Starting to get regular...

Today's title has nothing to do with the food here in China, or anything associated with food.  Simply, it means today felt "fairly" normal.  Got into the office today and worked on two folks' knees for about 2 hours.  It actually felt good getting back to rehab and workout plans.  After that, I rode with some colleagues to the sports store, Decathlon in Wingjie (I think...it's close enough!)  Basically it is like a small Academy or Dick's Sporting Goods.  On the way back, we decided to get some lunch, and I was asked if I wanted Chinese food or western food....Of course, I'm in China, went with Chinese.  The next question was "Rice or noodles?"  Since I have had rice a few times, I thought I'd try noodles.  The restaurant we went to today (can't remember the name right now) was AMAZING!  Talk about comfort food!  The only problem was it is perfect for a cold winter day/night; and today was the absolute opposite of that.  The weather here has been very reminiscent of back home in August-sticky, hot and wet.  After managing to eat, sloppily with chopsticks, my noodles, I looked to my two friends and said, "Gosh, I'm dripping sweat!"  (we were in an air conditioned place too!)  Their reply was "Well, you're eating hot noodles!"  This was the first time in my life, that I have ever sweated that much while eating.  Maybe it was the workout trying to eat noodles with chopsticks, or the spice, or a combination of things, but I realized, I will just have to get over this hatred of sweating-it is inevitable, much like paying taxes.

Upon return to the office, I went back out to town to get my bank account started.  This is nothing like opening an account in the states.  It literally took me 10 minutes, a copy of my passport, and a piece of paper, and I now have an account.  They didn't ask for my first born, or for me to sign anything in blood, really just two signatures, I was amazed.  Oh, and I walked out with my card!  I didn't have to wait 7-10 business days; finally, something efficient in China.  Then back to the office to work with a couple more folks in the gym then it was off to dinner.  Tonight's meal was again at Annie's (Italian).  After dinner, my friend took me to the center of the Beijing.  I finally got to see where it all started.  Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  Beautiful is all I can say about the Chinese architecture.  The buildings (that I saw from the car)  was stunning.  I can't wait to take the camera out and be able to walk the square and the city.  This is what I was waiting for, the "Real" China.  I say that, but what I am in the midst of is more real than what I saw tonight, more on that in a later post.  My friend and I did stop at a food market as well, where they had just about anything you could imagine grilled on a stick.  They had squid, fruit, grasshoppers, cocoons, scorpions and seahorses, all for your culinary pleasure.  I tried them all...NOT...actually the smell of some of them was enough to make me nauseous.  The rain came so it was back to the apartment for me.

So, there was excitement today, just not as much as yesterday (thankfully).  It seems as though things are starting to settle down, only to pick back up in two days with new staff orientation!  Yay, I'm no longer the newest staff member!  

Thanks to all who have read my posts...If you have any questions or comments, please leave them!  I'd love to hear from you.

Josh

Officially-Official...

