China Exchange Student

Anyone remember my previous topic about me heading into Asia?

Well, in about a few more weeks, I'll be heading to China as exchange student. Should be fun!

Hope I'm able to reach this website from there. If I can, I'll make sure I post about my adventure!

Sounds very cool. Where will you be staying/studying?

Professor Voodoo wrote:Sounds very cool. Where will you be staying/studying?

I'll be in Shijiazhuang in the Hebei province. I have a host family there.

Cool, looking forward to hearing more when you get there!

tremec6speed wrote:Cool, looking forward to hearing more when you get there!

Thanks! Just wondering if I'll be able to get on here from China though.

Bring a laptop with an Ethernet port, or bring a modem with you. Most of China has WIRED broadband, so you'll need to get online via direct plug or broadcasted signal.

Congrats you'll have to tell us all about it.

Hello again! And as you noticed, I can get on here from China!

It's about Day 13 since I came here and alot has happened.

To begin with, I brought my host family a ton of presents, which are moslty clothes. Neverless, they liked them a lot and the mother said she would buy some souviners for me in return.

While I'm here however, I need a residence permit, a bank account, and an email account. So far, I'm using an email account the host son offered me and the exchange program is working on the permit. I also got my first bank card and account, but my parents need to find a bank on their side where they can send money easily since it's expensive for the one they use.

So far, I'm starting to make some friends. Not just with the son, but also with the exchange and foreign students. Two other exchange students are with me, whose names are Lianna and Irene (she's from Italy). As a matter of fact, we were the first exchange students to ever participate in the schools of Shijiazhuang and because so, we were part of the opening ceremony for one of the schools! Though Lianna and Irene only spoke English, I tried speaking on both Chinese AND English, which turned out to be alright, even though I was a bit nervous, which mame passive when it was my turn to talk. Neverless, the students still liked us a lot and I joked with Irene and Lianna on how we acted and were treated like celeberties.

One of my new friends apparently likes anime and manga. It turns out that though China DOES outlaw manga and anime, it has made the most popular ones such as Naruto, Bleach, Sailor Moon, and hopefully Touhou expections to that rule.

Anyway, so far it's fun! and it looks like it's much different than what many Americans would think (though it sort of is when it comes to housing conditions like having to wash clothers myself). They're quite resourceful here due to mass population such as conserving on water and supplies, but it's an enivornment I actually like. I'm also learning a ton of new vocabulary and the teachers are hoping to also help us.

Recently I got a camera and took a ton of pictures the first day after I got. I'm hpoing to send some to my parents! Quite expensive though, even when all the food here is very cheap (less than a dollar for a good lunch).

The school schedule is quite long though, having to stay from 7 am to about 8 pm. However, we have huge breakes in between and me and the other foreign students don't have to take any tests. However, I'd like to try taking at least one test and doing well on it before leaving.

Can't wait to tell more!

Sounds cool! Have your host-parents attempted to restrict your diet from "unhealthy things" at all? My relatives tend to freak out when I do something delicious and it's supposedly unhealthy, but I dunno if that's true for most of the world.

Great, hope you get a chance to show us one day the cool pictures of China!

tremec6speed wrote:Great, hope you get a chance to show us one day the cool pictures of China!

Yeah! I hope I do, too!

Along the way, I've been learning more on Chinese and been reading a few manhuas (Chinese manga). From what I know, they have a famous one called Cyper Weapon Z, which is said to be futuristic martial artists fighting demons. Though that's Hong Kong, not mainland China, it's still promising to me. How many people know of manhua?

Aside from that, I've met another firend who also like anime. Currently we're watching animes "The Story of Sainkokou" (since I found it appropriate due to the Chinese setting) and "Accel World". Sure someone knows of these. He also like to draw femal characters, too. Currently, he's drawing the main character of an anime I developed for me (I didn't ask him, he chose to do it himself).

GOD, truly i envy you Jamey

Been a very long time since I last posted. I don't even know how many days I've been here. Nonetheless, many things have happened.

To begin with, I jgot a phone recently and I'll be using it for my time in China. I also got WiFi, which I'll have to pay for every month, so I should still keep in touch on the Internet.

I say that because I also recently moved to an apartment of my own with my host brother. I don't have a computer, so I'll have to keep using the phone for the web at most until a new computer comes for us.

It turns out that not many people here celebrate Halloween. Fortunately, one of my friends knew the holiday and we were able to plan a party for it. He's also planning a Thanksgiving party, too, for our classes.

Also reading an interesting Manhua called Bloodline (血族). It's mostly a Church vs. vampires novel that follows a girl named Lilo Ai, who is said to be the last of the vampire kind. That of which reminds me a little of the Exceed 2nd doujin game.

Nothing much else to stay rather than trying to get a time to send photos to my parents and going out with friends. Recently had to send a postcard to my great great grandma in Tennessee (she broke her back and is recovering) and had an aunt die recently. Both of which I'm said to hear about.

