10 years ago in France, 17 girls squealed

In June 2001, 17 girls flew from St. Louis to Paris for a 17-day trip around France. Led by a well-traveled high school French teacher and two other women, our group landed in Paris, immediately jumped on a train to Grenoble, and then hopped a bus that took us into the Alps. I will never forget how long the flight seemed, how exhausted I felt, and how much the old men stared at my blond friends. We spent a few days relaxing in the Alps, adjusting to the time change and having a few more language lessons. I remember drinking hot chocolate for breakfast, tasting Nutella for the first time, drinking water straight from the mountain streams, and bringing little Babybel cheeses on hikes. We walked along trails that used to be part of the Roman road, with archways still carved into the rock. We met farmers and cows, sang Disney songs in the rain, and obsessed over the fact that we could see Italy from the top of our mountain. After the Alps, we spent a bit of time in Lyon and Grenoble, stayed with host students at a boarding school near Lyon, and then finished it all up in Paris.

Amy, Rebecca, Claire, Erica, Madame, Moi, et Maggie à l'Arc de Triomphe, Paris, Juin 2001

This trip changed my life, as I’m sure most people’s first trip overseas does. Before that, the French I studied in a classroom seemed too distant to be real. Did people really think and dream in French? Did 16-year old French kids really talk about the things in our textbook dialogues? For some reason my brain couldn’t get around these concepts until I was actually there, living with my roommate Cecile in her boarding school in Bourg-en-Bresse. I marveled over these French teenagers’ use of perfume, their cigarettes, their tendency to wear the same clothes two days in a row. I still remember them taking us to the Parc Des Oiseaux, a big zoo full of birds. I remember their school cafeteria, which smelled like cheese and served much more interesting food than my school. I still remember some of their names, especially the boys that all of us automatically fell in love with. (I wonder where they are now? Too bad there was no Facebook in 2001.)

Paris was everything we had dreamed of. We all spent way too much money on skirts and perfume, back when France was still on the Franc and things seemed cheap compared to the dollar. I’ll always remember the thrill of seeing the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, and Giverny for the first time. But one of the most specific stories I remember was a prank we pulled on some American college boys our last night. We were all staying on the third or fourth floor of this hotel, but the boys’ room was across a courtyard, so we only met them by saying “hi” through the window. It was our last night in Paris so we were packing our bags, but the boys had gone out for the night. Since our bags were stuffed from recent purchases and gifts, some things had to be left behind. One of those things was a bag of feminine pads. I’m not sure whose they were, but somehow we all decided that we needed to throw these pads into the open window across the courtyard. We voted, and somehow I ended up nominated to do the throwing. We ran out into the hall, where a window opened up even closer to the boys’ room. I leaned out the window, focused on the boys’ window about eight feet away from me, and gave it a gentle underhand toss. It went right in. We freaked out. We left early the next morning, so we’ll never know their reaction, or if any of them figured out where the mystery pads came from.

Why am I writing about this, ten years later? Because one week from today, I’ll be back on a plane bound for Paris. My good friend has been living there for the majority of the last four years, and I owe her a visit. Three friends and I also visited her when she was studying abroad in Paris in 2005. Pittsburgh currently has a direct flight to Paris that they will be canceling soon, so it’s cheap, easy, and I have no excuse as I wind down my graduate student career.

Danielle and Ameila, oh la la, we will eat chocolate together again!

Going to France ten years ago opened up to me a world of travel, language, and curiosity that has only grown stronger since. As I attempt to shape the past decade of experiences into a career in international education, it seems fitting to go back and visit the place where it all started.

Thanks to Madame and all my classmates who made that trip perfect. Je t’aime toujours!

Never enough time in Beijing

Last time I was in Beijing I stayed for two weeks, and I vowed to return because two weeks was not enough to do everything I had wanted. My plan this summer was to do and see everything in Beijing over the course of three months. Of course it’s impossible. But that’s what makes Beijing so awesome. I love cities, and I have been to a lot of them, and nothing compares to Beijing in my book. You can never run out of stuff to do, places to eat, streets to wander, and people to meet. Plus, you’re in China! And for a foreigner in China, the fascination with your surroundings never really goes away.

