Fire Well

      The next morning I wake up get ready for the day. Today I am going with Fi Fi, Kai, and their son to a museum that is in town. As we walk towards the museum I get an uneasy feeling. Soon I realize why I felt so uncomfortable. I was constantly being stared at by everyone along the street. It wasn’t just a, “Oh he must be the new foreign teacher,” no it was more of, “Why is ‘He’ here?” People were constantly dropping whatever they were doing just to get a look at me. I decided to just shrug it off and to enjoy my time here. We arrived at the museum, and while we were signing into the register I could feel the eyes of people piling into the doorway just to see me. The museum was dedicated to the tragedy that occurred in 2008. In 2008 there was a devastating earthquake in China that had decimated a town where a certain race of Asians lived. Sorry I forgot the name, but their homes were destroyed. When this happened the neighboring city gladly welcomed them with open arms and a warm place to stay. The people of the city helped raise money for them to help provide for all their necessities. In the museum it showed artifacts from tools they had used in the past. They also had pictures of the tragedy and some of the remains of personal belongings that were uncovered. In another display there was a memorial of soldiers that had died helping people that were injured during the earthquake. In another room it showed pictures of the people leaving the city, after recovering from the incident, ready to start their lives once again. From just looking at the pictures you could sense the gratitude that was felt from the expressions on their faces.

      We then travel to Houjing Middle School for a tour of the school grounds. Fi Fi shows me around the school, the offices, classrooms, playground, and tells me about what had happened in 2008. Fi Fi had also had an awful experience with the earthquake from 2008. The earthquake was also felt in Houjing. She was teaching class on the 3^rd floor when it struck. She saw the fear on the students faces as they ran trying to escape the building. She saw students panicked and were jumping out of windows trying to escape…… Unfortunately there were more casualties than injuries. Many students had lost their parents and homes in the earthquake. This showed how devastating the earthquake truly was. The government of course stepped in to help the school and students. They had helped rebuild the school, and provided a dormitory for the students to live. Of course this could never replace what they had lost, but this could help ease their pain.

      We go to the origin of Houjing, and its name sake. Houjing literally translates to “fire well,” and for a good reason. This town is where, from what I am told, the very first natural gas well was discovered. Originally it was just a water-well, but to unknown reasons the well had caught on fire, causing a geyser of flames. This is why the town is called Houjing (fire well). The monument was, in my opinion, lacking in finesse. There was a tall pillar sitting out doors with the story of the town’s origin etched onto the sides. That wasn’t the only thing that was etched onto the monument. It seems that many kids have used a rock, or whatever they could find, to write their name, and whoever they are infatuated with, onto the sides of the pillar. You would think that since this is a historical artifact that they would have kept better upkeep of it.  Just a few feet behind it were two stones slabs with more Chinese transcripts on it. Of course I couldn’t read a word that was on it, but I doubt anyone could. The stones were badly worn down, and anything that was written on them was barely legible. The well, or what was left of it, was still standing; but it seemed to be another place for kids to write their names and to display their artwork as well. There is a metal hatch that has been placed to cover the opening of the well. I hate to say it, but I don’t think it was done as a precaution, but as a reaction to someone that had already fallen into it before. Sad thing to say but I believe it is true.

Welcome to Houjing!

