This experience, this two week experience that seemed more like two months, is now apart of what makes me, me. The people I met there, the absolute beauty of their history, of their diverse culture, and the impossibility of past tradition clashing and coinciding with modern capatilism, created a country I know I will return to. Everything, down to the bolws of rice, and up to the great wall was infused with the warmth of the country. There were always smiles, always laughs from the waiters, store venders, and random curious people on the street, as we spoke the few phrases we knew ' I like girls ' being one of our favorite. And the people, you could get lost in the people. But always in a good way, you WANTED to let yourself go, let the crowd take you, let the city mix you up with everyone else. Yet then you had the country, and the second you walked into one of the villages, you immediately felt yourself find a niche with the people. You could find everyone there, in these small islands, and you wanted to be found. At the dinners, you wanted to let everyone know you were there, having the time of your life, and you wanted them to join in. Wanted to let the whole village in, let them know their kindness and hospitality was the reason you were laughing so hard tears were streaming down your face. You became apart of that village and apart of the life there as much as you became apart of the city, as much as you yearned to get lost in that city. It was all so addicting, intoxicating, and wonderfully open to us. Its actually scary how attached we got within just two weeks of visiting those places, that country. So many opened up their homes to us, and in turn, without thinking, we let ourselves mold into everything layed before us, and in turn opened ourselves up to the people, the culture, the country and city. It was amazing how easy it was. How they welcomed us, and we suddenly found a common language in smiles and friendly gestures, laughes, and food. Haha the food!! If there's one metaphore for China, its the diversity of the food, the subtle different tastes, things you might not notice at first-cant even tell the difference from- but stay there a week, and suddenly you recognize all the sublte differences. Its not just all one people, one culture, one history and it hits you all of a sudden. Like those ridiculously hot peppers you sometimes got a hit of, the ones that made the side of your mouth go numb. Haha Those were the best though. Those peppers. They always made everyone else laugh and suddenly it was dinner and entertainment for the group. And a new awareness to look a little harder in the dish you were eating. That's what China did though. It made you LOOK. You became aware of everything and everyone. Hyper sensitive. I'm now hyper sensitive, even back in the US, you come back just a little more focused on the little details, on everything. Its still a little scary, how attached I am to the country, how much I feel it still. We all still do-in the jet lag-haha- in the endless stories we keep telling, explaining, remembering, and in the phone calls and texts we make to one another, day in a day out. Who knows how long it will take for us to fully get back to California time, or Jersey time, or Wisconsin time-we are all still on our own clocks. That's okay with me though, I like my mind still being half in China :) The country will always be my first outside the US, and I wouldn't change it for the world. ---
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Not enough. This trip was not long enough to let me cope with the fact that I'm leaving these people I now consider my family behind, or the fact that I'm not going to be seeing everyone in school when it feels like they've been childhood friends all my life. Its not fair!!! I don't want to leave!!! I love this country soooooo much, its already ingrained into my skin, and I swear I'm leaving my heart in China. It feels like we've literally been here for months, like we belong here now, our disfunctional family has made its mark here permanently, and I don't want to leave any of it behind. But what I most love about this experience is the fact that China was the first country I visited outside the US. -and I wouldn't have had it any other way, I would never change that, and I can assure you I'm coming back to this mesmorizing, astounding, breath-taking, surreal yet familiar beauty of a land. Who could want more? Two weeks here was more like two months, days went by like weeks, and it says something when nobody can remeber what day it was. - like me who guessed that it was thrusday when it was actually sunday. -yea wayyyy off. Haha but that's what I absolutely love and adore about this place, time moved slowly. It had to, there is no other way around it when a country is so full of culture and diversity that it practically hangs in the air and sinks into your pours the very first day you arrive. I want to marry this country :) it would make it easier for me to cope leaving it. Leaving a new family, new life long friends who know all the inside jokes on Riley, Shuan, Smiley, Johnny-Baby, and on and on. It scary how close we got to all of them, our guides, the staff-Jimbo, Cory, Steph- and how extremely and unbreakably close us students became with each other. There will be tears in the morning, we all can tell. The duck dinner is easily by far one of the best meals I have ever had. Not just because th duck was amazing, the scorpion nice and crispe, but because the company was some of the best anyone could get. I love these guys and will never let this trip go. Reuion BABY!! ---
