3 weeks from today I will be setting foot into a world where carbohydrates are the main food group (make sure to get your 5 a day), using a knife and fork is frowned upon and your fate is determined, oh yes, through a cookie. But hey ho like all you intrepid explorers out there, I too, am seeking an adventure and China seems a pretty appropriate place to go looking for one. I'll be honest, it hasn't been an easy ride - late nights studying the 1st conditional and erm, determiners?, long hours boshing out cappuccino's at 100 miles per hour in the well-known joint Costa Coffee and turning up at the visa centre...just to be turned away again empty handed. However, things are starting to look up, the light is at the end of the tunnel, or as the Chinese may say; the smog is beggining to clear and I am finally getting sorted. Flights are booked - thanks to a very generous sale from a well-known British airline, the visa centre eventually made the right decision and insurance is a current work in progress; I will soon be covered for pretty much any outdoor/indoor/high-speed/hi-tech/high-adrenaline/altitudinous/subterranian/tropical/deep-sea activity known to man. Now all that is left to do is whip out the sticky-back plastic and the January edition of the radio times and put together some - here's one I made earlier - make shift flashcards. Oh, and purchase a rucksack - are people taking 65 litres or 100 litres? I walked into Millets the other day and requested to look at their 100 litre bags and the two women in the store laughed at me and then informed me that there was no way I would be able to carry 100 litres. They laughed at me again when I attempted to tell them that I definately DO need the bigger bag and began listing every item of clothing I will be taking. They then interrupted me to inform me its a 30kg weight limit anyway. Oh.
It would be reassuring to know of any similar problems people have faced or are currently facing, and also what people are doing to prepare for the trip. According to my diary the 13th February is my "preparation day" - however at the moment this will probably entail watching Jeremy Kyle and eating as many roast dinners as I possibly can before an enforced 5 month abstinence from them. So yes, how are people preparing?
Until next time...that's all folks xx
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Hi everyone! I'm also going out for the China internship - tomorrow! No, actually, make that today, because it's gone midnight. I realise this is a total shot in the dark, given that there are only a few hours to go and I've left this till the last minute, as I do everything else, so I'm not expecting a reply, but is anyone flying out to Beijing with BA on 22nd Feb from London Heathrow?
If so, please let me know if you fancy meeting in the departure lounge beforehand for a chat and to exchange nightmare packing stories! Thanks Cat xx
Have a really great time in China!
Unless you're living in a remote town or village, then clothes will not be a problem. Just about all the major supermarkets in China sell clothes (Walmart, RT Mart, Carrefour),not to mention the many markets. You will find that the clothing available will reflect the weather conditions. Where I was (Harbin) the winter temperature was around -25C to -30C, so thermals were in abundance. Obesity is not a problem in China as it is in the West. Men generally develop a beer belly, but the majority of women are very, very slim. So unless you plan on eating at the numerous KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut restaurants and drink lots of the very cheap beer, eating what they eat won't make you any bigger. Unless of course, you eat and then do nothing.
Knives and forks are accepted and I don't suppose it would matter too much if you took your own to restaurants.
All the best folks,
Lee.
OH MY LIFE -15 IN CHINA!!! Warm clothes is a MUST according to the google world wide weather. Packing light is a bloomin nightmare - it seems that the pair of jeans I haven't worn for 18 months and are two sizes two small just MIGHT come in handy at one stage - because if I do happen, on the off chance, to lose heaps of weight (yeah right, in a country that lives on rice and noodles) then i'll regret not taking them. And so the packing farcical continues...
Generally EXCITED though, and starting to get the pre-China jitters :)
Im on the internship that starts in about a week very excited !
also really unsure of what to pack ? its going to be freezing tho so lots of warm stuff!
Hi,
Reading your blog and all the comments I am getting really jealous of all the adventures you are about to have. I have travelled a lot and the packing dilemma is one of the biggies that you will face every time you head away. Just make sure you have packed some school appropriate clothes and some other clothes for everything else. Travel light. Believe it or not, they will have clothes in China too and they will be designed for the climate you are going to be living in!
I always travel with a 65l pack and half of it is packed with my sleeping bag and liner. You will never use all the clothes you think you will so pack your bag and then empty half of it! Sounds mad but believe me, when you are walking around with this weight on your back you will be delighted you left the extra just in case pair of jeans at home!
The luggage dilemma... I've opted for a 65 litre, 4 wheelie hard case, so much easier with 4 wheels...2 wheels is so 80's! Yep, it's a manageable size but I can't fit everything in..... YET. I've got 12 days to solve the puzzle as I'll be flying out on 21st. The mum thing is really funny for me as I have the reverse situation with my 22yr old daughter. Ok, you've guessed it I'm a 'bit' older than you on the outside but I'm in age denial at the moment. Look forward to meeting you all in Beijing!! Not long now...
http://chinesepod.com/lessons/whats-that-smell This lesson might inspire you to start learning Mandarin *wink*. I found it funny anyway.
Haha, i never knew packing could be so fun. Yeh my mums always like "Now you know you don't HAVE to go?!" But i guess its natural for mums to be like that. Im flying from London on the 22nd with BA. What about you?
Anna - I am totally with you on the mum thing. Living at home since graduating in June there has been, to say the least, a few cross words exchanged, then the mention of me hopping off to China and it's all "Are you sure you want to go?", "Oh I am going to miss you". Oh the politics of the mother and daughter relationship - it is, however, nice to know they care eh? Today I wrote up a pretty extensive list of everything I want to take and my best mate came round to have a "practise run" of fitting it all in her 65 litre rucksack. We got slightly distracted and ended up each getting in the rucksack whilst the other attempted to pick it up - and who said packing was boring. Im assuming that if I can get into a 65 litre space so can 25% of my wardrobe.
What flight are you on?
See you in roughly 2.5 weeks :) xxx
Hey, just wanted to get in touch as you must be going on the china internship in feb, as am I. I must say i really enjoyed reading your blog. Im pretty much at the same stage as you. Visa and flights sorted, and travel insurance is a work in progress. I have no idea what to take and what to just buy over there, so its pretty confusing as to what size a bag to take. Only 2 and a bit weeks now! It felt like only yesterday that I was trying to convince my mum to let me go (as I am only 18 and have never traveled alone before, and mums being as they are, she was a tad apprehensive).
Anyway, I hope all is well with preparations and I look forward to keeping in touch/meeting everyone on the big day!
Anna.
Haha - sounds like Millets customer service leaves something to be desired!
You might want to give Nomad a call - they're really friendly: http://www.nomadtravel.co.uk/ The other option is taking a wheely suitcase instead - at least you won't have to lug it around.
Good luck with all the packing - keep us updated with how you get on!
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