It's been the most remarkable experience of my life to put myself out there and live in a country as foreign and different as China. Here I have pushed myself to eat, smell, breathe, and live so many new experiences. Things I will miss most about my other home:
1. Sichuan Food! 麻婆豆腐，云豆，麻辣汤
2. Public Transportation. Subways, buses, long-distance trains. Amazing.
3. Shopping. Nothing can truly beat an epic shopping experience in Shanghai or Beijing
4. Boba Tea. 珍珠奶茶非常好喝.
5. The abundance of movies and songs to legally download for free!
and of course...
6. HOT POT!! Possibly my favorite food in the entire world.
I know that this is not my last time to stay in China so I will not be too upset at the lack of these favorite things back in CA. I've had a great time documenting my life in Dalian and hope you found them equally entertaining.
Until the next adventure,
Jac
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Chinese Glamour Shots Part 2
Today I was able to pick up the finished products of my chinese glamour photo shoot. Looking back, I realized how fun the entire process was and how happy I am that I finally took them. Here are some of the shots:
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| If I was a geisha... |
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Just 3 weeks left in Dalian :(,
Jac
Monday, June 27, 2011
Trip of the Month: Dan Dong 丹东
This past weekend I decided to hop out of Dalian and visit one of the nearby cities: Dandong. Dandong is very famous for it's location right next to the North Korean border. The Ya Lu (鸭绿）River borders the two countries and has played an important role in history and with China/ N. Korea relations. I found the Dandong to be rather charming and I enjoyed walking along the river and taking in the constant breeze. Like Dalian, the town is sprinkled with all sorts of random statues which make for interesting pictures and conversation pieces. In addition to neighboring North Korea, it also has the eastern end of the Great Wall of China located on Hu Shan (Tiger Mountain). Dandong was once colonized by the Japanese in 1894 during the first Sino-Japanese War but now holds great potential in becoming a major trading center with its strategic location.
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| Fair Maidens Releasing Doves |
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| We Love Peace (There were peace banners all over the city) |
Saturday morning, I bought a 90 RMB bus ticket to Dandong which took roughly 4 hours. It was a rather pleasant drive as we went through the green countryside. When I arrived, I immediately checked into my hotel and ventured over the river banks to check out Dandong's most famous landmark: Ya Lu Bridge. This bridge connects Dandong to North Korea and is one of the very few ways to enter the latter. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross. On the bank, I took a boat ride that took passengers close to the North Korean side and allowed for a more intimate view. There I discovered women and young children playing on the banks of the river. Some women were washing their hair, others were washing clothes, and a few were rinsing vegetables. On the side, a young man drew water with two buckets while soldiers walked the border. It was fascinating to see them and the types of houses they lived in.
During the ride, I noticed the economic disparity portrayed on the two coastlines. To the right, Dandong was filled with endless skyscrapers and buildings. To the left, only small 2-story houses were seen.
While walking through the city, I indulged in some touristy-fun and took Korean pictures by the river. I was starving by the time dinner rolled around so I had a delicious, Korean BBQ and cold noodle dinner for 38 RMB. The second day, I was really excited to visit the Great Wall. I heard it's just like it's famous counterpart in Beijing minus the enormous hordes of tourists. Unfortunately, I woke up the next day to gray, continuous rain. The Great Wall was out of the question. Instead I checked out the "War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea" Museum. This refers to the Korean War when the "US imperialists drew the flames of war" despite warnings from the Chinese government. Although this museum was filled to the brim with the tourists (they all had the same ideas as me and skipped the Great Wall), it was interesting to read from the Chinese point of view. I left the museum feeling that the information wasn't portrayed fairly. Afterwards, I aimlessly roamed the streets until I called a cab to drop me back off at the bus station. Four hours later, I arrived back to find that an even larger rainstorm had hit Dalian. The streets were completely flooded and everything was shrouded in fog. I came home exhausted but happy with this solo, little excursion. I wish I could've visited the Wall but I guess I'll just have to visit Beijing to accomplish this.
