Travel Tips by Naomi

This is an effort to pass on the knowledge I have gained from a couple of international flights. Most of my "travel tips" actually have to do with packing for the trip, and many of the items on this list have a story of some uncomfortable situation associated with them. Packing the wrong items for a long flight can really make a big difference in your travel experience, so even if you only learn one thing about packing a good carry on or suitcase, I will be happy.

On the Plane (for flights over 8 hours long)
Remember to pack liquids/toiletries in a small ziploc for the security check.

- Eye mask & ear plugs. If you have a long flight, you will want an eye mask to sleep. Some international flights give them to you, but you might want to bring one that you feel comfortable in. Bring ear plugs for the people who don't realize when sleepy time is for you.
- Face wipes. You can purchase some nice face wipes that will make you feel refreshed after sleeping on the plane. Make sure to go with a name brand on this one. The cheap ones will leave you feeling sticky.
- Toothbrush & toothpaste. Unless you like it when your teeth wear little sweaters.
- Deodorant. If you're worried about space, you can buy a little travel-sized deodorant. You'll be glad you brought it on a long flight.
- An extra shirt, pair of socks & underwear. Some people take one full change of clothes with them in case their luggage gets lost, which is not a bad idea, but I have managed just fine with only the essentials.
- One book and/or journal. Don't overdo it on the books. They make your bag heavy and you probably won't do all the reading you think you will on the flight. Pick a favorite and leave the rest in your suitcase.
- Headphones. Bring headphones that won't leave your ears feeling like they lost a dodgeball match after a few hours of wearing them.
- An international calling card. You'll never know when you'll need one.
- A snack. Something that you like and is filling, in case the food is poor or you don't have enough time to pick anything up in between a connecting flight.
- Music. All good trips include good tunes.
- Gum. A classic essential for planes.
- Camera. If your luggage gets lost, you will definitely not want to be without your camera for days, or even weeks.
- A small notebook. Record important names and numbers, such as the American embassy, your credit card company's international phone number, hotel contact info, and addresses of people who want postcards.
- Eye drops & nasal spray. Airplanes tend to dry you out, and you really don't want to be suffering from dry eyes or nose for 6 or more hours.
- Travel documents. Carry your passport, visa, insurance information, and other forms of identification. Also, put copies of all these items in other bags.

In Your Suitcase

- Medicine bag. Be prepared for anything. Bring an assortment of cold medicine, VITAMINS, cough drops, cold sore medicine, band aids, tums, Advil, allergy meds, neosporin, diarrhea meds, and anything else that you think could possibly happen.
- Layers. Bring clothes that can mix and match for any weather, be it hot or cold.
- Raincoat. It is miserable to be traveling outside in rainy weather, so unless you're going someplace certain to be dry, bring rain wear.
- Deodorant. Deodorant is a bit of a novelty in most countries, so bring more than enough to last you.
- A hat. Even if you don't look good in them, bring at least one hat. They are the perfect solution to a sudden hot water shortage which leaves you and your hair without a shower.
- Comfort food. Instant macaroni and cheese, granola bars, favorite candy, instant coffee, etc.
- Sunglasses. It may seem obvious, but you will need these.
- Good walking shoes. Spend some money on walking shoes that won't make your feet and knees scream after two or more hours of walking.
- A purse with a zipper. Where there are tourists, there are pickpockets.
- A small photo album. When you meet people, they often want to see pictures of your friends and family. Also handy if you find yourself getting homesick.
- An electronic adapter. I fried my best hairdryer in China because I plugged it into an outlet with the wrong voltage, so check what your country uses and bring an adapter.
- A leatherman. For the unexpected.
- Copies of your passport. You should have these in each of your bags and your carry-on.

As You Plan

- Traffic. If you are planning on renting a car, consider researching the traffic patterns of the country you are visiting. Most countries that I have visited have really bad driving conditions (crazy drivers, poor roads, unreliable vehicles, etc.). You couldn't pay me enough money to get into the driver's seat of a car in China, Rome, or Haiti.
- Language (if you can only learn a little bit):- Numbers 1-100- "Where is the...?"- "Do you have...?"- "How much is...?"- "This/that" (It helps when pointing to things)- Directions - "Right, left, straight ahead, stop."
- Bring a good phrase book and cultural guide to the place that you are visiting. Know how to cross a street, the proper etiquette for restaurants, taxis, and shop owners (tips? bargaining?), and whether or not girls will fear for their lives.

