China Romance
All About China => Your trip to China => Topic started by: Brian Mc on November 01, 2009, 09:47:38 am
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First off to the mods if this would be better in the share your love story forum please move it there, I wasnt sure which was best.
Ok as many know I have quit my job and apartment in Edmonton, moved my furniture and effects to Summerland BC with my sister, packed up my life and moved to China to be with Zhen. we decided I would move to China to live until after we marry and get the visa to allow Zhen into Canada. No way am I going to marry her and then leave her in China while our BS bureaucratic system takes a year or so to decide our marriage is real and lets her into Canada. So we will live in China until we can move to Canada as a couple or not at all.
So in this thread I will chronicle the ups and downs of our experience from me leaving Canada to our return to Canada if we ever get that far.
So after arriving in BC on the 17 October I spent the last week tidying up my affairs and setting things to run by themselves while I am out of the country for up to 3 years. I also gave my sister power of attorney to handle any emergency issues that pop up. So between doing that and spending a few days with my Mom and two sisters the week past quite quickly.
The biggest issue was packing for that long of a stay out of country. Also my sister decided to send a ton of Avon products over for Zhen and her friends so that really cramped up my luggage. It cost me and extra hundred dollars at the airport for overweight bags hehe. So on the 25th of October I bid farewell to Canada and boarded the plane for Beijing. The flight was packed and there were over 100 people from India as well so the plane stank pretty quickly all the way for 12 hours. Even the great stewardesses of china air were visibly disgusted by the end of the flight. It sure made it seem even longer than when I went over in september. Still I survived to arrive in Beijing and thats all I cared about.
When I got off the plane in Beijing the excitement really started to build and I breezed through the health checks and customs. My bags even decided to come with me this time and even managed to stay together, overstuffed as they were. So out the departure area I went and heard someone calling my name in a beautiful chinese accent, yes it was Zhen who came to get me at the airport. So into a cab and off we went to a hotel.
The hotel was not very good but I suppose it was all we really needed. Next day we went to the Beijing zoo to see the Pandas. First time ever saw one in real life. We did the rest of the zoo as well and were done just after lunch. Then it was off the seaworld exibit for the afternoon but that turned out to be a disappointment and ended in just over an hour.
Zhen and I picked up exactly where we left off and communicate quite well without the electronic translator using her minimal english and my very minimal chinese. We just seem to understand what each other is saying even though we cannot understand the words. People say its like we have been together for years. Its actually amazing that we can go for a whole day and never touch the electronic translator at all.Keep in mind also that the translator machines seem to do better from english to chinese than they do from chinese to english and get confused quite easily.
So next day its off to the train station and our trip to Handan, which is Zhen's home town. Getting all my luggage and Zhen's into the train was a hassle, just lucky we had the front seats in the car we were in so we had a bit of extra room for the suitcases. However when we got to Handan getting a cab was impossible. None of the taxis wanted to take all the luggage. We finally ended up in a powered pedicab but he had an accident with a donkey pulling a cart of bricks and screwed up one of his wheels. He was nice enough to get us a real cab for the rest of the trip to our apartment though. dindt seem to bother him about the accident either. Strange people these chinese. So after over an hour in cabs we made it to our apartment.
For those that have never seen chinese apartment buildings, they dont pay any attention to the common areas like stairwells or the outside surrounding areas, so we had to step over the garbage and debris and climb the stairs in the dark to the apartment, luckily for us its on the first floor. The building from the outside looks like a slum but the apartment itself is just like a typical western one except it has a squat toilet and a tiny kitchen. How these ladies can cook the fantastic meals they do in that tiny space using the stuff they have available is astounding.
Now since Zhen borrowed this apartment from one of her friends we cannt unpack as her friends clothing etc is still in the wardrobes etc so I will be living out of my suitcases until we get a teaching position. Also a word about the water. As most know the tap water will make us westerners sick really quickly and even Zhen doesnt drink it. What we do here is put the tap water into a water cooler that heats the water for hot water. so we take it out by the glass and let it cool and drink that. So far I have seen no ill effects from doing this and I have been drinking it for about 5 days. I also use the same water for brushig my teeth.
Zhen and I visited the agency the day after we arrived in Handan and I was greeted and welcomed like a long lost friend. The agency in Handan is truly a fantastic agency with genuinely friendly people. We spent over an hour chatting with Daniel and Echo the owner and several of the ladies also The agency is within easy walking distance from our apartment so its really convenient.