Beijing nights are forever

While I may not have done everything I wanted to do in this enormous city, I have gotten a pretty good feel for daily life as a local, from the always-unpredictable transportation situation to the countless snack, drink, and meal options at all hours of the day. I’ve gotten to know Beijing through the eyes of locals – Chinese friends both old and new – and through fellow foreign students trying to make sense of this place (and our inexplicable obsession with it). Put those two groups together, and my summer has been insanely busy. Busy with what? That’s where my list comes in. This is not a list for tourists looking for sites or top attractions; this is just my favorite things to do in Beijing. For me, this list is Beijing.

Top things to do in Beijing

1. Karaoke: I start with this one because it is the most classically Asian. Across east Asia you will find countless karaoke bars, ranging from dingy and cheesy to luxurious and expensive. In China, karaoke bars are called KTV, which makes them pretty easy to identify for illiterate Chinese speakers like me. You can find KTV in every neighborhood, but some chains especially from Hong Kong and Taiwan attract the big crowds. At the top joints, you can rent a huge party room complete with bottle service, dinner buffet, and a selection of today’s most popular songs. I have always been a big fan of karaoke, but attending many KTV parties with friends and classmates has brought it to a new level. One of my favorite parts of the night is when they first turn on the TV for you and a video plays telling you (in Chinese) not to do drugs, not to gamble, and not to have sex in the room. No problem, guys! I really wish I could open a place like this in the United States, but I think Americans are just too self-conscious to belt out Beyonce in front of a group of 12 people. Chinese people, on the other hand, have a lot of fun with it, and often they are really great singers. I am still trying to figure that one out.

most low-budget KTV in the world in Taole, Ningxia, China

2. Mountains: After zipping around Beijing for a while, the flat landscape can start to feel a bit monotonous. The city has no natural sites, no natural hills, rivers, or lakes to mark any type of boundary or center. But venture outside of Beijing and you will see what a lot of China offers: mountains! Beijing is surrounded by huge, gorgeous mountains, and that’s where you will go if you climb the great wall. There are also plenty of chances to go to the mountains to visit temples, go river rafting, or hang out in a Chinese forest resort. The mountains are a cool getaway in the hot summer and a breath of fresh air when the city smog gets to your head. Plus, in order to get to the mountains you have to take a local bus or hire a driver, both of which involve inevitable adventure.

these mountains are for real

3. Eat serious food: Growing up, I never realized that there was Chinese food beyond egg rolls and stir fry. When I first came to China, I was completely confused and overwhelmed by the selection, diversity, and freshness. Sure, some Chinese food is fried and oily, but there are so many options here that you can easily avoid that. First, a note about Chinese people and food: People here eat everything, all the time, everywhere. One thing that I am going to miss terribly about living in Asia is the tiny chairs and tables sitting on sidewalks outside food establishments. Sometimes the customers are just chomping on hard-boiled eggs, other times they are picking away at a giant fried fish, and a lot of the time they are scooping up rice and veggies with their chopsticks like total pros. If you are not scared to try new things, you will never go hungry in Beijing. There is not an hour of the day where men are not standing outside grilling meat on a stick (chuanr) ready to sell it to you for 10 cents each. There are teas, breads, yogurts, pancakes, sausages, fruits, candies, and noodles fresh and ready. And what’s better, it’s cheap, too! Sure, you can find plenty of fancy restaurants here that will serve $20 entres. But generally I pay between $1-2 for a meal of generous portions. Clearly I need to write an entire post exclusively about food. Basically, if you like to eat, come to China.

meat dish with crazy fish made of...mango? undetermined.

