Chicago Misses You

(This is the third time I am attempting to write this post because my computer keeps suddenly dying on me, so PARDON ME if I'm not as eloquent as the first, and second, time. Sense the frustration?)

This morning I was woken by my phone ringing until I ignored the call. To my surprise the person called again an hour later. Ugo and Heather were on the other line, and decided to call me from dinner in Chicago. Later Ejus showed up and the first thing he said was, "Chicago misses you Agie". I miss Chicago too. That was a great way to start the day. I got to talk to my friends and hear their voices, not on Skype, but over an actual phone. Little things like that make me smile.

I must admit I've never been one to profess my love for the US, because we all know that the US has it's issues. I wouldn't even say I'm very patriotic because those know me know that I identify myself as not really Ameican, but as a proud person born NOT in the US. America is a little too normal for me...since I live there it's fun for me to know I am not actually originally from the country I reside in. Nevertheless, I have a newfound love and appreciation for many things that, to me, define America at this point while I am in China. I love the diversity that America has in many cities (even Madison is more diverse than many places in China, and that says more than words can describe for those of us who are aware of the "lack" of diversity on campus), I love being able to go to the store and buy anything I want, I love having the ability to go on any website I want, I love having the freedom to do...well...anything I want, and I love being able to cross the street without having a lingering feeling that someone will run me over and squish me like a bug in the middle of the street because they are not following traffic signals. Such are the thoughts I've had since coming here. I also have to pat myself on the back because many people have been sending me praises and have been making me realize that not many others live in a foreign country for a year and do not know the language or how to read anything at first. So I take this experience day by day and am very appreciative that I have this un-conventional opportunity for the next year or so. Because believe me, this is very much "China".

When I wake up in the morning, I put Beyonce or Alicia Keys on my iTunes, and start getting ready for work. I boil water in my electric kettle and make some sort of walnut powder drink. It's not bad. I usually don't eat breakfast, maybe a granola bar or something of that sort. Since they do not sell milk in any of the supermarkets close to where I live, I don't drink any milk. Chinese people also do not drink coffee, so I do not drink coffee (yesterday though, I bought instant coffee and I must admit, I miss coffee even though I barely drink it at home). Then I walk to work while listening to my iPod. I think and analyze my experience in China so far and I think about how much people are clueless about other countries. I thought I was beyond prepared for coming here since I never really considered myself fully Americanized, being from a smaller country and having most of my family be from outside the US-I have spent almost every summer before high school in Poland, but nothing can prepare you for this kind of China. I think about the differences I've seen up to this point. I think about my travel plans, and I think about what I will do at work that day. (Sometimes I daydream that I meet Weezy at a club somewhere here in China and I'll party with him, YM and Nicki Minaj, and Drake of course. I have it all planned out. And that makes me smile...and I laugh)

Shopping in Guangzhou

Enough venting. I want to talk about my weekend. Saturday I did not have to go to work so Kianie and I walked to downtown Beijiao and I bought a few notebooks to start writing Chinese in, and a notebook for places I need to visit, phrases I desperately need to know, and just something for me to carry around here where I have everything written down. (When Natalia saw this, she said that I am adjusting to this town VERY quickly) I am a little surprised as to how quickly I have begun to adjust, because the first week here I was crying my eyes out, but now I am content and excited for my new experience. I blame the culture shock for my being overly emotional the first 3 days here. I cannot even put into words how much I hope China will change me and open me up to the differences, and change my, what I thought was a very understanding, perspective of the world, when in reality it was pretty narrow. It's very hard to explain how no matter how much traveling you do, you are not very much of a global citizen unless you live in a place so deeply rooted in history and so different from "The West", because that is when you can really notice and appreciate the differences...it is here that I realized how my "global citizenship" was not actually that much global, until now.
Moving on from that tangent. I went shopping to Guangzhou this weekend on Sunday morning with Natalia, and Darya (another previous AIESECer from Russia who met us after we went to the bag market). Natalia and I first went to the bag market. I don't want to get into what this place was like, because it would take up around 5 pages considering how much I love purses. I will just say that anything and any brand you would want, you can get here. Bad fakes, amazing ("is this fake?!?!?!") fakes are all here. The "bag market" is 2 buildings with tiny stores full of bags. ANY kind of bag you can imagine, they have. Any purse you see online that is name-brand, they have. I really don't want to continue because I have a feeling some people will be very jealous...let's just simply say I died and went to Heaven.

Next we went to the clothing market. I have to admit my dad was right. "Why are you bringing clothes made in China back to China? Everything is made there, so you can buy it there too" Well I thought these items were made for America. No. The clothing market was the same as the bag market, but instead of bags, there were piles and piles of clothes. Abercrombie, American Eagle, Gap, Zara sweaters, BCBG sweaters and dresses...anything and everything. I might not buy clothes in the US anymore. Natalia and Darya explained that the people in the factory probably stayed later and made extra clothing, and now these clothes are being sold here. Also, some of the clothes are not the name brand, just have the tag sown on it. Nevertheless, the clothes we buy were made in China for the most part, and they are also sold in China for SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper prices (when I say significantly, I mean around 1/4 of the US price). After this shock, we went to the shoe market. Those that know me and have been to my apartment in Madison and at my house, know how many pairs of shoes I have...around 75 pairs of shoes (but probably more)...and I might also never buy shoes in the US again. Just like the clothing market, the shoe market also has name brands, but this time they are pretty much all the name brand for sure. Steve Madden, Aldo, Chinese Laundry, Zara, Nine West...some other brands that are from the UK...all sold in this little shoe market in China. I saw a pair of shoes I bought in the US, I saw numerous pairs I wanted to buy, I saw shoes that my friends have, I saw everything! The shoes range from 100-400RMB, depending on which little store you enter and if the shoes are last season or before last season...Next time I go back, I am getting MANY shoes here. One thing I am happy about is that I did not bring many shoes to China. Why would I waste space in my suitcase when I can buy THE SAME shoes here?! FOR CHEAPER!????! I was a little disappointed though because we waste so much money on clothes and shoes, but here you can buy THE SAME thing for so much cheaper. There is no difference in some of these things and the clothes I brought from the US. None. None at all. For us the prices are cheap, but for Chinese prices some of these things are too expensive. Additionally, I'd like to mention that I bargained for an item I bought, and I got the price I wanted (which was sooo cheap, I was in shock). I won't mention the things that I bought because I went a little overboard (Insert my innocent face right now).

Until next time! Stick around for my Chinese adventures! I am going on a tour next week (with some AIESEC trainees) of some cities because this weekend is the Qing Ming Festival, which is the Tomb Sweeping Festival (Similar to All Saints Day, where you visit your loved ones' graves and offer gifts and such things) Speaking of some religious ceremonies, my dad asked if there were any Catholic Churches around, but then retracted his statement by saying "China is a Communist country, of course there are no Catholic Churches", but he'll be glad to know that there is a Catholic Church somewhere in this area, or so says Natalia. Maybe I will even celebrate Easter by going to Church IN CHINA, among other things.