JUNE 2007 MISTY SUMMER NIGHT

This is Beijing on a misty mid summers night --

I love the grey and mist.

To me blue skys are depressing. A montony.

The Gold Coast skies were blue daily.

I was filled with joy when I saw majestic clouds and even better ---- lightening -----

Many summer days in Beijing are blue as a Sydney sky. But we do have the odd

misty day. Everything romantic like an 80's rock film clip.

Everything mysterious.

At day an atmosphere.

At night car lights shine through the smog. The street lights beam through thick fog like "The Phantom of the Opera" or a Steven King novel or something. Its very theatrical!!!!

And it suits my mood.

Here are some night pics.

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Went to post belindas presents today.

they inspected them.

i got her a lovely old dragon.

they said 'no' "wenhu"

i think that means something like cultural heritiage or older than the Qing Dynasty.
it is covered in dirt you see.

Yeah, you can't take stuff out of China that is really really old.

I totally understand that.

It is a good law, protects China, keeps the cultural heritage here. not in a yuppies lounge in new york.

but its a bummer for belinda. i ducked out and bought her another dragon. its pretty cool too. and a fan and a wall hanging thingy.

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Today was my final class with year one.

I gave them all a little note with a sticker that says "I will miss you" etc

Many of them starting crying. Everyone run up and gave me a big hug (practically around the ankles they are so short)

They all asked me for my phone number but I said "I don't have one"

Then they were all running up giving me paper aeroplanes, cut out dolls and little notes they quickly wrote, heres is what some of them said (all in Chinese)


Hope you have a good time
Are you coming back next term?
I love you
I wish you happiness
I love you. I'll study harder
I love you very much. Welcome you back again.
I hope you will have a better life after gone.
Thank you teacher

A boy drew a picture of himself with tears running down his face

I had tears in my eyes too. I will miss them a lot. They have personality +

I have packed ready to move house on Monday.

I am moving to Johns old house. He is going to Europe.

I will live in a high rise building, really high up.

Next Wednesday I go a-travelling.

I momentarily was going to stay in Beijing and get over John, but I decided I may not get a month off to see Tibet etc again. Tried to get alternative travel partners but could not find anyone. So John it is.

John and I have been broken up for 2 months and I am still in love with him and I just experience so much pain.

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Update

_ finished work on thursday
_ move house on monday
_ jump on a train and see China on tuesday -- going to tibet


so - finished work on thursday
many kids cry "i love you" "don't go" it was sad

tomorrow i move to a suburb closer to the city. yay, civilisation

tuesday i jump in a train and go to Tibet and some other places along the way - with 3 French people and John

So its very exciting.

I am on holidays. no work so i feel very relaxed. i feel i am able to better enjoy beijing now. i am absorbing more of China or something.

Friday night
-- went to a gig----------The Go Team--------from the UK they were so fun
then went out on the town with friends.

I have met 16 Chinese people now that i am in contact with

Saturday

slept then went to Johns party at 3pm. twas fun. met some lecturers from my new uni.
met some students. lots of Chinese people there a coupla westerners.
slept at johns house.


I am finding China challenging.

Lots of expats i met a while ago that arrived starry eyed are starting to get cynical and jaded.

im not too bad, i kinda laugh when things get a bit crazy here.

At first glance China seemed very similar to Australia.
As I scratch below the surface I am seeing lots of differences.

I am being exposed to stuff I have never experienced.

Also just being taken out of my narrow newtown circle is exposing me
to westerners who have values completely different to mine. its challenging. im so narrow minded.

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