For the record...popcorn burning can create quite a horrible amount of smoke when you burn it in a pan. So much that it might actually burn your throat if you open the lid in front of you. Also you can add too much salt to boiled peanuts!!! However I did successfully make bbq chicken on a gas stove!!! Moving up in the world!!! Making my own food like a grown up. However my apartment has been suffering because it smells soooooo bad of burned popcorn....turns out there is a worse smell the cauliflower it is burned popcorn!!!!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Friendships, soccer and Shooting stars!
One of the coolest things about coming to China are the experiences with people that you meet. I must say I am a person that loves to meet new people. I was telling someone that I feel like with every new person you meet, no matter how different or alike they might be from you..you always end up learning something new about yourself. It is amazing to have started over in a new place and getting to experience the feeling of making new friends and making a life for yourself different from anything else you have ever experienced. I love to see these relationships develop amoungst people. One facebook post or one great night out suddenly brings a conversation that sparks all sorts of connections that you would never have known about otherwise.
The weekends here never cease to amaze me. You think the weekend before you have had one of the best weekends and then the next weekend is just as great if not a little better...
This weekend I had an amazing night out of just dancing like no one was watching....We had a great group of people out and we just got to completely let loose for those of you that have been to a camp social it would be let loose camp style :) and it was just so fun hours of just goofy dancing.... The next day a couple of girls and I decided to do lunch and then we went to the lake for the sunset. We sat on the bridge and watched the sunset over the city and the lake and I swear it does not get old just sitting and watching the sunset. Later that night we went to dinner at a place called Talking and a group of us just sat around on a picnic table on the porch of this small restaurant and enjoyed our time together. The greatest thing about days off in China are they are truly days off just doing whatever comes up.
Yesterday, one of the girls from the other center arranged for us to get together and play soccer at a field in our city. It was so fun we all met and played a friendly game of soccer...and then ultimate frisbee...I learned I am better at frisbee than soccer...soccer is not my sport :) but afterwards we went to dinner and then met up at the lake and sat by the water with a small group...eventually the lake turned its buildings lights out and we saw the stars!!! Not only the stars but shooting stars and meteors passing by!! It was so awesome just to lay there and watch the stars and watch the bats fly around and the fish jump...uggghhh days I wish would never end!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Oh the driving
The driving in China never ceases to amaze me....it is an everyday adventure to get from one place to the next....first since every taxi is a manual you would think that they could drive this lovely stick shift car better than I can but nnnnnnnnnnooooooooooo that is not the truth....the jolting that takes place while these taxi drivers are driving amazes me....secondly I mean the weaving and bobbing and honking at everything that could possibly move is just great.
The buses however are the true adventure. I thought in Shanghai the bus drivers were aggressive but here an Nanjing I think it is their goal to hit someone. Sometimes I when people are walking I have seen them blow their horn and then speed up...craziness....Rules are not applicable to the bus drivers. They cut people off like crazy...and sometimes their starting in stopping is enough to send you just about flying off your seat. Yesterday apparently it was too much to ask the bus driver to come to a full stop when I was getting of the bus he could only come to a slow roll while me and my work partner jumped off the bus. This morning I had to laugh because my lead footed bus driver was honking at people as soon as the light turned green and so impatient and then all of a sudden decided right before my bus stop he decided to follow all rules and become patient....there was no one coming and only one car in front of us...he could have taken a right hand on red turn but chose to sit patiently at the light and then when it turned green waited patiently for the car to start...I don't understand the rules why was this the moment after the crazy driving to suddenly become a law abiding driver and practice patience. at least they like to keep it interesting!
