Where I've Lived In China

Hey! :)

This next short little update is to show you where I have lived in China. I've lived in three different cities in three different provinces in the last three  years. In case you are wondering that equals nine.

In my first two years my communication wasn't great and a lot of you it seemed always got confused by my whereabouts.

I would say, I'm back in Xiamen now! And you'd ask, Em, weren't you living in Chengdu? To which I'd reply, I was in Chengdu! But now I'm in Xiamen and soon going to Dongguan! This only adding to the confusion.

So, for you visual learners please feast your eyes on this map of China with previously lived spots highlighted. The lived spots are highlighted in HOT PINK!

Please Note: You may have to click on that photo to enlarge it in order to see everything clearly. 

My time spent in either spot, as much for my records as for interest to you my dear reader goes:

Year 2006

Xiamen, Fujian Province - August until December

Chengdu, Sichuan Province - December until...

Year 2007

Chengdu, Sichuan Province - ...Until March

Xiamen, Fujian Province - March and April

Dongguan, Guangdong Province - April until June

Xiamen, Fujian Province - The first 2 Weeks in June

Chengdu, Sichuan Province - The last two weeks in June until...

Year 2008 

Chengdu, Sichuan Province - All year

Year 2009

Chengdu, Sichuan Province - until August

Xiamen, Fujian Province - August until present

More later!

Comments, questions or whatever you fancy to leave below in the comments section!

Ou.yang.

Leia Mais…

Introducing China - Chengdu

China.

Many of you know that I've been living in China for a long time now.

Having never been to China it may be hard to imagine what life is actually like here. I sure didn't know much about China before I came in 2006!

In the next few posts I will be introducing a number of videos to give you a better idea and feeling for China - and my experience here.The first one is a video done by the famous Chinese director Zhang Yi Mou,  showcasing the city of Chengdu in Sichuan province. I lived, studied and worked for two years in this city.

Many of the places shown in the video I have been.
Many of them I saw everyday in those two years.

Just hit play! Enjoy!



Chengdu certainly has a special place in my heart. :)
 
Ou.yang.

PS. Please note that the mentioned "Dujiangyan" at 1:19 of playtime is XF's hometown.

Leia Mais…

Recycling is 2009

I'm one for recycling things that can be used again and when I came across this gem it was screaming to be reposted. "Post me, post me!" How could I say no?

So here you are folks, a post from the long ago days of 2007, a time when children listened to their parents, iPhones were all but unheard of and poutine was considered a healthy alternative to brussel sprouts.

Lets call the post: "McDonald's Mahem:"

I'll take you back 4 days or so to January the 23rd. It was a hazy, heavy morning as I ambled groggily into McDonalds to grab a familiar and frustration free breakfast. As I stood in the queue I noticed behind me a middle aged man; there he stood in his wrinkled clothes, his hair astray, shifting his weight from left to right and as I slowly looked up I noticed that unmistakeable look in his eyes. He was a queue jumper. I readied myself - this one was not going to get away. I calculated in my mind the best approach, to politely ask him... nah that had never worked before, maybe I could... and before my sleepy mind could process another thought he sprang into action, trying to shove forward. Instinctively my right arm swung out, straight arming him and stopping him dead on my rippling well muscled bicep, sending him bouncing back like a rag toy. As if someone had pushed the red instant infuriate button he flew into his most colorful choice of Chinese swear words, swearing at everyone and anything, and then finally closing in on me with violent intent. I quickly changed my order to a hot coffee in the hopes of delivering a scalding shot of hour old coffee to his face should he attack. Five McDonalds employees viewing the scene timely leapt into action, subduing him like a wild elephant. I did the only thing you could do in such a situation - laughed hysterically. My laughter caught on and soon the packed restaurant joined me in laughing at such a spectacle, infuriating him to the breaking point. With every gufaw and haha his veins expanded, his eyes bulged and his volume increased. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to laugh. I decided I should leave and leave I did before he broke the staff's grips... I didn't want to have to waste a perfectly good coffee. As the main door closed behind the last swear word lingered and was cast off into the same wind that ruffled my movie star hairdo. So, one could say the moral of the story is not to jump the queue.

In retrospect:

I wouldn't have straightarmed him. I'm not as easily disturbed as I once was. My biceps still ripple at any twitch.

Ou.yang.

Leia Mais…