2 Week Recharge and then off to Mongolia (be sure to use the 110 and not the 220)

Jason has been updating this for me, but this is yours truly.

Well, after the awful fiasco in Xin’BaErHeYouQi around Hulun Buir, I took a train from Wulanhaote to Chifeng.

What happened that was so awful?  I’ll skim the surface for you.  I met 3 young men, ehem, let me rephrase, I met 2 young men and 1 monster.  After treating me to dinner I found myself having the monster “help” me to find a place to sleep for the evening.  I was locked in a room for 3 hours knowing that his intention was rape and possibly steal my belongings.  After 3 hours of me pleading and crying for release and him repeatedly telling me he would kill me – I got away.

The scream I let out still doesn’t even sound like my voice.  The next 5 minutes are a haze.

2 nights later I stayed on a Mongolia “Dude Ranch”.  I needed that.  These people gave me some faith in humanity.  The 3 people were “Mongolian” but I have realized there is a difference between ethnic lineage of Mongolian and those that live culturally as Mongolian.  Mongolians LOVE to drink…they LOVE to sing…they LOVE Americans.

There was a boy on the ranch – “Bao’tur”.  He made me very nervous – even behind his silver reflector aviator sunglasses – I could see that he was one of the most beautiful boys I have ever seen.  His delicate and such unique face framed by soft curled dyed brownish hair.  It was not a sexual attraction nervousness, let me say that, but the fact that he was BEAUTIFUL.  Jason says, “that guy looks weird” – you may think that too – but this boy was beautiful.

When I was practicing English with “Bao’tur”, “But’tur”, “Nancy”, and “Jake” – Bao’turs’ voice would go very high pitch and awkward sounding.  He made up for this silliness by the his natural appearance riding the horses – with no saddle.

I slept in my first yurt.  It was a cement one, a permanent one.

I returned to my Chinese “family” in ChiFeng last Saturday.  After another “boy” tried to scam me and who knows what else at the train station in Wulanhaote.  Luckily I stopped that one before there even was the option.

Greeted at the train station at 5:30 am by my dear friend and “sister” Lotus.  Captain was there too.  It was so wonderful to see familiar faces and feel true, genuine love, from friends and family.  While in Chifeng, I was on the radio station speaking Chinese, danced for a large group of Eighth Graders, and had “little rain drop” (Lotus’ dear daughter) tell me my arms are like peaches.  I have hairy arms…you should see my legs!!!!

After spending a relaxing, yet hot, weekend in Chifeng, I arrived in Shanghai Monday night.  I’ve never been one to run to the Gate and throw my arms around anyone.  But I shuffled (flip flops) past everyone and ran into Jason’s arms.  Yes.  Like a movie.  My luggage being one very dirty tanktop and pants and a load of Inner Mongolian Milk candy and Cheese.  Gifts.  Dirty clothes and candy.

I have officially hit “Dirt Bag” status – and so proud of it.  People are amazed by my tan lines.  I’ve been told I look like a Chinese farmer and the man next to me on the plane kept looking at my arms and then his.  He was a little corn’fused.

On July 1st, my final riding day of NorthEast China – I hit 5000km.  If you do the math, I did this in 2 months – with more than plenty rest days.  I plan to do the next 2 months, 6000km.  This will be Mongolia.

Jason will be joining me for Mongolia – but don’t worry – I still plan to make a record amount of solo kilometers through China.  I guarantee that.

While in Shanghai, I will be eating NOT Chinese food, though I have had 2 Chinese lunches.  I lied.  Let me rephrase…I will not be eating Chinese food when we can afford not too.  Still have got to reserve money.  The attempted rape drained 1000kuai out of my account really fast.  Taxi ride to next town and an air conditioned hotel.

I’ve got a great paying job this week and that will more than definitely put my finances back to where they were before I started.

One massage thus far, as I hope to regain feeling in my left middle finger.  I lost feeling and it’s completely numb – during the first week of my ride.  Pinched nerves?

I’m going to go through some photos and maybe put a couple up here…I know you are dying to see some.

Recently, I’ve had correspondance with your recent comment’or Edward Genochio and new correspondance from Evan Villarrubia, Portrait of an LBX www.portraitofanlbx.com

Ed and I share a lot of similar stories and he’s been a great guy to talk with when I’m feeling beat the hell up.

Evan and his cycling companion are still on the road in China.  I got a really nice email from him giving me props for doing this.  He said that he and his buddies have often discussed how difficult this would be for a woman…well, I’m doing it.  And to hell with that monster – I will NOT let any person ruin this for me.

