Yesterday early afternoon a man comes to deliver my luggage!!! I was sooo happy!! : )
Soon after that knock at the door I get a call from the baggage customer service line and the guy informs me that they have located my luggage. I said yes I know because its sitting in my living room ahha
Now I have to unpack everything..something I am not looking forward to but since I am ussually up around 5am unable to fall back to sleep I guess I could find some time to do it.
Thanks again for everyone who followed my blog!! It was great to get feedback and hear that people enjoyed reading it.
I look forward to sharing stories and pictures with people in person over the holidays!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
IM BACKKKK!!!
We had a van come and pick Kim and I up at the school around 3pm on Tuesday and we headed off to the airport. When we got there we were both praying that our luggage wasn't going to be too heavy so that is all that I had on my mind. Luckily they made it with no problems but then I go to check my tickets and see where I am sitting and I was at a window seat. I really wanted an aisle seat because on a 13 hour flight it is nice to be able to get up when you want and not have to bug the person next to you. I was pretty upset that I forgot to ask but was hoping that I had nice people sitting next to me.
Kim and I then went to go and grab a little bite to eat so that we weren't hungry for our flight and tried to find some books or magazines to read. We finally go to our gate and wait for them to start boarding but sadly they don't seem to be announcing much in English. All of a sudden a bunch of people start lining up and we are like oh maybe its time to line up? haha so we go and jump in line and kim shows her ticket and passport to someone and they let her through and I go right after her and they turn me away. She did this to me twice and I was so confused because we were in the same row and she was speaking Chinese so I had no idea what she meant. Luckily my third try she let me in. Turns out that Kim has the aisle seat in my row and then there is one seat in between us. We were both hoping that there would be someone friendly sitting in between us. We we nervous as each person walked by looking at the numbers but no one was coming into our seat and we started to get excited thinking that maybe we would have an empty seat in between us.
andddd luckily NO ONE came to sit there so we had an empty seat in between us for the whole 13 hour flight. We were so happy. It gave us more room to put our feet up and be comfortable. Couldn't have been happier about that.
Then we land in Toronto CANADA and we have to go in this long line for security and then we have to go pick up our luggage and then go through customs. We look at the line and realize it is so long and we aren't going to make our flight. We hop in the line and it starts moving kinda fast and finally we make it through but realize that we have like no time to make it to our gate. We start walking very fast to put our luggage on the right track to head to Moncton with us. After we do that we see on the screen that it says that our flight is delayed and we are happy because now we just might make it. Then we get in a line for security and it is going so slow but we finally make it through and run (amazing race style) to our gate. We get there sit down and are like yes we made it. Then someone comes on to announce that because of the weather in Moncton we might not be able to land there and we might be landing in Fredericton. I was so upset, after all that I just wanted to get home. We ended up sitting waiting for a while to get on our plane. Finally a while passes and we get on and sit down. Now we are excited and see the light at the end of the tunnel, but sadly we end up sitting on the plane for an hour before we leave.
Then we leave and are up in the air! Yay Moncton bound we were!! When we started landing it was bumpy and I am not going to lie I was very nervous haha but we landed safely and I ran out to meet my parents.
We start talking and waiting for our luggage. More and more luggage keeps coming out but not mine, or Kims. After about an hour of waiting to find my luggage I hear that it didn't make it on the plane so it will arrive on the plane tomorrow morning.
The morning comes and no call about my luggage arriving. So i call and try and find out where it is and the customer service guy tells me that he can't tell me where it is but it should land in Moncton shortly. After a while talking to this guy and he gives me no information I decide to drive to the airport to find out what is going on. I get there and one of my peices of luggage is there yay! but no word on my other one. I come back home and wait but still no call, but online it says that it's in its way to the destination. It is almsot 10 and still no word and then I hear from Kim that her luggage arrived and was delivered to her door. I get in the car and drive to the airport but no word on my luggage and I come home and find out that my dad has been on the phone trying to find out what is going on and he tells me that apparently they do not know where my luggage is. : (
I am very happy to be home!! : ) But no luggage : (
Fingers crossed that tomorrow it arrives.
Kim and I then went to go and grab a little bite to eat so that we weren't hungry for our flight and tried to find some books or magazines to read. We finally go to our gate and wait for them to start boarding but sadly they don't seem to be announcing much in English. All of a sudden a bunch of people start lining up and we are like oh maybe its time to line up? haha so we go and jump in line and kim shows her ticket and passport to someone and they let her through and I go right after her and they turn me away. She did this to me twice and I was so confused because we were in the same row and she was speaking Chinese so I had no idea what she meant. Luckily my third try she let me in. Turns out that Kim has the aisle seat in my row and then there is one seat in between us. We were both hoping that there would be someone friendly sitting in between us. We we nervous as each person walked by looking at the numbers but no one was coming into our seat and we started to get excited thinking that maybe we would have an empty seat in between us.
andddd luckily NO ONE came to sit there so we had an empty seat in between us for the whole 13 hour flight. We were so happy. It gave us more room to put our feet up and be comfortable. Couldn't have been happier about that.
