tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88770822289305287912024-03-14T17:02:02.138+08:00C² J² in ChinaOur Life in Beijing, ChinaCeline 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comBlogger482125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-48216405312172925742009-08-15T23:59:00.007+08:002011-01-06T17:17:44.806+08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://cjsuiter.blogspot.com/"><img alt="Keep on following our adventures in Norway" border="0" src="http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s98/celinesuiter/China%20Blog_Posts/2009-08_Adventures.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-88592652262560092402009-07-04T01:42:00.001+08:002009-12-16T04:44:09.020+08:00If Only I Had One More Day...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: 130%;">(One Day Short Of 1050)</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">…I would have another meal of Peking Duck <s>or</s> and Hot Pot, one last Jiang Bing in the back alley, see one more time the Great Wall, get lost in the park of the Temple of Heaven, ride my bike in the little Hutong lanes and take more pictures, stop and do some more people watching….<br />
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Though there have been many challenges living here if I could do it all over again…. I wouldn’t change a thing (maybe learn more Chinese)<br />
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</div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Clifton Fadiman (1904 - 1999)<br />
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2 years, 10 months, 1 week, 6 days and a few hours or 1049 days since we arrived in Beijing, China on August 20th, 2006<br />
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Or to put into another <s>word</s> number: <span style="font-weight: bold;">481</span><br />
That’s the number of posts I wrote on this blog… Thanks for reading it!<br />
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</div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">中国,我会想你<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">zhong guo, wo hui xiang ni - China, I will miss you</span><br />
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谢谢, 再见<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">XieXie, ZaiJian - Thank You, Good Bye</span><br />
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西琳<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">XiLin (aka Celine)</span><br />
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中国北京市,2009年7月4日<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Beijing, China - July 4, 2009</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"Don't cry because it's over.<br />
Smile because it happened." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;">Dr Seuss</span><br />
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<tr><td align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sko-AsqyUrI/AAAAAAAAFjg/RovZtQqi6CA/s1600-h/2009.07.04+Go+West.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353159288794796722" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sko-AsqyUrI/AAAAAAAAFjg/RovZtQqi6CA/s400/2009.07.04+Go+West.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 388px;" /></a><br />
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<tr><td align="center"><i>On our way...<br />
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</tbody></table>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-87874420268834990052009-07-03T20:37:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.637+08:00My Very Own...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Top 3</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I will miss each and every one…</p><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">BEIJING DAY TO DAY</span><br /><p></p><ul><li>Lunch with the girls</li><li>Bicycle riding </li><li>Cultural shock & endless photo opportunities</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">BEIJING PERKS</span><br /></p><ul><li>Tailor</li><li>Jewelry </li><li>Lunches</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">BEIJING EXPERIENCES</span><br /></p><ul><li>Great Wall Ball</li><li>Birthday Extravaganza </li><li>Going to the Opera</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">FOOD</span><br /></p><ul><li>JianBing</li><li>Hotpot & Pekin Duck</li><li>Home-made Chinese dishes <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >(</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >烧茄子 </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >(</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Shao QieZi </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >) Stir-fried Eggplants, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >烧芸豆</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > (</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Shao YunDou</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >) Fried Green Beans, 西红柿鸡蛋汤</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >(</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >XiHongShi JiDan Tang</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >) Eggs & Tomato Soup, etc…)</span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">BEIJING VISIT</span><br /></p><ul><li>TianTan - Temple of Heaven</li><li>YongHeGong - Lama Temple</li><li>ChengChang - Great Wall</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">DESTINATION IN CHINA</span><br /></p><ul><li>Guilin</li><li>Hakka house</li><li>Xian & Harbin</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">TRIPS</span><br /></p><ul><li>Vietnam</li><li>Japan</li><li>Cambodia</li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">A few pictures were supposed to be posted here too. <br />See perfectly good excuse on yesterday post!<br /></div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-70256829174000166722009-07-02T21:56:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.649+08:00It Seems Like...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...It Was Yesterday</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A few weeks after I arrived in China I wrote the following post but never published it. Here is it, unpolished! I have added at the end what I would write today.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>That Sense of Belonging</u></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles."</span><br />Tim Cahill<br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">You know that feeling of belonging to a place. Well for me it’s often when I start not being bothered by the new place different smells anymore and also when I come upon somebody I know in the street. No I’m not talking within the complex building that would be way too easy, I’m talking about in the big wide open streets of Beijing (and that’s a good challenge since there is 15 million legal inhabitants in BJ). Well that remind me of a conversation that I often have with people when I tell them about our life style (aka expat life)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I have been asked a few times already of all the places I have lived in which one was my favorite, and to my surprise I couldn’t pick one. Each and everyone hold a special place in my heart for multiple and diverse reasons. And I’m not trying to be cheesy. I might have a different opinion if we are sent to a camp in Africa but even so I think it’s what you make out of the situation that make it special and the people you meet along the journey.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I absolute love </span><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Colorado</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> and Denver. I was 20, took a year off to go to the States to brush up on my non-existent English and I absolutely love the freedom. My surrogate family (the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Stahl</span>) were adorable with me and made me part of their family. Cosette and Nicolas are in their 20’s now. Let's not forget <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dany</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Catherine </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Aurélie </span>my fellow Au Pair companions. And of course I met Jeffrey which prompts me to extend my stay a little bit longer in the states. (He still owes me that year I was supposed to spend in Italy to brush up on my then very good Italian!!)</span><br /><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Texas</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> was different than Colorado, I missed the mountains that reminded me of the mountains back home in Grenoble (France) but this is where I for the first time find out about the world of Expats: my “adopted” family away from home, who was a French expat family (lovely Mr. and Mrs. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Braun </span>and their two adorable boys) and the young crowd starting their expat life. We formed friendship that lasted to this day (marriage, children….) no matter where our next assignment takes us we try to stay in touch (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Claire & Vincent, Philippe & Florence, Francesca, Christel</span>….)