Guangdong Winter

Ahhhh! It's freezing here! Ok, not freezing per se, but it is cold. No I am not in Beijing, in Harbin, or even in the North! I am in the South, but it's still so cold. I did last through Chicago and Madison winters though, but the drop from warm to cold was so sudden here (it happened in ONE DAY) that I haven't gotten used to the cold. The only piece of warm clothing I actually brought from the US with me is my NorthFace fleece, and that isn't doing it's job! I spend a ton of time outside, walking or riding a motorcycle everywhere, so that is a negative. The worst part is that homes AND buildings here do not have heat. No heat? YES!

You would think that an area which is warm most of the year would still be prepared and hate the cold. Well they are NOT prepared. Where I work there is no heating whatsoever. I remember when I first came to China and people always wore their jackets in the office and I thought it was so weird. A jacket is made for the outside right? No, I guess not. Everyone here wears a winter jacket inside because there is no heat and even worse, some windows are open. Why the hell would you open windows when it is so cold outside? "To let in the fresh air". What FRESH air? There are factories all around here, everything is polluted. Anyway, the temperature here is 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm not even too sure why it's affecting me so much. Maybe because for the last eight months it has been warm at least and now suddenly it's chilly... And everyone tells me to buy a warm jacket and warm clothes and boots. I don't feel like wasting money on ugly stuff that I will only wear for about 10 more days... which is supposedly how long this will last.

--- 4 days later

It's not cold anymore, really. The temperature is now 76 degrees. What in the world? Well a few days ago I heard somewhere that a cold front hit southern China, which is why I was freezing, I'm sure. Now I can walk outside with a long sleeve shirt on and I'm fine! Much better. I can't believe it's almost Christmas. This Christmas I am going to Hong Kong and will go to Disneyland on Christmas day with Monika. I have been to busy to buy gifts or anything like that, so I still have to go shopping for my friends. It doesn't feel like Christmas time to be honest. Everything that I associate with Christmas is lacking in China. No decorations, no snow, no family, no Church things, no freezing weather, no Christmas lists, no NOTHING :( Christmas in China sucks compared to Christmas time with my family in the US. At least for Easter I'll be in Poland or in the US with my family... phew. I told Monika I was going to go to Midnight Mass in Hong Kong and I think she said she'd go with me. This will be my first Midnight Mass (as far as I remember) in English instead of Polish... who knows, it might even be in Cantonese which would be pretty cool. It doesn't even feel like my birthday is coming up because it always gets overshadowed by Christmas and NOW it's overshadowed by Christmas partially AND the fact that it doesn't feel like the winter season. I've almost been in China for a year... wow. I can't really believe it! Soon I'll have to write a blog post reminiscing and remembering this whole year... sad. A lot has changed in a year.

HONG KONG II

Let me begin by saying that Hong Kong was so much fun, that I left it my voice. Yes, I can barely speak now and when I do I sound like a croaking frog (or Femme Fatale as Audre puts it). It doesn't help that I was sick before I went to Hong Kong and made it worse by barely sleeping. This weekend was amazing. A M A Z I N G. Did you get that? I have to take back most of what I said about Hong Kong last time because last time was a fluke! This time I stayed on Hong Kong Island which is so much incredibly better than Kowloon. Kowloon is closer to China therefore more Chinese. In HKI people speak English, dress well, act civilized, and are loaded, which helps because I can just look at the fancy cars and the fancy clothes: H O N G K O N G F A N C Y as I said on facebook. I fell in love with Hong Kong. I could see myself living there for a year or two, but more time there would make me tired I think. Hong Kong has a different attitude. Life is fast, people move quickly, people know where to go, people have a lot of money, and people there are just amazing. I could definitely live there...

So let me begin with Friday. On Friday morning I woke up at Monika's and got ready to go to the train station. I had to take a bus, then the subway for more than an hour with three line changes. I was tired by this time because the mini-suitcase I brought (specifically with wheels) had broken the night before so now I had to actually carry a weekend bag. UGH. Chinese garbage. I had to wait at the train station also for an hour, then someone was in my seat but I saw that she was American and with her family so I just let her stay there and sat down in HER seat... which ended up being perfect because I sat next to some guy who could actually speak English and began talking to me... in a mostly American accent. He also works in China in the next city next to mine, and get this... he has a Hong Kong and American citizenship. His dad lives in Switzerland, mom in the US (they both used to live in Hong Kong). His grandfather was in the US air force and that is how his mother's family came to live in Hong Kong. He lived in Texas for a bit then went to college in New York and now lives in Hong Kong and in China on the weekdays! WOW. I think everyone you meet in Hong Kong who is not Cantonese (or originally Hong Kongese) has a diverse background. Therefore, Hong Kong really is an international city. Sidenote: I don't know if you would call Hong Kong a city... because there are four parts of it, and the best is Hong Kong Island. The airport is on Lantau Island, the northernmost part (and therefore next to China) is what is called New Terrirories (what Hong Kong people call Bumblefuck... because it is more Chinese), then Kowloon to the south (also very Chinese) and like I said, my favorite- Hong Kong Island (with the best shops, most touristy areas, bright lights, and what we all think of as being Hong Kong). There are other outlying islands in Hong Kong, but I don't think the subway even connects to those. To get from HKI to Kowloon you can take a taxi which goes through a tunnel underwater, the subway or the best most scenic route-- the Star Ferry (which only costs 2HKD!). I am very snobby now when it comes to talking about this because Kowloon and the island are so different from each other (and I'm so used to CHINA). Even some Hong Kong people think so and agree, and I can tell (they don't hide their opinions of the Mainland Chinese). I won't get too much into it, but Hong Kong people are... I can't think of the right word because it will make them sound bad, but actually it's not bad, it's just the truth. For example, what people in New York City think of those who live in the outskirts of the state... except much worse since these people are then more similar to China... which is then looked down upon. You need to see and witness it to believe it, but basically I went from a random town in Kansas to New York this weekend (metaphorically speaking), and therefore, who wouldn't LOVE Hong Kong? Audre did point out though that if I came from the US and went to visit Hong Kong wihtout seeing China first, I would think Hong Kong is so incredibly Chinese, but since I went to China first and saw THAT MESS, I think Kong Kong is so Western with a twist of Canton (not even China... because I don't want to taint Hong Kong). Hong Kong has the best of both.

