Three Tianjin To-Do’s

The Great Hall of the largest Buddhist Monastery in Tianjin.

Recently, a friend back home asked what I did for fun around here. Well, I teach preschool aged-preteen students English five days a week, and that’s pretty entertaining. But as much as I enjoy teaching, I am only human. I look forward to days where I can just rest my voice from speaking so much. I get two days off a week, and while my days aren’t always consecutive, I still make it work.

I gave myself the personal goal to either visit a new site or two in Tianjin on my days off or try a new street food or new restaurant… aka be a tourist. In an effort to save money, I’ve mostly been checking out the local sites, as a majority of them are free and with my poor sense of direction, can easily kill a few hours in a day. A few of my favorite places I’ve visited have been the Buddhist Temple of Great Compassion, Cheer Market at Joy City, and Da Hutong in Downtown Tianjin.

I’ve visited quite a few temples since I’ve been in China. After awhile, they all start to look very similar (much like how in Europe, when you visit basilica after basilica, it ends up being a blur). So, I might be a little biased because this temple is quite near to where I live, but I highly recommend a visit to it. Admission is 5¥ (less than a dollar), and you receive a few sticks of incense to burn in offering as well. While every temple I’ve previously visited had been flocked with tourists (i.e. temples in Beijing my first week in China, and Guangzhou and Foshan during Golden Week), this one was mostly filled with worshippers. I use the term “filled” loosely, as the temple grounds are the largest in Tianjin, and so I felt, for the first time in forever, that I wasn’t in the most populated country in the world.

I visited the temple a little past nine am on a Wednesday. It may have been coincidence, or maybe mid-week mornings really are a less popular visiting hour, but whatever the case, I’m really glad I made the decision to go when I did. The grounds were incredibly peaceful, and while the architecture wasn’t something I hadn’t seen before, I admired how clean the temples and yards were, and I loved how many areas of open space were available for one to just perch and people watch. You’d be surprised at how sparse benches are to come by in China, unless you’re in a park of sorts. Next time, I plan on visiting during lunch-time, as their restaurant is the only monastery in Tianjin that serves vegetarian food. I will also be sure to bring a book with me, as I foresee myself enjoying many days off reading in one of their courtyards.

The malls in China are impeccable. I have yet to enter a mall that hasn’t been incredibly clean, contemporary, large enough to play a decent game of hide and seek in, and full of brands with plenty of nice items, that are sadly too pricey by the standards of your favorite friendly neighborhood thrifter. Joy City in Tianjin is one of these malls. It took me three separate visits to cover it from end to end (at least I think I’ve covered the whole mall!)

Similar to how the temples in China have been a blur, visiting a mall in China can be a dizzying, overstimulating experience, especially if you go on a weekend or during a holiday. I appreciate that the malls here, similar to malls at home, serve cuisine from all over the world. I know that whatever craving I have, I can satisfy it by going to the mall. Just as diverse are their shops and the fashion they house. Not to mention that almost every mall I’ve visited has had some sort of arcade, playground, or full scale ice skating rink within it. What sets Joy City apart though, is a magical place called “Cheer Market.”

If I could describe Cheer Market in three words, they would be: inventive, youthful, and energetic. A space on the fifth floor of Joy City has turned into a haven for creatives. The set-up is meant to replicate that of a pedestrian street, but instead of knock-offs and questionable street eats, this market is filled with vendors who are selling original handmade goods, organic eats, and their skills with accessible workshops to the masses. I felt like I was transplanted to the Chelsea Market in New York, which if you’ve ever been… you know that it’s always difficult to leave because there’s always something new to see.

All of the interior decor and design featured through the market, specific to each vendor and their style, was very pleasing to my eyes and gave me such a happy heart. A favorite area of mine was on the second floor, where a gallery was located. The “Public Art Space” was beautiful. I made sure to leave my mark. Also on the second floor was a contemporary installation piece which the public could engage in as well. Not having seen much contemporary art since I arrived (and being a “fan” quite the understatement), I left Cheer Market after my first visit, well, cheerful, and very joyful that I could get my art fix on at Joy City.

