I am so dead tired!!! Thus, I will just recap everything in one short paragraph and go sleep. So, got on a plane at JFK as planned. Took 14 hours to fly from New York to Shanghai, then waited for 4.5 hours to transfer to our flight to Beijing. After delays and unbearable turbulence, we finally arrived at the hotel around 2:00PM China time. That adds up for a total of approximately 24 hours before we arrived where we were supposed to be, and also 24 hours between when I got to shower again and brush my teeth! =[ (OMG, you have to see what this room looks like! I wish I could live here…) But after we got here, it was just one nonstop fascination about the city after another. As a group we went out for a dinner at a restaurant within The Rainbow Hotel, and then went to see a Peking Opera at the Liyuan Theatre. Overall, it was a fun experience, but a lot to handle in one day. Everyone looked like zombies at the end of the day. And what really gives it away that you have done a lot in one day is when you start thinking that you’ve been around the same group of people for days or even weeks already, and of course when someone says “Russians” and your first thought is “Martians.” I can’t believe we just arrived! I have some pictures to post… but later on. First of our Beijing treks tomorrow (see the Intinerary Page above for further details). Right now, off to bed before my brain melts, resolidifies, and then implodes upon itself only to become food for the many many hungry bugs here. =|
After 20 Million Hours, I’m finally here
Posted by: Jonathan | May 29, 2009 Comments Off on After 20 Million Hours, I’m finally here |3:30 PM: Packed and ready to go (I’m bringing one duffel bag inside a bigger suitcase, one small carry-on, and a bookbag. Too much?)
6:30 PM: Shower and Eat Dinner
8:30 PM: Leave for the Airport
10:00 PM: Group Meeting
1:45 AM: Fly Time
I still don’t quite understand why we have to be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure, but that’s what we were told to do, and we do as we’re told – especially when it comes to international flights in the midst of the Swine Flu global panic. This should definitely prove to be one interesting flight and arrival. China’s airports are already doing more extensive checking to make sure that all passengers entering the country are fever-free. Otherwise, Quarantine! My worry-some parents have already made me pack extra precautionary supplies, i.e. a prescription of Tamiflu and masks. I guess better safe than sorry, regardless of how paranoid of life that sounds to be carrying everything you ever need to ward off a cold. I just feel like the more I worry about catching cold only makes me more susceptible to actually getting one. You’re just going to start developing cold symptoms that are not really there because you’re mind is telling you that you’re going to get sick.
Regardless of what’s happening, I’m still so excited to know that in less than 12 hours, I will be on a plane to Shanghai, and in less 48 hours, I will be in Beijing. This has got to be my first international flight since I was five years old. I know… what a time to start, what will hopefully become, traveling adventures over the course of a lifetime.
I guess that’s it for now. I just wanted to hop on the blog and bid you all farewell before I fly and I will talk to you all in China, and see you when I come back! All this talk about China and Beijing reminds me of a Chinese song I was listening to during the summer olympics titled “Welcome to Beijing.” Many, many well known Chinese artists and actors/actresses participated in the making of this song and the music video. Although it’s only in Mandarin, the youtube video has English translations (I can’t vouch for the validity of the translations though).
In approximately 104 hours from today, I will be boarding a plane to China with the CUNY-BC in China Summer Program, hosted by none other than Brooklyn College. Exciting!!! With no more finals to take, as of yesterday May 22 at 3 PM, I have a good four days left to pack and get my travel affairs in order. As long as nothing goes wrong (knock on wood *knock* *knock*), I will be out of this house by 9 PM on the night of May 27th, and on a plane at 1:45 AM (YES, I’M NOT KIDDING! 1:45 AM!!!!!) to China on May 28th.
Over the course of 29 days, I along with 64 other students and faculty will be making stops in Beijing, Xi-an, Nanjing, Yellow Mountain, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, with optional side trips to Hong Kong/Shenzhen, Guilin/Yangshuo, and possibly Sanya. I myself have already paid to go to Guilin/Yangshuo because Google.com tells me that it should be beautiful there this time of the year =D. I’m not quite sure how internet is going to work in China yet, so I’m crossing my fingers for being able to keep this blog going while abroad. I’ve also been told by several people that I am your stereotypical tourist, so there will definitely tons and tons of pictures and possibly video to come later on. Given that I took about 800 or so pictures in my week and a half in New Orleans this past spring break, one can only think about what’s going to happen in three and a half weeks. (Yikes!)
That’s it for now. I have got to start packing and face off in the One Suitcase Challenge! Dun Dun Dun… Kudos to myself if I win. See below for links to learn more about Macaulay Service Experiences like Alternative Spring Break and the CUNY-BC in China Study Abroad program. Adios for now, or should I say 再 見! (“Zàijiàn” means goodbye, or see you next time). [On a sidenote, I’ve just finished a Chinese 1.1 course, so my knowledge of the Chinese language is limited beyond belief. Luckily for me, I have my Instant Chinese phrasebook (love the name, lol) for the trip. Haha… I am so dead…]
To learn more about Macaulay Service Learning Experiences such as Alternative Spring Break, you can visit the Macaulay Scholars in Service page on the Macaulay Honors College website.
To learn more about the CUNY-BC in China Program, you can visit the CUNY-BC in China Study Abroad website.
