Time to say a handful of goodbye's. Day 8 to Day 13,

After the exhausting day climbing the fortress, it was straight back to teaching. The warm sticky weather of Zunyi... and it was in the second week Darwin told me the Apple retail store was fake, and I started seeing the city in a different light. It made sense, being one of the poorer provinces, I still saw some of the teachers in the programme having designer handbags, and in the underground crossings there were stalls selling glitter heels at rates I could buy a packet of sweet here.

We finished watching Mr. Holland's opus, in which I was very touched. I didn't cry. 

But I had this weird feeling where I felt like I needed to cry, cos otherwise all the chemicals would just stifle, so my nose went red. But I didn't cry. But everyone thought I did.

We drank a lot of instant coffee over the second week, I guess it was a placebo effect for me hoping that I would feel more energetic in the afternoon. However, it meant I had to go pee all the time, and the toilets aren't nice. At all.

I actually read an article about China a few weeks ago, I think it was about something journalists writing about China, however they were forbidden from writing about the toilets.

They aren't nice. It's a hole in the ground.

I got 'married' to Darwin, an attempt to demonstrate to the Chinese teachers what a Western wedding was like.

Well, I wish I had the chance to tell them, but it does not involve a girl with paper in her hair, wearing pink socks and brown crocs. It does not include paper rings made last minute, nor a tie made out of paper. It does not include an aisle which is narrow, and two people cannot walk down it arm in arm. It does not include a vicar in a bin bag. It does not include the girl losing her ring, while walking back down the aisle. And does not usually include a guy shouting into a microphone looking for the girl then running away.

Apart from that, it was a very accurate re-enactment of a Western wedding I thought.

(I threw the bouquet, but no one caught it.)

I felt a little like a celebrity in that moment, seeing everyone take photos of us.

The very last day of the teaching programme, was on the Saturday, with a modest closing ceremony in the morning. It involved a representative from each class giving a little speech, which was really inspiring as they gushed their thank you's in (very) accented English. One of them even sang a song.

The cultural activities were truly fun. Everyone had their phones and cameras taking pictures, laughing loudly, and enjoying themselves. 

There was a lot of singing of songs from the Sound of Music. One of the classes even did a large group dance of Do Re Mi, inspired by the Antwerp flash mob. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQLCZOG202k )

It was a lot of fun, though I must admit, I think half the people just joined in dancing randomly. I did.

Some of us teachers performed a Fujianese song, I learnt it so well, I can still sing it now, even though I don't understand the words (I don't speak Fujianese). Our dance was amazing.

(Haha!) I like this snapshot, because Steely (the guy in the checkered shirt) looks like he's about to attack me with his fan.

Candy and I were allowed to choreograph our own little sketch in the middle of the song. This is why I look like I have gone crazy. It is actually part of a genius dance creation.

Somewhere in the midst of all these performances, my class managed to take me to one side, and gave me some stunning gifts. 

My favourite was just a little note they wrote to me, it was a very touching note of gratitude, and made me feel immensely happy that they appreciated the little help I could offer. I, myself, was very grateful to them for letting me be a part of the wonderful experience.

Lily Li performed an extremely cultural piece on her unique flute. (Okay, it's an instrument that I have never seen, but if it were to be classed under anything, I would describe it as a pumpkin flute.)

Then there was the catwalk which I helped organise. I remember being asked to demonstrate how to strut during one of our rehearsals. This is the one time I can say I would have done much better had I been 10. I loved pretending to be a model and strutting up and down my bedroom, and I guess I don't have the air of not-caring to be quite as confident anymore.

This is me 'backstage', with all the 'models'. (in white)

Did I mention I am tall for a Chinese?

And so the morning continued, there were performances after the other. There were plays, and songs, and dancing.....

It was the best way to part ways, after a tough 2 week course.


The day wasn't even over.

NOW

... There is a decent autobiography..... update.

Day 7 - Day off - Hailongtun (Sea Dragon Village)

Our first day off in Zunyi,

and the plan was to visit HaiLongTun Fortress. 

Quite honestly, I didn't actually want to go. It was going to climbing lots of stairs, as I had only been told. And I was tired, and I wanted a lie in. Because I am a teenager. But everyone I knew went, and there was no way I could survive by myself, as there were no kitchens and no pot noodles, and no tv with English, and no internet around. 

So I went.

The fortress is situated on top of mountains surrounded by steep cliffs and flanked by streams, with only one narrow path at the back of the mountain leading to it, where it is said a single armed man can stop an army.

There is quite an interesting story behind it, although when the guide told us the story, it was in Mandarin, which I could not understand. So I did a little research on it.
The fortress was built in 1257 on a mountain with a flat peak...

It has the distinction of being the most well preserved military castle in all of Asia. 

'"I can hear weeping and howling at night - the voices of women and children coming from the bottom of the ravine," Liu Yuanguang says, pointing to a cliff from a protruded vista point.

A few steps away is a small stone tablet inscribed with the words: "The Abyss for Execution."

The lamenting voices emanate not only from deep down below but also from across four centuries.

In June of the year 1600, more than 22,000 people, including women and children, were killed and tossed down this precipice.

