Last night Heather and I spent the evening entertaining children at the Halloween event in iCafe. We were told, in a round about fashion I am ever so used to now, that we would be helping with face painting, and generally amusing the little tykes. Easy peasy! When all 30ish kids were milling around the dining room, the word chaos jumped to mind but was quickly replaced with "madhouse". I loved it. There were at least 15 princesses, approximately 3-4 Snow Whites, 1-2 Cinderellas, and 1 Sleeping Beauty who was very insistent that she was absolutely not Sleeping Beauty. Showing her the picture on the button on her dress did not convince her otherwise, either. One of the kids wore only a pink sweatsuit, and a pumpkin costume over it. Pumpkin girl stole my heart. We had instantaneous bonding, and she spent a lot of time with her arms wrapped around my neck or speaking to me in perfect Chinese/English. If I was made of stone, maybe I wouldn't have melted so quickly, but I was putty around that little girl.
The kids were pretty fun, rowdy, and enjoyed getting their cheeks painted on. Sometimes inspiration struck and they were compelled to decorate their own body parts. I had to drag one little girl away from the skin crayons because of the shrinking available surfaces on which she could draw on...next option was mostly likely her classmates unfortunate enough to be near her. The stencils for the tattoos were stickers that took up most the kid's face, and sometimes their skin would kinda pull up with it as I tried to gently remove it. It was especially funn- I mean bad when the sticker's size meant one eye would be out of commission for a few seconds. However, they stood very patiently as I tried applied the tattoo, and colored it in.
We ran around after the children for a couple hours, helping them grab disgusting amounts of candy, and fixing their cheap toys we gave out earlier. I was offered various gummies, straight from the darling child's probably sparkling clean hands, and wound up with a pocketful of the sticky profferings by the end of the night.
It's November folks. I probably mention the date every time I write something new, but I can't help it! I look at my phone every night, just studying the calendar, counting down the days over and over. One morning I will wake up, check my calendar and realize I'm already home.
Next step, finding living situations for the next semester, getting a job secured and being generally anxious about the future.
How many times do you wish in the day that money wasn't important? I probably think that every 15 minutes or so. I need it, but very much dislike relying on it. I wish we could barter in the States.
Today Heather and I plan to run around Dalian on our day off, and try to get some last minute sightseeing done. Next week we'll do a few days in Stewarding...which is fancy name for cleaning dishes in a blue jumpsuit, headscarf, rainboots and trash-bag aprons. This also means I only have about 8 working days left.
I'll also probably start packing next week. Sometimes I lay awake at night rearranging the stuff in my suitcase in my mind, until I'm so excited I can't fall asleep.
I dread the trip back, the consequences of 6 months distance, and the hazy, uncertain future I'll be stepping into. Facing the next few months seems rather insurmountable, I have new challenges to overcome and just like always, I don't know how I will.
The reckless abandonment in the quest of finding friends has slowed to the pace of molasses in January, in Alaska. The fierce desire to know the people around me has dulled to a pleasant hum of familiarity. I nod hello at Bill or Zhang, in iCafe, smile broadly at my Lobby Lounge girls, grin at the easy going faces of the stewarding staff, or front office people, tease the staff during lunch, and hug my colleagues at F2 hello. I've known the faces of my colleagues now for almost half a year. These folks have seen me at my best (gold blouse, black ninja pj's or Victorian era dress) and at my utmost worst (running out of the room with tears streaming down my face, or being completely enraged about...something). I have those same faces to say hello to while clocking in, and the effortless friendliness I witness everyday with guests also graciously applied to me. I am lucky my coworkers are so supportive and seem generally interested in me. Even if all I say is, 'I'm tired', they never let that comment go without being responded to.
My roommates are endless sources of support, and I would've lost my sanity several times without the crying sessions in my living room, or the pep talks that followed. Every so often I did collapse into a pile of sobbing jelly, saying I couldn't do it anymore, that I couldn't make it one more day here. They'd picked me up, or in that case kinda scoop up the pieces and glue me back together with common sense, humor and reason. Thank goodness for that.
Also I'm thinking about writing a short book about my experience here...nitty gritty details included. It might be the worst decision ever, or maybe it'll help give me closure in a way. I've experienced more in 5 months here, than I ever could've back home. I feel like an intense movement has happened and eventually I'll be able to wrap my mind around it... until then, lets call this experience The Life Compactor. So look on the shelves in the next year or so, Ann Lucas': The Life Compactor: A Complete Account of A Chinese Internship... or something like that...titles can come later, right?
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hello Apathy, My Name is Downer, Debbie Downer.
Working in a bar that has very few customers has been an experience...not a very exciting one, but I've made some regular guest's as friends and I can expect a certain kind of people to be able to talk to. Some nights the amount of people that show up is closely paralleled to how many colleagues just got off work. I'm fairly certain half our business relies on management coming in on their off hours.
I had fun for the Halloween event that our manager planned, even though the outfit was ridiculous and our back story was a little spotty. We got to run around in costume, with a rather well decorated bar and lots of fun events. This week may or may not be my last in F2, depending if our training schedule changes to include Stewarding. I'm not exactly sure why we should spend a whole week there, but maybe it'll be more exciting than another week at F2. One thing I know is, I'm a big fan of the policies in the bar, and free champagne after 9 on Friday certainly brightens the beginning of the weekend.
