Changes

I hope that this post will be one out of many posts I write in the near future. Now, I have some more time.

Yesterday was my last day at work. Why? Because in Germany mothers have the luxury of staying at home starting from 6 weeks before the due date. This is a real blessing, since I am still studying at the open university (I think I forgot to mention here that I got a very good grade on my essay last semester :-)), and since with every day of pregnancy it gets harder and harder to rush to work and stay efficient there...

I must say, I have no clue how women in Israel work till the last day before they give birth. I'm only in the middle of the eighth month, and already feel how heavy it is and how complicated it is to move from one place to another. So as it sounds- I'm glad to have this chance to stay home now, focus on my studies and above all- focus on what's good for my body and for the baby. I guess it won't take long before I start nesting and taking care of everything for the little baby we're expecting. It's really exciting.

I have tons of little tasks I want to take care of, knowing that later I won't have time for. Like arranging the photo album from Argentina, finishing to knit my scarf, and starting to knit a nice blanket for the baby. I want to go over my closet and throw everything I haven't used in the last year or two, and I want to start reading more about the birth, although we just finished a preparation course for couples at the birth center I want to give birth in.

My mom is coming to be here for a month - she scheduled her flight for a week before the due date. In the beginning I thought it might be a long time- but with time and after a few talks with her, trying to be as open and honest as I can- I realized that she's really only coming to help us. We will just have to continue being honest with each other, telling one another exactly what we expect.

I'm quite excited about these first few weeks that we'll become a family, and I want it to stay our experience as a couple plus one as much as possible. I think it's important for the future.

So, hoping this is not the last post in a while,

have a good weekend everyone!

I'm in

Yes! I passed this exam!!! and got in to the free course that the uni here offers!!!
This saves me a lot of money and makes me a student of the uni! I'm really glad about it...

Next Monday I start- and it's a really full plan... 5 days a week the whole morning and three times in the afternoons. I'm lucky that the afternoon classes don't clash with my Yoga...

So here I am, gonna be really busy from next week, not sure if I love the idea of not having time for anything, but I'm waiting to see how my teachers are, if they're nice or not...

That's it, nothing else is new,

Have a great weekend ppl!

One dead computer and one uppset girl

I'm at uni now writing from the computer lab (that costs me money- fucking'ey am I a student here or not???? what the *%#$ is that? aren't students supposed to be poor???) It's cold in here (they only started using the AC for heating the classes- the computer lab apparantly isn't that important) and tomorrow I have an exam in Chinese- as I've told you before- this time the exam is only in Chinese characters... I'm so unprepared- and as you can see - instead of studying I sit here online...
My main teacher is starting to annoy me- she was so sweet in the beginning - at the time it really seemed that she knows exactly where we come from and what are most of our goals in learning Chinese. Lately it feels like she's on a race to finish the book, no matter if we really know how to speak or if we understand Chinese or not- the thing that became most important now in class is to memorize characters- a thing that can be cool if I had remembered them but it really doesn't give me anything if every day there are 20 new ones... I feel like my speaking is stuck- I haven't progressed in a while - in favor of the character learning in class. I really try to make the best out of class- trying to learn how to say as many words as possible- especially the ones I know I'll need outside the walls of uni. But the combination of not being satisfied with the studying in this uni (I guess it's almost the same in all of them- in the end- they are all under the same education system) and the fact that I don't study enough when I'm alone- that puts me in a breaking point - a mid semester breaking point.

***

My computer died last Monday. I got home from uni and couldn't turn it on. I called the IBM numbers in China that Rob looked up online for me, and got the address of a computer lab. I took a taxi there - taking my computer with me- as if he's my little child whom I'm rushing to the hospital... They told me there that the main board is dead- and that I have 2 choices: the first one is to order a new one from the factory- a matter of 2 weeks and about 500$ (!!!). The second choice (and the better one) is to try to fix it - and if they succeed (they don't know if they will) it'll cost me "only" about 200$. In any case I spend a lot of money... The only bright spot is that they say that my hard drive isn't damaged (crossing my fingers they are right) so I can always put the data on it on another computer or an external hard drive.

