Today is the Day!

It's 7:01am and my flight leaves at 11:20! I can't believe the day is here!
My flight pattern is: Rochester to JFK, JFK to Beijing, Beijing to Guiyang. I arrive in Guiyang at 11:50pm, which is 24 hours and 30 minutes after my first flight leaves, but it will only be 12 hours later because I lose 12 hours in travel. Does that make sense?? I don't know that I completely understand it myself! I do know that day is going to seem like night for a while!! :)
I just wanted to let you know that I may or may not be able to access this blog once I'm over there. There are firewalls and restrictions that are different than ours. If there is a change I will try to email you. But I did want to give you a "heads up".
So hopefully, hopefully, the next time I write it will be from Anshun! Finally!!
:)
Liz

Almost there!!

Wow, I haven't updated in a while! Sorry about that...
Since my last update my brother got married in Indiana, and I went on vacation for a week. Today I spoke at my club. I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed with how much there is to do in the next few days!! I still have some last minute paperwork to do, and I have to pack (obviously).
My flight leaves Wednesday at 11:30. I'll arrive in Guiyang at 11:50pm on Thursday after just about 24 hours of travel.
I was a little apprehensive about arriving in China, since I was to be the only American in my town for a whole week (!!). But Susie, another ULS teacher living in Guiyang, offered to come to Anshun with me and help me get settled. Yay! That's very comforting.
Well, I hope that the next time I write it will be from China!
Talk to you soon,
Liz

Getting closer

Hi all,
Well, we're getting closer to the departure date.
I addressed some of my concerns Saturday: I filled my suitcases with clothes and books and toiletries, and it wasn't too bad. I fit in more than I thought I could, and it wasn't too unwieldy. So that's good news.
My visa should arrive today via FedEx or something. I used travisa.com and they were very nice to work with.
My brother is getting married this weekend in Indiana. So we'll be there from Wednesday night until Sunday. Once we get back it'll practically be August!
I'm still learning Chinese; I read a list of the ten most important phrases to know going to China, and I already knew eight! So that's encouraging. I'm sure my pronunciation is terrible; but I can work on it when I get there.

Here are the ten phrases:

1. Ni hao: pronounced, “nee how.” This is the most common way to say Hello in China, and is typically understood regardless of your pronunciation. This is also a good phrase to begin more complex Chinese conversation, as it preps the listener to hear Chinese rather than the expected English, etc.

2. Xie xie: pronounced, “shay shay.” Thank you. In my opinion, this is the number one phrase to know. You cannot be thankful enough for the many waiters/waitresses, cab drivers, and citizens for helping you get the things you want without knowing the language they speak. This phrase typically raises a smile, as it is greatly appreciated, and often unexpected.

3. Bu yao: pronounced, “boo yow” Literally translates to “no want.” This phrase is especially useful in the major tourist areas in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, where countless vendors are continuously trying to make a sale.

4. Wo yao yi ping shui: pronounced, “whoa yow ee peeng shway” Translates into “I would like a bottle of water.” A little lengthier, but just as useful, as water taken directly from the tap is not drinkable in China. I have never been to a restaurant or hotel that did not provide bottled water.

5. Cesuo zai nar: pronounced, “tsuh-swhoh zi (rhyming with eye) nahr” “Where is the restroom?” This phrase is rather self-explanatory. Even if the person being asked responds in more Chinese than you can handle, they will at least point you in the right direction.

6. Wo e le: pronounced, “whoa uh luh” This phrase translates into “I am hungry” and is probably the most basic way to get someone to help you find food.

7. Zai jian: pronounced, “zi jee-ann” The most common way to say “good bye.”

8. Duo shao qian: pronounced, “dwoh shaow chee-ann.” Here you are asking how much something costs, a phrase especially helpful in the many markets around town.

