Nihao from Chengdu!

Nihao!
Hello from Chengdu.

Art at the Sichuan Museum - made out of Oxen Hide 

The city is slowly starting to grow on me and I'm actually beginning to love it here. The language barrier is till a little bit tough but our guides are awesome! Today we got a slight tour of the school and saw where the international building is, which is where all our classes are taught for the most part. We then ventured to the Sichuan Museum which is a four story museum full of different artifacts from ancient China, even with things dating back to 206 BC. There were beautiful vases, traditional clothing, stone carvings, and more. It was amazing because China has so much culture and it dates back to so long ago. 

After the museum, we and the PLU kids were taken out to lunch with our program to a fancy restaurant. We got a 10 course meal give or take and it was amazing. Rice, tofu, chicken, fish (bones and head attached), shrimp, literal corn puffs (like deep friend corn), pork, and more. Needless to say I’ve been eating way more than necessary or than I thought that I would be eating. 

The shopping district. This is only a small piece of it!
The statues mark the entrance.

We then had some free time and took the time to relax for the first time since we’ve been here pretty much. One of our Chinese friends, Sally, took a nap in our beds and fell right asleep because she was just so tired. She then took us to one of my new favorite places in the city – the shopping district in city center. We took the subway, which by the way is about 33 cents each way, to the center of the city in where there is a large Mao statue and a large city square – called Tianfu Square. It is extremely large but so beautiful. The shopping district was shopping heaven. Prices were similar to the US with some exceptions to clearance items. There is an H&M here but it is about the same price and many stores have similar clothes for cheaper. We found giant ice cream cones for 85 cents each and an 8 story shopping mall, needless to say it was amazing. A few of us got stopped and asked to take pictures with locals or tourists from other parts of China. The children here are absolutely adorable I just can’t get over it. 

Mao statue in Tianfu Square

The people are friendly for the most part except when they are driving. From what we have observed, the lines separating lanes mean nothing, the bigger car always wins, pedestrians NEVER have the right of way, bikes and mopeds can do what they want, and you always honk until you get your way. We call it organized chaos because we have only seen one “accident” and it was a slight fender bender. Crossing the street is like playing a game of frogger; you hop between lanes and hope you don’t get hit. We are beginning to learn our way around campus and around different parts of town but there is just so much to explore!! On our way back from the subway station we went into a 6 floor electronics store that is just packed with real and knock off electronics everywhere, I have never seen anything like it at all. 

Comedy Act at the Opera

This evening we were taken out to famous Sichuan Opera. It consisted of everything from mask changing (which is like a magic trick), to an instrument being played, to a comedy act with a guy balancing hot oil and fire on his head. There was even a shadow puppet show in which the girl made all sorts of animals and designs with her hands – it took shadow puppets to a whole new level in my book. The opera was amazing and nothing like what I pictured it would be like. On the way home the group of nine French boys decided to ride our bus instead of the one that they came over on and were as obnoxious as could be. Good news? They made Americans look like angels!!!!!!

Dumplings and Beer - pretty much what
they eat and drink here!

After the opera we were all starving so the Chinese students took us to a local dumpling place. Between three of us we had 48 beef dumplings, which taste amazing, for less than about $5. This place is so cheap and the food is so good!!!!!!  A good sized bottle of beer is 75 cents, the same price as 6 dumplings. So we have been eating a good amount. 

We are starting to make friends with the other international students and have orientation in the morning. Some of us have to get resident permits because the Visa company gave us the wrong kind of permit. But it’s pretty cool to be able to say that I am a resident of China – how often do you get to say that? 

Overall I am beginning to love this place and the culture shock is slowly but surely wearing off - minus all the bugs and the squatty potties (you can figure that one out yourself!)

Goodnight from Chengdu!