My coworkers are mainly females with the exception of Kobe the manager, and Frank the lights guy. Frank will giggle at anything I say, which only makes me try harder. He's everybody's baba, or dad, he'll refill their drinks at dinner, or peel their apples for them. For some reason he's always there when I have a food crisis or I make a social no no, and he has a good laugh over that too. Ah good ol' Frank. Coco and Dana are the shift leaders and I guess you get seniority based on how long your hair is...they have ridiculously long hair. I mean, I know some ponies green with envy over this. Emily is this tiny, dainty girl that acts like a man, hawking loogies and burping and has hundreds of pictures of herself on her cellphone. She paid a company to do a model shoot of herself...I would never inflict that upon anyone. Generally the girls are very nice, and we have fun, but a lot of times they just stare at me while I'm talking. Sometimes I get a weak smile, or a polite chuckle, but mostly I get very blank looks that only a language barrier issue can produce.
I'm ready to speak English very quickly again, ask questions and have them promptly answered without spelling everything out.
Its even colder here now, the temps dipping into the single digits, and I have yet to get a suitable coat. This is not such a travesty as I rarely go outside any more...but I figure eventually I'll get a hold of one...maybe before I leave.
I lack the spark of writing that was so ready to me before, now I struggle to find peppy sounding situations I was in, or interesting moments that happened in my day. I should write stuff down more, about how I feel and then look at it later. I doubt I will remember exactly how I felt over the past 5 and half months here. Overall though, I am glad I kept a running account of things that happened here. I'm sure there will be someday that I'll want to relive some of my time here. I must say I apologize for the stream of consciousness I sometimes deem worthy to shove out into the void of blog world.
Debbie Downer here, and she's got a lot of downing to do. Wah Wahh. Seriously, I'm tired though. Between late hours at F2 and early morning wake up calls from all day construction I am sleep deprived, antsy and borderline apathetic to life in general. One day I'd like to sleep in, no lights shining in my room, no noises beyond the soft hum of the central air and only waking up because a delicious breakfast awaits me.
I had my haircut again at the same place I went to before. It's the only place in the world I think they can get away with beating someone on the top of their head and call it a "relaxing" massage. It's weird, too personal, sorta painful but heck, its also kinda enjoyable...
I had fun for the Halloween event that our manager planned, even though the outfit was ridiculous and our back story was a little spotty. We got to run around in costume, with a rather well decorated bar and lots of fun events. This week may or may not be my last in F2, depending if our training schedule changes to include Stewarding. I'm not exactly sure why we should spend a whole week there, but maybe it'll be more exciting than another week at F2. One thing I know is, I'm a big fan of the policies in the bar, and free champagne after 9 on Friday certainly brightens the beginning of the weekend.
My coworkers are mainly females with the exception of Kobe the manager, and Frank the lights guy. Frank will giggle at anything I say, which only makes me try harder. He's everybody's baba, or dad, he'll refill their drinks at dinner, or peel their apples for them. For some reason he's always there when I have a food crisis or I make a social no no, and he has a good laugh over that too. Ah good ol' Frank. Coco and Dana are the shift leaders and I guess you get seniority based on how long your hair is...they have ridiculously long hair. I mean, I know some ponies green with envy over this. Emily is this tiny, dainty girl that acts like a man, hawking loogies and burping and has hundreds of pictures of herself on her cellphone. She paid a company to do a model shoot of herself...I would never inflict that upon anyone. Generally the girls are very nice, and we have fun, but a lot of times they just stare at me while I'm talking. Sometimes I get a weak smile, or a polite chuckle, but mostly I get very blank looks that only a language barrier issue can produce.
I'm ready to speak English very quickly again, ask questions and have them promptly answered without spelling everything out.
Its even colder here now, the temps dipping into the single digits, and I have yet to get a suitable coat. This is not such a travesty as I rarely go outside any more...but I figure eventually I'll get a hold of one...maybe before I leave.
I lack the spark of writing that was so ready to me before, now I struggle to find peppy sounding situations I was in, or interesting moments that happened in my day. I should write stuff down more, about how I feel and then look at it later. I doubt I will remember exactly how I felt over the past 5 and half months here. Overall though, I am glad I kept a running account of things that happened here. I'm sure there will be someday that I'll want to relive some of my time here. I must say I apologize for the stream of consciousness I sometimes deem worthy to shove out into the void of blog world.
Debbie Downer here, and she's got a lot of downing to do. Wah Wahh. Seriously, I'm tired though. Between late hours at F2 and early morning wake up calls from all day construction I am sleep deprived, antsy and borderline apathetic to life in general. One day I'd like to sleep in, no lights shining in my room, no noises beyond the soft hum of the central air and only waking up because a delicious breakfast awaits me.
I had my haircut again at the same place I went to before. It's the only place in the world I think they can get away with beating someone on the top of their head and call it a "relaxing" massage. It's weird, too personal, sorta painful but heck, its also kinda enjoyable...
Thursday, October 25, 2012
A PPT For Life
Do you remember knowing exactly what kind of person you'd be as you grew up? Do you remember making promises that you would succeed at ____ and never ____? I do. I remember looking at my future self of 20 at the ripe age of 13, and just knowing that my character, personality and ambitions would never waver.
I used to read novels about people who do all kinda of crazy stuff, and somehow still act like people with semblances of functional relationships. I wonder how they can wake up happily, knowing they lived a messed up life. The theme has spilled out into my own experience now...
Why is there no outline, or PPT for these parts of our lives? I would love it if someone sat down and typed out just what to expect in the years to come. (Animations and clips included) No one warned me that failing at things I've never failed at would happen, or that it's stumbling blocks from here on. The life manual that informs you of each type of mistake you can make, and the likelihood of its occurrence would be most helpful, (preferably complete with statistics and graphics).
