Train Travel is Best Travel

Since coming to China, I have found traveling by train extremely convenient, and I am more than satisfied. In a country full of bureaucratic difficulties, it was such a pleasant surprise to find out how easy it was to go traveling. With a super streamlined online ticket purchasing system, train stations located at city centers, immaculately maintained stations, all at a good price, I got to hand it to China. I have been extolling the virtues of taking the train for years now, but until I came here I had no idea that train travel could be so fantastic.

You average train trip looks like this:
1. Purchase your ticket about two to three days in advance online or at the station. Foreigners are allowed to sign up for web ticketing service! www.12306.cn
2. Arrive at the station about an hour ahead of time to pick up your tickets.
3. Head to security check, should take a grand total of 2 minutes
4. Board the train, stow your luggage. Note that there is NO limit to the size or weight of your luggage!
5. Chill out until you arrive at your destination!

(disregard all of these rules if you are traveling during Chinese holidays, see article on Xichang)

This process is infinitely more simple that taking an airplane and has usually resulted in much less headache. I have only heard of a train being delayed once from all of my friends, as opposed to flying, where delays have seemed to me to be more of a rule than an exception. Also, as someone who moves around a lot, this unlimited luggage policy is really attractive.

Here in southwestern China, things go at a slower pace. Up in the more developed areas, there are regularly scheduled "D" trains, its speed only second to the "G" train, "gaotie" 高铁, meaning "high-speed rail." These trains are AMAZING- you can get from Beijing to Guangzhou in EIGHT HOURS, and costs about $150 USD. 1300 miles apart, thats like going from California to Kansas. I'm am just absolutely tickled when I think about it. They are hoping to extend high-speed rail service to Kunming by 2016, but for now we will have to be placated with th"T" for "tekuai" 特快 or "extra fast" and the "K" train, standing for "kuai" 快 meaning "Fast." These are glaring misnomers, as these trains are incredibly slow. But even though it takes 8 hours to get to the next cool city, they are still more convenient than flying.

I still am unable to understand why America has yet to understand the value of train travel. The last time I drove from San Francisco to Sacramento it took 4 1/2 HOURS. There is clearly no reason for this! I know that there is a rail line in this region, but archaically slow speeds coupled with stupidly expensive pricing makes people who own cars unwilling to use it. Imagine a world with no traffic and low risks for collisions. You just sit back and relax, unconcerned with any of the classic problems plaguing road or air travel. You guys, a well thought out train system is absolutely fabulous.

California is making baby steps towards getting a north-south rail, and there are plans to expand on a national level. I think it would be a valuable means of transportation in the US, and I encourage people to support development in this sector. Just seriously: trains are awesome.

Yunbike is best bike, or a tale of two bicycles

In my crusade to make my life better and more exciting, I rented a bicycle. This was a GREAT idea. I rented it for one month from a bike shop in my neighborhood. Little did I know, this bike shop was magical.

So the boss rented me this great bike. They tuned it up all nice for me and gave me a helmet and a bike lock. It was pretty red and white, slightly flashy, definitely new-ish and rust-less, as opposed to ancient like most of the bikes people ride around here.

So I had this bike for a grand total of FOUR DAYS. I thought that bringing the bike up into my apartment building to the sixth floor and locking it to the fence would be plenty fine theft prevention. After all, its a pretty schmancy place, and I didn't think that anyone would take it. But lo and behold, I come out of my place on Thursday morning, to an empty fence with a cut lock on it. Who would do this!!

So I'm pretty bummed out, and I don't know what the heck I'm gonna tell the bike boss. I'm like turning this over in my mind, thinking of ways to turn the story to make it seem like its not my fault, thinking of how to argue my way out of paying for the bike, etc.

I head over to the shop the next day, fully prepared to have a chinese yelling match about not paying. I get there, sort of nervous, you know, and just lay it on him. "You're bike got stolen." -------

And the the boss just kind of looks at me, slightly bummed out, and basically just says, "oh, well."