</span><br /><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Paris</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> was a blast. Even though I was a French student, broke, and lived in a tiny apartment. I remember Mrs. Braun paying me a visit in our apartment and telling me that I will remember this apartment with fond memories. The friends have scattered around the world but our paths cross from time to time. (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Arthur & Anne, David, Olivier, Philip…</span>)</span><br /><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Buenos Aires</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">: young bride and a brand new big apartment. An amazing group of friends (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Leith & Eric, Elisabeth & Bill, Cheryl & Tim, Stephanie & Paul, Aida & John, Julie-Ann & Michael, Yvonne & Jeff….</span>) we partied a lot, went on trips together and even started a family for some of us at the same time. We haven’t physically seen each other since we parted but I have fond memories from each and every one of them and they hold a special place in my heart. And let’s not forget <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bryan & Anne </span>which we will meet again in Scotland (Our own B&B in Edinburgh, we love your apartment and your love of trying new restaurants)</span><br /><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Scotland</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> was a surprise post for us since we were on our route back to France when Aberdeen came up. I had a slower start there but this time the Frenchies took over the friendship. <span style="font-weight: bold;"> Elisabeth, Claire, Sophie </span>(who I had briefly met in BsAs) and toward the end <span style="font-weight: bold;">Aline, Sophie and Christine </span>who I wouldn’t have met if I hadn’t had stayed longer than expected…. And I’m sure glad we did. Aline the craft companion, Sophie the patient teacher and partner in shopping. And last but not least chef Christine which I didn’t mind being her guinea pig for new recipes!!!!!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Even </span><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Pau</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> turned out to be fine. The idea of returning to France after such a long time seemed daunting. It’s hard to readjust to your own country where you are supposed to know the code but those silly codes have changed and you don’t quite fit anymore. Beside Midi Pyrenees is way out of the way from my home in the French Alps. I didn’t have time to meet a lot of new people (even if I reconnect with old pals from Aberdeen (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Carole</span>) and even Aberdeen/BsAs (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sophie</span>) but I ended up with 2 crazy girlfriends that I was sad to part with so shortly after meeting them. <span style="font-weight: bold;"> Heather and Emily</span>, we did have some great time anyway and I wish you'll be there when I come back (if I come back) to Pau but I sincerely hope that you’ll be on your next adventure.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">As for </span><u style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Beijing</u><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, well it’s a little too early to tell but I’m sure that I will be sad to leave it behind, which right now seems an odd thought. Although I’m pretty sure of one thing: I won’t master the language but I do hope that I can reach the survival level. Well I’d better go back to my Chinese books. Until next time….</span><br /><br /><br />If I was writing the same one now I would add the following:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Only time will tell if we stay in contact over the years but no matter what’s the outcome I will cherish the time (<span style="font-style: italic;">long or short</span>) we had together in this defining moment in China’s history: the pre and post Olympics years (2006-2009).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jodi, Kim, Paige, Christine, Robyn, Sharon, May, Justine, Tac, Roshni, Isabelle</span>… for following me in my crazy ideas: <span style="font-style: italic;">Let’s Do Lunch, Wii’lympics, Hutong cuisine, 4am rising of the Flag on Tian’anmen, Go-karting, Laser tag</span>, etc, etc…<br /><br />Even if the French crowd of friends was thinner they will nonetheless be missed too. Let’s start with my partners in <s>crime</s> Charge of Pekin Accueil: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christie</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Magali </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hui Ying </span>but let’s not forget <span style="font-weight: bold;">Violaine </span>my (favorite - most ardent) supporter for pushing me to publish posts on my Blog so she could have at least her <s>daily</s> weekly English lessons and also for bailing me out with the French newcomers when I try to ignore them (“Do I really need to talk to/meet them?”), <span style="font-weight: bold;">Joelle </span>the other Total Tai Tai and my partner in <s>another crime</s> diamond and/or jewelry buying. <span style="font-weight: bold;"> Genevieve </span>for always sharing her “<span style="font-style: italic;">Bons Tuyaux</span>”, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Catherine </span>for her “<span style="font-style: italic;">Bonne Humeur</span>” and taking time from her busy working schedule (!?) to share good food and good company at our Seasons Park monthly lunch.<br /><br /><br />If life keeps us apart from each other we will at least have those memories in common. I will miss each and every one of you and I have been greatly enriched by our friendship.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Those truly linked don't need correspondence.<br />When they meet again after many years apart, their friendship is as true as ever"</span>. </span><span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Deng Ming Dao </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br />(Chinese author, philosopher, teacher and martial artist)</span><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart"</span>. </span><span> Elizabeth Foley</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">A picture was supposed to be published here but I already packed my hard drive with all my photos on it so it will be posted later!!!!</span><br /><br /><p></p></span></div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-12239474335583474582009-07-01T22:35:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.660+08:00The Prayer Of...<div style="text-align: center;"><font style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);" size="4">...The Expat' Wife</font></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">From yesterday post, I found this a few months ago:<br /><br /><br /><font style="font-style: italic;">Heavenly Father,<br /><br />Look down on us your humble obedient expat wives, who are doomed to travel this earth following our loved ones, through their working lives, to lands unknown.<br /><br />We beseech you oh Lord, to see that our plane is not hijacked or doesn't crash, our luggage is not lost or pillaged and our overweight baggage goes unnoticed.<br /><br />Give us this day, divine guidance in our selection of houses, maids and drivers. We pray the telephone works, the roof does not leak, the light bulbs quietly terminate without shorting out the house or exploding, that the power cuts are few and the rats and cockroaches even fewer.<br /><br />Lord, please lead us to good, inexpensive restaurants where wine is included in the meal and the food does not cause dysentery. Have mercy upon us Lord, if it be the latter and make us fleet of foot to make it to the loo in time, and strong of knee in case we have to squat.<br /><br />Also give us the wisdom to tip correctly in currencies we do not understand.<br /><br />Make the locals love us Lord, for who we are and not what we can contribute to their worldly goods.<br /><br />Grant us the strength to be kind with our maids, even though our most treasured dress resembles a rag or they take bleach to clean our well admired silk rug. Give us divine patience when we explain for the hundredth time the way we would like things done and Lord, if we ever lose our patience, have mercy on us for our flesh is weak.<br /><br />Dear G-d, protect us from so-called "bargains" we don't need and can't afford. Lead us not into temptation for we know not what we do.<br /><br />Almighty Father, keep our husbands from looking at foreign women and comparing them to us and save them from making fools of themselves in nightclubs. Above all, please do NOT forgive their trespasses for they know exactly what they do.<br /><br />And when our expat years are over Lord, grant us the favor of finding someone who will look at our photographs and listen to our stories, so our lives as expat wives will not have been in vain.<br /><br />Amen.</font><br /><br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sko2hsoHdsI/AAAAAAAAFjY/owp0PSjEu2o/s1600-h/2009.07.01+100+renminbi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sko2hsoHdsI/AAAAAAAAFjY/owp0PSjEu2o/s400/2009.07.01+100+renminbi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353151059626260162" border="0"></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>Spending the hard-earned money...