Then we land in Toronto CANADA and we have to go in this long line for security and then we have to go pick up our luggage and then go through customs. We look at the line and realize it is so long and we aren't going to make our flight. We hop in the line and it starts moving kinda fast and finally we make it through but realize that we have like no time to make it to our gate. We start walking very fast to put our luggage on the right track to head to Moncton with us. After we do that we see on the screen that it says that our flight is delayed and we are happy because now we just might make it. Then we get in a line for security and it is going so slow but we finally make it through and run (amazing race style) to our gate. We get there sit down and are like yes we made it. Then someone comes on to announce that because of the weather in Moncton we might not be able to land there and we might be landing in Fredericton. I was so upset, after all that I just wanted to get home. We ended up sitting waiting for a while to get on our plane. Finally a while passes and we get on and sit down. Now we are excited and see the light at the end of the tunnel, but sadly we end up sitting on the plane for an hour before we leave.
Then we leave and are up in the air! Yay Moncton bound we were!! When we started landing it was bumpy and I am not going to lie I was very nervous haha but we landed safely and I ran out to meet my parents.
We start talking and waiting for our luggage. More and more luggage keeps coming out but not mine, or Kims. After about an hour of waiting to find my luggage I hear that it didn't make it on the plane so it will arrive on the plane tomorrow morning.
The morning comes and no call about my luggage arriving. So i call and try and find out where it is and the customer service guy tells me that he can't tell me where it is but it should land in Moncton shortly. After a while talking to this guy and he gives me no information I decide to drive to the airport to find out what is going on. I get there and one of my peices of luggage is there yay! but no word on my other one. I come back home and wait but still no call, but online it says that it's in its way to the destination. It is almsot 10 and still no word and then I hear from Kim that her luggage arrived and was delivered to her door. I get in the car and drive to the airport but no word on my luggage and I come home and find out that my dad has been on the phone trying to find out what is going on and he tells me that apparently they do not know where my luggage is. : (
I am very happy to be home!! : ) But no luggage : (
Fingers crossed that tomorrow it arrives.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Last Night in Beijing
My bags are packed and im ready to go.... haha
Tonight is my last night in Beijing. We went out for dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant and took some pictures infront of the school with all the pretty Christmas decorations.
I can't believe that my time here is all done. I remember when we first arrived here and I was thinking to myself...what did I get myself into haha and now I am shocked that it is all over.
I am very excited to be getting back home to see all my friends and family but I am very sad to be saying bye to my students and my friends I have made while I have been here.
I am so happy that I got to have this experience and it will be something that I will never forget!!
I am planning on writing one more post when I get back home to comment on the flights...the longgg flights ahah
but I do want to say thanks to everyone who read my blog and commented on it. It was great to hear that people were enjoying it : )
And I also want to say thank you to all my friends and family who wrote me emails all the time. It was great to hear from everyone and it really helped me get through some of the days where I was really missing home. so thank you! : )
Tonight is my last night in Beijing. We went out for dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant and took some pictures infront of the school with all the pretty Christmas decorations.
I can't believe that my time here is all done. I remember when we first arrived here and I was thinking to myself...what did I get myself into haha and now I am shocked that it is all over.
I am very excited to be getting back home to see all my friends and family but I am very sad to be saying bye to my students and my friends I have made while I have been here.
I am so happy that I got to have this experience and it will be something that I will never forget!!
I am planning on writing one more post when I get back home to comment on the flights...the longgg flights ahah
but I do want to say thanks to everyone who read my blog and commented on it. It was great to hear that people were enjoying it : )
And I also want to say thank you to all my friends and family who wrote me emails all the time. It was great to hear from everyone and it really helped me get through some of the days where I was really missing home. so thank you! : )
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Radio
When we get into cabs here I always hope to hear an English song playing but of course it never happens. Sometimes when we get into cabs the radio they are listening to sound so intense and like they are yelling or something. The first few times we heard it we joked that they were brainwashing us haha
But the other day Kim and I were going out and we got into the cab and who comes on the radio but….50 cent! Hahaha we couldn’t stop laughing and we of course sang along. I was shocked but it made the cab ride feel a little like home.
But the other day Kim and I were going out and we got into the cab and who comes on the radio but….50 cent! Hahaha we couldn’t stop laughing and we of course sang along. I was shocked but it made the cab ride feel a little like home.
Tipping
I am not sure if you knew this but people don’t tip here in Beijing. I am surprised by this because the way that people treat us at restaurants is just so unbelievably nice. Even though some struggle to speak English they try their best and are always ready to make sure that we have everything we need. The other day when Kim and I went out to eat Kim wasn’t even able to finish her last gulp of water before they filled it right back up. They always come up and ask us if we need anything else and they are just all so polite. I feel like I want to tip here more than back home sometimes.
