China Treadstone

So, I can only post blogs basically (for now at least) when I use my friend Jonathan's computer at his apt 'cause he has a VPN. Fortunately he lives super close, so maybe I'll get to do this more often :)

Well, today marks my 11th full day in China and second sunday here in China. I'm living in Nanjing, which is in Jiangsu province. Nanjing means "south capital" (Beijing means north capital). It was the capital of China more than once, although often times an older version of the romanization is used to spell it, so it looks like "Nanking". Don't ask me how that happened though, 'cause the old spelling makes no sense to me. Well, I know that while in Russia, I was REALLY bad about posting pictures on my blog...I'm not any better yet, but that's only because I haven't taken many pictures yet, but don't worry, I'll be better about it all :) (just not on this blog post)

Highlights of what is officially called "The Chinese Flagship Program", but better named by Alex Madsen, "China Treadstone":

~Crashing into sleep because of the jet lag around 9pm and waking about 5 or so every morning for the first several days. I slept on beds, in chairs and on at tables at friends' apts. All of which were fairly comfortable.

~Walking around in the early mornings to find the Chinese doing some of their morning routines:

-exercise: walking, running, tai chi, pingpong, singing songs, badminton and my all-time favorite: I don't know how to call it, so I'll splain it. Basically, while either walking or stretching, they hit themselves, as if loosening their muscles or something, and it looks really funny!

-buying breakfast, and driving/riding around like crazy in cars, and on bikes and scooters and electric bikes too.

~Smells. This is my first memory of Taiwan (and Asia in general). Getting a whiff of fresh fruit and air, quickly followed by another whiff of the open sewer system. Gotta love Asia. And since I've been here to Nanjing before (4 years ago for study abroad), I recognize the smell of Nanjing, and I love it still :)

~Meeting new people, foreigners and Asians alike. I've been getting to know some more of the flagship students lately (there's 30 of us, 10 from BYU and 20 from other Universities across the states). The best friends I have made so far though are my new friends from Israel! There's 6 of them, 5 girls and 1 guy. I met 3 of the girls while I was looking for apt.'s in Nanjing-(that was one of the "experiences" we had to obtain, finding our own apt. A place for me and my Chinese roommate to live in for the next 5 months. It was kinda hard actually because I couldn't find much in my price range that felt decently clean, that I could rent for just 5 months, 'cause that takes us right to Chinese New Year which is the hardest time for people to rent out places-hopefully that means that wherever I go for my internship, I'll be able to get into an apt for a lot cheaper). Anyway, so I went into a little realty place, and told them what I was looking for and he said that he could take me in a bit to go see 2 apt.'s. Then he (the Chinese realtor) asked me if I could translate into English for the Israelis. I said yes of course, and then I met the other two girls shortly after. I've hung out with the other two (Inbar and Dalit) pretty much everyday since. We've been able to talk about all sorts of things from school to politics to religion and my beliefs and Judaism and on and on. It's been so great getting to know them 'cause they're so nice and friendly. I've of course been working on my Chinese, but I'm starting to pick up some Hebrew as well :)

~The weather has been mostly humid of course. The first couple days I was here it was often sprinkle rain showers and two days in a row it just completely down poured, without much warning, so I got two pairs of shoes soak'n wet.

~I did finally find an apt, and there's only one person in the Flagship program that is closer to the school than I and that's Jonathan. It takes an extra 20 seconds for me to get to the school than it does for him. I live on the 6th floor, still no roommate, although I have picked one out-the school gave everyone their own list of anywhere from 1-5 persons to whom they could call and meet in order to decide who their roommate was to be. Of course, you don't HAVE to go with one of them, but it's just an easier way. I got a list of two, the first one is a Philosophy major, and no offense to anyone, but that turned me off. So I called the second one, who I later learned did a business internship just this summer here in Nanjing (he's originally from here as well) and so we went to lunch and hit it off. He'll probably move in on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

~I LOVE riding bikes, especially in Asia I think. When everything is nearby and traffic is crazy, there's not much more I like to do than to ride my bike, weaving through traffic and such. Plus I HATE walking, so I bought a bike at the "second hand market" (It's pretty much a black market where you can buy LOTS of different appliances and such, most of which were probably stolen).

Well, there's another LONG and boring looking (no pictures) of a blog post. Hope is was endurable!

oh, ps, this is mostly for my mother, but whatever. Guess what? Somehow none of my long pants (except for my church slacks) made it into my suitcases :) I'll probably just ask for those and a few other things as a birthday present :)