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Visiting friends in Shenzhen.

/ knox / Leave a comment

entry: 6/15/13

So I’m in Shenzhen staying with a couple of friends whom I met in Qingdao, Brice (French) and Genesis (Alabama),  they  have relocated here. I’m on a visa run (I have to check out of the country every 90 days). Ive been considering moving to a larger city, being that I’m from LA, Qingdao tends to be a bit small. I figure why not do my visa run in Hong Kong which is 30 min away, but take the time to visit Shenzhen and see what the city is about. I must admit I quite like it, its large, modern and warmer. There’s a lot of foreigners, I notice many of the chinese are from various parts of the country. Shenzhen appears to be a city built to be a sister city for HK.  We have been getting crunk every day, especially at a place called coco plaza, which is a block radius/plaza with nothing but clubs and bars.

Did I forget to mention that good ol Gen, wanted me to feel like home (America) and decided to make some burgers, but she thought it would be a great idea to put the grill on top of her washing machine made out of plastic lol. Good times!

brice, me and gen.

what happened?

My mom came to visit me in China.

/ knox / Leave a comment

entry: 6/9/13

What’s crazy is seeing my mom struggle to communicate with locals while I effortlessly communicate in chinese lol. I didnt know I’d learned so much until she arrived ha. she consistently asks me what they’re saying….and I actually know what they’re saying DAAAAAMN. I been here too long lol.

shes struggling with chinese crab and chopsticks

I’m getting desensitized to domestic violence.

/ knox / Leave a comment

entry: 5/25/13

I was at a restaurant and I saw a girl get slapped so hard her earrings splashed on the ground like someone emptied a bag of marbles. Instead of making sure she was ok, I was making sure no one tripped on the earring pieces. tf

One of the first things I noticed when I moved here was domestic violence wasn’t rare. Alarming the first time you see it. My first episode was my 2nd month here. I saw a lady getting choked out by her bf IN FRONT of a bouncer who was watching it all go down. We were driving by and I stopped the car, and showed my friends what was going on. They were hesitant, but I demanded they get him off her as he was mounted on top of her and choking her out with 2 hands. Needless to say, the guy  was upset. My boy is a 6ft 4 italian so it was funny to watch the guy try to swing on him in a drunken rage, but I was especially alarmed when the dude ran off into the night, only for him to come back with a metal pipe. Guess who threw themselves in front of him when my friend was about to bash his head in? The girl! wtf.  Its also not rare to hear various neighbors getting into scuffles in just about every apt complex I’ve lived in. You hear glasses break, yelling, fighting, and the cops are never called.

My theory is the lack of communication in relationships as the cause. Chinese have a save face culture. Talking it out is quite rare. I noticed that when something goes wrong, a simple sorry and ignore is the way to go, however we all know that if you’re pissed off……being quiet about it isn’t the way to squash beef. Talking it out is….so what happens is eventually…people explode. Luckily, the level of violence isn’t actually all that physically threatening, they’re not the biggest or most powerful of people. But still…..its quite crazy!

Isn’t it funny when fat people…

/ knox / Leave a comment

entry:4/3/13

Isn’t it funny when fat people are too insecure to eat around you? Like you can’t see the physical evidence of their habit lol. Its ok man just eat you ain’t hiding nothing lol

on a different note I had to move from my complex, yea that mall, Im outta there. Just so much drama with landlords trying to rip off foreigners because they figure the weather is getting warmer and they can charge up to 50 dollars a day for rent. Ill get into this further in future posts. I love the place, just hate the owners.

I’m currently staying in Badaguan (used to be the german colony part of town) at a friends beach house until I get sorted out, into the country side…yes….I said countryside. I am moving to Chengyang (outskirts). Chen and his wife have a flat there and they’re letting me stay there for 6 months.   Oh and did I forget to mention I had issues with a stalker chick and the police got involved? HA. I was initially supposed to stay with her, but looong story which I will get into in the next couple of days for sure. In the meantime, its dinner time!

qingdao is a beach city, and thus specializes in seafood.

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and the rulers as useful”

/ knox / Leave a comment

-North Korean scholar.

entry: 2/11/13

Well, surgery done, soreness gone. Still have to rest in bed, so Ive just been playing PS3 and wrapping things up before I head back to Asia.

Heres a pretty cool article on Qingdao.

Qingdao won China’s most livable city in 2009 and 2011. Here’s why…

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/12/megacity-china.html

I had a weird dream that I opened up an MMA gym in OC with Big Foot Silva and we were recruiting all the old pride guys, brazilians and finish fighters/strikers and basically everyone that’s not a point wrestler, in an attempt to start a new organization with pride rules. lol. me, bigfoot and a table of old school brazilian coaches were negotiating how we could possibly open the organization and have a roster with all the guys from the same gym fight each other. It was an actual dilemma, and turning political. ahhahahaha :serious dream: and then I woke up. lol. RANDOM.

entry: 3/21/13

Well now that Ive gotten some rest, um Im back in China in case you’re wondering. Today I ordered chinese delivery in chinese, and gave him my address in chinese as well. I’ve been smiling all day. All chinese no english.

chen picked me up from the airport.

qingdao beer.

do I see 2 sausages and 2 patties in that sammich? yes I do.

