Walt F.J. Goodridge is....
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© 2010 Walt F.J. Goodridge. All Rights Reserved, but feel free to share with anyone!
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We now resume our
regularly scheduled adventure, already in progress..........
Subject: Jamaican in China—Speaking Spandarish,
Tiananmen Tour, Mock Meat and Lunch Lotto
From: walt@jamaicaninchina.com
Date: Sept 3, 2010 3:00:55 PM GMT+10:00
So, I
met Cong through the Couchsurfing.org website before I left Saipan. She
graciously offered to take me around to a few places in Beijing once
I got
there. We agreed to meet on Thursday (Day 4).
Interestingly,
as I had learned through her couchsurfing profile, she speaks Spanish
(quite well), and so do I, thank you very much.
As we
conversed, any word Cong didn't immediately recall in English, she said
in Spanish so I could understand.
(FYI:
Maybe I should write the lived-but-never-chronicled Jamaican in
Washington Heights saga and tell you about dating
my college girlfriend who was a half-Chinese, half-Dominican
Latina. Washington Heights is a neighborhood in upper Manhattan, New
York, where the culture of the Dominican Republic reigns supreme!)
So,
this English/Spanish/Mandarin speaking Jamaican boy in China, is hanging out
with a Mandarin-English-Spanish speaking Chinese girl from Beijing, and
our conversation is an interesting mix of Spanish, Mandarin and English...um, let's
see...Ok, give me a minute...Spanglarin!? Spandarish!?? Yeah, that's it! Speaking
Spandarish!
We
went to the Apple store and used Baidu.com (the Chinese "Google") via
the free wi-fi access to plan our day.
At the Apple store
in Beijing getting directions
Then
we headed on the metro to Tiananmen Square. According
to Cong, for most Chinese, it's just a place to come and take pictures and
where an annual festivity is held. For most westerners, the
name conjures images of tanks and student protests.
Tiananmen
Square
"Can
we take a photo with you, please?" (Y'know, I'm going to start charging
you girls money soon)
Jamaican on the
Streets of Tiananmen
On
the way to the restaurant (my third time this week), we stopped at a juice
bar where I introduced her to wheat grass. She was adventurous, tried
a bit, and liked it! That's amazing! Personally, I hate the stuff! I just drink it
for the chlorophyll and health benefits!
She
noted that seeing me enter the store, grab a blade of grass from a
tray and eat it, was just about the most shocking thing she'd seen in a while. It was
like seeing someone stoop down on the sidewalk, and start grazing on a lawn!
Say
"cheese!" oops, that's dairy....um, say "soy protein!"
So, check
this out. A little-known secret of restaurant dining in Beijing is what I'm
going to call "Pay List Lotto!" (If I recall correctly,
the mandarin phrase for check
translates literally as "pay list.") According to Cong, you can
request a special
feature on your check for the meal that has a scratch-off lottery option. Most
times, you just reveal a "thank you!" but she once won money!
The
restaurants won't automatically offer the ticket since they're charged some sort of
tax when they do. Even if you're hip to the game and request it, some restaurants
may weasel their way out of giving it to you claiming to be out of the
tickets. But now you know!
Ahem,
It goes without saying, of course, that one of the most important phrases I am
determined to learn is how to ask for that darn ticket!
Did we win?!
Beijing
Metro
And,
thanks to Cong, in a just a few hours, I'm already starting to recognize and
understand Chinese characters!
All
in all, a great day! Thanks, Cong! There had been tentative plans to
attend
the Couchsurfing Foodie Night later that evening, but I was
in a
stay home mood by day's end!
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New
life to live, new things to learn
green
grass to drink, and even money to earn!
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end of this episode;
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Big T'ings a Gwan!
As we say in Jamaica, "Big tings a gwan!" Translation: Big Things are Going on!
1. JAMAICANS.COM
Jamaican in China is now featured on the Jamaicans.com website along with
reviews and much more!
2.CHINATRAVEL.NET
Check out Aimee Groom's interview for ChinaTravel.net*, the sister site to Ctrip.com
(the largest online travel service provider in China), and my story,
"A Jamaican in China and Nomadpreneur Lives His Dream!" which has been featured
in their China Blogger Profile.
[*ChinaTravel.net is a travel resource providing up-to-date, quality content and
information on destinations, attractions, news and events for people traveling in,
or planning to travel to China.]
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Preview of Things to Come!
Episodes and ideas I'm working on, based on all your great conversations and feedback :
Jamaican Gold! (the Athletes' secret revealed)
Black Privilege in China
The Secret X-Rated Episode
Germ Theory and China (Yes, I said it!)
Dating the Waitress at Your Favorite Vegetarian Restaurant (and other bad decisions) from The Nomad's Relationship Guide
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