Monday, March 28, 2011
You've been CrewsiFreed
I am starting to really view this place as home. I look around me and watch the people and think to myself, this is where I live now, this is my home. I'm not really surprised by anything anymore which is weird because there is some really weird shit that goes on here sometimes. The way of life here is so different but at the same time there is a deep feeling of familiarity that calms me. Do I want to permanantly live here? No, probably not. Although the thought has crossed my mind on more than one occasion. I mean, I make a more money than I need here (chinese money) which makes it very easy to save some for when I return stateside, I have an amazing apartment thats free, everything is dirt cheap, and I feel like a celebrity everywhere I go. Strangers come up to me and ask for pictures just because I'm a white guy. It feels pretty good, I gotta say. None of this could ever take me away from my family and loved ones. They are all I have and I need to protect that. Yesterday was Neve's 28th birthday and we threw a party. It was a good time and if finally gave Mike and I a chance to play the music we have been practicing for people. Have I mentioned that before? British Mike and I get together once a week and he plays guitar and I sing. We have different tastes in music so its nice to hear some new stuff and have someone listen to what I like. Mike is officially a bluegrass and a Grateful Dead fan. OK back to the party. About 15-20 people showed up and Mike and I were a little nervous. British Jon and Gabe sat in with us too. Jon played the guitar and Gabe played a drum type instrument. We played 3 songs: Tangled up in blue, my my hey hey, and Hallelujah. It went really well! I was very happy with the way we sounded and the reaction we got from everyone. Oh yea, we have figured out a band name too. Mike's last name is Crewe and of course mine is Freed so we named ourselves "CrewsiFreed". I think that's pretty damn funny. My Chinese is progressing well, I have actually had conversations with people in Chinese. They were as basic as you could get but it still felt good to be able to communicate. I've even negotiated prices! I have also started to learn how to read and write Chinese. Its alot of fun actually, their characters are complex and beautiful. I can see how it is an artform. I just want to be able to walk around the streets and tell what all the shops are. Whelp today is the most beautiful day of the year so far so Im going to go play my home made disc golf course!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Dinner Time!
Last night after work a few of us decided to try out this Korean restaurant down the street from the school. It was a Monday night, which is a Friday night for us since our busiest days are Saturday and Sunday. We had just planned on having a nice meal then going home. Fist the doors are opened for us by these pretty, traditionally dressed Korean waitresses and they show us to our seats. Their eyes glued on us due to the fact that we are westerners (except one of us who was Chinese). We sit down and there are 3 waitresses around our table, one pouring our tea, one taking our order, and one basically just staring.
There is a stage area in the back of the restaurant and we are informed that there will be live entertainment in about an hour. Sweet, I've had a need for live music lately, I don't care what it is. We order our food" sushi roll thing, kimchi (my fav), a plate of fungus, shrimp, and leeks, a rice bowl with vegis and a fried egg on top, and also some hard boiled eggs that have been wrapped in pork and pan fried. We also have about 5 beers. (Well, Mike and I have 5 beers between us) We eat, drink, and have good conversation. The waitresses putting food on our plates for us and swooping in to fill our glasses with beer or tea if they are getting close to being empty. We see about 5 or 6 of the waitresses go into a room by the stage and one of the cooks comes out and sits behind the drum set. The waitresses come back out with these big traditional Korean gowns on. One sits behind the keyboard and the other sits in a chair beside the first one. The girl sitting in the 3rd chair is sitting there very properly with her hands on her lap waiting for the music to begin. When its time she reaches over to her right and picks up this electric bass that has to be bigger than she was and puts it in her lap. The music starts slow then the cook/drummer puts down this beat and the bass girl lays down this lick that made Mike and I simultaneously turn to each other with out mouths open and eyebrows raised. This girl was amazing! Her fingers were all over the place! She even did a little slappa da bass.
Later on 3 girls came out also wearing Korean gowns and they sang a song together then all came out individually and sang a song. Some of them coming out to the tables to sing to the people sitting there. After the first wave of singing a dancer came out and hopped around there for a while and then the singers came back out. The each did one more song and one group song then went back into the room from which they came. The exited the room back in their waitress garb and went back to work. The room was exactly the way it was 45 minutes prior and no one seemed to be acting as if we just watched an awesome performance with a bass player that that played like she was taught by Vic Wooten himself. 5 minutes after the show we all look at each other and Mike asked "Did that just happen, or are we all having a group hallucination?" Well it happened and I have the pictures to prove it! We sat there for a while after and talked. When the bill was requested it came to 155 Yuan which is roughly 25 dollars USD. It was definitely a pleasant surprise and I'm glad we chose that restaurant. I'm going back!
There is a stage area in the back of the restaurant and we are informed that there will be live entertainment in about an hour. Sweet, I've had a need for live music lately, I don't care what it is. We order our food" sushi roll thing, kimchi (my fav), a plate of fungus, shrimp, and leeks, a rice bowl with vegis and a fried egg on top, and also some hard boiled eggs that have been wrapped in pork and pan fried. We also have about 5 beers. (Well, Mike and I have 5 beers between us) We eat, drink, and have good conversation. The waitresses putting food on our plates for us and swooping in to fill our glasses with beer or tea if they are getting close to being empty. We see about 5 or 6 of the waitresses go into a room by the stage and one of the cooks comes out and sits behind the drum set. The waitresses come back out with these big traditional Korean gowns on. One sits behind the keyboard and the other sits in a chair beside the first one. The girl sitting in the 3rd chair is sitting there very properly with her hands on her lap waiting for the music to begin. When its time she reaches over to her right and picks up this electric bass that has to be bigger than she was and puts it in her lap. The music starts slow then the cook/drummer puts down this beat and the bass girl lays down this lick that made Mike and I simultaneously turn to each other with out mouths open and eyebrows raised. This girl was amazing! Her fingers were all over the place! She even did a little slappa da bass.
