Day Three

Today, is what I would classify as the proper start of my volunteering trip in China.

On a superficial level, I received official orientation to the i-to-i volunteering trip, met with Yiliera Dong (my in-country team head of staff) and yeah...

But on a more deep... meaningful note, I travelled on packed out, like tuna-in-a-can-packed-out bus. It wasn't bad, I didn't have to hold on to any bars, because I would just shove a bit on the people around me since I was totally enclosed. You really have to push your way out on these buses, it's not about being rude... it's just about getting off the bus before it starts moving again! Finally! I understand the mainlanders back in Australia.

Before I got on the bus, I tried to speak to a Chinese girl and I asked her if it went to Bell Tower. She said it did. I asked her if she was on her way there as well. She said she was. Anyways it turned out that it was her day off, and she was randomly going to the Bell Tower (PS Bell Tower is one of the most ancient buildings in China, but it is also at the very centre, the very heart of Xi'an CBD). So basically she offered to take me around, who would've known mainlanders could be nice?

Haha, alright so I am losing my cyncism. Anyways, we walked around, she took me to the Muslim Quarter (another ancient part of the city) with Islamic Chinese people! That was weird. But interesting all the same.

I've got to say the Xi'an, whilst a dirty dust ridden city, at blistering cold temperatures, is still an amazing city. At times Xi'an holds a reminiscent feel of it's ancient background, the capital city of x-many dynasties. Then you have rusted, rubbish tainted areas. Signalling the after-effects of a burgeoning city which grew up way too fast (as is most of China). And finally you have that which is modern, new, globalized. You walk into any old building, exterior marked with faded paint and crispy scarring, but inside it's completely new, refurbished, industrialised. It's like you've walked into a different world.

The harsh juxtaposition of the ancient architecture, smack bang right in the middle of the city, cars and buses jammed in all four directions... Well it really makes it seem like the city got lost in time.

Anyways so on the bus back I also got to talking with a two students, one from Nigeria and one from Saudi Arabia. We spoke English. It was nice. We were in a jam packed bus, so every single Chinese person in the vincinity was watching me (a seemingly Chinese looking boy) have this completely legit conversation in English with a Black man and an Arab man. Apparently it's not rude to stare. So yeah, they stare.

Right so back to this Chinese girl. We had quite an interesting time trying to communicate. Her name is Sky. At about 6 pm  I went home for dinner (cooked by Mr. Yu) at which point we went our separate ways. It was quite quaint.

Obviously all of this meant a whole lot more to me than just... sightseeing and shopping.

Today, I met a completely random person, spent a couple of hours talking to them, I don't know if I'll ever see her again but that's cool because I can meet another random! Discovered a truly rare city, and gained a whole shitload of cultural understanding I hadn't had before. This is all exactly what I wanted.

On a further note, I leave for the village called Lou Guan Tai on Monday, to start feeding pandas and stuff. Should be cool, and apparently, very very cold. All good I got a ski jacket from Adidas which was half price, down to 600 RMB or 100 AUD. I'm... about 95% sure it's real since the store was. Sky said her boyfriend had the same one so I guess it is genuine. ANNNDDD the village I'm staying at has no wifi, which means I probably can't use a Mac, which means (if I can be bothered) I'll have to find a different way of ... accessing Facebook. IF I can be bothered. We'll see.

Can't wait till Shanghai with Celia. 13 days left la!

Tofa