Chinese Class

I am part of a kindergarten class. Don't get me wrong. I am not a retard like Billy Madison who went back to kindergarten just to run his dad's company. Together with other international students who had no prior knowledge whatsoever in Chinese language or Putonghua, we are schooled like small kids.

Started from tomes up to the pronunciation and further to writing Chinese characters. I feel stupid because now I am illiterate. I do not even know how to write my Chinese name. I am so f*cked to say the least! I see children, real children, walking around speaking and writing and reading while I am trying to figure out how people can understand the words that are coming out of my mouth.

I am now studying and learning. Now I can write my name and a few characters and can order food and be understood by people around me... Well a little bit. I need to practice some more but I will get there. It took me 1 month to learn essential Thai with work as my main purpose. Now, I am in China, a full time student so I guess I can learn faster and better than before.

My classes are sometimes interesting and at times a bore. Some are easy while some are hard. It is not as easy as I imagined. As the days go by, the characters get complicated and harder to write. Plus, they are getting more and more that I cannot remember all of them.

I belong to a class with a lot of Vietnamese, A few Mongolians, 3 Africans, an Indonesian and a crazy South Korean. I am the only Filipino in my university.

I need a lot of help with my Chinese... I want to learn and fast... More on the speaking aspect rather than writing...

It is getting hard each day but we will see what progress I make.

Home Away From Home

I live inside a big university. Well I think it is. There are 3 buildings dedicated to International Students and more for Chinese Students. I live on the 12th floor of this building. The good thing about this building is it is new and never closes!

Usually when I go out, I can just get home whenever I want. Sure there are CCTV Cameras (surveillance cameras) all over the building but nobody cares unless something bad happens.

Me and my friends in school usually drink downstairs, near a pond. Or just hang out. Everyone minds their own business. I can play basketball anytime I want or run at the track and field oval whenever. There is also a gym inside campus and stores as well.

The only thing bad about this school is it is far from the nightspots and the busy areas. It will take at least 45 minutes to get to the nice shopping centers, bars, clubs and the like. But if you want to get peace, chill out and relax, well this seems a good place to get away from it all.

Ebony, Ivory and What...

When I first set foot to this country, I was not exactly sure what I was going to expect. The environment, the culture, the trials and all those other things that a man will face once he sets foot in the first time to a place unfamiliar to him.


I had encountered the same when I was in Bangkok but the thing about this place is, I did not have anyone with me on my first trip. When I was in the place which they referred to the "City of Angels" in Asia, I was with my former superior and friend. Now I am all alone.

I did not have any leads. So I have to really start from scratch. I entered the school without expecting anything. On my second day I met my first friend here in China. He was half Jamaican-half Ethopian. He helped me shop and introduced me to people. He is like my brother here. He is the one on the lower right of this picture. The one beside him is the guy who lives beside me, the third person I knew in China. It took a few days and I knew a lot of people around campus; blacks, whites and Asians.

After which, a good friend of mine gave me contacts of Filipinos here in Shanghai. This made me feel like I am home. Like I never left. Once again I am living the same life that I was living in Manila, belonging to different groups of people, knowing more and more everyday and learning in and out of the classroom...

The Shanghai Experience Day 1 (090207)

Today marks my journey. Another new country, another set of challenges and another chance at life.

I came of my going away party where some of my closest friends were they to bid me farewell. High school friends, college friends, friends from work and others that I met after my school life.

We partied until the wee hours of the morning. Then I realized how unprepared I was in leaving the country, in facing a new challenge. As my party ended, I have yet to pack my stuff, I don’t know where I am going to stay in Shanghai, I forgot to buy a few necessities, I don’t know where I will go as soon as I land, I don’t know when I will start school and more.

After all of my friends left, I started to pack my stuff. I picked up a few clothes here and there and some things that I think I need to bring. I did not think twice on leaving a few stuff behind. All I know is I have to bring some things that I have to bring like my acceptance letter, the laptop that was lent me, my notebook, and some things that would make me feel at home.

I slept for 2 hours, got ready and then left. Once I got in the airport, I was called by a few people whom did not able to make it in my party. I was touched that these people remembered and cared. I was dropped of by my parents and my girlfriend and turned my back at them sadly yet somewhat looking forward in tackling a new challenge.

Upon waiting for my flight I sat near the gate and met two Filipinos who are based in Shanghai. A Quality Control Manager in a plant in the outskirt of Shanghai and an English Teacher. They gave me a few pointers and offered to help me when we land, and indeed they did.

I was contracted by a Chinese man for my transportation. I brought a sim card and a phone card. Although I know that I paid more than the normal rate, I still said yes. The driver took me to the school campus. He can barely speak English and was pissed since we cannot understand each other. He dropped me off inside the campus as I searched for an answer to my concern of my lodging set up. I talked to a few people. They were clueless. Some had harder times in terms of understanding me.

Finally, a guy from Nepal helped me to the administration office. He told me that he had been in China for 5 years. He can speak Chinese very well. He helped me secure my room. My room is somewhat better than I pictured. I have my privacy. I do not have a roommate. It is air-conditioned, furnished with a television set, has hot water and newly constructed. I even have my own veranda. It is a small room yet I am very happy to stay

Introduction...

你好!

Welcome to Downtown Chinatown...

I've been here for almost 2 months now. I have struggled, met new people, survived and adjusted...

This is a new beginning, a new journey, something that is interesting, challenging and surprising. Initially I had no plans of going to China. I had been working for more than 1 year. 3 measly days after graduation. I worked in a very aggressive company that sent me to places, endured some pain and equipped me with a better knowledge of having a business...

I was sent to Thailand where I became more independent and learned how to live alone. I dealt with big people, people who were twice my age. People who were more experienced. People who can crush you if you are weak.

I earned their respect, their trust, their hearts. I earned a lot from my job. I was on top. I was unbreakable, at least I thought I was. Then it all went down. I have to go back. Some circumstances, people that I never thought would screw me did. But I am man enough to accept my fate. Everything happens for a reason. I continued to work, I did not complain. I moved on...

After a few months, an opportunity came knocking at my door. That opportunity brought me to where I am today. The most developed city in whole of China, Shanghai. I took another risk in my life. Give up my job, leave my comfort zone and go to somewhere where I have zero knowledge about the language, culture and place. I did not even know where to go, how to get there. What weather they had. Sure I asked around but it was never ever enough...

But then, life is always full of surprises. I just have to leave every day as it comes. It will be a hell of a ride! What will happen, I don't know. Nothing is certain...

We will both find out...