Checkin' In

Just writing a few lines to say what’s going on in Dalian…

Well, at last, the weather is warming up here! It’s very pleasant outside- to stroll around the campus or to go for a walk along the seaside. Last Sunday, a few of us took a nice afternoon stroll from Tiger Beach to FuJiaZhuang along BinHai Road. BinHai Road is one of Dalian’s main scenic attractions: a winding coastal road with nice views of the sea. One thing I like about Dalian is that you can go to places like this: see nature, breathe relatively clean air and get away from the crowds- definitely a plus in China!

I’ve recently made new friends from all around the place: Chinese people, Japanese people, Korean people and even some Germans! It doesn’t feel that strange talking in Chinese to someone from Japan or Korea, but does feel a bit weird talking Chinese to a German! All part of the experience!

I heard lately that people reckon foreigners in Dalian don’t say hello to each other on the streets. To be honest, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t know why we should? Just cos they have a white face, it doesn’t mean we are connected in any way! I came over here to experience new things and to meet people from new places: not to live in a home away from home! I guess for some newly-arrived foreigners who don’t speak Chinese, they are eager to make new friends, so for them, it’s nice if the whiteys say hi to each other!

The expat community in Dalian is definitely growing, and sites like dalianxpat.com are doing a lot of positive things for expats here, like offering an online forum and organising events. I notice a difference in Dalian between when I first arrived and now. A lot more foreigners around the place these days. I guess it’s a good thing in one way, that it makes Dalian a more international city and hopefully increasing the quality of international food here! However, now a lot of the bars are overcrowded with foreigners. It probably makes Chinese people feel like they are on a different planet when they go into Dave’s or the Nepalese bar of a Friday night!

The Labour Day Holiday is coming up: 7 days off at the start of May where everyone wants to go on holidays at the same time. Like in the National Holliday last October, I think I just might stay around Dalian. There are still a lot of places around here I haven’t been to. I can get on me bike and have a look around!

I have been hitting the pool quite a bit lately too. Trying to keep myself in some sort of shape! I can handle the front crawl (some call it freestyle) fine. I may not have perfect technique or fitness but I can get from A to B quite quickly. All the Chinese people learn breast stroke first. Maybe I am just stupid, but I can’t seem to get it right. Everyone else seems to be faster. Seems rather a wacky stroke to me anyway- people with small, non-webbed feet trying to swim like frogs. I can’t figure out how that leg kick can actually move water and generate thrust! I’m gonna have to find me a good teacher who can explain it properly to me.