4. Shop the spectrum: Last year my visit to China was in the middle of a larger world trip, so I had no room in my traveling backpack for new purchases. This time I came more prepared with extra space in my suitcase! Chinese clothes just work for me. The one-size-fits-all is actually my size. The style is a little crazy, a little girly, and never boring. Many Chinese friends have commented to me that American clothes seem very “simple.” China doesn’t do simple. Sure, some of the clothes you will see here will make you gag, but if you have a good eye and enough patience you will find gems. There are a gazillion markets in this city. Most tourists go to the Silk and Pearl Markets, which are fine, but I have no desire to ever go back to those places unless I specifically want to buy pearls. The best markets here are the ones where no one speaks English and 99.9% of the customers are locals. At these markets, I have found 50 cent shirts, $1 shorts, and $2 shoes. Yes, I have worn them and washed them and they are still in tact. If cheap is not your style, Beijing does upscale very well, too. Asian malls are always a kick, so even though I am not going to pay western prices for anything here, I find myself wandering malls for the experience. And it’s not just clothes. Chopsticks, stationary, sculpture, tea sets, paintings, you name it. Beijing wants to sell it to you.

5. Get lost in the crowd: This is important advice for any new place. Don’t make a plan, don’t kid yourself that you can stick to the plan, just walk. Get lost, follow the crowd, and don’t think about it. I think this advice works especially well in Beijing. This city is so safe that you cannot wander anywhere that you will regret. There are so many people here that you will rarely be alone on any street or alley. Predicting arrival and departure times in Beijing is close to impossible, so you may as well not stress yourself out and just say you will get there when you get there. People are pretty pushy here, but at the same time they appear patient. I have never heard a Chinese person complain about a long line or wait time; whining is useless. This is really cliché, but the best things I have found in Beijing have been by accident. If there are lots of locals surrounding something, go there. If there are lots of locals eating something, eat it. Beijing is full of pedestrians and cyclists. This city is moving at all hours of the day. So just go with it!

Have you seen this wall? It’s great!

The Great Wall at Jiankou

The Great Wall of China is something I will never get tired of. Last year I went to the Mutianyu section of the wall in March, when the sun was shining but the wind was cold. The trees were just starting to bloom, so the mountains were more brown than green. Mutianyu is beautiful, but it has been restored so that you can walk across it comfortably. This time, I wanted to see a part of the wall that was not so restored.

me at the restored part, Mutianyu

Luckily my classmates feel the same, so a group from the Hutong School went out to the Jiankou section of the wall, very close to Mutianyu (just north of Beijing city). I had been looking forward to a rugged hike in the Beijing mountains, plus I had a friend visiting me from Korea. But the day before the hike, I got the cold that seems to be making its way around the school. I am still fighting off the cold today, so a five-hour trek in the mountains probably wasn’t the healthiest decision. But it was so worth it!

hutong school sittin on the wall

We began in a small village at the foot of a mountain. We made our way up, up, up for what seemed like forever, but was probably just an hour. It was exhausting! When we reached the top of the first peak, we could see towers of the Great Wall all around us. A bit more hiking on the ridge, and we were on the wall. But the wall was not very defined anywhere at Jiankou. At times we were walking on stones, but at other times we were on dirt. Sometimes the trees and plants were so thick that we got smacked in the face as we walked through them. We didn’t see anyone else on our hike the entire morning, which is why the plants are so overgrown.

hard to stay on the wall...

The part of the wall that we hiked has not been restored for 500 years. The Great Wall is huge, stretching across most of this country. But only one-third of the wall still exits today. Some parts of the wall were built over 1,000 years ago. Some parts were restored every few centuries. Jiankou is so much fun because no one has touched it for so long, but it is still walkable (in most parts). There are actually some horror stories of people not knowing where to go on Jiankou and getting badly injured when they meet a quick drop. There are other reports of people getting struck by lighting on the high peaks. We had a guide with us who walks Jiankou four times a week. Without him, we would have never known that a left turn would be safe, but a right turn would take us to a crumbling cliff with a 100-foot drop.

the man on the wall was just hanging out in the tower. maybe he lives there?

