My first day in Macau

So. I am now in Macau! I made it.
The people here are SO nice! I love it. I got a shower, a tour of the city, and a couple wonderful meals! OH--and I have an AMAZING view! I'm attempting to access facebook right now to upload pictures, but it's not loading.

It was confirmed that all social networking sites ARE blocked in China, and even chat programs are blocked...Skype is not, though. Unfortunately, with the time difference, it doesnt make that much of a difference because it will be a while before I can use it with friends! Plus I don't have my webcam with me so I would only be able to use the typing function.

I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

The place is amazing. The culture is so different! Brinn was the girl who picked me up. She's so nice (and from Wisconsin...she lived in Sheboygan!). We walked around Macau and ate at a famous dumpling place. Luckily most of the stuff here in Macau is in Portugese in addition to Cantanese, so I can understand most of the signs because I speak Spanish. But I was informed that once I make it to mainland China, I will not understand anything. It's ALL Cantanese...and the Chinese characters. No Portugese on the signs. The little Mandarin that I learned will be useless, as I probably learned simplified (4 tones) or traditional has 6 tones, but in Cantanese there are 9 tones...and I don't know how I will be able to handle that! Every once in a while they said it's written out so that you can read it if you are a Westerner, but for the most part it's just the symbold. But I hope that my host family will be able to help me out with that.

I'm not used to being the one who doesn't understand the language. I can usually pick up on what people are saying. Not here. And body language is different. If you motion "come here" like you would in America, you are actually saying "go away." If you make the motion with your palm DOWN instead of up...and kind of shake your hand up and down...THAT is how you say "come here" in the Chinese culture.

They will just stop while walking. You'll be walking behind them, and all of the sudden you run into them because they just stopped dead in their tracks. They also STARE. It's horrible. Well--not really, but I'm just not used to it. It's not impolite in their culture to stare. They will just look at you for a long time with no shame...cause they don't even realize it's impolite to us.
I also was seated at a table with other people. Brinn and I were eating, and there were 3 school-aged kids who were seated with us. They moved when a table opened up, and an older lady was seated with us, soon followed by a different couple. It was kind of fun, but they just stare. They don't say hi.

So many more stories could be told, but they're better told in person! I have stories about a lady with a cart full of flowers, and a few more I'm sure. I just can't think. I haven't slept since 1:30am local time, and it's now almost 8pm. I will probably be going to sleep very soon. I am just hoping that facebook will load so that I can upload the wonderful pictures that I have of the Taiwan airport and of Macau.

I have a BEAUTIFUL view from my room. I can see downtown Macau and I can actually see mainland China from my room. The lights are beautiful. There is a large windowsil so tomorrow I might sit in it and read...just like you see in the movies, but we don't have those in the USA...at least I never did! Haha.

Tomorrow I have a big day. I went grocery shopping, and bought food for tomorrow. I bought mandarine oranges, dragonfruit (yes, dragonfruit!), and a frozen dinner. I also got LIFE cereal and some fake milk to put in it. It's milk from either Singapore or the Phillapenes. I was told that milk from mainland is bad. So I have to read lables! (if in English, that is!)

I was given keys to the apartment here....guess what that means?! I might be on my own. They really trust me, I guess. I don't know if I'll be able to find my way. Plus I don't have my cell phone yet. I will be getting one in mainland, but they didn't get me one for 2 days in Macau (which is COMPLETELY understandable. I wouldn't have either. I can use this time without a cellphone to...idk...be liberated haha) But they gave me a sheet with phone numbers, plus with the addresses written in Chinese so that I can ask for directions...or give a taxi driver the sheet, point to where I have to go, and get there safely :) Someone was thinking!

Well, I think I should probably attempt to sleep. Facebook is not loading, so it will have to wait until tomorrow...or for 6 weeks. I won't get it in mainland, so after tomorrow I am out of luck for sharing photos.

Well, goodnight! It's more like good morning there, as it's about 6am...but it's 8pm here and I'm SOOOOO very tired. Hopefully sleep comes fast and lasts for a long time! It's off to the English center at 8:30 tomorrow morning, and I will not get back 'til late! We have an "Eat and Greet" at 12:30-2, I have initiation/orientation after that, and we have a meeting at night. I'm not exactly sure what it's for, but they are probably going to ask me to stay.