Experienced travelers, tell me what I missed.
I'm sure that there is more to be said for what to pack and prepare for on a trip. Feel free to add to this list according to your experience.

Facing West

This is it. The big day. I find myself a mix of emotions, as I usually am after trips like these.

I finished up my classes on Monday, and as I left, was followed by a chorus of "Merry Christmas!" from my students. I felt a twinge of excitement, knowing that in a very short while I would be immersed in the Christmas of the West and all its bliss: Scarves and hats and rosy cheeks, snowy blustery goodness, apple cider and a warm fire, the smell of Christmas tree, and of course, people whom we love.

It isn't easy to leave this country. Both Justin and I have admitted that, in a different time and different circumstances, we could live here and like it. China has a grip on us.

So... goodbye old man selling strawberries, goodbye students humouring your teacher, goodbye all the people pushing each other on the bus (I won't miss you), goodbye funky smells on the street, goodbye kind old man, looking straight into my eyes, goodbye weird washing machines, that leak all over the floor, goodbye big wall along the street, where we heard a baby cry one night, goodbye Cali, who made me remember why I like cats, goodbye Liz and Juliann, you unpretentious servants, goodbye John and Mary, with your wit and persistence, goodbye Kunming fellowship, who surprised us every week, goodbye China, I have not figured you out yet.

Hello home.

Kunming: Baby, It's Freezing Outside!

When I last wrote, I was praising the warmth of Kunming. I take it all back. Temperatures have plummeted. We are left shivering in our heatless apartment with a sweaterless wardrobe. The sun still shows his face now and again, but don't let him fool you. It is bone cold outside, oh, and did I mention that we have solar heated water? (And yes, I'm being dramatic, it's probably only around 40 degrees as opposed to 60s-70s, but we do shiver sometimes!)

Enough about the weather already. Thanksgiving turned out to be a memorable event, notwithstanding a lame excuse for an oven (crunchy sweet potatoes... yum) and our third annual game of flag... I mean... pantyhose football. That's right, in case the Chinese didn't think we foreigners were strange enough, we put pantyhose on our heads (in place of wearing flags) and ran around the apartment courtyard playing football like a posse of velveteen rabbits on crack. Yes, of course we have pictures. Keep reading, they're at the bottom.

Anyhow, on Thanksgiving day, we foreigners gathered together at one family's house -- a ragamuffin group representing various different countries -- to feast together on all the scrumptious food we had made. You'd be surprised at how much American food you can make with the materials in the stores here. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, rolls, cranberry sauce, gravy, all were present and accounted for. It was a good time, though there is nothing like being home on Thanksgiving.

We are now doing more teaching and tutoring. I am teaching three nights a week at a university, as well as one night with the housekeepers, and Justin is tutoring some students on the weekend. That has been keeping us a little more busy in a good way. It's nice to be involved and to get to know some Chinese students.

For all of you die-hard fans (maybe one?), Under the Oak may be making an appearance/performance at Nordica in Kunming, China, so book your tickets now... it's sure to be a sell out. Yes, I'm joking, but not about the performance part. If all goes as planned, we'll be playing next Friday, at our second craft show performance (yeah, we rock the embroidered house).

As a married couple, China has really taught us a lot about teamwork. Even getting into a taxi can be a challenge, and it is best met when we are working as a team. I thought we were getting pretty good at it, that is, until someone lent us their bicycle for use. Now, roads are scary things in China. What is MORE scary, is that it is common practice for someone to sit on the back of a bike, kind of side-saddlish (see the picture), while the other person pedals and weaves their way through traffic. The tricky part with the side-saddle (other than the obvious balancing act), is that there is no way to see in front of you, or even on both sides. You have one view: traffic on the left. Everything else is out of your hands, and speaking of your hands, there is not much to hold on to. So, all this to say, we are taking teamwork to a whole new level, and I am learning how to be a biker chick (don't fight the lean, don't fight the lean!!). I'm telling you, China should offer a marriage challenge course.

Justin's birthday is tomorrow. We'll be leaving for the Motherland in two weeks and one day.

Pictures, as promised:

Kunming 2

Kunming: The City of Eternal Spring

It is a warm day, sunny and mostly peaceful, here in Kunming. I am sitting in a coffee shop, my husband across from me, no doubt working on putting some fusion of his heart and mind on paper. Offhand, I can count about five other foreigners in this coffee shop, not that that's a normal sight, but it gives you an idea of the concentration of foreigners in this city.

