From: walt@jamaicaninchina.com
Subject: Jamaican in China!–My aunt called me a chicken, but Myrna Chen is now my friend!
Date: November 10, 2010 11:35:48 AM GMT+08:00
In Jamaica “Big tings a gwan!” means “Big Things are Going on!
1. Aspiring journalist, and new friend, Gao Ying (aka Nicole) in Beijing, found me online and was inspired to write an article about me in Chinese for the Chinese version of Jamaican in China! (Check out the right hand column with a photo of Nicole)
2. I was recently interviewed by Aimee Groom of 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!” has just been featured in their China Blogger Profile on the site!
[*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.]
Wow! With articles in Chinese, ChinaTravel.net’s thousands of visitors, their 50,000 subscribers, facebook page, and twitter feed…..um, I’m thinking you’d better make nice with me now before I get too famous and have no time for the small people! I’m just sayin’! You know how these things happen.
Or, as they would say about me in Jamaica, “‘im get rich and switch!”
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Now, a little review and geography lesson, especially if you’re new to the adventure!
The story so far: I’m Jamaican. I’m in China.
https://www.sacu.org/provmap.html
I am chicken, hear me run!
In my ongoing nomadpreneur escape from the rat race, I left the tropical paradise of Saipan to see and experience China! I was in Beijing for the past two months. (See “B” on map above.)
Things were great, but as the weather got colder, I found myself spending more and more time indoors, retreating to bed and the warmth of the covers earlier and earlier every day. That was no way for a sun worshipper to live. So I decided to jet!
In my previous post, I mentioned that I was escaping the cold weather of Beijing, to head to south to Kunming, and then to Jinghong. (See Yunnan Province, east of Myanmar, on map) to where it’s warmer.
Well, my Aunt Nye, who lives in Canada (think frozen tundra, and obscenely cold winters), and whose milestone birthday celebration I chronicled in Jamaican on Saipan (my escape from America), replied: Dear nephew, Well! My first thought was “chicken – he is actually running from the cold”, but then I said, “who wouldn’t, if it were possible?” So, it’s good luck to you and I hope all goes well as you follow the sun in Jinghong! –Aunt Nye
Well, for those of you who might be thinking the same thing. I’ll share my response to my aunt:
LOL! Chicken??? Absolutely! See my feathers? Yes, just as a real chicken would run from a pot of boiling water, this Jamaican chicken runs from cold weather as fast my little legs will carry me! (and, fortunately, as you know, we Jamaicans have the sprinting genes for it). Yes, I have no shame in admitting in my distaste of cold weather! And, for the record, that’s “MISTER Chicken” to you, madam!
p.s. The funny thing about this is….remember the “That’s MISTER Milk to you, madam” blog post from a a while before? Well, I actually adapted that line from a friend of mine (Erroll P., a very funny guy). Years ago, when we were driving in Maryland, we passed a Mexican restaurant in Silver Spring called Señor Chicken.
He’s got a great wit, and after reading the sign, turned to me and said, offhandedly with a tone feigning icy contempt, “That’s MISTER Chicken to you, buddy!” and we died laughing. Anyway, now that my aunt has called me a chicken, I finally get to use the line the way it was originally “performed!” That makes my day!
Kunming
Myrna, YunYun, me, and Michael
While dining, I discover that Myrna is also co-author of The Buddhist Healing Touch, and she’s had a desire to publish more books–this time independently–something I know a little about, and have promised to help her with! Check out the book on Amazon!
After breakfast, we meet up again so I can share some self-publishing tips, and I got to meet a special young lady in Myrna’s life and current mission.
According to Myrna:
“Je Lan finished high school through a scholarship from the Peach Foundation. She had trouble getting into the college and was despondent. She started to call me in the States. I kept close contact with her, explain her options and encouraged her to study hard and try again. She did, and finally got into an occupational(?) college which she’s happy with. I’m so proud of her, and know that she can apply herself when she graduates!”
Je-Lan, “Lucky Orchid,” Myrna and Me. There’s value in an education, Je-lan!