I’ll keep you all up to date

2 Week Recharge and then off to Mongolia (be sure to use the 110 and not the 220)

Jason has been updating this for me, but this is yours truly.

Well, after the awful fiasco in Xin’BaErHeYouQi around Hulun Buir, I took a train from Wulanhaote to Chifeng.

What happened that was so awful?  I’ll skim the surface for you.  I met 3 young men, ehem, let me rephrase, I met 2 young men and 1 monster.  After treating me to dinner I found myself having the monster “help” me to find a place to sleep for the evening.  I was locked in a room for 3 hours knowing that his intention was rape and possibly steal my belongings.  After 3 hours of me pleading and crying for release and him repeatedly telling me he would kill me – I got away.

The scream I let out still doesn’t even sound like my voice.  The next 5 minutes are a haze.

2 nights later I stayed on a Mongolia “Dude Ranch”.  I needed that.  These people gave me some faith in humanity.  The 3 people were “Mongolian” but I have realized there is a difference between ethnic lineage of Mongolian and those that live culturally as Mongolian.  Mongolians LOVE to drink…they LOVE to sing…they LOVE Americans.

There was a boy on the ranch – “Bao’tur”.  He made me very nervous – even behind his silver reflector aviator sunglasses – I could see that he was one of the most beautiful boys I have ever seen.  His delicate and such unique face framed by soft curled dyed brownish hair.  It was not a sexual attraction nervousness, let me say that, but the fact that he was BEAUTIFUL.  Jason says, “that guy looks weird” – you may think that too – but this boy was beautiful.

When I was practicing English with “Bao’tur”, “But’tur”, “Nancy”, and “Jake” – Bao’turs’ voice would go very high pitch and awkward sounding.  He made up for this silliness by the his natural appearance riding the horses – with no saddle.

I slept in my first yurt.  It was a cement one, a permanent one.

I returned to my Chinese “family” in ChiFeng last Saturday.  After another “boy” tried to scam me and who knows what else at the train station in Wulanhaote.  Luckily I stopped that one before there even was the option.

Greeted at the train station at 5:30 am by my dear friend and “sister” Lotus.  Captain was there too.  It was so wonderful to see familiar faces and feel true, genuine love, from friends and family.  While in Chifeng, I was on the radio station speaking Chinese, danced for a large group of Eighth Graders, and had “little rain drop” (Lotus’ dear daughter) tell me my arms are like peaches.  I have hairy arms…you should see my legs!!!!

After spending a relaxing, yet hot, weekend in Chifeng, I arrived in Shanghai Monday night.  I’ve never been one to run to the Gate and throw my arms around anyone.  But I shuffled (flip flops) past everyone and ran into Jason’s arms.  Yes.  Like a movie.  My luggage being one very dirty tanktop and pants and a load of Inner Mongolian Milk candy and Cheese.  Gifts.  Dirty clothes and candy.

I have officially hit “Dirt Bag” status – and so proud of it.  People are amazed by my tan lines.  I’ve been told I look like a Chinese farmer and the man next to me on the plane kept looking at my arms and then his.  He was a little corn’fused.

On July 1st, my final riding day of NorthEast China – I hit 5000km.  If you do the math, I did this in 2 months – with more than plenty rest days.  I plan to do the next 2 months, 6000km.  This will be Mongolia.

Jason will be joining me for Mongolia – but don’t worry – I still plan to make a record amount of solo kilometers through China.  I guarantee that.

While in Shanghai, I will be eating NOT Chinese food, though I have had 2 Chinese lunches.  I lied.  Let me rephrase…I will not be eating Chinese food when we can afford not too.  Still have got to reserve money.  The attempted rape drained 1000kuai out of my account really fast.  Taxi ride to next town and an air conditioned hotel.

I’ve got a great paying job this week and that will more than definitely put my finances back to where they were before I started.

One massage thus far, as I hope to regain feeling in my left middle finger.  I lost feeling and it’s completely numb – during the first week of my ride.  Pinched nerves?

I’m going to go through some photos and maybe put a couple up here…I know you are dying to see some.

Recently, I’ve had correspondance with your recent comment’or Edward Genochio and new correspondance from Evan Villarrubia, Portrait of an LBX www.portraitofanlbx.com

Ed and I share a lot of similar stories and he’s been a great guy to talk with when I’m feeling beat the hell up.

Evan and his cycling companion are still on the road in China.  I got a really nice email from him giving me props for doing this.  He said that he and his buddies have often discussed how difficult this would be for a woman…well, I’m doing it.  And to hell with that monster – I will NOT let any person ruin this for me.

