I would like to invent time travel

We visited the Temple of Heaven today. The top of the complex was my favorite part of the day. To the right was sprawling Beijing. Buildings spread densely across the city, along with new skyscrapers being built in the distance. To the left were beautiful mountains with little houses mixed in for effect. It felt like the epicenter of Beijing.

We then went to a show that had a lot of acrobatics and intensity. It wasn't authentic, but it was entertaining. I got to sit next to Tad during the show - I love that man.

The game's over. Nick and I are leaving for Haerbin, China tomorrow. Erik persuaded us into visiting this city because of the Russian influence, the interesting sights, and the city atmosphere. From there we will be heading to Dandong. What's in Dandong? Well, this is the place where you can see the end of the Great Wall in the east. Supposedly, it's just a steep drop off into mountains. Exciting. This isn't even the good part about Dandong. The #1 listed sight for this city is their location. In Dandong you can see North Korea. F'ing North Korea. You can see a bridge that used to connect the two and even take a boat right up next to the country. This is what made me go on the trip. I would just go to Dandong, take the boat ride, and come home; but the trip is going to be a good time.

We're shooting to return on Friday so I will be MIA for awhile. For those Foreign Object fans, don't fret. We will be filming some episodes on location and hopefully getting them posted next weekend. Meanwhile, enjoy the first four episodes and prepare yourself for some new scenery.

I'm off to pack and sleep. 11 1/2 hour train ride tomorrow. I'm aiming to finish the last Harry Potter book. I don't like it so far. My theory is that this book isn't as good as the others, just that everyone was caught up in the hype of wanting to finish it before everyone else. Either way, I'm still interested to finish it and I'll have more than enough time over the next week.

Have a good week.

Look at pictures from this summer. They will hold you over. I'll be back before you know it. It's going to be so good.



Picture(s) of the Day







Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!

to the back of the bus

Nick and I posted Episode 4 tonight. We actually took time to edit this one so enjoy the final product. If you have any ideas for future episodes, feel free to let me know through commenting below.

http://www.youtube.com/group/foreignobjects

Erik is on a boat right now to Korea (South). He will be on that boat for another twelve hours from right now. He is in no country. That's interesting to think about.

I don't have a picture for the 'Where are Nick and Austin going on National Week Game?' so here is a textual clue:

The second city we are staying in is the closest Chinese city to North Korea. Name that city.

We leave Saturday at noon. I'm excited for us to figure out this country by ourselves. We're coming for you China.


You're still here with me. Don't forget that.

Last night's post, today

Yesterday Nick and I managed to get our train tickets to blank for National Week. There was very little English being thrown around at the train station, but we pulled some strings and got what we needed (thanks to a Chinese man who knew English). We leave Saturday at 12:30pm for an 11 1/2 hour train ride.

Last night was the Chinese Moon Festival. This is the time of year everyone spends with their family and friends, eats moon cake, and drinks - I think. After a 2 hour journey through scuzzy parts of Beijing we got to the bar district and had a good time. Every adventure brings about new experiences and stories when you are in Beijing.


Picture of the Day




Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!




Picture #3 in the "Guess Where Nick and Austin are Going for National Week" contest:




Erik leaves tomorrow morning for South Korea. I wish him luck as he attempts to step foot into the North. For the record, my shirt and tie will be traveling with him as he crosses. Tomorrow officially starts life in China without Erik the Tour Guide.

Star Nosed Mole

We have finally posted Episode 3 of Foreign Objects. I apologize for the lengthy delay between episodes; we'll try to get another one started quick.

http://www.youtube.com/group/foreignobjects


Here's Picture #2 in the "Guess Where Nick and Austin are Going for National Week" contest:




Picture of the day:




Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!

missing is caring

Today was Silk Market Round 2: This Time It's Personal. I spent a good amount on some great presents for some loved ones. I got my dad a chess board, my mom a jewelery box, and my grandparents a vase (see below). While Erik and I were waiting for his pants to be stitched up, a female vendor kneed me in the back of the leg when I wasn't looking. It was a joke, but I was just confused and scared. I can honestly say that was the last thing I was expecting at the Market today.

October 1st starts China's National Week. Nick and I were originally going to go to Shanghai, but we decided against it because I wanted to go into Western China. My trip would have taken too long so Erik helped us plan another trip. I'm not going to say anything else about the trip, but I'll just give picture clues. We are going to two different towns and they are both in China. Here's clue #1:



Good luck.


