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| Hey guys,
Just a quick note to let you know that I've moved!
New blog is at http://flic.nomadlife.org
Hope to see you there!
Luv and hugs, flic  | | |
| Culinary matters:
Peach Custard flavoured yoghurt. Or, it might be Peach flavoured stuff that's a cross between custard and yoghurt. The packaging wasn't explicit. But whatever it is, someone was really thinking, and I'm eternally grateful  I highly recommend all of you in Australia who are partial to custard or yoghurt or both to go to Coles and grab some! It will be worth your effort, trust me 
Dancing:
No, I haven't started yet, in fact I've done some reseach on classes and need to make some phone calls this afternoon. But a question has crossed my mind... What shoes do you wear to a dance class?  I rekon I could wear just sneakers to a contempory or modern class, year? But for a latin class... I can't imagine doing latin dancing in sneakers... maybe I have to wear heels? Can you wear heels with tracky dacks (tracksuit pants)? I might just do as Julia joked, and take a few different pairs, regardless of the type of class, just in case!  And wear whatever, who cares. Man, dancing is already seeming complicated! I just want to have fun and get fit! 
Reading:
I'm doing HEAPS of reading at the moment, and trying to get a good balance. I want to read some classics and philosophical books to broaden my mind. Also Ludlum novels, I know i'll love them so they're a pretty safe bet for a good read. All that espionage and global scale conspiracies and stuff  And the third group is professional reading, about management or HR theory etc. The first and third category are only for daytime reading (a bit tough for evenings!), but the challenge is to confine the spy books to only evening reading
Countryside:
Last night we went out to somewhere between Murray Bridge and Tallem Bend with a couple of telescopes to check out Jupiter and some of the stars. It was cloudy and the moon was full and so bright it was ridiculous, so it wasn't great for looking at the stars. BUT the moon was cool And it was so nice, just sitting out in the middle of no-where, listening to the cows, smelling the cows  , looking up at the night sky, chatting with friends. It's cool that places like that are so close to where we live, that we can see so many stars and stuff, that we have cars that we can just jump in and drive off in without much planning
Luv and hugs, flic | | |
| Okay, start from the start Team day finished earlier than we expected, so we went and hung out at Subway to read the magazines - quite relaxing actually After re-packing again, in the evening we had dinner at the new Korean place downstairs, and then went to Pass By Bar near Houhai. David had read about it somewhere - its kind of famous -and wanted to check it out. It's famous with backpackers and kind of kitch (with t-shirts and stuff) but has great cosy cabin-like atmosphere, a library (incl heaps of travel books) that you can borrow from if you donate 3 books, and tasty drinks and food I also got presents again that evening (my luggage situation just kept getting worse!) which was lovely
Friday we had lunch at one of my favourite restaurants, eating my fav dishes, with the MC, Leon and Nick Then it was time to leave But it was a gorgeous day to leave, sunny and warm, perfect last memories of Beijing! 
The trip back wasn't especially eventful. Vietnam Airlines was crap (again), Vietnam was boiling hot and humid (again), I was told by a random Taiwanese guy at Ho Chi Minh Airport that I was beautiful but I should lose some weight (what a cheek, he was much fatter than me!), and I was too tired, poor, and worried about my luggage to go shopping in Ho Chi Minh before going back to the airport from the hotel, so I really didn't get to enjoy it at all. BUT I did have a few interesting - thoughts, shall we say.
I think the last year has made me a lot more patient and accepting At the airport, this old couple in front of me at check-in had about 10 small bags to check in, an older relative that they'd temporarily misplaced, and generally just no idea what was going on. The chick behind me was swearing and cursing under her breath... what help was that gonna do? What was her rush anyway, the flight wouldn't board for a couple of hours yet! Later during the flight I could hear her moaning to the couple next to her about the poor service. On, and on, and on.... Jeez! Enough already!  Yep, I agree, the service was pretty bad. But since when did complaining loudly make things any better? Couldn't she just laugh about it, or find something else to think about? I actually found her complaining really, really irritating. Probably partly cos I was so tired, but she just sounded so spoilt and negative  I'm all for taking action to improve situations, but not just complaining when it won't change anything! I think she should live in Beijing and work in an office with crap infrastructure for a year.. might give her a different view 
Sydney airport - WOW! People were smiling, laughing with their workmates, and joking with customers. Everything was clearly signposted with people ready and willing to help you if you needed it (and knew the answers to questions!). Immigration asked if I enjoyed my trip, and customs actually exists - again, friendly, smiling people . Everyone called me "madam" or "love" or "miss" and asked how I was that day. So refreshing
Being back feels a little strange. It's great to see everyone again (everyone who's still here ) and nice to sleep in a BIG bed in a BIG room, lie on the COUCH and watch TV, walk on CLEAN streets with NO PEOPLE and FRESH AIR and SUNSHINE that's not filtered by smog! But it feels a little like being on a holiday... and I miss my life in Beijing, the people and places and food and my great job! Speaking of jobs, if anyone knows of anything part-time in Adelaide that I'd enjoy (or just be able to stand), let me know
So far I've been exercising a lot, just started job hunting, reading, sorting out uni, - and of course catching up with people! Drinks on Tues night with a few of the boys, The Event on Wednesday night with AIESEC SA, coffee later Wed night with Julia, coffee Thurs arvo with Lucy, drinks with Sims side of the family last night. Tonight I'll see the Nicholl side at a 60th. Busy busy!