***

That's it for now - I'll go try to make myself study a bit- I must admit- I HAVE NO MOTIVATION.

It's rainning.... grrr...

Oof it's been raining for the last few days and it doesn't look like it's ever gonna stop... grrr... and BRRRRR... every time I go outside with pants that accidentally touch the ground I get home wet to my knees- coz there's puddles everywhere. It's like there's no sewage here- and the water keeps piling up in huge quantities- just for me to get wet... I understand now why Chinese ppl always wear pants that are narrow in the end- not touching the ground. It's really hard to find a Chinese person wearing bell bottoms or anything that is even remotely close to that. Now I know why!

***

My dad was here last weekend- it was so much fun! I really enjoyed his stay here... We went to the Tennis Masters Cup Final together- with Rob. It was between Roger Federer and James Blake. Federer won- and it looked like he didn't even try hard- he was just standing there most of the time letting nature do what it's supposed to do- WIN... Blake is a new comer to this contest (it's a tournament between the 8 best players in the world and 8 best couples in the world) and I think he gave a good performance regarding his short past in these kind of contests. Well anyway- it was really nice to spend time like this with my dad- especially coz I know how much he likes watching Tennis.

***

School... hmmm... I really like the classes... I think that a student like me should get more classes everyday- rather than have to work at home. When I get home- all I can think of is doing nothing special. At least once a week I do something after school with my Spanish friend Lia- and then when I get home I really don't feel like studying. Big problemo! Next week I have another exam- and this time the teacher said it's gonna be all in Chinese characters... OOF! Not ready for that at all... I hope I'll sit on my ass and study some more this week. The rain outside should do the job but it just does the opposite- makes me wanna stay under the blanket!

***

Bought the second season of "Veronica Mars"... I know I know- I'm not a teenage girl- but I just love this TV show... it's so unreal but so clever and never ever boring... so of course I saw the whole season in 3 days (22 chapters) - couldn't resist!!!

***

Rob's going home for x-mas. I've decided to not join him. He's going for about 10 days- and I know he's going on a family marathon. I love his family- They were all so nice to me, but most don't speak enough English to communicate with me for more than 5 minutes and I figured that it wouldn't be so much fun... Plus- I don't feel comfortable getting in to the family x-mas eve- being Jewish I've never been to one- and I don't think that coming from China for 10 days - having nowhere to go to after that evening - is the good time to start. I guess that when we'll live there and coming for the holidays will be just coming from a few hours away by train- it will feel different. I'll have more freedom then- not like in this case- where I know that I'll be dependant on Rob and what he's doing- like I was in every visit in Germany in the last 18 months. To make things short- I'm gonna stay in Shanghai ALONE!!! for about 10 days... But I made him come back here on the 31st- so I wont be alone on new years eve (not that I care about the evening it self- just here- I don't feel like being alone when everyone is coupling up and going out to parties... I guess that in Israel I really wouldn't have minded...)

***

Can read here again in China- cross your fingers it'll last... Have been reading Dorian's blog so fast- afraid that any moment the connection will fall LOL I'm getting Paranoid...

Sick...

Staying at home today... Since yesterday I don't feel great, and this morning I didn't feel fit enough to go to uni... Rob told me that I should stay at home and try to study a bit here... Then kissed me on the forehead and went to work... It feels so nice to have him with me everyday... Especially on days like this one- when I feel a bit sick...

Yesterday I had an oral exam with my nutty professor. It was so funny... I love this teacher- he's so interesting and nice. He always likes to say Shalom to me and Lehitra'ot and Toda- trying to show me that the knows some words in Hebrew... LOL... Yesterday on the exam (the whole thing took 5 minutes) he said something about Sharon (but obviously he pronounced it more like the word Shalom) and made a "coma like" face... He said: "Sharon, leader of Yi Se Lie (=Israel in Chinese) and then made the face... Meaning- Ariel Sharon is in a coma... LOL that was so funny!!! And then he said: "Sharon same as Shalom" (he pronounced the words exactly the same- being unable to pronounce "R") so I told him in Chinese that it's not the same- and tried to teach him how to say each word correctly - obviously not very successfully...
In the end he said that I speak not bad at all (after telling me to read something in Chinese from my own book- that has my own notes in it LOL) and the whole experience was just so hilarious...
I hate missing today's lessons- they're both lessons with our main teacher- and she teaches really well- I really learn in every lesson of hers... I'll try to make it up from Liya- today for a change she's actually at school... (I really like her- she's a real fun person and we really get along and always have something to talk about...)
I'll go on now and continue being sick at home...
By the way- I still can't see my blog meaning- Dorian - I can't read your blog... :-( (keep me posted???)

