Today (in about 1 hour and 20 min) I have my final exam (grammar) and I am a tiiiiiny bit freaked out about it. Who said Chinese language was easy to learn because there was so little grammar? Ehhhhh.... This class is all about grammar, and like always with me, I have a hard time remembering all those rules. It is the same with every language I learn... I just go after feeling, rather than trying to remember the rules, and in the end I end up.... confused.
Anyways, I have to go and review some characters now (a lot of writing is involved in this exam... hence why my spirit is low) and then I'll blog about something more fun/interesting in the afternoon. It looks quite tempting out there.. about 33 degrees and humid as h***. Not a day for a long run, that's for sure. The air con better work today at uni. Last Friday it didn't, so we had our spoken exams looking like sweaty football players who's been running for too long. Or OK, I did. The Koreans and Japanese looked as fresh as ever in their jeans and shirts. Me, on the other hand, wearing the tiniest shorts and a singlet, looked as if I'd come straight out of the shower. Well, that's my 'glow,' right?!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Boy toys
My bf's work mate Timmo's latest toy. A mini motor bike.In most of the world, a man’s status can be boosted with a fancy car. In China, it is all about bikes. At least amongst expats who doesn't have any Chinese driver's license.
My boyfriend's latest toy from Silver Storm Bikes in Suzhou, a place where they 'tailor make' the bikes for their customers. 
His toy before that. A bike with a motor, that he, finally has admitted was the most stupid buy he'd ever done. (this bike is now being shipped to Finland where someone hopefully will buy it!)The wknd in Shanghai
Friday started off with a spoken exam (that, for ONCE, went really well. I babbled away about everything and anything and left the room feeling confident. I got the feeling that my teacher sincerely understood what I told her, hehe). The exam was followed by a visit to the gym where I, despite a sore foot (post broken pain? Not sure, but hurts like hell) spent one hour running on the treadmill. They have FINALLY turned the air con on at the gym (before it has just been ‘cooled down’ by a modest amount of fans), and wow, what a difference it made?! For once I didn’t feel as if my head was a heated bomb, ready to explode when I was running on the treadmill. Nice.
I caught the 4.20pm train to Shanghai. The train station was, as usual, mega crowded and my train was delayed, making it even more hot and sweaty on the over crowded station and then on the train. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Some young Chinese girls came up to me and told me I could have their seat while I was waiting for the train. Sweet!
In Shanghai it was as steaming hot as in Suzhou, if not worse, and I ran some errands, including buying a mobile recharge card, before I went to my friend Anna’s place.
Funny thing, when I walked into the convenience store, there were a bunch of older women having some sort of meeting at the counter, and when they saw me, one started screaming:
-老外来了，老外来了!!! =Lao wai lai le = foreigner is coming.
(When is the novelty going to wear off? I wonder if it then will feel weird to live here)
And then every one made way for me and carefully studied what I did, what I bought and what I said. Some satisfied/amused grunts followed my short conversation I had with the sales woman about the mobile recharge card. The older generation here really seems to appreciate when u can (or OK, when you TRY to) speak Mandarin.
At Anna’s place we got comfortable with wine, sushi and snacks and then followed a night out at Bar Rouge. I’ve never actually been to Bar Rouge before, because I have had this idea that it is a snobby and pretentious place (meaning: a place I would like to avoid!), but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! The people weren’t that snobby, the bartenders were friendly (much friendlier than at some other Bund bars!) and the music was okay. Only thing was that every single guy we talked to was a bit short, making me feel like a giant!? Like, their head reaching up to my chest sort of thing? Or maybe I was pushing my luck, wearing 6cm heels and basically turning into a walking tower (181cm)
Nothing special happened, or yes, well, I got a bit insulted when I was standing at the bar around 4am, drinking some water and a guy (who said he was from Italy, although he sure did not look Italian?) came up to talk to me. When he saw the water bottle in my hand he said:
-Oh my, you are so drunk you have to drink water! Well, no point talking to you then!?
Ehum?! Excuse me?
Later, that same guy came back and asked for my phone number. I just starred at him.
-You really want my number? I asked.
-Yes! He said.
-No point! I said and walked away.
(Ahhhh.. I am happy I am not single in this town!)