9. Wo bu shuo zhongwen: pronounced, “woh boo shwoh jong-wun,” and meaning “I don’t speak Chinese.”

10. The last thing to know are the numbers, one through ten, broken down as follows:
a. Yi (ee) – 1
b. Er (ar) - 2
c. San (sahn) – 3
d. Si (suh) – 4
e. Wu (woo) – 5
f. Liu (lee-oh) – 6
g. Qi (chee) – 7
h. Ba (bah) – 8
i. Jiu (jee-oh) – 9
j. Shi (shr) – 10

T minus 28 days

28 days and I'm off! I can't believe it's so soon.
Most of the time I am really excited to live in China, teach, have my own apartment, use public transportation, etc. But every once in a while I get a little nervous. It's not a specific nervousness; I just get nervous about things in general. I guess specifically I am a little worried about getting all of my stuff into two suitcases/carrying those two suitcases through Chinese airports!
The language thing is hard, but I'm getting better. Tones sort of make sense to me now. And I learned to count to 10, which means I also learned to count to 99. In Chinese a number like 34 is said "san shi si" or "three ten four". So now I can [theoretically] buy something from a market...
I've sent out letters and received about a third of my money raised. I fashioned some "thank you" postcards yesterday. I need to finalize them, get them printed and start handing them out!
I only have two more doctor's appointments in August. (I'm trying to figure out what still needs to be done...) I bought some books (a grade book and others) and only need to buy travel supplies (passport holder) and toiletries (they don't sell deodorant in China).
Anyway, hopefully in a month I will have some interesting posts, that are about anything but deodorant! :)
Liz

The View from Turner

Hi All,
I'm writing from Turner, Oregon where Training is being held this year. We're staying at a (very nice) campground here in Turner. The rooms are halfway between a cabin and a hotel: there are bunk beds in the room, but also a private shower, which is nice. There is a steep path between the dining hall and the rooms, which keeps us from getting lazy.
The schedule for each day has been: breakfast, morning session, lunch, afternoon session, dinner. Wednesday and Thursday were on Language Acquisition (which I found very interesting). Friday and today were teaching English as a Second Language. Tomorrow is church and then a session on Chinese culture: what to bring, what not to bring, how to share, etc. Monday through Wednesday will be presented by a cultural anthropologist on cross-cultural life.
I fly out Wednesday night on a red-eye flight back to New York. There are 40 days until I leave for China. I have about 1/5th of my support raised.
:) Liz

Headed to Oregon

Well, I'm headed to Oregon for training. I leave tomorrow (the 4th) and get home next Thursday (the 13th). I'm not quite sure what to expect at training. I used to have a brochure with more information, but I can't find it (oops!). I do know that I'll meet some other people who are going to China, specifically Sara, who will also be at Anshun Teacher's College with me! So that's exciting.

Fund raising is going well. I've raised about 1/5th of my funds. Hopefully the rest will come soon! :)

Have a happy 4th of July,

Elizabeth

Support Letter

Here is the letter I just sent out. If you didn't get this letter in the mail and would be interested in being on my update list, or supporting me, email me at e.ludington@gmail.com for my contact information. I'd love to hear from you!

June 18, 2006

Dear Friend,

Greetings from a barely-employed recent Taylor graduate! I am happy to share with you that I am preparing to spend one year in China teaching English. I heard about this opportunity in March here in Western New York. I have the opportunity to spend the 2006-2007 school year teaching English at Anshun Normal University in Anshun, China. Anshun is located in south central China in the Guizhou province; about 200 miles north of Vietnam.

My time will be primarily spent teaching English as a second language. I am also considering graduate work in Linguistics, with the goal of teaching, after I return from China.

The University will provide a furnished apartment free of charge, and a small salary. I do need to raise about $6,500 dollars for airfare, orientation costs and health insurance. I hope that you will consider helping cover some of these costs. For details on how to help support me, please email me at e.ludington@gmail.com All donations are tax deductible. I would feel privileged to share this experience with you via financial support.

