Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Hangzhou and Christmas Report



Alex is here!!! :) We were in Shanghai 2 weeks ago... It was quite awesome. I finally realized I can get around in China using my Chinese. A fun thing ;) We went to see the Pearl Tower, the one I feared to go on with David. It was pretty cold and cloudy. So, you can go up two levels – to the middle or the top. The top is a really expensive trip, it's better to stick with the middle. It is definitely something cool to see, but it is quite boring and I'd have no interest to go there again. . .

What I always liked about Shanghai is the People's square. People can say whatever they want, that it's just ''one of t-h-o-s-e overrated tourist destinations'' but I really think it's impressive how beautiful it is. A park in the middle of a busy city. A perfect place to take photos. It just the clouds would let though some sun.

So well, we went to Nanjing. Nanjing is not interesting this time a year. It's cold, dark, rainy. Xinjiekou has a lot of cheesy (przypalowe) Christmas decorations, which all remind us that China is hosting the 2008 Olympics. We went to see the Confucius temple, but never actually made it there. It was nice, we hang out with David a couple of times, went shopping, to the photo machines. And the Mao Kong restaurant, and also FuckDonalds. A lot of times, which makes me almost embarrassed, as I am totally opposed to that company.

So Christmas was coming, and maybe spending it in Nanjing wouldn't be the best idea. We wanted a nice place and a pretty Christmas. So on the 23rd we decided to go to Hangzhou. The same day we went to get train tickets (6 hours), booked a hostel and packed. So out train was leaving at 7am... It was so cold outside, but felt so good to leave Nanjing. 6 hours train ride was so totally no problem for me, as I had a great pillow ( ;P) So ok, we decided that there is no more sitting in. So on Monday when we came, we decided to go to the city center, as it was too late and everything else was closed. So we ended up in this posh area with Gucci and Rolex stores.. hm we went to a cafe called Honeymoon dessert. So we had a honeymoon dessert, which was really expensive, but it was definitely the best coconut milkshake I've ever had in my life.

Tuesday we went to see Linyin Temple, and we made this one little mistake of not eating breakfast, not wearing warm clothes, and not drinking coffee. (was that one or am I bad at maths?) It was really beautiful. Lo-ve-lyy. The most impressive was on temple where they had loads and loads of statues of monks. They all had a different 'style'. Some were laughing, some were looking angrily, some were gazing playfully, and some were examining the people walking past.

Alex is not a careful child and tripped and bumped his head and bent back a couple of his fingers.:O

So in the evening it was Christmas, when we came back from the temple we were so cold tired and hungry but we just passed out for a couple of hours. And when we woke up, Alex took me out on a Christmas dinner date to a place... Lou wai lou... When we saw it we were both speechless for like... several minutes. Coz it was a freaking place that I would imagine the president to take his wife out... It was totally cool. I've never been on a date in SUCH a place ;) And we ordered a couple of dishes: the speciality in Hangzhou, a fish in sweet and sour souce, which I loved so much that I think I ate it all :P Lotus root which was sweet (nice), chicken served cold (mmm), mushrooms which tasted like ohhhh, so good, a shrimp and other things dish... oh, it was all so good. And then we came back and I felt asleep, and I haven't slept that well for over a century.... oh..

and today it's already quite late so we should get going to see the West Lake.

Merry Christmas!!!

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Christmas party



Lessons learned (Ogolne wnioski)

If you are having a party, it can really boring, and really shit, but there will be loads of people as long as there is lots of food.

That's one lesson, and the second one is that no one actually treats me like a child anymore. I don't get the present, chocolates or anything from the Santa. I think that I look much older than I really am, because 1) I get to sit at the grown up table, 2) grown ups give me wine. I feel very old.

So I get to teach privately. It's two really cute kids, and a really nice family. I feel more like they want me to join their family rather than teach English. But that's really nice anyway.

But at the moment my life feels so so busy. Every day there is someone calling to meet me, someone invites me for dinner every second day. And there is such a clear symbiosis between me and those people. I know exactly what they want from me, as well as what they can give me. So I always feel like doing business. Good thing is, it's most of the time in a good atmosphere. Doesn't change the fact that I'm a grown up now, and I need to sort myself out. There are good things about being busy: not too much time to miss home, friends; there isn't that feeling of not doing anything. But a bad thing is that not doing anything is a luxury.