As I was saying... (did I mention I love Hong Kong?). So my new friend told me which bus to take to the hostel and of course I got off to early and had to carry my stupid bag, but eventually found the hostel and dropped off my things, then went to walk around. I ate McDonalds (they have a special from 5 to 9 PM which includes a drink, fries, and either the McChicken or Big Mac or something else, but of course I got the Big Mac)... actually I ate at McDonalds twice in five hours but what??? I WAS HUNGRY. Oh yea and that meal costs 20 HKD, which is about $3). mmmmm. McDonalds is bad for you, but tastes so goooood, especially since I never eat it in China. Going back to the US is going to be a problem for my figure. Anyway I walked around Causeway Bay, Wanchai, Times Square and just enjoyed being in Hong Kong... away from China. I think the locals were looking at me like I was crazy. I was just smiling looking around and taking pictures... a true definition of tourist. It was great. And I ate some oranges. Oh yea, and when people don't speak English (which they do on the island... it's much more Western friendly on HKI vs Kowloon!!! Almost everyone spoke English as well as Cantonese. Serena's cousin said the people who don't speak English don't typically live on HKI or are from the Mainland) you know they are not from HKI, but most likely from the mainland. I walked around then waited for everyone to get to Hong Kong. Eventually I met with Omar and got our room. Then I met up with my friend from high school (how weird, in HK!) and luckily my Chinese phone worked there, but I still eventually got a HK SIM card because I have a feeling I'll visit this place a few more times before I leave... and then will come back!!! Randomly, we found Matt at the subway station and we all went to eat. Well, I didn't eat since I had just been a fat ass and gotten McDonalds the hour before, but we chatted etc. Later we went to meet Audre at the hostel and chilled for a bit. Serena then came and finally we were all there, so we got ready to go out. We went to LKF (don't know how to spell out the whole name) but it is the most famous place to go in Hong Kong at night. It is filled with foreigners... except I don't like the place, I just like that we went to a club after standing outside and chatting. The club was great, the atmosphere was great, and I bought a vodka redbull for 100HKD, which was not great but worth it. We danced until about 5AM then went home and to sleep right away. I love hong kong. Did I mention that we got a room with two twin beds for 5 people so we put the beds together and slept sideways? Comfy. When I woke up my throat and head hurt and my cold was getting worse! I took medicine, drank a lot of water, went on facebook legally and then started getting ready. We switched rooms in the hostel and headed out to meet Serena's uncle, who invited us to lunch. We walked around, took a bus, then a ferry to a restaurant called The Jumbo (or something of that sort). Uncle Jimmy spoke with the old owner on the ferry and she got us a table with no wait (there was a loooong wait) and we ordered dim sum. Delicious. We spoke about China, Hong Kong, HK and British colonies... etc etc. HK is so different from China.

... One week later...

This is how my blog posts work... it takes me about a week and a half to write them. I don't remember what I wrote last week so let me continue... after meeting with Uncle Jimmy, Matt and I went to look around for headphones. My headphones were busted so I needed new ones and HK is the best place to buy electronics around here I guess. Joanna did buy headphones when she was ain Shanghai for 10Yuan, but I bought some for 70HKD. For that price they better be real. Then we went shopping to the Ladies Market and met with Serena and her cousin for a sushi dinner. The food and company was great (and delicious heheheh). After sushi in Times Square we went for dessert at some place where we ordered mango jello, mango jello cakes, fried bananas, fruit and some other dishes I cannot remember. YUM. And this is why I am becoming a fat ass again. I NEEDED to shop so of course we went into a store and I found a great scarf, a fluffy overcoat thing, and a nice sweater. I'm surprised I didn't buy more (well I did in the same store, but the next day!) I love shopping. Hong Kong is expensive compared to China, but some things are of better quality and are the same price. Name brands are cheaper (like makeup), but still more than in the US. I did want to buy some makeup in Hong Kong, but I am just going to wait until I go back home... At night we went out to that street again but this time did not go to a club. We did go into a place with a tiny dance floor but they kicked us out because in order to stay there we had to each buy a drink and Omar doesn't even drink, he's super Muslim (what do you call that. A practicing Muslim? A conservative Muslim?)... so we went to another place and were the only ones dancing on the dance floor. I realized I am more of a club girl unless I'm with my boo at a bar and it's a date (or I'm just in my boo's presence). I don't particularly likes sitting around talking to people because if I'm going to get dressed up and looking cute... I want to enjoy myself and dance! I guess that's just me because Serena likes either option, Audre hates clubs. Plus I was wearing my tallest heels and that area is not a good one to walk around in, so my feet were dying. I passed out right when we got back to the hostel.

