en.infoglobe.cz » China: How It All Began – You Dont Live Here

China: How It All Began – You Dont Live Here

Published: 29.3.2014
A queue to get a round stamp seems infinite. Next I have to just pick up my baggage, get on a bus that would take me from the airport and get at the campus. Everything according to the plan. Only with some extra time in queues or in Beijing traffic jams. Two years ago in Chengdu, if my memory is right, it was not that easy...

Čína

The cab driver dropped me of in front of the south gate. Just as my friend who was studying at the same university, advised me to do. I tried to get some fresh air waving a paper with further instructions. And I entered the campus. Half an hour later of endless roaming I finally realized that the campus is sort of city within a city. I stopped fighting my red color filling my face a while ago. I also came to terms with the fact that my t-shirt looks like I was wet. My hair became lank thanks to unbelievable moisture and heat. My enthusiastic search turned to just hauling my body around. After tenth round of asking questions of people walking by, nobody had an idea where the dorms for international students are. I started to give up. So I just stood still on one of the crossroads. The eleventh random passer-by saved me and got me to my destination.

Čína

I dragged my baggage several stairs up, drew aside my wet hair and with shaking hands find my papers. In English, I said who I am, what I am doing there. One of obviously amused receptionists looked at my papers and in bad English said: “You don’t live here! “

I almost started crying. I didn’t sleep enough, I was tired, and angry. Had I found a golden fish, my only wish would be to get back home. Other two wishes you I would happily give anyone.

Čína

„Could you look just once more? I have the letter of acceptance and confirmation that as a student with scholarship I have a granted room.” I gave her the papers right in between her eyes. After a very hard to understand debate with the other receptionist, she suddenly gave me a key. Apparently, my name was on that list after all. I paid a deposit. As soon as I got into the room, I broke one of the most important rules. I turned the tap on and drank about a liter of water. Fortunately, the Fate decided that I had enough that day. After a cold shower I felt much better and I felt again curious. I set off to explore the campus. Everything was new, unseen. And the Chinese letters all around! I had an accommodation. That was enough for now.

Čína

Text/photo: Hana Bašová



Discussion at the article (0)


Related Articles

China: Studies - Xian: Couple of Legends at the End
Published: 13.6.2015
We had last day to spend in Xian. We had tickets not to the opera but for the evening train which would get us to my beloved Chengdu 成都.

China: Studies – Trip to See the Beauties of the South: Preparations and First Moments in Suzhou
Published: 24.1.2015
It wasn’t bad in Beijing. Yet sometimes a time comes that one just want to go somewhere else. Anywhere. The break of the first May was coming and we had already forgotten how crazy it is to travel in China, especially when even others have holidays. But this time we were bit smarter. We learned how to buy train tickets on the Internet.

China: Studies - Christmas
Published: 17.1.2015
Christmas is the time of remembrance. One remembers passed year, how and with who she spent Christmas and how it was. I couldn’t help myself from such assessment when I saw grey snowless streets. It remined me of my first Christmas outside home, Christmas in Chengdu 成都.

China: Studies - Sidu: River and Mountains
Published: 10.1.2015
Spring was coming soon which lured us to the nature outside Beijing. “Why don’t you go to the Sidu river 十渡?“ one teacher–friend told us. The description suggested it is beautiful there: allegedly „Guilin桂林 of the north“. It is a vast karst area covering 300 km² in north China. This area was formed by the Tu-ma river. Sidu literally means “ten fords”. Today the fords are replaced with modern bridges yet they say the place has still some magic in it.

China: Studies – When You Don’t Want to Leave the School…
Published: 3.1.2015
When you are studying in China and you want to learn more than you would at classic lessons you can ask about optional classes. There are usually many as such at universities. You can choose everything from sports, literature, or trivia to calligraphy or local dialects.