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| If I lived in Korea hundreds of years ago, I'd look like this. |
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| Ya Lu Bridge at Night |
Day 2 and the streets are flooded,
Jac
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Chinese Glamour Shots
When visiting China, the top activities for tourists always include eating Beijing duck, taking pictures at the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower, and shopping at one of the many famous fake markets. Well I have something new to add to this list: take glamour shots at a local photo shop. In China, taking beauty shots is very common and customers get to take large self-portraits and photo books home to show off to family and friends. Ever since I left for China, my mom has been pushing me to get these pictures done and dress up as a Chinese Empress. Almost 2 years later, I got the pictures done but I'm sad to report that I didn't choose the Chinese outfit. It wasn't quite my style.
At the photo studio, I got to relive my days as a little girl and play dress up with dozens of costumes to choose from. There were lacy wedding dresses, ball gowns of all colors, men's formal wear, kimonos, and Chinese traditional outfits to pick from. The photo shoot started at 10 AM and was scheduled to finish around 2 PM. However, since there were 5 of us with 4 costume changes each, we didn't actually finish the project until 6:30 PM. I left the studio feeling accomplished, but exhausted.
Today, I got to be a lady in red going to the ball, a geisha with traditional clothing and massive hair, a bride in a puffy white dress (sans the groom), and a 旗袍 (qi pao) clad Chinese girl. Qi paos are a traditional Chinese woman dress with a high collar and long skirt. They sound conservative until you see the thigh-high slit on both sides of the dress. Looking back, dressing up as the geisha had to be my favorite. They first made my skin 10 shades paler than it normally is but still claimed I was "dark". Afterwards my face got the makeup treatment with enormous false eyelashes and bubble-gum pink cheeks. My hair was done up in the traditional style with a large bun at the nape of my neck. Six chopsticks, eight red beads, and glittery hair ornaments were then added to complete the look. The employees claimed my pictures would be very beautiful (漂亮) but if not, there was always the airbrushing that could take care of any problems. They promised to remove facial blemishes and slim down any part of my body that wasn't up to their skinny standards. It should be interesting to see how the pictures turn out...
In our "foreigner deal" package, each person will get a mini book devoted to printing his/her pretty face as many times from cover to cover. There is also a 16" photo frame and a CD with 14 pictures we'd like to keep from the photo shoot. The entire photo shoot + hair and makeup went for the extremely low price of 280 RMB or $43.33. I had a surprisingly great time taking these pictures hanging out with friends and watching everyone get dolled up. If you ever come to China and have half a day to spare, I highly recommend taking these.
Who knew taking pictures could be so tiring?
Jac
At the photo studio, I got to relive my days as a little girl and play dress up with dozens of costumes to choose from. There were lacy wedding dresses, ball gowns of all colors, men's formal wear, kimonos, and Chinese traditional outfits to pick from. The photo shoot started at 10 AM and was scheduled to finish around 2 PM. However, since there were 5 of us with 4 costume changes each, we didn't actually finish the project until 6:30 PM. I left the studio feeling accomplished, but exhausted.
Today, I got to be a lady in red going to the ball, a geisha with traditional clothing and massive hair, a bride in a puffy white dress (sans the groom), and a 旗袍 (qi pao) clad Chinese girl. Qi paos are a traditional Chinese woman dress with a high collar and long skirt. They sound conservative until you see the thigh-high slit on both sides of the dress. Looking back, dressing up as the geisha had to be my favorite. They first made my skin 10 shades paler than it normally is but still claimed I was "dark". Afterwards my face got the makeup treatment with enormous false eyelashes and bubble-gum pink cheeks. My hair was done up in the traditional style with a large bun at the nape of my neck. Six chopsticks, eight red beads, and glittery hair ornaments were then added to complete the look. The employees claimed my pictures would be very beautiful (漂亮) but if not, there was always the airbrushing that could take care of any problems. They promised to remove facial blemishes and slim down any part of my body that wasn't up to their skinny standards. It should be interesting to see how the pictures turn out...
In our "foreigner deal" package, each person will get a mini book devoted to printing his/her pretty face as many times from cover to cover. There is also a 16" photo frame and a CD with 14 pictures we'd like to keep from the photo shoot. The entire photo shoot + hair and makeup went for the extremely low price of 280 RMB or $43.33. I had a surprisingly great time taking these pictures hanging out with friends and watching everyone get dolled up. If you ever come to China and have half a day to spare, I highly recommend taking these.
