Flying to Beijing tomorrow!
sebire
March 19, 2008, 01:30 PM posted in General DiscussionHey guys, I'm venturing into China for 4 weeks, starting from tomorrow, armed with nothing more than my CPod knowledge and a guide book. I have to get to Hong Kong for mid-April. I'm really excited! I'll let you all know if I learn anything.
I'll post some pictures when I get a chance too, but I have a bit of a backlog, so it may take a while.
sebire
March 23, 2008, 05:29 AMHmm, wildyaks, is there some kind of code I have to type in first, because it refuses to send a message to 1861. wei1xiao4, thanks for the invite, everyone is so nice on Cpod! I'm flying from Hong Kong on the 19th of April, and hopefully I shall have at the minimum 2 nights in HK. I have no fixed itinerary at the moment. Henning, you've jinxed me. This is all your fault.
TaiPan
March 19, 2008, 11:23 PMHave fun Sebire! Post pictures and get on Dear Amber for a cameo.
amber
March 20, 2008, 01:31 AMyeah Sebire, come visit us. We'll even take you to BSR!
wei1xiao4
March 20, 2008, 02:03 AMLet me know when you are in Hong Kong. I will take you for dim sum if I am here!
azerdocmom
March 20, 2008, 04:57 AMOh, yes, another poddie in China! Sebire, travel mercies to you on your long journey the next couple of months. Be careful out there. Keep your money/phone/passport on your body at all times!
henning
March 20, 2008, 05:17 AMHave a perfect trip! And get those 黄连素-anti-diarrhea miracle pills as soon as possible. Definately before getting dragged into the BSR. Man, they were a lifesaver on that last trip. Who knows if I (or my sons) would have made my flight home without them.
melitu
March 20, 2008, 06:32 AMSo many people going to China this year! I want to go, too!! But, alas, it'll have to wait. Have extra fun for all of us who can't quite make it yet, sebire!
pena007
March 20, 2008, 11:52 AMWe're taking our kids - ages 6 and 4, to Beijing at the end of April. Really psyched. The trip is really going to be their first experience of a 100% Chinese environment, and hopefully it will motivate them to keep speaking and studying Chinese.
pena007
March 20, 2008, 11:56 AMI have trouble convincing my kids how important learning to speak Mandarin is - that they're half Chinese blah blah. Deja vu - rewind 35 years ago when I also whined to my mom and resisted learning Chinese. So hopefully in Beijing, they'll also realise that hey presto - Mandarin is useful since so many people speak it - not just mom!
urbandweller
March 19, 2008, 06:57 PMWow! lots of c-podders visiting china this year!! congrats Sebire...I'm flying to Shanghai tomorrow afternoon! Lets keep in touch so we can share stories and pictures when we both get back. Good luck! -Adam
wei1xiao4
March 21, 2008, 12:11 AMAzerdocmom, your Josh could be the new Aric when he grows up! He's so comfortable in front of a microphone. I wish you had spoken a little Mandarin for us too!
sebire
March 22, 2008, 11:19 AMHey guys, I've been here for one full day and it's great! Beijing after Delhi is such a relief (not that Delhi was bad, it's just very, very different). The only thing is that whenever I try out my Chinese, everyone answers me in English! I'll definitely drop into CPod if I make it to Shanghai - it all depends if I run out of time/money (no forthcoming free tickets for you, Rsmith91). Beijing is so much more expensive than India! And Henning, after some of the places I ate in India, I reckon I'll be immune to anything BSR throws at me. Oh, and re Frank's DA - the blocked toilet lesson is a must listen...
sebire
March 22, 2008, 11:39 AMOh, they always replied in English, except for when we bought a SIM card, and I said it was tai gui le, and they started talking at me. If anyone can tell me the characters for "checking your credit" that'd be great, because my dictionary is rubbish, and I don't understand the leaflet they gave me, so have no idea how much I have on this SIM!
geeses
March 22, 2008, 11:54 AMi like to apart
wildyaks
March 22, 2008, 11:58 AMIf you bought a China Mobile card (not Unicom), then you should be able to send a text (with nothing in it) to 1861 and you get a text back. There will be a lot of Chinese text. If I remember well, the first figure is how much you spent this month, and the second how much credit is left on your card. (Or the other way round...)
wildyaks
March 22, 2008, 12:00 PMCorrigendum: You have to write HF (capital letters) into the text message and send to 1861.
bingge
March 22, 2008, 06:50 PMCool - have a great time Sebire! Can't wait to see the pics.
wei1xiao4
March 23, 2008, 12:16 AMWhen do you plan to come to HK?
azerdocmom
March 20, 2008, 02:31 PMHi, pena007 It's great that you are able to expose your children at such a young age to their cultural heritage. I echo your sentiments. One of my deepest regrets is that I didn't speak to my kids in Mandarin as they were growing up but they are learning is now (10 and 13 y/o.) My son and I were just in China and he's expressed his feelings about it on the last Dear Amber show (we recorded a DA while there.) I was tremendously encouraged by his enthusiasm about his Chinese-ness!
rsmith91
March 19, 2008, 05:38 PMHave fun Sebire! I'm sure you'll have a great time - thinking about it, how couldn't you have a great time in China... Are you visiting CPod in Shanghai? Or will that have to wait until next time, when you're going to pay for me too. :)