Picture of the day




Did you know there's a country between France and Spain?

my panic research was no help

Every now and then, China throws you some loops. Today we experienced the extremities of the country as we wondered around Beijing for twelve hours. We went to a park, visited the business district (with actual skyscrapers), found a state-of-the-art mall, experienced embassies, and explored our way through a bar district. Oh, and I ate McDonald's for the first time on international soil - a Big Mac in Beijing tastes the same as one in Naperville.

My favorite moment is shown below. It's the biggest LCD screen in Asia. It sits in the middle of a mall and plays intense graphics every now and then. We sat and stared at this screen because we could not believe China managed to fit this into Beijing.

imissyou

Picture(s) of the day:

The afternoon view



The evening view





Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!

That girl's got a cute butt

She stood up today. It was the first time I have seen her walk in twenty-two days. Damn, I miss that.

Should've said told you so

While in KFC today I received a lesson on why I should carry my camera more often. In their downstairs seating area they had a time line of sorts including the decades with random pictures. 1960s, 1950s, 1940s, 1939s. Wait, did that say 1939s? Why yes, it did.

If you enjoy Motion City Soundtrack, go listen to their new album, Even If It Kills Me. You should love it. They consistently produce solid rock songs with a poppy center that keeps you coming back. I'm hooked.

I learned how to tell time in Chinese today. I felt like I accomplished something. Unfortunately, the class is slowly being separated into two groups. The first group is made of kids like Nick and I who have no experience with Asian language and are having a difficult time decoding the complexities of the language. The other group is the kids who have taken Japanese and are familiar with the characters and sounds that the eastern languages seem to produce. We aren't friends. We constantly have post-class brawls. Oh, and then there's Tad. Uncle Tad. Tadders. He's in his own group. It's made up of people who still struggle to say hello after fifteen days of class.

I apologize for the delay of the 3rd Foreign Objects episode. We're trying to take our time and make this one count. There are also some contractual disputes which are slowing down the machine. Apparently, China wants royalties from the episodes so we're fighting 1.3 billion people. Sometimes comedy is just so damn hard.

I really enjoy Rihanna's "Shut Up and Drive".


Picture of the Day (I lost count.)




Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!

Tad Lehe and the Licorice Philosophy

We started filming the 3rd episode of Foreign Objects today and it should be finished tomorrow night. We're taking it a little slower these days; greatness can't be rushed. I had my first pizza and ice cream cone in Beijing today. The pizza was delicious, but the ice cream cone was a little off. Nick and I sat with Erik while he ate dinner at KFC. It was an odd sensation. It felt like I was in Naperville, but twenty-five Chinese people happened to be eating at the same restaurant. I have an address so if you'd like to send me presents, I can get it to you.

Picture of the Day



Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!

I wash the windows outside

Jason and I decided to challenge some Chinese guys to a basketball game today. Unfortunately, my lack of competitive basketball skill mixed with the wonderful Chinese air left Jason on a team by himself. We lost by around 6 to a kid wearing a Laker's shirt and another wearing a Yankees hat. Globalization really bit us in the ass this time.

Picture of the Day



Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!

The Silk Market

Today we visited the Silk Market and I found everything I wanted from China in five floors. Hundreds of people crammed together, vendors tugging at your arm, cheap prices everywhere, and hysteria around every corner. I found some great deals and will be back again very soon to get some shopping out of the way. America needs bargaining, it makes shopping fun.

Pictures of the Day

Back to Pictures

Pictures of the Day

Foreign Objects Group

Here is the location where all of the videos will be posted. Episode 2 was posted tonight (this morning if you live in the central time zone). Enjoy our creations and keep checking back for more episodes.

http://www.youtube.com/group/foreignobjects

Tree?

I apologize for a lack of updates today. It was rainy in Beijing which limited the places we could go. They use cardboard boxes for mini-bridges in the streets. They love barbershops here, but there's one "shop" that is a lady by herself in a store that is shaped as a box. She has full haircutting supplies available. We think it's a prostitution sting.

No pictures today. We worked on some Foreign Object footage so my camera was used in other ways. Expect significant changes tomorrow.