Please keep me in your thoughts:

> Efficient preparation for classes
> Health and safety: traveling and living in China
> Effective communication in both Mandarin and English
> Fund raising of $6,500

Please return the enclosed response card using the provided envelope. Let me know if you would like to receive my updates, and/or if you would like to support me financially. Either way, I would love to hear from you. And be sure to include your email address if you would like to receive my updates.

I am thrilled with this opportunity. Thank you for your support and encouragement.

Yours truly,



Elizabeth Ludington

P.S. Check out my blog viewfromanshun.blogspot.com to read about my preparations for and adventures in China!

Update, finally

Well, I have my ticket to China! I'm leaving the 16th of August, which is much sooner than I keep thinking it is. I've finished work, the school year is over here in NY. I'm not working full time this summer, but I am substituting at the summer school where I've worked the past eight summers. So that should give me the two things I want this summer: cash and flexibility.
I'm getting really excited about going to China. I need to focus on my language study more and look into teaching materials. It's going to be a wonderful adventure!
I'll keep you more updated in the future :)

Elizabeth

Flights

Again, I do not have much news on the China front. I graduated and was able to send a copy of my diploma to China, as well as my health forms. The next step is to arrange flights. I have to fly to Oregon in July for orientation, and to Guiyang in August. I'm trying to re-use a frequent flyer to fly to Portland. I'm also trying to coordinate my flight to China with other people who are going with ULS. At this point it looks like I'm flying out August 16th, to arrive August 17th. That gives me a little while to settle in and adjust to the time change before classes start the 28th.

Also, I'm working on sending out fund-raising letters. If you are interested in one, please email me at e.ludington@gmail.com.

Enjoy your Memorial Day,

Liz

I'm off to graduate

Well, things are still pretty quiet on the China front. The only "news" of sorts I have is that I'm headed back to Taylor this weekend to graduate. Technically, I graduated on Dec. 15, 2005, but Taylor only has one graduation ceremony a year. So I'm going to it. I'm excited to see all of my friends again. It will be a whirlwind trip: arrive Friday morning, leave Saturday afternoon. But hopefully it won't feel too rushed.
When I get back I think that I can pick up the pace on the China thing. For some reason I think that I will feel more "graduated", even though I already am...
Hopefully I'll be writing more soon!

Elizabeth

The testing of the blood

Well, I'm off to get my blood tested for HIV. It's the last step to getting medically cleared to go to China.
Unfortunately there's not much news on the China front right now: I'm still trying to learn Chinese, I'm going to start writing prayer & support letters, I'm getting my blood drawn. I think that's it.
But as soon as something else happens, you will be the first to know!

Elizabeth

Learning Zhōngwén

So learning Chinese (Zhōngwén) is pretty hard. I like to think that I have a flair for languages, but this is no walk in the park! Actually, I think that Chinese is rather logical. The sentence structure makes sense to me. For example:
*you add the word "ma" to the end of a sentence to change it from a statement to a question
**Nĭ māma máng (Your mother is busy) --> Nĭ māma máng ma? (Is your mother busy?)

* you add the word "men" to the end of a singular pronoun to make it plural, and the word "de" to the end of any pronoun to make it possessive
** Wŏ (I) --> Wŏde (my) -->Wŏmen (us/we) --> Wŏmende (our)
** Nĭ (you) --> Nĭde (your/yours) --> Nĭmen (you all) --> Nĭmende (all of yours)
** Tā (he/she/it) --> Tāde (his/hers/its) --> Tāmen (them/they) --> Tāmende (their/theirs)

So far I get Chinese grammar. But my spoken Chinese stinks! It's the tones that are killing me. There are four tones:
First tone - ā ē ī ō ū and it's high
Second tone - á é í ó ú and it's rising
Third tone - ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ and it scoops (high, low, high)
Fourth tone - à è ì ò ù and it's falling
Neutral tone - a e i o u and it's neutral!

There's also a fifth vowel ü but my computer won't let me type it with a tone mark on top.
The thing about the tones is that it's very difficult to understand them from a book.

