A Southerners continuing journey in China

[Vince G]

Very good Willy. I just couldn't think of it? I knew it but it was stuck in the back of my brain somewhere. :huh:

[Willy The Londoner]

JimB

Thats a really nice piece.  The ending makes me glad that I have not got to go through the immigration process as I hope to live in China for the rest of my days but for you guys it must be a wrench to leave the people you love so far away.

Willy

[Brian Mc]

Greetings guys,

Jimb, great story there man and as the others have said take the high ground on this ex dad.  Let them see he does not bother you and you wont get upset.  I think that will go a fair ways to cementing your new family together.  I have always found its best not to get invovled with kids and their other parents or spouses and their ex's,  just not worth the grief.

Anyway looking forward to dinner and meeting you and Mrs Burk hehe Zhen also is looking forward.

Talk with you soon face to face hehe

Brian

[JimB]

No much going on today.  Gina took Qingqing to school.  It takes about 5 hours.  There and back with checking her in.  Plus paying the bill, (ouch).  I am getting real lazy here.  I slept until 11, got up took a shower, (my first of the day).  Watched a couple of movies. When she got home we went out for dinner to the cafeteria close by.  it serves all types of western food.  Wings, pasta, all kinds of different pizza, Moslem, Asian, western and their original. Plus the usual frog legs, squid, corn and corn on the cob and the usual fruits and vegetables.  runs 50 yuan each or about $7.50 US.  Expensive for here but about normal for back home.  Then she took me to her English class to meet everyone, then sent me home via taxi and she went to class.  I feel like such a child still not knowing my way around very well.  But there are three different entrances to our complex and we use different ones for going to different places.  She has to work on thursday then Sunday then starting the 10th Five days a week.  That is going to suck.  I have gotten so used to her being here all of the time. So I will probably end up going to the park and playing with the kids. lol  Lisa is going to take me to Tianjin for a day as it is her home town.  The smog was so bad today from my 12th floor apt. i could only see about 4 blocks then it was all white out.  Inside i did not smell anything so maybe I am getting used to it.  My eyes burned a bit and when we walked to dinner we both started coughing a little.  I would not want to live here all of the time.  we need a good rainstorm to clear things away.  
She says the reason i sleep late is that I talk nonsense all night so do not rest well.  She said it scared her the first time because she could not understand anything I said.  She thought I was speaking some foreign language that i did not tell her I knew. I started laughing and explained it to her. (I havent talked in my sleep in ages.)  So we both got a laugh.  I know we have been married for only two weeks, but she is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  we actually have sort of known each other for 10 months now.  But we fit each other so well.  Until you live with someone it is hard to know exactly how you fit. Well, we fit and it is almost scary because we grew up completely different.  I know this word is so overused but I believe we are "soulmates".  I mean I do not know of any other woman who would rather watch Saving Private Ryan than "Love Story" Now she does love Titanic.  But I will give her that one.  I know she is not just doing it for me.  I fell asleep during Saving ryan and when i woke she was still watching it even though she had seen it before. And she was really into it. Anyway, so many little things tells me she is true and not just doing it for my sake.

[DougK]

Jim,

How are you doing with the language? I know you have been getting some of the more "pat" phrases down, but outside of your wife, have you looked at any formal Mandarin classes there?

Or do you think that with your daily interactions you will gain enough of a working knowledge that you can get by?

Thanks,
Doug

[Willy The Londoner]

Jim,

How are you doing with the language? I know you have been getting some of the more "pat" phrases down, but outside of your wife, have you looked at any formal Mandarin classes there?

Or do you think that with your daily interactions you will gain enough of a working knowledge that you can get by?

Thanks,
Doug

I've been here for more than two months now and I have two hours of self tutoring with Cd etc a day.  I can pick out words now in conversations but why does the average chinese have to fit 10 words in the  space we fit 4 !!!!  It is hard to learn by listening to others.

next week I have a young woman coming to my place 4 mornings  a week,  2 for me to learn Chinese and 2 for her to improve her considerable English.  I am sure that I can find some words she may not have heard before!

Willy

[JimB]

I am trying to get Mandarin down. To really get it I think a formal class might be necessary.  i have been here three weeks now and have only picked up a few words here and there.  We still spend at least an hour each day going over English and Mandarin but I cant seem to keep it in my head.  5 minutes after hearing it, I lose it.  I am glad her English is getting better.  She is studying her heart out for the Visa and so we can communicate better.  we do well enough.  if we get stuck we use the translator.
Damn smog is terrible today.  She has a headache and my eyes are burning.  I want to completely close up and turn the air on but she doesnt think that will do it.  So I am in the bedroom with it on. She says it is too cold for her.

[JimB]

Chinese TV.