<br />every Tai Tai's challenge<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-83224146442878530892009-06-30T22:34:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.671+08:00At Least There Was...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Friendship</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friendship </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">[/ˈfrɛnd ʃɪp/]</span>: A co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis.<br /></p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">I am part of all that I have met </span><br />(Lord Tennyson)</div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I don’t like to be part of a group but on the other hand I like to be part of groupS.<br /><br />I’ve always been like that…I’m claustrophobic when it comes to be part of a small group that do everything together, see each other all the time. I like to have my options opened, I’m like a bee going from flowers to flowers or groups to groups. Being between two groups in the expat community serves me right… I usually have at least 2 groups to mingle with: the Frenchies and the English speakers and even within those two groups I tend to have sub group.<br />Maybe it’s my tendency of getting bored too easily or not wanting anyone to know every single thing about me.<br /><br />I would be the first one to tell you that when you start to move around like we do (Expat’) you need to connect to people as fast as you can because you won’t survive without them. They are not your family but they almost become. Friendship abroad develops way faster than anywhere else because you share so much with each other, not only time but the ups and downs of your new life abroad. You might think that you have all you need back home but it’s not the same. It’s not the same talking on the phone and sharing you joy and sorrow around a cup of coffee. Your friend back home will be there but they cannot understand what you are going through, how could they (unless they lived where you are living right now). Expat are a breed apart. Unless you’ve done it yourself you’ll never know what it feels like. You might read about the cultural shock, but unless you experience it yourself you’ll never fully understand.<br /><br />So all the people I met along the way being for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 month or 1 year you will always be part of me and I’ve cherish those moment spent together. I have been greatly enriched by our friendships.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” </span><br />Anais Nin (1903-1977) - author, diarist</div><p></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-78656671310140255892009-06-28T22:32:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.682+08:00Another...<div style="text-align: center;"><font style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);" size="4">..."<font style="font-style: italic;">You Know You</font>..."</font></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Some of those are already so true for my kids! (My favorite: *)<br /><br /><font style="font-weight: bold;">You know you went to an international school when... </font><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 1) You can't answer the question: "Where are you from?"</span><br />2) You speak two (or more) languages but can't spell in any of them.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 3) You flew before you could walk.</span><br />4) You have a passport, but no driver's license.<br />5) You run into someone you know at every airport<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 6) You have a time zone map next to your telephone</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 7) Your life story uses the phrase "Then we went to..." five times (or six, or seven times...).</span><br />8) You speak with authority on the quality of airline travel.<br />9) National Geographic (or The Travel Channel) makes you homesick.<br />10) You read the international section before the comics.<br />11) You live at school, work in the tropics, and go home for vacation.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 12) You don't know where home is.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 13) You sort your friends by continent.</span><br />14) Your second major is in a foreign language you already speak.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">*15) You realize it really is a small world, after all.</span><br />16) You feel that multiple passports would be appropriate.<br />17) You watch a movie set in a 'foreign country', and you know what the nationals are really saying into the camera.<br />18) Rain on a tile patio - or a corrugated metal roof - is one of the most wonderful sounds in the world.<br />19) You haggle with the checkout clerk for a lower price.<br />20) Your wardrobe can only handle two seasons: wet and dry.<br />21) Your high school memories include those days that school was canceled due to tear gas, riots, demonstrations, or bomb threats.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 22) You get back to your home country and seriously cannot remember the currency exchange</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 23) You think VISA is a document stamped in your passport, and not a plastic card you carry in your wallet.</span><br />24) You automatically take off your shoes as soon as you get home.<br />25) Your dorm room/apartment/living room looks a little like a museum with all the "exotic" things you have around.<br />26) Half of your phone calls are unintelligible to those around you.<br />27) You go to Pizza Hut or Wendy's and you wonder why there's no chili sauce.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 28) You know the geography of the rest of the world, but you don't know the geography of your own country.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 29) You have best friends in 5 different countries.</span><br />30) It takes 24 hours to reach home in a plane<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 31) You can only call your parents at 8am and 8pm</span><br />32) You never really use a seatbelt<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 33) School trips meant going to a different country</span><br />34) Your high school football team had to play against itself.. if it had one<br />35) When you were in middle school you could walk into a bar and order a drink without being questioned<br />36) You got sick a lot and often had food poisoning<br />37) It wasn't unusual to find a lizard or cockroach in your house<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 38) You got to go home twice a year ...that’s if you're lucky</span><br />39) Home almost felt like a museum<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 40) You are a pro packer, or at least have done it many times</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 41) Living out of a suitcase, you find, has it pros</span><br />42) You bump into your old teachers all the time<br />43) Family photos you sent every year took months to arrive and often were in front of some exotic statue or endangered animal no one has heard of<br />44) Your check from your parents takes a month to reach you<br />45) Talking to your school office and getting signatures from your parents is a week-long event<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 46) When you return to the States you are overwhelmed with the number of choices in a grocery store (I stood by the chocolate syrup for about 20 min. because there was a whole row)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 47) You literally have real friends (not Facebook friends) from different schools all over the nation on your friends list</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 48) Everyone had a 'staff'; maid, house cleaner, driver and babysitter</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 49) Most of the 1st graders have cell phones</span><br />50) You get excited when a relative sends a video tape of regular TV with commercials. It’s in ENGLISH!<br />51) There was only one grocery store. Usually at the embassy that resembled the ones at home.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">*52) Once you get home you miss your adopted home and visa versa</span><br />53) You are never content in one place, be it city, state or country for long. You're a mover.<br />54) You never had a job until you reached college<br />55) Blackouts are quite common, yet after a while no one seemed to notice and sometimes you would find yourself doing homework to the light of your phone or flashlight<br />56) Class reunions are not at your old school…not even close<br />57) Police, imported from a different country, guard your school...carrying machine guns<br />58) You know everyone else in this group, because he/she went to school with one of your friends<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 59) Your passport has more stamps than a post office</span><br />60) When the power cuts out and you sit there wondering when the generator is going to kick on... only then you realize there is no generator<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 61) When you carry converters because you actually realize there are different types of outlets</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 62) When people give you funny looks because you are a gold or platinum elite member of your airlines</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 63) When you constantly feel like you have to catch up with TV programs, actors and other people or songs you are not familiar with</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 64) You don't think it’s strange that you haven't talked to your best friend in a couple years, but you know you will always have a unique bond</span><br />65) You wake up in one country thinking you are in another<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 66) You don't feel at home at home anymore</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 67) When a friend talks about their dreams of traveling across the world to a secluded country and you can give them all the best restaurants and places to visit. You're like the traveler guidebook.