Kunming is called "the city of eternal spring" by the locals. Since it's cozy to the equator, it tends to be fairly warm most of the year around, but being at a higher elevation keeps it from being stiflingly hot. Thus, a warm day in November with a slight cool breeze is not uncommon. It's not hard to see why foreigners want to live here.

The presence of the big P also seems stronger than other cities we've visited. On many street corners, you can find them set up with little tables and official looking signs and, at times, long clubs or helmets sitting atop them. Even so, most foreigners say that there is much more freedom in this place than most other places in China, including Zhengzhou, where some friends were being "asked" to revisit their homelands. I would love to have a dialogue about the upcoming Olympics and how proud China obviously is to host it, and of the current consequences to their people that the preparation of this event has brought them... but this, as in many things, will have to wait for another time.

We are finally feeling settled in to our apartment. It is a very spacious apartment, more than we could ever use, but it lacked certain things like an oven, a wardrobe/closet and a fridge. As payment for staying there, we offered to buy a fridge and a wardrobe for the apartment. The owner thankfully accepted, so we just got a fridge put in yesterday. 'Tis a glorious thing to have cold milk.

Last week I had a day all to myself, so I set a goal of mopping the apartment. China is generally a dusty place, so this is a bigger feat than at first you might imagine. Think: mopping the moon, and you're getting closer. I was just about to head out to purchase a mop, when I decided to have one more look around to see if I could find one in the apartment already. I had gone through all the rooms, when at last I opened the door to the back deck to find a barely distinguishable mop, stiff with years of dirt and rain coming in through the windowless room. I took one look at that, and thought, 'I think I can give that mop some dignity'. I kinda like to rescue dirty useless things because it reminds me of a very good Friend who did the same for me. So anyway, to make the story short, I proceeded to spend the rest of the day redignifying the mop and then putting it to use. The end result: a floor that didn't turn your socks brown when you walked across it. I do like to make things shine. It was a good time, especially since I have been reading Henri Nouwen's book The Genesee Diary, about, among other things, finding contentment in everyday tasks. I recommend it.

Moving on, there is so much opportunity in this city. Nearly every day I am given more contact info for people wanting to learn English, or some other project that we could help with, more than we could possibly ever do. The first week we stepped back and tried to figure out what our priorities should be. Justin visited a preschool for English and Chinese kids and, not surprisingly, ended up loving it and started helping them twice a week in the mornings. I am teaching a small group of housekeepers who cannot afford to pay for English lessons but who want to learn the language. We meet once a week at our apartment.

There is also so much influence practically plopped onto your lap in this city. John and Mary, a couple in Kunming who have been here for about five years, were invited to give a lecture at a university. They asked if we could help them with the small group part of the lecture, not knowing how many students would show up. As it turned out, approx 350 students showed up for a lecture on what it means to have good character, and the auditorium was silent with students listening eagerly to what John and Mary had to say. I have never before seen a crowd of Chinese people be silent to listen to someone else, unless they were harshly rebuked beforehand. 350 students turned out at a secular university to hear two foreigners talk about having good character, amazing. Where else are you going to get that kind of influence?

At an English corner last week, I also had an attentive audience. Where else will people come who want to talk to an American about what they think of things? We talked of some inconsequential things, to be sure, but the potential is there to lead the conversation to a discussion of values, worldviews, and ethics. Our group, for instance, talked briefly about abrtn, which is generally accepted as common practice in China since the 1-child policy took root.

Healthwise, we are both feeling a little on the down side. I am recovering from about my third cold so far (I have sneezed at least ten times while writing this post), and Justin's left jaw (of all things) has been hurting. Your prayers are appreciated.

It is hard to believe that in one short month, we will be waving goodbye to China. I am so thankful to have come and experienced this country.

Um, these are some random pics... Enjoy.

Kunming

Zhengzhou [jung-JOE]

Sorry for the long absence. Our internet has been sketchy and our time has been full. We are doing well. First off, thank you for praying for my esophagus. It is completely healed with no need for a visit to the doc. I guess I just bruised it when swallowing a malaria pill, but after about a week, it was fine. Stinkin' pills.