The buses however are the true adventure. I thought in Shanghai the bus drivers were aggressive but here an Nanjing I think it is their goal to hit someone. Sometimes I when people are walking I have seen them blow their horn and then speed up...craziness....Rules are not applicable to the bus drivers. They cut people off like crazy...and sometimes their starting in stopping is enough to send you just about flying off your seat. Yesterday apparently it was too much to ask the bus driver to come to a full stop when I was getting of the bus he could only come to a slow roll while me and my work partner jumped off the bus. This morning I had to laugh because my lead footed bus driver was honking at people as soon as the light turned green and so impatient and then all of a sudden decided right before my bus stop he decided to follow all rules and become patient....there was no one coming and only one car in front of us...he could have taken a right hand on red turn but chose to sit patiently at the light and then when it turned green waited patiently for the car to start...I don't understand the rules why was this the moment after the crazy driving to suddenly become a law abiding driver and practice patience. at least they like to keep it interesting!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Purple Mountain!
Wee what a weekend. Tuesday I went to Ikea...if you have never been I suggest you get up and find an Ikea like now....so much fun...I bought sooo much stuff so my apartment is redecorated and almost finished...So much fun....My friend came this weekend to Nanjing it was so much fun getting to explore a little bit with her and having her meet all my Disney friends.
Tuesday night after organizing the apartment we had an impromptu gathering at my house and then we went out for drinks....
Wednesday I went to a Japanese Steak House for all you can eat food and then off to the lake it was a beautiful day! One of the prettiest days I have seen in Nanjing...We walked all through the lake and then we went to purple mountain. Yea for mountains they put me in my happy place...well this mountain was almost the death of me because they have up in stairs into the mountain...climbing stairs and a mountain not so fun....but at the top you can look out and there is the entire city of Nanjing. We got there as the sun was setting so it was a beautiful sight to see :) We enjoyed it for a few minutes and then hiked down...this time we did not go the stairs way we just waled around on a path and it was a lot nicer :) It was a lovely weekend...and hopefully now that my apartment is decorated pictures will be soon to follow!
Tuesday night after organizing the apartment we had an impromptu gathering at my house and then we went out for drinks....
Saturday, July 14, 2012
My work!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Dancing through the rain...
I find that the one hard thing about not having a car is that I have no time to dance and sing to music....I also find that when one forgets that you are on a bus and start to dance to the music people give you very funny looks....
It is currently rainy season in Nanjing...Interestingly enough it is like the city forgets about this season and fails to put in proper draining for the streets...so it looks like a river in the streets every time it rains...Today I luckily I didn't have to walk to far in the rain...and I had RAIN BOOTS...I don't know why I never invested in a pair of rain boots before...you can have some serious fun in the boots :) Puddles are no long the enemy they are your best friend :) I would however like to give a shout out to all the cars that decided the flooded lane was the correct lane to drive past me while I was waiting for the bus so I got to play dodge with the water that splashed up as the cars drove by :) Next they need to invent some rubber boots that are thigh high so I can really stay dry!!!
On another note our building is currently under construction creating a really fun environment to work and teach in....nothing like the sounds of things hitting the floor or a jack hammer to really mix up a class environment...However, since it has gotten worse...the powerful people of Shanghai have come to help make things better...over night a wall went up to make our floor a cleaner place from the construction....crazy how fast they can put things up...it is painted and dried overnight...it looks like it has been here forever....also with the construction going on when we leave at night we get a lovely view of the construction workers in their underwear preparing to go to sleep in some empty rooms of the mall...the walls are straight windows and I guess alot of them sleep here to make it easier....always an entertaining view to leave at night...
Other than that things are great in Nanjing :)
It is currently rainy season in Nanjing...Interestingly enough it is like the city forgets about this season and fails to put in proper draining for the streets...so it looks like a river in the streets every time it rains...Today I luckily I didn't have to walk to far in the rain...and I had RAIN BOOTS...I don't know why I never invested in a pair of rain boots before...you can have some serious fun in the boots :) Puddles are no long the enemy they are your best friend :) I would however like to give a shout out to all the cars that decided the flooded lane was the correct lane to drive past me while I was waiting for the bus so I got to play dodge with the water that splashed up as the cars drove by :) Next they need to invent some rubber boots that are thigh high so I can really stay dry!!!
