Spazzing over China

[afuna]

My mind is filled with China. I'm heading there to study in three weeks' time. The term starts on September 13, but I'll probably head to China first week of September to arrange for lodging and everything.

All my papers are in order, or have been submitted for consideration. I've been accepted into the school (just need to pay), and I have passed my visa application. At this point, all I have to do is arrange my plane tickets, pay tuition, and look for a dorm (unless I get an apartment?). I also have to pack, and I need to do so early because I need to figure out what cold-weather clothes I'm still lacking.

I am nervous, yo. I'm pretty much putting my life on hold for the next five months to go to another country and live on my own in autumn/winter, to study the language and culture. I know some Chinese, but not enough to hold even a simple conversation about basic ideas, and my accent is atrocious as well. I don't even know whether there's a Christmas break so I can head home for Christmas. I have the feeling there is one; the particular university I'm going to caters to foreign students, so probably? If there is no break, I'm going to spend Christmas alone in a foreign country away from family. (Unless they come over to visit. I don't know if they will).

I've never actually been separated from family this long before. I have gone on two study tours, but those lasted no more than a couple of months each. Also, the first time (to Canada), I was with my brothers. The second time (Taiwan), I was on my own, but it was a study tour so everything was structured and I pretty much had no time to miss anyone.

Also, I've never been anywhere where it was autumn or winter. The closest I have ever been to cold is spring. I did see snow, once, for two days. It was on the trip to Canada, April so summer for the Philippines, but late spring over there. We went to Whistler. It snowed \o/.

Trying to think of how I'll handle cold. I've been to hmm. Baguio and Tagaytay, high in the mountains here, where it gets pleasantly cool but not freezing. I've also been to California thrice (four times? five times?), mostly when I was a kid, and always in the spring. There was one time in late October, as well, for a week. I guess that was summer heading into autumn? And then there was the trip to Canada, which was for a couple of months, but again, spring heading into summer. Then Korea! During Holy Week, and it was pretty chilly, and it actually snowed in the country, but not where we were. In general, I like cool weather -- the cooler and crisper, the better. But mildly cool is different from bitterly cold. It's supposed to reach ten or fifteen below zero in winter in Beijing. WTF-ety fork?

My experience with the weather has generally gone: summer (hot). Rainy season (hot and humid). That bit where it's not summer and not rainy (hot, but less unpleasantly so). Oh god. Trying to think about how autumn and winter must feel like is about to make my head explode.

My relatives are just doing what they think is best for me, I'm sure, but their warnings about frostbite are beginning to freak me out. Nose, ears, fingers, toes. Nose, ears, fingers, toes. Also, people keep giving me scarves. I love everyone who's given me a scarf, but I'm not sure I can use them all. I have six now, and fast approaching the point where I could just wrap myself in all the scarves I own and stroll down the street without being arrested for indecent exposure.

And then, oh um cold weather stuff. Scarves I have plenty of. Layers of shirts and sweaters I hope I have enough *crosses fingers*. Pants I think I lack, and anything I can layer on under there. I have gloves! But not mittens. I have umm these fur-lined boots? Would I need indoor slippers as well? I'm not sure whether indoors is heated or not. Logic says "might be", experience has absolutely no clue. I have a hat! Maybe two. Errrrm. What else do I need?

Advice on what to wear is conflicting, by the way. Lots of warnings about wearing blah and blah and blah so I won't freeze, but then other people warn me that I don't need to wear so much because I'm going to be indoors all the time. I don't know, who should I trust? I can't trust my own experience. In my experience, layering clothes goes like so: put on several layers of clothing, stand for two seconds and admire self in the mirror, quickly realize that layers are hoooot and doff as many of them as possible.

Nose, fingers, toes, nose fingers, toes. Nose, fingers, ears, toes. Hoo boy.