On Sunday morning Shanghai was baking in the heat and my head was pounding from an evil hangover. I had some errands to run, but everything got a bit delayed, and most of the day was actually spend in restaurants (Starbucks –Mc Donalds –Hunan restaurant –the latter was the best!) trying to satisfy my hangover cravings as the same time as trying to escape the heat. I caught a late train back to Suzhou, and I have to say it was nice to wake up my own bed (and without a headache) this morning.
Today I have to study as I have my last exam tomorrow, and I should also go to the gym… so quite a boring day lies ahead, but well. After tomorrow’s exam I am more or less FREE and a holiday is awaiting so I am definitely not complaining. It’s pretty hot a.t.m, around 34 degrees and humid, so it sort of feels like the right time to make a move.
I caught the 4.20pm train to Shanghai. The train station was, as usual, mega crowded and my train was delayed, making it even more hot and sweaty on the over crowded station and then on the train. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Some young Chinese girls came up to me and told me I could have their seat while I was waiting for the train. Sweet!
In Shanghai it was as steaming hot as in Suzhou, if not worse, and I ran some errands, including buying a mobile recharge card, before I went to my friend Anna’s place.
Funny thing, when I walked into the convenience store, there were a bunch of older women having some sort of meeting at the counter, and when they saw me, one started screaming:
-老外来了，老外来了!!! =Lao wai lai le = foreigner is coming.
(When is the novelty going to wear off? I wonder if it then will feel weird to live here)
And then every one made way for me and carefully studied what I did, what I bought and what I said. Some satisfied/amused grunts followed my short conversation I had with the sales woman about the mobile recharge card. The older generation here really seems to appreciate when u can (or OK, when you TRY to) speak Mandarin.
At Anna’s place we got comfortable with wine, sushi and snacks and then followed a night out at Bar Rouge. I’ve never actually been to Bar Rouge before, because I have had this idea that it is a snobby and pretentious place (meaning: a place I would like to avoid!), but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! The people weren’t that snobby, the bartenders were friendly (much friendlier than at some other Bund bars!) and the music was okay. Only thing was that every single guy we talked to was a bit short, making me feel like a giant!? Like, their head reaching up to my chest sort of thing? Or maybe I was pushing my luck, wearing 6cm heels and basically turning into a walking tower (181cm)
Nothing special happened, or yes, well, I got a bit insulted when I was standing at the bar around 4am, drinking some water and a guy (who said he was from Italy, although he sure did not look Italian?) came up to talk to me. When he saw the water bottle in my hand he said:
-Oh my, you are so drunk you have to drink water! Well, no point talking to you then!?
Ehum?! Excuse me?
Later, that same guy came back and asked for my phone number. I just starred at him.
-You really want my number? I asked.
-Yes! He said.
-No point! I said and walked away.
(Ahhhh.. I am happy I am not single in this town!)
On Sunday morning Shanghai was baking in the heat and my head was pounding from an evil hangover. I had some errands to run, but everything got a bit delayed, and most of the day was actually spend in restaurants (Starbucks –Mc Donalds –Hunan restaurant –the latter was the best!) trying to satisfy my hangover cravings as the same time as trying to escape the heat. I caught a late train back to Suzhou, and I have to say it was nice to wake up my own bed (and without a headache) this morning.
Today I have to study as I have my last exam tomorrow, and I should also go to the gym… so quite a boring day lies ahead, but well. After tomorrow’s exam I am more or less FREE and a holiday is awaiting so I am definitely not complaining. It’s pretty hot a.t.m, around 34 degrees and humid, so it sort of feels like the right time to make a move.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Chafing and birthmarks
This is not related to China, but maybe some of you have experience from the following:
One of my birth marks sort of ‘fell off.’
After starting to run several times a week I have noticed that my sport bra has resulted in chafing around my chest. One of my birth marks are located just where the sport’s bra ends and last week, after my long run, it started to change colour, going red and all weird. So I booked an appointment to remove it (although it is tiny! Just like a little dot!). After yesterday’s work out, however, I noticed the birth mark had been removed.. by itself. Only a small edge of it is left? And the redness around it has started to go away… Hm… so what now? Do I still go to the doctor and ask him to look at the edge of a previous existing birth mark?
One of my birth marks sort of ‘fell off.’
