Routine can be inspiring

I've just came back home few minutes ago. I was visiting my uncle and aunt, in Paris surburbs, and had to take the bus to get home. Outside, it started to rain and the traffic is always terrible approching the holidays celebration. I sat on my favourite seat, by the window on the left side, just behind the driver, but he can't see me, as there was a wall between us. Half way, everybody left the bus. Because the traffic was really slow, they decided to take the underground instead. I didn't have the courage to brave the outside wind and rain so I stayed in the bus, and was the only passenger left. Believing he was alone, the driver turned the lights off, so he can drive peacefully, without being bored by the passers-by. He also started to whistle. Feeling comfy in this intimate atmosphere, I looked at the cityscape and started to analyze it, it was a peaceful moment.

I'm kind of into stop motion now, and had decided few weeks ago to try making my own one, and the rainy and blurry scenery through the window was going to become the theme for my video. The melody the driver was singing, remind me of a song, and at this moment, I found that it will be the perfect one to go along with the video. I had everything. The lights were beautiful, the atmosphere flawless, and even the song and the title came to me. Only the camera was missing.

Breaking my daydreaming, the driver walked in the bus to turn the last lights off, and was surprised to see me. We then started to talk about our lives, and random things. This encounter was very pleasant, and helped each other to pass the time, as we were blocked in the traffic jam. He asked me why I stayed in the bus, while every passengers left and if I wasn't in a hurry. I had all my time, didn't want to face the rain, and the time spent in the bus gave me inspiration. Usually, when I'm in a car or a bus and look through the windows, I let the weather influence my mood, and rain always make me feel melancholic, but this time was different. I enjoyed this little journey, and I'm now thinking of taking the bus more often, with my camera in my bag.

When we reached the terminus, I said goodbye to the driver, but forgot to ask his name.

Thanks to this blog, sometimes, I think and write in english, and also notice things that I usually don't pay attention to :). I often think that it is pointless to continue to write here, as I may not have any readers left, but the two reasons given previously are good enough to continue. If you still read this, it would be nice to let me know it :).

Departure and holiday

Thursday, my sister left Paris for Singapore, where she will spend few days before going to Cambodia for 6 months, and all the family sent her off at the airport. I really envy her now and hope to see her in april if I go to Asia for my internship. Today, christmas holiday officially started :).

London

Here are some pictures about London, where I spent my last vacation with my friend Hélène, before I've started school. I really need some rest now, because school is so exhausting, and I'm impatiently waiting for christmas holidays :).

September

Some news !

I'm in France since 2 months already ! Time flies so quickly.

Do you remember the exam I was so anxious about ? It turns out that it wasn't as difficult as I thought and I've finally made it. I'm now studying in the university I wanted to. I'm a proud Sorbonne student :). But hell, I have plenty of homeworks to carry !

September was a month filled with good surprises :). A new school, birthday wishes and gifts, a london trip, and friends meetings. In this period of time, I was able to meet again friends that I've met in China. I saw Vincent and Emilie, the two frenchies, Yuyi and Xiao-mi from Sweden and China. But infortunately I missed Benson althought we were in Lhasa at the same time, Dany when I went to London, and Céline, that came twice in Paris :(. I've also ate at a Korean restaurant with my old classmates. Regarding family, when I was in London, I met again two of my cousins that are studying there and my cousin Alex is now studying in France, so I can see him when he comes to Paris.

I wonder how is life in Wanli going, and salivate when I think about "xiandan nangua" (fried pumkin with salted eggs). It was sure a good time of my life, and make me think about going back to China for my internship. I am also considering other countries in Asia :).

Blue

Again, I'm late, and I don't really have any other excuse than my laziness :p.

I've been in many places, and saw a lot of beautiful, curious, and different things before going back to Paris. A change in my situation made me change my travel itinary and seize the opportunity to visit Tibet. And it was an amazing trip. The landscapes were nothing compared to what I saw before. Snowy mounts and cold wind lashing my face, a lot of green places and semi-wild animals. I'm not sure if I liked Lhasa, because there was a strange atmosphere in this city, but I enjoyed it in a way. This city was really colourful and contrasted with the blue-green-gray tones out of the city, in the mountains :). I didn't really enjoy tibetan food, since I went to Sichuan just before, and it seemed tasteless compared to the really spicy specialities of the province.

In the mountains, in high up, you can easily get mountain sickness, I was afraid to feel sick and not be able to breath. But surprisingly, I did pretty well and suffered more of travel sickness when the roads became tricky haha.

Here are some pictures I took. They're not really flattering the reality, but I hope you will still appreciate them :).

I felt a little bit sad when I saw this heart shaped hole in the sky.

Then later I've found the missing part :).

