hi!
I wanted to keep this list just as record keeping - it's my list of contacts while I was in Shanghai:
Alessandra
Amelia
Badminton
Carla
Chacha
Clara
Derek
Duchunding
杜春鸿
Ellen
葛亮
Hiro-chan
James
Jessimuhcuh
Jin Hee
Josh
节福
Kary 王凯
Kei
林鸿
Maren
Matt V
Max Diddams
Me
Meghan
Mr. Pingpang
Nick
Noodles
Old Man Shu txt
潘老师
Sally
Simon
Temmy
Tim
Virginia
王慧
王佩君
Xiao Bao
Xiao Li
小白
易可
云云
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
December 23rd
Hi Everyone!
I left Shanghai on Dec 22 at 4 pm and arrived in O'Hare on Dec 22nd at 4 pm. Going back in time is pretty awesome (and a little boring, too). My good friends, Emily, Alyson, Michelle, and my Mom surprised me at the airport by wearing reigndeer antlers and holding balloons to welcome my return - a huge difference from the long, lonesome walk back to the car!
The flight was uneventful. I helped a Chinese lady from Suzhou in the seat next to me by letting her borrow my cellphone to call some people in Shanghai. Started and finished "Norwegian Wood" by Harukami - who did "Underground". Norwegian Wood is about 2 japanese youths falling love in modern times. Outside of that, it's a little hard to explain. Beautiful.
Alright. off to bed. I finished a show I was watching, and it has left me tired. I should probably write these in the morning when I'm not so tired.
Up to you if you want to keep reading.
I left Shanghai on Dec 22 at 4 pm and arrived in O'Hare on Dec 22nd at 4 pm. Going back in time is pretty awesome (and a little boring, too). My good friends, Emily, Alyson, Michelle, and my Mom surprised me at the airport by wearing reigndeer antlers and holding balloons to welcome my return - a huge difference from the long, lonesome walk back to the car!
The flight was uneventful. I helped a Chinese lady from Suzhou in the seat next to me by letting her borrow my cellphone to call some people in Shanghai. Started and finished "Norwegian Wood" by Harukami - who did "Underground". Norwegian Wood is about 2 japanese youths falling love in modern times. Outside of that, it's a little hard to explain. Beautiful.
Alright. off to bed. I finished a show I was watching, and it has left me tired. I should probably write these in the morning when I'm not so tired.
Up to you if you want to keep reading.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Shanghai, snow, and delays.....
So my plans to go to Qibao fell through not once, but two times! The cloud gods decided that cold wasn't enough - and that snow was necessary，especially on the days that I planned to head out to Shanghai's river town. Well, we decided to make the most of it anyways (and move the day to this coming monday). Instead of trucking ourselves to the outskirts of the city, Josh, James, Temmy, and I (as a result of a blackout in our dormitory) grabbed some steaming mugs of SwissMiss hot chocolate and moved over to a nearby cafeteria. A deck of cards and Bananagrams in hand - we determindly overcame boredom and the cold. It was epic. Passing time and talking was so much fun - but it made me miss St. Olaf and the days slipping away into Thorson's fireplace room with blankets at midnight even more. I'm coming home soon - and my body knows it.
I've noticed in the past few weeks how much I am psyced up for Christmas back in the States. Because there is little to no decoration around in Shanghai (or, at least, no where near the amount St. Olaf puts up), it's easy to forget that Christmas Eve is just around the corner. There is a particular feeling of Christmas in the States - people are a little more upbeat, the music on the radio changes, your work desk acquires a snow globe or two, shirts and socks flaunt reindeer and penguins with santa hats (or, if you my mom, frogs would be the choice of animal). Here, the holidays is like a cold, early November day in Chicago: windy, grey, and a little bleak. The one Santa Claus dressed up on the street is a reminder, but the stares and unsmiling faces of the passerbys say that he is out of place.
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| ; ) |
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| mmm, hot cocoa! hangin' with James.... |
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| Josh and I - the only time we took a nice photo...haha |
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| TEMMY! The greatest host in the world -- he looked after all the St. Olaf kids and showed us the ups and downs of Shanghai. He became and remains a great friend. And an awesome SuperSmash Bros gamer. |
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| ....it's not raining? |
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| Bananagrams. Who will win this next round of speed Scrabble? |
I've noticed in the past few weeks how much I am psyced up for Christmas back in the States. Because there is little to no decoration around in Shanghai (or, at least, no where near the amount St. Olaf puts up), it's easy to forget that Christmas Eve is just around the corner. There is a particular feeling of Christmas in the States - people are a little more upbeat, the music on the radio changes, your work desk acquires a snow globe or two, shirts and socks flaunt reindeer and penguins with santa hats (or, if you my mom, frogs would be the choice of animal). Here, the holidays is like a cold, early November day in Chicago: windy, grey, and a little bleak. The one Santa Claus dressed up on the street is a reminder, but the stares and unsmiling faces of the passerbys say that he is out of place.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Shanghai!