      I wake up early to depart to Qionglai City. I say my goodbyes to John and Nelson; wish them good luck and go on my way. I grab my luggage and walk out to the front of the hotel. I am greeted by a young man with glasses. He introduces himself as Elory. We throw my luggage into the trunk of the car and the driver takes us on our way. Elory is only 22 years old and has just started with the company a week before I arrived. So he is as new to the scene as I am. We make small talk and after at least an hour we arrive in Qionglai City. We pull into a school and take a quick bathroom break. I was thinking that this would be the school that I would be teaching at, but that’s where I would be mistaken. I don’t know what the driver and the security guard were talking about, but if I’m not mistaken it seems he was getting directions. We once again pile back into the car and head on our way. This time we are driving out into the middle of the mountains. The scenery quickly changes from urban area to a rural country side. The roads weren’t properly maintained. It indeed was a bumpy ride. At least another hour goes by and we are still in the middle of the mountains. As the narrow roads twist and turn I enjoy the serene quality of the atmosphere. There were plenty of bamboo groves, rivers, and fields. It was a sight to behold. We finally arrive to Houjing Town. So small that if you blinked you would miss it…… I’m not exaggerating. It is indeed that small. Near the entrance of the town there is a sign that shows plans of “The Houjing of Tomorrow.” We pull into the primary school where I meet Fi Fi and Kai Kai. They are teachers, husband and wife, and proud parents. With them they have their son who is only 4 years old. Fi Fi is an English teacher at Houjing Middle School, and Kai Kai is a math teacher at Houjing Primary School; the school where I will be teaching. They give me a tour around Houjing Primary school and introduce me to the school headmaster, and some of the other teachers. After showing me the school Elory and I head towards the local police station. Good thing we had someone driving us because if we had to walk it would at least take an hour to get there. At the police station we have to fill out a form for registration of a new tenant, or something like that. It basically shows where I live and if something was to happen they know where I live. We ran into a problem when they were having problems with their computers so we had to wait for over an hour. After an hour Elory talks with one of the officers and tells him that we need a copy of my passport. So we had to walk down the road to scan a copy of my passport, then return. It was such a nice day that the driver fell asleep in his car so we didn’t bother him about driving us down the road. We returned to the station, but still we had to wait. After some time we finally finish the paperwork and were permitted to leave. Before leaving one of the officers, Mr. Zhou gives me his number and tells me that if I ever need help to call him.  We arrive to the complex and carry my luggage up to the second floor. We walk into a fully furnished apartment. They show me around the apartment and show me how a few things work. Afterwards they ask what I might need for the apartment so that they may retrieve it for me. After listing a few things I would need, such as a trash can some cooking essentials, and a surge protector; Fi Fi and Kai Kai offered to show me around the town. Elory says his goodbyes and we exchange phone numbers. Elory is my go to man from the company if I need something fixed or need help with something. Fi Fi and Kai show me around town. They show me the local restaurants and supermarket. After some walking we decide it’s time to get something to eat. We go to one of the restaurants and order food. We sit out back in an open outdoor patio. One of the workers served us tea while we are waiting for our food. It started with just the four of us but our number quickly grew. Word got around quick that their little town now has a foreign teacher. I learned quickly that in this town they have never seen a foreigner. Other teachers from the school join us as well as some random people that live in town. Not only were they surprised to meet a foreigner I think they were more surprised by the fact that I am black. Out of all the people that sat at the table only maybe 4 people spoke English not including me. Food arrives and we drink beer and talk while we eat. By this time it is late and they show me home and head on their way. As soon as I close the door, it hits me. I am living in a foreign country…….Alone. I look around the apartment and start unpacking my luggage. It’s quiet. I can hear everything going on around me, the wind blowing, people walking upstairs to their apartments, the sound of the refrigerator whirring, and even the moth that was flying around the room. I had to break the silence so I play my ps3 till I was on the verge of passing out, then I stumble to my bedroom and go to sleep. The last thought going through my head is, “Well here I am…..”

Pour Up (Drank) Sit Down (Drank)

      We head back to the hotel and open up the bottle of liquor and toast to the future. After taking the first drink I would guess that this was China’s twist on gin, not that I’m complaining. After a couple drinks we were interrupted by someone walking into the room. It was one of the attendants from the hotel with a very tall dark skinned gentleman behind him. He shows the man into the room and leaves afterwards. John and I were definitely displeased with the fact that someone just walked into the room without as much as a knock on the door. The gentleman quickly introduces himself as Nelson. Apparently he is supposed to share the room with us, and we were supposed to have already been informed of his arrival. John and I exchange confused glances, shrug it off, and invite Nelson to a drink. We introduce ourselves to Nelson, and lo and behold Nelson is also from South Africa…… I’m beginning to pick up a pattern here. Nelson had just recently arrived in Chengdu that morning. His plane landed in Beijing and he rode the train all the way to Chengdu, which was a 7 hour trip. Needless to say he appreciated the drink waiting for him when he arrived. More small talk goes by, the sun goes down, and we decide to head back out to a nightclub.