Just.... Life...

There's no school today and tomorrow- coz it's "sports day". The whole uni is having sports contests in the other campus (that is actually not so far from where I live). The teacher has been trying to convince a few of us to go to the opening ceremony- that starts before 08:00 AM... So she said that whoever joins must be in uni at 06:00 AM to get on the bus going to the other campus. Obviously at that point no one wanted to go... But then she said- whoever is coming will get 2 meals (lunch and dinner) and a sports suit!!! ha ha ha!!! Well as you can imagine that still didn't do the trick- no one wants to be at uni at 6:00 AM. Even when she brought a sample of the suit- to show us how nice it is- and tell us "look! It's good quality!!! Nike!!!" still no one wanted to go. The ppl who are going in the end are the ones that live on campus- it's easier for them to be at school at 06:00 AM. I used the excuse of- I live far enough- just imagine the time I'd have to get up that day... So the teacher said- but you live closer to the other campus- so maybe they can pick you up on the way! She asked some ppl about it- and (luckily) they don't drive through anywhere that is around my house... Plus... There's an exam on Monday (how terrible) and since Rob's parents are coming the next week- and his dad is gonna be here this weekend already- I told the teacher that I really need to study in these 2 days off...
So today I thought I'd sleep in- but when Rob left to work (06:20 AM) I couldn't sleep anymore- so I got up and decided to catch up on my knitting! I haven't touched this scarf since I came back from Austria in August... How sad... Then obviously I fell back to sleep- and now- as much as I'm trying to avoid it: I HAVE TO SIT ON MY ASS AND STUDY. You all know how much I hate that... But I promise to do my best- it's not the grade I'm after- it's knowing Chinese...
Last night I went with Rob to watch him play Ping Pong (or as he calls it- coz he was professional in it in high school: Table Tennis) with this Korean guy that lives here with his wife (who came there too) and 2 kids. So I spent the hour talking to his nice wife- using Chinglish (Chinese + English) to understand each other better... Rob obviously won the game ha ha ha... So unfair- he actually played for years!!!
That's it for my Shanghai life for now - see ya soon!

Exhausted...

What a week! Woke up at 6:00AM everyday - it's so hard to get used to that... Took the metro for an hour every day to school (I change the lines twice every morning coz this way I usually have a seat on it- the line leaving from here is already full when I get on it- even though its only the 3rd stop!) Chinese ppl i tell ya... They love being crowded... They will just stand waiting for the train wherever they got to the platform from the stairs. They never walk on the platform towards the beginning of the train- and this way the first cars are usually a bit emptier. How stupid of them. School itself is actually really nice, I've made friends with a Spanish girl already, and the rest of the ppl in class are really nice. We're actually from all over the world: France, Switzerland, Indonesia, Russia, Spain, Colombia, Burundi, Canada, Sweden (originally from Iran and Hong Kong), Saudi Arabia... Really all over the world... I understand most of what they say in Chinese in class- maybe even more than the rest of the students - vocabulary wise, but the characters... I hate them!!! Why do I have to learn how to write the stupid things????? Wouldn't mind recognizing some but... Hate writing them. Really.

was a really busy week. There wasn't even one day that I came straight home from school. On Monday I decided to be the good housewife and cook a nice dinner for the both of us- celebrating the first day of school and first day at work. On Tuesday went to take Rob's passport from the visa place and then went to the market to buy some clothes. It was amazing: as soon as I stepped in the building I immediately remembered all the words I need to know in Chinese in order to buy in the market. All the colors names in Chinese came back to me, and all the other words that are very helpful when shopping... The market was crowded as usual, lots of ppl, lots of really ugly clothes- I really had to dig in to find something nice, the smells, the noise... But its still a nice experience...
on Thursday I went to the visa place again- this time for me- to get me the students visa (got all the papers from uni for that) and then went to a deli in a really fancy hotel with Lia the Spanish girl, to buy some nice (and very expensive) cheese...