Now, imagine that you need to do grocery shopping, pick up some new kitchen utensils, buy a birthday card for a friend, plan a dinner party, and possibly purchase a new outfit for said dinner party. Back home, that would require a trip to multiple shops/destinations (or maybe just Target, ^_^). It would take an entire day of running errands to gather all the supplies on my list. But in Tianjin, I am very fortunate to live two blocks from the mecca of all things imaginable.

Shopping central is located by way of Guyi Street and it’s surrounding area, recognized as 大胡同 or “Dà Hútòng” in Chinese pidgin English. It roughly means “big alleyway,” although “big” would be an understatement. It’s an actual maze, this place. I’ve been there close to a dozen times, and I still don’t think I’ve seen everything that this area has to offer. This super duper market is actually comprised of several streets and alleyways, indoor malls, food vendors galore, a post office, a few restaurants, and banks. Basically, it is it’s own little city. Everything on your grocery list and otherwise can be found here, and every price is negotiable (if you’re good at that sort of thing).

Da Hutong lives up to my expectations of a traditional Chinese market. There’s lots to look at, and it’s where all the locals shop for deals. It’s a cacophony of people bargaining, vendors hawking their wares, scooters and bicycles going up and down the alleys and sidewalks, and pans sizzling with street food. You can easily spend an entire day wandering through this massive shopping center, and there are different areas that are supposed to be designated for certain goods according to signs throughout, but a little bit of everything seems to be sold and scattered throughout. I find that the best way to experience and take in a place is to just walk around. I’m only in China for a few months, and I want to take advantage of the time I have here, but you don’t and shouldn’t have to necessarily be in a new place to feel motivated to get up and at ’em. You could be in your hometown, a place you’ve lived for a few weeks, months, maybe even years. Go check out that restaurant you keep saying you’ve been meaning to try! Or finally visit that shop with the neat window display that always catches your attention!

It helps having a destination or two in mind of sights you want to see (and a map), but they’re not always necessary. I find walking around, especially on my days off where I have no obligations to fulfill, greatly entertaining and relaxing. It’s especially fun in Tianjin, where I don’t know my Mandarin characters, and so stepping into a new shop, and just the entire supermarket experience always involves some surprises. There’s a lot to be discovered still in Tianjin, and I find it so convenient, and completely adore that my three featured Tianjin to-dos are walking distance from my apartment, and that anything further away, I can just hop on the subway for. I’m not sure where I’ll live whenever it’s time for me to establish some sort of permanent residence, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I would be happiest in a walkable city or town. Yes, please.

Take a walk on your next day off, for no reason. Where’d you end up?
What are some of your favorite places where you live? Let’s share stories, friends. Feel free to send me a message/comment.

Love from Tianjin ♥

Eating My Way Through China : A Pescatarian’s Perspective

When you have certain dietary restrictions, eating out can become a bit of a hassle. Of course, it helps having a few favorite restaurants where you know your diet can be accomodated. I’ve been a pescatarian for five years now, and I also have food allergies (namely all tree nuts and shellfish). At twenty-three years old, I’ve lived on the same continent, and easily know what/where I can eat without having any major issues.

But this past August, I jetted off to China to teach English for six months. Back home, Chinese cuisine has never been a favorite of mine, mainly because many dishes use ingredients I am allergic too. A huge concern for both me and my parents was how and what I would be able to eat in a country where I barely knew the native language, and therefore couldn’t effectively communicate my allergies.

For orientation week with LoveTEFL, the meal plan set-up we were provided was actually very convenient, despite the culture shock I experienced and how little of an appetite I initially had after arriving in China. With our meal plan, we each got a card with money on it. This money could be spent in the cafeteria, and at a couple of restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores also on campus.

So while the cafeteria wasn’t anyone’s favorite place to eat, it was set-up as any school cafeteria in the West. I could see and choose what I was eating, and there were no surprises involved with any of my meals there. Even if I had been ravenous, there were always vegetarian options in the cafeteria (all kinds of vegetables, rice, egg pancakes, noodles, tofu, etc). I also definitely enjoyed my share of chocolate croissants and tea from the cafe on campus too.

LoveTEFL also took us out to local restaurants in Beijing a few times during orientation week, and when it came to eating out, there were enough vegetarians in our internship group that we had our own designated vegetarian table. I’ve said this in a previous blog post, but I’m going to say it again: whoever said I would starve as a pescatarian with food allergies in China is a liar. I felt that the restaurants we ate at were fairly accommodating of our dietary preferences and restrictions. There was always more than enough food! Much more than what most of us could consume given the culture shock and homesickness we were all similarly experiencing.