Adjusting to being almost the only Lao wei in Handan was easy this time since I knew what to expect, but it is still funny watching all the old folks or teen age girls staring at me all the time. Still the people are really friendly and no one is rude or intrusive so I figure let them stare and bask in the attention heheh.
Another thing is that all these chinese ladies I think get started right away with husband training. When I read the thread where the married guys discussed this I thought it was funny but now I am seeing it in action heheh. Watching Zhen rule her house is quite the sight until she starts in on me for leaving something in the wrong place or not doing what she tells me to do etc. Its quite funny although she is completely serious hehe. However when we go out she is the perfect dutiful wife and always agrees with what I say or suggest, and definitely looks out for my well being. Walking about town with Zhen on my arm surely makes me the proudest , happiest man alive. It is amazing how smart and organized and independent yet at the same time totally willing to let you lead these ladies are and I cherish her for who she is and her trust in me. I could not ask for a better wife than Zhen and feel truly blessed that we are together.
A couple of days after i arrived in Handan my back began to give me problems. I occasionally get pinched nerve issues in my lower back and it started to act up now. Also I think the pollution irritated my nose and throat so its like I have a cold. Well off to the pharmacy Zhen goes and comes back with medicine for the nose and throat and some back patches for my back. Well after only two back patches my back is fine again and my cold symptoms are fading rapidly. These chinese sure seem better at over the counter medications than in Canada.
So we have settled in to our apartment, and also |I had a job interview that Zhen set up with one of the local private schools. The problem is that they cannot get me a Z visa as I dont have a bachelors degree but they are willing to have me work illegally and will basically buy off any one who has an issue with it. My problem is that if I get deported for working illegally then I cannot get back into the country and so wont be able to marry Zhen so I think I will turn down the job. I know its a small risk but I am not willing to accept any risk that might interfere with our marriage plans. I do have another phone interview on Monday for a position in Wuhu so if that goes well I think I will take that job as they can provide a Z visa so the work is legal and I can stay in china for at least a year without issues.
So here we are basically caught up to date with our little story. Zhen goes back to work tomorrow so I will get a taste of being on my own for the entire day without her to help translate or for company. She has told me not to answer the door if someone comes and also if I go out not to go too far. She also told me to call the agency if I run into trouble with anything. Talk about being looked after hehe its like I am a teenager again. Still its nice to know she is so concerned with my well being.
So there you are the first week of my new life in china. Every challenge has been easy to solve with Zhen at my side and we sure make a perfect couple. We think the same, look at things the same, love each other the same etc. Its like we are two halves of the same person.
Anyway more later as things develop.
Regards,
Zhen and Brian
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How exciting to be part of your Story Brian . As you know , I will start mine soon too .
Just waiting with patience ( which I have learned the last two years or so ) for any up-date on your married Life and your Job seeking .
Thanks buddy ,
BBB
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Yes, very interesting. I personally thought it was funny when Mrs. Burk told me not to go outside, do not answer the door, do not answer the phone, etc. I had to convince her I knew my way around before she was comfortable enough to allow me out of the house without her.
Good story Brian.
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HA...you rookies! I was allowed to go out all by myself to a bakery one morning. OK, so it was only around the corner...but my wife trusted me! hehehe
Great story Brian...looking forward to more.
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HA...you rookies! I was allowed to go out all by myself to a bakery one morning. OK, so it was only around the corner...but my wife trusted me! hehehe
Great story Brian...looking forward to more.
ROFLMAO...ROOKIES hahahaha
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Yeah, what a load of rookies. My lady put me on a train to Wuhan and told me not to get in any bad taxis when I got there. She even taught me that strange hand movement for flagging down good taxis :fi_lone_ranger:.
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I guess , I lost out on all that ? She was alway's by my Side , every minute of the day and certainly at night . Looks like ... I'm lucky , she has had the chance to alway's take the time off Work no matter what . I think , she would have quit her Job to be with me . Now , that is Love ! Don't know , if I would have done THAT for Her ... here ? Seem's , I need to give more than 95 % . :-/:icon_cheesygrin:
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Fantastic post Brian, love the detail.
My fingers are crossed for you, hope you can find suitable work as soon as possible.
Have you got a Chinese mobile yet?, its freedom! no matter where you wander off to or get lost at, you can just call Zhen and she can text you something to show to the taxi driver (or anyone one that can help you) in Chinese or she can talk to them if needed. Its a real safety net and a total invaluable thing to have I found.
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Fantastic post Brian, love the detail.
