Tomorrow is Christmas Eve

With less than two weeks left in China I just have to say… this trip has far exceeded my expectations on so many levels.  First, I’m so very thankful to share this with my sister and my niece.  Hangin’ with a 10 year old for an entire month is entertaining, flowing with giggles and eye opening in the best possible way.  Second, I feel enriched by the people I’ve met along the way and I feel loved, even more, by the people I’ve known all along.  Third, being surrounded by other adventurous world travelers makes me realize how short life is, how big the world is and how right my decisions have been.  If you feel stale, stagnant or bored it’s a sign.  Do something.  Make a change.  Make change happen.  I’m sad to miss my parents on Christmas morning but I’m looking forward the possibilities that lie ahead. Happy Holidays from China!

Behind the Scenes in Beijing

the original posse

Meredith (10), Joey (26), me (31), Laura (41) and Nancy (71)

the apartment

Building 4, Floor 12, Room G. We have two (and a half) bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, a dining area, a kitchen and a patio which we don’t use mainly because it’s cold.

the washing machine

Cute, compact and confusing. There are no dryers in the entire country so there’s laundry hanging everywhere, always.  Our jeans are crunchy and our towels are stiff.  Everyone lives like this.  We’re getting used to it.  It’s fine.

the toilets

Pretty modern for the most part.  Luckily we’ve only had one squat-box experience so far.  Meredith was not a fan.

the language

“Meredith, can you tell him we want to go to the store for fruit.”

… and that about sums it up.

the pollution

Some days are worse than others.  The mystical haze around the sun is beautiful in the strangest way. What’s not beautiful is the grimy film on the cars and the occasional stench of burnt dirt.  The photo below was taken around 3pm.  It’s intense.  Recycle and buy a hybrid.

the people

TEDFellow and 30 year-old film-maker Bristol Baughan joined us for a few dinners and a trip to the Great Wall.  Check out Bristol's latest film Racing Dreams.  Everyone enjoyed her company but our Lisa Loeb karaoke duet over a few beers really sealed the deal. 

the internet

Skype calls with family have been great but the connection is particularly slow in the evenings. (example shown below) 

the food

Incredible.  Lucky for us Joey has great taste and we are all a bunch of foodies. We recently got to experience a traditional 3 hour lunch in a small smoky room in an old part of town.  I sipped on Chinese vodka, some sweet cherry wine and a foreign beer all before 3pm.  We had fluffy dumplings, spicy mushrooms, grilled beans, sliced potatoes, saucy beef, and chilled shrimp for lunch and crispy watermelon with cherry tomatoes for dessert.  On the street we see the occasional candied fruit-on-a-stick alongside some sheep penis.  We’ve taken one or two breaks from dining out and we actually ordered some delivery. It’s true.

the weather

Freezing.  Mild.  Cold.  Brisk.  Sunny.  It varies.

the laughing

Just doesn’t stop.

Power of the Crowd

Beijing is blowing my mind.  I can’t wait to tell you all about it but first I need to spread the word about my long-time friend, accomplished artist, host-with-the-most and 26 year old trailblazer Joey Ellis.

Originally from Auburn NY, Joey has been working as an artist in Beijing since 2005.  He was recently awarded TEDGlobal 2010 Fellow*.  By definition he’s a world-changer who has shown unusual accomplishment and exceptional courage.  Other Fellows include Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Jamie Oliver and Al Gore.

He’s been commissioned by organizations such as Greenpeace and Bank of America. His work has been featured in The Wall street Journal, Time Magazine and just recently Newsweek.  He’s been profiled by The New York Times as one of the leading international artists working in China.

It gets cooler.

Joey is a diver and is passionate about coral reef restoration**.  He is spearheading a global movement that will ultimately redefine the way we think about these diverse ecosystems and he’s starting with the reefs along China's coastlines. 

His plan:

• Partner with top marine biologists in Beijing to translate an international database of coral reef publications.

• Produce animated and well-designed awareness campaigns.

• Visit the three major cities along the coastline creating local art programs to introduce solution-based awareness.

• Work on a BIOROCK*** coral reef structure in Hainan.

Joey and his crew need $11,000 for funding and, because he’s always up for a challenge, he’s decided to limit the fundraising timeframe to one month.  There are 23 days to go.  This project will only be funded if at least $11,000 is pledged by Wednesday Jan 5^th.   In other words... your credit card will not be charged unless the goal is reached in full. 

$1 will help and spreading the word will help even more.  Visit Kung-Fu for Coral Health to contribute, read more about the project and watch the power of a crowd change the world.

*TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) is a global set of conferences was formed in 1984 to disseminate “Ideas Worth Spreading”.

** Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine species, they are very fragile and they are under serious threat from climate change, blast fishing and much more.

