What a truly awesome experience...

[bohanka]

P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USHere's part of a letter I sent to my family shortly after arriving in China. I hope you like it.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-US[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USWhat a truly awesome experience being here in Zhongzhou. The welcome I received was heartwarming to say the least. I was met at Xiamen airport by a party of three and then driven the 100 kilometers or so to the city of Zhongzhou. When I arrived at the school there was a crowd of around 50 students who cheered and clapped as I was escorted to my accommodation. They made me feel like a celebrity and like all celebrities; I gave them a friendly wave and dutifully smiled from ear to ear. [/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-US?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /o/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USLater that evening the teachers invited me to a Chinese banquet at a local restaurant. The food was amazing and I was determined to try everything. Some of the food was delicious whilst other dishes I will avoid. I tried some insects or grubs that apparently live in sugarcane. They are fried in what I think is five spice powder and are really quite delicious. I’m told they are a local delicacy. We had whole fish, seafood spring rolls, BBQ pork strips, noodles and lots of rice. The meal was delicious and I’m planning to go back to the restaurant the first opportunity I get.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USZhongzhan is much more modern than I would have imagined. Parts of it are so opulent it reminds me of Hong Kong. The streets are a mass of humanity with people, cars, busses, bicycles, scooters and motorbikes all competing with each other on the roads. When you cross the road in Zhongzhou you are playing a form of “Chicken”. Drivers never stop for you but they will not deliberately knock you down. You have to watch for a gap in the traffic and inch your way across the zebra crossing. [/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USTaxis are very cheap and there is an alternative form of transport in the form of three-wheeled bicycles with a double seat in which passengers travel. They charge 3 yen that is about 50 cents Australian for a ride around the city circle. [/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USThe prices here are incredibly cheap compared with Australia. They are so cheap it has given me an insight as to what it must be like to be a millionaire. For example, you can buy a pot of noodles with whole prawns for about 80 cents. Beer is 50 cents for a large bottle and as for fruit and vegetables, they practically give them away! I had a local tailor make me a pair of trousers, as they don’t have larger sizes here. When I was told the price, I nearly fell over – the equivalent of $13.50. You can’t even buy a pair of trousers off the peg for that price in Oz. [/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USThe locals are very friendly even if they have a tendency to stare at foreigners. I take it as a compliment and often wave and smile at people who point and stare. The kids are funny. I walked up behind a couple of five year olds. One of them turned, looked at me, shrieked and ran away much to the amusement of onlookers.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USThe markets here are a sight to behold. Some of the items on sale include turtles, snakes, frogs and all manner of sea creatures. The smells are intoxicating and occasionally revolting. Everyone, it appears, wants to be seen with a foreigner. I’ve been invited out so many times I’ve hardly been able to cook for myself. I’ve become something of a minor celebrity, and I must say, I’m enjoying every minute of it.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USMy accommodation is somewhat Spartan but adequate. The apartment was filthy and I’ve had to literally get down on my hands and knees and scrub the floors and walls. Now that it’s done, I feel much better. I’m not too impressed with the kitchen. There’s not room enough to swing a mouse, let alone a cat. There is a two-ring gas burner and that’s all. No oven and nowhere to put anything. But with the low cost of eating out, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USThe double bed that has been provided is something akin to a concrete slab. I’m told that the locals prefer to sleep on a hard bed and in the heat of summer and will sleep on the floor - which is exactly what my bed feels like. My apartment consists of two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and toilet. There is no bathroom rather an antiquated, free-standing shower capsule which looks something like a cross between an escape pod from Star Trek and a medieval torture chamber. This strange device either pumps out scalding hot water or ice-cold water. There is no in between. The kitchen has no hot water and, if I want to do the dishes, I have to boil a saucepan of water. Despite all this, I am aware that I am in a foreign land and I have to make adjustments. I cannot impose western standards here. I am coping with the situation and I will learn to adapt. [/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USI can honestly say, there hasn’t been a single moment when I’ve regretted my decision to come to China. I am living an adventure and loving every minute of it. Every single day there is a new surprise and one never knows what to expect.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USDairy foods are hard to find and the local bread is like cotton wool. Most locals eat noodles for breakfast, noodles for lunch and, you guessed it, noodles for dinner. There seems to be no shortage of food here and the locals eat well. There are a few beggars on the streets but no more than I’ve seen in Sydney but with one marked difference. All of the beggars are elderly, unlike Sydney where I saw young, healthy people begging. I wouldn’t give to them but I will give to the elderly beggars on the streets of Zhongzhou as there is no welfare here.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USI must admit, it’s strange living in a country where I can’t speak the language and there is no ex-pat community to speak of. I’m determined to learn as much Mandarin as I can and I’m sure I will if not as a means to survive. Very few people speak English here and even those who can are often hard to understand.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USRecently, I was invited to visit a local Buddhist temple that was built in the Tang Dynasty (c. 600A.D.) The Buddha was reputed to have lived here for a period of time. There are several stunning shrines with large gold coloured statues of The Buddha. The air is filled with the smell of incense and the grounds are littered with flowerpots tended by the monks when they are not at prayer. I found the place profoundly tranquil and peaceful – a complete contrast to the busy streets of Zhongzhou.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USo/o[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USChina is growing at a phenomenal rate. Consumerism has taken root and the whole country isl flourishing. Whilst there is grinding poverty, there are entrepreneurs who are making lots of money. I tend to liken China to an awakening giant and soon, the shadow of that giant will be seenSPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes" [/color]across the world.[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-US[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USKind regards,[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-US[/color]P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"SPAN lang=EN-USBohanka[/color]