No more about my busyness, I'm sure there are plenty of you who are more busy. And, nevertheless, I still do have a life. (look photos)

Monday, November 26, 2007

Hey all babes, hear bout me day.


So I had one of the nicest birthdays. I think the evening walk(a day before) with Andy, Cherie, John and a guy who owns a pig set me in a pretty nice mood. So on my b-day... of course I didn't come to the first lesson. When I woke up Bunny left me small chocolates and candy in the place that I value the most – on Charlie(moj laptop) ^^ haha. And the day was like the most beautiful ever, sun was shining, it was warm. I went to classes and the teacher gave me a present.
Later, Kasia came around with a small muffin with a huge candle in it ^^ and sang me Sto Lat :) Such a nice surprise, haha :D

Later in the evening, we dressed up, and David came and gave me the most beautiful bracelet. It's got two hearts and now I always have him in my heart ^^ haha, with all the people looking at it and admiring (or do I just show it off too much?!) But it's so beautiful, so subtle and capturing, gosh. Gay men do have goooood taste.

And then all my good friends were here, we drank a beer, went out dot dot dot. The Vietnamese restaurant was so nice :) Made me laugh... all people dressed in suits and shirts, haha. I just wanted to see it happen some time in my life. Everyone celebrating my party in suits, hahaha :D But the mood was NOT too serious, which was so nice :) And also, Bunny's brother, Alex, came, and what he gave me was so well-spotted (duza porcja kawy :)) - and the comment ''I know how much you like it.'' haha, I even forgot myself :)

I got some other nice presents as well :)

And then Karaoke was freaking mint man! Not everybody came, but in the end Andy, Tom N., Tom Wilks and Rich put on a good show. I was so happy to see them enjoy themselves. I think that was the best thing, that they were so happy with me. I don't just mean them, but everyone. Really meant a lot to me, that my friends were there with me, laughing, singing for me, to me, with me. We stayed in Karaoke till 5am, I think that was about the time when Andy and I lost our voices, Jin almost fell asleep, Tom Nixon and Tom Wilks almost made out ^^ haha ;) So we went home, or when we got home, I was invited for a meal(John), haha, at 6am!!! :) And then back to he dormitory, two hours later went to work :) Hehe, now I'm ill again. Geez, I'm always ill. I've always got a cold nowadays. But at least my soar throat is a reminder of how great birthday I had. :)

Xie Xie Everyone!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Golden Poem



So I need to catch up a little bit. Except for me totally lacking organization skills, and that making me freak out a lot of the time, I think I've been having a rather happy life. I mean, I went out with my Chinese friend Sophie to FuZiMiao, which was really cool! Nice to find someone who participates in my humor. Like staring at a little boy eating food in FuckDonalds, and his parents thinking we were like mental, it's a lot of fun. I liked screaming 'Im coold' on the Chinese streets, and the people looking at me and laughing. A little dramatical, isn't it?

Also, On Monday we went to the Tepaniaki (?) Japanese restaurant for Jimmy's birthday. We all dressed up in 80's outfits, and it was a lot of fun, good food, and less good drinks. Anyway, I was sitting next to Stephen (like this guy from America) and he just loaded my bag with special things to store the Japanese alcohol in (Sake). Which I found really funny =)

And then today me, John, Andy, Cherie and some guy who has a pig went out to eat sum food. On the way back I bought one oczojebny (sorry) blanket. So I'm all fine now, happy bout my blanket.

Also me and Bunny wrote a poem, (>_<) to help my friend with homework. So I leave it here for you people to enjoy.

The shining golden rays of light flashing in the night

giving everyone who encounters it feeling of life and light

In such awe for seeing this magical sight

The boy who's flying his golden kite

Will never see a night so bright

Even if he tried to fight

His heart will never feel quite as right

The golden light turns it from black to white.

Loving you all a lot

Monday, November 5, 2007

I'm now cuter than ever! (✿◕‿◕)♡(◕‿◕✿)

I had my exam today, and I have no idea what I wrote in Chinese. Bu the teacher said it's alright coz everyone said the same thing. And yesterday I went out with some friends to take photos and I bought some cute things. Just because there is no other option.