I
Call you up
Every night
Telephone
Wow
You’re singing there
Every night
With the microphone
My
Favorite place
Fall asleep
Next to you
So
I wait at home
Patiently
Don’t be late
Alright

You're Still Here With Me

Technology allowed my girlfriend and I to reunite today. It was the first time she was able to find internet in Naperville (it took China 2 days, and it's taking Naperville over 10 days...?) and we were able to talk this morning. I met Corinne after I decided to go on this trip so our relationship has changed the meaning of China/Japan for me. It has now turned into a great test of patience, but we have something great and I know she'll be there as soon as I set foot on U.S. soil. I'm a lucky boy.

We traveled to the Summer Palace today (insert Wikipedia search). At first, I was apprehensive about the field trip, but the Palace grew on me as we continued to walk. Beijing's smog didn't help some of the views, but the glamour and enormity of the place made for an enjoyable day. I was also able to accumulate 10 postcards for about .50 cents so check your mailbox in about a week. Yes, you. And you.


China Picture of the Day #10 (If the numbering is ever off I apologize. I cannot look at the blog once it is posted due to the Great Firewall of China. Therefore, I may lose count from time to time so don't be alarmed. I know your well-being relies heavily on what is produced on this page so I'm trying my best.)




Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia! Day 10

A Lack of Dryers

Amongst all of these new foods I have eaten over the past week and a half, I realized I ate broccoli for the first time in my life today. It wasn't as noteworthy as eel, Muslim food, or spine (all foods that have been eaten by at least one person on this trip) but it was a personal goal when I finally realized it. No longer am I the picky eater who just wants macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, now I have successfully added a legitimate vegetable to my food intake. Growing up comes at odd times.

I washed my clothes today for the first time in Asia. There are no dryers in China so the picture below is what occurs when you have to make due.

China Picture of the Day #9




Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia! Day 9

I apologize to the loyal fans of the "Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia!" series, but Nick and I were busy today so I didn't get around to catching him in picture. However, this video should hold you over until tomorrow's picture. Enjoy.

Foreign Objects - Episode 1


Zaijian

Uncle Tad fell asleep at the Chinese Opera

China picture of the day #8



Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia! Day 8

Hey, do you want to go get some mola tonight?

Today was the first lazy day of the trip. Slept in, did some homework, read some Potter I bought off the streets, and relaxed. For the first time in my life I ate Muslim food today. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the taste and I'll be back for some of that lamb they served us. Off to read and sleep. The Illinoisan in me says: "go bears".


China picture of the day #7



Look! Nick Devlin in Asia! Day 7

The Great Fall of China

We saw A wonder of the world today. It lived up to the hype.

China picture of the day #7




Look! Nick Devlin in Asia! Day 7

A Bird's Nest and a Bubble - How I Spent My Fifth Day in China

`Nick, Erik, and I visited the site of the Olympic Games today. We were able to see the Olympic Stadium, the swimming venue, and a couple of other venues. Beijing is not ready for the Olympics. The entire park is surrounded by worker's shanties and the dust in the area is overwhelming. Skyscrapers are being erected around the site to improve the aroma of the area, but China won't be able to hide some of the filth we saw today. Unique and state-of-the-art stadiums, but with 329 days to go, a long year doesn't seem so long.

Need to get some sleep. Off to see one of the seven wonders of the world tomorrow (yawn).

China picture(s) of the day #6





Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia! Day 6

Austin's on a vacation far away

We played a hackey sack game for 2.5 hours with a bunch of Chinese kids today. The object is not a hackey but made of rubber, little metal rings, and a bunch of feathers (picture soon). I had to talk myself into shelling over the 2 yuan (~20 cents) but i successfully bargained the price down 3 yuan. A small victory, but I was satisfied with my first bargain that worked in my favor.

China Picture of the Day #5




Look! Nick Devlin in Asia! #5

14 million people and we found this guy

China picture of the day #4

Hey! Nick Devlin's in Asia! Day 4!

Currently, the playback feature of Google Video isn't available in your country.

This is the message I received after searching for videos on the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989. Basically, any major information created from a source outside of China is blocked on the internet.

Erik took us to Tiananmen Square today and we experienced our first rush-hour train (as you can see below). Today was also momentous in that I tried to bargain for the first time. I was unsuccessful at buying a Harry Potter book, I pissed off a lady showing me a Mao bag which I never wanted in the first place, and I was charged too much for ice cream (but it was worth it). The size of Beijing is overwhelming, but it manages to present so much opportunity at the same time.