My fingers are crossed for you, hope you can find suitable work as soon as possible.
Have you got a Chinese mobile yet?, its freedom! no matter where you wander off to or get lost at, you can just call Zhen and she can text you something to show to the taxi driver (or anyone one that can help you) in Chinese or she can talk to them if needed. Its a real safety net and a total invaluable thing to have I found.
Greetings Brothers,
Thanks for the kind words guys. When I first came to china in September I would go for a walk around the hotel area every morning before Zhen got up and she was quite amazed I did this so easily. However now that we are in Handan together and she is fully into her Lao Po mode things are different. She watches me like a hawk to make sure I eat enough, am warm enough am watching for traffic etc. It is amazing how much concern and consideration and love she has for me and my wellbeing.
Irish, as for the phone yes I brought my cell from Canada however I cannot put a chinese chip in it so Zhen gave me her old phone with strict insttructions that if I need anything I am to call the agency and they will help me out. As I said before this is a great agency and they go well above and beyond for their girls and now I guess guys. I am quite sure Zhen will get a call if I screw up heheh. The good thing is the agency is within easy walking distance from our apartment so if I do need help I can just walk down there.
As for the work thing I have a phone interview with a school in Wuhu this morning. I tried calling both numbers given to me but both were no answer so I will try again in a little while. So far the job looks good so I hope everything goes well.
Last nigh Zhen returned to her old place to be with her son and today she goes to work for the first time since I arrived so I will have been on my own for a whole 24 hours when she returns this evening. She even bought a microwave so I can heat up some food for lunch that she prepared last night for me. It truly is unbelievable how much they are willing to do for their lao gong without ever being asked. My wellbeing seems to be her primary concern now. It sure is great to be loved that much and I am truly happy that she is mine heart and soul.
Our communication is getting better also even though our language skills are slow I find that when she speaks to me in chinese I often understand what she is getting at and this really sends her friends into gales of laughter. I can understand Zhen a bit but not at all with her friends. Zhen and I really do have a connection that we can communicate like this.
SO it snowed a bit in Beijing yesterday and was quite cool here in Handan also so the weather here is cool for october. Its supposed to warm up again though but these chinese are sure not used to cold. I walk around in a t shirt and they are in winter parkas, its really funny watching their faces, first a lao wei, plus no coat, plus walking with a stunningly beautiful chinese lady. Priceless.
Well I am off to call this school again and see what they say.
Regards,
Zhen and Brian
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Hi Brian,
Glad to hear that you made it to Handan safe and sound and that the job offers are starting to come in ! I think you are making the right choice to go with the position that offers you the Z visa. You've come to far to blow it now! I was planning on doing some private tutoring work but with job offers including the Z visa, what's the point in taking any risks. I heard from my Oz mate Lester last night he's just got back to Baoding from Hong Kong on his Z visa run so when I next see him I'll get all the details and post them up. Looks like there might be a few of us off to Hong Kong soon!
It took two weeks before I was given a door key and trusted to go out on my own! Even now she worries if I'm out and about. I was offered a job the other day with a house thrown in, I said to her well we don't need the house to which she said "But it will be a safe and warm place to be when your so far from our home" It's a 20 minute walk away!!!!
Yes, we had a bit of snow here yesterday, couple of inches,but enough to bring to Uk to a standstill ! Ming Zhi came home with a full set of thermal underwear for me! Say's it all really.
Hehe hehe "It is amazing how smart and organized and independent yet at the same time totally willing to let you lead these ladies are " Err, just what are you in charge of , Brian ? :-/
Hope the job interview goes well
Ming Zhi,Paul :icon_cheesygrin:
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I am pleased to hear that you are settling in OK Brian. How did you find the snow yesterday? It is still,in the upper 20's here.
I would have written a piece on my first four months here but it would have probably been to salicious for you young fellows so I would just like to echo a few things that Brian has bought up.
The water in the cooler is OK asit it usually from the same source as bottled wateryou buy in the stores. When they deliver then it should be sealed. I have in the past drank tap water here that has been seriously boiled but that was when I was desperate for my early morning coffee.
Not all stairways are dark and covered in filth though. It depends on where you are. I had visions of this dark stairways before I got here but have only seen one so far in four months. (Probably because I live in POSH areas).
But now I am settled with someone and has my life changed. You Bet it has. I have never been so well loooked after in my life.
So Brian I certainly know what you have got to look forward too and maybe it will tempt me to write about my experiences here soon.
Willy
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May your fortune cookie bring many blessings Brian. Good luck job hunting.