*** Biorock accelerates coral growth and resistance to stressful environments.

24A

Spring break of senior year three of my girlfriends and I toured the northeast to snowboard. When we hit Okemo Mountain I felt the urge to purchase a souvenir.  It was a red fleece blanket.  Many of you know this blanket well, probably too well.  For those of you who aren’t as familiar let’s just say I’ve become one with the thing. Throughout college I would wrap that sucker around my waist and wander the halls of Buckham and Chittenden and I’m sure it made an appearance or two on Church Street.  It fit nicely over my JNCO’s and looked great with my furry slippers, it was perfect.  Now it’s loaded with holes, campfire burns, loose threads and a small tear and it currently sits folded on my bed at my parent’s house.  It’s comforting, warm and has a home in some of my favorite memories.

Today I boarded the 747 from New York to Tokyo and I was in for a real treat.  While hunting for 24A I noticed a small package placed on each individual seat.  It was a white pillow and, you guessed it, red fleece blankets for everyone!!  True story.  I couldn’t get the clear plastic wrap off quick enough.  It wasn't mine but it felt just as good.  Once I set up camp I took a look around and I’m talkin’ hundreds of people were wrapped in red fleece blankets.  This is my kind of plane, I thought.  As if I wasn’t already in my glory I reached into the seat-back pocket and pulled out a SKY magazine featuring Shaun White on the cover.  I look to my right and there he is again... and again and again.  A sea of snuggly red fleece surrounds me and Shaun White is staring at me from every direction.  I now know how to define my heaven.  Thank you Delta.

Those 13 hours and 29 minutes were a breeze.  I’m posting this from the Tokyo –Narita airport and will soon jump on yet another plane to my final destination.  You can add my blog address to your Google reader for updates.

Bedtime Foiled

Why is my house always one of the three hundred to lose power? I know, I know! It’s because we live in the middle of NOWHERE. Wind storms, they usually do the trick. I recently spent a night home alone and here’s what happened…

My flight from Tennessee landed around 10:30pm and I drove home alone to an empty house. By the time I pulled in the garage it was about midnight and I was exhausted. After setting the security system I lugged my suitcase up the stairs and by 12:15am I was fast asleep.

This is where it gets exciting.

2:49am:  Bug-eyed, I jump out of bed to the insanely loud sound of an alarm.  Immediately I assume the noise is coming from the security system and, in my mind, someone has broken in.  Total chaos.  I reach for my bedroom light and flick the switch, nothing.  The power went out.  It’s pitch fu**ing black.

My cell phone is on the nightstand next to my car keys.  I grab them both knocking a few books to the floor.  There’s a remote on the keychain that controls the security system.  I use my cell phone to light the controller and next to the panic button is off - I push it.

The.

Piercing.

Noise.

Won’t.

Stop.

Riddled with pure fear I head out of my bedroom and feel my way around the corner to the armoire in the hallway.  A moment of mild joy runs through me as I grab the flashlight off the shelf… I’m about to be rescued from the darkness.  I turn it on.  The weak hint of light coming from the cheap plastic tube is hardly helpful. At it’s brightest moment it has a dull, flickering glow.  Hugging my shitty flashlight I head downstairs and make my way to the security box.  I enter the code, disarm the system but the noise just won’t stop.  And it's really loud.

It sure took me a while but this is the moment when I realize it’s not the security system, no.  It's just all eight smoke alarms going absolutely bonkers.  Trembling with shock I maneuver to the closest room and try to disarm one of the alarms.  I’m officially hopeless.  

Left with no other choice I decide to call 911.  Naturally the only working phone is all the way back upstairs and the quintessential horror movie question pops into my head “WHY did she go back upstairs?”  Well, I had no other choice.

It’s a bad situation and the 911 Operator said the one thing that could actually make matters worse: Get out of the house.

The closest streetlight is miles away, it's darker than dark, it's pouring rain but I simply can’t ignore the suggestion to exit the premises.  I've got it!  I'm gonna get in the car and wait in the driveway!

Of course the car is in the garage behind the garage door that is powered by electricity.  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHY?!  Squeezing the cheap flashlight in my armpit I disconnect the automatic garage cables and with a slight bend of my knees I lift the heavy door.

Realizing I just opened the gates of hell I immediately dart for the car and lock myself as quickly as possible.  My heart is pounding, pounding, pounding as I back out into the driveway.

I wait, shivering. 

Finally I see a sign of true hope. Bright lights spin out of the darkness and are headed in my direction.  Three burly men reeking of stale fire greet me at my car and continue on into the house.  The four of us shuffle through the dark, mammoth home with walkie-talkies and all I can focus on is my envy for their extra bright flashlights.  

Note to self:  Go to Lowe’s.

4:08am: The house is hazard-free and my fire heroes fix the alarms.  Silence.

---------

Something tells me I’ll be happy to be in a big city again.  Beijing, I’m on my way with open arms.