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 68) You don't even bother to change your watch when traveling</span><br />69) You hate subtitles because you know there is someone that can make an accurate translation…you!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 70) When you have little or no contact with he locals but are best friends with people across the globe</span><br />71) When you think everyone else is a foreigner in a county foreign to you<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 72) When something unusual happens and it just doesn't seem to faze you as being something unordinary</span><br />73) When you speak many broken languages at once when you are drunk<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 74) When your friends take you to an 'ethnic' restaurant as a joke and you can read the menu, order food for them and actually stomach the meal</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 75) When you start introducing yourself followed by your country of origin....</span><br />76) Your yearbooks are all different; made of fabrics known to that area and have stuff like elephants on them. It’s your favorite keepsake.<br />77) Famous people like Uma Thurman went to your school and you had no idea until you researched (AES)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 78) You have to change your passport because it's full... not because it's expired... and this several times during your school years</span><br />79) Paying a cop is not considered a bribe<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 80) You've dated people from other countries</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* 81) You start to keep your experiences overseas to yourself because people look at you as though you are spoiled for having the opportunity to indulge in a new culture... sad</span><br />82) You are afraid to go back to visit your school because you know no one will be there that you used to know, they all moved<br />83) You have the opportunity to intern at your Embassy/Commission over summer without qualifications<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 84) When you have free accommodation in any city you travel to around the world because some friend from the old days lives there!</span><br />85) You're scared of going 'home' because you haven't been there in so long, and changed so much, that you think people might not like you anymore<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 87) You have more than one driver's license, none of which are valid at home, that, or in college, you still can't drive!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* 88) You always have to think which side of the road to drive on</span><br />89) When you greet someone you start bowing or kissing them on both cheeks.<br />90) When you and your siblings know different languages or at least studied different ones.</p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-54135353244426960442009-06-26T22:31:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.694+08:00Moving...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Day</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The day has finally arrived… boxes are being packed and on their way to Norway. One more week left in an almost empty apartment. This will give us great excuses to dine out and visit one last time our favorite restaurants around town.<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkosDuPXy9I/AAAAAAAAFjI/lm5OjakBpxw/s1600-h/2009.06.26+Moving+bowes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkosDuPXy9I/AAAAAAAAFjI/lm5OjakBpxw/s400/2009.06.26+Moving+bowes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353139549546990546" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>Packed...</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkossQSfC7I/AAAAAAAAFjQ/nGAqu_Yx0bM/s1600-h/2009.06.26+movers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkossQSfC7I/AAAAAAAAFjQ/nGAqu_Yx0bM/s400/2009.06.26+movers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353140245881621426" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>and Moved!</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-24091420232319876932009-06-24T23:16:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.703+08:00D/J -10<div style="text-align: center;"><font style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);" size="4">...Wo Shi Beijing Ren*<br /></font></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font style="font-weight: bold;">You Know You're a Beijing Ren When...</font><br />Everybody love those lists (my favorites are in <font style="font-style: italic;">italic</font>).</p><ol><li>You've been spit on countless times</li><li style="font-style: italic;">When you go back to your home country, you try to bargain in shops</li><li>Stop signs? Traffic lights? What?</li><li>You never look both ways before crossing the street</li><li>Going to the Great Wall is really boring</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You have tons of designer clothes, none of which are real</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You own movies on DVD before they come out in theaters</li><li>5 kuai is a big tip to give a taxi driver</li><li>You don't think it’s weird when you see hundreds of people trying to squeeze into one bus</li><li>It's not weird when 50 year old construction workers check you out</li><li>You've been called lao wai</li><li>Bing tang hu lu!!!!</li><li> You love the pollen in spring because it's the closest you get to snow</li><li style="font-style: italic;">Getting clothes tailored is cheaper than buying them</li><li style="font-style: italic;">Manicures, pedicures and massages aren't considered luxuries</li><li>Anything can be put in the back of a truck (flowers, humans, beer, chickens...)</li><li>Nothing is official. Nothing is against the law as long as you don't get caught</li><li>Guards don't have guns, they have sticks</li><li>There is no legal drinking age</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You are "very good friends" with numerous shopkeepers</li><li>Liu kou shui is yummy. You buy it by the box</li><li>Horn honking means nothing. It's just a habit.</li><li>You learn to appreciate a taxi driver that actually wants to take you where you want to go</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You get excited for the winter sweet potatoes</li><li style="font-style: italic;">Everything you own is from Ikea</li><li>You don't drink water. You just don't</li><li>Sparks fly when you move your blanket</li><li>Your lips, hands, skin, and hair are always dry</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You think Chinese food from your own country is disgusting</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You get really excited when Wikipedia is unblocked</li><li>You add an "er" to everything you say in Chinese. (Sanlituner, wan er, zai na er?")</li><li>It doesn't bother you when people stare. You just stare back.</li><li><font style="font-style: italic;">You no longer clean anything; you know the dust will be back in an hour</font>.</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You carry toilet paper everywhere and you are very good at using a squatter</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You stock up on toothpaste and toiletries whenever you're in your country</li><li>You have multiple piercing your parents don’t know about. And a tattoo.</li><li> You buy lava lamps at the black market</li><li>You sleep better on night trains than in your own bed</li><li>You love fang bian mian</li><li style="font-style: italic;">Roads go in rings</li><li>You have to pay to use the bathroom. It's easier to go in a bush</li><li>You can tell anyone exactly how many days there are until the Olympics</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You can spot a tourist a mile away</li><li>You know how to ride the subway</li><li>You've gone for a wild ride in a san lu er che</li><li><font style="font-style: italic;">When you're watching a DVD, it's not strange to see people's head popping up, from when it was filmed in the theater</font>.</li><li>You can always see cranes. No matter where you look.</li><li style="font-style: italic;">If you can't find a place you're looking for, chances are it's not because you're lost, it's just been torn down</li><li style="font-style: italic;">You don't buy or wear white clothes; they'll be gray by the end of the day</li><li>You love Beijing and you never want to leave!</li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* I'm a Beijinger</span>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-59656934392375132452009-06-22T22:14:00.001+08:002010-05-28T18:38:53.393+08:00Signed...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: medium;">...Seal(ed), Delivered - Part II</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">One last shopping stop… Chop making. Because I couldn’t leave China with only my <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2008/10/signed-sealed.html">self made</a> chop !<br />
