Hanging with other foreign students in the segregated ‘Foreigners dorm’
September 2, 1994: Part 2
China is pretty much the same as I remember it from my last trip in 1987. It is more stressful than I can recall, though. After getting up at 6:30AM this morning and doing registration here at the school, I freaked out temporarily. Maybe it was because everyone here speaks lightning-fast Chinese and use technical terms I don’t understand well, but I can feel myself catching on already.
I was physically and emotionally drained, and I’m sure that had something to do with it. After a small, quick breakfast of a french croissant and a Coke, I rested and went for a walk. I decided I needed to try to find a friendly face or two, so I tracked Carl and Steve down and Scott was there too! I was so relieved to see familiar faces!
They were going into town, and I wanted to go with them, but I had to wait until 2pm to get my traveler’s checks they can’t cash. Banks and stores are closed until about 2pm for Xiuxi (ed: which is like a Mexican siesta). –> I have to go to a bank and cash them, and get a Visa cash advance. Well, I’m planning on going to eat around 7pm, so I must rest.
A party with my classmates, complete with a large bottle of Sake.
2 Comments
February 2, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Dude, that top picture was taken in my dorm room. I still have those batiks.
February 5, 2007 at 10:21 am
I’m the slimy guy with his hands all over the cute Korean girl, attempting to look intelligent with the glasses.
Man Joe, these were fun times, never thought I’d see photos from this time up on the net. Feels like a lifetime ago, my how things have changed since then…
I am still stuck in Seattle, trying to get back to Zhongguo in one way or another. Contracting now at The Gates Foundation, going to try to get involved with them or my former employer, Starbucks, in their Intnl Dept. We’ll see…
Great to hear from you again, keep it real!! (Whatever that means).
Steve