      Our arrival at Bar Street was a smooth and easy transition, since we didn’t have a big party to worry about this time through. We decide to enjoy the same night club as the night before. “Why not? It was a place we are already familiar with and John already knows one of the workers there, so why try to fix something that isn’t broke?” The club hasn’t changed since the night before. It still had its upbeat tempo, crowd of people high off of the vibe, and overpriced import beers. The difference tonight was that a random couple had invited us to join their table to drink with them. Evidently they had already ordered their drinks, which was a whole bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label. They had several glasses ready for us and a pitcher in the middle of the table so they could mix their bottle of JW with tea to their preference. Well I didn’t want to just leech off of their drinks so I ordered a couple of beers for the table to help contribute. We drank, had fun, and were being merry. The couple decided to head in early for the night and left us with their unfinished JW, which was about a half full bottle. That was very generous of them. So of course we helped ourselves to their gracious gift. At this point we were feeling great and having a good time. I even got on the dance floor and shook a tail feather or two; which brought me about a lot of praise and attention. As soon as I got off the dance floor people kept walking up to our table and wanted to cheers us. This definitely speeds up the drinking process for the night. We were invited to drink with another table. This time it was two girls and one guy that invited us. They already had a table full of beers, because they were celebrating one of the girl’s birthday. The birthday girl and the guy were together and the other girl was her best friend that came to celebrate with her. Unfortunately not one of them spoke English, but at this point it truly didn’t matter. We were already getting faded, and we didn’t care. Being on the dance floor apparently brought more attention to me than I thought, because the birthday girl’s friend wanted to dance with me. No homo, but the two guys with me were better looking and in better shape than me. That’s when I realized that I have seen this girl before. While I was on the dance floor she was watching me from across the room. John then tells me that she has wanted to dance with me and she was the one who had invited us to the table. I know John has some knowledge of the Chinese language but not this much. Then I see him use his phone to help translate what he is saying. Of course that’s when everything makes sense, but I digress. Of course I didn’t turn her down and we go dance on the floor. The night grows long and we grow weary, and at this point it was dying down in the club. Due to miscommunication between the three of us we walked out at different times and during the confusion I didn’t even get a chance to ask the girl her number let alone her name. After regrouping we head back to the room for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a long and weary day for me.

A Day In Chengdu

      The next morning, Bruce wakes up early to go through his medical examination; the same process that the rest of us already had the pleasure to experience. We exchange e-mails and off he goes to start his own adventure here in China. Shortly after his departure we get a call informing that I will be leaving to go to my school and apartment early tomorrow morning and that I should be ready around 6:30. After I hang up the phone I lay my head back down to catch up on some unnecessary sleep. I wake up around 11:30 take a shower and change my clothes. All that is left is me and John in the room. Since we have internet access, and I brought my laptop we decided to check and see how the outside world was doing. I show him the new world of what is called “Facebook” and bestow to him the knowledge that was brought upon to me, on how to get around “The Great Firewall of China.” We order room service while setting up his account, checking e-mails, and watching some movies that I had stored on my laptop. It becomes evening and we get a little stir crazy, so we decided to walk around the streets and explore Chengdu. We walked the streets, and this is when I really started to notice the difference between Chinese culture and my own. The things I’ve seen have been…… an eye opener to say the least. I’ve seen parents with their toddlers with pants that were “breathable.” These pants had no crotch area. They were just enough to cover the outside of the outer thighs and the lower legs. The best way to describe them is to compare them with cowboy chaps, or whatever they are called. You know like what old western cowboys would wear with the spurs and the leather chaps. Yeah they were just like that except they didn’t wear anything underneath them. That’s right they had no diapers on. So when the children had to go they would just let the child go wherever. John explained that this was because parents didn’t want to pay for diapers. Another thing I noticed was their etiquette on spitting.  They would spit anywhere, and I don’t mean just a little spittle. I mean that they hock loogies. I’m not one that usually gets grossed out but this was just out right disgusting to me.

      I digress; we walked through the city and saw multiple street vendors selling various snacks alongside the road. We see many little shops selling various articles of clothing both familiar and new; China phone service stores; electronic shops; and an abundant amount of different restaurants. We eventually stumble upon a market area where people had their own stands set up for selling fruits, vegetables, seasonings, spices, and meats. Majority of the meats was pork. This seems to make up a large portion of the Chinese diet. I could ensure you the products were fresh because of the fact that not far from this area is where they slaughtered the animals. “How would you know?” you may ask. Well the fact that we saw them bring in live farm animals into one building and was able to hear their last cries of life. I would think that is more than enough proof to back up my assumption. While we were walking through the market we decided to grab us something to drink. We walk into a nearby stall, where some ladies were playing a game of Mahjong, and John talks with the ladies running the shop. He buys a glass bottle of Chinese liquor and two bottles of sprite. All of this only costs maybe 20 Yuan, and that is being generous, so in actuality he only spent about 3 USD. This is another thing I have noticed since I have been here in China. The cost of living here in China is nothing compared to America. Everything is soo much cheaper that it isn’t even funny.

You Can Find Me In The Club......