You must be in a Zen like state of mind with your Zhen.
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Greetings Brothers,
Thanks all for the support and encouragement.
Willy, it didnt snow in Handan so no worries there however it did snow every day for a week in Edmonton Canada just before i moved my furniture and that had me worried. Since I am used to Canadian winters a little snow here is no biggie for me, although Zhen is in full winter mode now with heavy coat, scarf hat gloves etc. Its quite funny when we go out her all bundled up and me in a t shirt.
Also Willy the water cooler jug we fill up with tap water everyday and thats what we drink and make coffee etc with. So far almost a week and no ill effects so I think it works ok.
Ronald my friend you have the wit of a poet always a funny comeback.
Paul, "what are you in charge of?" well first the obvious, I get to decide on where we go to live since its based on my work, and we all know thats real he man stuff. Also I get to decide on what food I eat from the selection Zhen offers to me, I get to decide if I brush my teeth before showering or after, and most important of all I am in charge of our personal entertainment. So all in all I am master of all I survey and totally happy with the world and my place in it. The only thing I would change right now is that we were already married instead of waiting til Feb.
Also an update on the job interview. I called the school back and did the telephone interview, which was basically about 6 questions the lady had from an interview sheet, took about 5 or 6 minutes. She contacted the recruiting company who sent me the contract and said the school was very satisfied with my interview and so now I have to sign the contract and send it back and the job is mine.
So it looks like I am off to Wuhu Anhui province for the next year or so. Zhen is at work so I could not tell her yet but we discussed it and she is cool with it so off we go probably to start there around the 13th of Nov. Finally I will get to settle down for a while and we can get down to the serious business of starting our new life together.
So all in all it looks like my leap of faith has paid off exactly the way we wanted it to so we are both very happy. Now all I need is a wedding and my happiness is complete.
Regards,
Zhen and Brian
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Congtrats on the job Brian. It looks like you are all set.
How can a piece of paper make you happier than you are now?
It is just so nice to have someone in your life who really shows they love you.
Willy
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Terrific news Brian , all very smooth and straight forward , shows what love can do , and you are certainly the BOSS of everything [ within 1 metre ] after that the real boss takes over , and yes in ChongQing we always wander and when she jumps back to her home for something , I love telling Ying all the places I have wandered into while she has been gone , she with a surprised look , thinking I would sit and watch tv until she returned , regards Ying and Robert .
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Brian,
Congratulations on your new love and on the new job. You knew what you wanted and made the leap to make it happen.
I admire you for that. Good luck on your new life in China! (although I don't think you really need it...the luck, I mean):icon_biggrin:
Don
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Great news Brian,
looks like your moving to a beautiful part of China as well ! My wife says there is a saying in China that you have never seen a mountain until you've seen the Yellow Mountain (HuangShan). Supposed to be very spectacular. I've got to go with Willy on the dirty stairwell debate, not seen it in Baoding. All the shared area's are clean and sweet smelling,in fact I've not seen any piles of rubbish on any streets here either. Very clean city and it's announced that it's carbon neutral, first in China. By the number of electric bikes and three wheelers you see here I'm not surprised. As a side note you do not need a licence for an electric powered three wheeler just nerves of steel! Best of luck to Zhen and yourself on your new life together !
Ming Zhi,Paul
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Brilliant news mate. I am so pleased to hear this from you...:icon_cheesygrin:
You are right, it just shows that sometimes taking a leap of faith can turn out fine.:icon_biggrin:
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Brian,
Your also taking another leap of faith in the water that your drinking mate!! These water cooler things that also deliver hot water only heat the water to around 85-90c at best!! So it's nowhere near boiling. To be safe, ...water in China needs at least 3 minutes of boiling, that is the only thing that is going to kill all the nasties in the water. Believe me when i tell you, some of these bugs are really bad one's to get in your system and will knock you down very rapidly and keep you down for days.... and can be a lot more serious than that too!!!
Play safe Brian, because sooner or later your luck is going to run out and that water will get you ....big
time!!
Stick to the bottled water, damn it's cheap enough!!!.....
Apart from that, i'm glad to hear everything else is working out for you, ....Welcome to the Pleasuredrome, and Enjoy the ride!!! lol!!
David.....
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Brian,
The experience you are documenting here gives many of us hope for a bright and love filled future. You are paving a way just like Paul, Willy, soon Rob for those of us who are considering moving there for however long we choose.
I hope all goes well for you there and the the bumps that you hit in the road are minimal and small.