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Today = kung fu, kung fu, kung fu. We got up, kung fu'ed, ate, kung fu'ed, ate, kung fu'ed, ate and kung fu'ed our little butts off. Boo yah! Certificates baby!!! The best part about today though was getting the monks to smile :) they opened ip so much! Us american girls and our 'directness' has no equal. Not even kung fu masters stotic faces, or monks quietness. We know how to work past the language barrier and work our magic :) don't mess. Haha Smiley-our main kung fu master who was with us from day one really warmed up to us and by the end of the night his grumpy face had completely vanished and he was making heart shaped signs with his hands. <3 The monks really seemed to like us though. They spoke pretty good english-something us girls didn't figure out till after we embarassed ourselves by saying they were cute, to their faces- and had the guys in stitches by the end of the night. One even had a facebook! - we named him Andy :) Oh and half of us are in love or getting married to one of these guys. Haha 'you had me at hello' :) -we kinda scared them away I think. Oh well, win some, lose some. Hahahaha Overall I think we kicked butt. ---
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Kung fu = hard, painful, intense, and extremely fun. We definately caused a few laughs to go around the kung fu school and caused even more shakes of the head from our martial arts teacher. The upside- we finally got him to smile and stretch that grin of his as well as loosen him up when we did something wrong. Instead of just shakes of the head and strong hand corrections, we made him smile, laugh, and even play around with us-scaring Emilie for starters. After the intial hour and a quick break, we started up the next session with shakey quads and damp t-shirts. Corey, our camera guy, was going nuts with all the fun shots he was getting , and Jimbo our video jockey was having an equally good time. All of us were making what I can only guess were contorted faces, but I can't really complain because it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. We can totally kick butt now :) watch out Jackie Chan. Overall the kung fu school was the most amazing part of my day. The shaolin grand music ceremony was definately a close second though. Pretty lights :) it was like a play but sooooo much better. I would not mind seeing one of those every now and then from now on. Lovely and breath taking all in one. ---
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This was our yummy meal yesterday. With the stuff that looked like brains :) ---
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Today was amazing :) singing journey in the bus " Don't Stop Believing! " We could be professionals I swear. The main journey today was to the Shaolin temple and I have no clue what happend. One second we walked in- I felt fine right-suddenly the master monk starts talking in this melow, calm, soothing voice that suddenly made my eye lids lead. -no joke. It was like a spell. It was making me feel really worried. I started suddenly falling forward and I was FIGHTING to keep my eyes open. I knew they were glazed over and I was trying to keep them from rolling up into my head. I was drugged I swear! Monk voodoo!! Haha just kidding. But all of a sudden my head drooped and I was out for a second before I snapped my head up and was WIDE awake. Spookey. Haha it was so much fun though. So deep. Half the stuff he said made you want to go huge everyone around you and say I Love You! :) it was fun. Me likey. The girls were great and we all goofed off today as usual. Girls night again and of course were gonna bond over today. Sean is a ninja under cover agent we decided-one of our guides. And riley our main guide is a panda :) we love our staff and are gonna kick sdome butt at the kung fu school manana. Wacha!!! Watch out warriors, here we come! ---
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   We haven't had much chance to connect to the internet but we finally got it working tonight. Here are a couple pics.
1. We challenged a Tai Chi master to see if we could push him around.
2. Me, Tiffany and the New Jersey girls at the market.
3. Cooking class at a Du Wong restaurant. This top chef in Beijing took us to the market to see where chefs shop. Then we went to his restaurant and back into the kitchen where we learned to cook.
