Bridezilla

Day two! After I left Starbucks last night I went to the grocery store! I was able to get cereal, a bowl, a map, masking tape, scissors, some crackers and water. The plugs in my room don’t really hold well, so I’m thinking if I use the masking tape I can hold them in so things will charge! I didn’t really know the “rules” of the grocery store. I had a basket, but I thought, do I take my items out of the basket or do I leave them in and she takes them out? Luckily I was able to look at someone else and if you are ever in a grocery store in Beijing, leave your items in your basket. She will take them out. But what she won’t do, and yes I learned this the hard way, is give you a bag! Now I went with my backpack, but it was already filled with maps and medicine and my laptop! So as she is ringing my items through I’m trying to mentally figure out how everything is going to fit in my bag. Well, it wasn’t. I left the boxes of cereal, crackers and my bowl out. I stuffed everything else in my bag and carried the rest home. Hopefully nobody was laughing at my expense.

I didn’t sleep as well last night. People are up and loud so I woke up a lot! Oh well! So this morning I asked the hostel about a fitness center. I really wanted a place to exercise a bit and on their website it says, and I quote “Residents may use the heath center and other entertainment facilities at the four-star Zhaolong Hotel” (which is right next door). However, this does not seem to be the case. I asked her first if she spoke English and she said yes, but then seemed confused as to my question (even when I showed her my running motion!!!) So then I decided I would go to the hotel and ask. As I was walking, I passed the gate to the pool. I had passed the gate my first night here, but since I was still wearing my glasses from the flight, when I entered the pool they fogged up and I couldn’t see so I decided to leave! But this time I had my contacts in so I was ready! So I walked into the pool and decided to keep walking. They had a massive square filled with water (so you can clean your feet before entering the pool) but there was no other way around it! I impressed myself and did not have a blonde moment and made it around without getting soaked! So then I was in the “locker room” area, but realized I should maybe turn around when I heard voices! They caught me! The woman said something in Chinese and I replied with “do you speak English?” she said something again and then a man showed up and I asked him if he spoke English and then he brought me to another man and I explained I was staying at the hostel and was looking for a gym blah blah blah! They were all very confused as to how I got in there in the first place! He didn’t understand either (they were all very nice) and directed me to the lobby. I asked at the reception and she said they didn’t do that! What a process! I might ask Sabrina what the deal is, although it really isn’t a big deal and maybe is a sign I shouldn’t go to the gym for a bit!

After the gym ordeal, I called Sabrina because I need to buy a hairdryer. She is very sweet but I had a real hard time understanding her over the phone. She said something about buying it in a store. I was a little frustrated because I felt like I wasn’t having the best start to the day and I felt like Sabrina and I weren’t able to communicate. I knew I needed to buy it in a store, but where or what type of store. Anyway, I left to try and find a store and wasn’t feeling very confident. I found the big department store that I had been in before and looked around but it is SO big I had no idea. I went to the “info” area and asked if the woman spoke English and she said “little” so I asked about a hairdryer and did the motion of drying my hair! She said something in Chinese and did a motion that looked like she was getting a hair cut but I shook my head yes and said “Du-e” (Yes in Chinese) because I figured if I could get to a section with hair I was THAT much closer. She pointed down and said “downstairs”..I didn’t even know this place HAD a downstairs. So this was my next task, finding the downstairs. I knew where the main escalators were but knew there weren’t ones that went down, so I walked and walked and searched and FINALLY found the basement escalators. I descended into, HEAVEN! It was a grocery store! Oh the things that make me happy. This grocery store is MUCH closer than the store I went to last night which will be good when I have a lot of heavy things (that exceed the space in my backpack!) They also have a lot more American brands and more options for cereal. I bought myself a Fanta and a bathroom tote (I was struggling bring my toothpaste and tooth brush and face wash and contacts etc. to the bathroom!)

Then I walked into the household section of the store! I was able to find a hairdryer so I was very excited! I asked the lady if she spoke English (she didn’t) but again some pointing and handing her money seemed to do the trick! So like I said, I don’t have any space in my room (and being unorganized drives me CRAZY) so I was also able to buy some shelves! Yaaay! I was SO excited and again she didn’t speak English but we worked it out! Needless to say, I left the store in a MUCH better mood and was happier with Beijing.

I then went back to the hostel to drop everything off and to figure out the Chinese phone! It is such a weird way to charge it! You take the battery out and then stick these prong things into it and then plug that it. And, I FIGURED IT OUT! Yay! I realized I was doing it wrong before (hence the dead phone) but I was so excited I did it on my own! (I know charging a phone doesn’t seem that exciting but it was!)