So I have a whole CD of pinyin practice. The pages look like this:

B
bā, bá, bă, bà
bō, bó, bŏ, bò
bī, bí, bĭ, bì
bū, bú, bŭ, bù

bāi, bái, băi, bài
bāo, báo, băo, bào
bān, bán, băn, bàn
bāng, báng, băng, bàng

I'm listening to this as I type and it's hilarious. The woman just says the syllables over and over. I wish I could describe what it sounds like. It's kind of like a song. In fact, one of the books I'm using has the tones represented as notes on a piano. I played them several times and really didn't get it.

So, as if this isn't confusing enough, there are also characters to learn. I have a book of the 1000 most common characters. If you can learn these you can read some Chinese. And if you learn just 2000 more you can read the newspaper! Crazy! The biggest problem for me is that they all start to look similar:

天 heaven, god (anthropomorphic deity)
大 big
太 extremely
夫 husband (big man)
夬 (I looked through my dictionary for ten minutes and heard the woman say "zā, zá, ză, zà, zhā, zhá, zhă, zhà" a million times and still can't find this character...)
夭 gentle

See, the problem is that I pretty much think of all of these pictures as the same in my head ("the one with two feet and a line going across") but that doesn't really cut it. Honestly, all I can recognize right now are 女 (female) and 人 (person). If you put them together you get woman.

So, I have a lot to learn still. I will keep you updated on my progress.
I can say zàijiàn (goodbye).
Until next time,
Elizabeth

Let's get oriented...

Well, when I heard that I was going to Anshun I had no idea exactly where that was. Maybe you feel the same way!

Here is a map of China with Guizhou (the province) in red:

And here's a map of Guizhou with Anshun circled in red:

I made a little legend in the corner of the map. As you can see, Guiyang is the capital of the Guizhou province. I hear it is about an hour and a half bus ride from Anshun. And Guiyang has two Walmarts! It's crazy to me that there is Walmart in China! Anyway, the neighboring provinces to Guizhou are Sichuan (which is often spelled Schezwan-as in Schezwan chicken-in the US), Chongqing, Yunnan (you can see it in the map), Guangxi (also in the map), and Hunan. You can also see that Anshun is pretty close to North Vietnam (about 200 miles), which makes my mom nervous. Don't worry Mom, I have no plans to go to Vietnam!

Here are some other tidbits of information about Guizhou from answers.com:
Climate - subtropical: there are few seasonal changes
Average temperature - 10-20°c (50-68°F)
January temperature - 1-10°c (34-50°F)
July temperature - 17-28°c (63-86°F)
Per capita income - 3568 RMB ($470 USD): this is the lowest of any province in China.

Oh, and the picture of the waterfalls in the top left of the page are the Huanggoushu waterfalls. They are the largest waterfalls in Asia, and are located in Anshun. I can't wait to vist them myself!!

So, now we all know a little more about Anshun and Guizhou.

Until next time,
Elizabeth

Introductions

I think that the first thing to do would be to introduce myself.

My name is Elizabeth and I am getting ready to travel to Anshun, China for a year. I will leave in mid-August.

I just graduated from Taylor University in December. It took me a few months to find a job. But in one crazy week I got a job as a teacher's assistant and I met the China representatives. My current job is perfect for me: it ends in the summer and then I can go to China and not feel like I'm letting anyone down by quitting. And I get to work in a school, which I love. And I'm really excited to go to China. I'm so happy to be learning a new language and experiencing a new culture. This is such a great fit for me!

This is the list of things I need to do still:
[ ] Get my blood drawn for an HIV test to get into the country
[ ] Get my diploma from Taylor (even though I graduated they won't give me my diploma until I walk in the ceremony in May)
[ ] Sort through my house and pack boxes so that I don't leave my parents with piles of junk
[ ] Raise money (about $5000 I think)
[ ] Learn Chinese

I'm sure that my list will grow, but that's all I can think of right now.

Until next time,
Elizabeth