After starting to run several times a week I have noticed that my sport bra has resulted in chafing around my chest. One of my birth marks are located just where the sport’s bra ends and last week, after my long run, it started to change colour, going red and all weird. So I booked an appointment to remove it (although it is tiny! Just like a little dot!). After yesterday’s work out, however, I noticed the birth mark had been removed.. by itself. Only a small edge of it is left? And the redness around it has started to go away… Hm… so what now? Do I still go to the doctor and ask him to look at the edge of a previous existing birth mark?
Dialects
Yesterday at the gym I started talking to Rock(y), alias ’the Hunan boy’ and we kept talking all the way through my work out?! One hour on the treadmill have never passed any faster! I was so focussed on my Chinese that I completely forgot I was working out at the same time (not at a mega fast pace, but still). Nice!
Anyways, things got a bit clearer now between me and Rocky, and those of you who thinks that HE thinks I fancy him, can now relax, coz yesterday we talked about that and he pointed out that he ‘understands that I am not into him and that he is not into me but just want us to be friends.’ Excellent! So friends it is.
I expressed my concerned for the fact that it is kind of hard to make Chinese male friends here because if I talk to a guy that I find interesting, and then suggests us to meet for a coffee some day, he thinks I am into him and might be a bit scared (giant, blonde woman… -who wouldn’t be scared?!). Rocky said he understood and promised that he won’t take it the wrong way if we meet for a coffee and a chat. Even more excellent!
He also pointed out that I really need to practice speaking more with Chinese people because my level of Chinese right now is equivalent to a Chinese kid’s language level. He said this with a smirk, and although I rolled my eyes back to him I couldn’t help but feeling a sting of happiness. I mean, I can speak like a Chinese kid!!! Now that was something I couldn’t do 5 months ago. Now I just have to ‘grow up’ fast and things will be great.
(Note to self: Hm… maybe I should hang out more at the playground with kids that are on the same language level as me. Just to... you know, boost the confidence for a bit?)
One thing I noticed when we talked yesterday is that after the first, hesitant 15 minutes of painfully broken conversation, it got easier. Both to understand what he says and to reply/express things. So that’s good. There is hope.
After chatting for a while Rocky switched to his local, Hunan dialect (I am not sure what this one is called, but I am pretty sure it isn’t ‘Hunan hua’ so I am not even going to guess!) and I understood about 50% less than before. Still, however, I have to say that his local dialect was easier to understand than the Suzhou/Shanghai hua… It’s interesting this thing with Chinese dialects. Meanwhile people from Beijing (speaking the national ‘pu tong hua’) are the ones I understand the best (unless they speak in 120km/h), the Shanghai/Suzhou hua is the one I barely understand at all. Does anyone have any different experience with dialects? Which one do you find the easiest/hardest to understand?
Ps. Since Rocky is so kind helping me with my Chinese I am going to start teaching him English, starting from September. He knows a little bit, self taught, but he says he lacks vocabulary to make sentences. So yesterday I started off my teaching him that ‘country’ and ‘province’ are not the same. So now, instead of saying ‘My country is Hunan’ he says ‘I come from Hunan province.’ Great start!
Oh, and I am SO going to visit Hunan this fall! The more I hear about it, the more I want to go!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Stomach flu prevention?
Spray....
....and rub!
It is interesting to take note of what friend and family that come to visit me in China do in order to prevent getting stomach sick here.
Some prepare by eating stomach bacteria two weeks prior to arriving.
Some refuse to eat Chinese food while they are here.
Some refuse to eat at all (? –your loss!).
Some vaccinate themselves prior to coming here.
Some overdose on instant-stop-the-flu-pill.
Some wash their hands every hour.
Some suffer in silence meanwhile comforting themselves with the fact that they are losing a lot of weight.
And some, take it a bit further and bring a hand disinfection spray, which is normally used at dental clinics or hospitals by doctors and dentists who don’t want to wash their hands every five minutes. Yes, of course I am talking about my mom.
Last time she and my brother were here they carried around this spray everywhere and to tell you the truth: they sprayed everywhere and everyone. Even me although I obliged. Waiters at restaurants thought this was quite amusing until mom also tried to spray them.
Oh, and the result of the spray?
Well of course she got sick. Very sick. And my brother too.
It is interesting to take note of what friend and family that come to visit me in China do in order to prevent getting stomach sick here.
Some prepare by eating stomach bacteria two weeks prior to arriving.
Some refuse to eat Chinese food while they are here.
Some refuse to eat at all (? –your loss!).
Some vaccinate themselves prior to coming here.