"There was so much blood that the river turned red, even in downtown Zunyi, 30 km away," Liu continues, as if he were a witness to the tragedy.

The mass execution marked the end of a months-long siege.

Occupying Hailongtun, a mountain with a flat peak built into a fortress, was Yang Yinglong and his army.

The conquerors were Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) soldiers.'

This is all of us setting off, looking fine, and not flustered yet.

Anyway, so thats a little background to where we went. I do kind of wish now I had knew that when I visited the place. I may have felt differently standing in those places. However, I am not one for spiritual 'senses', and if I had not felt it without knowing, the feelings I would have got would only be placebo effects.
We passed a few mules, and I had a little spark of hope that we could ride them, instead of relying on our own legs. I was told there were around 1,000 steps (I am still not sure, as I cannot find a definite number on the internet and neither did I count), plus I did not prepare for hiking, so I did not have decent walking shoes, only heeled crocs. 

I think these are mules...

So anyway, we carried on walking, striding over the steps with ease, and I was thinking this would be easy. 

However, after possibly 10 minutes (I am not sure, but I know myself, and I do get tired and bored and impatient rather easily), I realised I would have to continue walking and climbing and walking and climbing for much longer.
The weather was unbelievably hot, we all had water, and I had a fan. At a break, I had to clip my fringe up. Make no mistake, I dislike clipping my fringe up very much, it makes me look stupid (some would say just more stupid than usual), but I dislike my fringe sticking to my forehead even more.
I also ended up using facial tissues.
Usually when I use facial tissues, it is because I have a runny nose. But in this case it was to wipe my sweat from my face.


It was so hot. I had worn tight jeans too to avoid mosquitoes (Mosquitoes love me! On my right thigh, I had a mosquito bite from Zunyi, Haerbin, Xiamen.... it was like a personal stampbook, but on human flesh!)

In fact... this was what I was wearing .... needless to say I will not be running a fashion blog anytime this lifetime...

This is beautiful Sophie (one with the cute hat) and me. The view was shockingly breathtaking, and overlooked such masses of greenery that you wouldn't think grew near such cities in China.
Oh, and let me explain my amazing fashion sense - hair had just been clipped up (pretty good since I did not have a mirror), the top was because IT WAS BOILING, the stupid stupid stupid snake patterned jeans which made me feel sticky. Oh and someone also told me there could be snakes, so I panicked that they would attack me. AND THE PINK SOCKS, I went through my holiday pictures a while back, and about 80% of pictures with me had me wearing the pink socks. I had 2 pairs, in case people think I am unhygienic, and I only 4 pairs of socks in total in China (I washed my clothes in sinks). And my lovely brown crocs . They're nice. My school shoes are the exact same but black.

I went a litte off topic...

So we continued to walk, the guide talked, I realise the way I describe must make it sound awfully boring. But it wasn't. The place was beautiful, we enjoyed each other's company (haha), and it was good to get some fresh air, and although the walking was exhausting, it felt calming and exercising at the same time.

Until we reached 'The' steps.
'In 1999, a flight of 36 stone stairs was discovered in thickets of shrubberies. Each step is 50 cm high and 2.6 m wide. One cannot walk up - one has to climb.'

May I take this opportunity to tell you I am tall for a Chinese. I was the tallest female there.
The point is, these stairs came up to well above the knees (nearly to the hips) of some people. The climb was not easy.
I was second to the top! Though that may be a little (only a little), to do with the fact I had longer legs than most people, I was the youngest (theoretically with the most energy).... and the fact I did not stay to help the others.

The more and more people arrived at the top, the more people joined in the celebratory photos. I would have put up the one with just me at the top and people struggling to climb up in the background... but I don't look very nice in that.

View from the top, breathless but ecstatic we all made it.


We continued, stopping every now and then to hear a story untranslatable in my mind. Here is a picture of a castle-ly, fortress-y bit.

The most interesting place, had archaeologist sites around it, but either that was the place I wasn't allowed to take photos... or the place that smelled like poo so I did not want to go too close to it.

Aaaaand , we walked back down. Not the same route, an ovally shape to go back down. I personally would not have mind retracing the route, but no one wanted to climb 'those' steps again. Especially down.

You know the moment when something funny happens, and you really are not supposed to laugh. I get those a lot. I cannot do sit-ups (I did 4 sit-ups in 2 minutes last time, and half of them were me pulling at my thighs), but my tummy muscles are good from all the laughing I do. I doubt anyone will meet someone that can laugh for as long as I do. I have a lot of stupid moments.... for example, in Chemistry quiz...' What element rhymes with 'moron'?' Answer is obviously 'boron'. I answered with 'Uranium'. My tummy still hurt hours after that, laughing at my own stupidity.

So my cute cute friend Candy, was walking in front of me, when she slipped and fell on her bum, and she got mud marks on her trousers.. My first instinct was to laugh. However I was very worried for her a split second later. I was genuinely concerned, but that emotion is not really linked to my uncontrollable laughter.
I didn't actually laugh that much, I think I was tired. See, if it was any other day, I would have laughed so much she would be offended.

I think the point of this little story is to say I was tired.

We had watermelon afterwards.