We hiked on the Jiankou wall for a few hours, and then all of a sudden the wall appeared whole again. We had reached Mutianyu. And the tourists. Summertime at Mutianyu means crowds, way more crowds that I could have imagined last winter. The views are still lovely no matter how many people are there, and the way down the mountain is still thrilling. That’s right, we took the toboggan down. I did it last year, and I just had to do it again. Cheesy? Yes. Most fun way to say goodbye to the Great Wall? Absolutely.

sliding down the great wall as the guards yell "no photo! no photo!"

Escaping the heat wave

July has come to Beijing with a fiery fury. It has been at least 100 degrees F (around 39 C) every day so far this month. Luckily most of my life is air-conditioned. However, the bus is not, so whenever I get off the bus I feel my entire back and butt covered in sweat. For some reason the Beijing buses are soft seats covered in plastic, kind of like grandma’s furniture. Maybe it’s sanitary, but it sure makes me look stupid. When I am walking outside, I use the Asian habit that I have observed for years but never really tried out: the umbrella. There’s a reason that they use umbrellas in the sun: it works! The difference between standing under the sun and standing under an umbrella is enormous, enough to make you think you are standing under a big shade tree. So yes, I have converted, and I will use an umbrella for the rest of my life.

The locals say that this kind of heat wave is not normal, so I am not expecting to bake like this for the rest of the summer. The heat also makes breathing in Beijing a bit more difficult. I have developed a slight cough that I credit toward the air pollution. It’s not a huge deal; I just feel a tickle in my throat especially when I’m outside. People tell me that it will go away eventually. But the heat makes it worse, trapping the pollution, especially when I am walking on the streets or in a bus with open windows.

the reason for my tickley throat, on the outskirts of Beijing

There are many escapes from the busy streets and sizzling concrete of Beijing. The city is full of huge parks, lakes, and pedestrian friendly areas. But the other great thing about Beijing’s location is that it is surrounded by mountains. Many people experience these mountains when they venture north of the city to the Great Wall. No matter what section of the wall you visit, you will get to see some of the gorgeous scenery of northeast China. The mountains are also home to different tombs and temples of imperial China. One of the closest temples is Tanzhe Si, first built in the 3rd century. Yeah, I said 3rd.

me with prayer flags and a 1400 year old tree

Three friends and I ventured as far west as you can go by subway, and then went to wait for a bus to take us an hour even further west. While we were waiting, a man approached us with an offer to drive us there in half the time, for a little bit higher price than the bus. Negotiations began. We had a Chinese friend with us, but she wanted us to practice our Chinese, so she let us figure out a price with the guy. Eventually satisfied with our bargaining, we got in his car, only to discover he had no working AC. He promised that he would drive fast enough to make it feel like AC. Awesome.

korean, chinese and french friends at tanzhe si

The drive up to Tanzhe Si made me feel like I was back in Indonesia, Thailand, or southern China. We drove into forests and fields, circling up a mountain with fruit vendors and farmers hiking along side. We had a view of pure green land touching clean blue sky. While Beijing is a beautiful city, nothing beats a trip to the countryside once in a while. The temple itself was extremely peaceful. Maybe the heat scared away the visitors, or maybe the “show up late” tip I usually follow actually works. We spent two hours on the grounds before they closed. We climbed a mountain on a pathway built to look like a dragon. We met an old woman who sold us sticks for good luck. We saw trees that were over a thousand years old. As we were leaving, the main temple building became filled with Buddhist monks, and their singing led us out of Tanzhe Si and back to our drive to the city.

when there are no people in the photo, you know you are not in the city

inside the temple

Hooray Malang!