Since it's been so long, we're going to have to go back a few weeks to our visit to Shaolin Temple. For those of you who didn't know, Justin has been into karate and kung fu for many years, so when we found out that the ancient center for kung fu was only about 50 miles north of Zhengzhou, we knew that it was a must see. Little did I know that it would turn in to an all day episode of "where in the world is justin boyer". I married a wanderer, folks. But anyway... moving right along. Our sassy Chinese friend Makya offered to let us come with her on a trip to Shaolin Temple. There is a large boarding school for kids wanting to learn kung fu right there on the premises. Most kids start around age 4 and are able to put needles through glass by the time they're about ten. We saw a couple of performances that were pretty unbelievable. Think "Hero" in real life. It was truly impressive. Demonstrations included: a man breaking a steel pipe over his head, a kid putting both of his legs behind his head, and of course, lots of crazy ninja kicks and aerial moves. If the kids stick around long enough then they become full-fledged adult monks who maintain the temple and sell popcorn, I mean ninja knives, during events.

The really interesting thing about Shaolin Temple is that it is also the center for zen Buddhism, whose monks take a vow against violence. All day long we were met with opposing faces of peaceful meditation and inner rage. Very interesting how that plays out. There were several buildings with huge statutes of Buddha in different forms. People would go in and kneel or offer incense to them. Idolatry has always seemed like such an ancient concept to me, or, if it is referenced today, it's always in a more spiritual tone of "what is your personal idol?" It was pretty weird to be there with a bunch of idols and their worshippers, the real thing. I would like to learn more about Buddhism when we get back.

Our experience at Shaolin is best re-told through pictures, so take a gander.

Shaolin Temple

The school that I was teaching at invited us to stay until the end of December to finish out the semester. This was very encouraging for me to hear, as a pretty green teacher. While we didn't feel that it would be right to totally ditch Ju and the gang, we were really enjoying our time there, so we offered that we could stay for one additional week, which meant that we could help out with the Halloween party and hang out with students who had never made a costume, carved a pumpkin, or bobbed for apples in their life. It also meant that we had to think of our own costumes. They accepted.

Now, some guys want to be something cool like spiderman or superman for Halloween. That just wouldn't do for Justin. No, no... my husband wanted to wrap toilet paper around himself, put a plunger up his sleeve like a pirate's crook, wear a toilet seat on his chest, and call himself Mr. Nobody from the Toilet Patrol. The end result was something more along the lines of a KKK outfit, since no proper outfit is complete without a (toilet paper) mask. It's a real shame that we didn't get a good picture of it.

I, of course, was a cat, what else?

Later on in the week, the students asked us to go bowling with them and, on a separate trip, to join them for KTV (karaoke). It was so funny. We had the most enthusiastic audience we've ever had for our duet to "My Heart Will Go On". Truly a great group of students.

One of the best things about Zhengzhou was connecting with the students, and watching Justin make friends with them too. We were walking back to our apartment one day with some students. I was walking with David, and Justin, walking ahead, was with Lee. David asked when we were leaving and I told him that we would leave in a couple of days. He, being surprised, said, "What?! But... I think I love this guy!" That pretty much sums up the reaction to Justin as a whole. I cannot tell you the grief we were given for leaving those students.

We came to Zhengzhou not knowing anyone. When we left, we felt like we were leaving friends behind, and it was a bit painful even for being there such a short amount of time.

Here are some pictures from our time with the students.

ESLI-ZZ

We are now in Kunming and are trying to re-adjust to life with other foreigners. More on that later.

Homesickness and Blue Hearts

I have to admit, I've been a little homesick the past week or so. Don't get me wrong, it's been fun, adventuresome, challenging even, to be here in ZhengZhou, but there's just something about your own bed and pillow, or maybe it's the walking into a grocery store and knowing where everything is... you know... familiarity. It's hard to come by over here.

I haven't been feeling very well lately, either. So that doesn't help anything. I've got this weird thing going on with my esophagus where it feels like anything I eat--it doesn't matter if it's food or water--is as large as a walnut and I can feel it going down the whole way. It only hurts when I eat. I've never experienced this before, but I googled it and found a doctor describing the condition and saying that if it doesn't clear up within a week to go get an endoscopy. I'm pretty sure that means they stick a rubber tube down your throat and take pictures while they go down.... yeehaw. So if anyone has a rather short prayer list, you can stick me and my malfunctioning esophagus on it. Thanks.