Shaun
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Brian and Zhen ... one BIG thumb :icon_arrowu: to both of you .
Yes , watch that Water like David said . I make my Coffee with Beer , to be on the safe side .
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Brian,
Your also taking another leap of faith in the water that your drinking mate!! These water cooler things that also deliver hot water only heat the water to around 85-90c at best!! So it's nowhere near boiling. To be safe, ...water in China needs at least 3 minutes of boiling, that is the only thing that is going to kill all the nasties in the water. Believe me when i tell you, some of these bugs are really bad one's to get in your system and will knock you down very rapidly and keep you down for days.... and can be a lot more serious than that too!!!
Play safe Brian, because sooner or later your luck is going to run out and that water will get you ....big
time!!
Stick to the bottled water, damn it's cheap enough!!!.....
Apart from that, i'm glad to hear everything else is working out for you, ....Welcome to the Pleasuredrome, and Enjoy the ride!!! lol!!
David.....
First thanks guys as always for the support and kind words.
David I hear you on the water thing. I too am a bit concerned about it and once we hit Wuhu it will be bottled water all the way. As you say better safe than sorry. I think to be safe and not mess things up I will switch to the bottled stuff right away.
As always David you are the voice of reason and common sense in my head and I thank you for that.
Willy, its not that a piece of paper makes any difference at all I just wish my divorce was complete, its costing me a fortune and it would be nice to put it all behind me and focus on Zhen and our new life without this baggage from the past. Zhen and I are the happiest people in the world right now so its not really a big deal, I just want closure on that chapter of my life and feel relaxed and free and not wonder what other BS the ex can dream up to cost me more money.
By the way the position in Wuhu is confirmed and they want me there on November 11th so off to Wuhu we go.
Regards,
Zhen and Brian
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Congratz!!!!!!!!
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It's like being in the Navy, the ship belongs to the Bos'n, he only lets the captian steer it....
Congrats to the both of you...
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Greetings Brothers,
Well its update time again.
First Zhen contacted one of her multitude of friends and got us hooked up with flights from Zheng Zhou to Nanjing at a seriously discounted rate from the cheapest i could find on chepoair.com. Then she proceeded to fix us up with travel for the 4 hours to Zheng Zhou for the stunning price of 20rmb total for both of us. This girl is a marvel of connections and influence. Its to bad we have to move away from her comfort area.
So these last couple of days in Handan are basically enjoying ourselves and each other and doing basically nothing. For instance today I was forced to suffer through having 3 beautiful chinese ladies cooking lunch. What did they make you ask? Well nothing less than world class home made DUMPLINGS!!!!!!!
Yes thats right I have my very own personal dumpling maker complete with on demand accessories ( the friends heheh). Fantastic eating I have to say and there was plenty left over for supper too. Now supper was a real eye opener.
As many guys know when the chinese go to someone elses home for a meal they always bring something. Whether it be mandarin oranges, bananas, potatoes etc its usually something to contribute to the meal. Another fun thing is all the ladies then congregate in the kitchen and cook together. So here I was the only male in a house with six chinese ladies being waited on hand and stomach. Nothing like being the master of my domain heheh. Fantastic food everything from dumplings to fish, tomatoes to stuff I have no name for, and surrounded in beautiful eye candy. Ahh such a treat for the senses.
Much laughter and fun was had and also much grilling of the Lao wei about how he plans on looking after their friend Zhen. After it was over one of them said I was the wonderfullest NINI ( her words through the Besta) that she had ever seen and how great I was for Zhen. Seems my Zhen positively glows with love and happiness and they all see it in her. Makes me the proudest happiest guy in the world too to know that her friends love her so much to care so about her and that they are happy for us.
So for all you guys who wonder if its all worth it and the cost etc, well let me tell you one meal of home made dumplings surrounded by your lady and her friends and there is absolutely no doubt you will realize the truth. You will never be treated so well by so many for so long as you will when you are totally committed to a chinese lady. Her friends are fiercely protective of her and will not allow her to come to harm. Show them ( and her family of course) your true intentions for her and assuming that she is in agreement with them you will be accepted and loved just like one of their own. Its quite amazing listening to these ladies sizing you up in chinese right in front of you and you even kinda know you are the subject of conversation, and then realizing that they are all happy for you and your lady.
So in a couple of days Zhen and I leave Handan and all of our friends and family. Zhen has given up her job and her friends to move with me to Wuhu. Obviously a huge leap of faith for her since we are not yet married but we both know that nothing in this world short of death will ever seperate us. So for both of us we gave up everything we know to be with each other and start a new life together. We will of course return to Handan when school breaks and holdays allow to visit family and our friends.