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<tr><td align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skojb4Q45QI/AAAAAAAAFjA/SDD74XUekGo/s1600-h/2009.06.22+Seal+carving.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353130068949918978" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skojb4Q45QI/AAAAAAAAFjA/SDD74XUekGo/s400/2009.06.22+Seal+carving.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 273px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><i>Jeffrey had his own signature engraved!<br />
</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-92140329798787315332009-06-21T23:14:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.726+08:00He Said: "I'll Be Back"...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...And He Is</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Barely time to land that we whisked him to Sofitel Wanda for a Father’s Day Brunch<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skd_dkotK4I/AAAAAAAAFiY/lIT3ZhgM8UE/s1600-h/2009.06.21+jeremy+calendar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skd_dkotK4I/AAAAAAAAFiY/lIT3ZhgM8UE/s400/2009.06.21+jeremy+calendar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352386828180466562" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>Jeremy's calendar</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-69341801589925743162009-06-20T23:13:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.737+08:00They Make What...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Beijing Really Is</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Typical Beijing “<span style="font-style:italic;">Small Jobs</span>"<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkoThKf_SJI/AAAAAAAAFi4/Kn2B7P6Rbyg/s1600-h/2009.06.20+Petits+Metiers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkoThKf_SJI/AAAAAAAAFi4/Kn2B7P6Rbyg/s400/2009.06.20+Petits+Metiers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353112567558391954" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>A few examples among many others</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Click on the picture to enlarge</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Click on the "Back" button of your browser to come back to this page</span></div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-13885906513230566952009-06-19T23:11:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.747+08:00I'm Not Sleeping...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...I'm Just Resting My Eyes*</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It is safe to assert that few Chinese have insomnia. On the contrary, the ability to sleep anywhere, at any time, is downright stunning. <table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkeNIXM7oCI/AAAAAAAAFig/ZjM-8SaMZ-M/s1600-h/2009.06.19+insomnia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkeNIXM7oCI/AAAAAAAAFig/ZjM-8SaMZ-M/s400/2009.06.19+insomnia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352401856959848482" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>It's always the right place at the right time<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />But the cutest of all is this one:<br /><br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkeOnPlVU3I/AAAAAAAAFio/YllgpizQHwM/s1600-h/2009.06.19+insomnia_jeremy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 367px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkeOnPlVU3I/AAAAAAAAFio/YllgpizQHwM/s400/2009.06.19+insomnia_jeremy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352403487002284914" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><span style="font-style: italic;">"My parents are wearing me out"</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Two great websites to see more people of the "Sleeping Giant": <a href="http://www.sleepingchinese.com/">Bernd</a> & <a href="http://www.ericleleu.com/personal/gallery/DayDreamers/index.html">Eric Leleu</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* Jeffrey’s favorite quote</span><br /><br /></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-86488898185383678112009-06-18T23:58:00.001+08:002010-05-28T18:39:17.433+08:00We Are Still Breathing...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: 130%;">... Barely!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Good thing we had 23 blue sky days in April*; the best April since 2000 <span style="font-style: italic;">(and 73 blue sky days in the first 3 months of the year or 81.1% of the total which is 6 more blue sky days than in the first quarter of last year)</span> because June is not going to qualify!<br />
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<tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkeTgSYlvsI/AAAAAAAAFiw/eqk9xJ5_pMs/s1600-h/2009.06.18+Twitter_weather.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352408865053195970" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkeTgSYlvsI/AAAAAAAAFiw/eqk9xJ5_pMs/s400/2009.06.18+Twitter_weather.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 360px;" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><i>500…That’s the <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2008/03/sand-storm.html">end of the scale</a>!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If you want to know what we are breathing when we go outside check <a href="https://twitter.com/BeijingAir">twitter</a><br />
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Yet Jeff (and Chloe) never suffered from asthma… I wonder what Norwegian pure air will do to us!!!<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">* A blue-sky day is when the city's API falls below 100, meaning there are no health implications. However we shouldn’t get too excited over the “clean” air since The Beijing EPB claims that the average PM concentration during this month was 120 ug/m3 which is still well above China's national air quality target (100 ug/m3) and six times higher than the WHO recommended guideline (20 ug/m3).</span></span></div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-60622148929339013152009-06-17T02:17:00.001+08:002010-05-28T18:39:30.603+08:00Better Remember To Bring A Tote Bag...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Next Time I'm In Uganda</span></div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">And I thought we had it bad in Beijing when they switched to the <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2008/06/when-size-matters.html">no free plastic bags</a> policy last year<br />
</p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Any person caught using plastic bags in Uganda from early 2010 will be <span style="font-weight: bold;">jailed for three years </span>or be <span style="font-weight: bold;">fined an equivalent of 1,500 dollars</span>, press reports said Saturday, quoting government environment lawyers. The penalties fall under the country's revised law on the waste management act, which will be put into effect in January by the state-owned National Environment Management Organization (NEMA), The New Vision quoted the organization's lawyer, Christine Akello as saying.<br />
Uganda's finance minister announced a ban on the sale or use of plastic bags during the reading of the East African country's national budget on Thursday and ordered all factories manufacturing the plastic bags to wind up business.<br />
Discarded plastic bags - too thin to be reused - are a major polluter in many African cities, where they clog up rivers and pile up in mountains.<br />
Government further said that taxes of up to 120 per-cent will be levied on imported plastic materials currently on transit into the country. (<a href="http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/273039,uganda-to-jail-people-found-using-plastic-bags.html">EarthTimes</a>)</blockquote><br />
<p></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-86096665151835187352009-06-16T23:16:00.002+08:002010-05-28T18:44:15.636+08:00Beijing's Sky Is Crying<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: 130%;">...Over Our Departure!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">At around noon the sky seemed like it couldn’t hold all the tears anymore and started to cry. Maybe in an attempt to show us and remind us how it feels like to live in a country when it can be very dark in the middle of the day <span style="font-style: italic;">(in the winter because in the summer we’ll barely see a dark sky)</span> Beijing was plunged into darkness.</div><table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skd3eSxw2yI/AAAAAAAAFiI/A22IaEpcj_I/s1600-h/2009.06.16+end+of+the+world.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352378044473465634" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skd3eSxw2yI/AAAAAAAAFiI/A22IaEpcj_I/s400/2009.06.16+end+of+the+world.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><i>The Sky is Falling - <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2007/06/beijing.html">Part II</a><br />
(almost to the day, 2 years later)<br />
