China
Ni hao!
I am back.
So China was very impressing. For better and worse.The rich and old culture versus the miserable lives of the poor people of today's communistic China. Of course we were shown only the splendid side of the country like The Great Wall and The Forbidden City but still the destitution of many people was visible. So in a way, it was quite confusing even though not surprising.
I was a bit disappointed that we had so little time to hang around with the students of High School Affiliated to Beijing University and Niulanshan High School because of their final exams. We had so much free time that it was almost hard to start to interact with the students when needed. But they vere so nice and lovely and open-hearted that it was worth it.
Still, maybe the most difficult situation was to live with the Chinese family. We were tired of the flight and still quite unsure about the whole situation and being left alone with the hosts. At least I felt it was very stressful to try to act right in front of the parents and great grandmother and mother's sisters family that I was taken to meet at the fine restaurant. Shine, my host was wonderful and all her family too, but I afraid that I was not able to give them the best of me.
The architecture was brilliant but I could have done with less temples. By the end of the week I could not appreciate enough all the fine pavilions that we saw at the Forbidden City. The Great Wall and The Summer Palace were beautiful. And the Beijing University area. Like a big garden, as Shine put it. And Tian'anmen Square was huge! We had lots of fun as we took pictures of us at the square wearing Mao caps and waving the flags of China. I'll post pictures when I get them. The next day at Niulanshan School som random man came to me the dining hall and said that he had seen us at the Tian'anmen square. So I guess we had turned into sigh... I was so embarrassed.
The Chine kitchen is overestimated, I think. The food in most part was either weird or strange. Nothing really tasted so good that I could just have eaten and eaten it. Most of the foods had this curious "China flavour" that we thought was too different to what we had used to. But there were some good exceptions. Please don't think that I am whining. Basicly the food was good, it is just that it was too different. I really missed my grandmother's smashed potatoes and meatballs.
Everything was cheap. I spent about 300 euros but I think I was much more cool-headed shopper that the other girls from our delegation. I really tried to think if I truly needed the things I bought. Afterwards I am basicly happy expect I think I should have bought those two lovely bags I was gazing at. My final core was something like two bags, five shirts, three shoes, several small items like fans, morning coat and lots of things to my family and Antti.
Other things that have been happening:
- I have not made any progress with the Packing dress, but I am still determined to have it done by the premiere.
- Antti pre-ordered the deluxe version of the Dressing a Galaxy... for me. It is only 185.85$ at Amazon.
- My Labour Day at work went quite well.
- I am still tired.
- I have too much to do. Essays to write and so on.
- On Wednesday Henna and I are going to queue for the Eppie 3 premiere tickets.