Well, today was interesting-to say the least.  Since being here in Beijing, I have been waking up around 6:30 or 7 every morning.  Today, was no exception.  So, I got up- took a shower and headed into the office after surfing the web a little.  That was about where "normal" quit happening.  Since I got here, we have been trying to get everything taken care of so that I would not have to worry about anything else and could focus on getting Athletic Training set up at WAB.  This means, getting me a school computer, phone, ID, bank account and registering with the police.  Yes, you read correct-foriengers who come to China for any period of time, must register with the police at the local precinct.  I'm really not sure why, but hey, I was told on the plane that I had to, so I did.  Now I got the computer finally taken care of, the ID was done the first day, bank account is being set up as I type.  The registering is a little more difficult.  In order to do this, one must have a letter from the place of residence stating that one will be living there for the duration of stay.  Sounds simple....NOT...because I am not leasing this apartment, I have to have the owner say I am living there, this took two days to get.  Finally I got the proper paperwork after going to the community office, then back to our HR office then back to the community office.  Once all the information was received, and the letter was written, we proceeded to the police station.  When presenting my passport, visa and letter, the attendant posed a question to my translator.  (By the way, did I mention that registration must be done within 24 hours of arrival to China?) "He came in on Saturday, why is he coming here just now?"  After dancing around a bit, we found out that we still needed more information to register.  Of course the same information that the community housing needed, the police station needed...however the community housing kept all the copies we had.  Here I am stuck in a Chinese police station, being scolded for not having all the proper information, as well as doing all this stuff late, mind you this is all done in Chinese too...so of course I'm lost!  Our driver had to go back to the school to get the information.  When he returned, we had everything that was needed.  Now, it looked like things were getting better....but wait, the attendant handed this booklet to my translator and began speaking to her....I saw my friends face get solemn, and she turned and looked at me and said very seriously "They are issuing you a warning for not getting this done within 24 hours.  Um, this is kinda serious!"  I know have to sign something, that I have no idea what it says because it is in Chinese...but I'm in the Police office, I can't say no...The lady handed me the registration and we were off....I was told I would not be fined, but that I was now in the system. After discussing this with some of the folks back at the school, my anticipation was put at ease.  It is just formality and the system here.  I will be sure to register now within 24 hours, because I don't want to know what happens after a warning.  This is why I say that I am "Officially-official"  now... I'm apart of the penal system now... LOL  (Not really laughing, but hey, what else can I do!)

Now all of this happened in the afternoon just after lunch.  Lunch is another story.  Jenny (who I have referred to as the translator and friend so far) and Angel took me to a Korean shop for lunch.  On the way, I noticed an outlet mall (SCORE! only a 5 minute bike ride from my apartment.).  This mall is very similar to a Tanger outlet back in the states.  Anyway, we are in the shop and I am looking at the menu.  Menus in China, I have found are based on pictures as well as Chinese.  While it is a great thing, because I like to know what I am getting before I order, the meal I decided on based on looks shocked my two lunch companions.  When I pointed to what I wanted both practically screamed "No, no, no...Not that!!!"  I said "Why not? Is it not good?"  "That is doggie!" Jenny replied.  Needless to say, I opted for a beef and rice meal; which wasn't bad.  It actually reminded me of a fajita but with rice instead of tortilla; mom and dad would have liked it-as dad would say "its something different."  From now on, I know to ask what meat something is before I order; lesson learned!

Now, about the lunch-I'm not above eating dog, I just don't know if I was ready today to have it.  And when the locals say not to eat it there, I think I will take their recomendation!

Everyday is a new experience here...What will tomorrow bring?

"Kinda" First day...

So today was "kind of" my first day in the office.  Though it was really a meet-and-greet and discussion about the history of the program as well as other "house-keeping" details.  I really don't know how many folks I met today, but all were very pleasant and seemed to be happy to meet me as well.  I have learned that having an ATC come has been a big deal...I just hope that I can meet the expectations.

A sidenote here...being from the south and the country, I grew up listening to the crickets chirp and the birds sing every night...but I must say, the Cicadas here are non-stop!  They chirp/sing or whatever day and night!  I'm not complaining because it almost feels like I am in the country (if I close my eyes and just listen).  Undoubtedly, they are and have been a staple here in China.  So much so that some of the folks here eat them.  While I am interested in experiencing as much of the culture as I can, I just don't know about eating a Cicada.  Look for a post to come with a video just so you can hear how loud they are.

To my Athletic Trainer friends and coaches, WOW!  The facilities here are out of this world for standard American high schools.  After working at Coker College for the past 5 years, these facilities far exceed many of the colleges that we've played.  It is really neat to see the creativity in the facilities as well.  Obviously you can't really have multiple fields spread out among acres and acres of land in a place like Beijing, but what the AD has done here is fantastic.  If you want to know what multi-function is, take a look here.  I have already learned some tricks and "niceties" to take back to the states.    I will take my camera soon and get some shots so that I can further explain.

Well, it has been a long day of trying to remember names, learning new Mandarin and just getting around...Thanks to all of you who follow...If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me...jge0624@gmail.com.

