GREETINGS FROM CHINA Ni Hao!! Don’t know if I spelled it correctly (in English) but it means “Hello” in Mandarin.

My family and I have been here for two weeks now and are due to return to the US in a week. Life in China is quite different than in the US and it constantly leaves me in a state of awe and wonder. From the language to the architecture to the food to the fashion to the medicine I am always aware that I am a stranger in a land that is strange to me. Whenever I walk down the street in the province where we stay I draw second glances that most don’tbother to mask such is their “surprise” or maybe awe and wonder, too. I have not seen too many people of color here much less with locs that are red!! Beijing is a 10 min drive away and is much more like NY in that there is much more diversity and activity on a variety of levels a la most big cities. To be honest, I don’t know where to begin……………

The day we arrived (after a 13 hour direct flight!!!) at the International Airport we commented on how efficient the Chinese system is with regards to moving large groups of people through the various checkpoints. At one point there’s an automated thermometer that takes the temperature of every person that walks through it. The attendants wear surgical masks. I assume they want to make sure every person entering the country is healthy. Upon picking up our luggage and heading towards our ride we marveled at how squeaky CLEAN the garage is!!! The paint is fresh and the ground cars drive over looks like it was recently waxed. I mix up past and present tense because it was 2 weeks ago, but no doubt still looks that way this very minute. There’s a twelve hour time difference between NY and Beijing, so jet lag was a bear!

One of my first activities once we were settled was a massage. The exchange rate here is in favor of the dollar so by the time we’d been here 5 days I’d had 3 massages. After the third one I noticed one of my lymph nodes was swollen and I had a terrible headache (that’s not supposed to happen AFTER a massage!!!) and it was all downhill from there. Took me a couple of days to come to the conclusion it was a lymph node as it’s location was higher on my neck than it’s ever been; imagine the place where Frankenstein’s screws are – for lack of a better example. I stayed well enough to be able to visit the Red Snail Temple located near the Great Wall. BEEEEYOUTEEFUL!! Some of the trees are over 1,000 years old!! And, there are shrines to quite a few important deities within the culture where visitors can light incense and leave it burning or kneel on cushions placed before each one to pray. We brought our lunch and enjoyed it as much as we could while mosquitoes tried to make us their’s. There’s a toboggan ride that takes you to the top of the mountain thus allowing you to further explore. As we rode to the top I longed to walk the many stairs I saw in various locations whichled to various structures. Once we disembarked I was still working out whether or not it would be possible to climb them considering we were in a group. I finally voiced my desire, asking if I could meet everyone at a specific location if we synchronized our watches. Much to my surprise, after some harrumphing, everyone decided to come along. OMG!!! It took about 20 mins and a lot of sweat, pain and determination but we did it!! At one point I kept reminding myself how life breaks us down only to reward us for a job well done as I forced myself up one step at a time. WHAT a feeling to make it to the top of HEAVEN’S GATE (the name of the structure we chose). I took off my shoes and placed my feet on the earth for a few minutes as I looked out over the rolling hills and took deep breaths, grinning broadly while I enjoyed a few minutes alone in this place. As we descended the way we came, I had the bright idea to count the stairs – 888!!!!! ONE WAY!!! They make the stairs in Santa Monica, CA avid exercise enthusiasts frequent INSIGNIFICANT!! Our legs were shaking like jello afterwards and the pain that stayed with us varied in the coming days – but it was sooooooooooo worth it.

The next day had me on my back and I swore an elephant was sitting on my head as I lay in bed. My stress levels were a bit high as I was scheduled to sing a few songs a few days later at a party that had been set up to welcome me here. So, I set off to find an acupuncturist with the guidance of my girlfriendwho lives here. We rode bikes to a few locations as she made calls and subsequently found a place where I could receive Traditional Chinese Medicine. Since that day, I performed successfully - albeit I had to concentrate harder on technique as I was at 70% and I was with the restaurant’s house band (it was painful without my BAND) – and have returned to receive treatment 6 times.

The TMC treatments I have received have ranged from acupuncture, to cupping, to scraping (I HATE that), to lying on hot bean bags, foot soaks with herbs, a box that holds 4 cigar sticks of “moxa” (mugwort)that’s placed on the affected area, to dietary changes as per the doctor’s orders. I am proud to say I have not taken a Claritin in almost a week as my hives have NOT come back due to a recommendation to include a certain fruit in my diet which cools the liver – and it works!!! I have spent too much money and time in search of help for these hives only to come here and within two doctor visits to have been given a recommendation that has been successful. HALLELUJAH!! One thing I can say is that the Chinese doctor’s assessment of the cause of my sickness is connected to the very thing that is the cause of my hives – I’ve been told that very thing at home as well so kudos to my US healing contingent; I just recommend they come here for a stint to add to their knowledge.

My birthday is in 2 days and it’s pretty cool I’m here!!

The shopping is GREAT!!! Tiring, because you get to haggle at the YA SHOW Mall I like to go to, but always an experience I don’t regret. One realizes just how much more we pay in the West for items whose tags read “Made In China” – I’ve heard tell it’s a 400% markup, and I believe it.

Well, I am tired and getting eaten up by mosquitoes as I close this out. Thank you for staying with me throughout my journey and

STAY WELL,

Simone


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