Vancouver to China

As soon as I landed in Vancouver airport, I saw why friends would often refer to the island as "Hong Kong number two." I got onto my plane and swear I was the most white person there - and I'm not even white! It was mostly because everyone on the plane was speaking mandarin (well, in the section I was in).

But let me just reminisce about Air Canada - entering onto the aircraft, first class seats immediately drew my attention - cut to the scene from "The Holiday" where Cameron Diaz is flying to England in first class - I remember thinking to myself: that's not how first class looks like, it's too pimped out - but alas, I was proven wrong. There were three columns of chairs/beds and each chair had a foot rest and a fancy pillow - at this point, I was tre jealous. But then I saw my section - I definitely knew I had a newer plane - the roofs were higher, the chairs were a beautiful blue, and the television that each individual person had included a plug in for your laptop, a USB connector, and a choice of movies, television, audio, games, and something else... Now, before coming onto this 11hour ride to China, I downloaded Music and Lyrics and other various movies to watch - well I did not need it. I didn't even read the book I had with me! I was planning to sleep on the plane but the movie marathon of Bridge to Terebethia, Catch and Release, Music and Lyrics, Pan's Labyrinth, and Charlotte's Web prevented me from doing so haha.

Fast forward to landing in China. While at the luggage cart I saw my Edmonton friend (who incidentally went to China with me two years back) - he flew from San Fran and landed 20 minutes before me. It was great! And after that I was picked up from an AIESEC person and we cabbed to the national team's house. A lot can change in two years - they planted a lot more trees beside the highway for the Olympics. Beijing looks so much nicer green! The bird's nest stadium looks absolutely amazing - I didn't actually think it was possible to build - it was so amazing that I forgot to take a picture!

And now the fun stuff - culture shock!
1. I discovered that the adapters that I brought do not work with my laptop because my laptop is three-pronged and the adapters only have two holes - it worked in Cuba but not here :( Luckily - if I stay in the living room, there are some adapters/plug ins that work...I just hope it really does work and I don't start a fire by accident.
2. There are about 10 people living in the house and many of them come and go - so I will not have a permanent room - I will be switching between rooms when the team go on city visits.
3. It is May long weekend here - a seven day holiday. Everyone was partying until 5am the night before I came (or the morning I came) and so did not want to go out again :(
4. I've been told that the national team likes to sleep in, it is currently 8:51 am and I am the only one in the living room - so I gather this much is true... unless they left the house already :(
5. Showering makes the whole bathroom floor wet - I'm not too sure what the right showering etiquettes are...

Highlights:
1. getting drunk/tipsy with my Edmonton friend off of one beer because we were both jet legged, the cost? 50 cents I think...
2. the flashbacks of all the memories from my china trip two years back - including seeing the sign "toast" and remembering my friend reading it as "to ast."
3. Being told I was like a gift from Canada because I was showing an AIESECer our branded material (website and marketing packages).
4. Free internet at the house! - meaning unlimited emails home - but I have to be careful of not doing that too often and start discovering the city more :)

Learnt lessons: communicate more, it was so hard to yesterday because I was so out of it. But I'll probably feel less out of place if I ask more questions :).