CAUGHT BIG BIG FISH.

This is a little boy of my friend’s friend’s brother’s son. He is adorable! And very smart…He refused to open his eyes…-.- lol.

The back is the beautiful first Beijing retirement home/condos in renovation. They are extremely beautiful but expensive.

Fish caught!!! This one was one of the smaller ones.

The crew fishing~ I fished for like 10 minutes but got bored.

Anyways, because wordpress is so slow, I’m just going to type here. It was pretty amazing visiting the Beijing National Movie Museum. I got to see some of the ways the Chinese made movies. I asked my friend why Chinese movies are all depressing, she responded “we are a nation of suffering”. It is sad. She said, “there’s nothing to show about our happiness”. Something along the lines of that. But eating with them at this retirement villa, I was amazed by everyones’ friendliness. They were definitely true Chinese, lots of chatting, talking and “face” time. This time, in a good way.

Big fish, big dinner. They seriously (the cook) cooked it in like 15 minutes. We went to the bathroom after fishing, and walked in. Like 13 dishes sprawled out on the table waiting for my hungry stomach.

Mosquitoes. I think that’s how you spell it. I can’t believe I’m staying up to fight mosquitoes. As I was about to doze off to zZzz land- I hear mosquitoes buzzing in my ear. I tried to swat it, but when I turned on the light, I noticed my wrist was swollen from a bite. You little MOSQUITO! MUST DIE!! Plz TAKE IT AWAY, leave my room. I’m prying it will miraculously like die and fall to the floor. It’s so tiny, I can’t find it. Must buy bug spray soon…good nite.

Today we went to 798 galleries, probably the best outing in Beijing.

More pictures to come. I’m having a hard time breathing, my lungs are not too well in this kind of pollution. ;( Help!

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened”- Luke 11:9

Beijing days are flashing by me. Soon to be leaving and heading to Shanghai, then to Taiwan. I will be returning to LA to a different home, where is home? Where is home but love. Where is home this little migrant woman…I can’t count how many times I’ve moved. Truly, home is not here. I will keep my memories, my friends and family, the ones I love, and the material things simply disappear. Where is home?

There are many migrants in China that collect bottles and other things to make money. Today, there was a man sleeping on a cart in the subway. I was riding the subway and noticed he had fallen asleep. I meant to give him my bottle but thought “maybe he doesn’t want my bottle, maybe he doesn’t collect trash”. However, when he woke up and saw the empty bottle lingering in my hand, he eagerly asked me for it. As I was about to get off, I thought of the new bottle of water in my bag. “He would be so happy, maybe he’s so thirsty plus he could get cash for the bottle”. Part of me fought against my “good side” because I thought of how people would think of me. I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care if I was associated with the outcasts. I gave him the bottle in the crowded subway, not really caring if everyone was staring.

His face lit up the brightest I’ve ever seen. That smile was seriously the highlight of my day. I said a small p-yer for him. He kept saying thank you. We walk through each day, not hearing the spirit. But when we hear and obey, it’s the best thing on earth.

This is me eating with my new Minzu writer friend. Meaning she is one of the 103,000 Minzu out of her specific Minzu tribe in China. I was excited to eat hot pot, but…after got a little stomache 😦 Oh well, it was worth the taste and experience! She said that she used to herd sheep with her dog. Dogs are her friends, I thought that was so poetic and sweet. I read a few of her writing in the book she wrote, simply amazing!

Um yah, sorry about the mess. I realize how horrid I am with eating….I need to take an etiquette class for sure. Plus, the shameful thing is that I suck at using the chopstick..:( I think it’s the spicy-ness that led to bathroom time later on. LOL

I am finally skyping with my family tonight, woot woot. I still miss LA for the sun.

Today we went to a Minzu park. At first I Thought it would be some minority park, but later I found out it was like a museum on a grander scale.

This is a living space of one Minzu tribe

I totally wanted to buy one! They were so cheap~ but I decided against it because seriously, how would I carry that in my luggage. I have no space for it! Love the colors and the designs~

so basically, if you didn’t know, I’m on a service/study trip. We have 15 journal entries, 1 essay and a presentation due NEXT TUESDAY. AND I AM SO screwed because I still have 9 entries to do and haven’t exactly cornered in on what I want to present about. On a happy note, I’m visiting my new artist friend tomorrow! We are going to HAZA (eat)! My favorite hobby.

I’m eating Tom Yum Ramen, its sooooo goood. man. A hint of home food. I do miss Pho and pho, and yah LA food. I’ve been more careful about street food since i found out that the oil is taken from sewage oils. And who knows where that stuff comes from? Ew.

ON another note- I went to the Beijing Opera House (I think that’s what it’s called) and saw SA Chen. Actually I didn’t know who she was before I went, but after reading her bio, I was like ohhh woow.

http://www.chen-sa.com/en/index.asp- check out her bio.

It was interesting because they talked about her childhood. Her parents actually wanted  a boy, is that surprising in a Chinese family? Sad. The reason her dad wanted a boy was because girls have more of a potential to not take on challenges or stick to the family. Hello- does that look like the world today? It is quite sad, so she was raised like a boy. She became very opinionated, and for some reason, I think less emotional. Though the modern age thinks that being less emotional is a positive thing, I think it’s a sad loss of humanity. Emotions are given by our Creator. That’s why there’s females and males. Both represent a side of who our Creator is. Females are beautiful in their ability to be sensitive, feel, and express even for others. Males are more logical, yet provide a reliable identity of masculinity. Sadly, our society looks down upon the feminine qualities as weak.

