January 2014
I like to think that I’m a fairly
well rounded person (no pun intended) and I am particularly proud of my ability
to see things from both sides, so after my last somewhat critical Blog, I think
it’s only fair that I mention the things I love about China.
1. The weather – naturally when I
packed for China I brought clothes for every occasion. I even brought two
raincoats. Both of which I haven’t used. Since we arrived it has rained twice.
Yes, that’s right. Twice. In six months. There really is nothing quite as
satisfying as waking up, getting ready and walking out the door without a care
in the world. Yes, I washed my hair today and no, I’m not bringing an umbrella
with me, why? Because it never rains in Beijing! So much hassle is taken out of
outfit and activity planning when you know there isn’t going to be a drop of
rain in sight. The weather is cold and crisp but not freezing and more often
than not the sky is bright blue and cloudless. I am not looking forward to the
perpetually grey skies of Northern Ireland, that’s for sure!
2. The food – before we came to China
I was pretty worried about the food. When we went to Thailand/Cambodia/Laos I
was really sick and the thought of having to endure night after night hugging
the toilet did not appeal to me. However, I am happy to report that I haven’t
been sick in China, well apart from Xi’an… and the vertigo… But truly, the
Chinese food has been amazing. It isn’t like anything I’ve had at home; yes
there have been a few feet in our chilli chicken and no, I haven’t seen a
spring roll since we came here but the food is still fantastic. If I could take
one Chinese restaurant home it would be the restaurant right across from our
apartment, the beef is out of this world and it is so cheap!
But wait, it’s not all dumplings
and fried rice. The selection of western food is better than what’s on offer in
Belfast. In a city of twenty million people it’s hardly surprising that you can
find food from any corner of the world. One restaurant I am going to really
struggle without is the Great Leap Brewery; hands down, the best onion rings I
have ever had and I would even say that, bar Fergburger, the cheeseburger is
the best I’ve ever had!
3. Our apartment – it’s huge and it’s
free. What more can I say? Had we been staying for a little longer we would
have invested in some furniture that wasn’t wooden because it’s pretty
impossible to get cosy when your sofa is a wooden bench, but hey, like I said,
it’s freeee!
4. The job – yes, there are times
when I don’t want to go in to class but really, fifteen hours of teaching, a
few extra for meetings/training and a few more for lesson planning isn’t really
that bad. Plus, I’m actually getting paid. Someone is giving me money to do
things that I’d probably do for free. Amazing.
5. The subway – 20p per ride. 2-0-p.
That’s it. I top up about £5 a month and I journey to my heart’s content. Every
country needs a Beijing subway system. Yes, it is busy, it carries over 2.45
billion people annually and it can be hot and sometimes smelly but for 20p it
is an absolute marvel.
6. Downtown Beijing – there’s nothing
quite as good as hopping on the subway and hitting up downtown Beijing. You
have the chaos that is tuk-tuks, beeping horns, traffic going the wrong way and
millions of people but also the complete quiet of parks, museums and winding
hutongs full of hidden courtyards. Beijing is one of the biggest cities in the
world and it has everything.
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7. The freedom – again, there is so
much freedom living here. I can’t take the Clio for a spin whenever I want but
I can take a bus across the city for 4p. While I probably haven’t made enough
of it, the possibilities are endless here.
8. The price – everything is so cheap.
Locals have a much lower salary (for example, the Chinese teachers get £200 a
month and we get £1000 for doing less work) so things that they need are
cheaper. This covers food, clothing and transport and we foreigners reap the
benefits. Yes, it might be cheaper to eat in a Chinese restaurant but £5 for a
full western meal is still insanely good value. Of course, I could get a full
meal at a nice Chinese restaurant for £3 and at a street vendor for less than
£1 but sometimes you just need that pizza! If you ever holiday in China you
will be amazed at how little you can get by on. Again, I am not looking forward
to the extortionate prices of the U.K!
9. The great new places I’ve been –
how could I write this Blog and not mention the Great Wall of China. It is
easily one of the most amazing places I have ever been and it is something I
will never forget. I still can’t really believe that I have not only been to
China but lived and worked in one of the biggest cities in the world. I have
never felt overwhelmed but I have been in awe of what China has to offer. Even
the small trips to our local parks and lakes have been an unforgettable
experience.
Living in Beijing has been an absolute dream. I’ve done things I never thought I could do and I’ve seen some amazing, out of this world, completely unforgettable things. If you want to experience something completely different while also having a safety net of the familiar, then come to Beijing. It won’t disappoint. Stay classy China!
