Hanging out in Hangzhou

Day much more. I think 50 something: More madness

This week brings about the time where I will become the longest staying
member at the school I attend. 2 more weeks of Chinese lessons! I won't
say I will miss them, but it will be a bit of a downer. Guy and I talked
today and discussed for a second our desire for a break from Chinese. I
love studying -- I really do, but -- it is taxing on the mind. I can barely
function some days. As many of my friends and family know (sorry ladies
and gentlemen!) I haven't called or emailed as much as I usually do, nor
have I posted on my blog as much as I have wanted. I knew I needed a break,
but I slacked on getting my Tibet trip organized, so I changed that to the
last week I am in China. Overall, the experience has been overwhelmingly
positive, but I think next time I will do language courses for only 3 weeks
take a week off and then 3 more weeks.

Speaking of Tibet (西臧), I...ok back up first.

When I came to China, I was told that I needed a visa and that it wouldn't
matter if I got 45 days or whatever. The contact said I could do anything
as long as it is over 31 days. I got 60 days. Come to find out, I need to
get exactly the number of days I will be here. So, I have to get my China
visa extended. After a painful process, I now have my visa in the process
of getting extended.

Next up - to get to Tibet, I need to have a Tibet visitor's visa as well.
The travel agency is taking care of all of this process. The problem arises
that, by the time the visas get extended/completed, I will be leaving for
Tibet. The visas are supposed to arrive back the day before I leave. =)
Hopefully there will be no delays.

OK. Back to Tibet. I am leaving August 20 for Chengdu and will stay the
night. On the morning of August 21, I will leave for Lhasa, Tibet. Over
the next 6 nights, I will be traveling around Tibet with a Chinese-language
speaking tour group and guide. I expect to put my language skills to heavy
use. I don't know the exact locations of our stops, but I expect it to be
fun. There is a major festival in Tibet at that time: The Shoton Festival
( http://www.tibet.cn/english/zt/040818_xdj/200402004818170814.htm) I
won't go into details, so read the link. =) I return to Hangzhou on
August 27 via a night plane. Afterwards, I head to ???? And then I'm
headed to Chicago.

I have a bunch of photos to post online, but it has become difficult to post
them. Plus, the only pics I have to put up are those from my birthday. I
have not sorted through them, yet. =) Somebody took photos with my
camera and it wasn't me. Hahah. =) Once I get all of them organized and
back online properly, I will post them.

A couple of discussions I have been writing, but have not compelted and
probably won't until I return to America: DVDs and copyright protection,
neighborhood change, disparity between rich and poor, small culture
differences, and economic system differences.

I'll write more about my weekend when I get my photos ready.

posted by Mike @ 8:12 PM