Tad Lehe said, "Let's get naked," today.

China picture of the day #3:




Look! Nick Devlin's in Asia! Day 3:

Welcome to Beijing

We arrived last night in Beijing and got to the University around 11p.m. Immediately we were thrown into the mix and had our first Chinese class this morning along with tai chi in the afternoon; a 76 year old man almost broke my arm and hit another guy in the crouch. No messing around here. More updates coming soon, off to take part in the night-life.

China picture of the day #1:



Look! NickDevlin in Asia! Day 1:

(coming soon)

China picture of the day #2:



Look! Nick Devlin in Asia! Day 2:

"let's circle the wagons"

In 12 hours I will be departing for my fall study abroad trip in China and Japan. In the past couple years it's been a goal of mine to live overseas and in a couple of days I'll be able to cross that off my "list of things to do before i die" list. My itinerary:

01 Sep Chicago/O'Hare (12:30pm) to Tokyo/Narita (3:25pm Sep 2nd)
02 Sep Tokyo/Narita (6:00pm) to Beijing (8:55pm)

25 Oct Beijing (1:55pm) to Osaka/Kansai (5:45pm)

17 Dec Osaka/Itami (8:30am) to Tokyo/Narita (9:50am)
17 Dec Tokyo/Narita (12:10pm) to Chicago/O'Hare (8:30am)

Besides this information we are uninformed about any other details about the trip - classes, times, transportation in Beijing, etc. I'm not scared, but excited that we'll be thrown into Beijing and have to figure it out all on our own. In France the entire two weeks was organized down to the hour so this will be a new experience - and a much more individualized one as I will be figuring out a lot on my own. Professor Tad Lehe will be joining us on the trip and as some of you may know, is a Tad scattered. He has not e-mailed us once since we left school and I wouldn't be surprised if we left tomorrow without him on the airplane. Supposedly last years chaperone - Professor Broadhead - was e-mailing weekly, so this trip is not off to the best of starts as far the Professor goes.
I visited Corinne last night and said goodbye to her this morning. Without getting too personal, leaving her was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. However, we both know it is nothing but hellos from here on out and we're both confident we'll make this work. Our relationship is a little unique in that our entire relationship has occurred with the knowledge that I would be leaving in September. It will be good for both of us when I come back to gain a sense of normalcy as a couple.
Small world alert. My acquaintance (sorry if this offends you in any way) Erik Mothersbaugh informed me a couple of months ago that he would also be embarking on a study abroad trip in Asia. Erik is a fellow CLS alum (along with Scott Olsen, the American Idol guy, and Tawny Stone) and goes to Augustana. We shared our trip information, but found out we wouldn't be in any of the same cities at any time in the fall. However, I read Erik's blog the other day and he said he was leaving O'Hare Saturday @ 10am. Upon reading a friendly e-mail from myself, Erik realized he was leaving at 12:30 pm on Saturday, thus putting him on the same flight as yours truly. The Seans would be so proud.
While in Asia I will not be able to access the internet everyday, but you can expect some treats every now and then. I will be posting a Picture of the Day and then I will be posting a seperate Nick Devlin Picture of the Day. No, Nick will not be taking the picture, but will be starring as I give you a real-life perspective on Nick Devlin in Asia. If you know Nick, you should have at least chuckled right there. Nick and I are also in the beginning stages of creating weekly webisodes in Asia. At this time no details will be shared, but stayed tuned for more information.
My last American meal was a Mesquite Chicken with Bacon from Quiznos. Although Michael Cera refers to it as "Shitnos" I have grown to love this sandwich and support Shitnos 100%. Just get there before 7pm because they like to close early, thus receiving burning crosses in front of their store.
Well, I think that about sums it up. It's officially September 1st and time to leave. I'm apprehensive and nervous, but mostly excited. It's not everyday you come across a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I've got one in my suitcase upstairs. Wish me luck.
Oh, I bought a cardigan at the Village Discount a couple of weeks ago and Corinne sewed up the sleeves. It has become my favorite article of clothing, pushing my Johnny and the Leisure Suits hat to 2nd place.
Have fun this fall.