With the departure date slowly approaching, I've noticed I'm going through stages of both denial and excitement. One minute I would get super excited and plan out what I'm going to pack, but the next I would dread the physical action of packing. I still don't really believe that I'm going to China. By myself. I guess I just feel a rush of excitement, fear, and anticipation. Although I'm going there for an intensive language program, I know I will learn a lot more about myself and of course China.

Predeparture todos:
Print out all info forms
Pack
Buy backpack
Secure finances
Get traveller's checks
Call bank to make sure I can use my credit card overseas
Get psyched!

Stuff to bring:
Walking shoes
Clothes
Formal outfit
Flip/flops for shower
Toiletries: deodorant, hair stuff, pads, bath stuff, toothbrush/paste, towels
Bug spray and anti-itch cream
Meds: ibuprofen, cold/anti-diarrhea, cough syrup, allergy
Ziploc bags
Flashlight/duct tape
Nalgene bottle
Wet Naps and Antibacterial gel
Converter
Required: ID, passport, flight info, cash, travellers' cheques, credit card, cell phone, loose change

More..
Sunblock!!
Chinese Books+Lonely Planet
Contact lens stuff/glasses
Eyedrops
Laptop
Lockpad
Camera
Snacks?
Nail clippers
Bottle and can opener?
Metric system conversion chart
Swiss army knife (luggage, not carry-on)
small compass

written by  jlu on June 13, 2008 from Los Angeles, United States
from the travel blog: Study Abroad in China
tagged First and PreDeparture
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The next time I blog will probably be from Beijing. I don't know how the internet situation is over there in the international dorms but I'm sure it'll be fairly easy to gain access to the internets. I'm also bringing my DSLR (which I had difficulty deciding whether I should bring this $700 camera to a land of pickpockets), but since my cheap 2.0 megapixel camera with video recording capabilities died on me, I have no choice. I'm refraining from bringing expensive items I'll regret losing, so I'm keeping them to a minimum. The camera is probably the most expensive item I'm bringing--besides my laptop. But that's a piece of crap anyway.

Here's an unrelated moment you might enjoy...
(watches some soccer/futbol sport on tv)
me: (looks at scoreboard) isn't it funny how all the teams are European? they must like their futbol there.
phil: um, it's the Euro Cup?

written by  jlu on June 23, 2008 from Los Angeles, United States
from the travel blog: Study Abroad in China
tagged PreDeparture
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For those who don't know what simplified and traditional characters are all about, the traditional form is more difficult since there's more strokes. I don't really know much of the history, you can wiki it, but from what I know, China standardized all Chinese characters to be in simplified form to increase literacy at some point when they reformed. Traditional characters are used in Hong Kong and Taiwan. So here's a sample sentence, first in simplified, then in traditional, and finally in English:

我们的衬衫着火
我們的襯衫着火
"Our shirt is on fire."

Notice only some of the characters are different.

What I'm really anticipating on the plane ride is boredom, so I brought a few books: Lonely Planet for Beijing (of course, I put a book cover so people don't know I'm foreign), Pastoralia by George Saunders (satirical book from class that I never really finished), and Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. Yep, that is all for today.

written by  jlu on June 25, 2008 from Los Angeles, United States
from the travel blog: Study Abroad in China
tagged PreDeparture
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