A stereotype we have in Canada with respect to hair stylists is that they are female. Here, by far and a away, men rule the industry. Instead of older, balding men hanging out outside of a barber shop, young, hip dudes with side-swept, half shaven, mile high hair stand in the entrance ways and are spread all over the salons (the salons usually have all glass exteriors so we can see inside). I actually got my hair cut here (as seen in pictures) and the hair stylists were all dressed as pilots and the woman wore iiiiitty bitty little skirts and mile high shoes. The guy that did Sara's hair actually had heeled shoes on so he could see over his client's head.
In the mornings, my bus goes by the track. The morning routines of some locals is mind-boggling. Around the track, there is exercise equipment that locals are welcome to use. The most used piece of equipment is a bar approx. 6 feet in the air. This bar can be used for chin-ups but is used most frequently for exercises that are a wee bit more intense. The men go seamlessly from straight-arm to chin ups to hanging with their feet straight out in front of them. Their strength is commendable and impressive.
Hong Kong reminded me a bit of a really cool version of what Halifax or St. John’s. It was on a hillside with really steep streets. I never did mention that in my last post. Think of Argyle street, but on every street. So cool. Speaking of Hong Kong, while we were sitting on the tarmac waiting to go to take off, Kaleigh remarked, “Man, that was a smooth transition!” She thought we took off already and were in the air hahaha On the flight back from Hong Kong, we participated in pre-landing exercises. The flight attendants stood up and directed us through neck and arm stretches to prepare us for disembarking. The Chinese and their exercises!
People here wear their pajamas in public. It’s really entertaining. The other day I was waiting for the bus and a really expensive, brand spankin’ new SUV pulls up. A man wearing full gray, button-up flannel PJs climbed out and went about his day. I especially love the puffy, insulated ones.
Oh! I lost my voice for 3 weeks. THAT was fun (not!). I guess it’s all part of the life of a teacher but man, oh man, the chalk was not helping! It made for some rather entertaining (and some not so much) days.
I saw a man peeing on the way to school the other day. Not a child. A man. And not a drunk, I’m going to pee right here man. A man peeing at a store front in a designated pee basin. In public. At a store front. Weird.
I may have discussed our rock-hard mattresses before. Maybe? If not, many of us, especially Alyssa, were having a hard time with our mattresses. They were ROCK HARD. One day, someone had the brilliant idea of flipping them over. 2.5 months into my 4 month stint in China, I had a beautiful sleep on a mattress that was WORLDS better than what I was sleeping on. I’m pretty sure they have their box-spring and mattress rolled into one and we were sleeping on the box-spring part. Yes Dad, I call myself an engineer.
In case you haven’t heard, “bird is the word” here in Shanghai these days. That’s right, I’m talking about bird flu. With the exception of Hong Kong, I have not had chicken in over two months (it’s painful) and I have just recently taken up eating eggs again. Oh, how I look forward to BBQ chicken when I get home. That said, I look forward to chicken burgers, chicken casserole, chicken pizza, chicken omelettes…..pretty much anything I don’t really eat here.
Seat belts are not used here like that are at home. It was just recently made a law that both people in the front seat of a car need to wear a seat belt. If you buckle up while in the back, people think you are crazy haha
I finally got a handle on how the Chinese determine age. In China, I am 28 (in Canada, I am 26). I was born in October 1986 so for 3 months I was 1 year old. This year, 2013, I will turn 27 since my age changes in January, I am already 27. Add the months I was 1 and VOILA! 28! I have to say, though, I think our system makes sense.
A fad here is for girls/women to wear little animal ears. Sometimes they are pinned into their hair (especially in Beijing), sometimes they are on head bands and sometimes they are on hoods. It’s pretty amusing!
That’s all for now folks! Sorry the posts and becoming more scarce; I have been trying to get some job applications out for my return to Canada! If you hear of anything, let me know!
In the mornings, my bus goes by the track. The morning routines of some locals is mind-boggling. Around the track, there is exercise equipment that locals are welcome to use. The most used piece of equipment is a bar approx. 6 feet in the air. This bar can be used for chin-ups but is used most frequently for exercises that are a wee bit more intense. The men go seamlessly from straight-arm to chin ups to hanging with their feet straight out in front of them. Their strength is commendable and impressive.
Hong Kong reminded me a bit of a really cool version of what Halifax or St. John’s. It was on a hillside with really steep streets. I never did mention that in my last post. Think of Argyle street, but on every street. So cool. Speaking of Hong Kong, while we were sitting on the tarmac waiting to go to take off, Kaleigh remarked, “Man, that was a smooth transition!” She thought we took off already and were in the air hahaha On the flight back from Hong Kong, we participated in pre-landing exercises. The flight attendants stood up and directed us through neck and arm stretches to prepare us for disembarking. The Chinese and their exercises!
People here wear their pajamas in public. It’s really entertaining. The other day I was waiting for the bus and a really expensive, brand spankin’ new SUV pulls up. A man wearing full gray, button-up flannel PJs climbed out and went about his day. I especially love the puffy, insulated ones.
Oh! I lost my voice for 3 weeks. THAT was fun (not!). I guess it’s all part of the life of a teacher but man, oh man, the chalk was not helping! It made for some rather entertaining (and some not so much) days.
I saw a man peeing on the way to school the other day. Not a child. A man. And not a drunk, I’m going to pee right here man. A man peeing at a store front in a designated pee basin. In public. At a store front. Weird.
I may have discussed our rock-hard mattresses before. Maybe? If not, many of us, especially Alyssa, were having a hard time with our mattresses. They were ROCK HARD. One day, someone had the brilliant idea of flipping them over. 2.5 months into my 4 month stint in China, I had a beautiful sleep on a mattress that was WORLDS better than what I was sleeping on. I’m pretty sure they have their box-spring and mattress rolled into one and we were sleeping on the box-spring part. Yes Dad, I call myself an engineer.
In case you haven’t heard, “bird is the word” here in Shanghai these days. That’s right, I’m talking about bird flu. With the exception of Hong Kong, I have not had chicken in over two months (it’s painful) and I have just recently taken up eating eggs again. Oh, how I look forward to BBQ chicken when I get home. That said, I look forward to chicken burgers, chicken casserole, chicken pizza, chicken omelettes…..pretty much anything I don’t really eat here.
Seat belts are not used here like that are at home. It was just recently made a law that both people in the front seat of a car need to wear a seat belt. If you buckle up while in the back, people think you are crazy haha
I finally got a handle on how the Chinese determine age. In China, I am 28 (in Canada, I am 26). I was born in October 1986 so for 3 months I was 1 year old. This year, 2013, I will turn 27 since my age changes in January, I am already 27. Add the months I was 1 and VOILA! 28! I have to say, though, I think our system makes sense.
A fad here is for girls/women to wear little animal ears. Sometimes they are pinned into their hair (especially in Beijing), sometimes they are on head bands and sometimes they are on hoods. It’s pretty amusing!
That’s all for now folks! Sorry the posts and becoming more scarce; I have been trying to get some job applications out for my return to Canada! If you hear of anything, let me know!