I’ve been trying to think of how to write this blog because last weekend was the moment that I realized I live internationally. It sounds silly as I have been gone for almost two years, but it’s true. To make a long weekend a short blog, I rocked Hong Kong and Tokyo in the same weekend. I mean… the good, the bad, and the ugly. Like Vegas, that’s really all I can say.
Last weekend also included a tech conference and needless to say, Jen and I were exhausted so we paid extra for the good seats on the return flight which turns out, wasn’t such a good idea in some ways.
In China, Laotongs are considered soul sisters. This was initially and traditionally an arranged relationship for life, much like a marriage, where the two women involved shared a secret language. I think of Jen and I with our acronyms like gf, bff, ob… our ‘dudes’ that sell us trinkets, to our inside jokes, and then I start to appreciate the idea of this close bond.
If you haven’t been to Japan, you really need to go. The crisp, clean air filed with white, puffy clouds, the heated toilets seats with so many buttons it can be overwhelming, the polite people who smile and go out their way to help… it’s just lovely.
With cleared out lungs and heavy eyelids, Jen and I headed back to a workday in China. At first we were very excited about our upgraded seats until we started getting jostled around as people pushed their way through our aisle. Then, the woman next to us opened up a bag of dried chicken feet and some flavored oysters. Imagine paying extra to sit next to someone eating a rotten tuna fish/egg salad sandwich. Yep. Welcome to flight 679.
We ended up watching a movie together ‘Snow Flower and the Secret Fan’ (I paused so Jen could catch up) and that’s what got me thinking about friendships. Being abroad has been more challenging in some aspects than I could have ever imagined. It sneaks up on me, this isolated feeling. I try to focus on all the great opportunities, but it can get the better of me at times. I guess that’s just the good, bad, and the ugly of it all.
As the plane wavered left to right and up and down before landing, Jen looked over at me and said, “Well Snow Flower, if we don’t make it, I am glad we are such good friends.” We both laughed because we were legitimately nervous – it was a rough landing but I felt the same way about our friendship. Happy.
It wasn’t until we got safely into the airport when I asked her, “Why do I have to be Snow Flower… the crazy one?” Jen and I both laughed, but it stuck. Just one more inside joke to add to our own secret language.
Okay, I know it’s the Year of the Dragon (as I am reminded of nightly by the deafening firecrackers to ward off evil…) but since I will be moving to Istanbul, I am changing it up a bit.
My new school is beginning to send me information and I thought this video was very interesting – I knew that Turkey was rich in history, but I had no idea how much. Start saving your pennies people and come see for yourself. In the meantime, enjoy the video!
I am just going to come out and say it. I am breaking up with you. Yes, the rumors are true. I met someone else and his name is Istanbul. You’ve meant so much to me and I’ve grown leaps and bounds because of you. But let’s be honest. My need for open communication has always made you bristle. I know you have been listening; but have you really heard me?
I’ve been enchanted with Istanbul for quite a while. He is dark, mysterious, and makes the best coffee. Don’t get me started on his cooking skills… delicious.
So China, thank you for everything, but I think it is best that we move both on. Feel free to pick your nose, spit away, and even cut in line. I won’t get in your way anymore. I would say I’ll see you on Facebook, but we both know that’s not going to happen. Adieu China. It’s been quite a ride.
I had 5,000,000 dong in my wallet (roughly equivalent to about $200US) – I was a millionaire in Vietnam. I already loved it but then I learned two things about Vietnam that will forever keep this country in my heart… in this place, sugar and coffee are kings.
Find one of the many street vendors and have them whip up an iced, milk coffee (strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk and chilled on ice) or a freshly squeezed orange juice loaded with scoopfuls of sugar for about $1US. Or just walk around any street and you will find some funky, hip coffee house with all sorts of coffee treats! Vietnam is a coffee culture that puts sugar in everything. Had I found my heaven? Additionally, the street food is delicious. The banana pancakes are fantastic as well as the chip -like-pancakes cookies. One would never guess just looking at the set-up, which doesn’t inspire confidence, but this is one area where you cannot judge a book by its cover.
In Ho Chi Minh City, there is a constant buzz from the scooters. At first it was like, look at all of the scooters. I have about an hour of filming the scooters because it is awe-inspiring. Then it becomes, look at all of the scooters; I just want to cross the street. Some streets are better than others but it’s a bit like living in a hornet’s nest. The amount of noise and activity, especially at night, is astounding. Both Jen and I were overwhelmed by the crush of humanity that surrounded us on an evening stroll. Ho Chi Minh City is alive.
Next we ventured to Phu Quoc Island and I really fell in love with Vietnam. It was like a National Geographic magazine, mostly unspoiled by too much tourism or growth. When I packed for my trip, I didn’t bring my big girl camera. I thought we would just be at the beach and wouldn’t need it. Overall, I wish I would have brought it but then I remembered part of a book I just finished called Long Way Round by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. It’s about their epic motorcycle ride around the world. In the book, McGregor says something about not taking as many photos the farther they got into their trip because his life had become the journey and I thought, my life has sort of become that; a journey.