Hey! It looks like things are just beginning to wrap up around here. I'm going to be going to do some "lasts" and "firsts" while I only have 1 week remaining here in Shanghai. On Monday, my friends and I are planning to head out to Shanghai's "River Town" which is supposed to be the Venice of Shanghai. Judging from the pictures, it retains what old Shanghai is supposed to look like - white and brown houses, stone bridges, cobblestone roads, up-turned roofs in that "oriental" style, etc. I'm really excited --- I meant to travel there during the summer time and, again, when my mom came to visit. Both times I backed down - but this time will be different. Plus, I'll be bringing people who I got to know a whole lot better through this semseter (James and Josh - from Salford, England).
It's still not cold enough to use the air conditioner (which also doubles as our heater) to warm the room. Instead, Virginia and I huddle under our blankents in fear that we have to pay outside of our electricity limit. The quilts that are sold on the street tempt us, but we both know that we would never be able to fit them in our suitcases (maybe wear it as a sweater while walking around the O'Hare airport? I feel like the security wouldn't be too happy....).
It's kind of odd -- I won't be ending my Chinese lessons with a definite end, seeing as my final has already passed as well as leaving mid-week and mid-lesson. It's almost poetic - as if my Chinese won't have ended here, and that I'm expected to carry it out by myself. I guess I don't have any qualms with that -- being here has made me realize how wonderful it would be to be even more fluent and come back to China! Although I'm still not interested in interpreting or translating, I really want to use Chinese to guide my way around China. Like some others I know, I always catch myself thinking how neat it would be if I could stay out in the west -- where 外国人(foreigners) have left less cultural "footprints".
Even in this cold weather, flying kites can be seen outside of my window.
It's still not cold enough to use the air conditioner (which also doubles as our heater) to warm the room. Instead, Virginia and I huddle under our blankents in fear that we have to pay outside of our electricity limit. The quilts that are sold on the street tempt us, but we both know that we would never be able to fit them in our suitcases (maybe wear it as a sweater while walking around the O'Hare airport? I feel like the security wouldn't be too happy....).
It's kind of odd -- I won't be ending my Chinese lessons with a definite end, seeing as my final has already passed as well as leaving mid-week and mid-lesson. It's almost poetic - as if my Chinese won't have ended here, and that I'm expected to carry it out by myself. I guess I don't have any qualms with that -- being here has made me realize how wonderful it would be to be even more fluent and come back to China! Although I'm still not interested in interpreting or translating, I really want to use Chinese to guide my way around China. Like some others I know, I always catch myself thinking how neat it would be if I could stay out in the west -- where 外国人(foreigners) have left less cultural "footprints".
Even in this cold weather, flying kites can be seen outside of my window.
Monday, December 6, 2010
whatcha' up to??
As the weeks for this semester are coming to a close, our class attendees seem to be exponentially dropping. I tend to be one of 4 people who show up at that start of class. As for the rest of our 13 classmates....who can say?
Today was the coldest day it's been so far. And it was surprisingly cold -- probably somewhere in the low 30s. Despite hailing from a college in the middle-of-nowhere-where-the-cold-is-so-cold-that-your-nosehairs-freeze kind of place, the cold came as quite a shock. Personally, I miss the 100 degree summer and wish it came back. I'd better buck-up, Chicago is still even colder yet.
Alright, I need to get going. I'm heading off to a tea marketplace with a classmate and her roommate. We make an odd group when we walk around - a slightly pudgy, curly brown haired American, a very tall semi-red headed Swedish girl, and a fashionably dressed Korean.
Tea City is close by - two stops on the 224 bus.
Today was the coldest day it's been so far. And it was surprisingly cold -- probably somewhere in the low 30s. Despite hailing from a college in the middle-of-nowhere-where-the-cold-is-so-cold-that-your-nosehairs-freeze kind of place, the cold came as quite a shock. Personally, I miss the 100 degree summer and wish it came back. I'd better buck-up, Chicago is still even colder yet.
Alright, I need to get going. I'm heading off to a tea marketplace with a classmate and her roommate. We make an odd group when we walk around - a slightly pudgy, curly brown haired American, a very tall semi-red headed Swedish girl, and a fashionably dressed Korean.
Tea City is close by - two stops on the 224 bus.
Friday, December 3, 2010
done.
Done with paper and done with midterms.
that means I'm done with anything substantial here.
3 weeks of freeeeeeeeedooooooooooooooom!!!!!
that means I'm done with anything substantial here.
3 weeks of freeeeeeeeedooooooooooooooom!!!!!
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