Okkay so ill start off with the normal stuff first. We started off the day with the imperial palace, it was beautiful of course, and the hike up the mini great wall was not so mini but still great. What we didn't expect was dinner. Dinner at a five star resturaunt. A beautiful resturaunt with great food and with cake :) What we didn't expect was the live entertainment...or the congo line that we would start. We were dancing up on the stage even though there was no dance floor and I'm sure we were the first guests to actually do that. We also threw roses to the singers, yelled I love you, and basically become groopies. It was amazing!!!!! Night of our lives seriously. We are all bonding in ways I can even describe. I mean, who dances with people you've known for only a week, congo line it through the resturaunt, and basically have a dance party in a five star hotel? We all act like we've known each other for years, do crazy stuff we don't even do at home, and just go all out with everything we do. Its incredible, I love it, can't get enough of it, and can't even comprehend half the stuff we have done, did tonight, and are definately gonna be doing. I love this country!! Hahahahahaha ---
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Our night started off with camping right under the great wall. One word. Bugs. But us girls toughed it out! The morning came sooner than we thought and faster than you could say fried rice we were hiking the great wall. It was AMAZING. We put in our hours worth in of sweat and muscle, all the while trying not to fall flat on our butts staring at all the scenery. It really was a caught in the moment type of experience and I loved every second of it. Of course the shower afterword at the hotel was a close second. Haha. Overall this day seemed to be more like a couple days worth of experiences, and the fact that its finally ending is relieving but also shocking. Seems like we've been here months when its really only been a few days. That's what's great about this trip. We already have a close knit family of staff and friends, from our video guy Jimbo to Ansen. And all the kids here are just meshing together so well its scary. It feels like we've been friends forever, and the hike on one of the wonders of the world just made us that much closer. I can't wait for what's in store next ;) ---
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Today was an amazingly sweaty day. A ten mile hike through brush, thorns, mud, trees, and corn. Lots and lots of corn. Corn with little buggies all over them. Our shirts were soaked through from our necks to all down our backs, but one thing we all agreed on was this was one of the best experiences of our lives. We all fell, laughed, and swooned over the surreal feeling that came along with the early morning climb. Its an experience none of us will ever forget, its literally soaked in-to our shirts. Haha. This is one moment I will never let go. ---
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So today in China, we started off with some cooking lessons taught by a cook that I can only describe as the next iron chef. His resturuant was beautiful and the market we went to this morning for supplies was bursting with color. Not only that but mamoth sized fruits and vegetables seemed to stick out from no where. The best part though had to be making the dumplings with my group- TEAM BETA!!- where the staff of the resturuant found us histerical with our not-so-talented dumpling folding and broken chinese. Corey in particular was a hit, causing an actual crowd to form at our end of the table where all of us-including staff- were in stitches from Corey's excellent-cough- dumpling making skills ;) haha. And after, we got to eat our lovely creations which increadibly turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Haha but anywaysss, after lunchin' it up we headed over to the mind blowing Birds Nest and Water cube. Two words, amazingness and wet. Very wet. First off, the Birds Nest was just Aw inspiring, and no one could really get over the fact that we were walking on the track people set records on, won golds on, and made one more mark in history on. It was truely something all of us just sunk our minds into. Haha but the Water Cube is where the wetness comes in. We didn't get to jump into the pool like we were plotting, but found a nice alternative in the huge water jet fountains that sprayed up from the groud. Corey our camera guy and our video guy got some great footage so of course they loved it. Teens acting like kids can make anyone smile. And then the icing on top of the cake...SHOPPERTUNITY!! We all went wild at the art exhibits, taking pictures of highly political and somewhat dark sculptures and paintings, while also walking into laid back shops, looking at anything shiny and colorful. It was amazing, such a hidden and tucked away part of China, bursting with modern if disturbing graphics of things-the struggle of the working class, poverty, the ugly side of politics- and at the same time these pieces really make you stop and LOOK. They scream look at them, and that's what you do, as your on your way to a shop you pass by one of these pieces, stop, and SEE it. Its weird, but before I came to China I had no taste for this kind of art, but now I can't get enough. Score one for those artists, haha they took me down easy. Anywaysss, this day was just like the others- it gave and gave and gave, and I'm sure there is more to come. And all I can say is BRING IT!! ---