China: Studies – Back to School for a While – When Friend Comes from Afar...
Published: 27.12.2014
For as long as I had travelled in China, my main reason was studying the Chinese language. As more and more people ask me how learning Chinese in China is going I am going to spend some time explaining how it is.

China: Studies – Terminus
Published: 20.12.2014
„To terminus? What will you do there? There is nothing! “

China: Studies – As many people you meet...
Published: 13.12.2014
I know the old proverb starts bit differently, yet I hold to the opinion that this tweak has some truth to it. At some places I think about this proverb more often. At some places even every day. Perhaps you already realized that by the latter I mean China.

China: Studies – Old Summer Palace: Vanished Fame and Cherry Flowers
Published: 6.12.2014
Perhaps everyone who has visited Beijing and had little spare time paid his visit to famous Summer Palace (Yiheyuan 颐和园), northwestern Beijing. Less tourists, however, know, that near the “new” Summer Palace is also Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan圆明园).

China: Studies – Temple of Heaven
Published: 29.11.2014
Days in Beijing passed by merrily. School in the morning, studying, chats with friends… Everyday routine was diversified with weekend trips. Summer Beijing was not very magical, to be honest.

China: Studies - Cuandixia: Runnig Away from Beijing
Published: 22.11.2014
It is true that I base my articles on my experiences and remarks of my friends, yet I have this feeling that everyone gets to the point when he needs to leave the big noisy city for fresh air in the countryside.

China: Studies – Scattered Tea and Nasty Declension
Published: 15.11.2014
„You study Chinese? So you can read scattered tea?“ „Chinese? Ping Pong?“ „Do you have skew eyes from eating all those rice already?“

China: Studies – Buy a Bike
Published: 8.11.2014
First, I have to say that I come from a small town. Arrival in Prague was a large shock for me. When I was then hustling in Prague in darky morning trying to find the right address, I had no idea such an experience was not my last time. Next time it would be more intense.

China: Studies – There is Too Many People, What You Can Do
Published: 25.10.2014
Certainly there are lists of the most used words in any language. We learn what words we use the most in our mother tongue. We do not wonder as those are mostly words that are logically the most common as well.

China: At Studies: In the Lion’s Mouth
Published: 18.10.2014
First registration procedure was successfully done. I had a Chinese bank account, submitted about eight passport photos, and other required documents, and while tired I read through the instructions in my room. When I found out that there is a difference between the Chinese and English version, I decided to trust the original, in Chinese.

China: Studying: "Drink more hot water!"
Published: 11.10.2014
In couple of articles already I mentioned the same topic – hot water drinking. Since young age I have been frightened to drink hot beverages when ill. It is easier and tastier to use just syrup with water, I had been always saying. And then I left to China.

China: Studies – Suzhou: Venice of the Orient
Published: 31.1.2015
After all the information we gathered from our friends and teachers about Suzhou 苏州, everybody would look forward to see it! “Up is paradise, below are Suzhou, and Su Chang and Hangzhou" (in Chinese hang you tiantang, xia you Su-Hang 上有天堂,下有苏杭) we heard when we were mounting green city bikes, and rode through narrow streets near our hotel. The streets were crowded with various stands that lured us to stop (many of them at least). But we didn’t want to miss delicacies of Suzhou.

China: Studies - Suzhou: Magical Morning
Published: 7.2.2015
When returned to the hostel we were decided to get up early, get on the roof and start the day with a look at Suzhou in the morning 苏州. Right with the alarm clock ringing we started cursing the idea. Because we did not want to be lame in front one of another we get from warm duvets, and headed to the roof.

China: Studies – From Shanghai to Hangzhou
Published: 14.2.2015
When we said farewell to Suzhou 苏州, the train took us to the famous Shanghai 上海. Shanghai is the name everybody things of when asked if they can think of a Chinese city. Once it used to be a small fishermen village.

