SHANGHAI TRIP

Early Monday morning, I hastily prepared myself for my Shanghai trip. I took a shower and went to CRH (fast train) station for my friend, LANZ was already waiting there. We bought two tickets and then had our breakfast at McDonald's for our trip was at 8:24 and t’was still 7:15. We had a great meal.

Boarding the train came and we gleefully find our car number and our seats. We were wondering why our ticket was a little expensive than the usual one. Only to find out, we were in a first class coach car. That was fine for it was so comfy there, few people, spacious, big and comfortable seats better than that of an airplane(the economy ones). We were so happy as we were heading to our destination. We make it to Shanghai at exactly three hours from the time we departed Hefei. I was so happy setting my first footsteps in the business capital of China. We then looked for the airport bus going to the international airport. As we found it, we immediately had our early lunch directly across the train station. Then we move our asses around and took pictures especially around the Shanghai expo 2010 logo. As we strolled along the busy street, we found small MISTER DONUT billboard. We headed to the place, got in and ordered donuts and lavishly devoured them for we miss eating these back home. Then time to take the airport bus for it’s like an hour going there from the city center.

When we arrived the Pudong international airport, almost an hour earlier than the expected arrival of our friend, we asked where do Philippines Airlines land. They told us to go to terminal 2 for we were at terminal 1. So we took the airport shuttle bus as what we were told. Looking at the big screen, we disappointedly find vacant seats to relax for the plane is delayed for almost an hour. We were wondering if we could still catch the last CRH going back to Hefei. Tired of sitting, we roamed around the airport and took lots of photos. We went to the maglev station for we planned to take it going back to the train station.

Happily, we went back to the waiting area for t’was almost the arrival time. Jubilantly, I went closer to the passengers exit for the airline was already announced to have landed. It took us like more than an hour to wait for him, only to find out he was questioned by the immigration for bringing lots of personal care stuff, for he only has tourist visa. He just explained they’re his present to his friends here.

We immediately ran out of the airport and took a taxi for we only had 50 minutes left before the last CRH leaves, but we were stuck in an enormous traffic. Well, it’s one of what Shanghai is famous for, dense traffic jam. So we were unable to get the last fast train. One more thing, our taxi fare was 156 RMB (23 USD), unimaginable for we are not used to have it in our city. Well, no choice but we had to take the ordinary train. One more frustrated situation, there’s no sleeper, we had to sit down for 6 hours. Anyway, that was my unforgettable experience in Shanghai. LANZ, thanks a lot for traveling with me there. COMRADE, thanks and congratulations, you made it here and good luck and welcome to China. Enjoy your life here.

You can also visit me in my other sites:
http://eternallyyours-tax.blogspot.com/
http://d-role-model.blogspot.com/

SLEEPLESS NIGHT

Sleepless night once again. I just couldn’t force myself to go back to sleep. I don’t know. Maybe because I am going to meet my all time best friend from the Philippines in Shanghai today, or maybe because it’s my first time to go there, too. I am like a little child so excited about something promised to be brought to somewhere or to be given something for a job well done.

Another thing, we haven’t meet for like 3 years now. So, it’s quite a long time. We’ve got lots of stories to exchange and another sleepless nights pretty sure. Hahahahaha. Looking forward to know all those stories about life back home. Well, I gotta go people, got to prepare myself for the trip. See you and take care. Have a great time...

You can also visit me in my other sites:
http://eternallyyours-tax.blogspot.com
http://d-role-model.blogspot.com

Xmas 2008

Hey people! What’s up? It’s is but the holiday season. The most awaited time of the year for almost all people especially in the west. Happy holidays everyone!!! I wish all of us the best the season could possibly bring.

How was your Christmas people? Was it great? I hope so. As to mine, here in China, as usual, as Chinese people don’t celebrate this holiday. It’s getting popular, though. I had to give classes on that very day. But it was a grand celebration. A lot better than my first Christmas experience here. I really felt the real essence of the holiday. I enjoyed a lot. Another thing, I treated my adult students to dinner on Christmas eve, to somehow feel the essence of it. We went to a buffet restaurant. T’was a great surprise because a lot of people standing outside the restaurant. Good thing I booked the table for about 14 people the day before. It was a great idea. Then we went to ktv. Afterwards to Hilton hotel(bar). We finally went to a hotpot restaurant. Ended it up at around a quarter to 3 am. When I went home, at my doorstep, I was shocked, only to find out, I've lost my keys... I didn't know what to do at that fucking cold dawn. I went back to Hilton and asked the waitress who were cleaning the bar. They saw nothing. I went to the hotpot restaurant, and again I found nothing. Got no choice except to stay in a hotel... I went to a hotel, a cheap one. As I entered, everyone was sleeping (receptionists)... I tried waking them up, yet they sleep soundly that cold moment.