I believe that a huge movement of social justice are started by women in this era. Women feel deeply for injustice and women issues. Women are people of compassion. Without women and feminine qualities, our society will be lost and filled with emotion-less robots, not that males are robots…but without both our humanity is lost.

More pictures below- also this 10 year old totally owned the piano, it scared the crap out of me. This girl made my piano skills look like freaken 2 year old.

Usually in Taiwan or America or anywhere I know, people wait patiently for their turn in anything. Well, guess what, not in Beijing. The new friends pretty much told me to squish in and just butt people to get a picture with them. This one new friend told me, “look like you’re signing the book with her”. I’m like…uhhhh okay.

No they’re not sleeping, just sleeping. JK

So I put the clothes in the washer, 2 hours I come back, it’s still sitting there in water. I go down to the desk, they give me a card to try swiping, it doesn’t work, I go back down. Finally, they tell me to switch washers, so I drag heavy watered clothes down to the 3rd floor. I make a water route. Next, I finally go back to my room but my key doesn’t turn. I can’t get in the room. -.- My friend is going to take me somewhere cool tonight, for now, I’m going to chill a little after the huge fiesta trying to wash my clothes.

Some pics here:

A shop near HouHai – had these adorable dolls

Me and my Juizee drink. SO sweet. the drinks are too sweet. LOL (oh and fake lesportsac. oops)

Minzu fashion- tribal minority fashion, I LOVe it

Chinese filmmaker Feng Xiaogang’s latest production, Aftershock, which reflects the devastating earthquake in Tangshan in 1976, is to start screening on the mainland on July 22, according to distributor Huayi Brothers Media Corporation.

The feature was previously set to premiere on July 28, the 34th anniversary of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 240,000 people in the northern city of Tangshan.

Wang Zhonglei, president of the Huayi Brothers, gave no reason for the advance of the date as he announced it Monday at a press conference.

The film, with the tagline 23 seconds, 32 years, tells the story of a mother who had to make a choice between saving her daughter or her son during the 23 seconds in which the disaster ravaged the town.

The mother’s decision is said to have changed the fate of the whole family as the saved daughter suffered guilt for 32 years before her experience during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake finally set her free.

An 8-magnitude quake, believed to have surpassed the Tangshan quake in terms of intensity and scope of destruction, hit Sichuan’s Wenchuan County on May 12, 2008 and left 87,000 people dead or missing.

“What the film aims to express is the bond between mother and child and the relationship between family affection and greater love,” Feng said.

Though commercially successful with war epic Assembly (2007) and period love thriller The Banquet (2006), the prolific 52-year-old director is better known for his comedies such as Cell Phone (2003), A World Without Thieves (2004) and If You Are the One (2008).

The film, jointly produced by the Huayi Brothers, China Film Group and the municipal government of Tangshan, will be released in IMAX format. Its budget is around 150 million yuan ($22 million).

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2010)

I went to Xidan today. Wanted to explore the outer parts, instead of just the old places. We were supposed to go to Forbidden City, but as we learned, the professor had changed the schedule and PESi staff was not aware of it until the last minute.

I got a pedicure. As I was sitting there relaxing, I was acutely aware of prejudice and injustice. I noticed the young girl helping the staff with cleaning. Even small gestures that the staff made towards the girl, like pushing her aside, made me cringe. She had darker skin so I assumed she might be a minority in China. I was thinking maybe she only got paid like 1 yuan or 2 yuan an hour.

Then this big guy walked in and was like accusing the worker, then flicked his finger at another worker’s head (sounded like it hurt). I assumed this was the boss or “the work pimp”. I was not happy, I was actually very upset and wanted to do something back to this big guy. Of course, I had no right to do anything. All I could do was ask my Creator for justice and also to give this minority girl a chance in life, to give her self-esteem, a reason for living. I can see how someone would feel inferior if they were treated like crap everyday. If I had the money, I want to give a minority a chance at life. I want to give them a dream, to show them that they can pursue their dreams and be someone in life. I would send them to school.

This is at Xidan- my sorta fail picture. People stare at you when you take pictures of random things.

So I go to in to this Mr. Lee noodle place, the napkin claims that they have 380 chain stores, especially in America California. I stare at it, “like really??”. So I ask the waitress- you guys have stores in California. She says yes. But I doubt it. I went to two places, and they’re supposedly chains in Taiwan, but I’ve never seen it. Imitation…everything?

BTW the noodles were really good, but the boba SUCKED. Waiting until Taiwan to get boba.

More pics to come- AND YAY! I’m teaching music!! 🙂 woot woot – instead of Chinese writing. thankssss G.

triangular dessert

My BF back in LA, waiting patiently for my return…in October! 😦 I miss him so freaken much!

Something I learned from long distance relationship- love is patient love is kind love is longsuffering, trusts at all times, and keeps no record of wrong, it is not selfish, it endures, and yah did i mention patient?

And of course the family members I left behind. At the Alhambra Applebee’s, had some happy hours and had bad service. But overall, a fun night with the crew. That was ….like a week ago. It feels like forever ago since so much has changed. Mainly, living here has been VERY different, obviously, i miss my car. lol.