Decisions seemed more clean, less ragged-edged, and I could look at my life with bright and unclouded eyes. I found the neat razor cuts of hard, but thought out choices easier than the bits of chopped up impetuous ones. When have you failed yourself, knowing it all the while, knowing your very self was betraying the wholeness of your character?
I think the part they never tell you about traveling, distance and growing up is the path gets darker and darker as you go. That bright guiding light that twinkled merrily at first dims over time, and it seems like the new shiny road you were on plunges suddenly into a mysterious wooded forest, or heady swamp. Five months in, and I have yet to burst out into a meadow where the light shines so warm and casts no uncertain shadows.
I've found a great deal of answers here in China...and maybe I would've back in the States, or maybe I would've stuck with what is familiar and comfortable. The answers I found, however, seem only to complexly intertwine with new and confounding questions I'm almost afraid to ask... questions I most likely can answer, but dread it all the same.
If given the chance to redo my time here, I can only say, what would be the point of that? What's the point of wondering how you can change things, when the realizations you had would most likely come about in another situation? This doesn't erase the times of pride or regret I've experienced, or change any decision I've made ultimately right or wrong. It is what it is.
Today the smog is thick and the air chilly. The ever present construction buzzes in my ears and I feel a bit restless, like my heart is preparing for a race that I don't know the start time of. My senses are in overdrive, and the cold blue light from the mountains casts a weary shadow in the living room. I want to run, I want to hide. Let me escape from this belaboring of my child-like wonder, and have some respite from the onslaught of all this life changing stimulus.
Home is an ever present need now. I need surrounding warmth, the softening effect of my loved one's nearness, and the familiarity of my world restored.
I used to read novels about people who do all kinda of crazy stuff, and somehow still act like people with semblances of functional relationships. I wonder how they can wake up happily, knowing they lived a messed up life. The theme has spilled out into my own experience now...
Why is there no outline, or PPT for these parts of our lives? I would love it if someone sat down and typed out just what to expect in the years to come. (Animations and clips included) No one warned me that failing at things I've never failed at would happen, or that it's stumbling blocks from here on. The life manual that informs you of each type of mistake you can make, and the likelihood of its occurrence would be most helpful, (preferably complete with statistics and graphics).
Decisions seemed more clean, less ragged-edged, and I could look at my life with bright and unclouded eyes. I found the neat razor cuts of hard, but thought out choices easier than the bits of chopped up impetuous ones. When have you failed yourself, knowing it all the while, knowing your very self was betraying the wholeness of your character?
I think the part they never tell you about traveling, distance and growing up is the path gets darker and darker as you go. That bright guiding light that twinkled merrily at first dims over time, and it seems like the new shiny road you were on plunges suddenly into a mysterious wooded forest, or heady swamp. Five months in, and I have yet to burst out into a meadow where the light shines so warm and casts no uncertain shadows.
I've found a great deal of answers here in China...and maybe I would've back in the States, or maybe I would've stuck with what is familiar and comfortable. The answers I found, however, seem only to complexly intertwine with new and confounding questions I'm almost afraid to ask... questions I most likely can answer, but dread it all the same.
If given the chance to redo my time here, I can only say, what would be the point of that? What's the point of wondering how you can change things, when the realizations you had would most likely come about in another situation? This doesn't erase the times of pride or regret I've experienced, or change any decision I've made ultimately right or wrong. It is what it is.
Today the smog is thick and the air chilly. The ever present construction buzzes in my ears and I feel a bit restless, like my heart is preparing for a race that I don't know the start time of. My senses are in overdrive, and the cold blue light from the mountains casts a weary shadow in the living room. I want to run, I want to hide. Let me escape from this belaboring of my child-like wonder, and have some respite from the onslaught of all this life changing stimulus.
Home is an ever present need now. I need surrounding warmth, the softening effect of my loved one's nearness, and the familiarity of my world restored.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Chapter 5: Lobby Lounge
My time at Lobby Lounge is definitely one of my favorite memories now. Every time I'd clock in, walk across that luxurious carpet, be greeted cheerily by my colleagues I would sigh happily, and also remember my time here is dwindling down quickly. I am surprised how fast the rotation went by, and all five weeks seem a blur now of cappuccinos, sneaking cookies and peanuts and laughing at the antics of En. I learned how to properly serve English tea, how to make a decent looking foamy drink and of course how to walk around in a manager suit and confuse people by being American, instead of Chinese. (or Italian, or German, or Russian).*
Overall I'd say the lounge is very well run, the girls are trained incredibly well and they will always have a special place in my heart. I'm gonna miss the goofy conversations we'd get into when they wanted to learn English from me. Most of the words on their drink menus were not fully English, and my French/Italian is rather rusty...in that I know next to nothing of either. However, I did discover they have a really great Spanish accent, and can pick up a foreign language besides English much faster. On my last night there, the girls wanted to have a surprise going away party, but because I leave before the shift ends, they couldn't tell me to come back without ruining it...so they instead told me they were having a surprise party for me later. I had a good chuckle at that one, and boy I'll tell you, I was so surprised!
They took me to a little restaurant with fish tanks on the wall, and a balcony seating area. We rushed upstairs and became the loud and obnoxious group of girls giggling wildly and saying inappropriate things...which I may or may not have taught them.
I feel like I've been missing out on a huge cultural thing. I don't know any swear words in Chinese. I only know how to call someone "stupid" which is the equivalent of a five year's insult...and I feel a little silly going around only armed with a five year old's sense of what is 'mean'. They had a great time thinking of bad words for me, and I spelled out some bad words to them- it sounds much more awful putting it out on this blog...but it was a lot funnier at the time...