And then after a week of illness I'm gonna make a big COME BACK! (wielki powrot)

It's just that they moved my lessons to Tuesdays, so I'm not too happy about that. I need to prepare how I'm going to play with my kidz.

I should start with a warm up:

Stand up, Sit Down, Stand up, sit down, make big circles with your hands, make small circles with your hands, sit down, stand up, RUN AROUND THE CHAIR!!!!, sit down, have a rest...

Then... I will read the new words out loud:

Supermarket, Hospital, Park, Post office, School.

I'm going to get them to repeat them after me: first whisper, then scream, then whisper, then scream...

I should make some movements associated with the places... School (pretend to read a book), supermarket (put things in your basket), hospital (pretend to be a doctor, take one kid and perform an operation on it.. I bet they will never forget this word [and I'll never see the park again]) park (pick up a imaginary flower and smell it), post office (post a letter)

Ok, next, I'll get them to say it individually if they won't fall asleep by then...

Then I should play a game... Hm... I'll put them around in a circle... have a flashcard or two to circulate, when the music stops the person with the card has to tell me what it it. If they don't know they will have to... hmm... jump on one leg around the circle? Maybe?

Then.. repeat the words and another game?

Oh, I'll just come up with it tomorrow in class... o_O maybe someone will help me...


Peace people! ღ

Monday, October 29, 2007

Halloween





So I'm ill again. The trip to the hospital was a cool thing. Something I did all on my own, and I even managed to tell the doctor what's going on... Or actually point at different places and say ''hurts''.

The woman wanted to take my blood, and do an X-ray. And when I told her that I won't have my blood taken because she got all upset. I said ''You are a very good doctor, but I'm too scared to have my blood taken.'' So she got it.. OH... and then she said I've got fever, and gave me like 7 different boxes of medicine... o_O

Also, I miss home, and my friends a lot. But now that I've talked to other people today they say they feel exactly the same. Well, it is not exactly like I'm in Europe. . .

But then in the evening, despite that I should be in bed, I went to work, to look after kids having a Halloween party ^^. Gosh, that was fun! I had this red, big wig (peruka) and I pretended to be a clown. Then the kids made a mummy (mumia) of me. And all of them were so cute!!!!!! And everyone had a costume :)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Cute parents

So things are starting to warm up a little bit. I was down for a little while (because of Chinese for the main reason, and then everything that happened practically made me feel like shit) but things start going my way, and hopefully they won't stop. I've made a couple of Chinese friends, and when I'm not too tired I can actually speak to them in Chinese. Nothing advanced but a simple conversation on how relationships for instance work in China...

What I got out of it was that:

A boy and a girl can become a couple the first day they meet.

If a boy and a girl hugs in public – that means they are together.

After one week they can break up and it's not weird at all.

A relationship becomes serious when the other person is introduced to your parents.

Those customs are a little different from the western ones. Well, the youth nowadays doesn't necessarily 'go out' with each other because they hug, also being 'boyfriend and girlfriend' doesn't really take one day... And then, to be honest parents in the West don't have any authority or 'a say' about 'love'. Of course this is all generalisations but I think it's applicable to many people.

Of course, it's a little sad that the parents are practically ignored in the West, because are often capable of giving good advice... Well, unless they are not ''updated'' and still living in the time of dinosaurs or whatever...

Ok, so the main point was that I can go through a simple conversation in Chinese, yes? :)

Well, the classes are still boring. For instance, our newspaper class teacher was repeating one question for 30 minutes assuming that we don't understand it. But it didn't come to him that we don't know the answer? Well, I have this cute key chain now hanging from my mobile phone o_O. It's a little green frog. Just to be able to find my mobile coz everyone has the same one. So I'm playing the game on my mobile, during the speaking class. Coz u can hide ur hands under the desk. The teacher was in front all the time, so she couldn't see anything. But once she came behind me I started playing with the little frog. She looked at me with this: 'What an idiot(Ola)'' expression and asked me how old I am.. I was just like: WU SUI!!!! (5) and she was like... ''okey?'' That's hilarious.. but I prefer her thinking that I'm an idiot rather than her lessons are so boring that you can't stand them? Well.. usually... I love the teacher tho... she's really cute... (◕‿◕✿) Like all Chinese people.

