20Truths: Life Lessons from Summer

This is going to sound so nerdy, but the title theme (20 Truths) is a writing challenge from fanfiction communities. I wanted to give it to my sister when she was in her many stages of summer boredom, but she was already annoyed by a mommy-writing assignment regarding her Alaskan cruise. That’s fine, I decided. I should write one myself.

20. I could be happy living in Europe.

19. How to take a contest-worthy picture: 1. Choose location (aka, Greece). 2. Travel there during spring. 3. Go to ancient ruins. 3. Take close-up of flowers in front of ancient ruins. 4. Check ancient ruins is blurry in background. 5. Win(?)

Please excuse the randos in the blurry back.

18. SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS LIES. Greek men are not cute. Or toned. Or summer-fling worthy at all.

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Published on August 25, 2011 11:30 am.
Filed under: Learning, Life, Love?, Reflections Tags: ,

Shanghai Summer

I didn’t do too much exploring in Shanghai this summer, choosing instead to mostly laze around in the People’s Square and our hostel. The first day, arriving on an 18-hour train ride from Dongguan, drained the two boys and I. So we walked around the bare minimum to get some food. I couldn’t help but laugh when the restaurant gave the two Asians chopsticks for our meal, while our blond got a set of forks and knives.

first fork we've seen since forever.

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Published on August 15, 2011 5:03 pm.
Filed under: Travel Tags: ,

Guangxi Continued, in Which Blue Skies Appear

Day 5, Continued

After our Vietnam waterfall adventure, we headed over to a place called Jiuzhou. To our surprise, the blue sky decided to make an appearance! We were quite confused, considering it had been raining every day for the past four weeks.

Jiuzhou is the home of embroidered flower balls, a remnant of an old Chinese marriage tradition. Girls at the marriagiable age would have her suitors gather at the bottom of her balcony, where she would throw one of the balls into the crowd. Whoever caught it would be her groom.

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Published on August 14, 2011 7:09 pm.
Filed under: Reflections, Travel Tags: ,

Guangxi, Where Rockslides Threaten Buses and our Jolly Bus Driver

Day 4:

Day 4 dawned with a sort of panic — our poor by-now-voiceless teacher through laptop communication informed us he had strep, and was hurriedly taken to the hospital to get antibiotics where he was introduced to the monstrosity that is the Chinese medical system.

The morning was incredibly lazy and chill just hanging out in the hotel room; while I love traveling, I was way more relaxed and rejuvenated from this rest than anything else. In the afternoon, we drove to our next destination, right on the China-Vietnam border. On the way, we passed through harrowing mountains where giant rockslides had occurred the night before. Once out of the danger zone, we were treated to a lazy and foggy view of a green green scape.

It was mind-boggling to realize how close and how easy it would be to cross from China to Vietnam from here. Literally, just walk across the river and you’re there! At night, we visited a war memorial snuggled in a network of tunnels that laced across our town, built for a fighting that eventually lasted only 3 months.

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Published on August 13, 2011 3:58 pm.
Filed under: Travel Tags: , ,

Nangning, City of Lights and Panic

From massages to pickpockets, from karaoke to food poisoning, the past 7-day trip through Guangxi province had almost everything that you hear about in a stereotypical China trip.

Day 1:

On the bus for 10 hours until we reached Nangning. Slept not enough. Went to the nightmarket, and SHIRLEY HAD HER CAMERA STOLEN. How it happened: Shirley and friend were eating seafood and street food. Shirley takes picture of friend and self with camera. Shirley puts camera in pocket because hands have food in them. Literally as Shirley walks away from the stall she feels her pockets and realizes camera is GONE.

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Published on August 6, 2011 6:36 am.
Filed under: Travel Tags: ,