January 25th - Chinese New Year

A Gift From my Girlfriend

My Thoughts 😷 我的想法

Chinese New Year has come and gone yet again. It is my second Chinese New Year, or should I just say New Year, in China. I've spent both of them with my girlfriend. It is still a little weird or different celebrating a different country's or culture's holiday when you're really not apart of it but it is still fun. I was surprised to hear fireworks going off all through the night because in Shanghai fireworks are banned but that doesn't stop people from shooting them off. Overall, it was a fun Chinese New Year even though my stomach still hasn't adjusted to the food.

Another thing I have to adjust to while here is wearing a mask while walking around. Normally, I don't have to do this but there is a sickness going around in another part of China so people here are just being cautious. While walking around I normally get stared at but now that I'm wearing a mask, I feel I get looked at even more by the older folk and younger kids. I think I'll be fine as Maling Kung Fu School and Shanghai are not affected by the sickness severely... yet.

My posts might be getting more sparse as I get ready to travel and get used to a new schedule at the martial art school but I will still try to write some great posts about my first impressions there, the training, food, and other experiences I have there as well.

Would you like longer but more sparse posts or shorter but more frequent posts?

Chinese Dumplings, Beef and Chicken

Exercise 💪 运动

I haven't been working out or stretching while in Shanghai which will probably make the first months at the Kung Fu School difficult but I've been trying to get used to living in China. The Food. The Time Zone. The Customs. Etc. I hope to do some stretching today as I can tell I'm stiff from the plane ride and all of this travel.

HOT POT

Daily Devotional 🙏 基督教

"There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand."

Proverbs 19:21 KJV

To me, this passage is good for reminding us about the multiple things in our heart/mind/soul that drive us to, and away, from our goals. All you have to do is control whatever these things are inside you so that you focus on the ones that motivate and drive you towards good things in your life and not the things that drag you down towards the bad things/choices in your life. Its how you handle these voices/things/energies/guides that will determine whether or not you stay motivated and successful in your life.

Another, less religious, quote is below that explains the idea I'm trying to convey even further.

“I understand there’s a guy inside me who wants to lay in bed, smoke weed all day, and watch cartoons and old movies. My whole life is a series of stratagems to avoid, and outwit, that guy.”

-Anthony Bourdain

These Jazzy Tunes are really nice ambient music

Study 🧠 学习

Even though every day here is a study session for me, I challenged myself again. While waiting for the next subway a man sat next to me and started talking to me in a heavy northern accent. I accepted the invitation to talk and... failed utterly. The guy ended up getting frustrated with me and walked away. I remember some of the questions he asked me like:

你几年来中国？
你在中国做啥儿？
你哪里来？

I guess my answers were poorly said or my Chinese was too bad to understand. The other questions I tried to figure out by using phrases I learned from a video to keep the conversation going like:

_____有什么意思？

But, as I said, it didn't go well. If I understood the "idea" of what he was talking about I would try to form an answer that might fit what he asked but.... I'm pretty sure that strategy is what frustrated him so he left.

Delicious Bread from LeLeCha

I've also learned some new words while here as well since I've been having to interact with getting a SIM card in China, going to the ATM and Bank, ordering food, checking in/out of hotels and more.

开水 boiled water
泡水 carbonated water
烧水 to boil water
雪宝宝  Snow Baby (like a snowman but smaller)
新年快乐！万事如意！Happy New Year, May many things go your way!
办理入住 to check in
退房 to check out
取 to withdraw
存 to deposit

Not gonna lie, I feel a bit dumb about the conversation with the guy at the metro but it just means in Xinyi I will have to try harder than I have before at talking to many different people so that my listening can get better at understanding different dialects and voices.

Its good to be this close to my goal.

I can't wait.

-Johnny "白武龙"