I have been watching a bit of tv with her hoping it will help.  It doesnt.  Chinese TV is really insane. Imagine 90% of TV about Westerns.  That is what this is. All about the past.  And every tv show has some sort of martial arts in it.  All quite comical to my way of thinking.  the "hero" can take on a complete army and destroy them all without a weapon.  He gets 20 spears thrown at him and he justs busts them all apart with his bare hands. After he kills about twenty the rest run away.  he just stands there waiting for the rest to come at him.  then struts away.  One show has this fat guy as the hero, quite comical, he is from the 1500's.  He has what i call a little toilet on his head.  he walks around eating.  When he sees something he doesnt like, he just beats the crap out of them then picks up what he was eating and continues.  Of course I cannot understand what is being said.  Even their soap operas are set in the past.  they have a weekly series of WWII  Chinese versus japanese. Oh, and they have dancing with the stars.  Quite entertaining.  Jackie Chan advertises everything from cars to facial cream. Even in the supermarket he is there on the TV.   Their commercials are good.  usually lasts about 10 minutes then goes back to the show.  Reminds me of Crazy Edssssss everything must go below cost or I am crazzyyyy.  All in all pretty wild.  They have talk shows like in the states.  Same thing.  People coming on telling their troubles and crying about it.  the host is like Dr. Phil.  he yells at the people.  
There is the english TV channel 9. Boring stuff. But at least you get the news you can understand.  I have been trying to get my NFL off of the internet but it is blocked. Damn that hurts most.  Anyway all of the tv reminds me of the 50's but in color.   I have only seen a couple of programs that seem current soaps.  Everything else is in the past.  A lost of killing and martial arts.  Pretty bad acting also.  Make up is pretty bad.
The only good thing is that they have an internet site that you can get that has a ton of movies on it. All for free.  I cannot get it on my laptop but it is on hers.  Everything from titanic to the latest movies out.  we watched the Rambos and the latest Rocky movies. it is like the free hollywood video store.

Jim

[Irishman]

Hah, Jim I know exactly what you mean by the TV. I love watching the ad breaks, some of the ads are just nuts! I dont know what Ling makes of it as i switch channels when the ads are over to try and find more ads!

[Scottish_Rob]

Hah, Jim I know exactly what you mean by the TV. I love watching the ad breaks, some of the ads are just nuts! I dont know what Ling makes of it as i switch channels when the ads are over to try and find more ads!

She probably thinks 'What the F..k' have i let myself in for, a MAD Irishman....lol:angel::icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

[maxx]

Jim have you seen the monkey and the pig yet.They were running a seriose of shows.With 2 guys dressed up as a monkey and a pig.And they would have theese strange adventures.It used to bore the hell out of me.My wife told me that they were old Chinese fabels.And that Chinese people really liked them.

When we would go to my motherinlaws house and they would be watching it.I would set down and copy what the actors was saying.It always cracks my motherinlaw up to here me copy Chinese.

I used to watch womens volleyball on Channel 22 they ussually had a real good game going between some of the local cities.And my brotherinlaw would watch the MBA games on his computer.That was it for sports unless you wanted to watch ping pong matches.

[JimB]

I hooked up the adnet.com and get all of the football games plus some TV shows, Frasier, etc.  plus has some movies so I can stay entertained that way.  It just was too much watching her shows.  I have not seen the monkey and the pig yet.  But, while watching toilet head, I would crack up and my wife really didnt care for that so I just stopped watching.  I mean the hats were something. One guy had one that looked like a bird cage on his head another had a miniture roller coaster another had a miniature easy chair.  So thats what i would call them.  There are two toilet heads, one has a squat toilet he was a real mean sob.  He liked to kill the women he just had.   Then throw their bodies in the river.  then another had a woman who slept with the ruler, then she killed her maid because she saw it.  The ruler found out and had her killed.  I think the maid liked the ruler also, but not quite sure. Another one looks like he has a miniature outhouse, it even has a 1/4 moon on the front.  When I saw that one. I nearly choked on a drink.

We have decided to keep the apt for another month so I have a chance to get back home and set things up so she can keep it permanently.  I just wish I could find her a room mate.  

The smog is so bad today that i can see only one block before it grays out.


Qingqing came home today with a girlfriend that is also a model.  She actually brought me a gift.  A wallet, hint hint. then she wanted me to cook her some spaghetti so what could I say.  I wasnt about to let her cook me anything. She had dyed her hair so she could be a redhead/blonde but when she got to school they said no.  so she had to go back to her natural color.  surprising.  She likes to play badminton, so i think i will pick up a game.  Maybe that will start to melt.  But everytime I kiss Mrs. Burk, Qinqing also kisses her.  So I started to make a game of it.  Finally I gave up so she could wiin.  Then she laughed and thought it was funny.

[JimB]

Well, today was an interesting day.  We went to a restaurant that was a true Chinese restaurant, all of the fish, lobster, turtles, squid, etc.  swimming around in little ponds and you pick out the ones you want.  All very good.  Then we went to one of the largest outdoor flea markets I have ever seen.  Continues for about 10 blocks by about 6 blocks deep.  Each little store was about 6 x 4.  the first part was all books.  the second part part was all different little things.  Then there was the antique market.  4 stories high and about 12 stores deep by 20 stores wide. Then the fourth part was all the misc. stuff.  some really neat things.  I almost purchased an antique bow that had the sheepskin cover and two dragons mounted on it with the leather quiver and four arrow for only 500 rmb. or about $65 usd.  The problem was shipping it home.  I still may go back next week and get it.  

