Summer heat, new friendships and new experiences in Hangzhou
Summer in Hangzhou surprised us with feeling temperatures sometimes reaching 55 degrees. We had underestimated the heat, and as the days got hotter, we were very happy to have air conditioning in our apartment. Unfortunately, it failed precisely during the hottest days, which unfortunately made it quite hot in our apartment as well. Fortunately, this problem was solved in one day by a quick replacement of the air conditioner. This is something we experience more often here in China, the incredibly fast service. Very nice!
On summer weekends, it was and is trying to escape the heat by exploring new places. So we found coolness in shopping malls, museums, and outdoor pools on top of hotels. Outdoor swimming pools are scarce in Hangzhou though as Chinese people prefer to shun the sun.
A highlight was visiting a local cave with other expats. Expecting it to be cooler there, everyone brought a vest. However, the high humidity made it hot even in the cave, so the vests are definitely not needed in summer. The cave offered a spectacular view, with a typical Chinese light show, and on the way back we opted for an exciting water slide down – fortunately we had bought ponchos, because we got quite wet!
Despite the heat, we also sought other adventures. Indeed, from a Chinese language school, a team was assembled to participate in the dragon boat race in the city. With only one practice session beforehand, it was quite a challenge to stay in the same rhythm with the rest of the team. The race was a unique opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture, and although we did not win, we enjoyed the local festival associated with it, including traditional dishes such as Zongzi, a stuffed rice dumpling, which is traditionally eaten with the dragon boat festival. Since our team was the only one made up of mostly Western people, we were very interesting to all the media present during the race. Thus, several interviews were given by our team following the race.
However, our summer in Hangzhou was not just about trips. So we also made new friendships, me especially through the Girl Gone International (GGI) group. This community of international women in the city helps each other answer questions and organizes regular meetings and activities, which is a nice way to meet new people. GGI groups occur all over the world, can be found on Facebook but have a WeChat group for members. For example, in China, there are GGI groups in 7 major cities. By getting to know people from all over the world, we learn a lot about other cultures and, among other things, tips can be exchanged about life in China.
We also made friendships with 2 Chinese families. Colleagues of Guus who invited us to go camping with them for a day. Which in our eyes means: going away for a night. But what in Chinese culture means: spending the day together in nature. But in the evening just going home again. So no sooner said than done, we joined an incredibly delicious barbecue with the most delicious homemade dishes! We also learned to play the original version of Mahjong, which was difficult but also very fun.
As summer comes to an end and we prepare for a short vacation, we look back on a season full of warmth, new experiences, and beautiful moments. Despite the challenges, we continue to enjoy all that Hangzhou has to offer us. We are eager to see what the next adventures will bring us!
Greetings, Lieven