Well, next week I'll sign up for dance classes (not sure which type yet!), get more serious about job hunting, start studying Japanese again, go out for Chinese food with the boys, catch up with Sharmini for her birthday, have lunch with Julia, and I need to call some ppl I have't run into yet! Should be a good week! I also will try to get up earlier.... I haven't seen many mornings yet since I returned - I think only yesterday! Jet-lag really isn't an excuse when you just go from North to South
Well, whereever you are in the world, best wishes for a great week! Especially to Chris, Leon, Delfy, TN & SN - our whole apartment I miss you guys! Best wishes for the trip home to Shanghai then to Rotterdam Chris!
Luv and hugs, Flic | | |
| SO today is Wednesday, and I leave Beijing on Friday sad times indeed. How has my last week been? Pretty good
Friday Shirley from BJTU took Ellen (RUC CEEDer from The Netherlands), Chris and I shopping at a market near the zoo. Man, I wish I'd been there earlier! Heaps of nice clothes, really cheap, not too busy. The most shopping fun I've had the whole time I've been here! Thanks Shirley!
Farewell Party for me and Chris was at Black Sun Bar 2 at Chaoyang Park Friday night. Incidentally, the same place as I Pearl and I had our surprise birthday party in June last year. Couches, good music thats not so loud you can't speak, pool tables and cheap drinks! Heaps of people came so we were really happy, and we even got presents! Just a lovely, relaxing evening.
Saturday Adam, Ellen, Chris, Delfy, Sonja (Delfy's girlfriend who's visiting at the mo) and I went to the Minority Park. It's a huge outdoor place with different areas for each Chinese minority. Parts of it were under construction (but looked abandoned), some parts looked fine but still abandoned, and some performers were too lazy to perform for us! BUT some areas were cool, with interesting dances, songs, costumes and stories about their cultures. It was nice to spend an afternoon outdoors in the sun (I didn't get brown at ALL!) and to learn a bit more about China outside of Han culture! Afterwards we went to Leon's family's place, as they live nearby. His parents cooked a huge feast for all of us, they're so lovely! It was interesting to have the usual kind of questions too... "Did you have to get approval from your parents to come to China?".
Sunday Chris and I were treated to lunch by a few of the UIBE guys. As always it was smiles and laughs all around, plus great food . Sad to say goodbye as I've spent a lot of time with them this year, especially the outgoing and also incoming EBs.
This week has mostly been a mixture of sorting through all the stuff I've accumulated this year (my desk alone was a minor nightmare ), packing, tying up stuff for transition, and having all of those final Beijing experiences! These included shopping at Wangfujing (thanks again Shirley!), DVD at Nick's, an afternoon spent randomly catching buses around the city, taking and printing more photos, Peking Duck, and today.... going with Chris to get our nails done! We both had our toe nails treated and painted, and I had my finger nails done too. I feel like a princess
Tomorrow is team day, and Friday is D-Day, so stay tuned for the next update direct from somewhere a LOT further South from here!
Luv and hugs, flic
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| Quick update:
The forecast for Beijing is for 30 degrees today - the same as Adelaide! I guess in that sense it's a good time of year to move hemispheres! This morning was hot and VERY dusty, I was worried a famous sand storm was brewing! But by lunch time things were clearing up, and now it's pretty clear actually Tempted to put on the air con this arvo, but just went and got ice cream instead
Yesterday I mopped the floors. And later cleaned the bench, sink and stove top in the kitchen. I think there could be three reasons for this sudden burst of cleaning: 1 - the place was kind of dirty, 2 - I don't have much exciting work left to do, all just filing and reports and stuff, 3 - Since I'm leaving soon, I feel a sudden sense of attachment to the apartment. I think all three reasons might have contributed. In any case, it was rewarding
Got to go - only one week left of my Beijing life!
Luv and hugs, flic
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