What's That Incredible Flavoring You Use?

Is he tying his shoe?  Did he drop something?  

WAAAAAAIT!! Is that a manhole??  Oh dear, it is!!

Recently, I watched a clip online of some clever entrepreneurs doing their best to help the world reduce waste... almost literally!  In a way, you have to give them kudos for their imaginative creativity.  However, I think you will agree with me when I say "recycled oil" may not be your thing.

In China, it is common practice to dump oil down the sink where it makes its way below the city streets and bumpy sidewalks, straight into the sewer.  It appears that there is a large top layer of oil sitting there, sad and lonely, just waiting to return to its glory days.

It is then that hardworking immigrants trying to support their families, come with buckets and large ladles in hand, for collection.  The mixture that they gather is then taken to a distillery, where it is cleansed with cleaning agents and resold for a reduced price in the market.

Chitrak and I happened to chance upon it as we exited one of our favorite haunts.  Yes, it even happens in Kunshan.  I stared with shock and wonder as the man bent down to take the manhole cover off.

Ahhhhh, I realized as I noticed the mush spilling onto the sidewalk, That must be why there are black oil stains around the manholes in town!

It is illegal in China, and the government does its best to stop this "gutter oil" production, but with such a large population it simply can't be eradicated.  Know that the gross part really isn't that it is a mixture of oil and unknown sewage, because after the distilling process, it is pretty clean.  It is the chemical agents that you consume that make it a health risk and dangerous.

Words of advice:  be wary of street food and check out their oil bottle first before ordering.  Better safe than sorry I always say.  :-)

Kunshan Beer Festival, 2013

The German Beer festival is a major Kunshan highlight.  Held once a year in August behind the Swissotel, this event puts Kunshan on the map with other beer festival towns like Qingdao and Dalian. People from out of town come in to attend, including overnight guests from Shanghai and Suzhou.  Entrance tickets are about $25 USD (120-150RMB), and includes two 500 mL beers with two snacks at the German tent.  It's not cheap, but its good food and great company!

Inside the German tent, the most sought after tent for foreigners, you'll find a lively music act imported from Germany.  You'll always find them in their best lederhosen and dirndl.  Don't miss their "kissing gag" (I'll let you attend to find out what that is!).  They've been performing here for the past ten years and are definitely a stand-alone reason to attend.  The German tent is also the only tent with an A/C, and usually has the most foreign food.

Companies, such as mine, can rent tables for their companies.  We get a little excited when it comes to town.

We warmly invite you to dine with us! 

Winter is Coming

My new look, the "starfish Ralphie."

I thought it was only in the movies where I would see someone so bundled up they could hardly move.  I can vividly recall the giggles I had over Ralphie in one of my favorite childhood classics, A Christmas Story....  Well, please look no further!

You will find me in my full regalia every winter day:  one full coverage hat, gloves, two to three pairs of long johns, two sweaters, and a full length downy feather coat... oh yeah, and two scarves, wrapped accordingly around my neck depending upon the wind that day.  One of the main reasons I look like the "Ralphie starfish"  is because I take my e-bike to work, so it usually makes the temperature drop by ten degrees.  OK, please don't judge me on how I cannot bear a 5 minute drive.  I on occasion will drive into town, which can be a 15-20 minute commute one way depending on where you want to go, and I have recess duty three times a day for 20 minutes each.  It can get chilly!

The other reason I layer is for comfort.  In any typical North American home, there are carpeted floors and central heating.  The walls are insulated with fiberglass and wood.

Not here.

The floor is covered in tile, and the walls are made of cement, which is nice in the summertime as it cools the place, but it carries no insulation to keep the heat in.  Since Kunshan falls south of the Qinling Mountain Range, it is considered a town that is "too warm" to need central heating.  Instead, you have wall A/Cs in each room, except in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry areas.

The A/C blows out warm air in the winter, but it rarely keeps the room warm enough.  In school, parents and students alike complain that the room is "too warm" in the winter, and ask teachers to turn off the A/C.  You'll find that most students never shed their winter coat during lessons, and you begin to join them.

I've gotten used to it, but it's taken some adjustment.  I am lucky my husband invested in foam door insulators.  We even purchased the cling-on wrap for the windows to help retain heat.  But Canadians, yes you, despite your colder climate back home, you will still freeze to death here.  Bring a jacket so you don't have to go searching for one when you reach.  :-)

On another note, I always welcome Springtime as the mothers of my students flock to me with such great appreciation for my ability to loose weight.  Little do they know I have no secret, because my weight is typically stays the same,  I just shed a few layers of coats!

Sometimes I feel like I am preparing to take on the Arctic!  I'm not sure I would survive on hour there.  

My casual inside house attire.

My pimped out ride - blanket and gloves.

The "Ralphie Starfish" look.  Coming to you soon!

A Handy-Dandy Translator APP

Google is often blocked by the local government, making the use of any of its programs unreliable.  So what do you do?  Find a local variation!  

I have been searching for a way to replace Google Translate.  Often it doesn't work and takes forever to load.  Last week, our IT Technician at CISK recommended I start using Baidu Translate. Since it is a local program it should load with lightening speed and does not require a VPN.   Most (if not all) of its functions require internet.  The APP is free to download... and.... THE APP IS IN ENGLISH!!! 

Some of its unique functions are:

1. "Travel Translation" - similar to the Siri function on your iphone; it allows you to speak English, then it will speak out the mandarin translation
2. "Menu Translation" - allowing you to hold your phone over text, then it will translate it into Mandarin on the screen (ummmm. very cool!)
3. "Conversation Translation" - you speak in English, your friend speaks in Mandarin, it writes the translation in real time
4. "Phrase Book" - contains lists of must-know phrases for dining, car, airport, shopping, taxi, travelling, etc.

Here's the link:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bai-du-fan-yi-baidutranslate/id605670941?mt=8.  
You can also search on your APP Store for "Baidu Translate."

Happy Talking (and a special thanks to CISK's IT technician for this recommendation)!

Apartment Hunting: A Picture Walk 1

Below are a hodgepodge of pictures we have taken while apartment scouting.  I hope this can help you get a better idea of an average apartment you may rent in China.  Note that most of these furnished and decorated apartments are between 3,000 - 4,000 RMB (500 - 600 USD) per month. All apartments are in Kunshan either in Butterfly Bay or JiTian.