Later on 3 girls came out also wearing Korean gowns and they sang a song together then all came out individually and sang a song. Some of them coming out to the tables to sing to the people sitting there. After the first wave of singing a dancer came out and hopped around there for a while and then the singers came back out. The each did one more song and one group song then went back into the room from which they came. The exited the room back in their waitress garb and went back to work. The room was exactly the way it was 45 minutes prior and no one seemed to be acting as if we just watched an awesome performance with a bass player that that played like she was taught by Vic Wooten himself. 5 minutes after the show we all look at each other and Mike asked "Did that just happen, or are we all having a group hallucination?" Well it happened and I have the pictures to prove it! We sat there for a while after and talked. When the bill was requested it came to 155 Yuan which is roughly 25 dollars USD. It was definitely a pleasant surprise and I'm glad we chose that restaurant. I'm going back!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Here comes the sun, doo doo doo doo.......
Hello all once again from the land of youngsters (boys) with perms and live turtles for sale in the supermarket. The sun is finally doing its job (besides the whole light thing, thanks for that Mr. sun) and you don't have to dress like Randy from Chistmas Story to go outside anymore. Everything is running as smoothly as it can. I bought a bike recently, which I am very excited about. I havent thought of a name for her yet but I figure she will earn one in due time. I thought about the money I was spending taking a taxi everywhere and realized that if I only take a taxi to and from work until I leave I will spend a little under 2000 yuan. So I bought a bike for 550. Its a brand new Giant (brand), it has a basket, a bell, and a rear rack. Not too bad for 83 USD. Its liberating riding that thing around, I love it! Oh yea I still get stared at but I don't care, all is well. I just need to be careful because the driving here is insane. Its every man for themselves. I wear my headphones (probably a bad idea) and sing out load where ever I go. Its a great feeling.
I got a new roomate, her name is Neve and she is from Ireland. She is really nice and easy to get along with. And she likes Cooper which is a good thing. Its fun to see Neve experience everything in Jinzhou for the first time because I can see what I must have looked like seeing all of these new things. She is dealing with everything very well.
Coop is doing great. He turned 4 since I've last written and is enjoying the warm weather just as much as I am. I found a little area where I can let him run off-leash, the thing is I have to act like a hockey goalie the whole time to make sure he doesn't go where he shouldn't. Its scary having him run around on his own. The Chinese throw alot of things on the ground and Cooper loves ground scores. Its hard to watch every move he makes. I look away one time and come back to find him gnawing on a fish head. He is still his happy self though, as usual. The other morning I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I turned the light on and there was Cooper, standing in the middle of the bathroom staring at me. That was just odd, it was 3 in the morning and he was just standing in the bathroom. What a weirdo.
My Chinese is improving and I am becomming more and more confident in myself. Im not afraid to go places anymore due to lack of communication skills. Its a good feeling really. The walls are comming down!
I had some odd dreams last night that really should be documented. One is pretty vague, I was secretely trying to steal a horse from one guys yard, and successfully relocate it to another guys yard 3 houses down. Ok that was one part of it.
The next dream I remember I am sitting in a crowd looking at a group of police officers (some of the people are famous people) and then being asked to join them. The said to me " We are just like Frank Sinatra but without the LSD". Cooper and I joined them in their group then a platform raised from the ground and lifted us all into the air. And thats it. I love dreaming.
I got a new roomate, her name is Neve and she is from Ireland. She is really nice and easy to get along with. And she likes Cooper which is a good thing. Its fun to see Neve experience everything in Jinzhou for the first time because I can see what I must have looked like seeing all of these new things. She is dealing with everything very well.
Coop is doing great. He turned 4 since I've last written and is enjoying the warm weather just as much as I am. I found a little area where I can let him run off-leash, the thing is I have to act like a hockey goalie the whole time to make sure he doesn't go where he shouldn't. Its scary having him run around on his own. The Chinese throw alot of things on the ground and Cooper loves ground scores. Its hard to watch every move he makes. I look away one time and come back to find him gnawing on a fish head. He is still his happy self though, as usual. The other morning I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I turned the light on and there was Cooper, standing in the middle of the bathroom staring at me. That was just odd, it was 3 in the morning and he was just standing in the bathroom. What a weirdo.
My Chinese is improving and I am becomming more and more confident in myself. Im not afraid to go places anymore due to lack of communication skills. Its a good feeling really. The walls are comming down!
I had some odd dreams last night that really should be documented. One is pretty vague, I was secretely trying to steal a horse from one guys yard, and successfully relocate it to another guys yard 3 houses down. Ok that was one part of it.
The next dream I remember I am sitting in a crowd looking at a group of police officers (some of the people are famous people) and then being asked to join them. The said to me " We are just like Frank Sinatra but without the LSD". Cooper and I joined them in their group then a platform raised from the ground and lifted us all into the air. And thats it. I love dreaming.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)