(more pictures to come here)

It's been a long time

I haven't wrote here for a while and I have a lot to tell and show. I just came back home a week ago, after 6 months abroad. It feels weird to be here now, to hear all the people speaking french and understand every little word they say. The first day I arrived, I thought that it was strange that most of the people on the street were "lao wai" haha.

Since I arrived in Paris, I didn't get to go out a lot, because I was preparing for an entrance exam. I had 3 books to read within less than a week, and one of them was really big and complicated. Before that, I was in Hong Kong to celebrate my cousin wedding so I didn't get the time to read them and be well prepared. Anyway, I'm not sure of the result of the test I passed on wednesday, but I hope I did well ! After the test, I felt more rested, even with the uncertain issue of the exam, so I started to contact my friends to meet them :).

This afternoon, I took the bus to visit my aunt, and lived again a typical french tradition. French people like to moan (or grumble?), especially when they drive. I was sitting in the bus and daydreaming while watching through the window, when the driver start to shout at a woman because she was blocking his way. So they argued for about 2 minutes and blocked every other drivers on the same road. At this moment, I felt bad that I returned to Paris, and missed China and the insouciant time.

One good thing that happen when I was in China, is that really near my home, 3 or 4 new milk tea shops have opened :). I though I will miss them a lot since I drunk them almost everyday in China. It's more expensive than in China, but still affordable (about 4 euros) to drink it sometimes. An other good thing related to that fact, is that Emilie is doing her internship in Paris and we planned to meet around a cup of milk tea ♥.

Oh, I have to tell you something very important. I've finally bought a new camera when I was in China and we are now inseparable :). It's a little bit hard for me to handle it since I'm not used to reflex camera, but I will learn with time right ? Now I have a lot of pictures to show you :).

My new lover and me :).

Last days

I wanted to write this earlier but I was quite busy and also had problems with my proxi. I'm now in my hotel room in Nanjing, and have difficulties sleeping, even after the long day behind me.

The last days in Ningbo were the most intense ones. I had to pack and send a package to France, and it was really an adventure. I had to go to 3 post offices before suceeding to send it, and it was not easy with a 20 kilos box to carry. I also had a lovely day with Vincent. We visited Tianyi Ge, the old library of Ningbo, where we were frightened by birds that can speak chinese and english. After that, we went to Tianyi to do some shopping and ate at Ajisen ramen and finish at Starbuck for the dessert. Thank you Vincent :) !

The last night was really cool. Fredrik, Vincent, Emilie, Céline, Viyaletta, Juliana and her sister, Ruru, and I, went to an Indian restaurant and ate a lot ! After that we decided to drink a last French kiss shot and some cocktails, and went to dance. This night, I felt that I will miss them all, but I enjoyed every minute of their company. We promised each other to meet again, and I already know that for some, it will really happen :).

After the party, I went home with some rest of alcohol, and had to finish packing before leaving 3 hours later. I had to jump on my luggage to close it because it was too full. Few days later, I realised that I forgot things in Ningbo :(. At 7 o'clock, I had to met Simon to take the bus to Shanghai. At the bus station, we've met Viyaletta and it was a good surprise :).

Ningbo days are over, and I can't help myself of feeling nostalgic; but now, I'm living an other experience by travelling through China. In less than 2 weeks, I will go to Tibet and make an old dream come true :).

Packing time

Last week was the longest week ever since I am in China. It was also the most waited one. I've finished my last exam last Tuesday, and really felt relief. I am really tired, but in a good way :). These last two weeks were full of good memories and activities.

The city of Ningbo had organized an International student festival, which was a pleasant surprise. I've met a lot of new people coming from all around the world, and shared short but unforgettable moments with them. Now I have plenty of email to write and new destinations to visit :).

Final of World cup was really boring, I drank too much and felt asleep about 95 minutes after the beginning of the match where nothing happen and missed the goal >_< ! This night I’ve met interesting people and it was a great night. I love the british accent and girls with short hair :). A friend of mine told me something that I didn’t really suspected, I was nicely surprised and in the same time felt a little sad. This friend also really took care of me because I felt so bad with the amount of alcohol I absorbed. This night I was hugging everybody haha. Thank you 哥哥 !

Packing time is so hard ! Even if I didn't have time to do shopping because of school, I was really surprise of the amount of things I have. My books all together weight 10 kilos !

These past days, I took time trying to help a friend that seems really lost. Even if she only call me when she need help, she reminds me myself three weeks before, so I can’t refuse to help her and try my best to ease her pain, plus she is super cute :).

I also had dinner with chinese friends that were my classmates. They're all so nice with me, and offer me little present that I will keep preciously. My listening and speaking chinese teacher invited me to her house to have a dinner with her family. As we were preparing the dinner, I learned how to wrap 饺子 (dumpling) :). Yesterday the 阿姨 that take care of the building came to my home and cooked a full table of dishes, and Xiaomi, Fredrik, Vincent and Vietta joined us for lunch.