They also ordered a slew of odd dishes and delightedly cackled at my many faces and expressions while I sampled them. I tried chicken congee, preserved egg congee, beef stir fried noodles, some kinda tofu dish with mushrooms, glass noodles with cabbage, spinach with preserved egg (which smells and tastes like death) and the crowning dishes of sliced pig's ear, and spicy pig's ear with table onions. I have to say most things were actually tasty besides the congee dishes and anything with the preserved egg. Preserved egg is black, mostly translucent and gives off an odor of oldness....like socks washed in poopy fish water.
I had so much fun with them though, and they told me how much they'd miss me. I've been finding it harder and harder letting myself get too close or attached to people because I know I'm leaving soon, but those girls were like instant sisters. I think of everyone I'll miss them the most. So with that, yet another chapter in my life here as a trainee monkey in a manager suit is now and forever closed.
I start F2 tomorrow, our bar, and I have to say I thought the awesomeness of my uniform had come to an end when I left Nishimura...turns out F2 has a uniform too. It's not as epic as my poop coat for room service, nor as comfy as my flowy gouchos, or black ninja pj's...but there is velvet involved. You know its gotta be good when velvet is part of anything.
Thursday is the new presentation day, and I present in the afternoon. My shifts start at five so I'll have time to calm down afterwards, and hopefully my knees will have stopped shaking by then. Friday is English corner for Front Office, Saturday is my Chinese final...then its home free for the next couple weeks. There's the slight issue of our reports for the study abroad class, and the final report for our projects...but that's what 15 hour plan rides are for...right?
Winter finally hit Dalian. It hit like a ton of bricks, suddenly a bitter wind sweeping through the city, and I am still unprepared for the temperature dropping. I posses my own sweatshirt now, and some other kinds of shoes beside tennis...but nothing near warm enough for the frigid temps Dalian experiences. Despite it being so cold, the crisp new weather is exciting and a refreshing change from bland warm days and nights. This also means November is creeping up, and how can I not be excited for that?!
Can you believe its been five months?
Also we have a themed party planned for F2...guess who gets to be subjected to a "Vampire Diaries" night? I told the manager Kobe I had unfortunately left all my leathers at home. He was nonplussed for about two seconds, then regained his footing and informed me they would supply me with an outfit. Joy.
*If things weren't bad enough an American came up to me and asked me if I spoke English. She thought I was Russian. I give up. Paruski it is!!
Overall I'd say the lounge is very well run, the girls are trained incredibly well and they will always have a special place in my heart. I'm gonna miss the goofy conversations we'd get into when they wanted to learn English from me. Most of the words on their drink menus were not fully English, and my French/Italian is rather rusty...in that I know next to nothing of either. However, I did discover they have a really great Spanish accent, and can pick up a foreign language besides English much faster. On my last night there, the girls wanted to have a surprise going away party, but because I leave before the shift ends, they couldn't tell me to come back without ruining it...so they instead told me they were having a surprise party for me later. I had a good chuckle at that one, and boy I'll tell you, I was so surprised!
They took me to a little restaurant with fish tanks on the wall, and a balcony seating area. We rushed upstairs and became the loud and obnoxious group of girls giggling wildly and saying inappropriate things...which I may or may not have taught them.
I feel like I've been missing out on a huge cultural thing. I don't know any swear words in Chinese. I only know how to call someone "stupid" which is the equivalent of a five year's insult...and I feel a little silly going around only armed with a five year old's sense of what is 'mean'. They had a great time thinking of bad words for me, and I spelled out some bad words to them- it sounds much more awful putting it out on this blog...but it was a lot funnier at the time...
They also ordered a slew of odd dishes and delightedly cackled at my many faces and expressions while I sampled them. I tried chicken congee, preserved egg congee, beef stir fried noodles, some kinda tofu dish with mushrooms, glass noodles with cabbage, spinach with preserved egg (which smells and tastes like death) and the crowning dishes of sliced pig's ear, and spicy pig's ear with table onions. I have to say most things were actually tasty besides the congee dishes and anything with the preserved egg. Preserved egg is black, mostly translucent and gives off an odor of oldness....like socks washed in poopy fish water.
I had so much fun with them though, and they told me how much they'd miss me. I've been finding it harder and harder letting myself get too close or attached to people because I know I'm leaving soon, but those girls were like instant sisters. I think of everyone I'll miss them the most. So with that, yet another chapter in my life here as a trainee monkey in a manager suit is now and forever closed.
I start F2 tomorrow, our bar, and I have to say I thought the awesomeness of my uniform had come to an end when I left Nishimura...turns out F2 has a uniform too. It's not as epic as my poop coat for room service, nor as comfy as my flowy gouchos, or black ninja pj's...but there is velvet involved. You know its gotta be good when velvet is part of anything.
Thursday is the new presentation day, and I present in the afternoon. My shifts start at five so I'll have time to calm down afterwards, and hopefully my knees will have stopped shaking by then. Friday is English corner for Front Office, Saturday is my Chinese final...then its home free for the next couple weeks. There's the slight issue of our reports for the study abroad class, and the final report for our projects...but that's what 15 hour plan rides are for...right?
Winter finally hit Dalian. It hit like a ton of bricks, suddenly a bitter wind sweeping through the city, and I am still unprepared for the temperature dropping. I posses my own sweatshirt now, and some other kinds of shoes beside tennis...but nothing near warm enough for the frigid temps Dalian experiences. Despite it being so cold, the crisp new weather is exciting and a refreshing change from bland warm days and nights. This also means November is creeping up, and how can I not be excited for that?!
