Fri Aug 28 2009
It’s 6:20. In the morning. I didn’t even get up at 6:20. No, I got up at 5:50. I was more persistent yesterday, when I woke up—very happy mind you because I thought I’d beaten the jet lag early by making it all the way to 7am—and discovered that it was 2 in the morning. At that point, I sighed, rolled over, and eventually fell back asleep. When I woke up again at several other points in the middle of the night I did the same. Persistence, my friends. I made it all the way until a decent hour of the morning and actually got up after Mr. Sun! This morning, however, I think the sun and I are rising early together. Although I probably could have, and should have gone back to sleep, well…I didn’t. The thought of my pictures waiting to be downloaded, and a blank page itching to be filled with digital ink and posted for all of you back home pulled me out of bed like a string would have. I brewed myself some of my new lavender and rose petal tea in my stunning new travel mug (glass, with a beautiful design and a built in tea strainer!), and I’m now communicating with all of you fine folks.
Travel tip #2: Don’t be like me…DO go back to sleep.
Only, don’t do the nap thing right off the bat. Some of my friends on the program had naps that really sounded like short-term death to me. They nearly missed their afternoon activities, possibly because the fairy-tale prince is still with Sleeping Beauty back in America, or, more likely, because of roommate miscommunication as to who would wake whom. Nonetheless—STICK IT OUT! You can do it! When you’re jet lagged, don’t nap. Go to bed early and sleep as long as possible. Then when you’re over it you can nap without fear of regression.
Travel tip #3: Buy yourself a beautiful Chinese tea cup.
Seriously. Good investment. Especially if you’re a tea drinker. Even if you’re not, buy one for someone who is, or just stick it on your mantle and let it look pretty. I went to “LeGou”, a bigger-than-Wal-Mart ordeal of food, clothes, shoes, office/school supplies, bikes, perfumes, teas, household items ranging from cleaning supplies to kitchen-ware, from tools to toiletries, and many other eye-widening selections. I spent about 240 kuai. Woah! Did I overspend? How could I possibly have racked up such a grocery bill? “Relax!” I reminded myself. That’s only about 35 American bucks. And for the cute little tub of Chinese Skippy, several pieces of fruit, including one “Fire Dragon fruit” that caught my eye (did I fall victim to Chinese fruit seduction? Its pinkish hue and swirling, green talons lured me in as though the fruit were singing a mating song), mucho school and dorm supplies both for personal and communal use, and, my favorite, the three bags of tea—green, lavender, rose petal—and the two beautiful mugs from which to drink, I think it was well worth it. In America the two cups alone would reach 35 dollars, no problem.
It’s 6:20. In the morning. I didn’t even get up at 6:20. No, I got up at 5:50. I was more persistent yesterday, when I woke up—very happy mind you because I thought I’d beaten the jet lag early by making it all the way to 7am—and discovered that it was 2 in the morning. At that point, I sighed, rolled over, and eventually fell back asleep. When I woke up again at several other points in the middle of the night I did the same. Persistence, my friends. I made it all the way until a decent hour of the morning and actually got up after Mr. Sun! This morning, however, I think the sun and I are rising early together. Although I probably could have, and should have gone back to sleep, well…I didn’t. The thought of my pictures waiting to be downloaded, and a blank page itching to be filled with digital ink and posted for all of you back home pulled me out of bed like a string would have. I brewed myself some of my new lavender and rose petal tea in my stunning new travel mug (glass, with a beautiful design and a built in tea strainer!), and I’m now communicating with all of you fine folks.
Travel tip #2: Don’t be like me…DO go back to sleep.
Only, don’t do the nap thing right off the bat. Some of my friends on the program had naps that really sounded like short-term death to me. They nearly missed their afternoon activities, possibly because the fairy-tale prince is still with Sleeping Beauty back in America, or, more likely, because of roommate miscommunication as to who would wake whom. Nonetheless—STICK IT OUT! You can do it! When you’re jet lagged, don’t nap. Go to bed early and sleep as long as possible. Then when you’re over it you can nap without fear of regression.
Travel tip #3: Buy yourself a beautiful Chinese tea cup.
Seriously. Good investment. Especially if you’re a tea drinker. Even if you’re not, buy one for someone who is, or just stick it on your mantle and let it look pretty. I went to “LeGou”, a bigger-than-Wal-Mart ordeal of food, clothes, shoes, office/school supplies, bikes, perfumes, teas, household items ranging from cleaning supplies to kitchen-ware, from tools to toiletries, and many other eye-widening selections. I spent about 240 kuai. Woah! Did I overspend? How could I possibly have racked up such a grocery bill? “Relax!” I reminded myself. That’s only about 35 American bucks. And for the cute little tub of Chinese Skippy, several pieces of fruit, including one “Fire Dragon fruit” that caught my eye (did I fall victim to Chinese fruit seduction? Its pinkish hue and swirling, green talons lured me in as though the fruit were singing a mating song), mucho school and dorm supplies both for personal and communal use, and, my favorite, the three bags of tea—green, lavender, rose petal—and the two beautiful mugs from which to drink, I think it was well worth it. In America the two cups alone would reach 35 dollars, no problem.