China: Studies – Xian: Great Mosque
Published: 6.6.2015
Terracotta army in Xian 西安 was truly interesting yet it wasn’t the only thing we saw there. We were, perhaps, bit disappointed from all those people we had met there. Whether they were tourists looking for something exciting, or vendors trying to make profits, and I don’t even mention high admission… We even hadn’t seen any good place to have lunch in. We ate only some snack, got on the bus to get back to the city.

China: Studies - Xian: One Like Another but Each Different
Published: 30.5.2015
„This is something you have to see!“ „It’s sure worth it!“ „It is world’s wonder.“

China: Studies - Xi'an: Peace and Noise of a City
Published: 23.5.2015
The Temple of Eight Immortals (Ba xian an八仙庵) is the largest Tao temple in Xi'an 西安. When we were deciding on what sight to see as the first, the temple was pretty clear choice.

China: Studies – Our First Time in Xian
Published: 16.5.2015
Beijing, the city of our year-long study stay, did not greet the girls pleasantly. Yet despite all obstacles we faced, we didn’t let it to spoil our mood. We decided to see all the sights, we hadn’t manage to visit during the first couple of days, before our flight back. We counted with some problems in our grandiose travel plan anyway.

China: Studies – Welcomed by Beijing
Published: 9.5.2015
Even though we tried, we didn’t manage to get nice weather. Smog, that impervious pot lid, held tiring heat above Beijing. But we were determined to prevail.

China: Studies – Large Moving
Published: 2.5.2015
End of June was about leaves. Since May, my friends had been leaving. Finals were coming and those who didn’t need any confirmation of their study stays and exams passed just packed their luggage and boarded the plane. Other didn’t visit schools because their relatives, and friends arrived. Dormitories emptied.

China: Studies – Learning in China
Published: 18.4.2015
It hasn’t been so long ago when I boarded the plane to Helsinki. I was thinking how I would spend a night before leaving for Beijing. Suddenly, I realized that my stay in China is coming to an end. It was one of these moments when I felt nostalgia and casted my mind back.

China: Studies - (Not)Useful Jobs
Published: 11.4.2015
I am of those people who cannot enjoy shopping. Mostly I have this feeling that the time spent finding something could we spent much more efficiently. When I decide to go somewhere shopping I need time.

China: Studies - Xiamen V: Artillery Fortress and University
Published: 4.4.2015
Our trip to see the famous tulou 土楼 was great. A strange van appeared and it was not strange after all. Chinese tourists stepped in and we stepped in as well because they said that the last bus had just left and the van driver would give us better price.

China: Studies - Xiamen IV: Tea-Smelling Fields
Published: 28.3.2015
After while, during our search for tulou 土楼 we went off the tourist-luring village with never ending music. Chinese tourists took pictures of each other wearing traditional and nontraditional clothes rented for horrible money. All of a sudden, everything went quiet around us. We were approaching local hills on a narrow road.

China: Studies - Xiamen III: Bad Dogs and Good People
Published: 21.3.2015
Our stay in Yunyongyao云永谣 commenced with a funeral, not particularly traditional way to begin one’s trip. Most of the locals took part in it. Some right in the procession, others just watched from afar. Soon, however, cracking and music ended. Only streets covered with red papers could tell the story.

China: Studies - Xiamen II: When the Trip Starts with a Funeral...
Published: 14.3.2015
Before I traveled to China, I had noticed weird mostly roundish buildings on various ad posters. I didn’t understand why would anyone build something like this.

China: Studies - Xiamen: Gulangyu Island
Published: 7.3.2015
When we peaked out to the street in the morning, it was truly alive. The digger was demolishing houses, and people were engaged in their work. I sought to protect my breakfast against omnipresent dust. It was clear now what we would do on that day. We had to get as far as possible.

China: Studies - Hangzhou II: Unease at Serene Lake
Published: 28.2.2015
We were returning quite disgruntled from the village of Longjing 龙井. The intrusive lady reminded us again that we are still tourists in China – and given my face, I still will be one.

