the great wall of china.

Yesterday morning was one I'll always remember. Growing up and learning about The Great Wall I'd always tell myself that I was going to visit there someday. I never thought that day would be when I was 22 and living here!

The other day we ran into a lady who hooked us up with a tour guide who spoke English and a car that would take us to the Wall. They picked us up early that morning and it only took us about an hour to drive there. Another side note, it's freezing here! I was not loving the cold but once we got hiking I warmed up. Freezing though for me was in the 50's so I'm gonna die coming back to Utah!!

When driving towards the mountains they reminded me of Utah and I loved it! As we started getting closer you would look closely and what looked like rocks in weird zig zag lines was the Great Wall! 

I'm not sure exactly which part we hiked but it was fun!! They have certain tours that you can do and we only did a very very VERY small portion of it. 

That thing is so stinkin hard to climb!! You climb stairs, but they aren't all even, and sometimes you felt like you were lunging to climb them! There's my workout for the week;) haha

Every so often they had these little fort-like buildings that you could stop at and take pictures. If I remember right there were about 5 or 6 total until we made it to the top. For some reason I thought the Great Wall was more long and you just walk across it. But nope. You hike UP.

The weather warmed up on the hike up so it was perfect fall weather. And absolutely gorgeous!! It took us about 2 hours to get to the very top and back. Coming down was hard on my knees and I felt like an old woman trying to go down! Haha

One of my favorite parts of Beijing are all the foreigners! While hiking we met some girls from Russia, a group of men from Pakistan, and another group from India. Of course the men asked to take a picture with me. It was funny because one of the Indian men told me that I looked exactly like his girlfriend that lived in Switzerland so he had to take a picture to send to her. I'm not really sure if I believe that story though hahah We had a lot of people ask if we were students from Germany because I guess there were a lot of German tour groups. I also had a lot of people ask if I was Swedish! I guess it's the blonde hair.

The Great Wall really was stunning and I still can't believe I'm here in China! Crazy exciting things have been able to happen with this experience and I wouldn't want it any other way.

loves.

pearl market.

I love these things!! There are about 4 stories with booths set up EVERYWHERE! People are selling purses, table cloths, table runners, shoes, watches, pearl necklaces, pearl anything, things with Mao face on it... Basically anything you want! I loved being able to bargain with people because we could get things sooo cheap! If they didn't like my price I would start walking away then they yell at you to come back and they'll make a deal.

One funny story I have is that my good friend Arie and her sister want Converse shoes. You can get them cheap! There's a website here called Taobao and you literally can find anything! I was going to get them off of there but decided to try the pearl market first.

I made it to the 3rd level with all the shoes. I kept seeing shoes that looked like Converse, but were ugly knockoff brands. I made it to one stand and picked up a pair to see if they were real or not. They lady told me that they were the real deal and I was like, "uhhh nope!" I told her I wanted real Converse All-Star. She told me she had them. Clearly I didn't believe her and started walking away. She grabbed my arm and stopped me. Whipped this paper out of nowhere with real Converse on it.

I said what style and sizes I needed then she called her friend. After about 10 minutes some lady pops out of nowhere and has the 4 red pairs of shoes I asked for. I was stunned! The lady originally told me the price would be 1,200 Yuan which is $200 in the U.S. Heck no I'm not paying that much!! I might as well buy them at home. After going back and forth for a while I got them down to 400 Yuan. $65 for 4 pairs of Conver All-Stars. Usually you can get one pair for that price! I am so good at bargaining.

I started walking away and was next to the booth next to hers when I stopped to double check the sizes and everything. Good thing Arie and I have the same shoe size so I tried on her shoes. People in China keep popping out of nowhere I swear. These two men come walking up to me and ask where I purchased the shoes. Uh oh!!! I acted like I had no idea but he kept asking me. I thought he was gonna do something to me so I told him which booth. I ran out of that area so fast!! I probably got that lady fired.. Oops. 

I did get my shoes though so I was happy:) haha I am such a terrible person.

loves.

the forbidden city and tiananmen square.