INTERNET ACCESS, damn you Great Firewall of China. However, I have plans and with ciaran_h's help, will probably be able to tunnel through, but shhh. Discretion, etc

I applied for thirty units of an advanced course which, when I think about it now, is probably insane, considering how little I know. Here's the thing, Modern Chinese pronunciation(?) is transcribed using pinyin (alphabet) instead of the guoyin(...Chinese alphabet?) I'm used to. Modern Chinese writing uses simplified Chinese instead of the traditional script I'm used to. And then there's the fact that my Chinese skills are shaky in the first place.

I shall be in Beijing, the northern city. I may visit the Great Wall. That would be cool.

Comments

[iruka11.livejournal.com]

have fun!!! ^^

[afuna]

XPP I'll try! Couple more weeks to go!

[redplasticglass.livejournal.com]

Layers are best, and a carry around bag so you can always strip layers off if it gets too warm indoors. Thickest should be the outer layer (coats, etc), with 1 or two layers inside (a sweater or extra shirt on top of a regular thin shirt)-- so that you can take off the warmest bits when indoors.

Uh... and it always feels colder the longer you stand outside, so if you stick your head out the window, take that temp and lower it exponentially as you factor in wind and how much time you will spend out in the elements. Also-- if it's really windy? Even if it's not that cold, the wind can drop the temp by 10 degrees depending on ferocity. It's actually not that bad? Beijing weather is probably comparative to the weather a few states north of me. You won't get frostbite unless you get stuck in a snowdrift overnight or something. If it gets really really cold, stay indoors with plenty of hot tea/soup and some nice videos.

IMO, a long knee length down coat, a couple extra thick socks, and two scarves. Knit gloves-- that should do you fine if you're susceptible to cold and the weather gets bad. You can always wear a scarf on your head as a turban/hat too!

Have fun in China!

[afuna]

Ooh bag is a good idea. *takes note of that*

I'm not sure how windy it will be. I definitely need to ask around before I head there :( Good to know about the frostbite, though am definitely not going to test to find out *g* Mmm, I think that I shall learn to appreciate warm drinks while I'm there.

Oooh knee length coat. Definitely going on my list! *takes note* Socks, need them thicker I think, and am well covered for scarves. Thank you for all the information!

Once it gets below 40F ...

[ursamajor]

They call it "cocooning" for a reason. ;)

1. Underwear.
2. Long underwear.

- it should "wick" sweat away from your skin - made of silk or a polyester synthetic; easiest to find in sporting goods shops. Despite the freezing temperatures, you will likely sweat when you're wearing all this stuff (so drink lots of water! Winter air tends to be drier, too.).
- it should fit you snugly. Not unbreathably tight, but there shouldn't be much room for wrinkling.
- extended sleeves that go all the way down to the bottom of your fingers, and a little thumbhole on the side. Easy to tuck into mittens (but with gloves, you tuck the gloves into the long underwear *G*). They also have straps that go from the bottom of the pants cuff down under the sole of my foot, and then back up. These will tuck into your socks.
- you'll want 2-3 pairs; you'll be sweating into this every day you go outside, so you'll want a rotation!

3b: Wool socks. (or a similar keep-warm synthetic) These pull up over your long underwear, calf-height if not knee height. Don't double-layer socks; it'll cut off your circulation and make your feet colder.

4b: Pants. Are supposed to be an outer windproof, waterproof shell like your jacket, but I never liked the noise pants of those material made when walking around, plus they don't look business-professional. Generally in winter, I wear wool trousers and a long coat so I don't have to worry about soaking my pants so much when I fall. These can tuck into your boots if you have to walk through snowdrifts.

4t: Turtlenecks! It took me a long time to get used to them being all tight against my neck like that. For the first couple of winters, I just bought mock turtlenecks (they don't go as high on your neck, so you don't have to fold the collar down) and compensated with the more controlable scarf element. Cotton is supposedly a nono (traps sweat and snow, which will lower your body temperature), but I never had issue with it as long as it was my middle layer and not either my outermost or innermost.

