The beginning of the end

The first of our overseas wedding guests arrive tonight, how very exciting!!

Matt and I managed to squeeze in a short driving/ camping holiday to Bayanbilik, the Mongolian grasslands, which is officially closed to foreigners, but we were lucky and the only form of authority we faced was a friendly cop who asked to see our car insurance.

Flat land that seemed to stretch on forever and then melt into the sky that continued into the horizon, we saw interesting looking yurts (kinda teepee looking) and a different kind of sheep, all with black heads and white bodies and long, thin nimble legs.

The ones on the other side of the mountain range are stubby and stocky with wide hairy bottoms, the sheep that is.

One long stretch of 'road' was 'under construction' and we knew we were due for an undefined time of bumps, potholes and sore butts.

It's like driving over a 300-km magnified cheese grater, some parts of it were so bad that our front bumper had come off completely and was hanging on by the electrical wires.

Luckily we stopped in time to notice it before it came off which could have caused more damage.

With some wire, string and duct tape (possibly one of man's greatest invention), Matt managed to temporarily attach the bumper back onto the frame, it lasted all the way back to Urumqi where we got it welded back on properly... just in time to sell the jeep this week!

We drove 17 hours on the second day, stopping only for fuel.

It's absolutely incredible how the scenery changes so drastically in just a few hours.

From towering snowcapped mountains to deep gorges and valleys and little itty bitty weaving streams, from flat grasslands to swampy marshes, we saw camels, yaks, horses, cows, and of course thousands of sheep.

At around 1 in the morning, we passed the highest pass in the mountains: 4013 metres!

Too bad it was dark and snowing, although you could make out the immense sheet of ice that looked very daunting and intimidating on the mountain slopes - breathtaking.

All in all, a great last car trip in Urumqi - for this time at least.

We promised ourselves we'll be back. Perhaps with the wee ones.

Back to this week's events now. Guests arriving, day trips to Heavenly Lake and Turpan, and of course the wedding this weekend!

Can't wait to see friends and family again, HERE no less!!!

It's one thing to go home and visit and do familiar things and be in familiar environments.

But it's something else to have the people from 'back home' visit you in your current environment and showing them what has become familiar to you over the months.

exactly 2 weeks till departure!

It's been one busy week, and it's not even finished yet!

Apart from organizing the wedding, buying flights, booking tours, translating for random strangers from Toronto!, we managed to get out into the mountains again for another weekend (in a row!) of camping.

On the way back, we managed to smash the back-side window into smitherines while trying to pass next to an oncoming truck.

No major harm done and i should add that the guy did a surprisingly fantastic job repairing the window and frame - he even placed an identical sticker on the window, although it's in a bit of an awkward place but oh well.

Lately my mind has been acting like it's on adrenaline, juggling an infinite amount of numbers and letters in my head.

Dates and times of guests' arrivals, their passport numbers, their flight numbers, prices for catering and hotels, plane/train/bus tickets, exchange rates, etc.

We have 32 people from overseas arriving in just under a week and i just hope i haven't messed up considerably. I must admit, as a result, i've been in a bit of daze and have been extra careless in my day to day ongoings.

Just yesterday i left my mobile in the taxi when i was rushing around trying to buy industrial-size tin foil for our caterers and then hurrying to make a lunch date.

No more hot pink cell phone with the cute teddy bear on the wallpaper screen. Boo.

But on the sunny-sideup, I got myself a brand new phone with a camera today! Nifty little thing and i'm having a blast trying out the very many different features.

I just have to be more than super careful now and should probably chain it to my wrist as so not to 'forget' it in a taxi again. Lesson learned.

Having Matt's parents here is wonderful. "That's amazing!" was the weekend's motto as i experienced, yet again, Urumqi and Xinjiang through a newcomer's eyes.

It is definitely a unique place in the world, where the environment is desolate and stark, rich in natural grandeur and purity.

It seems to me that people who stumble across here are amazed at the different colours and textures in scenery and humanity, but the longer you stay here the more it sucks you into its vortex, wriggling its way into your memory bank so you will never forget this unbelievable place.

It's like certain people you meet in your life who leave footprints in your heart, some you've known for ages and some only a few minutes; this jewel in the world does the same and you don't realize it until you are packing up and getting ready to leave.

Hhm... which is exactly what i should do now. It's Matt's last day at work and we're all going out to celebrate, hurry hurry.

i shoulda been a plumber

Sept.7

When in China, it isn't rare that sometimes you feel that the worst has gotten the better of you. Whatever the annoyance is, all you want to do is kick/punch/pummel something just to exert that pent up physical frustration boiling inside. I am by far someone who believes in violence as a resolution, but i admit I'm having one of those moments today.

We've deduced that the bloody bathtub is leaking because of a broken pipe under the tub, seeping through the tiled-floor and tiled-walls, causing a mini New Orleans right here in our bathroom.