Canteen/Cafeteria nommin' — Canteen/Cafeteria nommin’

I’ve been in Tianjin, where I’ve been placed for teaching, for almost eight weeks now (crazy!!!). And while LoveTEFL isn’t here to hold my hand and order for me in restaurants, I’ve managed just fine. Here’s some advice for those heading to a foreign country with dietary restrictions/allergies:

Learn some phrases in the local tongue. The phrases I am most comfortable speaking in Mandarin, aside from greetings are “wo chi su” (pronounced: woh-chee-soo for “I eat vegetables”) and “meiyou rou” (pronounced: mayo-roh, roughly “no meat”).
I have two epi-pens with me too, in case of an emergency. If your allergies are as serious as mine, you probably already have an epi-pen or two in your possession. Just double check the expiry dates on them before your trip and get your prescription filled as needed.
If you have allergies, knowing how to say “I am allergic to such-and-such” is especially helpful as well, and gives me more of piece of mind when trying new dishes. I know that learning a new language can be tough. I feel really self-conscious whenever I speak Mandarin. But, if you have a phone or tablet, you can always screenshot these phrases or write them down on an index card to carry with you.
A couple of apps that I’m finding most helpful if you have a smartphone or tablet with you, are Pleco and Waygo. Pleco is an English-Chinese dictionary, where you can type in an English word to come up with a translation (and sometimes phrases work too), and Waygo specifically translates food/menu items with your device’s camera. Both work offline, which has been a lifesaver on more than one occassion. Waygo I tend to use at the grocery store more than anything, to distinguish the different flavors of items, but I have tested it on a few menus with pictures, and the translations are pretty decent. But still, use caution. Asking is always better, if you’re not certain.
Another great thing to ask others are for recommendations for places to eat. If you don’t feel comfortable asking just anyone, don’t hesitate to ask your fellow teachers at your school! Everyone is always so willing to help at my teaching center, and I’ve been shown some really great places to eat. Bonus is that they speak both Mandarin and English, and know of my allergies, so I feel comfortable trusting my order with them.
Amazing breakfast place a co-worker took me to.
Cook at home! That is, if you enjoy cooking. Not only does it save money, but there are no questions or surprises when you eat what you cook yourself! Just be careful about picking up snacks from the market. While Chinese brand items are sometimes cheaper, altogether too often do I choose something that looks like a plain flavor, only to translate it via Waygo and learn it’s actually peanut/sesame/shrimp flavored. A safe bet are recognizable brands of snacks, like Quaker, Lay’s, Oreos, Ritz, Nestle etc.
When it comes to drinks, if you’re on Team Tea like me, you won’t have a problem. Very popular, and for a 1/3 of the price back in Florida, I’ve enjoyed one too many bubble teas/boba drinks (or milk tea, as they call it here), almost always from little shops or kiosks at the market, and one unfortunate time I drank expired milk tea from 7-11. Teabags are easy to find at the market, but expect to pay a little more for brands such as Lipton. I also recently gave milk here a shot. It came in a convenient little pouch, and while it was a bit sweeter than I was expecting, I would drink it again!Food is a common language in itself, no matter what part of the world you are in. While I do tend to cook at my apartment a lot, eating out is a terrific opportunity to practice the language, and experience the culture. Food has always been a great way for people to come together. Don’t let your diet restrictions or preferences keep you from trying new items. It’s alright, and reasonable to be hesitant, but don’t bridge on paranoia. I think it’s very important that I take advantage of traditional dishes and distinct tastes I can only find in China (that also of course won’t put me in the hospital). One of my favorite treats so far looks like a “bath bomb,” but it actually a mini jam filled fried cake, a traditional Tianjin snack.

Some of the most delicious things I’ve eaten so far on this trip have been from street vendors! I’ve also become a huge fan of hotpot and “malatang.” With both hotpot and malatang, you choose from an array of fresh and raw ingredients that are cooked and typically served in a broth with spices of your choosing. Malatang is meant to be spicy, although I prefer mine mild.