China: Studies- Hangzhou: Trip to the Dragon Well
Published: 21.2.2015
Upon our difficult arrival at Hangzhou 杭州 we had crammed schedule ahead. Right in the morning, we went to explore how to get to our other goal the village of Longjing 龙井 that is famous for its tea plantations.

China: Studies- All Roads Lead to Rome, None to the Office
Published: 4.10.2014
As I promised myself on my exploration tour to the campus I fulfilled that promise. At the beginning of September I trotted to my future campus.

China: Studying – Back on the Scene
Published: 27.9.2014
When before the departure from Chengdu I decided to final packing of my things, I found out that I have a lot more than a few things.

China: How It All Began -  Luo-Tai: Ancient Town
Published: 20.9.2014
Another place I planned to visit before my arrival to Chengdu 成都 was Luo-Tai. According to the guide and our enthusiastic friends the place was worth visiting.

China: How Everything Began – „Now You Made Me a Beggar“
Published: 31.5.2014
Before you find yourselves in some foreign country, perhaps you would not know what you have to do. Mostly, those are things that are completely normal in your homeland. These things are usually a routine, no one even think about. For example shopping. Lets start right on the street with stalls.

China: How It All Began – Chocolate, Cheese and Strawberry Dumplings
Published: 24.5.2014
This is how my first three meals that I missed in China the most. Of course, one find out that IKEA is about an hour of bus ride off the campus (in China my perception of what is “near” really changed) and that you can buy there some cheese and chocolate, to feel better there.

China: How It All Began – What Do You Have For Breakfast?
Published: 17.5.2014
Another land, another habit. I realized this every day while I was in China. It did not take long. It began when I get out of the plane, continued with unbelievably intense portion of Sichuan pepper that were included in my dinner, and continued once more during - breakfast.

China: How It All Began – The Call of School
Published: 3.5.2014
Bus taking me from the Beijing airport to the place of my stay. First couple of days it is not a school but a flat of my friend. I will stay day until the registration at the university. How will be the school? What about teachers? And classmates?

China: How It All Began - „If Friends from Afar Come To a Visit...“
Published: 19.4.2014
After registration troubles in the office, I managed to go through the rest of the week pretty well. I did not have to worry about the housing. Gradually, I was getting to know my new roommate and our new pets – cockroaches.

China: How It All Began – Sysiphus‘ Toil
Published: 12.4.2014
At the airport, I get in the bus heading to my university. There are always traffic jam in Beijing. I have a lot of time to think. How it was back then. I had already settled, bought several necessities to get by… and then I just had been waiting for my roommates to show up.

China: How It All Began – Campus: Living in a Jungle
Published: 5.4.2014
I am waiting for tickets to get from the Beijing Airport. I have to just sit in a right bus. An hour later I am on place. I am really curious about my new place, campus and its surroundings. I have to remember my first campus in Chengdu two years earlier.

China: How It All Began – How Foreigners Became Actors
Published: 26.4.2014
Despite the title looks promising there wont be a long description of my acting career. As we promised to the elderly, we came on the following day to another “rehearsal”.

China: Long Journey I – We Begin in Peking
Published: 9.3.2013
Do you know this feeling when you just want to try something new, different, just set out for some adventure? After spending whole January in Beijing we missed China so much we found the cheapest flight tickets and we decided to spend summer again in China.

China and cheap flights ...
Published: 13.2.2012
China - land of unlimited possibilities, a country which, unlike the developed world is growing and whose economic growth in today's world seems like a miracle. Country with many cultural and historical monuments, a country, that sends a man into space.

China: How It All Began – Miracles To Go, Unthinkable In Three Days
Published: 7.6.2014
Of course, from time to time one just gets this urge to “bargain”. In case that you consider this rather amusement and you do not have nothing better to do. I even thing that if you are lucky, you can buy many things really cheap at market. Moreover, you will chitchat while doing so.