As I looked at the clock, it was like 4:30am. So, it's not also wise to pay 168 Yuan for 2 to 3 hours co'z I've got a class at 1pm. So I went back to Hilton and stayed at the lobby... That's how I spent the rest of the time. At 6am, I phoned our HR telling her about it. Then she said to come to the main office at 8 to get the duplicate. What a x'mas experience!!!... And again, I was hoping I could sleep for like 3 hours before my classes, there I met my boss, then we had a long chat. It ended up around 11:30. So no choice, I have to prepare myself for my class. After my classes, kindergarten one, I met some colleagues, foreign teachers from other branches then we had a short time talking for I have to leave them again, I have another class at 6pm. I told them I would come to the buffet restaurant after my class. Haaahahhaaa... But to tell you, we went to our boss's dinner party for x'mas is his birthday at the same time. All of us, including some Filipinos and a Chinese who are not bluniverse's.


Then, they were saying to go to Soho bar at Hilton again. I mean for me again, but for them it's not. I've got no choice... Imagine myself then that time, no sleep for 48 hours straight... Hahahahaaa.... What a x'mas!!! The next day, still have to do some classes... What a life...

That was my 2008 x'mas story. You, what is yours?

…a FoRmEr FoReIgN tEaChEr ViSiTs

As our week started, we also started busying ourselves, doing our preparrations for our incoming classes in the weekends. As we were on the go doing it, we were just astonished as one man entered the office sneakily. Only to find out, he was our previous foreign teacher here in our branch. Our Chinese teachers snappily stood up and shouted like kids as they welcome him. T’was quite a long time he didn’t visit our branch, for he is now in the main office.

We went out few minutes after for lunch and we had a great talk and lunch. We even planned to go out in the evening. Let’s paint the town red tonight, I told them. So we agreed to go out and go to KTV in the evening.

We went shopping with him after our lunch. As we went back to the school, few minutes after, our head arrived from a middle school visit, and was very happy. When 6:00 came, we went out again and had dinner together. Afterwards, we proceeded to the KTV where we set when we had our lunch. Yesterday was a long day. We had quite a lot of activities. We enjoyed a lot. Thanks for the companionship and friendliness of my colleagues here.

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…FuNnY, sTrAnGe AnD eXcItInG mOmEnTs

After around 30 minutes past four in the afternoon, we successfully arrived in Beijing. I was so thankful we had a safe journey. Hurray! I exclaimed in my mind. I ultimately set my footprints in Beijing. We happily got off the train and started moving out.

Next was to search for the bus number we had in mind, through our search through the net, to get to the desired hostel we wanted to stay, during the days we would spend there. There were a lot of people outside the station waiting for the buses to arrive, for just directly outside the station is the bus stop. We peeped around to know whether our bus would pass that way. Too happy to know it’s one of them. We waited ‘till it arrived. People were like wild animals competing to pass through the bus’s door to find a comfortable seat. We didn’t involved ourselves at first, but we would be waiting for a long time if we won’t, so we also did on the fourth bus, at least not that much people as that of the first three.

After that funny moment was that, the problem where to get off, ‘coz we don’t know how to say it in Chinese, the one mentioned in the net. We ask someone, but couldn’t understand English. We just let it go. After a while, we saw subway symbol, so we got off the bus stop after. It was really so funny. No more problem ‘coz the direction in the subway is pretty clear enough to be understood.

We were thinking it's over, yet we were wrong. To look for the place was even harder. It’s mentioned it’s just near exit C, yet we roamed around but still we couldn’t find, we were bringing our luggage then.

I searched the place alone and let my friend stay at one side. I walked here and there, yet I didn’t find the place still. I met a family man calling a taxi as I searched for it, he was speaking Tagalog to his two children, meaning they’re Filipinos. We chatted for a short while ‘coz they were in a hurry. Then, I continued my search. We were almost at the point of discouragement when I came back. It was almost night time. I said, I would go on the other side. I was so exhausted finding the place. As I went forward, I saw a hostel, not the one we were looking for, I went in and asked, good they speak English. So I went back and got my friend who was also tired of waiting. We were done at around 8:00 or so in the evening, more than 4 hours looking for the place. That’s the problem of language barrier.