The maintenance people here in our building are useless and it seems to me, are paid to walk around with walkie-talkies, a clipboard or toolbox - sometimes both - and a clip-on cellphone/pager, looking busy and important. Hah, it's all a disguise. They are infact some of the lamest people i've ever met who call themselves handy-mans, be it plumbers, electricians, security guards, whatever.

The guy who was supposed to come back in the afternoon on Monday never showed because he supposedly couldn't find the other guy who was going to help him remove the tub. A complete waste of my afternoon, and seeing as he didn't have a cell phone, he should've called ME.

I did however manage to ask a woman who works for the building to refer me to someone else who could come and look at the tub. She spent 30 minutes looking it up in a book, finally deciding on one. A lady answers and says she can't come today, she's "hen mang" (very busy). I tell her that it is critical that we fix the tub today because my parents-in-law are arriving tomorrow and it would be a lovely gesture if we could provide them with a proper facilicity to shower in, you know, given that they've flown halfway around the world to see us. She relents and says she'll be there in an hour, but will charge a fee to just come and look at it. Ok fine, i thought, a glimmer of hope. An hour passes, and i'm still waiting. I ring the lady and she says she's on her way "wo ma shang lai" (I'm coming now), "ni deng yi huar" (just wait a while). Unable to do anything more, i wait.

To my surprise, the doorbell rings about 40 minutes later. I open the door and in saunters a short woman with a really sweet face, carrying a bag of cement as if it were lights as feathers and a mixer machine. She was your typical country-girl with rough hands and gritty clothes and while talking to me, she would lift the toilet seat up and hork up some saliva into the bowl. Accustomed to witnessing this in the streets i figured it shouldn't be any different at home. I lead her upstairs to the bathroom and showed her the problem. She says the situation is "hen mafan" (a huge bother). She repeats this about ten times while looking at the tub disapprovingly, shaking her head and spitting into the toilet, all the while standing in old bath water that was curling around her ankles. She was worried that she'll damage the side of the tub more, or worse, the precious expensive bath tiles, and how would she be able to pay for it all? Her husband, who she says can take out the tub and fix the pipe, will be back in a week. I told her i need it done TODAY. She dictates about half a dozen excuses and reasonings as to why "jin tian bu keyi" (today was impossible.) I'm not listening very closely at this point. She called a few other people but they were "hen mang" (very busy). I sighed, Wednesdays must be a popular day to get all your plumbing fixed in this city.

In the end, i was left with her saying "mei banfa" (There's nothing that can be done), and so it was my cue to show her the door and tell her that i'll be waiting for her call when her husband returns. Although my fingers were definitely NOT crossed.


Sept.8, 1:30pm

The sound of water flowing down a pipe. Think about it. How simple the concept is and yet we don't take time to stop and appreciate just how that sound of trickling water down a drain makes our life an infinite number of times less stressful.

For 4 days i've been trying to 'fix' this leakage problem. I've called people from the building to come and look at it (the snake was tried but unsuccessful, and the other guy was too chicken-*hit to touch the thing for fear of damaging it). I asked another plumber, who was referred to by a friend, to come but his excuse was he didn't work outside his neighbourhood.

This morning Matt and I went back to the shop in Hualing where I bought the bathtub back in April. This was the last resort, we had to get someone to fix it, we just had to. The shop called the man who had installed the tub but he refused to come back and look at the problem, saying that he did a perfectly fine job and then hung up. Hmph. So another guy was called and he came to assess the damage. He managed to pull the tub from its place and weed out the worn-out plastic tube that was used to drain the water.

Soon later, two other guys from the building's maintenance department showed up. Why do they all come at once or not at all? With the pipe fixed, all that was left to do was cement the sides and water-proof them with a glue-type seal. Two of the guys got into a huge argument about which method was the best to use. I didn't give much thought to the building guys as they hadn't helped me before. The one from Hualing was good and finished the job.

So for the time being, it's fixed, and as long as it holds up until we leave in several weeks, that's all that really matters.

Well, i may have been long-winded in this entry but honestly, this much hassle deserves a bit of explanation. What i can't get over is that "Mei Banfa, Bu keyi, Hen mafan..." all these are common everyday expressions, like just something that rolls off your tongue when there's an issue to be dealt with. You hear it from shopkeepers, waiters, taxi drivers, even local friends. And yes i admit, even i've caught myself thinking and saying that. The thing is, it's just an excuse to get away from doing what they don't particuarly want to do at the time. In the end, this leakage problem was fixed in just a few hours. Yes it did take a bit more work than just saying there's no solution, it cannot be done, it's too much of a nuisance, or it's just plain impossible, but the thing is there IS a solution, it CAN be done, it truly ISN'T much of a nuisance, and it is by far NOT impossible!

september heatwave ~

There are these machines (think giant zambonies) that have the spinny brushes to sweep the curbs and ditches in the roads. Everyday for the past few days i've seen one pass me by. Every time it is blasting a Christmas carol or Happy Birthday. Why?

I've also seen the same kind of machines that squirt water onto the curbs. I'm totally baffled as to why a city would need to water concrete. To me, it just looks like a complete waste of water.