So I'll be completely honest.. Tiananmen Square was really cool to visit because of all the history behind it! It's sad because the people here don't know what really happened here, and they never will. It's basically against the law. So we had to be careful with what we said about it. I liked being there because of the history, but after almost getting trampled to death (which still makes me laugh so freaking hard) it wasn't the best thing ever. I'm sorry if anyone is offended that I wasn't in love!

After Tiananmen Square we headed over to the Forbidden City. Because of stupid APEC the lines were a joke!! So you wait in so many lines and things become not worth it. We went inside one of the outer gates, but we didn't make it all the way into the Forbidden City. I was a little disappointed but not completely butt hurt about it.

slammed into doors and people.

I'm not quite sure what is wrong with me, but I am a very lucky person that gets slammed hard into things. Yesterday morning when we arrived at the train station in Quenzhou, we had to wait for the ticket office to open. We were first in line next to the sliding doors. People started gathering behind us and slowly shoving towards the front. 7:05 hits, and people start prying the doors open. I literally was body slammed into one of the doors, then slowly creeped around it to make it inside. Asians don't know how to wait!! I was laughing so hard as all these people were running past me. Like, holy crap guys! You'll get your freaking tickets. That was a great start to this trip.

Another story about slamming into people, literally makes me laugh out loud as I'm typing this. So we took the subway to go see Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. Clearly we have no clue what's going on, but we just know we have to cross the busy street to get to them. We find that a butt load of people are lining up behind this fence to get over there. They only let so many go across the street at a time because there's another line forming on the other side for security. 

You don't stand in line like you do in the states. You are pinned up against everyone around you and there are no such things as personal bubbles. I ended up lying on some guys shoulder because I couldn't move! Haha After an hour we finally made it to the front, and people are constantly shoving you. The guard opens the gate and let's people start crossing.. Holy poop!!! All hell broke lose. I took one step forward and I almost died! People screaming at you in what sounds like twenty different languages and you are just trying to cross the dang street! People were falling left and right and I almost went down with the gate. I somehow started spinning to keep my balance and barely made it out without eating it on my face.

I turned around to see if any of the other girls made it out alive and I only saw Hannah laying on the ground on the fence. Emily comes bursting through a crowd laughing hysterically, and randomly Kelli and Taelor came walking out. She had her hands in her pockets and when everybody started shoving she slowly fell and couldn't get her hands out to catch herself. You can only imagine how that looked when I turned around and saw her lying on the ground with her hands in her coat pocket.

We literally have had so many crazy things happen to us while we have been in China but we laugh so hard every time we bring them up and they are hands down the best memories ever.

loves.

family visits part 2.

After taking a little nap our next house was with Leo and his family. His mom is my favorite lady!! She's 31 and speaks English very well. Her English name is Caslin, and yes she gave herself that name. She also loves to learn more English so it was perfect for us! Some things were still hard to understand, but overall it was sooo fun!! His dad doesn't speak English very well, but he understands it better than he speaks it.

We started driving around the city of Quenzhou and she was chatting away! She asked us what we wanted for dinner (even though we both were still stuffed from lunch) so we told her we could eat whatever. We drove by a Pizza Hut and she asked if we liked pizza, we said yes, then she said, "okay we will go there for dinner then right now!" Uhhh it's only 4 in the afternoon but I guess they were ready for dinner! 

Before dinner we stopped at the super market to get some fruit and bread for breakfast this morning. Anything we said that looked good, or that we liked, Caslin would put into the cart and buy! It was the cutest thing because she wouldn't take no for an answer. So we had some good stuff to eat later:)

In China, Pizza Hut isn't like it is back home. It's a legit restaurant where you go and sit down, and they bring you menu's, and you order your pizza plus other things. So strange but it was delicious!! I miss eating pizza back home:( We all sat and talked while we ate for a few hours! Leo and his parents are adorable together. They aren't like your typical strict Chinese family. They were laughing, joking and having a grand time with us. I love them!