Have you experienced some? Well, funny, right? But only if you are patience enough, you can succeed this situation. Thanks for the patience of my friend and my unending efforts. So, friends, never give up and keep on striving. Good luck to our daily endeavors.

note: you can also visit me here;

http://eternallyyours-tax.blogspot.com/
http://d-role-model.blogspot.com/

…cAn’T dO aS pLaNnEd

Basically in life, for you to be successful, you must have to have numerous plans. We should not only stick to one, for life is like a ball, it’s round. So we aren’t all the time successful. It’s like a wheel, sometimes we are on top as well as at the bottom. We aren’t too sure either of what will happen tomorrow. So it’s good to have choices, that if one fails, we still have others.

Well, have you postponed a well planned activity? For what reason? How did you handle this situation? Is airting a plan a good idea? How would you react if a plan is cancelled or postponed? Is it a good habit to always delay a plan?

Friends, we can’t avoid meeting this kind of situation in life, especially when nature calls it. We can do nothing about it. We are not the ones controlling it. So be it! Life must go on. Just like today, with my case here in Wuhan. Since this is my last night here, we planned to go out, KTV or disco or night market shopping and so on. Going out tonight is what we planned, that if the weather cooperates. Yet, what is happening is that, it keeps raining heavily this time. I am pretty sure we wouldn’t be able to go out. Well, that’s no problem. Maybe next time we could do it. So we would just stay at home probably and rest early for we would leave here to Beijing at 7:00am tomorrow. I can’t wait and always think of it. I am very excited, perhaps.

Note: you can visit me here, too.

http://eternallyyours-tax.blogspot.com

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…eAsT LaKe & mUsEuM

My friend tried hard to roam me around the city on my first day. We had a hectic schedule that time. While we were eating our lunch, her colleague, Rudy, a Chinese teacher, phoned that she’s already ready to go to the other district, where the east lake and museum are found. They planned it in advance. So, we hastily go to the place where they have set to meet.

With the weather so hot, we were walking along the way to the dock where we could take a ferry boat to the other side of the Yangtze river. It was really freaking hot that time. The situation even got worsen when we were kinda lost in going there, it was her second time going to the place. Her colleague was already calling up asking where we were, ‘coz it took us quite a long time. At long last we were able to arrive at the place.

We took the ferry for about 10 – 15 minutes, then by bus to the east lake. I was really fascinated by the grandness of the said lake. The scenery is so serene and beautiful. In fact, there were around five couples having their pictorials around the lake, wearing their bridal attire. We encircled the lake and took lots of wonderful photos.

Later that afternoon, we went to the museums, history and arts museums. Structurally speaking, they really are very magnificent. They look like pyramids of Egypt, really beautiful. We toured around the museum for like an hour or more. We felt very tired of from our day activities. So we left without even seeing the entire displays inside.

Note: you can also check me out here.
http://eternallyyours-tax.blogspot.com
http://d-role-model.blogspot.com

…mY fIrSt TiMe

On my first day in Wuhan, I was bloody tired for I wasn’t able to rest the night before on the train. Then we had a lot of activities like playing badminton, going to park, crossing the Yangtze river and so on. Absolutely busy schedule we had that day.

Yes, my first time to cross Yangtze river by Ferry. I did several times by bus before. It was a great experience. The ferry is kinda big compared to ferries we have back home. This time, crossing only a river, it’s a nice and different feeling. Before back home, we had it crossing the sea, but here, just a river, which is comparable to a sea, too big for a river. We were around 10 to 15 minutes on the river. We had a wonderful moment as we crossed. We took pictures along the way, capturing the beautiful sites around it, the tower, tall buildings, cargo ferries, bridge, and the grayish-brown water. Maybelle, thanks for taking me there and experience a such marvelous instant. Thanks once again.

…dIfFeReNtLy SpEnT dAy OfF

After doing household chores early Monday morning, I went out and eat outside. Then, I proceeded to the downtown. I did window shopping for three hours, and finally bought shirts after. Hard to do shopping. That’s why I don’t like it. It’s just that, I need spring clothes this time, so I have to go and buy some.

I was terribly tired after. So I went home and slept for one a half hours. Then I checked my mails and planned to do blogging. All of a sudden, my phone rang, t’was Jim, a dear friend here who invited me to stroll around. I said I am totally free. So he picked me up and we went to the oldest park here.

