Recipe for a Good Time

*note: it is recommended that appropriate Chinese is learned beforehand, however end result can still yield successful without it, as long as French guy is involved.

Ingredients:

2 sets of long underwear, both tops and bottoms

1 pair jeans

2 pair sweatpants

2 long sleeved shirts

1 hoodie

2 sets gloves

Team with that French guy :)

2 sets socks (one wool)

1 pair hiking boots

1 super-warm China scarf

1 pair earmuffs

1 hat

1 large [red] China fabulous coat

1 fabulous Nikon camera

Approximately 25 packages of “Hot Hands” and “Toasty Toes”

1 ticket to the Harbin Snow & Ice Festival

1 French guy

Assembled English teachers

 

-First, assemble all clothing items. Then, put them on. Be sure to allow room for your blood to still flow and not cut off circulation. If you need to take a pit stop at a fancy bank to put on more clothes, go ahead and do it. Don’t let the Chinese people staring at you be intimidating; they’d be staring at you anyways.

-If needed {uhm…yes}, place “Hot Hands” and “Toasty Toes” into designated locations.

-Find the bus that will take you to the festival. Before taking a strangers directions, be sure to have it confirmed by at least 3 other people, or else you may end up walking in circles in 0 degree weather for a period of 40 minutes or longer.

-Once the bus is found, purchase the expensive ticket to the festival and ride the overcrowded bus for approximately 30 minutes. Get off when everyone else does.

-Stand in awe at the ice before you. Don’t stand too long; keep your blood moving.

-Enter the park, continue to marvel at the ice and lights. Laugh internally as a sculpture of a bottle of vodka and Harbin beer greet you into the festival.

vodka...

-Walk around and talk with English teachers and French guy. Make comments, continue to marvel at the ice.

-Follow the crowd of people and marvel at various snow sculptures as well.

-Take as many paictures as you possible can with that camera. It dosen't matter if it's dark outside, you're at an ice&lights festival.

-Gather the group of English teachers and French guy together various times for group photos.

-If necessary, pose for pictures with the natives. Do not be alarmed if they walk up to you, grab your arm, and point you in the direction of a camera.

-For an extra zest, be sure to try out the various types and sizes of ice slides. Be sure there is extra padding around your bum region.

-Be sure to listen to your fingers and toes. They’ll be sure to tell you when time is just about up.

-Use the French guy to ask a policeman the direction of the return bus; don't just wander as your fingers and toes are screaming at you by this point.

-Upon your exit of winter wonderland be sure to get your body to a good source of heat pronto.

 

A great final memory to leave Harbin on!

Tomorrow our team is hoppin' on a plane and starting our month long journey. 

First stop... Xi'an!