For hotpot, you choose your ingredients, and cook and serve yourself from a boiling pot in the center of the table which you share with friends/family (or, you can have yourself a hotpot party of one). The places I’ve been to for malatang featured shelves of baskets of ingredients which you fill a bowl with, depending on what you want and how much you want (vegetables, noodles, protein, etc). You pay by weight, and your bowl of ingredients gets cooked right before your eyes. You can hit every food group enjoying malatang or hotpot!

12067306_10153197878702547_20093053_n — Hotpot happiness.

I’ve been incredibly satisfied after every meal I’ve eaten out. Aside from drinking that bad milk tea (my own fault, for not checking the expiry date), I have not had any real issues with food in China. Every person is different and some people adjust to foreign cuisines a bit faster than others. Several people on the internship decided to go vegetarian while in China, at least to start, and that’s something to consider if you’re headed to a foreign country with a sensitive stomach. Just take your time and take advantage of trying different foods. There will be plenty of it, around every street corner. Just keep an open mind, and as the saying goes, “when in China…”

Love from Tianjin ♥

China: Taking on Tianjin II

Touring around Tianjin

The first few days in Tianjin were rainy and gloomy. Much preferred over it being sunny and humid, so that hasn’t stopped us from seeing a few sights and exploring the area around where we would be living. Fellow teachers Lynn and Crystal took us around Tianjin our second day here. Our first stop was the Tianjin Eye, which driving from the train station to our apartment the day before, was the first sight I saw in the distance. They have just opened up a ferris wheel in Orlando, but I didn’t get to ride it before I left, so I was super excited to see this one! Unfortunately, it wasn’t in operation due to the weather, but it’s something to definitely look forward to.

Crystal and Lynn took us to Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, or Guwenhua Jie, an area not too far from my apartment where handmade local items are sold, such as clay masks of the Chinese opera and wooden hair combs. There are also plenty of traditional Tianjin street foods available. The items in the stores are expensive, as this area caters to tourists (maybe not so if you are better at bargaining in Mandarin than I am!) but the prices to sample local snacks were very reasonable. I had street food and survived!

I couldn’t tell you the names of things I ate, but can describe them. First were these delicious mini rice cakes with jam on top that had the texture of a cornbread muffin, an egg and flour crepe with bread folded into it, and tea soup. The tea soup wasn’t for me, but I loved the rice cakes and crepe!

11922934_10153138112762547_136573273_n — Adorable little rice cake queen.

11948065_10153138113012547_923147259_n — We’ve got strawberry, peach, blueberry, kiwi, mango, and mystery jelly!

We walked around a few different malls for the rest of the afternoon. I don’t think I will ever get used to how huge the malls in China are. The last one we ended up at had four floors, but there were basically two of these malls next to each other. Way too many to tackle in one day, so we stuck to a couple of floors. Clothes are more expensive than I thought they were going to be here. I mean, I guess it’s expensive for me, your friendly neighborhood professional thrifter. It’s a little disappointing considering I packed really light in hopes of picking up some things here, but it looks like that will have to wait. I did hear of a popular website for clothes though, called taobao.com. The entire website is in Mandarin, though, of course.

Our late lunch was a meal in one of the many restaurants of this mall, called TJ Tex Mex. I know it’s a little strange to want to eat Mexican while in China, but for some reason, I always crave Chipotle when I’m traveling. It just reminds me of home, and I also know that Mexican is always a safe bet with my allergies. I ordered a Guacamole Bowl, and while it wasn’t Chipotle, it hit the spot and I was very satisfied.

Crystal, Lynn and I at an outdoor food court in one of Tianjin's many shopping plazas. — Crystal, Lynn and I at an outdoor food court in one of Tianjin’s many shopping plazas.

11938057_10153138113367547_233712076_n — Guac Bowl, come to me!

Tianjin and I have gotten along quite well so far. As a bonus, I’m pretty sure I spotted a Mexican restaurant in the mall that was close to our apartment. And, I’m pleased to inform y’all that to this date, I’ve taught three classes! I will share more details about my teaching center, my first few lessons, and the students soon… but to say the least, it’s been great so far.

Here’s to a four day weekend to prep for my lessons to come. Hope you all have a terrific week!

Love from Tianjin ♥