I was fascinated with what I saw in the park, beautiful flowers bloom and trees turn green. Such a wonderful site for taking a break and amble around. Perfect to do meditations and reflections. Cool breeze touched my skin as we walked around the park, it’s really splendid. Lake adds beauty to it. I indeed had a fabulously spent day off.

As we were there, Jim’s phone rang several times and was told to be in the office for a significant discourse. So, he left and promised to be back in 30 minutes. I just read the books he left me while he wasn’t around. I did enjoy the place. I was surrounded by the beauties of nature. It was really a reminiscing one.

After a while, as I continued reading, I saw at a distant, a gentleman riding a bicycle, as he drew closer, I recognized him. He’s Stephen, a Canadian foreign teacher in the teacher’s college. I called him. He stopped and we did a nice chatting, then Jim arrived a short while after. What a coincidence! We were laughing ‘coz it’s as if we planned to meet there. We chatted for a short while only ‘coz Stephen had something to do. He continued riding his bike as we resumed our unfinished conversation. We truly had a great time there. I like it staying there, as if I am in heaven. Thanks Jim for that wonderful time. See you next time.

…MeT a NeW FoReIgN TeAcHeR

As I am in a kinda small city, not the capital of the province, it’s very seldom to meet a new foreigner. So when I met a new foreign teacher yesterday, I was kinda elated to meet her. I was so glad to know that there’s one more foreigner at least near to my city, ‘coz she’s not in the city where I am in now.

When my boss came yesterday, after lunch break, he was with her. I was amazed and happy. Her name is Flora, from the States. She’s also out going. I like her company even if we just met yesterday. I can feel it. So I am just hoping I could meet her sooner or later. Thanks for visiting to our school. I would just like to ask for an apology that I wasn’t able to show you around, ‘coz I had a lot of classes. But maybe next time. I hope one day, I could also visit your school. It's a college in Chizhou, an hour and a half away from here. Flora, have a good time and take care always.

…oNe Of A kInD

My friends handed me a special, very exceptional birthday card with their signatures on it. It is bought from the US. Wendy had a business trip there and in Canada for several times before. So they gave me one.

It's my first time to receive a birthday card from other countries. Christmas cards I did. But birthday card, that was the first. It’s one of a kind experience. It’s really beautiful. It talks about friendship. This is what it says, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Special people are like flowers in the garden of life.” That’s in the front page. What it says inside is, “You always seem to go out of your own way to make other people feel special. That’s one of the things I like best in you.”

I was touched as I read it. Thank you so much everyone. It made my day so special, as well as my feelings. In addition to that, I was indeed very happy. Words may not be enough to express it. Thanks a million times.

…I dIdN’t ExPeCt

Well, as I announced to my colleagues that this day is my birthday, they were all surprised. They were shouting and blaming each other, for one has remembered but somebody said it’s not yet. So they were laughing and saying a lot of things but I couldn’t understand. They really didn’t expect that.

Someone actually asked me about it few days ago, but I didn’t answer yet. She asked whether it would be this month or on June, but somebody interrupted. Then, I wasn’t able to tell. So they were really surprised today.

They went home early in the morning. I was left alone in the office. I was a little sad. So I went home, too after few minutes. And when I came back in the afternoon, they weren’t in the office yet. Kinda strange ‘coz usually, they will arrive earlier than me. Only to find out, they bought some presents for me. I was so elated. Thanks for them. I somehow forget my loneliness and homesickness. I feel I’m at home with my friends. Thanks a lot! I cordially appreciate your efforts to comfort me. Thanks you very much.

… tHaNkS I mEt YoU

About three weeks ago, I met a lot of out going friends in my place. I am really happy in their company. They are all good and easy going friends. I am so fortunate I met them. They are real friends. Thanks a lot for the friendship. I highly appreciate that.

Last night, we had a grand dinner together. I met another new friend, Saus, I hope I made the correct spelling, their classmate in university. They are indeed very successful in their states of life. I can barely see it in their status now in the society. They are all good speakers of English, too. They have a good command of the language. Really great at their age, ‘coz as I know, only the new generations are studying English here. They are a few of the exemption! They are veritably clever, as I observed. They are in truth fortunate and successful.

In the same way, I am very open to them. I feel I am accepted. I do belong. Thanks for that feeling. I showed one to my flat after our dinner, which is not what I used to do with some of my friends. But with them, I feel so open. I am too flattered that they like to be with me, too. He helped me solve with the water problem in my flat. I was really grateful to him. Jim, thanks a lot. We had a great chat before he went home.

To everyone, be true and be what and who you are, and you will find people to understand you. And value them as you value your life. Take care of your friends.