Just got back to China 2 months ago and Im already headed back to LA

/ knox / Leave a comment

entry: 2/4/13

I have to have surgery. Had a real sharp pain in my gut, went to the hospital apparently I have gallbladder stones and I have to get the entire organ removed. O_O

entry: 2/5/13

Just hoped onto air korea. check this out ahahaha

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no looking back every man for himself!!! bwahahahaha

so yea, would you look at this, its snowing in Seoul. 😦

straight from LAX to Cedar Sinai Hospital. At least I got to cruise around sunny LA. twas such a beautiful day. I never miss coming back to LA in the winter.

time for surgery :/

Well well look what I found at the grocery store.

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giant maggots

entry: 1/9/13

Yea that’s right. Anyways Im back in Qingdao. You know what’s funny about China? Everyone complains while they’re here (me included) but once they leave they miss this place so much, and eventually end up returning. The charm, friendliness, freedom/lawlessness, special treatment being a foreigner and cheapness (that’ll make you cry) will have you miss the place so much. Out of all my friends I think I was the only one that didn’t complain about returning home, but that was because I’m from one of the best and warmest cities in the world, and id been away for 2 years – I was basking in my vacation.  China will be my home for a couple more years, it leaves an everlasting impression on you. I recommend everyone visit before they die.

Can Air China get anymore stereotypical?

/ knox / Leave a comment
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lol

entry: 12/6/12

In case you’re wondering I’ve been in the U.S for the past 2 months. I am on my way back to Qingdao. Missed my damn flight in SF, spent a night there,now I’m in Korea headed back. You know whats funny? They always seat me in the first row next to the exit so I dont have to walk (thats what we will call it) to the back and be near the restroom. Thing is, during an emergency my slow ass is first to exit since im responsible for opening the hatch. I figure about 50 people will perish from my down time haha

my ride is here. talk to yall later.

I went to the hospital. mens restroom was like satans restroom

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entry: 9/2/12

I went to the hospital. mens restroom was like satans restroom, so I went to the ladies restroom…thats where I saw the biggest pile of dump I’ve ever seen humanly possible. It looked like an elephant took it. She clearly needed to be there. Oh and it wasn’t in a western style toilet, it was on the chinese kind, which pretty much means the floor. I need a vacation.

entry: 9/3/12

Didn’t even care today, slept thru the drilling, the mini TnT, the sledgehammer, the walls shaking. I can officially sleep through a war. I have been hardened. +1 Knox.

entry: 9/4/12

It’s like you get used to the construction only for them to get louder more aggressive the next day. X-/ -1 Knox

entry: 9/5/12

her: how old are you?
me: 31 in a month
her: are you married?
me: no
her: kids?
me: no
her: wtf are you doing with your life?
me: living exceptionally well because of neither. lol.

entry: 9/18/12

Great. They closed the Jusco (supermarket) downstairs because of protests. Now there’s military police with water cannons guarding it. Luckily Qingdao hasn’t been too bad, but you can feel the nationalism. I just muttered the word Japanese in my lobby and people gave me a sharp stares. Crazy.

entry: 9/19/12

So every day between the hours of 8-9pm, these old chinese women are doing tai chi and yoga in front of the mall with chinese music playing on a PA which can be heard a good 2 block radius. Now, I’m not against ethnic music, I’ve traveled many places and can appreciate most. But chinese music is hands down some of the worst piece of music ever. It’s sounds like 2 cats in heat. Read this exactly how I write it. MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOOOOOOW – MEOW ME-OW – ME-OW MEOW MEEE-OW MEEEEEEOOOOOOOOW – MEOW MEOW ME-OOOWWWW. i just typed what I just heard pumping into my window. Every day at this time, when I hear the meows, I get up and close my window. *hater mode*

random thought: I don’t know why they call it common sense, because it’s not so common. – Knox

entry: 9/25/12

I used to complain about U.S customer service, but after living abroad, HA. not a chance. I just ordered supplies to arrive home when I get there, and the response time of those emails were within 5 minutes! Booked my appointments, done within 3 minutes. If you live in the States, you need to STFU and appreciate how easy it is to get things done. Like baby spooning. Ok ok ok I’ll call it efficiency. So quick and effective, even when it’s slow I’ll consider it fast. Today, I’m going to go to an empty bank, spend an hour having my passport passed around by 4-5 people, bit of mickey mouse gesturing from all of the above, few irrelevant questions, few bystanders like the bored security guard and receptionist, until someone ‘remembers’ how to make a transaction. Whereas in the States, it’s like GIMME YOUR CARD, HERES YOUR MONEY, NOW GTFO! I miss that.

I wish I was a hand, so my occupation could be handing out slaps.

/ knox / Leave a comment

entry: 9/1/12

I just want to give a special shout outs to the construction team that was doing work in the hallway with a sledgehammer at 8am. Thank you. I appreciate waking up to a dream that special ops were trying to kick down my door. one love.

Later in the  day, Me and Toye got into it with the taxi driver. Me being the mean one had a verbal exchange with him despite either of us speaking each others language. so it went a bit like this

Driver –获得他妈的外国人!!!!!!!!

Me– wait..wait hold up, who do you think you’re talking too????

Driver – 你!!!!!! 狗外国人!!!!!!!

Me–how about I %#$#%%#$ you #%&@%#$@????

Driver–是什么呢????????????? 我吗??????????

Driver — 拧你，你的母亲，祖先，全家好吗!

Me– oh really?????? me???? *humping gesture* @%# I will $@%$@%#!!!!!!!

Driver– 狗!!!!!!!!

Me– *finger* a@@h@l@!!!!!!!!

Driver–你的母亲!!!!! *humping gesture*

Me– @#$# you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Driver — *go away gesture*

Me– *snatches change from his hand*