On another note our building is currently under construction creating a really fun environment to work and teach in....nothing like the sounds of things hitting the floor or a jack hammer to really mix up a class environment...However, since it has gotten worse...the powerful people of Shanghai have come to help make things better...over night a wall went up to make our floor a cleaner place from the construction....crazy how fast they can put things up...it is painted and dried overnight...it looks like it has been here forever....also with the construction going on when we leave at night we get a lovely view of the construction workers in their underwear preparing to go to sleep in some empty rooms of the mall...the walls are straight windows and I guess alot of them sleep here to make it easier....always an entertaining view to leave at night...
Other than that things are great in Nanjing :)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Who runs the world GIRLS!
Who run the world girls!!!
Must say that Shanghai is a wonderful BEAUTIFUL place to run away to...I had the most wonderful trip to Shanghai. Today we spent the day getting manicures pedicures and a massage. Tonight we got fancied up and went for a delightful dinner at a Japanese Steak house...Where we shocked the waitresses and waiters with the amount of food three girls can eat with an all you can eat menu....Beef...Beef and onions all sorts of delightful sushi....sushi with crab eggs and rice... California rolls.....and more...then we had fried rice and veggies and lamb and more...then we topped it all of with ice cream and fried bananas. After that we were on our way to pudong when we discovered an awesome store where we had an impromptu shopping spree...cute shoes a new shirt and new purse later we were back on our way to pudong to go to the bar at the top of the Hyatt...Which over looks the city....it was sooo pretty from the top....As we got in the taxi to go home we were at a red light and got hit on by another taxi driver with fabulous pick up line of hello a head nod and then a chin rub...needless to say we had hard time passing him up but decided to keep on our journey home...without the awesome swagger of the chinese taxi driver It was a great chill night where we got to have martinis and sit and enjoy the beautiful buildings that make up Shanghai. Tomorrow I am off to Nanjing to go to work so hard to leave Shanghai after a wonderful weekend with good friends...good food and good drinks :)
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
China days
So some days I swear I forget that I am in China...days go by with such ease...I go to work and come home from work and hang out with no issues and no struggles...and then there are the days where you are trying to get something done...and magically it all comes back that I live in China...Saying I don't know in Chinese or I don't understand only leads to more talking that I have no chance of understanding... it is like because you can say I don't know suddenly you must be able to understand everything.
Today's adventure was brought to you by the need for Chinese police to know where every foreigner is....Today I decided would be the day I tried to register at the police station now that I have an apartment. There is a police station down the street from me...so I walked there today in the freaking hottest weather I have felt in a while...like possibly hotter than Florida weather... anyways I get to the station and quickly realize I need someone that speaks Chinese...so I call some people from work that speaks Chinese and had them talk to the policeman only to realize I have to go to another station....back out in the awful weather....I finally find this place and the policeman thinks it is soo funny to parrot my words and then I get someone to tell him what I need he looks at my stuff giggles and hands it back to me and says okay...So end result I never got registered with the police....
Then I was trying to go to my center and got on the bus only to get dropped back off at my apartment complex instead of my center...so I waited in the hot sun for 15 min and finally caught a bus only to accidently get off at the wrong stop....Such a me move...so I wait again in the hot weather and finally get to my center...ugh what a day.
But I am back in Shanghai for the weekend relaxing and having a great time with friends :) Much needed break from reality :)
Today's adventure was brought to you by the need for Chinese police to know where every foreigner is....Today I decided would be the day I tried to register at the police station now that I have an apartment. There is a police station down the street from me...so I walked there today in the freaking hottest weather I have felt in a while...like possibly hotter than Florida weather... anyways I get to the station and quickly realize I need someone that speaks Chinese...so I call some people from work that speaks Chinese and had them talk to the policeman only to realize I have to go to another station....back out in the awful weather....I finally find this place and the policeman thinks it is soo funny to parrot my words and then I get someone to tell him what I need he looks at my stuff giggles and hands it back to me and says okay...So end result I never got registered with the police....