</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">The meteorological Bureau of Beijing said that the capital city is experiencing its longest period of rainfall. [...]<br />
The humidity in the city exceeded 95 percent. Visibility in some areas in the city was lower than 300 meters in the morning [...]<br />
The city's average rainfall was 14 millimeters in the 24 hours. The heaviest rain was in the northeast part of Beijing, which had 68 millimeters.</blockquote>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-60059913196754959792009-06-15T23:16:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.803+08:00Fruits<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Will miss that too…<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skd2siHAmlI/AAAAAAAAFiA/7jdNIqcRwuk/s1600-h/2009.06.15+Fruit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Skd2siHAmlI/AAAAAAAAFiA/7jdNIqcRwuk/s400/2009.06.15+Fruit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352377189595650642" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center">山竹<i> (ShanZhu), </i>荔枝<i> (LiZhi), </i>杨梅<i> (YangMei)<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Mangosteen, Lychee, Red Beyberry</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-44743840908978590342009-06-14T23:09:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.813+08:00So Many Things To Do...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...So Little Time</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">D/J -20. I can believe in 3 weeks we’ll have to say good bye to Beijing. Until then I’m a busy bee, multi-tasking even more than usual!<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sjen4iBfO8I/AAAAAAAAFbk/QNapmch9hmE/s1600-h/2009.06.14+Multi-tasking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sjen4iBfO8I/AAAAAAAAFbk/QNapmch9hmE/s400/2009.06.14+Multi-tasking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347927672173312962" border="0" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>What should I do first?</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-44665066448717016572009-06-13T23:03:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.832+08:00Pride But...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...No Parade</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If the 2008 Olympic Games was Beijing's coming-out party, last week it was finally Shanghai's turn. The city of 20 million held the country's first ever gay pride festival.<br /><br />Shanghai Pride featured seven days of film screenings, plays and panel discussions capped, on June 13, by a blowout bash. There were drag shows, drumming and (symbolic) same-sex weddings. But there was no parade. Public gatherings are verboten, and organizers decided it wasn't worth the risk.<br /><br />Though references to same-sex pairings dot the Chinese literary cannon, the People's Republic has taken a hard line on homosexuality. Sodomy was decriminalized in <span style="font-weight: bold;">1997</span>, but it was not until <span style="font-weight: bold;">2001 </span>that the Chinese Psychiatric Association ruled homosexuality was not, in fact, a mental illness. For the majority of China's estimated 30 million homosexuals, discrimination, isolation and stigma persist.<br /><br />The government's hands-off approach is sometimes called the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Triple No Policy</span>: no approval, no disapproval, no promotion. It is the Chinese equivalent of "don't ask don't tell," an opaque tactic that critics claim leaves both activists and ordinary people caught in an invisible web of rules that dictate when and how you can and -- or can't -- be gay.<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkUOAk7DAbI/AAAAAAAAFgw/jW8hemaHo7c/s1600-h/2009.06.13gay+pride.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 190px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkUOAk7DAbI/AAAAAAAAFgw/jW8hemaHo7c/s400/2009.06.13gay+pride.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351699135273828786" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>It's a start<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-5893621791644735412009-06-10T23:43:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.844+08:00Censor...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Chip</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">After July 1st, all international companies selling personal computers inside of China will be required to preinstall government software that will block access to "harmful" content. It claims that the "Green Dam" software is designed to specifically keep porn from kids, but given the government's history of blocking browser access to a wide range of content, critics aren't so sure.<br /><br />Information technology industry organizations have appealed to China to drop the initiative. Testing by independent software engineers has found that besides protecting children from pornographic content, Green Dam is also capable of filtering and blocking political content, and carries serious security risks for those who install it<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And since nothing replace human “touch”</span><br /><br />The city will seek to employ at least 10,000 “internet volunteers” before the end of this year to monitor “harmful” websites and content, said an official at the municipal authority’s information office.<br />Chinese local governments and Communist party branches often pay web commentators to influence online opinion. But it is unusual for officials to admit the practice and the big recruitment drive gives a rare view of the resources China uses to try to control the internet.<br /><br />As civil servants, many low-class officials are designated to do a part-time job in work time. Which is rumored as "5 mao party".<br /><br />They are asked to spend some time on internet everyday. Their jobs are to post or reply in popular forums, in order to control the direction of the public voice. Rumor has it that these civil servants will get 0.5 RMB per post, so they are vividly called "5 mao party" or wumaodang (5 mao = 0.5 rmb or 5 cents). By some estimates, these commentary teams now comprise as many as 280,000 members nationwide.<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkULlLNRseI/AAAAAAAAFgg/T70ggcIXVtc/s1600-h/2009.06.10+Internet+back+hole.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkULlLNRseI/AAAAAAAAFgg/T70ggcIXVtc/s400/2009.06.10+Internet+back+hole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351696465491243490" border="0" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i><a href="http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/170-a-map-of-the-internets-black-holes/">Internet Black Holes</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Notification regarding requirements for pre-installing green filtering software on computers</span><br /><br />In order to build a green, healthy, and harmonious online environment, and to avoid the effects on and the poisoning of our youth's minds by harmful information on the internet, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Civilization Office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, and Ministry of Finance, in accordance with the Government Procurement Law, have used CCP financial capital to purchase one-year exclusive rights to use “Green Dam Youth Escort” Green Online Filtering Software (hereinafter referred to as “Green Dam Youth Escort”) along with related services so that the whole society may use it free of charge. After comprehensive testing and pilot use, the software has been shown to effectively filter harmful content in text and graphics on the Internet and has already satisfied the conditions for pre-installation by computer manufacturers.<br /><div style="text-align: right;">– Ministry of Industry and Information Technology</div></blockquote><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">According to the Epoch Times, hackers in China had accessed the keyword library and administrative codes, revealing only 2,700 keywords relating to pornography, and over 6,500 politically sensitive keywords. Chinese users of the software have apparently found that it injects a DLL file into Internet Explorer that prohibits the usage of FreeGate, one of the programs commonly used to bypass the Golden Shield Project.<br />According to tests conducted by a group of IT professionals in Hong Kong in June 2009, the software not only filters incoming contents, but also monitors the activity of the computer user. An example is that if the computer's user types "June f0urth M@ssacre" with the Notepad or Microsoft Word application, the application will be shutdown automatically without any notice. It is alleged that the Green Dam software also initiates unknown outbound internet connections which might be used to report activities carried out on the computer<br />The Green Dam Youth Escort recognizes pornographic images by analyzing skin-colored regions (hence the ban of pictures of pigs). However the software is incapable of recognizing pictures of nudity featuring black- or red-skinned characters but sensitive enough to images with large patches of yellow that it censors promotional images of the film Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties. (Wikipedia)<br />The software runs only on Microsoft Windows, so Mac and Linux users are ignored<br />.