Some overdose on instant-stop-the-flu-pill.
Some wash their hands every hour.
Some suffer in silence meanwhile comforting themselves with the fact that they are losing a lot of weight.
And some, take it a bit further and bring a hand disinfection spray, which is normally used at dental clinics or hospitals by doctors and dentists who don’t want to wash their hands every five minutes. Yes, of course I am talking about my mom.
Last time she and my brother were here they carried around this spray everywhere and to tell you the truth: they sprayed everywhere and everyone. Even me although I obliged. Waiters at restaurants thought this was quite amusing until mom also tried to spray them.
Oh, and the result of the spray?
Well of course she got sick. Very sick. And my brother too.
But afterwards they went to Burger King and had a feast and to be frank: I don't think my mom has ever eaten at Burger King before. So at least it opened some new doors to her. Thanks, disinfection spray!
Moment of truth: my Chinese = 还可以 (the truth hurts)
Finally I am well enough to leave the house. Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with our ayi. I was telling her that we are going to a holiday and that she doesn’t have to come for five weeks. She looked at me suspiciously, so I decided I’d write it down for her on a piece of paper.
I did (without using a dictionary –haha!!!) and passed it over. She looked at it with an amused smile and I asked her if she could read my children-like-hanzi.
-Hihi… yes… I understand.
-I’m glad to hear, I know I write like a child.
-Hehe… your Chinese is okay!
Okay. Hm…. Well. That definitely means: it sucks! U know why? Well, she used the very polite phrase:
你的中文还可以 = ni de zhong wen hai ke yi = your Chinese is okay/so-so.
When something is 还可以 (hai ke yi= ok) in China, that is a polite way to say: it’s not so good! Chinese people rarely tell you that your Chinese sucks. Instead they use the word okay. But I know what she means. My Chinese is poor. God dammit! Why is this language so frigging hard to learn?!
Speaking of learning the language, today I have a new exam: 听视 (ting shi = listening/ television) You watch movies and answer questions. Shouldn’t be too hard, but then again, for someone who’s Chinese is simply 还可以 it might prove to be harder than expected (ok, ok, I'll stop sulking).
Oh well, enough with the whining. It’s going to be nice to get out of the door. Due to my stomach flue I’ve been sort of stranded in our flat. After the exam I am going to the gym (ahhhhh finally! 2 days of no movement except for the usual: toilet-bedroom-kitchen-TV… and my whole body is itching!) and then I have to prepare for tomorrow’s exam: spoken Chinese and presentations.
Hm… sounds like so much fun, doesn’t it? Don’t worry. After the exam on Friday I’ll squeeze in a quick run before I jump on the train to Shanghai to cork up some wine bottles with my girlfriends. Well needed. Hopefully also well-deserved!?
I did (without using a dictionary –haha!!!) and passed it over. She looked at it with an amused smile and I asked her if she could read my children-like-hanzi.
-Hihi… yes… I understand.
-I’m glad to hear, I know I write like a child.
-Hehe… your Chinese is okay!
Okay. Hm…. Well. That definitely means: it sucks! U know why? Well, she used the very polite phrase:
你的中文还可以 = ni de zhong wen hai ke yi = your Chinese is okay/so-so.
When something is 还可以 (hai ke yi= ok) in China, that is a polite way to say: it’s not so good! Chinese people rarely tell you that your Chinese sucks. Instead they use the word okay. But I know what she means. My Chinese is poor. God dammit! Why is this language so frigging hard to learn?!
Speaking of learning the language, today I have a new exam: 听视 (ting shi = listening/ television) You watch movies and answer questions. Shouldn’t be too hard, but then again, for someone who’s Chinese is simply 还可以 it might prove to be harder than expected (ok, ok, I'll stop sulking).
Oh well, enough with the whining. It’s going to be nice to get out of the door. Due to my stomach flue I’ve been sort of stranded in our flat. After the exam I am going to the gym (ahhhhh finally! 2 days of no movement except for the usual: toilet-bedroom-kitchen-TV… and my whole body is itching!) and then I have to prepare for tomorrow’s exam: spoken Chinese and presentations.
Hm… sounds like so much fun, doesn’t it? Don’t worry. After the exam on Friday I’ll squeeze in a quick run before I jump on the train to Shanghai to cork up some wine bottles with my girlfriends. Well needed. Hopefully also well-deserved!?
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