Traveling Adventures and Misadventures: Getting Settled in Hangzhou

Hangzhou (pronounced han (like the dynasty) joe (like coffee) is gorgeous. It’s supposedly the city with the most trees, and basically every street looks like Central Park. I’ve been fighting jet lag by walking everywhere, eating noodles, pork, and fish, shopping for snacks and exchanging currency. I’ve also been getting used to the Chinese tendency to stare at foreigners-sometimes I hold a private staring contest with them, or smile awkwardly.
However, not knowing Chinese, I feel both helpless and curious. Today I’ve learned the Chinese characters for yuan (the currency) and China. That’s two out of thousands. This afternoon I entered a clothing store, expecting to look around and then walk out. I ended up being swarmed by at least 5 employees who all spoke Chinese to me and told me to sit down. After the first “ni hao” I understood nothing but took the magazine they pushed into my hands and flipped through awkwardly. Three women pressured another woman to practice her English on me, and she pointed upstairs and told me “more, up.” So I followed her and looked at the expensive but nice clothing. She suggested some clothes to me and I nodded, smiling, but then pointed at my watch and then outside, saying “I have to go meet someone.” She nodded, a bit disappointed. I felt horrible but I had no money! She led me back downstairs, and I said I’d come back when I had money, making the international (I think?) sign for money. Then I said goodbye (one of the few Chinese words I know) and left. For the rest of the time, I walked awkwardly in front of other stores, avoiding that one store.
Everything is relatively cheaper here. A taxi cab ride costs no more than 5 dollars, about 30 yuan. Today I paid about 10 dollars for a surge protector, bananas, oatmeal, honey, toilet paper and Chinese orange juice, which I swear has fake pulp and tastes like Sunny D…
I’m staying on the third floor of an apartment with two other ACI fellows, and it’s an interesting experience to say the least. The apartment is located at Ling Yin Temple (look it up!). It’s a great area, kinda touristy though.The roof in my room is slanted. I painfully realized this when I was unpacking some of my clothes last night when I arrived. It has a small window that opens to the backs of more apartments. I also learned that mattresses in China are not very comfortable (excuse me if I’m making a wrong generalization). The one I slep ton last night felt like a box-I’ve decided to make a layer of clothing and blankets in order to lessen the back pain. I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon…I’ve been pampered in America! I feel like my sentences are all monotone sounding so I should Lanham-ize right about now.
I really wish we had wi-fi in the apartment because I need to look up some Chinese phrases stat. Things like “Please”, “How much?” and basic food stuff…so I don’t end up eating a whole fish again. Chinese menus are no good now-I can’t wait until July when we start learning Chinese for real!
So basically, here’s a list of things I’ve learned on my first day in China:
1. The Chinese like to stare at foreigners.
2. Mopeds are huge.
3. Noodles are yummy.
4. People like to cough, hack and spit on sidewalks.
5. Pedestrians have no rights or protection