Oh, the photo comes, once again from a google search...not a "Josh original."

Day 1, DONE!

Well my first full day in "The Jing" is done!  What did I do today?  NOTHING!  I am sure some of my friends that know me well find that to be unusual, but I took today to recuperate from the traveling.  I slept in a little...then Terry, my roommate, and I walked down to the morning market where he got some eggplant and tomatoes for lunch.  The market is exactly what I expected....I LOVED it!  They set up their "stands" on the sidewalk just outside of our complex and you peruse and purchase as you see fit.  They have everything from clothing and shoes, to live fish and produce.  While walking around, one of the fish jumped out of the bucket he was in...it was an odd fish.  I am not sure what kind it was.  I hope to take my camera out one day soon and capture some photos of the market to post here.  When we came back in, Terry cooked some type of pork sausage he got from Thailand (his girlfriend lives there)  and "fried" some eggplant and tomatoes, cooked some rice and he also cooked some mu'er.  Mu'er is the fungus/mushroom that I tried last night.  Today, I let him have them all...I didn't need a second taste.  Lunch was good.  After lunch I feel asleep and about 7 pm Terry, and a coach, Jenny and I all went and had Annie's.  Annie's is an italian eatery just down the road.  I had a nice American staple, pepperoni pizza; which might I add was quiet good!  Better than the pizza place back home!  Tomorrow I will have to register with the police as an alien resident and open a bank account...This should be interesting.

(The photo is of mu'er and was taken from google. )

First Impressions...

First impressions are a hard thing to judge people on.  It is equally, if not harder to judge a place, city or Country on first impressions as well!  I landed in Beijing today...Damp, warm and of course Smog....but I find the people seem to be hard working and active.  As I was riding, silently (due to the driver didn't speak English) to my apartment, I notice folks weed-eating this huge park.  I thought to myself "why don't they just use a tractor?"  I still wonder, but haven't come up with the answer yet.  Another thing I noticed was all the Pinying...I was under the impression that the city would be filled with English; after all the Olympics were here just 5 years ago...not quiet the case.  My thoughts, "This should be interesting!"

Finally getting to my apartment, I was of course expecting a really nice place in the middle of a bunch of ex-pats.  Well, that again wasn't really the case.  Being here only a few hours, it seems as though I'm in the middle of a Chinese community with very little ex-pats.  The apartment is 3 bedrooms and one bath with a living room and a kitchen.  I was given the biggest room, and not sure why, but ok-I'll take it.  After a couple hours trying to get settled in it was time to go to the school which is literally a 5 minute walk from the complex I live in.  There I met the Athletic and Activities Director and another coach.  We were to go have dinner together as well.  I was given a phone and some magazines to peruse; the magazines are ex-pat friendly.  Dinner was at a traditional Chinese place closer to town.  We had many basic Chinese dishes from Kung Pao Chicken to Sweet and Sour Pork and some kind of sizzling beef.  Most was good, but there was one thing that wasn't....some type of mushroom.  They were served cold and it tasted as though I was eating rubber and pig skin (and I don't mean the fried pork rinds either!)  Needless to say, I won't be having them again.  We finished dinner off with a desert of Toffee bananas.  This was an interesting dish.  It was chopped pieces of banana cooked in a toffee, or almost like a caramel.  It was served with a bowl of water.  One eats this by pulling the banana from the pile on the central plate, dunking it in the water to cool it off, then carefully placing the banana in your mouth.  Carefully because though the toffee isn't hot any longer, the banana is still very hot on the inside.  This was a pretty good dish, though I think it needed a little something extra and I am not quiet sure what that is.

After dinner we stopped by a little grocery store and I picked up some necessities.  Milk, cereal, OJ, razors, laundry detergent and water.  From there it was back to the apartment with the roommate and I was off to bed.

One thing of note, I will have to get used to being hot....I see most folks around here don't really like to use the AC.  Being a boy from the south, this may be the hardest thing to get used to.  LOL.

(These are not my photos, they were taken from google!)