They all have this thing with cuteness. (◕‿◕✿) Well.. again.. in the West, people usually chose different images for themselves... mostly sexy, seductive, smart or similar type of clothing. In China everyone is cute... (◕‿◕✿) No sexy clothes, just cute. (◕‿◕✿) No smart clothes... but if you want cute...(◕‿◕✿) China's the place for you. I have some problems fitting to this image. But not really caring about what you wear also helps so even tho I end up all cute and everything... it's OK. As long as it's still me, but maybe I'll change as well.. always for better, yeah? ;)

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Buying things - today oh :)

China, sometimes it makes me really sad and apathetic, and a second later something totally unexpected makes my day. Since we had to go to lectures this weekend... or for that reason... many good things actually happened. Maybe not THAT good, but not bad... Well, so we had this fun lesson where I got to play a minister of the environment, defending myself, when the 'reporters' brought up the fact that I have 3 cars, and every holiday I do fireworks with my family... It was fun... saying in Chinese: ''yes I have 3 cars, but no driving license, so I don't ever drive them'' and the second thing no one asked about coz I was explaining that I give such a good example to people by going on the buss... Never mind... that's just a personal note... something I will laugh about when I'm 80 years old (If I live till then...)

And also I discovered something that all girl have known for centuries, but I was just backward... But to be honest... shopping... can...make..you...veryveryveryveryveryvery HAPPY :)))

Friday, September 21, 2007

After all a good day

So, something interesting finally happened. Our teachers arranged a meeting between Sheffield students (we are honestly extremely prioritised) and Chinese students doing a degree called ''Teaching Chinese as a foreign language'' But let's start from the day's very beginning. Oh, it seems so long now. Usually, every friday we have to prepare ''a bit of news'' or just something interesting to say. Because everyone got drunk yesterday there were just like – what? 10 people in class. People were speaking about their trips, about how they experience China or how their first lessons (teaching English) were. I did this small presentation about the tales of the Grimm brothers, saying that all kids know their stories, but also as adults we can learn from them. For instance, to take care of each other (Cinderella), not only to love yourself, and not to look at people's outside, but also their inside (Beauty and the Beast)... Wow :) Well, I don't know if anyone in class understood what I meant in Chinese. Well, I decided to let them see this 5 min story (Little Red Riding hood, Czerwony Kapturek) that I just bought the day before. It was a VCD in Chinese with all the pictures and I think it was really cute. Oh, can't believe how much I wrote about all this...

Then I was sad. . . and then I lorking got cheered up :D :*

OK, so now the interesting part. We went to that mingle with Chinese people – party. And to my surprise it was organized really really well! We all had to introduce ourselves, and the ones with a talent (Bunny, Jin, Andy and Tom) and a lot of Chinese got to perform! Bunny's voice was surprisingly beautiful! Jin was standing on his hands, and then do this jump. It was far too short tho. And then, then, then!!! The teacher asked we if anyone can sing, and I went and asked everyone, but noone would agree to do it. And then Andy cracked a joke that he would. Ha ha – the best part is that I'm such a mean person and I run to the teacher and told her that Andy would do it :P She got really excited, and got all the 100 people to shout stuff like ''You can do it'' Ha ha poor Andy had no choice. Fortunately Tom joined him and they both sang Michael Jacksons ''Thriller.'' ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ♭ ♪ It was awesome. Gosh I'm so proud of Andy :) and the rest as well, but Andy is The Best, coz he can entertain everyone in such a great way... oh.. I love my mates.

Ok, ok, ok. Hao le, hao le, hao le. Need to sleep, tomorrow, another seemingly interesting day :)

And especially to my mum – I loooooooooove youuuu!!!!!!!!!!


In the pictures: Andy& Tom singing - Thriller, Bunny singing, me and my teachers baby, and Jin on his hands.







Friday, September 14, 2007

Funny day in class


Something we have been waiting for finally happened. It's actually hard to believe how lucky we are... we survived the first week of classes and now it's weekend.

We have two teachers (have I already mentioned it?) A young lady, who is really nice, and helpful. She gives us loads of new vocab all the time. She's always saying ''Do you already know this character?'' Our other teacher is a really happy lady. She smiles a lot, and she's very very helpful.