Can you believe its been five months?
Also we have a themed party planned for F2...guess who gets to be subjected to a "Vampire Diaries" night? I told the manager Kobe I had unfortunately left all my leathers at home. He was nonplussed for about two seconds, then regained his footing and informed me they would supply me with an outfit. Joy.
*If things weren't bad enough an American came up to me and asked me if I spoke English. She thought I was Russian. I give up. Paruski it is!!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Why Buy a Polka Dot Suitcase?*
Today dawned bright and chilly with much potential. We practice our presentations for the speeches we'll be giving next week, tomorrow is my last English corner session with in room dining and also my last day (I think) at Lobby Lounge all on this lovely day. I love writing about how busy things will be because it creates this sense of motion in my life. Now when I complete one thing its on to the next, until my trip here is milked for all its worth.
Yesterday we shopped 'til we dropped, which is usually the case here. Bargaining is exhausting. The stalls and the selections within get overwhelming, and then arguing with a vendor (more like play acting) gets wearisome. Heather is a genius at it...I give up too easily. We shopped from 11 til about 3.30/4 o'clock. I think the process for shopping is exhausting because you don't spend an incredible amount of money. There's this convenience fee you pay for an easy shopping experience, and then there's bargaining where you work hard for your purchases. I'm not sure if I like one better than the other, but I did get some good stuff. There was also the experience of underground shopping of the more sketchy or 'dodgy' nature...
My one suitcase is packed. It's ready to be opened, the contents wrapped and dispersed on Christmas day, although I don't know if I can wait that long! Most likely my stuff will be half packed and ready to go a week (or two) before we fly out. I have accumulated a little more than the mere 35 pounds of items I brought with me, (although the five pounds of jumbo jelly beans are no longer going to add any heft to my suitcase, so there's a little more room) and my stuff will have to be carefully arranged to accommodate it all. I'm sure I'll start folding my clothes and living out of my suitcase days before I even need to start packing for home.
For the past couple months construction noise has been a constant, and every morning they start promptly just as I wake up. I rarely wake up because of the noise, its more like when I awake its suddenly there and I can't go back to sleep. Sometimes I'm dreaming and realize the noise is there, but wake up and reality sets in. I liken it to a group of people holding a hammer music festival, cuing each other with the off beats of hammers pounding, and at least three guys with jackhammers for a rousing chorus. The bridge is a muddled period of stuttering halting of action. (That's probably when someone got a little dust in their eye) In any event...someone is having fun making this ruckus.
Four Wednesdays left.
*Its so you can easily spot it!
Yesterday we shopped 'til we dropped, which is usually the case here. Bargaining is exhausting. The stalls and the selections within get overwhelming, and then arguing with a vendor (more like play acting) gets wearisome. Heather is a genius at it...I give up too easily. We shopped from 11 til about 3.30/4 o'clock. I think the process for shopping is exhausting because you don't spend an incredible amount of money. There's this convenience fee you pay for an easy shopping experience, and then there's bargaining where you work hard for your purchases. I'm not sure if I like one better than the other, but I did get some good stuff. There was also the experience of underground shopping of the more sketchy or 'dodgy' nature...
My one suitcase is packed. It's ready to be opened, the contents wrapped and dispersed on Christmas day, although I don't know if I can wait that long! Most likely my stuff will be half packed and ready to go a week (or two) before we fly out. I have accumulated a little more than the mere 35 pounds of items I brought with me, (although the five pounds of jumbo jelly beans are no longer going to add any heft to my suitcase, so there's a little more room) and my stuff will have to be carefully arranged to accommodate it all. I'm sure I'll start folding my clothes and living out of my suitcase days before I even need to start packing for home.
For the past couple months construction noise has been a constant, and every morning they start promptly just as I wake up. I rarely wake up because of the noise, its more like when I awake its suddenly there and I can't go back to sleep. Sometimes I'm dreaming and realize the noise is there, but wake up and reality sets in. I liken it to a group of people holding a hammer music festival, cuing each other with the off beats of hammers pounding, and at least three guys with jackhammers for a rousing chorus. The bridge is a muddled period of stuttering halting of action. (That's probably when someone got a little dust in their eye) In any event...someone is having fun making this ruckus.
Four Wednesdays left.
*Its so you can easily spot it!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Does This Mean I Just Made Out With a Duck?
Hi. My name is Ann Lucas, and I live in Dalian, China. For the past five months I've worked at a five star hotel called Shangri-La. I have completed four and a half rotations of the food and beverage outlets in the hotel, with one left. Next month, exactly a month from today I will be home again.
I can't tell you how excited I am about that very thought. All of the above statement is just a little weird, a little crazy and a little awesome. I say this now because looking back at the five months myself and my three roommates lived here was more than just an internship. Time stopped back home for us, and we plunged into this world unknowing what would commence.
There's still a month left, I still have a week or so in Lobby Lounge, then a whole rotation in F2, our bar...but I'm already summing up the experience into bite sized chunks. We have so many memories, new experiences, and new world views (and some really strange Japanese styled toe-socks.)
The days where it seemed like time never passed were the most trying...those were the days that I would cry, skype my unfailingly supportive boyfriend, family and roommates to put my head down and power through. I remember looking at my calendar every night in May/June, counting down until September/October hit. I figured September and October would fly by, and November would be here in no time. Now here we are, halfway through my last full month here as an intern!
Sometimes I feel like I've been away from home so long that that part of my life was the long distance living, and my real life is here. Although, this is not real life. On one hand, we are gaining experience at a hotel for our resumes and future employers to look at...but on the other we spend so much time outside of that mindset that its hard to remember we're still students, and college awaits us upon our return.