While on my scooter ride, two things popped into my mind regarding the camera situation. It’s tough on the group to stop and take photos when everyone just wants to get moving. And then an even bigger question came to me… was I a photographer or a rider? In that moment, under that glorious sun with the beach to my right and a jungle to my left – I was a rider! I did manage to snap a few photos with my trusty point and shoot but out of the 350,000 photos I saw in my head that day, I probably snapped about 10.
One of my favorite parts of my trip was that scooter adventure. It was Yitzach, Sam, Elliott, and I scootering through the landscape of this beautiful Vietnamese island. But I have to confess; I really had trouble with left hand turns. For some reason, I kept pointing my left knee out, for what reason I don’t know why, to help me with these turns. But Sam was very patient and said I just need to find the right speed and balance to turn – much like balancing a stick shift on a hill. Sam is Yitzach’s 18 year old son who motorcycled across Vietnam before meeting up with us in Phu Quoc. Boy, I wish I had the guts to do that when I was 18. It also reminded me of how much I completely and utterly miss my nephews. I so wished they could have been there with me, riding around. They would have LOVED it. But even more, I would have LOVED to have them with me. God I miss those four, goofy boys.
The great part about the ride was how dirty I was when it was all finished. Suddenly, I was back on Palm Avenue with Bob and Brian, motoring around the dirt hills before any of us knew any better. The roads on the island were a mix of paved, red earth, and gravel. Gravel is the worst for me, just unpredictable and unstable. There were also some steep hills and old, rickety bridges. There was one that I just couldn’t cross but Sam rode it across for me. I felt like such a girl, but a girl without lacerations or contusions! At one point, I was heading down a steep and somewhat slippery slope. Yitzach was at the top, waiting to make sure I got through okay, when suddenly, the bike got away from me. However, for some reason, I managed it. I could see in Yitzach’s face the fear and then surprise that I didn’t crash miserably, it was grand!
Now a warning to anyone traveling through the Vietnam International Airport: before you go through security, there is a very innocent and clean looking place to eat on the third floor called Confettis. DO NOT eat there. Now, if you have ever had food poisoning, you know what it’s like. If something wants to get out of your body when it has a bug, there’s no stopping it. So imagine being in a car for two hours (thanking God you spend the money instead of taking the subway), dealing with food poisoning, with a driver that doesn’t speak English, and absolutely no rest stops along the way. All I am going to say is, it wasn’t pretty. I threw out the clothes I had on that day. Yeah, it was bad. I would go into more details, but this is a family blog and I am sure you can use your imagination! On a positive note, I think I lost about 5 lbs. that night!
A couple of tips for entering Vietnam:
1) Get a Visa letter ahead of time and bring about $30-$40 dollars US to pay for the actual Visa.
2) Bring a passport photo (or they can take one for $5 US)
3) Be ready to wait a bit
A couple of tips when in Vietnam:
1) Try the street food (the banana pancakes… heaven!)
2) Try the drinks – orange juice/passion fruit
3) You MUST try the iced, milk coffee. It will change your life.
I glance over to see the serene gaze, the praying silence, and I am smitten with my new Buddha. He still needs to be cleaned up quite a bit, but with this quiet divinity next to my lovely cabinet, I can’t help but smile. Looking at him, it’s hard to imagine that he will be packed off and shipped to wherever my new home will be in six months time. Right now, that can’t come soon enough.
Thank you to everyone for the thoughtful emails and comments. Simply put, it warmed my heart to no end. Like I told my one of my friends… gotta put on my big girl pants and deal. Vietnam is right around the corner. Hmmm, I wonder if the airline would let me take my Buddha as a carry on…
Today is a particularly difficult day. I want to go home today. Like, California, mom’s hug, all the Christmas trimmings. Right now, I miss it immeasurably.
We knew that we were being laughed at. Jen and I were walking through the Zhu Hai ferry station with our bags full of Chinese goodies on the way home after a productive day of shopping. Jen’s ‘spidey sense’ was on fire as she led us to a new area where we discovered Dude #1’s shop. Essentially, Dude is any Chinese vendor who sells us great things. He’s Dude #1 because so far, he has sold us the best stuff without the Western price tag.
I have heard that many Chinese people in the countryside throw out what is now considered antiques. Some beautiful pieces of history are just tossed to the roadside. Even today, it killed us to see beautiful, old doors just lying around outside. Go into any Pottery Barn and the price would be astronomical. I wanted to buy them all, not to resell them but to preserve them. As I watch China tear down old buildings in the name of modernity, there is just a sense that it’s all going away.
As we waited for our food order in the terminal, this Chinese guy looked in our bags. By that I mean he peered over and stared into the bags to really get a good look at what we purchased. I am surprised he didn’t put his hand in and dig around. As his friends walked by to pick him up, they literally laughed at us and joked that it’s just a bunch of old, household things.
Part of me thinks he’s right. A portion of my purchases include six, small wooden items called moon cake molds from which people made… moon cakes. I like them because they have these neat little carvings. If I grew up with these however, I probably wouldn’t think they were antique, just outdated. It’s like phones. Some people think the rotary variety are cool and vintage, while others don’t appreciate these single use devices.