5t: sweaters! Wool sweaters are nice and bulky and will keep you warm; cashmere sweaters are nice and thin and amazingly will keep you warm. The latter are crazy-cheap in China as compared to the States (think $30USD for a twinset vs $150USD), at least in Shenzen; YMMV since you'll be much further north. These don't have to be as tight as the long underwear; in fact, they should be a little loose since they'll pull over layers much more easily, and they'll also trap warm air to keep you toasty.

6b: Boots! Fuzzy boots feel *awesome*; the better ones like you're walking on air. Check the soles; soles should be rubber and extremely grooved and patterned to minimize slipping on ice. Hiking boots and Doc Martens and snowboots will all have the appropriate inch-thick grooved soles, but may involve annoying laceups; get the pullon or zipup ones if you can.

6t: hat! Once it gets down into the low 40s/high 30s F, you will want a snowhat/tuque. Preferably one made of wool, preferably one with earflaps and that ties under your chin. It should be lined, too; mine are generally lined with polarfleece. This is pretty similar to the one I have, except mine's a higher percent wool, and the tassels extend further so they can tie right under my chin.

7t: gloves or mittens. TBH, once it gets below freezing, I go for the mittens; since they pocket your four fingers together, that keeps your hands warmer. It does make it harder to use your hands dextrously, though.

8: Down jacket. Waterproof and windproof (or at least water-repellent and wind-repellent!). If you're primarily bussing/walking, go for the full-length coat (which should fall to calf-height). If you're planning to do sporty-active things, it should fall to just below waist height, but then you should also be getting the waterproof/windproof pants I mentioned earlier.

9. The scarf covers the back of your neck (and if it's really cold, it goes over your mouth so you don't hurt your lungs with too-cold air); your snowhat and the top of your coat collar should tuck underneath it.

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[ursamajor]

Crap, I broke the links.

http://www.columbia.com/Product.aspx?top=6&cat=620&p=5475 is like the snowhat I have, but with shorter chin-tassels.

Also keep in mind this is advice from a born-to-be-mild California girl who moved to New England a dozen winters ago. *G*

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[ursamajor]

FORGOT.

Jeans and khakis and cotton pants and the snow SUCK AND SHOULD NOT MIX. When you fall on your butt (and this is not an if when there's icy sidewalks around), if you're wearing cotton-based pants, the snow gets sucked right into your clothes and makes you wet and miserable and feels utterly gross. Even if you have long underwear on underneath. Even if you're wearing a long jacket, it can still get into your pants from the calf down. Jeans are the worst because they're the heaviest and will absorb the most water and make your legs feel like leaden weights.

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[afuna]

Thank you thank you so much. I am definitely printing out your comments for reference :D

I think I shall have to split up the list into things to get here, and things to get there . I suspect I shall find out about the jeans the hard way, if :I can't get wool trousers in time *g*

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[keilexandra]

Going by entirely personal experience here, but in 5 years of living through Newfoundland winters (with winds like hell) I only wore scarves about half the time. My face was freezing, of course, but that's to be expected.

I second the long underwear, though.

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[afuna]

Hee!

Long underwear definitely going on my list.

Oh, one thing, is long underwear supposed to be thick, or is it just an additional layer thing?

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[ursamajor]

Oh, it's generally pretty thin, because it has to go under everything. That's why the material choice for it is so important (and why they keep coming out with new lines every winter, to account for "scientific progress! 3% more efficient than last year's line!"), it has to be something that helps you retain your body heat as efficiently as possible.

My first winter out, I didn't know much about it, so I just thought, okay, you put on an extra layer of regular cotton dance leggings or tights? I have those! ... but even with both leggings and tights, I sweated more, felt colder, and the double layering was enough that I had to buy up a size in pants. Better to go with the long underwear in the first place ;)

That's part of what makes cashmere and (merino) wool, for sweaters, really good layering materials. It's thin enough it can still go under suit jackets and more formal wear, but keeps you as nice and toasty as bulkier sweaters. I'm not sure how important it is that the wool be "merino," that's just the label I've seen applied to the thin-but-warm sweaters made of wool. It's also why I stocked up on cashmere sweaters when I went to Shenzen - costs about 80% less than in the states ;)

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[keilexandra]

Look for "thermal" things. It shouldn't be bulky, but definitely well-fitted to keep in heat.

