The Challenge

I have a challenge for all of you who frequently ride on trains. Here it goes. Next time you are on a train, get off at a stop that isn't your final destination. Go outside of the train platform and through the exit turnstiles. Rush through security and back to the entrance turnstiles. Hop back on your train. It can be done!

Here is the story behind how I stumbled across this absolutely pointless challenge. 

Today was not my day for timing my exits. It started when I missed the bus stop for the rail station. I had been distracted by learning Chinese phrases like "train station" on my iphone. I ended up getting off at the next bus stop, walking across the road and ducking through a fence that divided the four lanes of traffic. I waited for the next bus to take me back one stop to the rail station. When I hopped on the next bus, the driver looked incredibly familiar. I was getting back onto the same bus that I had just gotten off of. I then realized that this was the end of the line for bus 77 and the bus had just made a U-turn a block away to return in direction it came. I felt a little embarrassed. Now that I think about it, this was just a hint of what was to come.

I've taken the train from Wuxi to Kunshan several times. It's not complicated. Buy your ticket. Go through security. Shuffle your way through the crowd and turnstiles. Board the train and find your seat. Wait about twenty minutes for them to announce the Kunshan South stop. Exit the train. Follow the stream of people to the turnstiles. Find Lisa on her scooter. Never have I messed this process up.

While on the train, I was again very involved with my phone. This time I was trying to use it to write a blog. I remember hearing them announce the stop "Suzhou" and later I swear they said "Next stop South Kunshan." As the train was slowing down Lisa called to ask if I was at the station yet and I told her that the train was just arriving. The train came to a stop, the doors opened, and I was one of the first people off the train. I was in car 13, seat 22, so I was a fair distance from the exit. As I took the escalator down I thought to myself "something seems a little different." I sent my ticket through the turnstile and it accepted it but again, something seemed different. The exit was nothing like the station in Kunshan. I was underground. By now I was starting to figure out that something was definitely different.  Still, I was able to convince myself that I was in the right place.  It wasn't until I saw a sign that said "Welcome to Suzhou," that I realized my mistake. Panic time!

My shoes, Sanuks, are very slippery. When I try to run on the smooth tile that they seem to have everywhere in China, it looks more like a bear trying to figure skate. How do you say "look out for the tall white guy with the huge puffy jacket! He's out of control!" in Chinese? I rushed around to the station's entrance and spotted my trains number still in green on display board (When it turns red it means that you are too late). I tossed my backpack onto the conveyer belt at security and got an extra few pats from the guard to make sure I didn't have anything hidden under this huge poofy jacket. I maneuvered my way through people on the way up the escalator to the waiting area. I scanned in all directions for my train number to figure out which turnstiles I needed to enter through. I had to squint but I saw my number, still in green, across the waiting area. I slid and skated my way through the crowd but when I got to the turnstile, it wouldn't accept my ticket. I showed my ticket to a worker that was fixing one of the turnstiles and she said that the ticket was used. I quickly tried to act out the mistake I had made but it was hopeless. Just then I saw another worker letting some people in to the side. I showed my ticket to her and she let me through. I ran down the stairs and couldn't believe that my train was still there and the doors were still open! I entered the platform at car 6 so I rushed along the platform towards the back of the train. As I passed car number 10 I realized that the automatic doors were closing. It was too late to dash through but I still had almost enough time to stick my arm through. Memories of my Dad holding me under the automatic garage door (which didn't have a motion sensor) back at Milo shot into my mind and quickly pulled my hand back (not that those aren't fond memories). I WAS SO CLOSE!!! The phone rings in my pocket and now I have to explain my mistake to Lisa.

The proper thing to do now is go back and exchange/buy a new ticket. The other choice is to try to wait around on the platform for the next train. I decided to try to blend in with the new crowd that was forming. The jacket hood goes on as I hope that the security guards hadn't noticed the scene that was just made. The next train came and I planned out my "confused american" routine that I would use if someone asked to see my ticket. I spent the next portion of the journey in the dining car. One of the train workers seemed to be checking tickets so I got up to make my way to the bathroom. Squat pots on a moving train instead of a western toilet?!! I don't even have time to get into that.  The next stop was my stop, thank goodness, and I finished the trip as planned.

Although it's a little embarrassing, I'm glad I make mistakes like this. It gives me a chance to see and do things that you just can't plan. It's 5 minutes till Christmas  here in China and although I miss my family and friends back home, I'm thankful for the adventures and new experiences that are finding me here. Of coarse, I'm also thankful to be spending Christmas with my big sister, Lisa. Love and miss you all very much, and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Visitors

Last weekend we had a wonderful visit from Tommy and Tye. We spent Sabbath Evening in Shanghai and Sunday in Kunshan. Here's the visual recap.

Vanguard

Last night was grocery night. The school arranges transportation for the teachers to do their shopping once a week. We went to this place about 20 minutes away called Vanguard. One thing that I've noticed about China is a high level of conformity. Vanguard is no different. Everyone enters the grocery store on the 4th level and there is one general direction of traffic as you weave your way down to the third floor and checkout. In most stores back the the states it is a free-for-all as people enter through the door marked exit and scramble back and fourth through aisles. I guess with the dense population that China has, it would be impossible to freely move about the grocery store on a busy weekend. It's more efficient this way: like an assembly line.

I finished my shopping about an hour before the bus would take us back to campus. I wondered around outside for a while and saw a group of people doing their exercise/dance ( I really don't know what to call it). This dance thing is really popular over here. I've seen it in pretty much every city that I've visited. It reminds me a lot of the line dancing that we would do at our barn parties in Walla Walla. It was hard for me to not join in on the fun. Not only would I have been the only person under 60, but I would also be the only male. Next time.