Finally, the destination we’ve all been waiting for: Malang! Coming to Malang was the whole point of my Indonesia trip. Kasihani’s home university is Universitas Negeri Malang (UM), the state university. Malang is full of schools, and many of them have specialties like technology or engineering. UM is the education university, so the science majors will be science teachers and the English majors will be English teachers. By coming to UM, I have a much better grasp on the topic I am writing about: training teachers to teach English in Indonesia. So I sat in on classes, toured schools, taught a few lessons, and hung out with English students. My days were packed literally from sunrise to sunset. It was a blast!

university library

It was finals time at UM, so one of Kasihani’s classes had to do “microteaching” for their exam. That meant a nearby middle school let them borrow some students to teach for an hour. Since I was there, I got to teach them, too. The winner is always the Hokey Pokey: they loved it! The more challenging teaching job came the next morning: teaching 20 four-year-olds “I’m a Little Teapot.” I’ve never pictured myself teaching little American kids, much less kids who only speak a tiny bit of English. I was exhausted after only an hour with the little ones; I don’t know how teachers do it! I was able to confirm that teaching kids is not my strength or my goal. Whew. I also did some lessons at an English tutoring center and a bilingual (English/Arabic) high school.

teachers and students from microteaching

it's blurry, but i am the tall one (for once) and we are doing the little teapot motions!

After doing my school duties, I had the chance to spend a few days with some of the university students. Kasihani asked her student Ninga to be my guide for three days. She was so generous: showing me her campus, introducing me to her friends, driving me around on her motorbike, bringing me to a park in the mountains, and helping me pick out Arema t-shirts. (Arema is the soccer team of Malang that just won the national championship. Arema!!!) Ninga is an English major and she just got a job offer to teach English in Brunei next year. She is going to be an excellent teacher, and now I have to plan a visit to Brunei!

Ninga's awesome floormates in the women's boarding house (note my t-shirt. Ninga is the bottom right with the peace sign)

Malang is in the higher elevation part of East Java, so that means it is much cooler than other coastal parts of Indonesia. Ninga and her friends decided to take me on a day trip up to Batu, a city even further up into the mountains. Eight of us traveled by four motorbikes an hour from Malang. I was slightly worried that an hour-long motorbike ride would mean dodging trucks and other crazy motorbikers. However, it was actually pretty tame, and my biggest issue was my butt falling asleep. In Batu, there are lots of parks and forest areas for people to relax. We went to a place called Selecta, which is a combination park, garden, waterpark, and amusement park. There are mini motorbikes for kids to ride, waterslides curving through the trees, and huge plots of vibrant flowers. It was really cool to be among Indonesians taking a break in the cool mountains for the weekend.

five of us at Selecta's gardens

After wandering around Selecta, we drove to a restaurant that lets you catch your own meal. We went fishing for about an hour, caught too many fish, threw a few back secretly, and then had the restaurant cook our meal. This is probably the freshest fish I have ever eaten. Also, I think I could recognize the fish that I caught when it came out covered in spices and lime. Anyway, the fish was delicious, and it came with some really spicy mango salad. I told everyone at the table that I would cry if I ate it, but that just made them want to see me eat it even more. I ate it, nearly cried, and they laughed. Why do I always go to countries where everyone has such strong spice tolerance? I look like a wimp!

fishing for our lunch

When I had to say goodbye to Ninga the next day, I cried. We had only known each other a few days, but we spent every waking hour together. I was with her when she went to the mosque to pray, when I tried (not very successfully) to teach kids how to sing “Twinkle Twinkle”, and when I watched “Angels and Demons” with Indonesian students at an English conversation club. I was very intrigued by the students’ choice to watch a movie about the Vatican in the largest Muslim country in the world. I admit I was surprised at the openness that came from the students as we discussed spirituality, extremism, and the search for truth. My time in Malang was my first time living with Muslims, and I think it was really valuable for me. It’s not that I didn’t respect the religion before; it’s that it felt very far away and strange to me as an American. Now, it just feels like another way of going about your day.

before digging into our fresh fish

Love to everyone in Malang. ♥ I will be back!