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[afuna]

I just realized that when you say "long underwear" you're talking about underwear that go under your shirt, not under your pants. (Or maybe you mean both? :O)

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[ursamajor]

Oh, it refers to both top and bottom, sorry, my bad. :)

Eddie Bauer has an example, but it'll probably be much easier to find more variety come fall. Most stores haven't yet come out with their bundles for the year in August. CitySports, my local sporting goods shop, will probably start getting their first shipments in at some point in September.

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[afuna]

:O

I think I have one pair of the long underwear for the top. I'll need to dig it up and make sure, but... I think we do. And if that's the case, I know where we can get more \o/ (Assuming they still have stock XDD)

(thank you for coming through yet again <33)

Re: Once it gets below 40F ...

[ursamajor]

Not a problem :) And if you can't find specifically that, I'm sure you'll be able to find something appropriate when you get to China - they've been dealing with that level of cold in winter for a long time ;)

[keilexandra]

-15 C isn't too bad..but obviously my experience with cold differs from yours. :P I would say don't worry about frostbite unless you have sensitive skin/other cold issues other than climate shock. Going from guoyin+trad. to pinyin+simplified is going to be hard, though. Let me know if you need any help w/ the latter, though my character-recognition and recall sucks.

[afuna]

-15 C isn't too bad..but obviously my experience with cold differs from yours. :P

UNDERSTATEMENT ALERT ;P (*hugs*)

Good to know about the frostbite. Obviously not going to test my limits, but I think I'm good and not in any danger of losing any part of myself to the cold \o/

I'll ask if I do run into any problems, thanks *grin* I know a few of the conversions, but a lot of the words that people take for granted as being one character, I still think of as being two separate words.

(Been meaning to ask you: gan -- "dry" and "(dare to) do" -- two separate words in traditional, and yet one word in simplified, right?)

[keilexandra]

Yep, gan1 and gan4 are the same character. (And I had to ask my dad for that, because my character recall=-50.)

[afuna]

Thank you *g* Someone brought it up in a conversation somewhere, and I couldn't dig up any answers on my own.

(Wait wait, my brain hurts a bit: it's one character in both trad. and simplified, or just simplified?)

[keilexandra]

Er, no idea about traditional...

[afuna]

Hee! Thank you anyway <3 (So much to learn about simplified asdfghtkalhk)

[juin.livejournal.com]

Only three weeks (:O), and you haven't got a plane ticket yet? :O (Then again, maybe I'm thinking from the perspective of Australia to China, as opposed to the much closer Philippines to China?)

I have no advice to give about homesickness, seeing as I seem to be incapable of experiencing it. But I would advise you not to let it stop you from enjoying yourself, as I've seen some people do (eg. one of my friends in Bordeaux made herself clinically depressed from being homesick :/).

And I would also recommend layers, with a big coat to go on top; you'll just have to get used to taking it off everytime you step indoors.

[afuna]

I need to get one soon :O Or two, since my mom is coming with me until just before the semester starts XD (I think that it doesn't matter how far the two countries are, when it comes to getting plane tickets. Okay, will definitely get this arranged by Monday. Tuesday at the very latest. Kick me if I don't have it done by then!)

I will try *nods* I did get a bit homesick when I was in the US, but it went away after a couple of days. Maybe if I keep myself busy enough (studying and doing touristy things XD), homesickness won't be a problem?

Layers. Someone else suggested a bag, for when I take off the layers *g*

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Visit the Forbidden Palace in Beijing as well as the Great Wall. Pretty cool to reminisce about all the stuff we learned in li shir (how do you write the second character in pinyin? O_O )classes. Haha enjoy and good luck!

[afuna]

I plan to! I'm already beginning to remember some of our li shi. Not sure how it's supposed to be in pinyin. Li shir? li shi? Li she? Li sheh?

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Haha, Li she or Li shi look like the best matches. :p