|
"The whippings will continue until morale improves."
Special Request: I need your help to double the number of people who are on the Jamaican in China mailing list! If you have a few moments, could you please tell at least ONE other person--a boyfriend, a girlfriend, your mom-- your facebook and twitter friends--to email me a request, or sign up at http://www.jamaicaninchina.com? Thanks! Did you know that mailing list members often get special emails and photos that are NOT posted on the blog? Need more compelling reasons to share & join?
NEW! Smaller email file size!
|
Walt F.J. Goodridge is....
普通話
| 
English
| View online | Unsubscribe
~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you
missed the previous episodes, go to
http://www.jamaicaninchina.com and
click "enter" to catch up! Sign up on the home page to have
my updates sent directly to your email inbox
~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2010 Walt F.J. Goodridge. All Rights Reserved, but feel free to share with anyone!
previous | next
We now resume our
regularly scheduled adventure, already in progress..........
Jamaican in China!--Did you say Wild Elephants?!!!
When I was growing up in New York, I used to watch Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on television every Sunday. (I'm dating myself, I know). Like many children, I was fascinated by animals. So, these days, while I'm not much into paying to see man-made structures and gardens as a tourist adventure, I WILL go see some wild animals if I get the opportunity! And, I've heard that Xishuangbanna is famous for its wild elephant sanctuary!
So, off I went!
It's a 50-minute bus ride from Jinghong City--where I'm staying--to the Elephant spot.
We're off to see the wizard....oops, wrong lyrics...same tune
We're off to see the wild elephants
The wild elephants of Xishuangbanna!
My first real touristy outing in Xishuangbanna. Look at the mountains! Breathe in that fresh air! It's so exciting. Isn't it, guys? Um, guys?
Well, we got to the spot. I think I was the only one on the bus who got off. Everyone else was on their way elsewhere. I paid my admission fee and joined the throngs of people heading to the see the elephants. In the middle of the compound there were elephants tethered to posts for photo opportunities. 20 yuan to have a photo taken. I was sort of expecting to trek through dense forest, on hidden pathways to sneak glimpses of rare elephants in their natural habitat while a seasoned wild elephant expert (the Marlin Perkins of Jinghong) engages us (albeit in Chinese) to help us understand all the mystery of these amazing creatures.
It's possible I might have missed that part it since I can't read the signs and opted not to take the Chinese-language guided tour.
DISCLAIMER: On a very serious note, it's important for me to say here that I don't condone keeping wild animals in captivity. Mankind commits many thoughtless acts and atrocities against sentient beings in the name of food, entertainment, clothing and ultimately, financial reward. For a very revealing documentary on many aspects of this see EarthLings The Movie (also viewable on youtube or other sites.)
And then, the usual fun started. As I made my away around the compound, I started to get requests from people who wanted to take photos with me.
Sometimes, if they're too shy to ask me to take a photo with them, what the girls will do is: one will pose for the camera while I'm approaching, and the other will snap a photo just as I walk by in the frame. I've seen this strategy a few times, so I decided to be nice(r) this time, and just walk deliberately into the shot and put my arm around friend #1. Upon seeing this, friend number 2 gave the camera to a passer-by and joined us in the shot!
Upon seeing THIS, a monk gave HIS camera to someone else and joined me in a shot of his own! All this is done with just smiles and gestures. No words.
If I stayed there any longer, a line would have formed. Yes! Can you see it?! A booth! A sign! I'm charging 10 yuan a head!
"Step right up! Young and old! Come take your photo with the Jamaican in China! Only 10 yuan!"
Business is great!
Then.
I felt bad for the elephants.
So, I stopped.
...closed the booth.
...tossed the sign.
...um
...kept the money.
So, anyway, after fulfilling my obligatory quota of daily shots for strangers, I decided to stroll around the grounds and get some shots of my own...
Then, I got down to business.
I started trekking through the dense forest, and on hidden pathways to sneak glimpses of rare elegance in its natural habitat, and like a seasoned expert (Call me Marlin Perkins), I engaged them (albeit, in the little Chinese I know) to help me discover all the mystery of these lovely creatures.
Fortunately, I was able to grab some great shots! Wanna see 'em?
Yes, it was a great experience.
And, after a few hours out, I headed back home.
Expenditures:
Not bad for a day's outing, some cool memories and photos, and a bunch of QQ numbers.
Oh! Did I mention that I now have a QQ number? What's a QQ number????? Hold up.
