Something New

Monday morning our amazing group of WTers said our goodbyes and departed in tears. We were each set with our liaisons to our sites. I arrived in Youxian at 9:00 pm. Its only 3 hours from Changsha, but we had to wait around Changsha for 4 hours to get some type of Foreign Expert Certification (I’m actually considered an expert!) As with all things Chinese, there was a lot of waiting and driving from one end of the government compound to the other.
The trip to Youxian was dull. I went to sleep at the sound of muted Chinese music and woke up in another world full of rice fields, dilapidated buildings, and inexistent road rules. This year is the 70th anniversary of my school, Youxian Number One Middle School. It is currently under construction and in a huge mess. It is known for its history and its beauty so I’m excited to see both (sans construction). Apparently, there are still remains from the Qing Dynasty here. For those who do not know, the Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China.
My apartment is a perfect size; about twice the size of my over-priced NYC apartment. It has a large bedroom, queen size rock (aka bed), a desk, a tv, a small kitchen, a separate shower room, a washer, a western toilet (its amazing the things that excited me here), a living room, and an extra bedroom which the volunteer before me turned into an English library. I also have two very good working air conditioners.

Yesterday, my first full day in Youxian, was very busy. I awoke to the sound of knocking at the door. As I opened the door I realized two important things: 1. my liaison + 4 students were waiting to come in; 2. I’m in my pjs, braless, and probably smelly (haven’t showered in a while…). After an awkward few minutes, I departed with 2 students, Suvy and Emma who showed me around town. The first experience I had was the public bus system. Basically, you get into the skeleton of a small bus from 1974 (think mediocre ACDC cover band bus), hand the old woman sitting in the front seat 1 Yuan and find an empty wood chair to sit in. The buses are not on a regular schedule and you have to flag them down if you want a ride. You also have to yell at the driver when you are ready to get off. Finally, I’ve learned another important phrase: Ting yi xia! Which means, “stop right now!” The girls took me to a few important places (including the fast food KFCesque restaurant)! After a few hours in the heat I returned to my apartment for a nap in the cool air.

Youxian is a simple, but kind place. Many people here have never seen a westerner so they gawk when I walk by. Sometimes I feel like an alien and other times I feel like a superstar. The town’s economy is on the rise so there is construction (and dust) everywhere. Many of the roads are not paved yet, but I believe most will be by the time I leave. I am lucky to have Joan here. Joan is another WTer who is at a different school, but only a few miles from me. We both had unusual and somewhat frustrating days yesterday so she came to my apartment for a refreshing TsingTao beer.