I’ll keep you all up to date

Stepping Stones – Migrant School

Little Boy Folding Paper
About a month ago I contacted Corinne of Stepping Stones – a Not for Profit started by her and based here in Shanghai. Taken directly from http://steppingstoneschina.net :

“The objective of this project is to assist students in migrant schools in Shanghai to gain interest and confidence in their English language abilities and to help them pass their middle school entrance examinations.”

If you aren’t familiar with the educational system of China…if you don’t get into a good middle school, you don’t get into a good high school – therefore, more than likely not passing your college entrance exam. your life is determined very early in life – it’s very unfortunate that innocent children just have to deal with the hand they’ve been dealt.

From the city center of Shanghai – it took about 45 minutes to get to the bus station. From there, I met Bernice with Stepping Stones and waited for 2 additional people with ai Community. From there, it took an additional hour to get out to the school.

You could hear the English repetition across the school yard – there are 4-6 large classrooms having class. Ages ranging by a couple of years in each room – along with attention span and studious attitudes. I did notice that the girls were paying closer attention than the boys and really trying. I was watching the behavior and games…and kids are really all the same, no matter where they live. There are little boys wrestling and punching one another in the groin while the little girls huddle together talking quietly with cute little dresses on.

I spent a couple of hours there, and you can tell through the progression of my photos, of how they adjust to my attendance. At first they are waving and jumping and a bit of obnoxiousness from the boys. I feel so bad about disrupting classes so I go sit outside during some of the class and chat with some of the kids sitting in the school yard. Between my elementary Chinese and their English – we have some pretty good little conversations. One boy is pulling needles off the pine tree and picking flowers and he asks me what it is and I tell him in English. And I also ask him questions about it, “What color is that flower?” He tells me he likes to draw. I ask him a couple of times, “What do you like to draw?” And he kept responding with “Yes”. Dang – now I know how I sound when people speak to me in Mandarin and I say “dui” – when it wasn’t a Yes/No Question. At least children can get away with that, I just seem like a moron.

The little boy in the picture above was sitting alone in one of the classrooms during break time. The two teachers are there as well. He looks up briefly from his folded paper with a slight smile, but a sense that he is very involved with his current task. “Hello” I say to him.
“Hello.”
“What’s your name?”
“—-”
“My name is Ellen”, and I walk over to him and he stands up, we shake hands (him almost handing me is left hand but switches) “it’s very nice to meet you”.
The teacher translates, he smiles “it’s nice to meet you too.”

During the last hour, some children are playing “SandBag”. It’s kind of like Dodgeball…but way more intense and you get hit by a cloth bag packed with sand/rice/something rather than a ball with air. I ask one of the guys working on the library if he want’s to play basketball with me. So after a couple of attempts, I notice about 6-8 little boys gathering around me and we start a game. Guess who is the only one to make a shot? Yeah, that’s me! I kind of amazed myself but again I was playing with little boys – some half my height. I am not sure how they felt about a girl making a basket, so I laid off and just rebounded the ball.

Eventually we lead into playing soccer – my bad – football. I have the same group of little boys, and I am kicking the ball high into the air, with 2 cameras around my neck. We play a watered down version of a game, a camera in one hand to prevent from slamming against the other. I’m running, I’m sweating…I’m having fun…what a day!

Language barriers are disappearing.

So Wednesday, I am riding my bike to Chinese class at the Shanghai Business Center and I see one of the blue flat bed trucks loaded down with flowers. There are a couple of men unloading the packs down to the sidewalk to plant in the very small park/intersection. I have my 35mm film camera with me – but I am rushed to class.

After class, I pull my bicycle over to the side of the road and take a picture from a far. Of course, I am spotted…and it seems to be by the supervisor. He starts smiling, shouting, and waves me over. What? This is a total change of course.

So I roll my bike over to the park and one guy tells me in Chinese that he doesn’t want to have his picture taken, after “Supervisor” is smiling, making the act of taking a picture, and pointing to this guy. I ask, “为什么?“ That’s wei shen me – “why”?He then continues to tell me it’s because he is not “beautiful”. I respond that he is very beautiful. So after some chuckles, and then getting to deep into the language that I have found myself lost for words – they go back to work and I take some more pictures before heading home.

The city really opens up when you can talk the talk.

It’s moments like that and on Monday, when I was at the Shanghai Stadium climbing. There was a group of us – locals and foreigners – over in the Bouldering area. And the foreigners would speak English – while the Chinese would understand but respond in Mandarin – but us foreigners understood – but would respond in English. It’s amazing when you can carry on basic conversations speaking in your native tongue but listening to something so different.

It’s kinda cool.

I would love to hear from you!