And today's lesson was by far the best one. Not because it was the last one before the weekend but because we had presentations in front of everyone, and after mine I couldn't stop laughing, and then Jin was laughing at me, and I started taking pictures. . . Andy's presentation was the BEST EVER!

He went something like that:

I'm teaching English. My roommate is nice and relaxed and I like Chinese food. (He elaborated on teaching English a bit more... I think...)

'nyway... I think that Andy thinks I'm pretty bad now... I haven't been out with them yet... o_O But that's just because I'm really sleepy... ;)

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

An ode to breakfasts

Again... I know.. but I'm so sleepy now (11pm) and so hungry (4 baozi a few hours ago). And I'm looking forward to the breakfast tomorrow :) This is a poem that I'm writing to the breakfasts:

I love baozi, chinese egg stuff and rice

That's why breakfast's always very nice.

Green tea, jasmine tea and tea with ice.

That's also very very nice!

Baozi: http://www.likealocal.cn/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/baozi.jpg

It was really really hot today, and I just have loads of winter stuff, and outside is not to pleasant. I think that's one of the few days when you could see the sun (coz usually there is no sun because of the pollution...)

I was just thinking that my Chinese surname is Yang(SUN), and Chinese people think that my name Yang Le()(smile) Wei(rose) is very nice. Which is actually very nice to hear. And now also I learned how to pronounce my name properly, so I don't have to say 'TaiYang de Yang (The sun from the word for sun) KuaiLe de le (the le from word for smile...) But there are so many wei's tho... hehe.

So day report (ha-ha) style today (just the important things [and u can see what my priorities are])

7.15am Wake-up (tomorrow I'm not dressing up and all that make-up stuff (I'm beautiful anyway.. haha) so I can wake up later)

7.46 Breakfast

12am Lectures finish

15-16 Sleeeeep :P

Then I was with Morgan (studying) then we went to my favorite BAOZI place with Morgan, George and John. Well John and Morgan went to FuckDonalds... And then George regretted he didn't order Baozi.. I could his desire for them...

And all the rest of the evening I was attempting to study with Bunny, Morgan and David in my nice, nice room.

AND THEN Charlie showed how much he loves me and now I'm spending all the evening with him. Because the internet is ON!!!!!! I've gotta go back to studyin and leave Charlie alone... Oh!! no... yes... no........................ ahh....... (Charlie is my laptop btw)

Monday, September 10, 2007

I love breakfasts

So we are still in this intenet cafe and Morgan bought this tasty fruit tea, which has all apples and stuff in it. And she was kind enough to share, haha, it turns out that using a tea cup costs 10 kuai o_O and normal cup is free. Zhongguo. . .

So we had our first lesson today. We have two nice Chinese woman teaching us, and the lessons go on from 8 till 12. It's really cool tho, that lectures are just in the building opposite to us, so actually, if I wake up at 7.45 it just takes like 5 mins to dress up, 9 to eat breakfast and 1 min to get there. Actually, I could cut down on dressing up time to 2 mins and have a 11 min breakfast !!!!! Living here is a paradise. Plus that they have those stalls (budki) with baozi, mmm. Baozi for breakfast.

BREAKFAST is what I live for!!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's much better than dinner, supper, desert, vodka... plus that it's good for you!

So the lessons were really really hard! As Morgan says ''If you want to feel stupid, come to China'' It's like a never ending study (funny for me to say that being a beginner but she has a degree in Chinese, man! The only person that seems confident about his Chinese is... ah.. no need to mention that. . .

But I'm gonna be freaking good... but we've got our first test tomorrow.. awww...

Words are (and sentences with the words to show that I fully understand them)

Qiao – to knock. (qiao, qiao, qiao – who's there? - hipopotam :O :P )

Gang – just. (like in: I geng arrived in the cafe)

Darao – to disturb... ( the Chinese screaming, partying, rich people in here DARAO me...)

Tongwu – roommate (My TOMGWU is very nice)

Lishixi – History Department (My teacher tought me a new word today: LISHIXI)

Jinxiu – to engage in advanced studies (I have JINXIU)

Gan xingqu – to be interested in (I GAN XINGQU in mountains and beautiful scenery, hehe :)

Ru xi – to be enrolled into a department (I am RU XI at NanDa)

Da chi yi jing – be shocked (I DA CHI YI JING that using a 'special cup' costs 10 kuai o_O when u already payed for a jug (dzbanek) of tea. . .)