      As soon as we walk into the nightclub I can feel the energy in the room. Anywhere you look there are people dancing, drinking, and having a good time. The place was bigger than it appeared from the outside. TVs were mounted on multiple walls around the room, playing various visualizations moving in sync with the music. We were quickly greeted by two beautiful hostesses who gladly showed us to an available table. As we walked through the crowd of people I got a better look of the club around me. There was a bar on the far right side of the wall with many assorted liquors. There was a large raised dance floor in the middle of the room with two smaller raised dance floors off set from them. Behind the large dance floor in the middle was where the DJ was stationed with, what seems, to be his own personal bar centered on him. This place would be an American smokers dream. Since I've arrived in China I have noticed that people are allowed to smoke practically anywhere they wish, and when they finish their cigarette they can throw their butts wherever they may lie.

      We arrive at our table and were quickly greeted by a server. John seems to have already met with the young man before. As they were talking I take a look at which I guess was the drink menu that was on the table. Unfortunately it was all written in Chinese and I couldn't read one word of it. The only thing I could make out is what I could only guess what could be the prices. John and the server exchange idle banter, afterwards the young man grabs us a drink menu in English. John orders our drinks for us, and the server shortly returns with twelve bottles of Budweiser. The cost of the drinks was almost 180 Yuan, which is just under $30 USD. Overpriced for such a petty beer in my opinion, but I guess here it is considered an import and not a domestic. As we drink our overpriced beer we scan the room to see what kind of trouble we could get into. The night continues on and various songs are played, both foreign and familiar.

      The night continues on and we see various live performances. Of course they were all songs that were foreign to me. Even though I couldn't understand the lyrics to the song it did not stop me from enjoying the show. At first there was a young man who stood on the middle stage and sang a song I would guess was from the 90’s due to the music videos that were playing on the TV screens in the background. He performed three different songs then walked off into the back of the nightclub. The DJ continues his routine of getting the crowd pumped up and onto the dance floor. Later another performer appears, but this time a woman walks up onto the dance floor. Her routine is more intricate. She performs a few songs then the room grows dark. During this time the staff brings up a faux iron cage on the middle dance floor. Two women are inside step inside the cage and are dressed in old traditional Chinese clothing. Soon the spotlights shine onto the women in the cage. The woman from before stands on one of the adjacent dance floors and begins to sing a slow tempo song. The women in the cage begin to dance in sync with song. Suddenly the tempo picks up and the women in the cage strip off their clothing to reveal a more risqué leather outfit. Their dance routine also makes a drastic change. Let’s just say that it involves ice cubes, candle wax, and just leave it at that. It was definitely a sight to be seen. The night goes on and it is getting late. We decided to call it a night and headed back to our hotel. 

A Night in Chengdu

      This time when we arrive to the hotel it is already paid for when we arrive. We walk into the room. It is bigger than Sim’s Cozy, and it had three beds. John informs me we will have another person who will be sharing the same room. After some small talk and learning about each other a half hour goes by and there is a knock at the door. It is a tall heavy set Caucasian gentleman. This is Bruce; he is also from South Africa. He was definitely…… a unique individual. He was a very loud and foul mouth man. It was nice to have a conversation with people in my own native tongue and not have to speak slowly, clearly, and properly. I fell back into old habits of using slang and my old vernacular. Some more idle chat and time went by and we all shared the same sentiments. It was time to get something to eat and to “get the bloody hell out of here!”

      As Bruce well put it we left out of the room and walked across the street from the hotel to a restaurant and met some more foreigners like us. We then met Mari and her husband Guy. They too were from South Africa. At this point I felt even more like an outsider, and started to wonder “Why was I the only American in the group?” We were all hired by the same company and just recently arrived to Chengdu, except for John. He was the veteran out of us. He had already been working for the company four months prior to our arrival. He was here to clear up some discrepancies with his living arrangements. Soon after we ordered food another woman joins us. Her name is Sarah, and no she was not also from South Africa, she is from the U.K. She has been living in China off and on for about five years. She has an apartment that she rents out to a gay couple that lives here in Chengdu, most of the time she lives in Australia. She has never worked for the same company as us, but she has heard much about it. Unfortunately none of it was good. During her time she has lived and worked in Chengdu she has heard nothing good about the company that has hired us. Apparently the company is notorious for problems with keeping up their side of the contract, mostly when it came down to paying their employees. From what she had told us, they had become so notorious that they even had to change their name. They used to be called Sunny’s English Club.

