Quick update on past two weeks

Crazy thing that happened: I ran into a friend from high school/middle school from Hong Kong in Beijing!!! It was completely random too while I was shopping with my friends! What happened was my friend ran into her friend in Beijing first, and then it turned out that I knew one of her friends. What are the chances of that?

Things I love about Beijing: Practicing my Chinese/translation skills, DUMPLINGS, noodles and all other types of great cheap Chinese food, how welcoming Beijing-ers are and how I really identify that everything that has been presented to me in lecture at school because Beijing is so close to home for me!

Alright, need to run as internet time is running out. I miss everyone!

Beijing...at last!!!

As you can tell from the title of this post, I have finally arrived in Beijing, settled down and figured out a way to access my blog despite it being blocked by the Chinese government. Of course, the methods via which this has been accomplished with not be discussed here. Instead, a phone call would be very much appreciated... :)

My Beijing cell phone number: 13552690691
Beijing area code (Should not have to use this, but just in case): 10
China's country code: 86

Time difference works out quite wonderfully here. I am in the same time zone as everyone in Hong Kong and 12 hours ahead of everyone on EST time. I know, I've made things easy for you.

So, I found a step-by-step guide of how to call me. Compliments of http://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/area_zip/

Dialing China from Abroad

To call China from abroad with a fixed telephone, dial the outbound number of your country + 86 (the country code of China) + area code of the Chinese city + fixed Chinese telephone number. To call a mobile phone number, dial the outbound number of your country + 86 + mobile phone number.
To call China from abroad with a cell phone, dial the outbound number of your country + 86 (the country code of China) + area code of the Chinese city + fixed Chinese telephone number. To call a mobile phone number, dial the outbound number of your country + 86 + mobile phone number.

Dialing within China

To call a fixed telephone number in a Chinese city from another Chinese city 0, then area code + fixed telephone number. To call a mobile phone number dial 0 + mobile phone number.
To call a fixed telephone number in a Chinese city from another Chinese city, dial 0 + area code + fixed telephone number. To call a mobile phone number, dial the mobile phone number directly without 0 prefix.
Note: Different countries require different outbound prefix numbers. For example, US and Canada: 011; Europe (including England): 00; Asia: some areas such as Saudi Arabia: 00; others (such as Seoul) are 001; Australia: 0011, Africa: 09…

Week 4-5: Kerala

Here is a brief update of the past two weeks before my internet time runs out in 15 mins.

So Week 4 we went to the state of Kerala. Highlights were we went to see a botanical sanctuary where we learned a great deal about plants and how to grow a sustainable forest. This was followed by a trip to Kanavu, an alternative education school for the local tribal people which links education with real life. For example, students learn how to dance and sing local songs, martial arts for self-defense as well as how to read and write.

Highlights in Kerala:

• Climbing into and out of an elephant trench. The elephant trench was maybe 2-3m deep and 2m wide with almost vertical sides made of bud. The trench was to keep elephants out of the village. We got really muddy and had a lot of fun falling on top of each other.
• Being charged at by a male tusker elephant in heat. Resulted in 33+ people sprinting at full-speed back onto our bus that was also just pulling away. For a while, I thought that I was going to get trampled/get killed by the elephant. Had a great laugh afterwards though. Now realize how dangerous elephants can be and how fast they can move.

Week 5: Vacation in the state of Kerala

Brief outline of vacation:

Wayanad --> Calicut (bus) --> Cochin (6-hour overnight train) --> Munnar (few hours drive) --> Alleppey (4 hour drive) --> Fort Cochin (1 hour drive) --> Ernakulum --> Bangalore (12 hour overnight train)

Highlights:

1. Munnar - beautiful gorgeous tea plantations everywhere. Rowed a boat unsuccessfully. Climbed rocks, trees and even our van.
2. Alleppey - Went on a beautiful houseboat and boated through the incredibly scenic backwaters of Kerala. Then got into a little boat and rowed through a local village. Reminded me of Venice. Beautiful evening star-gazing with the sound of water lapping onto the shore and a nice breeze. Have never seen so many stars in my life. Was like a clear night at Wellesley x 10 visibility.
3. Fort Cochin - 500 rupees (around 12 USD) for a room for three people. Generally satisfied as no big bug problem in this room. Lots of walking around and working on my country paper for India at internet cafes. Visited Jew Town - very tourist-oriented area. By far, the most tourist-oriented place I've been to in India so far. Everyone spoke English. Shopkeepers looked like they had mixed blood (Indian + Western??). Overpriced souvenirs, but the type of thing that you would get for friends at home, such as little handicrafts and small samples of spices. Saw a synagogue for the first time. INCREDIBLY hot weather. Impossible to sleep without a fan on and impossible not to be sticky. Reached new stickiness levels and survived.

Okay, that's it for India. Flying to Beijing tomorrow!