This is it.

Sitting in HK airport just as I did 12 months ago. Except this time I’m eight persons short and a little less excited about the super fast internet. Twelve months ago I met eight fantastic people (Kimberley, David, Edward, Yvonne, Hao, Martin, Keeley, Emily) who made my first few weeks in China that much better. I could cornily add that it all feels like yesterday but that would be a massive lie considering how far my memory stretches. However, I do recall our first meal in the university cafeteria and the dishes we ordered (because they were pretty much the only dishes we would order from that day on), the day we christened David as Naga-naga, and the long hours we’d spend in Trustmart shopping for those “necessary” appliances.

Well that was the beginning. From there on, the list of wonderful people grew…

Filed under: Life.

New scars.

A little encounter with death in Harbin.

Filed under: Life., death, harbin, scars

A Chinese Wedding.

January 3, 2011

Chinese weddings are Hectic. (Capital letter intended)

Been in a small town in Fujian for the past few days for my cousin’s wedding. Besides consuming 10 banquet-size meals a day for the three days surrounding the actual wedding day, I had the priviledge of being the maid of honor (which did not work too well with the meal plan – tried on at least a million dresses before they found one which could zip up completely).

The enire marriage process is ridiculously demanding and embedded in so much tradition. To begin, a couple’s wedding date is dependent on their “bazhi” (fortune according to one’s birth date and time). This is super important and specific to the hour. My cousin’s wedding time? 31st December, 10pm – 2am.

The groom arrived at her place approx 11pm with his bunch of best men and a stash of “hongbao” (red pockets). Dressed in complete red attire, my cousin sat in her room with her bunch of bridesmaids to await him. However, like a bit of a game, the bride can’t make herself too easily won over. Instead the groom must fufil all the demands thrown at him by her bridesmaids before he is allowed into the room. And this normally involves handing over hongbao after hongbao. When he is eventually allowed into the room, (in this case because my aunt called to say the wedding car was waiting outside), a “wedding lady” (because I don’t know how else to describe her job title) comes in and lights candles, combs the bride’s hair and feeds her special wedding noodles.

Arriving at the groom’s place, the bride bows her head three times in front of some family portrait (this part I did not pay much attention to) before taken to the groom’s room. And this is only day one.

Filed under: Life., wedding

New transportation discovery.

After much drama in an attempt to get back to Hangzhou in time for my flight today, I found myself tucked into a neat little bed onboard an overnight bus/coach.

(Unfortunately I didn’t take this photo – it was found on google images)

Yes I travelled from Fuzhou to Hangzhou last night on one of these. Such an awesome concept. I boarded a bit before 7pm last night and arrived this morning around 4am.

Filed under: Life., Travels., bed, bus

The Fruit Shop.

Checked the calendar today and realised I am edging closer and closer to ‘day three hundred and sixty five’. However, considering I arrived in this country on Febuary 26th and will be flying out on Febuary 5th next year, this blog has in fact been falsely named and there will be no such ‘day three hundred and sixty five’. But then again, accuracy is overated and I shall continue to refer to the last day as no. 365.

Now that that completely necessary clarification has been made, I am currently sitting on day three hundred and something, and with less than two months left I’ve realised there’s so much of this country (or more specifically, this Zhejiang University bubble) that I’m going to miss.

Somewhere top of my list – the fruit shop across the road from our dorms.

Filed under: Life., fruit shop

Snow in HZ.

Filed under: Life., snow

First Impressions Re-evaluated.

It’s incredible how quickly time has passed. Nine months later and we’re finally on to our last assessment task for the year, a 2000 word reflection piece reevaluating our first impressions of this country. It has required looking back on what we wrote for the first assessment task and having a bit of a chuckle. Here’s the first two paragraphs of what I had to say:

Apparently what we understand in Australia as “customer service” does not apply universally like I originally thought. Instead, here in China it seems an entirely irrelevant concept. In numerous circumstances over the past few weeks I have been ignored, pushed aside, and even yelled and snapped at by people of various “customer service” positions.

I was first introduced to the Chinese definition of “customer service” on the evening of our arrival in Hangzhou, when we decided to dine in the Zhejiang University International College cafeteria. Initially quite thrilled at the fact that this meal was going to cost us less than two Australian Dollars, our feelings quickly changed when it came to ordering the food. To begin, there is no such thing as queuing. Instead, everyone crowded around a little counter and yelled their orders out to a couple of apathetic-looking attendants. I remember waiting patiently for the group of foreigners before us to complete their order first, however I should have realised that queuing was a completely foreign concept in China, because the next thing I know, the lady behind the counter looks at me and throws me a demanding “要什么? (What do you want?)”. This was soon followed by an irritated “快点儿! (Hurry up!) ”. Shocked and slightly terrified at this point, I don’t know whether I was more nervous under the pressure of making up my indecisive mind or at the prospect of upsetting those next to me for seeming like I had just jumped the queue…

God I’m dramatic.

Filed under: Life., customer service, first impressions

Taobao. The Sequel.

Despite the convincing photo, the phone isn’t actually compatible with iPhones. Useless and unecessary purchase number 2. Number 1 being this:

It was all very exciting until someone pointed out that I don’t even wear shoes which require laces. Hence ends my short (but exciting) relationship with Taobao.

Filed under: Life., phone, shoelaces, taobao

Taobao

Taobao.com is my new best friend. This is my latest toy.

Filed under: Life., taobao

Party Room. (An Update)

Filed under: Life.