These two weeks were also the last times with lovely people that returned to their homeland. I didn’t have time to properly say goodbye to two of them, so I am a little bit sad :(. But we all attended a last KTV together and I had a good night with them. I will really miss the people I've met there and I hope to see them again, but I know that it is not as easy as we think to travel and have time to welcome people that come to your country.

I decided to stay a day more in Ningbo before starting to travel, for the last big night with the people that still here. I can’t leave without a last goodbye. Saying goodbye to this not so loved city will be not so easy finally. 宁波我终于喜欢你了!

How I feel these days

I feel a little lonely these last days, since I only go out of my room to get some food. Tomorrow is a national holiday, so we've got three days free of school, but instead got classes on saturday and sunday. I just stayed at home to study, because the exams are so close and I have a lot of things to carry out. This period is pretty stressful. I even miss a beach camping that I really wanted to go, because I am collapsing under the amount of work :(. Still, I found some time to cut my hair to get rid of my shapeless hairstyle, haha. It's a little bit short, but I get more and more use to it :).

Here in China, I feel weird and difficult to make relationship since I know that I won't last here long, besides of being a shy person. Sometimes, I really miss my family and friends, because I don't really have close friends in Ningbo, and barely talk to my boyfriend though he is only three hours far from this city. Though, there is a lot of nice people here, and I enjoy to see them every day. I will feel a little sad when I will leave Ningbo, because I have only one month left with them. I also planned to travel a month more before going back to France. I want to visit so many places, but I have to make a choice because time is money, and money take time to be earn >_<. Japan, Korea, Hong Kong are the places I want to go for their crowded streets and intense activity. Tibet, Mongolia, Yunnan and any beautiful beach are the places were I will enjoy beautiful scenery and peaceful atmosphere.

After this week, it should be more relaxing days, so I can have some rest, and enjoy the sun and people :).

Seaside

Something changed between here and there.

Is there any way to repair ?

Do you know the reason why French perfumes are famous ?

Since already two weeks, Charles (an other French student) and I are teaching French to Chinese students, every thursday evening. This is my first real experience as a teacher, and I was a bit stressed and nervous.

The first lesson was messy and not so good. I was in front of 15 Chinese students, and I didn't really know how to start. So Charles and I decided to ask them few questions to know their level, and we went to the conclusion that we had to start from the basis. After teaching them how to count and to introduce themselves, the class was over. I was afraid that the students find the class boring, but on the contrary they were really interested in learning French. After the class, they wanted to know more about our lives in France, and they were all very nice with us. Later, some of them even invited me to KTV, but I was a little bit busy to go :(.

Next class was about Paris, and they were all curious about this "romantic" city. At the end of the class, I let them ask some questions about France, to satisfy their curiosity. A girl asked me a very strange question, she asked at what frequency I usually take a shower. I was surprise, but I answered that I take a shower every day, and asked her in return, what was the purpose of this question. She said that her French teacher, which is a Chinese woman, told in her class that French people don't like to take shower, and try to mask the bad odour with perfume, and that it's probably the reason why French perfumes are famous in the world. Of course, every student believed this rumor. I was surprise and I started to laught.

Now, when a chinese guy ask me where I come from, I can't help myself thinking "if I say France, he will think that I don't like to take shower, besides of being arrogant and stupid", and surely, I will turn red, haha.

Last week-end, I was in Shanghai, trying not to spend all my money in shoes shop, saying goodbye to friends that returned to Sweden, and hanging around with my boyfriend and my friend Patrick. I was so happy to find French pastries "macarons" in Shanghai (especially after the thievery of a "saucisson", but this is an other story). I brought some to share with people in Ningbo :). If you never tried one, you are highly recommended to have a bite in, it's one of my favourite dessert and I can die for it. I really missed them.

Tomorrow, we have an other French class, the topics will be the date, hours, and also the weather.

Time to say goodbye, and believe me or not, I am going to take a shower and go to sleep ;).

Introduction

Hello all,

For those who already know me (family members, friends, classmates, or psychopathic guy that spies on me), you already know what I am up to now.

For those who don't know me at all (hello strangers), I will introduce myself a little bit.

My name is Hélène, I will write here under the pseudo little, I'm French. I'm for the moment studying in China, in a city named Ningbo, not far from Shanghai. I've been here for 3 months already and didn't find the interest to restart a blog, as many of my classmates do it well. But from these past weeks, I've started to think about it, to share things that I find interesting and to keep you informed about how I'm doing.

I hope you will appreciate it :).

Hélène.

En français : bienvenus, je m'appelle Hélène, et je commence mon blog :).