I say 'we' and 'us', but its probably just my perspective. I'm finding that so much of my introspective thoughts become increasingly difficult to express on this impersonal forum. There are so many feelings and expressions that I cannot express with written word.
Now I can look at this month left, remember that I made it this far (not without help) and gladly move forward with my life. This month will be the collection of positivity, more gifts and souvenirs, and last minute memories. My heart is bursting with all the things I've learned, seen, experienced and I can't wait to have a captive, English speaking audience to impart all that upon!
My scarf smells like smoke, some kinda spicy sauce and my stomach is full of weird Chinese-y foods like chicken feet, duck tongue, some kinda meat skewer thing and of course yummy fried squid. My lobby lounge friends had a K-TV party where we sang, ate, drank, danced, shouted, ate and drank. Those girls are so sweet and I feel like one of the family, -that could be because they are very touchy feely and I get hugs and air kisses all the time. They are so fun!
I'm sitting in the living room listening to my pandora radio and feeling quite content, and at peace. However, its late and I should head to bed.
Have an awesome weekend, friends!
I can't tell you how excited I am about that very thought. All of the above statement is just a little weird, a little crazy and a little awesome. I say this now because looking back at the five months myself and my three roommates lived here was more than just an internship. Time stopped back home for us, and we plunged into this world unknowing what would commence.
There's still a month left, I still have a week or so in Lobby Lounge, then a whole rotation in F2, our bar...but I'm already summing up the experience into bite sized chunks. We have so many memories, new experiences, and new world views (and some really strange Japanese styled toe-socks.)
The days where it seemed like time never passed were the most trying...those were the days that I would cry, skype my unfailingly supportive boyfriend, family and roommates to put my head down and power through. I remember looking at my calendar every night in May/June, counting down until September/October hit. I figured September and October would fly by, and November would be here in no time. Now here we are, halfway through my last full month here as an intern!
Sometimes I feel like I've been away from home so long that that part of my life was the long distance living, and my real life is here. Although, this is not real life. On one hand, we are gaining experience at a hotel for our resumes and future employers to look at...but on the other we spend so much time outside of that mindset that its hard to remember we're still students, and college awaits us upon our return.
I say 'we' and 'us', but its probably just my perspective. I'm finding that so much of my introspective thoughts become increasingly difficult to express on this impersonal forum. There are so many feelings and expressions that I cannot express with written word.
Now I can look at this month left, remember that I made it this far (not without help) and gladly move forward with my life. This month will be the collection of positivity, more gifts and souvenirs, and last minute memories. My heart is bursting with all the things I've learned, seen, experienced and I can't wait to have a captive, English speaking audience to impart all that upon!
My scarf smells like smoke, some kinda spicy sauce and my stomach is full of weird Chinese-y foods like chicken feet, duck tongue, some kinda meat skewer thing and of course yummy fried squid. My lobby lounge friends had a K-TV party where we sang, ate, drank, danced, shouted, ate and drank. Those girls are so sweet and I feel like one of the family, -that could be because they are very touchy feely and I get hugs and air kisses all the time. They are so fun!
I'm sitting in the living room listening to my pandora radio and feeling quite content, and at peace. However, its late and I should head to bed.
Have an awesome weekend, friends!
Monday, October 8, 2012
The One Where I Espresso My Feelings
Basically a shift at Lobby Lounge consists of very fattening elements. As I walk into the back pantry that is more like a giant closet, I am greeted enthusiastically by my friends (most of whom are girls) and then I hide there the rest of the shift. I make coffee drinks, tea, set up trays to be taken out, sometimes deliver them and even sometimes help out in the lounge itself. Mostly though...I stand in the back singing with the pantry people, eating cookies, and teaching English phrases here and there. I'm pretty proud of the fact that I can now steam milk like a champ, and make a somewhat nice looking cappuccino. My weaknesses are the bowls of peanuts, the box of cookies and my colleagues who continuously make me new drinks that almost always contain whole milk. Lets just say I'm getting my calcium intake...but don't be surprised if I come back as an actual cow.
The drinks we make are pretty awesome, lots of sugar, lots of milk, but the coffee itself is quite awful. Their method for making coffee is the same for a espresso. This means all the coffee is super concentrated, and they just add water. I know that's how its made otherwise, but I miss drip machines or percolators. It just tastes better. I can't wait to go to a restaurant and get served a pot of coffee. Hopefully one that's been sitting there a while so its nice and old tasting...that would probably taste better than the stuff here.
So besides drinking my way to "barndome" I'm actually learning a lot of helpful drink combinations, and I'm not so frightened of the espresso maker machines.
I've had the pleasure to meet new people from all over the world, and to get to know them in a rather short amount of time. Usually we have a nice conversation at the venue where I work, then my roommates meet them and we all go out for dinner or something. Rarely however, do I meet anyone who really expects much from me- as in my plans for the future, what I want to do with my life etc. I'm not sure what there is to my future, or even what I'll end up doing yet. One guest and I sat in our hotel bar for a couple hours and we really delved into what I can look forward to as I enter the employed world. He asked me if I had all my financial troubles taken care of, and there was nothing for me to worry about in that respect...what would I do?
You know what I said?
I don't know.
No, that's what I said, I do know what I said- it was that.
Honestly though....nothing jumped out at me. I mean, as for working or getting a gig that paid, I couldn't say with absolute conviction that I would do this or that.