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| The next Ms. China?? I don't think so... |
Who knew taking pictures could be so tiring?
Jac
Monday, June 13, 2011
The Ballet Comes to Dalian!
One random Tuesday in listening class, my teacher told us that a ballet was coming that night to the school auditorium to give a free performance. Every so often I hear about Beijing opera (京剧) events but nothing nearly as cool as a ballet. After class that day, Marianna and I walked over to the auditorium to try and score some free tickets. Unfortunately we found out that you had to get vouchers from a different building and those were all given away...
The great news is that once they opened the doors, we walked right through those doors and found us some very nice (free) balcony seats with a clear view of the stage. Little did I realize that I was going to be treated with a performance from the professional Liaoning Ballet Company doing numbers from Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and even a few Chinese-minority style ballet numbers.
It was such an unexpected treat and qualifies as one of the highlights of the year. Although the auditorium was poorly ventilated and filled beyond capacity, once the red curtains were drawn everyone fell silent and focused on the figures below. The Ballet Company gave brilliant performances one after the other, including an all male rock-inspired, strobe light number. The girls went crazy for that one...
The great news is that once they opened the doors, we walked right through those doors and found us some very nice (free) balcony seats with a clear view of the stage. Little did I realize that I was going to be treated with a performance from the professional Liaoning Ballet Company doing numbers from Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and even a few Chinese-minority style ballet numbers.
It was such an unexpected treat and qualifies as one of the highlights of the year. Although the auditorium was poorly ventilated and filled beyond capacity, once the red curtains were drawn everyone fell silent and focused on the figures below. The Ballet Company gave brilliant performances one after the other, including an all male rock-inspired, strobe light number. The girls went crazy for that one...
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| You would go crazy too if you were there! |
Ballet is not nearly as popular in China as it is back in the US or Europe but I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people show up at this fine arts event. I particularly enjoyed this ballet performance because it was a mix of the East and West, including classic numbers like Swan Lake along with Chinese pieces I had never seen before. In the minority pieces, the ballerinas danced in long, silky pants while twirling Chinese fans around their fingers. They looked so elegant and beautiful; it was hard to keep my eyes off the ever-unfolding visual spectacle. After the show, I vowed to myself that I would continue attending these events as much as possible before I left. So far I've only added the Vagina Monologues to that list but I still have about a month left to take advantage of these!
After weeks of gloom, Dalian finally has Sunshine :),
Jac
Saturday, April 16, 2011
A Typical Saturday Afternoon
Back in California, my weekend afternoon usually included a visit to the gym, watching TV, or lounging around with friends. All relaxing activities but none that particularly stick out in my mind. Yesterday though, my classmates and I decided to visit one of Dalian's many parks to look at none other than Japanese cherry blossoms, sakura. I find this kind of funny because I've never been much of a nature buff and certainly have never gone anywhere to just look at plants. But we did just that yesterday and it was surprisingly quite fun. I felt like I was starting to appreciate the beauty in nature !
Cherry blossoms are rich in meaning and play a large role in Japanese history and its relations to other countries. They only bloom for a few months and the delicate flowers fall out just a week after they first bud. Sakuras are highly-cherished and many festivals are held all over the world in their honor. In Japan, the cherry blossoms personify clouds because of the way they bloom in thick clusters. They also symbolize the ephemeral nature of life: the deep beauty and quick death. Sakuras were also used to raise morale and promote national unity amongst Japanese people. During WWI, soldiers often compared themselves to the flowers and the falling of sakura petals represented the sacrifice of youth during missions. During Japan's colonial reign, Japan would plant these to indicate occupied territory as theirs.
At the park, we "oohed" and "ahhed" and took dozens of pictures. The flowers yesterday were mainly white with a tinge of pink near the stem; it was my first time to see sakura and they truly are beautiful. The trees looked so alive and snowy-white with their thousands of blossoms. There are many cherry blossom trees in the US, including San Diego and Van Nuys, so if you have a chance to visit, I highly recommend it! The park also had a few rides and carnival games which we stopped occasionally to try. There were also plenty of quirky statues to take pictures around. No VPN at the moment so can't upload the pictures but will do that ASAP. After I return home from the Dominican Republic, I want to re-visit the park and soak up the beautiful scenery.