Then I was trying to go to my center and got on the bus only to get dropped back off at my apartment complex instead of my center...so I waited in the hot sun for 15 min and finally caught a bus only to accidently get off at the wrong stop....Such a me move...so I wait again in the hot weather and finally get to my center...ugh what a day.
But I am back in Shanghai for the weekend relaxing and having a great time with friends :) Much needed break from reality :)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
rain rain go away!
So first I GOT AN APARTMENT TODAY!
Second from there on my day sucked lol...everything that could go wrong went wrong...
I left my passport at the hotel so I had to go back and get it to rent the apartment. However it has rained all day today...and while the benefits to not owning a car out way the bad...today was one of the few exceptions. Taxis were short..and there was storms everywhere...which means when you leave your umbrella in a taxi, you then get to stand in the pouring rain for the rest of the day :) And when there is a shortage of taxis you get to wait in the rain forever!
Okay so I go to get my passport at the hotel and the traffic was so bad what is normally at 10 min taxi ride took the better part of 30 min. and then the taxi driver would not wait for me. So I had to get my passport...pick up a spare umbrella and then go back to find a taxi. The umbrella doesn't work and all the streets are floods so I got soaked trying to find a taxi. Finally I gave up on a taxi because not only were all the streets flooded with about 6 to 12 inches of water but trees had fallen down into the road...So I gave up and walked through the flooded streets to the metro. Then my phone decides not to work so I couldn't call the realtor to let her know what was going on. I get off the metro and my phone decides to work. But my realtor didn't know how to come get me so I had to ask for directions several times. Always fun trying to ask questions. And as I was about to get my realtor to talk to someone on the phone my phone dies :/
So I finally got to the place and all was well....I got a ride back to the metro and took it home...only to discover that it was again pouring down rain and I had no umbrella again. yeah for pouring down rain. I finally found an umbrella though wahoo..so I was walking to KFC and probably made everyones night because I tripped and just about busted my butt...caught myself though....KFC was a disaster...lines were long...people were cutting in line grrrrr... but I got food finally....and the good news is I didn't kill anyone though I thought about punching a few people :)
Also side note has anyone realized that umbrellas are like walking lighting rods...why are they not made out of plastic...not fun walking through lighting storms with an umbrella!
Second from there on my day sucked lol...everything that could go wrong went wrong...
I left my passport at the hotel so I had to go back and get it to rent the apartment. However it has rained all day today...and while the benefits to not owning a car out way the bad...today was one of the few exceptions. Taxis were short..and there was storms everywhere...which means when you leave your umbrella in a taxi, you then get to stand in the pouring rain for the rest of the day :) And when there is a shortage of taxis you get to wait in the rain forever!
Okay so I go to get my passport at the hotel and the traffic was so bad what is normally at 10 min taxi ride took the better part of 30 min. and then the taxi driver would not wait for me. So I had to get my passport...pick up a spare umbrella and then go back to find a taxi. The umbrella doesn't work and all the streets are floods so I got soaked trying to find a taxi. Finally I gave up on a taxi because not only were all the streets flooded with about 6 to 12 inches of water but trees had fallen down into the road...So I gave up and walked through the flooded streets to the metro. Then my phone decides not to work so I couldn't call the realtor to let her know what was going on. I get off the metro and my phone decides to work. But my realtor didn't know how to come get me so I had to ask for directions several times. Always fun trying to ask questions. And as I was about to get my realtor to talk to someone on the phone my phone dies :/
So I finally got to the place and all was well....I got a ride back to the metro and took it home...only to discover that it was again pouring down rain and I had no umbrella again. yeah for pouring down rain. I finally found an umbrella though wahoo..so I was walking to KFC and probably made everyones night because I tripped and just about busted my butt...caught myself though....KFC was a disaster...lines were long...people were cutting in line grrrrr... but I got food finally....and the good news is I didn't kill anyone though I thought about punching a few people :)
Also side note has anyone realized that umbrellas are like walking lighting rods...why are they not made out of plastic...not fun walking through lighting storms with an umbrella!
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