After dinner we went on a walk around another park in the city and fed some fish. It felt like the family walks we take back home in Utah. I miss those days. We then made the trek back to their place. At least, one of them.

We drive for a little while then pull up to this little village. After driving a little through it, Caslin tells us, "we have to stop at their first place but we will sleep at their other place." Uhhh how many homes do these people have?! She shows us around their first home and we meet her in laws and grandma. Cutest little 80 year old! We get some things then start walking down the street. 

We turn the corner to a building that is 7 stories, and next to another 3 story building. Caslin tells us they are both theirs. The 3 story building is what they rent out to people, and they live on the 4th floor of the 7 story building. Both of these places are theirs! They also have an apartment here in Julong next to the school that they only stay at once a week. Hahaha

So many homes!!! We arrive and she shows us around for a little bit. Caslin's best friend is renting the first 3 floors for a kindergarten. And apparently they don't stay at that house very often so they don't have to deal with all the noise of little kids.

We ate more food, talked and watched Caslin's favorite American television show; Friends!! We were so happy to be able to watch it. She told me that I reminded her of Phoebe because I am tall with blonde hair, and have a very outgoing personality like her. Not quite sure if I should take it as an insult because Phoebe can we realllll dumb too hahaha

Quick side note.. When you first enter their homes, you immediately take your shoes off and put these little sandals on. Apparently they all think I have midget feet because they give me the smallest pair!! 

We went to bed early because we were so tired and slept in until 8:30 (which isn't even sleeping in for me at all)!! She made us a cute traditional breakfast and I shoved my face full of bread. My favorite as always!!

After breakfast, Caslin showed us around the village, we met some of her family, saw some really nice homes, and just talked. Basically this entire time Leo is hanging out with his dad, and we were with Caslin!

For lunch we went to this steak house that was to die for!! So freaking good. They bring it out to you on a hot platter with a lid on it still. You have to open your napkin and hold it right in front of you. They then take off the lid and that steak is sizzling like crazy! That's what the napkin is for.. So you don't get any on you:) These people are so smart! Haha it really was such good steak and I wanted to die from being so full of goodness.

They then took us to the beach which was only about a half hour away. The weather was overcast but perfect and the water was amazing. We didn't get in, but it felt good to just stand in the water. I love and miss the beach!! I'll need to go ASAP once I get home. After the beach they showed us their 15th home here in Julong. Once again, super nice like everything else! Haha We then came back to the school and came home.

While saying goodbye Caslin gave me the biggest hug ever and wouldn't let go! She kept telling us that she now considers us family, and that we are little sisters to her. Best thing I've heard all weekend. She really is such a sweetheart and tells us she is coming to visit Utah someday. Hopefully it's true because I love that woman!

This weekend really was so fun because we got to know some of our students better and where they come from. Both Sam and Leo's families were so loving and it made me really home sick. I miss my family like crazy back home but I'll be seeing them in just over a month! (So weird). Anyways, one of my favorite things while here in China for sure.

loves.

family visits part 1.

Each semester the ILP teachers get to go and visit one of the families of our students that we teach. But lucky us, we got to spend an entire weekend with two different families!

Friday night we spent the night with cute little Sam. Gah, he is adorable!!!! So little and has the worlds cutest smile. His dad picked Abi and I up from the school with him and we were off!

We arrived at his apartment and holy crap it was nice! His family lives smack dab in the middle of Quenzhou. I'm not quite sure what his dad does, but they have lots and lots of money!! Their place was so nice I felt like I couldn't touch anything! Rather annoying.. Anyways! We got there right as dinner was finishing being cooked so perfect timing. It smelled a little fishy which is NOT my favorite thing. But it sucks for me because everybody here loves fish. Basically they would keep giving me a lot of food, and I would only eat some of it because it was mainly all fish. Bummer for sure!

Oh real fast.. His parents don't understand any English at all. Sam knows more than they do and he is 6 years old. So we had Nancy, his school teacher, come with us to be the interpretor. She is absolutely adorable and I love her!!