Mei Xiang Dao – unexpected (It was very MEI XIANG DAO)

Zhaohu – to call after (a person) (I ZHAOHU'd the waiter to bring me a cup)

Chi Jing – to be surprised (He was CHI JING when I asked him for a cup)

He---yi yang – same as (My cup HE(and) my friends cup not YI YANG)

Ting---de – quite (The cups TING different DE)

Jiao Pengyou – to make friends (I in China want to JIAO PENGYOU)

Na---kaixin – to amuse somebody (The sheep NA KAIXIN some people :)


WOW, I think that's kidaf a good way to learn! I'm so talented... no one beats me in my Chinese! I should just become a teacher today because I'm sooooo smart... That's so NOT mei xiang dao :P

Just joking... So another day tomorrow...


Photos: The high building is where we live; the other houses is what I see from my window (not too nice huh?; then the 'bowl' is our campus; the cool guy looking at the cool things is in the city centre;

and then we're out eating, and only I look surprised, but honeslty – I got potatoes!!!





Saturday, September 8, 2007

Dumplings (mmmmm (L))

No internet is a hard, hard situation. But overall China is really cool. I love the shopping. When you go to the market you see glitter and loads of pink things, which is actually quite funny. If you don't need to buy things you can just go there to laugh at stuff. T-shirts have ridiculous texts in 'English' like: ''Pink, fashion, glamorous party''. Or I bought this t-shirt saying ''Careou hear the excite ment.''

The 'Chinglish' is a funny language. When I went to Carrefour the bin was advising ''Keep your stare clean'' (~~No dirty looks, haha~~) *instead of store*

So me and my new American friend – Morgan, found this really nice place where they serve the best dumplings (pierozki) EVER! It's nice to have some things you like after a month of guessing which noodle soup is nice, or if the noodle soup actually does have noodles o_O

Also, I had this nice time at the quarantine. It turned out that the blood test was supposed to be taken again if it was older than 6 months. . . So everyone in our class had to have their blood taken. And I didn't... Which I'm very happy about.

Also, me and Bunny chose to stay in the rooms provided by the uni without the toilets (coz we kindaf got used to the hole-in-the-ground ones... they're clean so :)) And for that we're supposed to get 100 more yuan a month and free internet access. Happy days. (this phrase actually makes me think of Clara... I miss Clara :(

Ok... so it's really late here now, and I'm really sleepy after yesterdays night :P I drunk some wine with Morgan, and went to this Mexican restaurant with her and my classmates. There I met 3 Chinese girls and a guy, who served me more beer o_O To be cool and make a joke, I was going to ask the guy if the girl was his wife (fuwu) Instead I asked: ''Is she your fumu (parents)'' :) Kind of funny asking a 30 year old guy if the 20 year old girl is his parents :P

On the other hand... we in the west are used to teenage pregnancies and stuff like that... So maybe she had him when she was -5 years old... o_O

Bad joke... :P hugs people

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Some problems



So the University promised us accommodation with private bathrooms, yeah? But instead we have two holes in the ground and two showers to share between 40 people. It's clean, but we think that a promise (especially on paper) is a legally binding agreement. So they tried to solve it but quite unsuccessfully till now, they gave us an ultimatum, which is different to the promise and surely would leave at least a part of our class unhappy. So me and David wrote a letter to Sheffield, and we hope they will help us to solve this. But now, if that's the Chinese organization skills, how are they going to organize the Olympics? Haha...

Anyway, I changed my roommate. Now I'm living with Bunny, and no longer this bad smelling, 26 year old girl, who wakes me up at 7 o'clock on a Sunday. Happy days :)

I also was invited by Bunny and her brother to spend an evening/night at theirs. It was so nice. They made me so happy, compared to how bad I felt. I did some shopping with Bunny, and aww. Some clothes made me laugh so much tho. Hehe.

Today I felt kind of bad as well, I spend all day in bed, and now me and David found this pleasant bar, where they have wireless internet access. It's really nice ;)

Hugs to you all, I miss you!