Am I worried about taking Zhen away from everyhting she knows to go with me to a job I have virtually no experience, in a country that I do not speak the language and barely have a grasp on some of the customs? Taking her quite a ways from her network and family and home town? You bet I am worried. Yes I have made an even greater leap of faith than she has, but I have the financial resources to do it and still land on my feet if it falls apart. If it does backfire, Zhen has given up everything and since competition for jobs is so fierce for them she truly has given me her all and I am truly humbled at her depth of committment to us.
For all you brothers on the journey to finding your true love in china I offer a few words of advice, or wisdom or crackpot ramblings whichever way you choose to see them. Remember that behind the translators and emf's are real live ladies, who are searching for a man to live the rest of their life with. In many senses they are innocent and almost childlike in their views of the west and the men who write to them. Please do not toy with them or play games with them. Give them all the love you have to give and you will be blessed with the best wife any man could ever hope to find. Also keep in mind that fragile as they may appear they are tough as drill sergeants when they need to be so dont do anything you will regret later.
Treat them with love and respect and honour, give them your total committment and you will receive at the very least exactly what you put in, and more often than not so much more that we ever deserve. Yes when you begin this journey through emf's and hopefully suppement with skype or msn, emails and telephone calls, its sometimes difficult to figure out true feelings and emotions, what is real and what is translator fluff, is she a player or is she serious. Some guys advocate getting off emf;s as soon as possible but I disagree. Everyones situation is different so blanket statements do not work. After my first trip to china Zhen and I started doing a webcam every day, yet we also continued with emf's everyday. There was just so much important stuff to discuss that we could not leave it to online translators to get right. We both trust not only the agency we deal with but also our translator. W e have come so far so fast in part through the great help from said agency and translator and I would and have recommended them to anyone who cares to listen including CHNlove. So despite all the negative things we have seen on these forums lately I am here to attest that good things are also happening and with the agency and translator helping the way they are supposed to. Hopefully others can have the fantastic experiences that I have had and find that one woman in the world that you just cannot stand to be parted from and will move heaven earth and even hell itself to be with. Does it sound like I am in love with a wonderfull woman? Too right I am and blissfully completely and totally happy about it too.
I have had two failed marriages already, so my marriage to Zhen will be my third. Its gonna sound funny but this time it feels so right on so many levels that I never even knew existed before that it is impossible for this one not to be " till death do us part". We both have given up our established comfortable safe life to take the leap into the great unknown to be with each other. Will we fall and be lost or be triumphant in our shared love and happiness? We choose to believe the latter, and with each others help and love and support we will be successful. If we stumble we have each other and our love for each other to pick us up and keep us going. Will there be hard times and issues and problems? Of course, what marriage doesnt have these things. But they wil only succeed in bringing us even closer together and deepening our love for each other.
So to steal a couple of lines from famous movies.....
Zhen and Brian to boldly go wher no one has gone before...... also..
Do or do not there is no try.... and one last one...
An address is just geography...
Life is about making the choice and following through. Working through the trials and tribulations perils and successes, heartache and heartfelt joy and happiness. Zhen and I have chosen to see this journey called life through to the end together. I sincerely wish for every brother here to find in there own life the happiness and love that Zhen and I now share together.
Be safe my friends, Live long and Prosper, Make it so,
Zhen and Brian.
PS the quotes are of course from Star Trek and Star Wars. The geopgraphy quote I will let you guess which movie its from.
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PS the quotes are of course from Star Trek and Star Wars. The geopgraphy quote I will let you guess which movie its from.
Well you did hitch your wagon to a Star
And trekked across the ocean wide
On this stage we call the world with its drama, Love and War
Proudly claim with beating heart your treasured bride
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Greetings Brothers,
Well another update about our trip from Handan to Wuhu. As previously mentioned Zhen arranged the details of our trip from Handan to Wuhu. We took the bus from handan to Zheng Zhou which is the capital city of hebei province to catch the plane to Nanjing and on to Wuhu in Anhui province.