And then, he invites me to go biking with them on Saturday. And I'm thinking, well you know, I don't have a bike anymore, so... And he says just says to go ahead and take the other rental bike. What!! This guy is the best ever!

So on top of having gone on the most epic bike trip that I have probably ever been on today, I also have a bike to ride for the next month! Totally excellent.

If anyone is coming to Kunming and looking to get hooked up with a bike and an awesome biking group, go to --->Yunbike<--- they are totally the bomb. Also if you are coming to Kunming and thinking about biking, it might be worth it to schlep along those U-locks you've got, apparently bike theft here is awful, ahem.

How to move a lot without going nuts

I am not a big fan of moving. You would think that I would be used to it by now, seeing that in the last five years, I've moved six times. Or maybe I didn't mind at first and now it is just getting old. Originally it was kind of exciting, going to a new place! -- but now it is just a hassle. It makes me feel sort of unsettled. I don't know where the market is, or the cool hangout spots, my bike is probably left somewhere else, I don't have furniture again, etc.

But now, after move number six, I'm sort of getting the hang out it. These are some of the things that I have found really important.

>>Don't get caught in the short-term thinking<<
Sometime you move somewhere for just a short time, maybe like 3-5 months. You think to yourself, well I shouldn't buy a lot of stuff for my place, because I won't get the money's worth in such a short time. While setting up your sad apartment with no furniture, you start skimping on the things that you really shouldn't skimp on. Like a mop. Or a garbage can. A laundry basket, or enough hangers. These are things that you really do need!
As time goes by, your place gets messier and messier, you become more and more miserable, and start really longing for this items that you really should have purchased in the first place. Yet you are caught in this trap in which, now, your stay is already shorter than it was before, and you are really not going to get the money's worth now, so you are definitely not going to buy it! Even though you are totally miserable!
This sort of thinking is totally unnecessary. A messy place brings you down, and can make you less productive. Don't pinch pennies unless you are totally broke: buy the stuff you need in the first place and save yourself the misery of a cluttered messy home.

>>Get your workout/activity situation in order<<
I am so happy that I did this for myself in Kunming. A lot of times when you are packing your bags, you only consider things like clothing and toiletries. If you are moving somewhere for a substantial length of time, you should also consider bringing some active gear, like a yoga mat, running shoes, or any gear you want. Being able to get active is really beneficial for your sleep and for relieving stress, which, couldn't we all use that. If you really can't fit it, just fork out some cash and buy your gear again. A lot of this stuff you can buy for minimal dollars online, especially on Taobao. I got my yoga mat for 10RMB plus shipping. Purchasing a gym membership can also be wonderful. College campuses usually have great deals for students, and private gyms usually let you try it out for free, so you can see which one you like best.
I really went crazy on this one personally, and got a gym membership, a yoga mat, and a bike. I spent a fair amount of money, but I think it has really been fun, and worth it in terms of my mental wellbeing.

>>Figure out where natural recreation areas are<<
Being in a city environment can be really stressful, and being in nature is something that can counter that worn-out, pavement-y type feeling. See if there is an area near you like a park, or a lake, that is easily accessible, where you can just go and hang out and look the trees or water. After starting at a computer screen all week long, it can really bring your spirits up.
On some dark days in Nanjing, Xuanwu Lake 玄武湖 really cheered me up. I liked to go jogging there. The lily pads and quaint bridges and pagodas are lovely. Kunming's Green Lake 翠湖 is also great to walk around, eat some pineapple on a stick and look at the swaying willow branches.

>>Don't live alone<<
Living alone sucks because its lonely. Also your place will be messy because no one else is there for you to be considerate of. That is all.