I don't hear much about it in China, but I heard that Obama won re-election back in America. My dad told me and knew it would happen, though he voted for a third party candidate anyway. I also hear that back in China, aside from some things with Japan (haven't heard more on that for a while), they are easing on their population control law to two children per family. Seems like things in the world are starting to get better by the moment.

It's good to hear from you again, Jamey, and good you're fitting in. I expect you'll have a great deal more to tell us about your stay when you get back home.

So, it's finally December of 2012. The 19th is my birthday and two days after, the 21st, is said up be when the world is going to end.

Funny, I recently made a friend who has a birthday on that day. I've been making several more friends and getting their phone numbers, hoping to hang out with them all one day. There is one girl I've been paying attention to often and people were wondering if I like her, though I give them much of a direct answer.

A little while ago, the school particated in a sports things were our classes competed in doing certain activities. My class was ill-prepared for it, so we sucked horribly. I'd also like to point out there were also classes doing dances and one did the famous Gangnam style. A funny moment was when music was played from a phone on the speaker during a dance and it suddenly played its ringtone for a call. If the phone conversation was played on it, too, then I would have found it even more hilarious.

Aside from that, things have been rough with hanging out with then outside the school. I'm able to do so, but recently many important tests have come up for the normal students and everyone is very busy on the weekdays studying for them. A large chunk of it should be done this week, so hopefully it would be.over soon. And if not, then next month or so since the 2-3 month winter break is also coming up.

JameyoftheMegacosmos wrote:21st, is said up be when the world is going to end.

Are people in China aware of all the December 21st silliness, or do they have their own end-of-the-world prophecies?

Glad you're keeping in touch, Jamey. The upcoming end of the world is a topic of much discussion on the site - mostly humorous. Hope your friends' schedules loosen up soon so that you can enjoy their company.

Great to hear from you. I can't imagine trying to post from a phone. You sound like you're fitting in very well.

Should have replied on this yesterday, but December 19th was my birthday! Nearly everyone sent me messages and phone calls on my birthday. But there was more than that.

Not only did I celebrate my birthday in China, but my dad also came for it. He had a hard time because he couldn't speak Chinese and not many people knew English. He somehow couldn't even get his reservation at a hotel and needed to stay at an expensive one for a day. He also has trouble finding somewhere where he could exchange all of his money since he only had US money. And he'll be getting another hotel that's cheaper and closer to my home.

Got presents from him and my mom. The biggest was three shirts: One for the Gorillaz behind I like, One for Halo 4, and the last being for Bleach, though I don't know much on it since I only know the Aizen section of the story.

In the night, we celebrated my birthday at my school and introduced my classmates and some teachers to my dad. My host parents also came and brought a bunch of bananas for the class to eat. The cake I got was actually new, since it had some peach-flavored cream and fruits on top. And like I once did with my host brother's sister's cake, I put the candles in a way that made 18 in Chinese. Blew them out the same way you write them, too.

After, we visted my apartment and showed my dad around the house. After a while, he left to return home. Overall, he found his first day fun and I'll be having him here for another week. My mom will be coming in February.

JameyoftheMegacosmos wrote:Should have replied on this yesterday, but December 19th was my birthday! Nearly everyone sent me messages and phone calls on my birthday. But there was more than that.

Sounds like it was a good day. Very cool that your Father got to come over and visit too. During the years I lived in Germany my Father, Mother & 2 Aunts all got to visit at various times and while playing tourguide was a lot of work for me they still talk about what an adventure it was to this day. Hope you & your Father are having an equally memorable experience, and the same for your Mother's upcoming visit.

Happy birthday to you, then!

An excellent birthday, sounds like.

Been a very long time I last posted on here.

Can't believe it's already about half of my year here. I've been getting a little trouble as somehow, my money kept running down fast. Finally, found out the problem and hopefully the rest of my vacation would be nicer. My mom will also be coming. She's been trying to get reservations and though I was very helpful, she still needs other stuff such as my phone number, whih is out of minutes. Hopefully, she'll bring some more of my own money for the trip.

It's already almost Chinese New Year! And recently my host family has been buying a lot of new clothes and all. Was pretty expensive, too, but that's because I had to buy my brother's clothes as well. He'll be paying it back.

Having a fun time, even though I've been cut off from my friends in phone sense. But should have it fixed quickly.

Been a long time since you posted, but we're watching for every one.

Glad things are good over all!

Pretty close new year's now! Of course it may already be that once you get this.

For more information, everyone has several traditions in connection.
1. Everything much be cleaned before the new year. Especially the house and car.
2. People put up certain banners up on their doorways.
3. As usual, there are a ton of firecrackers and fireworks lit.
4. A ton of food is also made for the family.
5. It's been recent, but similar to back in America, there is a large talent show (no contest) on television that everyone watches. (For a note: If you know the famous Titanic movie, the famous singer from the film just sang for this festival.)
6. Finally, at the beginning of the New Year, everyone is supposed to wear fresh clean clothes.