Qingqing and her friend went with us.  Sometimes i know she is just a 16 year old.  She can be so nice and kind one minute then turn into the meanest  most spoiled brat you ever want to meet.  This morning she was the brat.  Momma had told me that Qingqing was very dead set against us having a baby.  Of course for the obvious reasons.  She wants to be the only child.  She even gets upset when she asks me who is the most beautiful, her mother or her.  I always say her mother. She then pouts for about an hour.  Anyway, today she was really being a brat.  so when momma was not around I told her, wont it be nice when we have a little brother for you to take care of?  I cant wait to have a baby around.  Big sister can change diapers and babysit while Momma and dad go off on our trips.  That almost put her over the edge. She was actually screaming. NO NO NO. I just said you know it can happen.  for whatever  reason she was the nicest kid for the rest of the whole day. LOL She combed my hair when it was mussed up, she straightened up my shirt, she held my hand when we walked, she even put her mp3 player earphone in my ear so I could hear the music she liked.  We sat on a bench for about 30 minutes waiting around to decide what to do next.  She sat next to me, put her arm around me and rested her head on my shoulder. it was all i could do to stop from laughing my head off.  She then offered to go get me a drink.  I said emphatically, I AM NOT THIRSTY!! Thank you.  Knowing what happened last time, I was not going to repeat it or worse.  Anyway she was very nice for the rest of the day.

We went to Wangjing st.  that is the place where you can get scorpion on a stick.  No cars allowed, etc. I had been there before but we just walked around for a while.  All sorts of novelty stuff.  Worth the visit.  Then we went to the best place in Beijing for Peking Duck.  My brother in law took us to a different place before.  that was the local place.  This was the touristy place.  But it was truly the best Peking Duck, it was the best meal i have eaten here ever.  Dinner for four was about 521 rmb or about $70 USD.  So well worth it.  i will go back again before I leave.  So afterwards she tells me we are going to take the subway. Now until then I have always insisted on a taxi.  They are cheap as far as i am concerned.  But, no doing.  So OK.  it costs 1 Yuan or less than one cent.  It was clean and fairly fast but changing trains was a pain.  we had to walk from one end of the station to the other to catch our train.  then when we got that and got off at our stop it was about 20 blocks home.  I still grabbed a cab. hell .$68 cents is well worth the ride.  She said we needed to walk, I said yes we do but I am getting a cab anyway.  So off we went and home.  She has to work tomorrow on Sunday, then for the next 5 days.  Three nights also of English class.  At least I know my way to the market and and some restaurants and then home. Plus I have the NFL for the games.  Even though the time difference is tough.  Qingqing is also going back to school tomorrow.  I will be all alone.  I thought  i would like some time to myself, but I find I am dreading it.  Looking forward to dinner with Brian and his lady in a few days also.  Maybe back to the Peking duck place.  That is not far from his place.

hope everyone else is OK.  I am looking for a place to send my pics so everyone can see them.  will post when I finally land it.  Still have another month, but I fear this will be the loneliest month.  With her working and school.  If it werent for the week ends, i would just come back home and start the paperwork going. I have seen just about everything in Beijing there is to see.  I do not want to travel without her but maybe I will for a couple of days.  We shall see.

JimB

[Arnold]

Great read Jim , love to follow your Qingqing adventure's . Glad I only have to deal with one Qing myself . Hahaha
Wangjing St. is where I saw those delicious Scorpion's also . We did have Lunch there , after having to choose out of so many different thing's to eat . Topped it all off with Strawberries covered in a Candy shell .
Jim , have you been to Chinatown yet . There is a Super Restaurant , I think it was on the fourth floor off the main street in a corner of a Building ( have to look up the name ) . It looks like a Beverly Hills Rest . , where you think you'd be paying $ 1000's of dollar's to eat , but it is very reasonable and the Food it great . Has that big BOAT full of Fruit and Mellon's right in the middle of the place .

[JimB]

Arnold, no I havent been there yet.  Will mention it to her.
Well, she came home from work to make me lunch and start the laundry.  I am not kidding guys.  I told her to leave it alone but she wouldnt let me.  So i will have to do it when she is gone.  I told her to leave me the keys and the key card to get back in the apt.  She said no.  I laughed and asked her why not?  She said she worried.  I said I know my way around enough to go to the supermarket and a couple of stores.  I have been her a month, I think i can handle that. She said no.  So, I told her that i will just go out and then sit by the door until she gets home. Leave me outside for hours on end.  I will let you know the outcome. LOL.
While she was making lunch, I went out to help her.  She just told me to go play computer. So here I am. I hope the honeymoon lasts forever. lol.