>>Get a smart phone<<
I was probably one of the last people on the planet to realize that smart phone are actually a good thing, but they really are. If you have a dinky old phone with buttons on it, I would really advise you to get any smart phone. I would say also you should get one that you like and think works well, to make sure that you actually use it and don't "forget it" at home.
There are some really cool apps for holding group chats and things (in China we like WeChat and QQ). Especially in Flagship, being part of the group chats really keep you in the loop--news, what up to, activities, questions that might help you, all really good stuff. I felt like if I wasn't connected via my phone, I would have probably missed out on a lot of group activities. It makes meeting people and making friendships so much easier. And it also makes it really easy to keep in touch with the people you moved away from as well.
I used to think that getting a smartphone would turn me into a zombie that plays mobile games as they are walking around in real life, but lo and behold, it did not! Turns out its just a useful piece of machinery that can help you out with tasks that might be overly laborious without one. If you are worried like I was, calm down and embrace the technology. It's a good thing.

>>Remember the things that you used to like to do<<
This is my final and most important tip. When you move, you are bombarded with so much minutiae about bills and money, and you feel disoriented, like, "where the hell am I, even?" Once all of those things begin to subside, you can start to get back to normal life. With all of the excitement died down, you might even start to feel bored. It's really weird, but when I moved to Kunming, I was so spun around, I forgot what sort of things I liked to do for fun, and I did started to feel bored. But boredom is clearly not to proper reaction: what I needed do to is go get out there and have fun and do the things that inspire me! I literally sat down and made a list of things that I used to like to do, but haven't done in a while. Things like hiking, going to museums, seeing movies, listening to music and concerts, having dinner with friends, and writing my blog. This has brought my life a needed shot of excitement, and I feel much happier and more energetic. So if boredom sets in for you, if you feel hazy, or that your life is lacking excitement, definitely nip that in the bud, get creative, and go have some fun.

Moving is tough, takes a lot of effort, and is kind of an emotional roller coaster. That pretty much covers it for my best tips on moving, and I hope that they are useful to you! Peace and love from Kunming,

-Rachel

Taobao Account is now up and running!

Dear Folks,

Hello! I've gotten through yet another eventful week here in Kunming. So many thing's have happened: I successfully got myself out of a scam (<-- read the story), I wrote lots of reports at work, and most importantly, I got my Taobao account up and running!

Some of you probably don't know what Taobao is, but it is a fantastic online service, similar to Amazon, where you can buy all sorts of great stuff online, and get it delivered straight to your door within a matter of days. It also runs under the name Alibaba, and is available all over domestic China,  I think even including some options for international delivery. Check it out here.

Unlike the states, China has a really robust group domestic delivery services, I'm not sure exactly how many, but many many more than your standard UPS/Fedex dichotomy, a fact which makes shipping really convenient. For example, I ordered coffee from Hangzhou, and it got to me here in Kunming a day and a half later (that is over 2000 kilometers folks). I was in the a delivery service office around 6pm on a saturday, and someone comes in asking if there was still time to put something out in the last shipment, and they were like oh-yeah-sure-no-problem.

Taobao is really popular in China, everyone has an account. People buy clothes, electronics, kitchen supplies, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, even food! What had me sold was that I could buy a french press coffee maker and ground coffee beans, something you'd be hard pressed to find in any regular grocery store (believe me I've looked). Another really convenient aspect about Taobao is that once you have your account set up, you can use the payment system to add value to your cell phone account, and to pay for other daily expenses.

So all in all, my life has been made easier now that I have Taobao! I can just go online, find what I want, at a fixed price, and have it delivered to me. This is so much easier than going out and hunting for whatever obscure item I want, wondering how much it is, asking the shop keeper, wondering if I should haggle, feebly trying to haggle for a moment, paying the (probably exorbitant) price, and lugging the thing home... It was totally worth all that time I spent trying to set up my account; it literally took me three entire weeks to get it right, between all the security checks the have on there, all the passwords they require you to make, all the calls to customer service.