yesterday was Rob's birthday. So on Wednesday I got him an i-pod as a present, and yesterday I prepared a little celebration for him when he got home from work: I made a pile of blueberry pancakes (don't have an oven- couldn't bake) and I decorated them with gummies and ice cream. I hung balloons in the house, lit up two candles (couldn't find birthday candles here) and put the present on the bed. It was really nice... We went for a foot massage in the evening and then went to a hot pot restaurant (its a restaurant where you sit next to a table that has a hole in it- to put a big pot in the middle - on fire. There's soup in the pot and you order all kinds of raw food like meet and vegetables to put in the soup and fish it out- so you can eat the soup or just the cooked food).

I'm really enjoying my first real weekend in a long time. I haven't been working in a while- so this week it was hard to get used to waking up everyday and having something to do. Its fun being a student again though. Kinda weird after more than 2 years that I wasn't a student.

today we're planning on going to eat dumplings in a restaurant I got a recommendation to. And tonight I'd really love to go out... Haven't gone out in Shanghai since I got here- and I really miss going out here... This city actually has a lot to offer...

The Chinese way of starting

First day of school was today. Took me an hour to get there in the morning- was way too early- got there by 7:30 already... Class is suppose to start at 8:00AM. My classroom was empty and dark at that time. Went upstairs to ask what's the deal- the nice lady looks at my class note- takes me to this time table on the wall- obviously written in Chinese- tells me: "you see here?" I nod and say... hmmm... I see- but I can't read this.... So she says: "you see, here it says- that your class starts at 9:50 every Monday... YAY! Great!!! Nice of them to give my class a longer weekend- but why didn't anyone tell me??? Plus I found out that there was school yesterday on Sunday- a one time thing- coz of the week holiday they had before... Crap... Well nevermind. I wondered around, had an errand to do- did it and met this Spanish girl that I have already met last time I was there (she just joined too- and we convinced the lady in charge to put her in my class...) anyway - she's really nice, plus whet's funny is that my Chinese name is Ya Li and her Chinese name is Li Ya... ha ha ha... All the Chinese ppl had a good laugh about that... So class started at 9:50 - more than 2 hours after I got to uni, and the first teacher is called Prof. Qian (it sounds like: chien- in English) - he's a real nutty professor... He's funny, nice and expects a lot (but not too much- they really don't treat us in a tough manner- I guess they realized we're not Chinese students after all) and his class was actually fun. The next teacher was miss Wang- she's our main teacher- or you can call it home room teacher. She's a lot more "teachery" and uses a lot more English in her lessons. She's very nice too.
So after all the first day was a good day, now I have some things to review (can't believe that I have "homework" to do... ha ha ha - who would have thought about ME doing homewark and reviewing at home...)...
Till next time!!!

Back in Shanghai!!!

So it took me about 26 hours door to door to get here... How exhausting... But a bit after I landed I met Rob... And we went to our new apartment... It's so great! It's a great place, great location (very close to the metro station and the big supermarket- how convenient), and the area is really nice.
Today I signed up for uni- took me a bit more than an hour to get there from home- which is fair enough- coz it's gonna take Rob about an hour and a half to get to work every day...

I find it a lot easier to deal with the Chinese ppl here now- coz I've been here before and have been through all the bureaucracy shit. I really don't get excited, plus my Chinese is not great- but still a lot better than what it was the first time I got here. Rob still gets annoyed sometimes. I guess I will get annoyed at some point- but my annoyance bar is a lot higher now...

I really feel at home. It's amazing how I feel comfortable in this huge city. Even though I haven't been to a lot of the places I used to know before. It still feels familiar.

So- expect more stories from the prostitute of the east (=Shanghai- if you've never heard the phrase).