      After exchanging stories Sarah departs us with a word of caution. “Don’t take no for an answer. If you don’t like something, demand that it gets fixed!” To help brighten the mood John then mentions that we go to “Bar Street.” Of course that’s not the actual name of the street but it should be. This one street was full of different bars and clubs for the night life. Since we had a party of five we had to take two different cabs to Bar Street. Upon our arrival we see that it was rightly named “Bar Street.” We choose a nearby bar and order a round of beer. We all talk about good times back home and dreams we have of the future. After our first round Mari and Guy decide to head back to their room, before leaving Mari plays the motherly role and says that she has her eye on us. Mimicking that she pulls an eye out and gives John, Bruce, and I one respectively then heads on her way. After she is out of sight the three of us give each other a solitary look…… “We’re gonna have a good time!” We don’t have to walk far before finding a night club. Before walking in I can hear and feel the bass flow through my body. I think to myself, “Oh, yeah. This is the one!” 

Previously on Chronicles of A Foreigner.....

      We arrive at Sim’s Cozy which actually was a very nice hostel with an English speaking staff. I figured that the room was going to be paid for, but when the receptionist asked for money for a two night stay and fee for the driver least to say I was surprised. There was nothing else I could do except pay for everything. After he gave me the receipt and the room key I took the elevator to my room and went to sleep. The next morning I took a hot shower. It felt like it has been ages since I had this luxury. The hostel had its own bar and restaurant with a variety of different foods. Once again I enjoyed a well prepared meal then explored around the hostel. They had their own recreation room with a billiard table, foosball, ping pong table, and basketball game. I played a game of billiard alone then ventured around the hostel some more. It was nicely arranged. The architecture was very beautiful. I could feel the culture heritage that was implicated into the design. After walking around the hostel I returned to my room pulled out my ps3 and went back to my usual habits as if I was still at home. Of course I wanted to go out and explore, but I wanted to stay and relax in my room; the fear of getting lost and never finding my way back was also a big deterrent. The next day was the same as the day before, eat, play billiard, and return to my room. While I was in the hostel I did see some other people that were on vacation, but they didn’t seem to care to start a conversation so I didn’t waste my breath. I felt that there is no point on trying to drag out a one-sided conversation, and at the point the feeling of being alone hasn't set in yet.

      After my two day stay in Sim’s Cozy it was time to say goodbye. I got a cab and headed to the address of the company. This is when I noticed how big the city really is, and how much of a difference there is in traffic laws. I have never been so scared in my life while riding in a car. It felt as if they had no regard for other vehicles or pedestrians, just as long as they get to their destination. And I don’t mean just the taxi drivers; it was anyone who was driving a vehicle. They all seemed to share this same mindset. It also seemed to be a custom that there cannot be a time span of 5 seconds without hearing someone blare a car horn. This is not an exaggeration. I have actually timed how long of a silence there is between car horns. 5- 10 seconds seems to be the most acceptable time span before someone must blare their horn for no apparent reason.

Finally I reach my destination in one piece; I pay for the “safe passage” and grab my luggage.  I stand in front of a towering sky scrapper. No significant difference between all the other buildings and walk in through the doorway and ask the desk clerk for guidance. After the strenuous process of getting the simple directions of “Take the elevator to the 10^th floor and turn right. You will find the office on the left.” 

     I walk in the office and meet Vickie in person. To my surprise she is surprisingly short. I mean I know I’m not the tallest tree in the forest, but she made me feel as if I was Shaq. She welcomes me to Chengdu and takes me across the street to buy me lunch. After some small talk and a bite to eat we return to the office to get down to business. She cuts straight to the chase by bringing out the contract that entitled me to one year of work, and tells me to look it over. After reading it we both sign the contract and she gives me a copy. Afterwards she turns me over to one of her coworkers named Bella. Bella then takes me to a hospital in town to get a medical check-up. After the urine sample, blood test, x-rays, and other routine diagnosis I pay the fee and receive a certificate saying I’m good to work.

      After returning to the office Vickie then asks if I have a receipt from the hotel and the cab. My memory, of course is that of a steel trap, I remembered exactly where I had the receipt…….. Unfortunately it was at Sim’s Cozy, I had left it on the nightstand next to the bed. As for the taxi, the driver never gave me a receipt. Vickie then says she will call the hostel and see how much I had paid and will reimburse me. Apparently my word isn't good enough. After waiting a few minutes she tells me that they couldn't find the receipt in the room, thus I lost the money I had spent on paying for the room and the taxi. I was definitely not happy with these turn of events. Afterwards she then introduces me to a tall dark slender gentleman from South Africa named John. She tells me that we will be sharing a room in another hotel, which means I won’t start working yet, and I get some more free time….. “Where is the downside to this?” you may ask. There isn't one.