Haha but Taobao, I commend you. You are pretty awesome. If you want to make an account, make sure that you make the payment account, 支付宝, FIRST, then open the taobao account itself, this will save you some time. Also, if you have any questions about opening account, ask me down below. I made all the mistakes possible when I opened mine, so I may be able to help you sort out your situation. Anyways, happy shopping everyone, 购物愉快！

Chinese School

So this has been my first week going to a full five days of classes at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine--so cool! Finally going for a full week is really allowing me to settle in, and see things with clear eyes, instead of the initial "ohmygod where is my classroom i'm so late" sort of eyes.

First, I want to say that after all of the headache that it took to manage, I want to say that I am actually really glad that I am going to a different University for classes that my other flagship classmates. NUCM is almost entirely made up of Chinese students, a big contrast to Nanjing University, where I could go all day just speaking English with all of the foreigners. I see a foreigner once in a while, but they are few and far in between. In one of my classes, Basics of Chinese Medicine Theory, and I am the only exchange student/flagship student there! It is really cool to be completely immersed in my classes, it feels like such a once in a lifetime kind of thing: 难得可贵！

Second, I want to say that I think everything that they've ever told us in America about how lucky we are to go to school there, and how school in Asia is really intense, is like 100% true. All the buildings are grey and look exactly the same, and are like a maze. And then once you find your classroom, you're teacher may or may not show up, or the room might have just changed an no one told you, or the class was just cancelled. Luckily I didn't run into these problems, but lots of my class mates did. And then, once you pin down the class, and the time, and the place, you actually have to like, go and attend the class.

Class in China is sitting and listening to the teacher talk into a microphone at the front of the class, while she/he clicks through a powerpoint, which is just lines copied from the book, that you are supposed to have in front of you. There is no eating allowed, but you can drink tea. The desks are indescribably uncomfortable, because the chair is attached to the desk at the weirdest distance from the table, and you can't move it around, and sometimes the chairs are broken. During class, if the teacher asks you a question, you stand up, and find the answer in the book as fast you humanly possible, and then read the paragraph where the answer is; none of this "say it in your own words" nonsense. Also, there seems to be some elusive kind of system where the teacher hopes that you will finish her sentences, and that if you have correctly memorized the material, you will spontaneously say the answer/finish her sentence in unison with her and the rest of the class. The one thing that the teachers seem to be lenient on is talking in class, and at some points during the lecture, a wave of low-pitched talking rises up, and literally every student in the class is just talking, and the teacher's sadly amplified voice is like, completely drowned out. But she never says anything, it is just so odd.

I also have a short break between classes, where I like to just walk around and check things out. There is always people riding around two to a bicycle, or best friends holding hands. They broadcast the campus radio program over the loud speakers outside for everyone to listen to, and they really like to play Coldplay's "Yellow." It give things sort of a sweet feeling, walking around listening to "yellow," eating tangerine's in the twilight...

Overall, I am really enjoying my classes out here. I feel so lucky! Also, I took some photos of the campus, you can check them out here.

P.S. Just a note for future Flagship students: If anyone is reading this and is wondering if they would like to take classes at Xianlin area, where my school is located, let me just tell you up front that it take A REALLY LONG TIME to get there. They tell you in the office that it takes an hour, but you best be getting along a good hour and a half before your class starts or your ass is about to be late. *huffing* That is all.

秋高气爽了！Happy Fall everyone!

Printing my own passport photos

If you follow my directions, you could look as ballin' as these people in your passport photos. 

   At $9.99+ a pop, printing passport photos is just a real pain. I see all of these prints, 2x3, 5x7 portraits for like half a penny at the drug store, and then there it is, the required 2x2 passport size photo, listed and the most egregious price. It is true I am a penny pincher, but ten whole dollars, for a picture that literally costs the store a penny?!? I say NO!

This all started when I first found out that I needed 8 passport sized photos when I arrived in Nanjing for various ID cards. That is 4 sets of passport pictures y'all.

Then I really started sweating when I got the same message from a different group that I will be joining in Nanjing, the Confucius Institute. I thought, well I'd better be safe than sorry... 16 passport sized photos?! That is $80 for an 8x11 sheet of photos!! How can this be!! I absolutely refuse to give WALGREENS or any other giant mega drug store that amount of money for literally a single sheet of paper.