Sunday, Audre, Omar and I went to eat and then Audre and I went to the harbor to take pictures and so she could officially say goodbye to Hong Kong (Audre is leaving on the 14th back to Lithuania then to do her Masters in the UK) :( We took some great pictures and... I really love Hong Kong. I am thinking about somehow searching for a job there for the next year. I am young and this is the perfect time to be in Hong Kong... except I most likely will go broke doing that. Anyway, random comment. Audre and I took the ferry, ate some egg tarts, embarrassed ourselves in front of some professional cute Hong Kong looking Westerner sitting in front of us, and I also made Audre go into Tiffany's with me. She's never been in one so I showed her around. The jewelry they had in this particular store was incredible... I could use some of those pieces. HINT HINT FUTURE HUSBAND 8D ;) :] Hee hee hee. The Hong Kong vibe is just incredible. I feel it makes me want to look my best just so that I could be at the same level as the Hong Kong Island natives. If I become super rich I am getting a condo in Hong Kong. Maybe I'll get a job where I can occasionally travel there... daydreaming. If by now you can't tell how much I love it there-- no comment. Audre and I then ended up at the train station and we headed back to China. Interestingly, there were two Polish men on the train from HK to GZ and they said "These ladies are also going to China" in Polish, so I responded "Yes, we are" also in Polish, and then they said something that I didn't pay attention to. Oh, and at this point my voice was still hoarse and almost gone. Another cool thing was that I saw two black guys (I'm pointing out black because this is rarely seen in my vicinity, especially FROM THE US) who had to be from the US and one of them reminded me of my booski because he was wearing almost the same shoes that I got him for Christmas last year, with his jeans tucked into them. I miss US men's fashion. China is NO WHERE near the same level... not even on the same page, not even in the same chapter, not even in the same book :( I am deprived of good fashion in China. All I see are wannabe Chinese guys trying to be Western which makes them just look stupid. Am I a bitch for this? Because Serena, Audre and I talk about this all the time. What is up with Chinese people trying to denounce their own culture and say they are Western etc? This is just another blog post so I won't get into it. Fashion is doing your own thing and still looking good. Not copying other people to a T.

Hong Kong was great so I'm excited to go on Christmas. Speaking of Christmas this is the first one which I won't spend with my family and with snow. It's so weird. I love being home on Christmas and hanging out with my cousins and listening to my dad's corny Christmas carols in Polish, and going to Midnight mass. And I'll even miss sharing the oplatek with everyone of my family members and saying something embarrassing and having them tell me "I wish you everything you want in life. A good boyfriend, lots of money, happiness.." blah blah (Oplatek is a Polish thing for all you ignant peeps hehehhe). And I love Christmas. I'm going to Midnight mass in Hong Kong. It should be interesting though since I heard many people stand outside since the weather is so nice, when I am always freezing every Christmas when we have to go to Church at 12am.

On to the next topic. My plans after China. I spoke with my grandma who really wants to see me, so I am planning on going to Poland after China for a month or so. Before Poland I'd like to see Audre in England (yes, the plane has a layover in London). I'd also like to visit Katia and Natalia in Russia. Lots of planning but it's worth it! IF I have enough money.

Lastly, as I mentioned Audre is leaving. Last weekend was her going away party and we all had a good time! ;) Tomorrow we are having a cooking/jam session (in which I will not be participating because I can't play the guitar OR sing) at Serena's. Last Friday we went to Ria and Joe's place to celebrate Ria's birthday and to paint and yes I did join in, and confirmed once again that Joanna got the artistic genes in the family (except I am good at photography so I'll stick to that). My next purchase will be a MAC and a new SLR digital camera... Maybe a welcome home gift from my family (HINT HINT, Joanna tell mommy and daddy :) )??? Anyway, I painted some woman's body with a huge ass. Figures. I'm not patient enough to paint.

Tomorrow is my NINE month anniversary in China. WOW.

Oh I forgot to mention I was asked to be the host of a MIDEA wide Overseas Sales and Marketing Award/Competition. I can't say no and am a little nervous... since I think there will be important people there, but it's good for networking and meeting people, so that is next week. YIKES!