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Friday, August 31, 2007

Arrived in Nanjing

It's a bit messy. The trains are really modern and fast. So we arrived to the train station and this women would drive us for 100 yuan o_O. And we got a taxi for 18 later ?_?
Really, trusting them can be painful.
Our building is being built. The rooms are nice (tho, I have no roommate yet (+) ) but the bathrooms are scary and sad. 2 showers and two toilets (holes in the ground) for 40 people.
I'm in a good mood, seeing that I don't care, while some people from my class are crying and being very upset. It's quite hilarious.
We are not supposed to have internet for the next two weeks, and they are planning to move us somewhere else, but I don't know anything...
But it's very nice to see all my classmates.
:*

Thursday, August 30, 2007

So I'm ''like a professional''



David very impatient – he wants buy camera. I say Davvvviiid: buy Olympus® camera. Olympus good. And I say: David I do research for you, check all the Olympus camera prices. :)

So we went to buy this camera – and we went in and this sales assistant approached us, and we were like cold professionals looking at prices, knowing EXACTLY how much everything would cost. Seeing our seriousness, the boss came to talk to us personally, and knowing that we know the prices, he went down from 2600 yuan to 1800!!! (Which is just 50 more that it costs in the UK). That was like the coolest thing ever. I felt so SMART :) and he gave me a really great tripod (statyw) for 100 yuan(40 zl) with David's camera (as he assumed we were a lovely couple)

Ola J. starring the role of the possessive wife. She just wouldn't agree... after all her husband has to feed the 10 children (he assumes there are just 3 to win the argument!) hahaha.... :)

That was fun acting... honestly.

And then... I sadly paid 20 yuan for 4 batteries, while in the next shopping mall they were 8 for 10 yuan.. *shame on me* (︶︹︺)

SO that's the shopping, dudes! You gonna be careful, and do some research, then they will respect u, and they won't laugh at u... I'm sure the battery man will be like ''Ha Ha Ha, I'm stealing the foreign money'', and I'll be like ''Dude, I'm spending the money I got from your taxes...'' o_O

So we went to this one station across the river, where the world's highest buildings were. Just looking at them made me scared of the heights (not just heights but THE specific ones). So I'm going to post some pictures, so you can see it all :)

Also I have to say that China is very crowded and in the underground there are warnings like:

''Keep valuables snugly (przytulone), and beware the people press close to you designedly.(zlosliwie)'' Chinglish :)

And oh, today I'm in a much better mood. I don't let the Chinese stare (gapic sie) anymore! When they just do this. (see the orange pic)

So it was quite a good day, and tomorrow I'm going to Nanjing.


Wednesday, August 29, 2007

What costs 800 kuai really costs 350...



When we woke up the nice warm acid rain full of sulfur dioxide started puring outside the window. We had a meeting with our classmates at 10, it was 10.30, David went downstairs and saw poor Tom sitting there. He said that everyone is asleep, so we waited for a little while and went to get some breakfast... at FuCkDonalds. It was alright. Still I do not support this stupid company and I think that if I had to advise the terrorists what to blow up I'd probably point at FuCkdonalds.

But that's just my feeling and not a part of the glamorous China Experience...

On our way to the technology market kind of thing, we went to this BEAUTIFUL park. The green trees hanging just over our heads, and small cute stones with baby frogs all over. And the smell of the acid rain (just kidding). To make it short – technology (mobile phones, cameras, camera lenses, memory cards etc.) are not cheaper in China. If you don't haggle (targowac sie) YOU, my dear – will get ripped off (okradziony). I must say that I was proud of Tom, he showed no fear, and he got good prices. While David, who is very impatient gave up to quickly and made a few bad purchases. Since blogs are not allowed in China (that is, since they are too controvertial) I can publish them but can't read them (David can't read them either) I can say that he bought a mobile phone, the price was 1300, he got in for 800 and in the US you can buy it for 200... o_O Bad choices? No, that's why this all thing is really annoying...

And also it's really annoyin when the guys went to look at something the shop assistants were all over them, but when I wanted to look at something, everyone just ignored me... Women here must feel so great. . . Or maybe I just have that expression ''If you come and talk to me I'll kill you, your kids and your mother''... This will be all for now,


P.S. I was also tempted to see if the human rights sights (like the Human Rights Watch) will be allowed but guess what? They are NOT!

