Day 7: First Day of Classes

Day 7 started bright and early, with my first class at 8 am on the campus all the way across town.

As a result, I got up at 6 am, in order to eat some breakfast and catch the 6:55 bus to Campus A.
I got to talking too long with a friend online, and had to sprint out the door, only to find that the bus left at 6:58, so I was still early. When I got on, the bus actually left at 6:57, which was a bit concerning, considering that if I was running late, the bus would definitely be gone.

To pass the time, I looked out the window a bit, transferred some pictures from my phone to my laptop, and took a short nap.

We got to Campus A around 7:45, which made me pretty happy. Trying to find the classroom, I turned the wrong way for a moment. Orienting myself, I found the classroom and a much needed restroom. Traditional Asian toilets are holes in the ground, and that was a little bit disconcerting, along with the lack of toilet paper and soap, but I was able to hurry up and get to class right next door with a few minutes to spare. (Sidenote: Most Chinese restrooms and restaurants don't have napkins or toilet paper, because most people carry tissue packs with them.)

Getting into the class, which was Heat Transfer, a fourth year class, I was able to introduce myself to the class, which had 16 mechanical engineering students. They all introduced themselves as well, and the classroom leader put together the student roster for me to use when taking attendance in the future. Some of the students had entertaining names, like Sucre. He named himself after the guy in Prison Break, not knowing it was the French word for sugar. (Still haven't met the person named Nevermore though....) It turns out the professor (Pablo Mora) was an aerospace engineer, so he started off with rocket and airplane examples, which helped me like him immediately.

During the break, I talked to Vivi (one of the old TAs that I mentioned earlier who took us around the neighborhood around Campus A), and Jack, who was a previous SOL, from the first CQU SOL class (2014). The professor also came over and talked to me, asking how I was adjusting. I told him that I was adjusting ok, since I was used to having international friends. It was just the language that was giving me trouble. I also told him that I was a volunteer for UC International, and that I had completed a documentary for Worldfest Week the previous year about international student troubles, and he was interested in seeing it. I also told him that I'm a total aerospace and astronomy nerd (and president of Astronomy Club), but chose mechanical because I learn the most.

Then Will came in to teach his Prob and Stats class, and I decided to sit in on it to get some more hours. After that class, in which we all introduced ourselves and our hobbies, we went to get lunch.
The meal I had was the worst meal I have had yet in China. I got a seaweed and beef soup, which had great seaweed, but the meat was mostly bone. I also got rice and put a bit too much vinegar on. I then dumped the broth from the soup onto it, worsening things. The strawberry milk on the side was absolutely disgusting....bits of strawberry in it, and it was sweet in all the wrong ways.
The only good part of it was the sesame roll with bean paste that I decided to save for later.

Humorous sign on Campus A

 After lunch, we all parted ways. I got a little bit lost on campus and decided to wander around for a bit, taking photos as I went. I also started singing to myself. Ironically, my subconscious chose things like "I'm a new soul living in a strange world", and Steven Curtis Chapman's "Long Way Home".

The modern meets the ancient

Random pull up bars in the middle of campus

Walking along, I came across a pond by the main building, and I desperately wished that I could sit along its side, rather than it being surrounded by bars.

 Walking along a bit further, I got my wish! I saw a park called Foreign Languages Reading Park. Intrigued, I went in and found a gorgeous pond. I satdown with my legs over the side of the wall above it. I pulled out my sketchbook and started to draw for a bit (I will upload a picture once I have more progress). After about 20 minutes though, the birds pooped on my pant leg and a little bit on my sketchbook (not enough to do damage though), so I decided to leave and save myself and my sketchbook.

View from where I was sitting and looking up

Second view of the inspiring pond

Other view of the inspiring pond

 After the pond, I went to Walmart, picking up fruit, toilet paper, tissues and some additional chocolates, including some mint patties.

I tried to cross the street closer to Walmart, but was prohibited by the barriers that divide lanes in China, which is a strange concept to an American used to open roads. I had to walk further on up to cross the street, to my chagrin.

Getting on the bus, I expected a solo ride back, but someone yelled my name outside of the bus after I got on. Looking out the window, I saw Jessica and Nick. It turns out the class that they were trying to sit in on doesn't start until next week. They also reminded me that we had to get off at Campus D and walk back, since that bus didn't go all the way back home. On the bus, I fell asleep, but I woke up just in time to get off. We walked home, with the both of them helping me with my groceries.

 Will tried to help me get a phone online, but found out after lots of searching that you needed a Chinese credit card to deliver to our apartments, even though most delivery people took cash. His credit cards for China were all canceled, so I told him I would ask the Chinese TAs.

The four UC TAs then went to Sunny Block for McDonalds. Getting there, we found the McDonalds was a tiny ice cream place, and it had no real food, so we decided to go to Pizza Hut, which had lots more selection on the US, but had pizza that tasted exactly like the Pizza Huts in America. I got a Hawaiian pizza, lemonade, and tiramisu, all of which were really good. Nick got fish pizza, which looked pretty interesting in and of itself, with shrimp, octopus, and fish eggs on it. The waitress didn't speak English, but we communicated mainly by pointing at pictures and via Dom's offline translator.

Nick's fish pizza

 Then, the others wanted to go outside and get the ice cream from the dessert Mcdonald's place. There was one of several random doors in the wall I've noticed on Sunny Block nearby (maybe they're storage closets?) and again, we had to improvise, taking pictures of the menu and

Slightly different packaging for the McFlurry

Getting home, I worked on my blog and a video call back home. I was trying to get the phone and wifi stuff together for a couple hours, but wasn't making much progress. It is frustrating, but I had faith that everything would work out in the end.

 I had to get up for statics with Prof Will Wang first thing in the morning, so I made sure to get some sleep too.

-Zoe