Well the bus ride was a trip from hell. First it was supposed to start at 5:30 pm and so Zhen and I were at the pickup point in the very cold windy fresh air freezing our a...s off waiting for the bus. However it seems the bus was delayed over half an hour and we werre stuck in the cold that much longer. Finally the bus arrived and we all piled in for the four hour trip. However travelling the highways of china is not for the faint of heart. If you think a taxi ride in beijing or other city is hazardous to your health try riding in a bus at night on a highway pack solid with trucks of all sizes and varying states of repair. We crawled along for hours with several stops for toll gates before finally reaching the halfway point and a stop of half an hour for food. By now we were on the road longer than the entire trip was supposed to take and we were only half way there.
The second half of the drive was as bad as the first. We were supposed to arrive in Zheng Zhou at 9:30pm but finally made it at approx 1:30pm. Luckily the bus dumped us out at a hotel so at least we got to our room fast. Seems also the concept of paying under the table is also alive and well in china as we could not get a receipt for the hotel room but also paid less than the posted rate so I didnt complain. Also the hotel front desk clerk arranged for a friend to drive us to the airport at no charge so all in all nice folks.
At the airport we arrived about 2and a half hours early but they wouldnt let us check in until an hour before the flight. At that point we also had to pay over 200rmb extra because of my overweight luggage. Then we got to the gate and waited for the boarding call right up to about 5 mins after the flight was supposed to leave. Seems the airplane didnt make it to the airport but was stuck elswhere so we were shuttle bused to a smaller airplane to take us to Nanjing. At least that part went smoothly and even our luggage followed as planned.
So at the airport we cleared the baggage and made it out the exit in time to catch the 4pm bus to Wuhu. this part actually went smoothly and we reached Wuhu with no incidents or hassles. However once again waiting for the people from the school to come get us in the rain and then waiting for them to get two cabs to take us to our apartment was another exercise in patience in the cold and wet. Finally Zhen and most of the luggage went on ahead with one person from the school while i waited with the rest of the luggage for the other cab.
Now for the fun part. Our apartment building sits on top of the century mall in downtown Wuhu. Yes thats right the apartment building is on top of the mall. So five stories up from ground then another four stories up to the apartment and of course there is an elevator but only for the first 5 floors and only until 7pm. So we had to drag all our luggage up nine floors in the dark and the cold. Needless to say we were both exhausted.
Next fun thing was the apartment was extremely dirty. However we were beat so we went to a restaurant had supper and then into the mall to buy bedding so we could sleep.
Next morning we got up and went shopping for the necessities of starting a new household and then the cleaning began. It took us all afternoon and most of the night to get some parts of the apartment ready to live in. To say we were upset at this state of affairs was an understatement, however we were together and chose to keep positive and smiling.
Today I went to work for the first time and Zhen continued to clean the apartment and also made lunch for when I came home for it. She truly is a wonderful Lao Po.
So all in all an experience to say the least but we are now in Wuhu which if it ever stops raining is supposed to be a nice city. Also buying stuff here is cheaper than in Handan and much cheaper than in Beijing so that is good. Tomorrow i will teach my first class in my new role as a shaper of minds so I hope it all goes well. I sat in on a class by another teacher today so at least i got to see what goes on.
Anyway Zhen is telling me to get off teh computer and get to bed since tomorrow is a big day so I will continue the narrative later.
Sincerely,
Zhen and Brian in Wuhu.
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Brian,
Great story so far. keep us filled in on everything. I am extremely interested in
how the teaching goes for you as i am looking to maybe do that here in China.
Right now my wife works (her choice) because she has about 4 years more and
she will get her retirement from the government and then our travels will begin
between China and the USA. But i must admit when i sold everything in California
and come to China i thought WOW great retire when your 51 instead of working until
your 65 but now i am going crazy from not working for 2 years. I thought about hanging
out with Willy but i figured he would get me in trouble ( hahahahahahaha) joking Willy!!!!!
so i am thinking of sending out my c/v and see what happens. Also sounds like you found a
really good lady like i did. I dont know how or why she was sent to me but i cherish that everyday.
I did get the key to the house my first day and she said make sure you lock the door. I guess that
was better than leave the key under the mat
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I thought about hanging
out with Willy but i figured he would get me in trouble ( hahahahahahaha) joking Willy!!!!!
No problem Ted, I got the same reply from Bill Clinton!!! And his willy was always getting him into trouble.
Willy
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Greetings Brothers,
Just a quick update. Zhen and I are settling in to our new life in Wuhu and today i finished my second class as a teacher. I was quite a bit less nervous this time around and even though the class I taught was my choice of topic and i chose weather it went very well. Even though their english is of various levels their interest was good and we had a lot of fun with it. So I think I will be able to do this no problem so I am happy about that.