It kinda freaked me out. I have a year left and I gotta figure this out. So far I've been going through my head all the jobs I've heard of, the qualifications necessary and any capacities I might have. I'm left with an odd assorted list of rather unhelpful things.
I would make a mean professional doodler though.
How can I travel all over the world, while simultaneously mostly just enjoying the cultures and cuisines, and not really spend too much time in an office or...work building of sorts? I'm thinking tv personality. But that requires other things I'm not interested in, like being on camera front and center. Or how can I spend the most amount of time with my family, buut still make the money needed for a nice vacation and so on? There's no happy balance I'm afraid, and if you knew me- you'd know I know this, and I'm aware that people struggle with this daily. I never said my blog would have brand new revelations...they're just in my own words. So this future thing is looming quite large, and I have to find something fast!
Buuut that's something there's time for me to think about...like a fifteen hour plane ride amount of time.
Living in China. That's where I'm at right now in my life. I'm living in China, and I'm figuring it out.
Also, I've found a lot of strange parallels in the tv shows that I'm watching lately, it seems like my film choice directly correlates to the situation I'm in. Either that or Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Trek's directors spent some time here too.
That's probably it.
The drinks we make are pretty awesome, lots of sugar, lots of milk, but the coffee itself is quite awful. Their method for making coffee is the same for a espresso. This means all the coffee is super concentrated, and they just add water. I know that's how its made otherwise, but I miss drip machines or percolators. It just tastes better. I can't wait to go to a restaurant and get served a pot of coffee. Hopefully one that's been sitting there a while so its nice and old tasting...that would probably taste better than the stuff here.
So besides drinking my way to "barndome" I'm actually learning a lot of helpful drink combinations, and I'm not so frightened of the espresso maker machines.
I've had the pleasure to meet new people from all over the world, and to get to know them in a rather short amount of time. Usually we have a nice conversation at the venue where I work, then my roommates meet them and we all go out for dinner or something. Rarely however, do I meet anyone who really expects much from me- as in my plans for the future, what I want to do with my life etc. I'm not sure what there is to my future, or even what I'll end up doing yet. One guest and I sat in our hotel bar for a couple hours and we really delved into what I can look forward to as I enter the employed world. He asked me if I had all my financial troubles taken care of, and there was nothing for me to worry about in that respect...what would I do?
You know what I said?
I don't know.
No, that's what I said, I do know what I said- it was that.
Honestly though....nothing jumped out at me. I mean, as for working or getting a gig that paid, I couldn't say with absolute conviction that I would do this or that.
It kinda freaked me out. I have a year left and I gotta figure this out. So far I've been going through my head all the jobs I've heard of, the qualifications necessary and any capacities I might have. I'm left with an odd assorted list of rather unhelpful things.
I would make a mean professional doodler though.
How can I travel all over the world, while simultaneously mostly just enjoying the cultures and cuisines, and not really spend too much time in an office or...work building of sorts? I'm thinking tv personality. But that requires other things I'm not interested in, like being on camera front and center. Or how can I spend the most amount of time with my family, buut still make the money needed for a nice vacation and so on? There's no happy balance I'm afraid, and if you knew me- you'd know I know this, and I'm aware that people struggle with this daily. I never said my blog would have brand new revelations...they're just in my own words. So this future thing is looming quite large, and I have to find something fast!
Buuut that's something there's time for me to think about...like a fifteen hour plane ride amount of time.
Living in China. That's where I'm at right now in my life. I'm living in China, and I'm figuring it out.
Also, I've found a lot of strange parallels in the tv shows that I'm watching lately, it seems like my film choice directly correlates to the situation I'm in. Either that or Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Trek's directors spent some time here too.
That's probably it.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Nat Geo and an Unlikely Comparison
Since the beginning of this whole journey, I felt a little guilty about having this opportunity. A little guilty that so much resources, time and effort would be put forth for me, and I would get to simply enjoy it.
Obviously that's not even remotely all there is to it. I did have to put forth some of my own effort, resources and time and there's the scholastic side of it that requires attention but you get my meaning.
So far the feeling has been 50/50. Guilty yet happy. I have to say that now that I've been here, and been exposed to many other people's experiences I also realize how much there is out there beyond my jaunt in the big wide world.
Nat Geo really helps this viewpoint too.
But seriously! There's this giant mash of people's experiences found in tv series, movies and even those I come into contact with on a daily basis...its overwhelming, exciting and it makes me feel about ten inches tall.
Here I am feeling so proud of coming to China for 6 months when I see people working in the jungles with remote tribes, or traveling around the world completing challenges for fun! There's the business men who've been back and forth to China for years, and the musicians who've been everywhere opening shows in all kinds of places, facing obstacles that I'm sure I'll never face in Daydream Dalianland. How mind opening, pride stinging and possibility creating is that??
Also, there's this pattern of all the places I've lived that I've just noticed. Usually the town I'm in is a bubble world town, meaning nothing truly horrific, world attention grabbing, or even quite well known has happened, or seems to happen.
Sure there's the odd fire burning down an apartment building, or a small tornado takes out a DQ, or SWAT clears out a play ground for the President's visit...but it always feel like everything else happens elsewhere. That's probably on the most part, a good thing.
Plus also. If you are watching Star Trek, and you realize a situation that strangely resembles your own but involves Klingons and starships...you might be living in China.
I found a pair of knee high socks that I bought specifically for the plane ride. Since my pj pants were drying, and my ankles were a bit chilly I donned them. Unfortunately the socks did not cover the gap between my socks and shorts, and my legs were still a little cold. After a pause, I asked Heather why they don't make better socks and short combos. She called them pants.