China: How It All Began – Would You Like a Frog or Half-A-Cow?
Published: 14.6.2014
If you are in China, you wont omit to shop in a supermarket. But there is a supermarket supermarket. There are shops of western type, and then there are Chinese supermarkets. And of those, let's say something.

China: How It All Began – When It Is Ridiculously Hot in China
Published: 21.6.2014
Who was in summer in China, knows what I am talking about. Once you get off an airconditined airport, its like by a switch somebody turns on sauna. At least I felt like this when I arrived to Chengdu.

China: How It All Began – Leshan: The Place Where Buddha Guards Waters
Published: 6.9.2014
Before my flight to Chengdun where I had studied for half a year, there were several other trip. One of them took me to Leshan, the place with the largest Buddha statue in the world.

China: How It All Began – A Grandiose Sports Day
Published: 30.8.2014
Several days have passed at Chengdu University. Days went by rather in same manner. Some were less calm and some calmer. We had no trip ahead of us and waited what would happen.

China: How it All Began: Mount Qingcheng
Published: 23.8.2014
During walk in Dujiangyan Cityu the school invited us for a generous lunch. All ate properly. Soon they regretted as they had found out that we would go to Mount Qingcheng青城山.

China: How It All Began - Dujiangyan: Irrigation System
Published: 16.8.2014
Every once in a while, our University has decided that it is necessary to educate us in culture. Or at least try it. I always then appeared on the bulletin board announcement on various trips. Such notification shall we, though as administrative students who went on a diet mental, more or less perceived as an invitation to tour a huge banquet that this trip will end, all of course in the direction of the school.

China: How It All Begun – Jinsha: Museum of Culture
Published: 9.8.2014
One day we decided we decided with L. to see “culture,” literally. Chengdu is well known for it Jinsha Site Museum金沙 (literally “golden sand“), (in Chinese Tin-Sha-c po-wu-kuan). The easiest and cheapest way to get here is probably using one of the city buses: right here, buses like 5, 81, 83, 7, or 37.

China: How It All Began - Jiuzhaigou: Back in Reality
Published: 2.8.2014
Our stay in Jiuzhaigou was coming to an end. The last day we devote to exploring the area. While L. was just sitting at the furnace up to one hour and then suddenly stood up and said she was going to the mountains, me and V. we climbed the nearest hill and enjoyed the peace that we so lacking in big cities. We even run to the village and bought a few souvenirs, especially the warm Tibetan scarves.

China: How It All Began – Chengdu – „Panda City“
Published: 28.6.2014
Back in Amsterdam when I was waiting for my flight to Chengdu, smiling pandas surrounded me. On the background there was a clear blue sky. No. In reality there were no pandas in every park in the city, no blue sky, so my ideals immediately vanished. I decided to see pandas with my bare eyes.

China: How It All Began . Chinese Parks: Your Daughter Does Not Have a Husband Yet?
Published: 12.7.2014
There is much more happening in Chinese parks than in Czech parks. In the previous article it was mentioned dancing and all kinds of performances. But this is not all.

China: How It All Began – Autumn Like in the Fairytale: Jiuzhaigou II.
Published: 26.7.2014
We will live in a small house hand-built by his own cousin, the Tibetian, we call Z. here, told us. Once again he awoke curiosity and enthusiasm in us, partially suspended by a long journey. Except this we were so tired we could fall asleep literally anywhere. Still we could not believe our own eyes when he stopped in front of the building.

China: How It All Began – Fairytale Like Autumn: Jiuzhaigou (We Start Not in Fairytale Fashion)
Published: 19.7.2014
After some time my life in Chengdu 成都 was becoming quite monotonous. On one hand, every day was quite new but it was apparent that everyone longed for a break.