So I am on a real mission here to print my own passport sized photos. It turned out to be more difficult that I thought. There is a whole slew of rules and regulations on a passport sized photos. Literally too many to list. You can marvel at it here.

Then comes actually taking the picture. Go through your house and find the best lit area. I used my bathroom. Make sure it is really bright so that your face and neck won't be in shadow. This is really important; there is a whole other set of guidelines on how your photo should be in the proper light and contrast. You will also need to have a white background. I used a pillowcase, but I have heard of people using sheets or large poster boards. Have someone else take the photo for you; sorry no selfies.

Next you'll need to crop the photo to the elusive 2x2 size. Travel.gov has a photo cropper to help you. Due to all the rules, the program is very particular, and if it is only slightly off, it will throw you an error message. So go back and marvel at that list of rules again until you understand what is wrong. There is also a "help" bar to help you (duh).

Next, you'll need to print your photos. If you can print photos at home, you will be home free! Just crop it to the right size and you will be good to go. If not, you have a couple options. First, you might try to haggle with your local drug store. The passport photos are expensive in part because they need to actually take the photo for you, so if you explain to them that you don't need any of that portrait taking nonsense and you just need the size of the photo, then you might get a better deal at the store.

Now when I did that just a few moments ago, the lady told me she couldn't because here manager was out of town (lies) so I think I found another method passportcorner.com. This will take your photo, crop it, and then it will fit the 2x2 photo into a 4x6 panel, yielding 5 2x2 photos and 1 2x2 sized passport corner logo for good measure. Download that file, which you can then take back to the drugstore to have printed as a 4x6. Cut out the photos yourself, and voila, you have yourself some bonafide passport photos at a damn good price.

There I just saved you $10 YOU'RE WELCOME ;)

ISIC Revisited

So, I ended up buying an ISIC card, because it is indeed a requirement of OIP.

It does actually seem legit as a form of insurance, and I would recommend it just for this reason. Covers the following:
Trip Delay

Emergency Accident and Emergency Sickness Medical Expense
Emergency Medical Evacuation and Medically Necessary Repatriation
Repatriation of Remains

Accidental Death and Dismemberment 

Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Common Carrier (Air Only)
Baggage Delay 

But while you are on the website, it is a little bit finicky. When it says to select your country of study, choose the country that you are from, no matter where you are traveling to (this confused me). And then once you are on the US page, the only option is to purchase an ISIC Card with a MasterCard account attached to it. OBVIOUSLY I didn't want this, so I called their customer service line, and I found out that you can purchase an ISIC card without the MC account over the phone. They also said that over the phone for $10 extra, they would ship the card to me without actually processing any of my paperwork. I am not sure how that makes any sense at all, as they didn't verify that I was a student or anything like that, but it was a heck of a lot more convenient, so I would suggest this route. 

Also, if you are traveling but aren't a student, they have youth cards, and other options like that. Meh, I give it 2.5 stars. Check it out at www.myisic.com.

Some sites that I have been enjoying...

Just a few sites here that I have been enjoying, you might like them too!

China Mike
China Mike is the greatest! Between the snarky commentary and the really useful tips, Mike really gives you the DL on what you might expect in China. it is a must read for anyone looking heading to the Middle Kingdom.

Off Color Otter
My friend’s blog from his stay in Hong Kong! We met back in Chinese 101 class. He hasn’t posted much lately, and I have a feeling that he has actually returned to the US by now. Nonetheless fun to browse through.  

HoneyTrek
A great blog from two honeymooners traveling around the globe. Fun stories and great photos as they stop in at great destinations all over the world. All of the post re: china are all really fun too.

WWOOF
WWoof stands for the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. In exchange for 4-6 hours of work a day, you will be provided room and board on a local farm. WWOOF farms are all over the world and seem accommodating to many lengths of stay. Flagshipers might be interested in this organization to fulfill the volunteering portion of the program; I know I am!