thing was pretty enjoyable and 2 hours went by without me realizing it. Some people and I are planning on talking more on Friday when the next corner is.

We found the underground pirated DVD market today; it was awesome. We walked down this back alleyway where there was an unmarked door. Inside were two completely filled rooms, one of which the ceiling was so short i couldn't stand all the way up. I wanted to take some covert pictures and videos, but couldn't. I will the next time I go, which will be soon.

I'm taking pictures of the campus and around the area. I will upload them soon.

Zaijian,

-park

Macauboys

We had the day off yesterday.

Four other guys and I decided to take the TurboJet ferry to Macau for the day. Macau is a strange and bizarre and fascinating place. Portugal, Asia, Las Vegas all rolled into one island. We had no expectations and really just wanted to get another stamp on our passport. We decided to try our luck, all 20 Hong Kong Dollars(3 USD), at the grand emperor casino.

I won 100 Dollars on my first try at Roulette... I decided that was enough.

We took a taxi to Fernando's restaraunt, an open air Portuguese barbecue sitting on the bay of a nearby island. It was the best meal I've had in a long time. A whole chicken, suckling pork, ribs, and the best french fries on earth. A friend and I got in a pickup basketball game with some local boys and had a good time thoroughly kicking their tushes....who cares if they'd hit puberty.

It was a good Saturday.

Sweat.

Hong Kong is a humid place.

We're staying at the YMCA in HK and its a pretty cool place. We found the game room, complete with multiple ping pong tables, and even 60 yr old men are awesome.

The downtown skyline is unbelievable. We rode the public transit system to the tip of Kowloon and then took the ferry across to HK island. It was so nice and clean, but it should be since spitting is a 5,000 dollar fine.

The banks of Hong Kong make the currency instead of a government mint, so the bills have the banks on them. Some say HK is the most capitalist place in the world.

Mom, my first food purchase was some apples from a grocery store. Fuji, to be exact.

I'm in a KFC down the street to get the internet. They have iced red bean drinks. They are not good.

The scenery is really unbelievable. The mountains seem to jut straight out of the ocean, accompanied by high rise apartments and buildings.

Hong Kong

Hey there everyone,

I just got into Hong Kong. I'm really confused about the time because its 7:45 in the morning, and I totally missed tuesday. But I'm here and alive.

And on the way from San Antonio to LAX I sat next to Katy Perry. No lie. So that was random and interesting.