Uh whatever.
Obviously that's not even remotely all there is to it. I did have to put forth some of my own effort, resources and time and there's the scholastic side of it that requires attention but you get my meaning.
So far the feeling has been 50/50. Guilty yet happy. I have to say that now that I've been here, and been exposed to many other people's experiences I also realize how much there is out there beyond my jaunt in the big wide world.
Nat Geo really helps this viewpoint too.
But seriously! There's this giant mash of people's experiences found in tv series, movies and even those I come into contact with on a daily basis...its overwhelming, exciting and it makes me feel about ten inches tall.
Here I am feeling so proud of coming to China for 6 months when I see people working in the jungles with remote tribes, or traveling around the world completing challenges for fun! There's the business men who've been back and forth to China for years, and the musicians who've been everywhere opening shows in all kinds of places, facing obstacles that I'm sure I'll never face in Daydream Dalianland. How mind opening, pride stinging and possibility creating is that??
Also, there's this pattern of all the places I've lived that I've just noticed. Usually the town I'm in is a bubble world town, meaning nothing truly horrific, world attention grabbing, or even quite well known has happened, or seems to happen.
Sure there's the odd fire burning down an apartment building, or a small tornado takes out a DQ, or SWAT clears out a play ground for the President's visit...but it always feel like everything else happens elsewhere. That's probably on the most part, a good thing.
Plus also. If you are watching Star Trek, and you realize a situation that strangely resembles your own but involves Klingons and starships...you might be living in China.
I found a pair of knee high socks that I bought specifically for the plane ride. Since my pj pants were drying, and my ankles were a bit chilly I donned them. Unfortunately the socks did not cover the gap between my socks and shorts, and my legs were still a little cold. After a pause, I asked Heather why they don't make better socks and short combos. She called them pants.
Uh whatever.
Monday, October 1, 2012
It's Mooncake Time!
This week is our Mooncake Festival, and China's National Holiday. We have five days off, and I'm taking full advantage of it, mostly by lying around watching tv shows, sleeping and eating mooncakes.
Mooncakes are interesting. I say this because most people I talk to either likes them, or hates them. Sometimes the flavors are quite interesting, and the English translations are something like this: smashed lily bulp (I'm assuming they mean pulp), or a "paste" of some kind. I mean, they don't put a lot of effort in making them sound good and on top of it, they're kinda dense, can be dry and are killer unhealthy. I think they said that one mooncake can be up to 1200-1400 calories.
Eek.
Good thing I've only had four.
Anyway I was informed that most people don't eat them, they just give them as gifts (like our fruit cakes I suppose) because these suckers will last for a month under refrigeration. I've had peanut butter, some kinda fig newton-y fruit, coffee and red bean. I'm probably gaining ten pounds as I type this- it just hasn't caught up yet.
Its funny because my favorite restaurant here so far is the Indian one our friend Kamal took us too. The butter chicken is fantastic, and I can eat my weight in garlic butter naan bread. I feel a little guilty for not enjoying Chinese food as much, seeings how I'm living here, and the authentic cuisine available here is rare to find in the U.S. However, I must say I've done my best to sample as much as possible just for reference sake, so you can ask me what I've had and I'll try to dazzle you with the weirder of my experiences.
Have I mentioned that its already October now? I'm so sad I'm not home for fall...being on campus during this time is the best time in my opinion. There's football, jeans and sweatshirt weather, crispy leaves on the ground and fresh nipping air that holds a whisper of winter. Fall means a flurry of activity before the true cold sets in, and everyone hunkers down in their abodes.
The air is getting chillier here, and I am sorely unprepared for colder weather. I need to fill out my wardrobe and prepare more for it. Thankfully all the vendors have already rolled out their coats, hats and boots so I'll have no problem making that happen.
Well, I'm gonna hit the hay, so have a great week!
Mooncakes are interesting. I say this because most people I talk to either likes them, or hates them. Sometimes the flavors are quite interesting, and the English translations are something like this: smashed lily bulp (I'm assuming they mean pulp), or a "paste" of some kind. I mean, they don't put a lot of effort in making them sound good and on top of it, they're kinda dense, can be dry and are killer unhealthy. I think they said that one mooncake can be up to 1200-1400 calories.
Eek.
Good thing I've only had four.
Anyway I was informed that most people don't eat them, they just give them as gifts (like our fruit cakes I suppose) because these suckers will last for a month under refrigeration. I've had peanut butter, some kinda fig newton-y fruit, coffee and red bean. I'm probably gaining ten pounds as I type this- it just hasn't caught up yet.
Its funny because my favorite restaurant here so far is the Indian one our friend Kamal took us too. The butter chicken is fantastic, and I can eat my weight in garlic butter naan bread. I feel a little guilty for not enjoying Chinese food as much, seeings how I'm living here, and the authentic cuisine available here is rare to find in the U.S. However, I must say I've done my best to sample as much as possible just for reference sake, so you can ask me what I've had and I'll try to dazzle you with the weirder of my experiences.
Have I mentioned that its already October now? I'm so sad I'm not home for fall...being on campus during this time is the best time in my opinion. There's football, jeans and sweatshirt weather, crispy leaves on the ground and fresh nipping air that holds a whisper of winter. Fall means a flurry of activity before the true cold sets in, and everyone hunkers down in their abodes.
The air is getting chillier here, and I am sorely unprepared for colder weather. I need to fill out my wardrobe and prepare more for it. Thankfully all the vendors have already rolled out their coats, hats and boots so I'll have no problem making that happen.
Well, I'm gonna hit the hay, so have a great week!
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