Off to the fabric market to make clothes :),
Jac
Cherry blossoms are rich in meaning and play a large role in Japanese history and its relations to other countries. They only bloom for a few months and the delicate flowers fall out just a week after they first bud. Sakuras are highly-cherished and many festivals are held all over the world in their honor. In Japan, the cherry blossoms personify clouds because of the way they bloom in thick clusters. They also symbolize the ephemeral nature of life: the deep beauty and quick death. Sakuras were also used to raise morale and promote national unity amongst Japanese people. During WWI, soldiers often compared themselves to the flowers and the falling of sakura petals represented the sacrifice of youth during missions. During Japan's colonial reign, Japan would plant these to indicate occupied territory as theirs.
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| Bunny Pride |
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| Chilling with our voluptuous friends |
Off to the fabric market to make clothes :),
Jac
Friday, April 15, 2011
Dear Future Self
Last week in writing class, my teacher gave us an assignment to write a letter to ourselves 10 years from now. This is the type of assignment you never do on your own but rather when you attend leadership camp in middle school. However I loved doing it at this point in my life and found it really helpful, inspiring and also encourage you to find those 30 minutes and write yourself a letter. It doesn't have to be to yourself but could be to a child or grandchild. The last time I did this was in my choir class freshman year of high school. It only took a few minutes to write but something I remember vividly doing. It was a great exercise for me to reflect on everything I've learned in the last 2 years and acknowledge how much I would like to continue these lessons for the next 10, 20 years. At times, I wonder how I will change as a person when I move home. I worry that I will lose my desire to be spontaneous and end up getting stuck in a rut. Hopefully this letter will help prevent that from happening.
The letter is rather simple, (haven't quite mastered my Chinese style of writing yet =P, probably never will) but something that made me feel rather proud and happy about. When I first received the assignment, I googled "letter to future self" and came across some good advice that I also incorporated in my letter. The letter to self roughly translates
******
Jacqueline,
How are you? Life? I'm currently studying Chinese in Dalian. Right now is a wonderful and rich time in your life. You can travel whenever you like, you can hang out with friends at any time. I hope your life now is also satisfying and are able to do the things you love every day.
If I can give you some advice, I just want to say a few words. In modern society, life can impose a lot of stress on you whether it's how much your salary is, what kind of job you have, etc. But the most important thing is to have self-confidence and self-respect. Don't compare yourself to others. Otherwise you're going to feel self-dejected. In life, you will certainly stumble upon some hard times. First though, know that every person will have rough episodes. Most important is that you persevere. Don't give up too easily. Life can be beautiful, at times, it can also be bitter. When troubles comes along, first ask yourself, will this matter to me tomorrow? Next month? Next year? Don't be too worried, it has no positive benefits whatsoever. Relax. Laugh everyday. Don't be too strict with yourself.
Right now you are still young; you have a lot of time. Write down all of your dreams and look at this paper everyday. If you have professional dreams, with hard work you can make them come true and achieve success. In regards to your monthly salary, save half of it, your future self will be very happy with you =P.
Friends and family are life's most precious "things." Although work and life may be busy, make the time to be with your parents, friends, and husband. Treasure every minute you have with them. I believe if you do this, you will not have any regrets.
Jacqueline
**********
After a few revisions from my teacher, this is how the final product came out.