Did you just ask me, "What's a QQ number??"?? Come on now, get with the program, will you! Here in China, the second most asked question I get after "Where are you from?" is "You have QQ?"
Practically everyone in China has a QQ number.
You can't be officially Chinese without QQ. So, now I'm on QQ. So now it's official.
I'm Chinese.
I may not be able to SPEAK fluently in Putonghua YET, but, with the help of the "Google translate" software, I can now CHAT in Chinese with all my new friends via QQ. I won't publish my QQ number here. Things could get out of hand.
end of this episode;
previous | next
Your Comments
Feel free to email me your comments,
suggestions and feedback freely and uncensored. If necessary, I'll
request your permission before posting them here.
*****
"I am so absolutely delighted for you, Walt...and proud of your progress. I know that
all will go well for you because of your passion for living, putting yourself out there and knowing that life is a
continued revolution. Thank you for keeping in touch and including me in each phase of your evolution.
Please continue to take me "there!" --Charlotte Huey
[NOTE: For those of you who DIDN'T attend Springfield Gardens High School, Charlotte Huey was the college counselor. She was the person DIRECTLY responsible for me attending Columbia University. I remember her words clearly "Walt," she said, "You're good in Math and Science, you need to be an Engineer." I'm forever grateful for the education, the training, the friends and the overall college experience she steered me towards, and it makes for a great chapter in my life story! Thanks, Ms. Huey! --Walt
*****
Woooooooow Walt
what a big surprise {{{(>_<)}}}
u didn't tell me u are such great writer
Yes, you can put it on your website...i think i will do it if u don't
it's really interesting, i laughed a lot when i read it O(∩_∩)O~
it was the craziest day i have ever had...
your crazy is contagious--"
crazy Cong 
*****
"I am so proud of you for allowing yourself to dream, and more importantly allowing yourself to take action
which in turn allows you to LIVE your dreams! YOU GO BOY! LOVE YA, MEAN IT!--Diamond
*****
"I have an idea for a reality show for you.. You should start documenting with video..."--Ken
*****
"I hadn't realized what a great sense of humor you have!
Thanks for sharing! I laughed out loud all by my lonesome!
I'm SO glad you made it to China! Guess you've just got the right karma!"--Ruth
*****
"I'm really enjoying reading your blog, I too went to live in Beijing, but I am back in the UK and looking forward to
moving back there in two years after I finish my masters. So will follow your adventures...you had made a posting about a Couchsurfing
meeting that you attended and made mention about your website, so I followed the link as it piqued my curiosity,
and the rest, we say, is history. Like you, I was in the corporate world and feel so much better for being apart
from it and finding a new life in giving and being creative! Many thanks!"--Garvey
in 
Big T'ings a Gwan!
As we say in Jamaica, "Big tings a gwan!" Translation: Big Things are Going on!
1. VIDEO!!!
Short video clips of my travels are
available on Youtube!
Youtube.com/user/JamaicaninChina2
2. JAMAICANS.COM
Jamaican in China is now featured in the "BLOGS" section of the
Jamaicans.com website along with
reviews and much more!
3.CHINATRAVEL.NET
Check out Aimee Groom's interview of me 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.]
4.NEW FACEBOOK PAGE
Now you can keep in touch via facebook, and easily share "Jamaican in China"
with your friends. Visit
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamaican-in-China/179770365368119
and "like me" to comment
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
接收中文电子邮件 (receive emails in Chinese) 现在就注册 (sign up now)
Don't miss any of these exciting episodes! If someone forwarded you this email, or if
you're reading this on the website, SIGN UP NOW to receive them directly in your mailbox!
Share "Jamaican in China!" with your friends
Spread the word! Let others join the adventure!
May not be visible in certain countries
Subscribe now
Sign up now (Free!) | Email me to join the list | Why?? Membership has its privileges
Copy and paste the html code below
to add this Jamaican in China icon to your website or blog!
 |
Yes, my dragon style marketing Gong Fu knows no bounds, grasshopper!
More...
Related Links
Clicking keeps the Jamaican happy
Navigation
View an episode you missed!
previous | next
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: PassionProfit.com "Everyone
has a passion. Every
passion has value. You
CAN make money doing what you love... and
live the life of your dreams!"
--Walt F.J. Goodridge
"The Passion Prophet"
tel: (646)
219-3565 fax:
(212) 658-9232 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SEE ALSO: Let
the adventure begin! The
first stop on the journey! A
nomadpreneur's Journal
Learn more about the author ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |