zài jiàn China

Good Bye, China.

I'm sure we will be here again, maybe next time to visit Beijing and the Great Wall, and not for work.

It's been a short assignment, and aside from the pollution, its really not that bad of an area.

I did one last walk around and took more pictures today. I also went to Starbucks, but they did not have the drink I wanted, a Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha, so I settled for a Toffee Nut Latte. I got twice as many stares today than usual, probably because I was carrying my DSLR around as well. Many people saying "Hello" to me, or just doing a double take.

I did try a weird treat at a stand by the mall. I've heard it was super sour, and not very good. But as I was taking a photo, the guy hands me one, and I dug right in. The best way to describe it would be saying it's a sour apple coated in sugar. There were a few seeds in it and a bit larger than a cherry. Contrary to what I heard, I thought it was great. I may have another one after dinner.

Tonight for our last dinner, we are going to one of my favorite restaurants here, and it was my first, the Chinese restaurant in the mall. There is not a single English word on the menu, nor are there any photos. But luckily with one person that knows Chinese, we were able to pick out some good eats. and slowly expanded what we liked, and didn't like.

When we get home Italian beef sandwiches will be waiting for us. That sounds so delicious right now. It will also be New Year's Eve, one of my favorite holidays. It's a great excuse to have fun with friends and family. Watching the countdown is always nice too, such a dramatic event for ten seconds.

I will do another post of just photos and captions when I get home. And then blog about my awesome home adventures of going to Dunkin Donuts.

Home

It's the simple things like a COLD Coca Cola that tastes like home.

I rarely drink pop as it is, but it was a nice treat to be able to have a COLD drink here in China. And not just the outside of the can was cold, as "cold" drinks usually come. Unless you are getting a fruit smoothie, or something with actual ice cubes it in, you must ask for it to be cold, and it's usually not as cold as you would like.

If things go well, we should be leaving here on Wednesday morning.  William was just a temporary replacement here, and we have to get ready for the next assignment, which is Russia.

Things have been pretty easy going here in Zibo, but I'm ready to leave this terribly polluted area.

That was taken on a better day, sometimes you don't see the small mountains in the distance. 

Today I will start packing up, and maybe even do a bit more bathtub laundry before we leave. 

Awkward

I have to look so busy on my computer when I let housekeeping come in to clean my room.

She speaks to me in Chinese. and I just nod and say okay. She gave us fresh yogurt, which we haven't tried yet... it's not refrigerated.

While on the computer, I chatted with Rich, another spouse here, and decided to go to the train station with him so he can get tickets to go to Shanghai for the weekend.

It's so awkward to watch them do their job, so I quickly got my shoes on and left.

I would like to make it to Shanghai and Beijing eventually, one of these times. I also really want to go to the Great Wall.
And if we are ever in Zibo again, I know where the train station is, so we can go somewhere.
I think it would be fun to take one of the high speed trains too,

Mreey Christmas from China!

I'm sure it is just a typo, but it makes spending Christmas in China that much better.

Christmas Eve was spent at Pizza Hut, and then a bar near the hotel: 88 BAR

We got free Santa hats and headbands right as we walked up to the 88 Bar. As the night went on, we had a fire show, and fire fountain of drinks. And even danced on the stage. It was especially awesome when "Our Song" came on, which is Last Christmas. It is also known as the Pizza Hut song, because the last time we were at PH, that was the only song played, the entire time we dined. 

* Random pic of where we were standing *

Today I spent the day relaxing and watching Christmas movies including: Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

Tonight for dinner, we had a UOP dinner at the hotel. Almost everyone on the crew was at dinner, and it was a blast. The crew here is easy to get along with, and we just all have a great time together. It's nice having  this large amount of people, it's not something we are use to. William is mostly on small, quick assignments. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight. 

Zibo, China

A bit of background information real quick before I get into my adventure for the day:

My hubby William and I are currently in Zibo, China for work (oil refinery, not teaching English). We, or should I say mostly he, has been traveling since January 2013. This is our second time in China and we will be here for another week (or so, its never a sure thing until the plane is in the air). 

I usually spend my day walking around, seeing the area. Today I decided to go to Starbucks in the mall down the street. I sat down at a counter table, and let my coffee cool a bit before I went to the grocery store downstairs. I am not sitting 2 minutes before a man (maybe in his 50s?) asks if he can sit down, and I gesture for him to sit and proceed to read my book. He then begins talking to me, and I have no idea what he's saying. And I'm sure the look on my face gave it away. He then says "I'm local". 

I'm pretty sure he just wanted someone to talk to in English. He would ramble on about things, and then jump subjects. He was very hard to understand and follow. Here are some highlights of his conversation, and I say his, because I said all of 2 sentences, and just nodded and said yeah a bunch of times. 

Famous American Movies: 

Scent of a Woman (which I had never heard of before) but he talked about it and mentioned Al Pachino , which he then talked about the Godfather, another Famous American Movie. 

Forrest Gump, very deep and meaningful movie. Life is like a box of chocolates. 

He elaborated a bit about these movies, even sang some Simon and Garfunkel: Sounds of Silence. 

Often he would say, "You know?" And I would simply nod and say yes. And I don't know if he just thought I was not following, or if our need for that phrase as a filler influenced him that much to where he says it often in conversation. And he would say it very directly to me .looking straight in the eye. 

He also talked about how much western culture has influenced China. From the clothing, to McDonald's, and even the Starbucks we were sitting in. He asked me if I liked the city, and I managed to say that I was from America, and it was different, but not too bad and that this was my second time to China. 

Then he talked about how America is a great Nation, and about how Obama gives great speeches that are very captivating to the audience. And about wars (back to Forrest Gump) and how its best to unite, and I think he was getting at the idea that China and Taiwan should unite? But I'm not sure, but he asked if I agree with his idea, and I nodded. 

About 30 minutes into this conversation, he asks, did I disturb you, which technically he did not. So he continued talking, and singing, or rather humming, more songs including the National Anthem and Amazing Grace. He was singing Amazing Grace because when he went to Australia he nervous about going and seeing different people with different skin tones, eye color and shape, and not knowing much English. But he said the music was always the same. 

He was very interesting to listen to, I just wish I could have recorded him in order to decipher more of what he was saying. Again he had asked if he disturbed me, and I did tell him I had to go to the grocery store to get bottled water. So he just said sorry, thanked me and abruptly left. 

I returned to my hotel room to find a gift at the bedside table. It was an apple wrapped in pink cellophane and a note saying,

Dear Guest,
Welcome to our hotel Today is Christmas Day we have an apple is gift for you 

Merry Christmas 

(Chinese Signature)

Oh, China..... 

Time for our Christmas Eve Dinner at Pizza Hut

'Merica!

Jessica Lynn

My Dearest Jessica,

This blog post is just for you.

This is the beginning of my travel blog, that I have created, mostly, just for you.

Here is where I will post my daily activities, which currently is mostly walking to Starbucks everyday.

Hopefully As We Travel will get more interesting as time proceeds, but there are no guarantees.

Once I get the hang of this blogging thing, maybe I will learn to add photos and make my blog the best thing EVER.

Ahh, but my brother just suggested to make me a wordpress, perhaps I will venture over there at one point.

You're very welcome, Jessica.