It might be asked why would I go shopping in Zhu Hai since I am getting ready to leave China in about 6 months… it seems crazy for me to buy anything. But for about seven years now, I have been searching for a Buddha and this morning, I happily found him. There he was, sitting all dusty in the back of a dark hallway, underneath a stairway. Like a beacon, I just pointed right to him and said, ‘That’s the one.’ I just felt it. He’s being delivered this Wednesday and I am SUPER excited.
So to the Chinese man in the ferry terminal, laugh away as we carry your garbage into our homes for decorative purposes. We could care less. We love our new things!
Jen and I did a ‘burn and turn’ this afternoon to Hong Kong – we left on the 4:30pm ferry right after work, shopped (purchased the cutest trouser jeans), and then returned on the 8:20pm ferry. So on the way there, as we chit chatted away, this random guy approached us.
The first I noticed was that he stunk. And by that I mean he had really bad breath. He then incoherently spoke to Jen in Chinese about going to Taiwan and needing $5,000 US dollars… we couldn’t really tell. We both informed him that we weren’t interested, but then he sat down in front of us and gave the same spiel to another girl. As we checked to make sure our passports were safe, we witnessed one of the grossest things ever. He started scratching his head.
This seemed innocent enough at first, but the thing was, he kept scratching it, like really scratching it. Both Jen and I looked closer and we were horrified. Not two feet in front of us, we saw tiny scabs and bits of blood on this guy’s scalp. I have never wanted a face-mask and a can of Lysol more in my entire life than I did at that moment.
Now, pre-China Claire would have sat there and just dealt with it. But living-in-China Claire looked at her BFF Asia and said, “We are moving seats.” We picked up our bags and reseated ourselves across the ferry, without a tinge of guilt. On the bright side, at least we weren’t on an airplane!
Currently, I feel like a person jumping off a lovely, seaside cliff into the unknown… I gave my notice this week. As a result, my BFF Asia and I are making of list of all the things I need to do before I leave China.
Part of this list includes things like getting certain clothes made, getting some paintings painted, finding this secret street in Shenzhen proper that sells antiques… fun things. And then she mentioned the packing word.
This may sound weird coming from a person who travels, but I am not a fan of packing a suitcase. I have probably mentioned this before, but not only am I not a fan, I literally would rather chew glass then lug all my junk around a foreign airport as I try to figure out where I check in or haul it into the ladies’ room for a quick pit-stop. I’ve figured out the only real reason I want to be rich is to be able to hire a person to do all of this for me… or better yet, just have the clothes and everything I need at the next location and all I need is a very cute flying outfit, my iPad, and some headphones. Heaven.
There were many reasons for my decision to leave and going into them really isn’t worth it. The bottom line is that this place isn’t a good fit for me, but it is for others, so why complain?
Last year, several teachers angrily moved on from Shekou and one woman that is still here was likening living and working here to a prison and she is just doing her time until she can get out. Really? I’ve learned so much from this experience that far outweighs anything negative. Plus, it just doesn’t seem worth it for me to get that worked up but that got me thinking about an encounter I had at a local art show.
One the same day of declining the offer to return, a friend of mine invited me to a French art opening here in Shekou. I was a bit put off because several people I invited at the last minute didn’t want to drop everything and go… the nerve, right? Anyway, it’s funny because I ended up going and had a very timely chat with a fellow from Canada (what’s up Jen!) that I probably wouldn’t have had had I gone with another person. When I told him I had just quit, he gave me a funny look and he said something to the extent that to live a life of working internationally you really have to be okay with spending time with yourself, with choosing your own path.
I wondered if the people that left angry needed to get so worked up to justify the move. Since living here, I am convinced that a big factor driving people is comfort and predictability. I am all for these things and in many ways; they are worth striving for and achieving. However, in going after these things, does it have to lead to complacency or as I call it, a race to the middle? I think of the book Life of Pi and if I remember correctly, it described zoos as an ideal place for animals because they are safe, they can walk in predictable patterns, and they don’t have to fight for food. I wonder if they same thing can’t be said for some people, myself included.
I believe the Canadian sensed my trepidation in letting go of what has become very familiar to me because he said the best thing anyone could have said to me at that moment. He said, ‘You know? You’ve done China… time to move on.’ Guess I have to get packing.
Quick post but I need to share. I have talked about the pottery place here in the ‘Kou before, but today we found the secret room! I found a ton of name brand stuff, like Rachel Ray. I ended up buying several items for 147RMB… roughly $23US. The Rachel Ray piece with the lid retails for about $50.00 (I looked it up). I am attaching some photos so you can see for yourself. This is one of those times that I wish I had a portal so I could bring all of my family and friends to get these amazing deals… my mom and aunt would never leave – it’s a bargain shopping bonanza!
Also, there are two pictures not related to the post – one is from HK – it reminds me of Christmas and the other one is my friend Jen with my iPhone – too funny.