China: Long Journey II - Icy Summer Palace
Published: 16.3.2013
If we set off to China it is almost imposible to miss out its capital - Beijing. Beijing is full of traces of history but Beijing also lives in the present and future in every of its wide avenues and narrow streets. Beijing is full of fabulous food, noisy traffic... And so on and on. Where would you look for peaceful moments in busy metropolis?

China: A Long Journey VI – Yinchuan I, Travellers’ Hardships
Published: 15.6.2013
Beijing – Datong– Hohhot... and Yinchuan was supposed to follow. As we were amazed that we managed to get some tickets, we didn’t examine it.

China: Land Of Contrasts
Published: 18.2.2012
Huge China is a country of contrasts. It consists of several climatic zones, there you can find a noisy city full of glass skyscrapers and smog, but also the traditional mountain village with mud houses and rice plantations.

China: Long Journey IV: Hohhot  I
Published: 20.5.2013
From Bejing to TaZ Pekingu do Datong. From Datong to Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, our second stop on our way across China. We waited on the Datong train station, instant noodles (in Chinese their name is fang-pien-mien, „comfortable noodles“, a really convenient name), we held happily our tickets. There was jing-cuo written on them (“hard seats”).

China: Long Journey III - Datong
Published: 23.3.2013
A journey from Beijing to Datong was smooth, without complications. We arrived at the place few minutes to midnight and the city was unusuallay quiet and deserted. It almost seemed as some sort of furious storm swept through the city and wiped out everything alive. Even lamps were turned off. This made our orientation, if we can use this term for a situation when we had absolutely no clue...

China: How It All Began – From the Very, Very Beginning
Published: 22.3.2014
Summer. Heat. Beijing. Getting a round stamp was the only thing left when I got off the plane. But I have to wait in a queue for some time. Well, I am in China, again.

China: A Long Journey V – Hohhot II
Published: 27.5.2013
When you set out to Hohhot, it is almost impossible to miss famous Mongolian steppes. There are plenty around Hohhot, we chose Si-la-mu-zhen. With our backpacks we got in a bus and two hours later the driver unloaded us in the middle of nowhere.

China: Long Journey VI – Yinchuan II Tombs of Western Xia Dynasty Kings
Published: 29.6.2013
One of most popular tourist attractions of the Province of Ning-Sia are royal tombs about 35 kilometers from the center of Yinchuan. It is a landmark you just have to visit. We set out there soon after we get an accommodation. After while we found a bus heading to Shun Hing, literary “western Xia Square”.

China: A Long Journey VII. - Yinchuan III. A Town of Chinese Muslims
Published: 29.7.2013
As it has been already said in the previous article, Yinchuan is the capital of Ningxia, an autonomous region of the Hui people. Long story short, the Hui people are Chinese Muslims and you may recognize them at first glance for men as well as women wear typical hats.

China - Yangshuo And It's Magic Surroundings
Published: 5.9.2010
If you would like to have a stop in a locality, where the time is passing in another rate of speed, where everyday hunt for activity and stress do not have any chance, so, you arrived to the right spot. It is Yangshuo, small Chinese town, situated in nature karst along Li and Yulong rivers.


Related Photogallery

China: Yangshuo And Environs
Photo: Amy Challen a Jan Lidmaňský


Related Videos

China: Asian Hong Kong
Western culture has strong position in Hong Kong.  If you are attentive, you notice some Asian fe...

Place

Czech republic

Partners:

We were awarded the certificate even thanks to you!

Dôveryhodná firma 2017

 

Guide:

Important Information:

Information and warnings on travelling abroad is to be found HERE.

Mobile application:

aplikácia Infoglobe

stiahnuť zadarmo pre Androidstiahnuť zadarmo pre iPhone

 

 

Today:thursday 28. 3. 2024
Holiday:Soňa
Today:
thursday 28.3.
6 °C
Tomorrow:
friday 29.3.
5 °C

TIP: INFOGLOBE app is available for your device, download HERE.

X

TIP: INFOGLOBE app is available for your device, download HERE.

X