<p></p><br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkUMpxJ_GrI/AAAAAAAAFgo/KtHuftTpvLo/s1600-h/2009.06.10+green+dam+girl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkUMpxJ_GrI/AAAAAAAAFgo/KtHuftTpvLo/s400/2009.06.10+green+dam+girl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351697643909094066" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>Green Dam Girl</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-30491099664846494102009-06-08T22:07:00.002+08:002010-05-28T18:40:00.891+08:00It's That Time Of...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: 130%;">...The <s>Month</s> Year Again</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When I woke up this morning it was raining like it never rained before in Beijing or at least like it wasn’t a “<a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2009/02/rain.html">natural</a>” rain. I couldn’t figure out why they would have wanted rain at this time of the year (no national holiday in the next few days, no long period of drought…). Then it all became clear when I step out of our apartment complex which is located next to a famous school (School n°55) and I saw the hordes of parents waiting patiently outside the gates. But of course it’s <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2007/06/stressful-week.html">Gaokao</a> time. Construction sites near school were asked to be quiet, cars have been diverted and since it was way too hot in the past couple of days something needed to be done to lower the temperature.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Kao </span>means test, and <span style="font-style: italic;">gao</span>, which means high, indicates the test's perceived level of difficulty—and its ability to intimidate. It is China's SAT—if the SAT lasted two days, covered everything learned since kindergarten, and had the power to determine one's entire professional trajectory. <br />
Students become aware of the gaokao, the sole criterion for university admission, at an early age. Pressures and preparations begin accordingly. All schooling, especially middle- and high-school curricula, is oriented toward gaokao readiness. Students often joke that it takes 12 years to study for the test. The results of the exam determine the student’s entrance to college, or not, their future major, and which university they can attend.<br />
<br />
In Beijing, the prompt students were given was “<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I have a pair of invisible wings</span>” (我有一双隐形的翅膀), a line that comes from a popular song sung by Angela Chang (张韶涵). Students were required to write at least 800 characters in any form of writing apart from poetry.<br />
<br />
Apparently cheating on the gaokao is not an option: The penalties [for cheating] are severe: a student convicted of peeking at a neighbor's paper is <span style="font-weight: bold;">never allowed to take the gaokao again</span>, and his name is <span style="font-weight: bold;">entered in a public database for prospective employers' perusal.</span></div><table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkUJ78McWMI/AAAAAAAAFgY/hLmTJDlBgWw/s1600-h/2009.06.08+gaokao.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694657574951106" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/SkUJ78McWMI/AAAAAAAAFgY/hLmTJDlBgWw/s400/2009.06.08+gaokao.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><i>Stressed the parents? no!!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-81548915940468873052009-06-07T23:45:00.002+08:002010-05-28T18:46:08.690+08:00D@Lai L@ma received In France…<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: 130%;">...…By Paris' Mayor </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Well I guess France will have to send more people to smooth things with China. Not sure we have any more former <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2009/04/please-don-be-mean-to-us.html">Presidents</a> available!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">China opposes Paris mayor awarding Dalai Lama </span>(Xinhua)<br />
<br />
BEIJING - China protested the awarding of "honorary citizen" to the Dalai Lama by Paris mayor, saying it posed "grave interference in Sino-French relations".<br />
"We feel strongly disgruntled and is resolutely opposed to Paris' award for the Dalai Lama, regardless of China's opposition," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang.<br />
Earlier reports said that Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe on Sunday met with the Dalai Lama and conferred him a certificate of "honorary citizenship" at a ceremony in Paris.<br />
"This was another overt provocation against Chinese people after Paris' city council voted last year to give the Dalai Lama 'honorary citizenship'," Qin told a regular press conference.<br />
"Such a move stirs a strong indignation among the Chinese people," Qin said, noting that inevitably, it would severely undermine the cooperation between Paris and related Chinese cities, and gravely disturb China-France relations. […]<br />
The China-France relationship was confronted with severe difficulties not long ago due to Tibet-related issues, and now the relationship got back on the track of healthy growth under the joint efforts of peoples with insight from both sides, Qin said.<br />
"We hope France would join with China in cherishing the hard-won achievements in bilateral ties, carefully fulfill related agreements between the two sides, make efforts to remove all disturbances, and promote the healthy and stable development of the relationship," Qin said.<br />
Qin urged Paris to stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and immediately correct its wrongdoing. […]</blockquote><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Chinese government has a hard time understanding that the Mayor of Paris and the French President are not from the same political party and do not have to agree. It is inconceivable for the Chinese to understand the concept of a Mayor of a (major) city doing something against the President of the country.</div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-57497906458058354662009-06-06T23:04:00.003+08:002010-05-28T18:46:28.453+08:00Would You Like...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3333; font-size: 130%;">...To Dance?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Doesn’t the world know that Beijingers protect themselves from the <a href="http://cjsuiter-china.blogspot.com/2008/05/it-getting-hot.html">summer</a> and cannot go anywhere without their umbrellas?</div><table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-6DpkY-nI/AAAAAAAAFgM/xWqofidaZKw/s1600-h/2009.06.06+Umbrella+gang.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350199454200298098" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-6DpkY-nI/AAAAAAAAFgM/xWqofidaZKw/s400/2009.06.06+Umbrella+gang.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 353px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><i>The Umbrellas Gang</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad!<br />
Check out the videos <a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2009/06/03/photo_of_the_day_cnn_anchor_blocked.php">here</a><br />
<br />
I asked the cameraman of CBC if they got the same umbrella treatment and he said that they went earlier with a photographer so they didn’t but their paper were checked which took more time than usual and when he cheekily asked if today (June 4th) was a special day because of all the passports checking, the policeman replied that for Chinese people is like any other day but outsiders were making it a special day!</div>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-72251758315364715422009-06-05T23:48:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.935+08:00May 35th Or VIIIXVIIV<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >The Iconic Photos of the T@nk M@n...</span><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday was May 35th (as some Chinese like to call it in order the bypass the censorship) and it’s the 20th anniversary of VIII-IX-VI-IV (another way of writing those infamous 4 numbers).<br /><br />“It all started with a man in a white shirt who walked into the street and raised his right hand no higher than a New Yorker hailing a taxi,” James Barron wrote the following day in The New York Times. The picture appeared on the front page of this newspaper as well as in countless other publications around the world.<br /><br />To this day, the identity and fate of the man in the picture remains unclear. A riveting documentary, “The T@nk M@n” by PBS Frontline in 2006 explored his fate. Yet still no one knows for certain who he is or what exactly happened to him. The image is largely blocked on the Internet in China. Despite its iconic status and historical significance elsewhere, most young people there do not recognize the photograph.<br /><br />Few images are more recognizable or more evocative. Known simply as “tank man,” it is one of the most famous photographs in recent history. There was not just one “nk M@n” photo. Four photographers captured the encounter that day from the Beijing Hotel, overlooking Changan Avenue (the Avenue of Eternal Peace), their lives forever linked by a single moment in time. (photo from <a href="http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/">NYTimes</a>)<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-0wCkCMxI/AAAAAAAAFf0/tfe7MlyNe3I/s1600-h/2009.06.05+tankman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-0wCkCMxI/AAAAAAAAFf0/tfe7MlyNe3I/s400/2009.06.05+tankman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350193619754169106" border="0" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>Stuart, Arthur, Jeff and Charlie</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />And a never published one:<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-2XJIaFII/AAAAAAAAFgE/CEMMeKV_HvA/s1600-h/2009.06.05+TankMan_TerrilJones.