It’s currently Day 41 of my stay in China, and Day 77 of my entire Asia trip. I have discovered that I actually have a travel limit, or at least my body does, as I recently caught a cold. But the family here has been taking care of me and giving me Chinese medicine to drink 3 times a day, every day. I combine that with my own Western medicine carefully chosen by my knowledgable Mother. So I’m on the road to recovery, even though my voice temporarily resembles the voice of Morgan Freeman and my nose likes to go jogging, occassionally running at full speed. (As you can see, the cold has also influenced my humor for better or for worse).

I’m leaving Daqing tonight and heading to Beijing by train. We should arrive tomorrow morning. I found an affordable and nice-looking new hotel in Beijing which will be my temporary home for the next 2 weeks approximately, before I head to Xi’An. The end of my trip (August 21) is rapidly approaching. Time flies!

Lastly, I want to say “Thank You” to Bobo and Dana and their families for looking after me and showing me around Daqing and Dalian. I discovered both cities are very unique, and yet both oddly bear some resemblance to my own hometown. The experience of staying with a family has definitely helped me learn much more about Chinese people, history, culture, language, and life, than if I had joined a tour group or traveled alone.

Peace to California, British Columbia, South Korea, China, or wherever you are reading this!

-A.Z.

First, I just want to let you all know that I’m alive, safe, and well here in Daqing. My friend Bobo and her Mother picked me up at the airport in Harbin. She and her family have been very kind and gave me a warm welcome. Today I saw one white person, but it seems they are hard to find in this city.  So I’m trying to make it more diverse by singing Elvis Presley songs in Karaoke. In fact, I’m heading off to sing right now. Hopefully my powerful vocals don’t instigate any riots.

Pictures coming soon!

Peace from Daqing,

-A.Z.

For those keeping track, it’s currently Day 72 of my Asia Adventure, and Day 36 of my stay in China. Tomorrow I will be leaving this beautiful coastal city (Dalian) and heading further North by plane to Harbin, then by car to a nearby city known as Daqing. I plan to stay in Daqing until August 1rst, then depart by train back to Beijing (arriving the following day: August 2nd).

Though I have grown more and more familiar with Chinese people, culture, food, and the language(s), I must admit many things still surprise me. So I really don’t know what to expect each time I visit a new city. China is indeed both vast and diverse. That being said, the majority of it is undeniably Chinese. I guess the best advice I can give to any non-Chinese person planning to visit China is to be open to many new (and seemingly strange) things, to be polite and courteous whenever possible, and to be humble/willing to learn from your mistakes. The kindness you experience here is undoubtly different from that of anywhere else, and it takes some getting used to. But it is important that you recognize it as kindness, and avoid being offended by a simple misunderstanding or cultural gap. If you can do this, then China is a wonderful place to travel.

Peace from Dalian,

-A.Z.

Beijing, China. “Dancing in the Fountain”. Enjoy!

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PS: This video is dedicated to Hazel, Shanshan, Joy, and my friends in Beijing!