Ready for a good story? Two days ago, I had this esophagus thing and a pretty good sized headache going on. I was sitting in my listening and speaking class, supposed to be TA-ing for the regular teacher but I was having a really hard time concentrating on anything. He tends to teach in, um, rather loud tones, and my head was unappreciative of the noise. I must say... that this was my favorite class to teach. I got along really well with the students in that class and I had a lot of fun teaching it. During the class, I noticed that one of the normally enthusiastic girls was looking about how I felt... slouched against the corner with her hand on her head. I slipped out of the classroom and got her a little present... not much, but enough to cheer her up a bit. After the class, I was handing out homework that I had marked, and I gave her the present. She looked at it, then her face lit up and said... OH OH! We have something for you!!! Turn around! So I turned around and hid my eyes and they counted... One... TWo... THREE! and I turned around and there were four of them each holding out a large marshmallow heart on a stick. It was like a little bouquet of hearts! I was so surprised! It totally made my day.

Well, that's not all there was to it. The NEXT day, I was walking home with Justin and I had in my hand one of the marshmallow hearts. We were walking along and talking about the day, when we noticed a little old man coming toward us, holding out his hand for money. I didn't have any money, so I said "mayo" (however you spell that), but I DID have a blue marshmallow heart! So with a slight bow, I gave him the heart on a stick, and his whole face changed when he looked at it. He smiled a sort of sentimental smile, like he had known love before but he couldn't believe that anyone (much less a little white girl) could give anything that sweet to an old man like him. Justin and I kept walking along, and every now and then we would look back and find the old man still staring in awe at his blue heart, his face so happy and content.

I am pretty sure that that marshmallow heart will never get eaten.

Next installment.... Shauli Temple.

One Month and Counting

Today we will have been in China for one month. One month, can you believe it? It really seems like it's been longer... but all the same, I am glad that we have two more months left.

This week I finally started teaching. That means that I am preparing all of the materials, lessons, and activities, then teaching the class, but the original teacher of the class is in the room observing. It has been really good to get some classroom experience and to hear the feedback of the other teacher. What's more, I think I'm pretty good at teaching ESL. Not to say that I don't have a lot to learn... but it feels really natural, I don't get nervous in front of the classroom, and it's very satisfying. I hope I will continue to love it for a long time and will become the kind of teacher who leaves an imprint on students' lives.

Last weekend, Justin bought a really large spinning top and a big whip. The idea is to wrap the whip around the top, then yank on it really hard to get the top to spin. Then, when you see the top wearing down, you crack it with the whip to make it keep going. All the old grandpas play this in the park, so he has been going there just about every day to crack the whips with them. I haven't personally witnessed this, but you can just imagine a young white man in there with all the gramps and a crowd of people gathering to watch him try and fail or succeed. Justin said that the crowd roars when he gets a good whip crack in. It's a good way to have fellowship with people even without knowing the language. You can read more about this on his blog: http://blogs.briercrest.ca

The speed in China is set to "mosey". On the sidewalks there are people walking, arms crossed against their backs, in a sort of mosey "Bill Jack" sort of way. At first it was kind of annoying getting stuck behind them and feeling the need to walk faster, but now I see that their pace of life is much slower than in the U.S. and I sorta like it. I should say, however, that on the roads, it's another story. When you step inside any vehicle, the speed is immediately set to "ramming".

Moving along, the hospitals are an interesting place in China. Last week I woke up with a bladder infection... not sure HOW that happened (and ladies, yes, I am aware of the appropriate procedure to guard against such evils), but anyway.... there I was in the middle of the night with an unmistakable problem of an embarrassing and unusual kind. I tried unsuccessfully not to imagine us spending the rest of our savings on a Chinese hospital and doctors... and I tried SO hard NOT to imagine me trying to pantomime "bladder infection" to the doctor. Oh my. I tried, but like I said, was unsuccessful. So needless to say, neither Justin nor I got much sleep that night and we had a snapping session in the morning. All was well soon enough when I went in to the school, told the director what was going on, and she promptly sent me to the hospital with one of the Chinese teachers as my guide. WE found that a doctor visit, needed test, and medication came up to a grande total of about 15 US dollars. Amazing, isn't it? Not only that, but we were in and out of there in less than an hour and a half. It pays to know someone in China, I guess. The bathrooms in there were another story. Considerably less than amazing.

We leave for Kunming in about a week. Stay tuned for more.