Xiangjunge Hotel Dalian

The people in Dalain, omg, I dont know how they get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and think they can step out in public. Heres some tips of how to fit in in Dalian:

Perm- The perm is IN. Get a short perm, wax it down with excessive wax but with fuzzy bits fraying out everywhere. Maybe like a huge afro waxed down I guess, but shaped like a bob.

Shinny ...

... tortilla chips with the meal. The enchiladas were pretty good.

Now part of the reason I don't eat western food is the price. Let me give you an example. On my way home from school I have found two places where I especially like to eat. I can get a bowl of noodles in hot soup for 6 yuan. Or I can stop at the kiosk and get a serving of fried rice or fried noodles for 3 - 5 yuan. Remember 7 yuan = $1. My ...

... the first item on the Dalian agenda was laundry: happily the chap at the laundrette near my hotel was happy to do my underwear too, after sprawling it all over the counter and personally counting the number of pairs, without embarrassment or hygiene concerns.

There isn't a tremendous amount to do in Dalian except go to the beach. So I went to the beach. My first choice turned out to be rather posh, evidently a favourite of high ...

The first time I had even heard of Dalian was when I asked my Hangda (name of a company that repairs airplanes and makes some joint thingy that connects the gas thingy to the plane so it can refuel) class where they would choose to live, if they could live anywhere in China. One of my students said Dalian, because it is clean, modern, beautiful and by the sea. People I asked about Dalian since have all given positive feedback. I even looked into working in Dalian, fairly ...

... didn’t fess up right at the beginning. She was happy with her massage, but after some comparisons I definitely think I got the more skilled masseuse.

To top off the evening, we headed to Susan’s, one of the only true western restaurants in this part of China. I went all out and ordered an orange Julius and a poutine. It is not quite the same, but a pretty darn close replica, especially for China. The ...

... ripped off like foreigners always are... bargain hard.

Finding the ‘mall’ itself wasn’t too ************ce we went through the doors—it was like entering a giant, six storey flea market. We wandered, and wandered, and finally came across some stalls that offered clothing, but none had plain t-shirts. After what felt like hours, but was probably closer to one, we found a place that had a few options... We explained we wanted 15 black ...

... in that first class was the super smart student who always has all the right answers in class. He was so dejected by not having all the rules, and not succeeding like some of the other students, but it was fun to tease and use him as an example of the many proud people who were left to fend for their lives in any way they could.

I think it was a great lesson. And we successfully repeated it many more times throughout the day, and in other classes...

Ashley

... developed from an 18th century residence thought to be one of the royal attendants. Charming courtyard style in one of Beijing's hutongs (alleyways). 21. Dalian Squares/Streets. Dalian city was planned by French architects working for the Russians who were ...

... our baggage through the airport to our gate. An entrepreneurial Chinese man came and "helped" us find our gate and get everything lined up for our flight from Beijing to Dalian, the city where the school we are working and studying is. The man expected to be paid, of course, and one of the interns gave him a few dollars in American money since we had not changed any money into RMB, the Chinese currency, yet. Later we found out that there are many such people ...

... Well, that's the bulk of it from Dalian. I can't tell you everything or I'll have nothing to recount when I get home. I'd like to thank Nate and Kamma for all their help and the use of their Lonely Planet: China book. (Oh and Nate, thanks for the hike near the coast). I'd especially like to thank Katie. She's exactly as I remember her, and I can see why we were such great friends. I hope we continue to be without having to wait another decade. Most of all, Richard. He knows why.