I Made It!

First, I should note that I cannot seem to log onto Blogger in China. I had heard rumors that this site was occasionally blocked, which appear to be true. This message is coming to you through the efforts of my sister, Jennifer Mackey, to whom I emailed this message and who then uploaded this information to my blog. Thanks, Jen!

After a very long 19-hour journey, I have arrived safely in Beijing reminded that travel is an adventure! For those who enjoy facing the unexpected and can accept the occasional discomfort or inconvenience, travel brings rewards of sights and sounds not only never seen before, but perhaps not even imagined. For this, my first trip to Asia, the journey here was long, but even the inconveniences of travel were novel. Just after landing, we were forbidden to leave our seats as health officials boarded the plane wearing gloves, masks, and goggles as part of China’s intensive effort to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus. The officials aimed a gun-like mechanism at each passenger’s forehead to detect if anyone had an elevated temperature. Fortunately, it seems everyone passed and we were allowed to exit the plane—but we were not quite through yet. Beyond the plane was a body-temperature sensing gate that we had to pass through, which must have been too high when I walked through because I was whisked away to the side in a blocked off area where two women wearing surgical masks handed me another surgical mask and took my temperature by sticking a thermometer in my armpit. At this point I didn’t realize I had set off the heat sensor, but once I had remembered how to say “Weishenme wo?”, which I think is “Why me?” in Chinese, I realized that I would have no clue what their answers meant: “It is random,” “you look sick,” or “this is based on the previous temperature test” are all beyond my Chinese comprehension skills. My temperature must have been within the accepted limits because after checking it one woman indicated that I could leave. While I can’t deny feeling nervous—exhibiting flu-like symptoms can lead to quarantines lasting up to a week, and those sitting in the rows in front of and behind infected passengers receive the same treatment—the undeniable foreignness of the experience made it fascinating!

Coming soon—notes on my first day and a half in Beijing

Why I Might Make a Great Boy Scout

Normally, trips I've planned come up so fast that all the last minute details get pushed aside, I throw everything into a bag hoping that I've got what I need, and then collapse into my seat, exhausted, once I've boarded the plane! Having been out of school the last week, I have had the luxury to obsess about every possible scenario. The result is that with the normal allotment of clothing and supplies, I have brought:

1. An extra memory card for my camera (even though I have plenty of storage and plan to transfer images to my laptop each evening)

2. Medications, including but not limited to Acidophilus for "good bacteria", allergy medications in case some as yet undiscovered allergies arise on my first trip to Asia, and decongestants to help fight pollution's attack on the respiratory system

3. Woolite in case I need to handwash clothes

4. Extra t-shirts in case I'm too lazy to handwash clothes

5. Hand Sanitizer, extra toilet paper, two copies of my passport and visa, and a mini first-aid kit comprised of bandaids and travel size Neutrogena tube crammed into an old Altoids tin

And I'm certain that I've forgotten something important!

Here is what the weather forecast looks like. It will be brutally hot!

Next week in Beijing:

Getting Ready To Leave

Since school got out last week, I have been running errands to make sure I have everything I need for my trip.  Included in this photo are some trip essentials: Chinese language textbook, China travel guide, passport (including Chinese visa), and sturdy, comfortable walking shoes.  My preparation has also included some study of both language and history: I have been learning a bit of Chinese through the Adult and Community Education night courses I also would like to thank my Taiwanese students, Eric Wang and Julia Teng, for their patience in allowing me to try out some phrases on them!  This past week I have been cramming as much background to Chinese history into my head as possible, and I am regretting not having started earlier.  China is a vast country with a colorful and complicated history which cannot be fully absorbed in a week--as a teacher constantly reprimanding my students that the best way to learn is gradual and not by cramming everything in the night before the test, I should know better! 

A week and a half before departure . . .

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Deborah Pettit, and I have been teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages at Fairfax High School for the past three years. I am so excited for the opportunity to go to China for a month this summer and would love to share my experiences with you here!