Some it I already knew, but others were quite new to me. I know that most have a significance and following legends to how it became part of Chinese New Year (This time being Year of the Snake), but don't remeber that much. Having fun either way!

If any old men or women you do not know attempt to give you something to drink; kindly decline to partake. Trust me.

It's been a very long time since I last replied to my post. Because so, many things happened in the past few months.

First in around February, my host brother needed surgery in his stomach and had to stay in the hospital for a week. Fortunately, he recovered and is now retirning to class.

I also had a lot of time with my friends. One activity included heading into an Asian pear orchard and I mean "Asian Pear" literally as it's a very common original fruit here. We didn't pick anything out of trees, but we rooted out a type of herb and took a few bags home with us. I think it's called Shepard's Plant. I remember seeing it back in the US as it blossoms many tiny flowers and we see them as weeds. Though not originally from China, I also watched a few movies translated in Chinese. Since the summer is coming up, I'll be heading into an indoor waterpark that's opening up soon. That of which should be fun, despite it starting to get really hot out now.

Recently due to today being May day, I had a barbecue with my barbecue at the Cha He River, which runs along Shijiazhuang. There's apparently plently of trees here- a large part outside of the city is like wasteland- and many people brought tents out here. We only brought a blanket, but like everyone else, we had a cooking spot for the food. Our fire took a while, having use to a variety of materials from paper and little sticks to special gel, but we were able to get it running eventually. There was a lot of other stuff here, including a little amusement park to the side. We headed home later in the evening.

Outside of friends and Chinese, which I greatly improved in the past months, other stuff has been going on. I'll be leaving a few days earlier from my schedule. My uncle is having a wedding around the end of June and I have to return in time to prepare. During times when I'm alone with nothing else, I've been either exploring more of the city, meeting new people (recently found a new friend who is a girl that loves anime), or working on a TV/anime series, which I have four episodes complete if anyone wants to read (also translating them into Chinese).

Well, that's all I have for now. Two more months and I finally come home!

boomer_gonz wrote:If any old men or women you do not know attempt to give you something to drink; kindly decline to partake. Trust me.

In China? Thats over 1.43 BILLION people!!!

Look, JameyoftheMegacosmos, be careful out there. I've known exchange students and exchange teachers out there and they will work you to the bone! But knowing Mandarin will be very useful! Dont trust nobody while you are out there and definitely dont date the ladies unless you want to be found inside a concrete pillar on some illegal building when it collapses!

There are pluses and minuses to being an exchange person in another country. But you need to be aware and be alert at all times.

I'm aware of things like that and my dad was worried about that, too. Fortunately, nothing has happened here and people are being polite. Nonetheless, I still keep a guard up.

Good to hear you're managing to be sensible and still have fun. You're on a grand adventure, Jamey; I'm sure you get homesick sometimes, but you're going to remember this trip fondly for the rest of your life.

Thescarredman wrote:Good to hear you're managing to be sensible and still have fun. You're on a grand adventure, Jamey; I'm sure you get homesick sometimes, but you're going to remember this trip fondly for the rest of your life.

Definitely! And thanks.

Having a great time here and meeting new people will sure help me out in the future. Maybe in my resumes, too...

Sounds cool . Where are you living in right now ?

Shijiazhuang in the Hebei Province. It's about 2-3 hours away from Beijing.

Almost time for me to head back! About 5 days.

For this month, I switched families because my last one had to go to Beijing so my host brother could study. Fortunately, a classmate of mine allowed me to live at his cousin's house. Boy, do I like living there; no more weekly showers and having to go outsude for washing everything but my socks and boxers (gross, I know). The family is very nice, too. Two can speak fluent English and the father took me out to paintball and climbing at a military. I'm not kidding on the last part abd ut was quite fun, yet hot during paintball despite recent cloudy weather. Nonetheless, it should help me adjust back to my American way of life. I'm feeling very desperate now.

Summer and my senior year is getting planned out. Because of my work in China, I'll be in Mandarin IV Honors for next year. Other major classes are AP Physics and AP Calculus (both in AB levels). My parents are also trying to look for a summer job for me or maybe a little summer school, too. Should altogether help big time on my college resumes.

Everything is now getting prepared for trip home. I have my tickets and hopefully everything packed well in my bags. I'm gonna have carry a lot of bags when I head home, plus having to do it twice for a second flight. Still should be fun and relaxing.

Either this or the next entry would be my last. By then, I can tell some more of my adventures. Even show photos!

Cool! 

Haha! Brilliant! Good luck with those AP Courses, I know that Physics especially can be a bit of a bender.