After I watched them dance for a while, I went back inside to the KFC. I strongly dislike KFC but I only had a few options. I ordered some milk tea, fries, and a chicken sandwich. I sat in the corner and people-watched as I ate. Soon I noticed a few girls looking at me then looking away and giggling. There isn't a huge population of foreigners in Wuxi. In fact, when I see a foreigner, I usually give them the nod and they return with a nod. It's a weird sort of expat camaraderie.  Anyways, one of these girls gets up to order a coffee. She gets in one line, then as it gets to her turn to order, she gets in another line. She does this like three times. Finally she gets her drink and brings her tray to my table. I clear a space across from me and she sits down. This was an obvious dare and the poor girl barely new any English and I know even less Chinese. I couldn't help but chuckle because her eyes were facing the ground the entire time and her friends were laughing at her from their table. I was able to get her name out of her but I forgot it about as quick as she said it. I couldn't pronounce it anyway.

Finally, her friends came over and sat down with us. You would think this girl was having a panic attack by how nervous she was. We all introduced ourselves and they asked me questions about what I was doing in Wuxi. They ended up showing me a picture on their phone of the original girl, and asked me "does she, like boy?" I took this as "does she like boys?" I answered "yes" I immediately realized that they could have been asking me "does she look like a boy?" I Caught myself and said. "You are all girls, I assume you like boys." They just looked at me. Confused. They hung out for a while and mostly spoke Chinese to each other. I could tell that they were trying to come up with something to say to me but they didn't seem to agree on what it was. It was all kind of awkward and hilarious at the same time. The girl who seemed to be the one who made the dare, left first to go to school (at 8:00 at night?). And the other two girls continued to talk in Chinese for a few minutes. I was bracing myself for whatever question they had been discussing for the last ten minutes. Finally, they said "we are going shopping now" and left. I look forward to more awkward situations that are sure to come.

Sabbath

I've come to the end of another Sabbath and tomorrow I will be back in the motion of teaching. Teaching has become much easier in the last couple of weeks. The days are starting to fly by and I feel like I don't have the time to do all the things that I have planned. I want to learn Chinese. I want to get better at video editing. I want to exercise every day. I've learned that my classes go a lot smoother when I have prepared a thorough lesson plan. Maybe thats what I need to do with my time here.

Today was beautiful so I took some video from around campus. I walked around to the corner of the soccer field so I could get a view of most of the buildings. It was just after lunch so the students were in their dorms and the campus looked empty. Right outside of my apartment they have been building a cafeteria for the teachers. I'm amazed with how fast it has been coming along. Two guys were putting up siding on the building so I asked if I could film them. They were very kind and one of them offered me a cigarette. I told them "no, it's ok. thanks" but of course they didn't understand me so I took the cigaret. This is the second time that I have been given a cigarette by someone I have just met. Fortunately for me they haven't offered to light it.

I am really enjoying my geography class and its super easy to think of ways to make it interesting. My grammar classes are a different story. If anyone has any good games that teach grammar principles, I would be grateful. It's about a month until we have a break for Chinese New Years and I still haven't planned where I'll be going. Hopefully Lisa and I will get something figured out when I visit her next weekend. I miss my friends and family back home. I know that I have an awesome opportunity over here so I'm trying to take full advantage of it. Hopefully I'll get a video together pretty soon showing you what life is like for me here in China. I don't just play with stink bugs all day.


Here are a few pics from Thanksgiving till now:

The Students : Getting ready for our Thanksgiving Feast

Ashim on the left and Sanny on the Right

Vivian

Our Turkey! Peace Signs from left to right: Trudy, Caroline, Ashim.  

Playing pool while we wait for our food.

She's always looking for an opportunity to impress her little bro. 

 This past weekend on our way to Shanghai

Dinner with the Kays 

The friendly guy who was putting up siding.

The gift from the siding guy above (it broke in my pocket).

The campus as seen from the 5th floor of my apartment building.

My school campus

Here is my home in the mountains. Zoom out for the full picture.


View Work and Home in a larger map

Kunshan

Here are some points of interest in Kunshan - where Lisa lives. Zoom out to see all the 4 points that I have added so far.


View Kunshan in a larger map

One week down.

I have decided it is past time for another post. I am on the last day of my four day weekend. I get a four day weekend every other weekend because our school has a special schedule. Basically we push through ten days straight with a break on Sabbath, then we get some time off. The campus is supper empty on these breaks. I spent the first couple of days of my time off on campus. By day three I was more than ready to get off campus. Its funny how the something as simple as getting a taxi can be extremely difficult when the only two words you know in chinese are "hello" and "thank you." I ended up translating some of the key words into chinese, taking screenshots of the words, and uploading them to my iphone to show people. This technique is enough to get by but I am ready to start picking up the language so I don't feel helpless.

I spent Sabbath and Sunday with Lisa over in Kunshan, which is where she lives. To get to Kunshan, I had to ask the guards at my school to call a taxi, then I had to take a train, then I walked. Once again, this is a lot harder than it sounds when you don't know any of the necessary words. Even just getting from where I bought my ticket to where I was supposed to wait for my train was hard. I've found that people here are very helpful. I would show my ticket to someone and they would point in the direction that I needed to go. I'm getting used to being stared at. In America we are used to seeing people with different cultural backgrounds. Here, when I go to the grocery store, I catch someone looking at me, then they smile and whisper to their friend who also turns around to take a look at me. I just smile through. Tommorrow, Monday, I head for Shenzhen for my TEFL training. This will be a nice change of pace and I'll get to experience a new part of China. Well, Its off to geography lesson planning for me.