The people working at the restaurants all help each other. I think the other night when we were eating we had one person take our order, a different person bring us our water to drink, a different person brought us our pop, another one brought our appetizer, and another person our food. They are all so nice and each one is willing to help out. I guess it would be hard to tip too because by the time they split it between each of them there wouldn’t be much for each of them to have haha
I also remember when we were at the hotel that night a while back. The people there were sooo nice! Every time they brought you something and you said thank you, they would reply with “my pleasure”. When we were at the buffet as soon as you put your last bite from your plate they were there taking your plate away so you were ready to go and get some more. They made sure our water was always filled and kept coming up to ask us if we needed anything. It makes eating out so nice here.
There are sometimes they are almost too eager to help you out though. They ask us if we are ready for them to take our order and we say just a few more minutes and they take a few steps back and just stand there. It makes you feel rushed and like they are just getting mad waiting haha and then if you make eye contact with them they think you need something and come rushing over. Haha
Also they don’t just bring you your bills when you are finished eating. You have to ask for your bill when you are ready to leave. The first few times we were eating out here we sat for a little while wondering how come they weren’t giving us the bills and then we remembered we had to ask. They don’t split your bills for you usually either. It all comes on one bill and then we all split it ourselves (helps us with our math skills!).
The people working at the restaurants all help each other. I think the other night when we were eating we had one person take our order, a different person bring us our water to drink, a different person brought us our pop, another one brought our appetizer, and another person our food. They are all so nice and each one is willing to help out. I guess it would be hard to tip too because by the time they split it between each of them there wouldn’t be much for each of them to have haha
I also remember when we were at the hotel that night a while back. The people there were sooo nice! Every time they brought you something and you said thank you, they would reply with “my pleasure”. When we were at the buffet as soon as you put your last bite from your plate they were there taking your plate away so you were ready to go and get some more. They made sure our water was always filled and kept coming up to ask us if we needed anything. It makes eating out so nice here.
There are sometimes they are almost too eager to help you out though. They ask us if we are ready for them to take our order and we say just a few more minutes and they take a few steps back and just stand there. It makes you feel rushed and like they are just getting mad waiting haha and then if you make eye contact with them they think you need something and come rushing over. Haha
Also they don’t just bring you your bills when you are finished eating. You have to ask for your bill when you are ready to leave. The first few times we were eating out here we sat for a little while wondering how come they weren’t giving us the bills and then we remembered we had to ask. They don’t split your bills for you usually either. It all comes on one bill and then we all split it ourselves (helps us with our math skills!).
Chinese Pancakes
This past week a little girl brought in a treat for everyone on the class. They looked very yummy and I thought it was going to be a bit like a tea biscuit but when I picked it up it was very heavy so I was wondering what was in it. I opened it to see what was inside and I wasn’t sure what anything was. I took a bite and it did not taste good to me. I am not sure what it was. I asked the TA that was from China and she said it is sort of a Chinese pancake and are special in this one place in China and that is where she got them from for the class.
They looked similar to the ones on the left.
They looked similar to the ones on the left.
Chaoyang Park
There is a park right next to the school that is huge. Kim and I have been saying we are going to go over there and walk since we got here but since it was so close we kept putting it off to go to other places haha so finally we walked over to check it out. It is beautiful.
Here are a few pictures I took while we were walking around.
There we lots of people just sitting on the grass hanging out and people walking around. There were also people flying kites. Kim and I stood and watched for a while. There were also little children running with their kites being pulled behind them. It was so cute.
We were having a nice walk (no cars honking at us or bikes zooming by) and it was very peaceful but then we spoke too soon because coming up behind us was a van. Can’t even walk in a park without having to watch your back for vehicles. haha
At this park you can also get a bike built for two or four to travel around the park. It was cute to watch couples biking around on them.
When we were walking past this part of the park...
...it looked so nice. It almost looked like someone had placed each of the leaves on the grass because they seemed spread out perfectly. It was very nice!
Here are a few pictures I took while we were walking around.
There we lots of people just sitting on the grass hanging out and people walking around. There were also people flying kites. Kim and I stood and watched for a while. There were also little children running with their kites being pulled behind them. It was so cute.
We were having a nice walk (no cars honking at us or bikes zooming by) and it was very peaceful but then we spoke too soon because coming up behind us was a van. Can’t even walk in a park without having to watch your back for vehicles. haha
At this park you can also get a bike built for two or four to travel around the park. It was cute to watch couples biking around on them.
When we were walking past this part of the park...
...it looked so nice. It almost looked like someone had placed each of the leaves on the grass because they seemed spread out perfectly. It was very nice!
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