Next on my agenda was to try to go to the Lufthansa shopping center. I didn’t really know what it was but it was on my map! I took the subway (with no problems) but was pretty disappointed. It was just like the big store that I bought my hairdryer and shelves at. I also walked to a nice hotel to go the bathroom (it was BEAUTIFUL) and on the way back through the store I decided I would check out their supermarket! (That’s my new thing, I am into supermarkets). Again, it was in the basement, so I went down the elevator! Now I could NOT tell you where I ended up, only that it was the wrong place! It was like a warehouse and it seemed like where they were getting shipments. I did see a sign that said supermarket and pointed to the right so I tried to pretend I knew where I was going and walked down this hall that had lockers on either side. I got to the end, and the hall kept going to the left but I decided to get outta there! It was the first time I have been a little scared since being here. I had a good laugh though on the elevator ride up! I decided to leave Lufthansa and head back to the hostel, I was pretty tired anyway (that mid afternoon jet lag!)

I got back to my subway stop and remembered that on the map I had seen this HUGE park, ChaoYang Park. It was on the other side of the main road and I had not explored that area, so I decided now was as good of a time as ever. Luckily, since I was still in the subway, I didn’t have to cross the CRAZY intersection, I could just go underneath the road! I knew I had to follow the main road, I just didn’t know how far (on the map it didn’t LOOK far!) so I walked and walked and I was getting tired so I pulled out my map -- but I knew I was on the right road! Finally I saw no more sky scrapers and what looked like a park! I was so excited but could not figure out how to get in! I thought about turning back (my legs were getting tired) but figured I had made it this far I should keep going. Ahead I saw bright shapes so I figured this was it! I had NO idea what to expect, but from reading the sign, it sounded like it was a HUGE park that had an amusement park and food and a water park..this place was CRAZY! So I went and bought a ticket (I wasn’t sure for what, but knew I wanted in!) I went inside the gate and it was beautiful! There was a boat launch and a big open patio (to host events, it said) and a big green field where people were able to lay out! So I kept walking and found an amusement park! Crazy! Where was I? It seemed mostly for little kids, a lot of smaller rides and there were some kids there but other than that it was a ghost town! Kind of creepy actually because a lot of the rides weren’t even open. I saw this very pretty white structure so I decided to check it out. It was very beautiful, but what I noticed more was all the people taking pictures, professional pictures! There were two couples (the men were wearing suits and the women were in beautiful gowns) and they were taking profession pictures. It gets better. So I walk up to the upper area, and it was like I was walking onto the set of “Say Yes to the Dress”! BRIDES EVERYWHERE! It was CRAZY! There were all these women in bridal gowns having their pictures taken. There would be the bride, the groom, the photographer and then some people to help with the lighting or props or things like that. I really was taken aback. I almost wondered if I shouldn’t be there..maybe this was some special shoot? I had no idea, but I kept walking only to find more brides! They had taken over this structure! Did they ALL get married today? Did every single woman in Beijing decide to get married today? Because that is exactly what it seemed like. Strange. I walked back through the amusement park but was starting to get a little creeped out with all the emptiness, so I ventured on. And what did I find? MORE BRIDES! I know this sounds weird but this really was the strangest thing I had ever seen.

After the amusement park I was in the “park” area and it was beautiful with lots of trails and rivers and BRIDES! Around every corner there was a bride and her posse taking some pictures. I wanted to check out the Wedding Pavilion (to see WHAT this was all about..don’t worry Steve I wasn’t ready to book a date!) and the site for where they played Beach Volleyball in the Olympics. So I walked, and walked and walked and walked! I was SO TIRED! I could not for the life of me find the Volleyball place. I felt like the signs were bringing me in circles. So I headed for the Wedding Pavilion but felt like it was MILES away! Finally I decided I needed to get OUT of this place before I collapsed! (I knew I still had a walk back to the hostel) I found a gate to exit, but knew it wasn’t the gate I came in but I was able to get myself back to the main road and then back to my hostel. I was exhausted. I looked up this part online to see what it was all about and it said it was a 1.2 mile walk one way so no wonder my legs were sore! That made me feel better! I rested for a bit and then for some reason got a second wind and set up my room a little bit! I put up some pictures I brought from home and set up the shelves. While it’s still a little cluttered I can find things a bit easier and it does seem homier which I like too. Then I decided I needed to find some dinner..but still didn’t feel like being adventurous. So I ended up at the pizza place across from Starbucks. It actually wasn’t even that good, but it was food!

So here I am again in Starbucks (my safe haven). It is VERY crowded and for some reason I think EVERYONE is speaking French! What’s up with that? As if I don’t feel bad enough not speaking Chinese, they all speak French too? When I have kids they are going to learn at LEAST 5 languages J I like coming here because it feels safe and comfy and reminds me of home. And, if I am lucky, I can hear some English. Well I am about to fall asleep, I guess that’s what you get when you sit in the big comfy chairs. Tomorrow is my first day of volunteering and I could not be more nervous! Wish me luck!