One never knows when you start a new career in a foreign country without knowing the language whether or not you skill and confidence can match your dream or desire but so far it seems to be ok. Also things should only get better as my confidence and skill increase.
Also the weather here is quite cold. Its still on the plus side of zero but because of the humidity and the wind it feels very cold even for me. I think I will have to invest in a winter coat but the ones I looked at here are pretty terrible as far as ability to fight cold is concerned. I found one with thinsulate insulation and one with a decent down fill but both were more money than I had with me at the time. Zhen keeps telling me to dress warmer and wear long underwear heheh. In Canada at 30 below I never wore long underwear I am sure not gonna do it when the temp is still above zero.
So we are happy together, just about finished spending money from savings and about set to live off my salary. We seems to be doing well and Zhen's english is getting better, while I am starting to understand things when she speaks to me in chinese even when I do not know the words. I still cannot understand other people yet but my chinese vocab is slowly growing just from listening to Zhen.
At the school I am almost the only native english speaker. So far I have seen a lady from the philipines, one guy from italy, and one from Morocco, plus several chinese tutors and they are all teaching english, so at this point I am the only true english speaker I have seen. Apparently there is an English guy here also but I havent seen him yet.
So for anyone who does not have english as your primary language it seems it is still possible to teach here.
Anyway thats where we stand as of today. I will update as things change or things happen.
Sincerely, Zhen and Brian
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Great Brian. Hope for us all. i know you will do well. Are you settling into your daily life? How does Zhen handle the time lag before heading to Canada?
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So for anyone who does not have english as your primary language it seems it is still possible to teach here.
Hi !
Coming from Norway i had pretty much given up this as an option. Looks like i still can keep it open :)
Some time in the future though...
Cheers
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Brin you will never know how much confidence you ahve given me by your leap of faith.
In am interested to know th estuff ypour teaching.
Today I recieved an email telling me that this school in Qingdao (where i am) wants me to do a days teaching, 9which I am willing to do).. I will hear about it all tomorrow when alice phones me.
Best of lusk to you and yours mate../..
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Brin you will never know how much confidence you ahve given me by your leap of faith.
In am interested to know th estuff ypour teaching.
Today I recieved an email telling me that this school in Qingdao (where i am) wants me to do a days teaching, 9which I am willing to do).. I will hear about it all tomorrow when alice phones me.
Best of lusk to you and yours mate../..
Hiya Rob,
My first few days at work I taught what they call and english corner or demo class. This is basically to see if I can actually do what they need me to do. So for my first one I basically told them about Canada and some of the differences between there and China.
The second class I did I spoke about weather. Being that I am trained as a Meteorological technician it was an easy subject to teach. I was a bit worried that it might be difficult for them to understand based on limited english and I kept the words and ideas as simple as possible but they ate it up and the hour passed so fast they had to tell me the time was up because I didnt even notice. They also kept me after class for 45 minutes just chatting which apparently means they like how or what you have to say, so I think I have been accepted by the students at least.
Today I gave another english corner on Marriage and the different customs between countries since we all here know quite a bit about that.
I was also supposed to start teaching regular classes but today it snowed all day so most students stayed at home so I did not get to teach and I am off tomorrow and wednesday.
So all in all Zhen and I have settled into our new life quite nicely and I am settling into the school also quite nicely, so it appears my great gamble has paid off. I have a job, an apartment, and the love of my life at my side, and I even get paid for it so what more could I possibly ask for?
I wish you luck on your adventure I am sure you will do fine. Besides you could always teach a class about being a jockey. I am sure that is something they will never have heard about before. Speaking of Jockeys did you ever meet Willy Shumaker? It seems to me I remember meeting him when I worked at the woodbine Racetrack in Toronto Canada back in the 1970's but perhaps I am mistaken.
Anyway good luck and keep the updates coming.
Sincerely,
Zhen and Brian
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Brian,
How are things going? Haven't heard a peep out of you. Are you snowed in?
Any updates?
Don
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Wonderful story, I enjoyed reading it. Keep it coming and best of luck to the both of you, she is a very pretty lady.
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Brian,
havent seen a post by you for a while and was wondering how
everything is going there? im sure it fine. how did the school do
in regard to your visa? the school i went to and turned down
because they couldnt get me the proper visa did not pay me for
the 2 classes i taught that day because they were short of teachers
they dont return my calls nor my emails. its only 170 rmb but at least it
tells me what type of school they are. they do have a lot of bad reviews
on teachers corner so i guess there is some truth in those reviews.