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-2XJIaFII/AAAAAAAAFgE/CEMMeKV_HvA/s400/2009.06.05+TankMan_TerrilJones.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350195391043867778" border="0" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i>Terri</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >... And Daring The Censorship</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In late February, Zhang posted without comment a Roman-numeral T-shirt design that's now making the rounds of other blogs as well as the foreign media.<br /><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><span class="pushbutton"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-09nwarnI/AAAAAAAAFf8/fyqf_2OWF0k/s1600-h/2009.06.05+8946.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I0_Y03Ag6G0/Sj-09nwarnI/AAAAAAAAFf8/fyqf_2OWF0k/s400/2009.06.05+8946.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350193853076516466" border="0" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td align="center">VIII= 8 ; IX=9 ; VI=6 ; IV=4 </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blogger's T-shirt gesture breaks taboo on Ti@n@nmen rebellion </span>(<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5973959.e">Timesonline</a>)<br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">References to the 1989 army crackdown on student demonstrators in Ti@n@nmen Square are taboo in China. If mentioned at all, the protests are described as a “counter-revolutionary rebellion”. […]<br />His T-shirt reads VIIIIXVIIV. The photos are accompanied by a hint that reads: “Here’s a clue – these are four numbers.” […] “This year this kind of T-shirt is very much in fashion. The design is very beautiful (those who don’t understand should do some careful thinking, those who understand shouldn’t say a word)." […]<br />Chinese refer to the day when the People’s Liberation Army swept into Beijing to end weeks of demonstrations led by students encamped in Tiananmen Square with the loss of hundreds of lives simply as “6/4” or June 4. […]</blockquote>Interview of Zhang Facai <a href="http://www.danwei.org/advertising_and_marketing/zhang_facai_interview.php">here</a><br /><br />It also happened that yesterday was the day of site maintenance in china<br />Earlier this week the government blocked access to a number of popular western websites, in what was widely seen as way of controlling access to information about the events at Tiananmen Square. Among the sites that were screened out were photo-sharing website Flickr, Microsoft’s Hotmail email service and the popular online messaging site Twitter.<br /><br />Check out some picture of popular website under maintenance <a href="http://www.cwrblog.net/1326/the-day-of-site-maintenance.html">here </a><br /><br /><br />What else happened 20 years ago?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WORLD EVENTS OF 1989</span><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Salman Rushdie publishes "The Satanic Verses". Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issues fatwa against him, declaring that his book is offensive to Islam.</li><li>US planes shoot down two Libyan fighters over in Mediterranean over international waters.</li><li>Mikhail Gorbachev is named leader of the Soviet Union.</li><li>P. W. Botha quits as South Africa's President.</li><li>Deng Xiaoping resigns from China's leadership.</li><li>The Czech Parliament ends Communists' dominant role</li><li>Romanian uprising overthrows Communist government. President Ceausescu and wife executed.</li><li>US troops invade Panama to capture General Manuel Noriega.</li><li>George H. W. Bush (a.k.a. "Bush Senior") becomes the 41st president of the US.</li><li>Cuban troops begin withdrawing from Angola.</li><li>Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan is complete.</li><li>The Ayatollah Khomeini dies.</li><li>Berlin Wall comes down.</li><li>The first of 24 satellites of the Global Positioning System is placed into orbit.</li><li>Last but not least Celine Mandaliti (future Suiter) turned 19! </li></ul>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8877082228930528791.post-90743733301214431062009-06-04T22:05:00.000+08:002009-11-17T20:25:53.906+08:00D/J - 30<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" >...Only One More Month</span></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So I have one more month of Blogging and I’m for once trying really hard to complete something I’ve started and not quit before the end of our life in Beijing. Because it seems like I take on a new hobby each time we move.<br /><br />It all started in Argentina with a casual <span style="font-style: italic;">mud podge </span>afternoon party, because the girls and I couldn’t only do so much Spanish lesson, shopping, and champagne luncheon (ah those endless luncheon!!!) followed by <span style="font-style: italic;">framing </span>and a little <span style="font-style: italic;">needle points</span> (everybody needle point when they are pregnant, no?). Hobbies frenzy took on a full swing in Scotland with <span style="font-style: italic;">patchwork </span>(made my mother in law really proud), “<span style="font-style: italic;">cartonnage</span>” (creating object with cardboard), <span style="font-style: italic;">book binding, </span>a little <span style="font-style: italic;">Black and White photo development </span>and even <span style="font-style: italic;">carpentry </span>(yes I did!). We did stay almost 5 years in Scotland hence the myriad of different hobbies! In France I didn’t have time to start on a new hobby (we stay only 10 months), girls night out doesn’t count as one does it (Heather, Emily and Missy thanks for keeping me sane!) but I decided instead to go over all the projects I had started over the previous 7 years and tackled the task of finishing the unfinished business. In China I had a try at <span style="font-style: italic;">porcelain painting </span>but mostly it was all about computer: <span style="font-style: italic;">blogging</span>, learning <span style="font-style: italic;">HTML </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">graphic design </span>but also about <span style="font-style: italic;">photography </span>(you want to have your camera handy every single day, because there will always be something interesting, puzzling to document). I’m in no way as good as my sister-in-law (graphic designer and great photographer) but I’m having fun learning.<br />As you can see I’m a real butterfly when it comes to hobby. I like the learning process but once I get a grab at it I need a new challenge. My friends here were often joking that I could do everything (I kept saying oh I use to do that, and that…), the only thing I don’t know how to do, is how to knit so they forbade everyone to teach me! Oh I’m also the <span style="font-style: italic;">laminate queen </span>(I know, I know you are just dying with envy!!).<br /><br />So before this long babbling about my hobbies I was saying that I have only one more month of blogging because let’s face it life in Stavanger won’t feel as exotic as here and you’ll probably get really bored about the posts I could put on the blog!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 1: </span>Had to scrub my own toilet AND do the laundry AND think about what to cook for dinner. Exhausting!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 2: </span>Trying to make Jeff fold his own socks while ironing 20 loads of laundry. Where is Ayi when you need her?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 3: </span>Another blue sky day and not a sight of pollution. How I miss the surprise of finding out if I can see my next door neighbor house every morning!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 4: </span>Feel depressed that nobody tried to cut in line at the grocery store.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 5: </span>Home sick today. I miss the sound before someone spits just inches from your feet.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 6: </span>Could visit every single website I wanted to check and so fast that I don’t know what to do with the rest of the day. At least I could go get a cup of tea and go to the toilet when I was in Beijing between page loadings.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 7: </span>Another beautiful picture of Stavanger and surroundings... expect the same from the next 600+ postings<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 8: </span>see day 1<br />…<br /><br />I think that my next project (because I ALWAYS think my life will never be as fulfilling in the next expat’ so I tend to prepare myself) will be to compile my thousands and thousands of photographs to a 1049-picture photo album. And that’s a great challenge for those looooong nights awaiting us in Norway!<br /></p>Celine 'n Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07467727362315158801noreply@blogger.com