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So today started off with us visiting the urban center, which was pretty much the coolest museum any of us have ever gone to. That place just proved that museums don't always have to be mind numbing. After checking out the layout and history of china we headed from the urban center to the promanad for some shoppertunities and lunch, and let me tell you mongolian hot pot is no joke. Raw meat, open flame, boiling water, and you got yourself an intense eating experience. We all had a blast though and I don't think I've laughed so hard in my life. The boys were causing trouble as always and we got lunch and a show. So everyone wins. After though, we all headed into a small ally way like market and got to do some more shopping, then later headed to some locals homes to learn calligraphy -which I sucked at- and chinese culture. It was amazing and the hosts were more than welcoming, having cooked us sweets and all. Finally we all re-grouped to go be carted around in rickshaws? - pulled by a guy on a bike- and then headed to the silk museum. The tour there was short and sweet, and as soon as our giud let us go- all the girls of course booked it to the gift shop. Everyone found something colorful and soft and we all celebrated with a quick trip to -of all places- mcdonalds. Ice cream and fried for everyone! Haha and finally we finished up our night with a noodle dinner hand made in front of us :) a great way to end the night. Tomorrows the birds nest and cooking lessons, hopefully I don't blow anything up! ---
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Okkay so I totally forgot to talk out the amazingness of the forbidden city and imperial palace. And that's what it was amazingness. You could literally feeeeel yourself walking on history. I kept looking down at my feet through the whole tour and thinking that, it was almost scary. Overwhelming to say the least. But at the same time you were trying to soak everything in in a high concentrated dose. My camera practically died on me from all the pictures I was taking. And there's more to come. Can't wait :) woot!! ---
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Today was so long but so worth it. We walked through the forbidden city, the imperial palace and tiananmen square but by far the hardest thing today was tai chi- can you bellieve it? And ping pong... I was dreading me taking out an eye. But it was AMAZING! These kids that were like seven and twleve could woop us all at the begining. And they were sooo intense but they were the cutest things. Also I can pretty much spike like no other now. Those coaches had magic fingers, they worked miracles. - so dad watch out. If our first day was this perfect I can't imagine what's in store for the rest of this trip, PING PONG BABY! ---
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Best part of my day tops. I will own my dad at ping pong now. Its amazing how much fun that was. I can spike like a prow now and love it ---
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Just finished the first china dinner and it was delicious. Very jet lagged and I think its safe to say all of us are feeling the affects. China is... Similar but different to the country I just left, and as much as I thought I would be culture shocked to the max, I amazingly am not. I mean, some stuff totally throws me wayyy off, like the fact I forget that people in this country don't speak english....and I start yapping at them expecting them to understand and then don't look to bright or respectful. I'm getting the hang of it though! Kinda... Tomorrow is the forbidden city and temples and more updates :) for now, sleeeeeeep ---
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Okkay so tomorrows the big day. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to sleep very well tonight and I have to be up at four...its just finally hitting me too. I can tell I'm in for a longggggg night. It would be soo much easier if tomorrow would just come! ---
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My blackberry hates me....thank goodness I can blog. ---
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Okkay first of all, I have no clue what I am going to pack for this massive trip....like at all. I just bought a travel back pack from REI, and now have no idea what to put in it or how much. Its just kind of sitting there in my room and doing its own thing while I wonder how I am actually going to fill the thing. There is also the issue of gifts I know I will be stuffing into any spare room I can find. If there is any room... So now all I can think about is that my bag being too small...but then sometimes I think its too big and that Im going to look smooshed under the enormous weight while everyone else has these teeny things. Too much thinking over a traveling bag. sigh.
The thing I am looking most forward to in China would have to be the Kung Fu school and temple. This adventure promises many new experiences and learning Kung Fu is up there with the most challenging and mind opening ones. Just being able to visit such a culture rich and exotic country is more than enough to make this trip one of the bests anyone could go on.
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Essential Programs Details
| Duration |
15 days |
| When |
August 4th - 18th, 2009 |
| Focus |
History/Culture
Martial Arts
Modern/Ancient Architecture |
|