宝玉，
你好。现在的生活怎么样？ 我在大连学习汉语。 现在过着丰富多彩的生活， 可以随便旅游， 随便跟朋友玩儿。我希望你对生活很满意， 能每天做喜欢做的事。
如果我可以给你建议， 我要说几句话。 在现代的社会中， 你可能感到有很大的压力：有多少的收入， 什么样的工作等等。 但最重要的是你一定要有自信和自尊。 不要跟其他人比。 要不然就会感到很自卑。在你的生活中， 你肯定会碰到困难和挫折。 首先， 每个人都会遇到不好的事情。 需要注意的是你的坚持。 别轻易地放弃。 生活是快乐的， 在有些时候，却也是很痛苦的。 发生困难的时候， 问问自己， 明天这个事还会跟我有关系吗？ 下个月呢？ 明年呢？ 别太担心， 否则对你的身体没有好处。放松一下。 每天笑， 别对自己太严格。
现在还很年轻， 还有时间。 写出来你的梦想， 每天看看这张纸。 如果你有工作的梦想， 就很努力地工作， 你肯定会实现的， 得到成功。 至于你的月薪， 那么将来的你肯定会很满意 =P。
朋友和家庭是生活最珍贵的东西。 虽然你工作很忙， 但是应该抽空跟父母， 朋友，丈夫一起玩儿。 珍惜跟他们在一起的每分钟。我觉得如果你这样做， 就不会有后悔和遗憾。
宝玉
2011年4月14号
Feeling inspired :),
Jac
The letter is rather simple, (haven't quite mastered my Chinese style of writing yet =P, probably never will) but something that made me feel rather proud and happy about. When I first received the assignment, I googled "letter to future self" and came across some good advice that I also incorporated in my letter. The letter to self roughly translates
******
Jacqueline,
How are you? Life? I'm currently studying Chinese in Dalian. Right now is a wonderful and rich time in your life. You can travel whenever you like, you can hang out with friends at any time. I hope your life now is also satisfying and are able to do the things you love every day.
If I can give you some advice, I just want to say a few words. In modern society, life can impose a lot of stress on you whether it's how much your salary is, what kind of job you have, etc. But the most important thing is to have self-confidence and self-respect. Don't compare yourself to others. Otherwise you're going to feel self-dejected. In life, you will certainly stumble upon some hard times. First though, know that every person will have rough episodes. Most important is that you persevere. Don't give up too easily. Life can be beautiful, at times, it can also be bitter. When troubles comes along, first ask yourself, will this matter to me tomorrow? Next month? Next year? Don't be too worried, it has no positive benefits whatsoever. Relax. Laugh everyday. Don't be too strict with yourself.
Right now you are still young; you have a lot of time. Write down all of your dreams and look at this paper everyday. If you have professional dreams, with hard work you can make them come true and achieve success. In regards to your monthly salary, save half of it, your future self will be very happy with you =P.
Friends and family are life's most precious "things." Although work and life may be busy, make the time to be with your parents, friends, and husband. Treasure every minute you have with them. I believe if you do this, you will not have any regrets.
Jacqueline
**********
After a few revisions from my teacher, this is how the final product came out.
宝玉，
你好。现在的生活怎么样？ 我在大连学习汉语。 现在过着丰富多彩的生活， 可以随便旅游， 随便跟朋友玩儿。我希望你对生活很满意， 能每天做喜欢做的事。
如果我可以给你建议， 我要说几句话。 在现代的社会中， 你可能感到有很大的压力：有多少的收入， 什么样的工作等等。 但最重要的是你一定要有自信和自尊。 不要跟其他人比。 要不然就会感到很自卑。在你的生活中， 你肯定会碰到困难和挫折。 首先， 每个人都会遇到不好的事情。 需要注意的是你的坚持。 别轻易地放弃。 生活是快乐的， 在有些时候，却也是很痛苦的。 发生困难的时候， 问问自己， 明天这个事还会跟我有关系吗？ 下个月呢？ 明年呢？ 别太担心， 否则对你的身体没有好处。放松一下。 每天笑， 别对自己太严格。
现在还很年轻， 还有时间。 写出来你的梦想， 每天看看这张纸。 如果你有工作的梦想， 就很努力地工作， 你肯定会实现的， 得到成功。 至于你的月薪， 那么将来的你肯定会很满意 =P。
朋友和家庭是生活最珍贵的东西。 虽然你工作很忙， 但是应该抽空跟父母， 朋友，丈夫一起玩儿。 珍惜跟他们在一起的每分钟。我觉得如果你这样做， 就不会有后悔和遗憾。
宝玉
2011年4月14号
Feeling inspired :),
Jac
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