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

How to cross the streets in Shanghai

I slept so well, with the conditioning and all a few steeping pills... We woke up at 8, and went out to get some breakfast. Since there is no bread in China, and the small eyed people (still they would stare) eat noodles for breakfast... we just went out. We found this nice girl in the stall selling nice rice ball-things(male buleczki ryzowe)(2,8yuan for two). And we joined Ronald FuCkdonald on his bench and ate with his pleasant company noticing that the Chinese people finally thought that we're on our rightful place... Yeah... they were still staring tho.

One thing I noticed in China is that there are loads of guards and policemen but almost no police cars. People don't really have any respect for the police, or for the man navigating the traffic. He'd say ''Stop, don't cross the street'' and they just laughed at him, putting on this expression á la ''Do you seriously think I give a damn?'' China is so surprising all the time. Europe is the same everywhere. You have the rules (laws, social rules or whatever) and everyone is behaving the same. You know what you can expect of people, while here, I still have to learn!

So we ate lunch in this odd place, a soup which was really nice just for about 5 yuan. We also went to the Chinese Carrefour, where they had toads(ropuchy), big weird snakes, fishes and turtles in tanks to sell for people to eat. Yhmm... nice . . .

I also had my nails painted for 10 yuan by this Chinese woman, and they are so so so nice ;)

Finally, the advice on how to cross the streets in Shanghai. Knowing how busy they are, knowing that the bikes, the little motorbikes and cars are mingling in the middle all going in different directions, the best thing to do is to pick someone and follow him/her till you get past the oncoming traffic. Great :O


Monday, August 27, 2007

My first day

The flight

My dear godfather, ciocia and Krzysiu delivered me to the airport. I think the frequency of me saying ''I don't want to go'' was greater than that of cars passing by a street in Shanghai. But I didn't have any options – I was doomed! (so far all this sounds very depressing)

While waiting for my gate to open I observed the people going to Helsinki and the people going to Madrid. The Finnish were already standing in a neat line with expressions of total seriousness or maybe that was just the biggest hangover in the history. The Spanish were in a chaotic line which didn't reflect any pattern. They were smiling and laughing. So I asked if they would change my ticket... no I didn't. . .

The flight was long, food was ok, nothing exciting really. I didn't get any sleep at all.

Shanghai

We landed, it was 8am Chinese time. I had to make my way to the hostel I booked with David. I went out of the airport and it was so hot and humid... I felt like in a rain forest. So I got on the bus no.6 which was going to Zhong Shan Gong Yuan. My fist thoughts about China were that it's really really green, there are loads of flowers (and people) So after 2 hours or something (ough) I got of at the stop and where was I supposed to go??? So I was waking with this big 25 kilo bad, and all Chinese were staring at me(''foreign devil'') And they were all staring and I didn't know where to go, and all the chinese were so old and staring and I was lost and they were staring (can you see the irony of the situation?) So I asked this cute lady in pink how to get to Cao Yang Lu. She asked me if I wanted to take the underground. And I was like

''What?''

''the underground''

''what is it''

''it's a fast train''

''Oh YEAH!''

So she wrote ''the underground'' on my piece of paper and I went in the direction unknown. Then I saw this one Chinese guy who wasn't staring (a PLUS) so I asked him. He said he's waiting for his friend who speaks better English and then they'll show me. So they took me to there. This one man even bought me a ticket for the subway. And then they helped me to find the hostel and said goodbye. Thank You so much! :)

So I got to the hostel, which is really nice. We booked a twin room, but they didn't have it and we got a twin room with a bathroom!!! And then I went to sleep for 8 hours. The beds here are quite hard and but jumping on them is ok :) When I woke up I went to eat some Chinese food which was tasty (and it took me like an hour to eat it) And David came so I'm not scared anymore :)

China is big and scary and I'm experiencing something called THE CULTURAL (not revolution) SHOCK!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

I'm going to China


So tomorrow morning I'm flying to China. My flight is overall 18 hours and I'm a little scared. First I'm going to Shanghai for a few days, to see People's Square and take some pictures. If I'm proven right, I'll be sitting in the corner and crying for mummy... But hopefully I'm not always right and I'll really really enjoy the counrty. And I also hope that my coursins predictions that I'll have to eat cats and dogs will not be accurate.