After dinner we went for a little walk around this lake and it was gorgeous!! Across the lake there was this pagoda that had white lights all around it, and it was perched up on this hill. So of course we asked if we could walk to the other side to see it. As we were walking around there was some kind of festival going on. Music, dancing, people selling things.. They also had this huge water show like in Las Vegas. We made it to the pagoda and it was beautiful! We hiked a billion stairs to get to the top, but we made it! Haha

After all the fun outside we got back to their home and they told us we had to be up by 6 the next morning. Bleh!!! I am not a morning person at all. They told us we were going to hike a mountain but we didn't know which one. Of course we went to bed early on the worlds hardest bed. The beds here are all hard as rock and it's awful! But this one was even worse. So clearly I didn't sleep at all.

6 a.m. rolls around and we are up ready to go! We start driving towards the exact same mountain we hiked last weekend with the crazy big statue. But instead of stopping at the bottom, we drove all the way to the top! We stopped to eat some breakfast and ohhhhhhh my goodness it was absolutely delicious! Best sweet/watery soup stuff I have had in the morning yet!! I wish there was a way to describe the goodness to you guys. 

After breakfast we started hiking down the mountain and came to a spot called Sky Lake. Breath taking. The cool morning air made it all that much better. We then made the hike down and it was the cutest thing ever; once we started walking, Sam ran up and grabbed my hand! He basically held my hand down the entire mountain and it melted my heart. Made me really homesick and I missed my nephews like crazy:( We had some fun singing and laughing on the way down and made it to the big Lao Tzu statue.

Some time went by of sitting and people watching then we went to a few museums. They talked a lot about the history of the culture, and about Taiwan. Sounds super boring but I enjoyed myself! Lunch time rolled around and we went to a Thai restaurant. And guess what... More seafood!! There were a lot of vegetables though that made up for it. For all of you who love curry.. Honestly the best curry I have ever tasted!! I was dying at how good it was! I was in seventh heaven for sure.

Random thought... Sooo basically everyone in China all drive super nice cars. Audi's, Range Rover's, Mercedes Jaguars.. Before we left I look over and saw this really nice Mercedes parked in a dark little place and there was this freaking nice white car next to it. As I walked up, it was like in a movie. All of those little lights turned on one by one. Yup, it was a Maserati. These people are nuts when it comes to their cars.

butts and bus doors.

Today we took a super last minute trip to Xiamen. Just three of us went because we needed some things from Walmart and that is our only close one. We had such a fun day! 

We went to Walmart, went to this cute little shop and bought awesome socks, went to lunch at this tiny little Chinese restaurant, had a McFlurry from McDonald's, and walked around. Oh, and we also found this gorgeous park with so many people hanging out there! I would go back to Xiamen just for that.

After spending a little time at the park we had to catch a bus to make it to the train station on time. Ohhhh boy it was nuts!! Every single bus was absolutely packed with people. We would attempt to get on one, but instead decided to wait. They have this road just for buses and they are constantly stopping and picking people up. We finally decided to get on the next bus.

Have you ever seen those YouTube videos where people are literally shoving others onto buses and trains? Like, that is their job. To shove others onto buses. Abi made it on the bus first and it was crazy packed. Clearly you'd think there was no room for Hannah and myself. Well, you thought wrong! Hannah tries pushing herself on and I follow behind. Out of nowhere this man starts shoving us both on the bus so the stupid doors would close! 

I was yelling at other people to move farther in so that we could all fit! Nobody listened and Abi was laughing hysterically. Hannah got slammed in the achilles by one door, and my body was in front of the other so it wouldn't budge. The man shoved me again and the door slammed itself on my butt as I was screaming. People outside behind me were laughing, people on the bus were laughing, and Abi was crying from laughing so hard at me. I honestly thought I wasn't gonna make it! I myself almost peed my pants from laughing so hard.

I wish I could have seen how ridiculous I looked being shoved in the bus, and getting my butt slammed in the door. That bus was the most crowded thing I have been on ever!! So worth it though for the funny memories.

loves.