Matt's parents arrive in two days exactly, how very exciting to be able to show them around Urumqi, to be their host in our city. They were such good hosts to me in Jersey, i can only hope to be as accommodating.

Last week i got together with Dave to make cheesecake, one with an Oreo crust too! His second cousin was visiting from the States and came bearing cream cheese - a very very hard find in this city. As a final farewell to him and Tiffany, we gorged on yummy, sweet, calorie-infused cheesecake. They are hitching their way with a local Uyghur friend, to Tibet. How envious i was to hear of their plans; visions of vast plains with snow-capped mountains in the background and yak meat and colourful prayer flags danced in my head. I wish them well and wish them safe.

This past weekend, Matt and I went away to do some camping and hiking about two hours south of Urumqi, a bit past MiaoErGou. It never ceases to amaze me how our jeep is one of the most sturdiest vehicles i've ever been in. So adaptable to every road condition, a simple car that bounces around. Sometimes it does feel like we're on a giant pogo stick. We made a quickee stop to the monument where claims to be the centre of the Asian continent. Not convinced it is definitely the centre of Asia (thers's a 'centre' in Russia too apparently), but nonetheless, we stood at the gate and could see the statue. We refused to pay the 4 RMB fee in order to get in. We drove through deep valleys, winding mountain sides, forested tracks, dry river beds, until we literally could not drive anymore, to go any further would require a chainsaw to chop down trees. We then hiked up a steep mountain, aiming to go above the tree line where we hoped to find a small level clearing to set up our tent.

The climb was, no exaggeration, a 45 degree angle climb, straight up, for about 3 hours. An excellent workout for the flabby thighs indeed! We gathered some firewood and pitched our first "home" we ever bought together: a sturdy 2-man MEC tent. Shortly afterwards it began to rain so for the rest of the night we stayed inside, eating instant curry and rice and nan and hummus. Following a peaceful sleep wrapped like mummies in our sleeping bags, fleeces, gloves and hats, we woke up to a stunning view of the mountains and valleys that seemed to stretch on forever. It was truly the perfect spot. We had breakfast, made a fire with the wood we gathered which was already dry by morning, read and bathed in the sunshine. The hike back down was faster but for me and my stubby legs, more strain on the muscles. It was a great getaway, to be among the quiet and peace of the forest and to feel small and yet very powerful on top of that mountain.

Back home now. Lots of little things to do in preparation for the wedding (Sept.24-25) and move to HK (Sept.30) and honeymoon (Oct.3-29). The piano will be returned next Monday, the car has been sold, we've booked our plane tickets, the wedding site has been reserved, the catering taken care of.

To do: book hotel rooms in Guangzhou and Sydney (2 night stopovers we'll be making), buy travel insurance, figure out how to get RMB out of China, buy a few more domestic flights for family coming, book and pay deposit for their tour, go through 'stuff' and throw/give away what i don't need.

Our bathtub is becoming a big nuisance also. It doesn't drain fast enough and water spurts out from the floor drain which then floods the floor, causing it to be an extremely likely place to slip and break something. One guy came to look at it yesterday and said in order to properly fix it, the entire bathtub will have to be removed. He said he would be back in the afternoon with a guy who could help take it out, being as he was only a plumber. They never showed up, not surprisingly. Frustrating as we have only 3 weeks left in this place. We've temporarily 'fixed' it by sealing the floor drain with blue-tack, thereby preventing water from coming up and out. Ai-ya, it's the Chinese quick fix-it method, where you just do what is necessary to stop the immediate problem, not really considering the fact that it will probably end up doing more damage in the end, costing more, and causing more headache.

Ah, well. Life is humming by, as it should, and i'm enjoying the ride.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

insomnia

I can't sleep, so much running in my mind. Don't you hate that, when there are these thoughts that go on in repeat mode and won't pause for a moment to perhaps allow you to slip in between the stages of consciousness and dreamland? I need to filter and get some rest, tomorrow i'm going out of the city for some much needed fresh air. Good for the lungs and particularly good for the soul.

Even during rain, the sun still shines

Woke up with a nose that leaks incessantly. Thank god for tissue paper.

I have been reading more and more lately. It's a nice way to relax the mind and indulge in fantasy worlds, some that aren't too far off. I just finished "Fools Rush In", a true story by Bill Carter who writes in a personal and moving manner about the war in Bosnia. He manages to, during his time as a food deliverer to citizens of Sarajevo, get the attention of U2 and have satellite link-ups from Sarjevo to their live concerts all across Europe.

It is very inspiring to hear and read first-hand what the strong-willed and passionate can accomplish. Carter has also produced a documentary entitled "Miss Sarajevo" that I want to see now. I love it when i'm inspired by these strangers whom i've never met and yet feel so close to after having read their intimate details of a time in their life. It's almost satisfying in a nosy, curious kind of way. That story left me feeling that there is good in all people, albeit you gotta scratch the surface a bit first. It also left me a bit confused as to how I could do more to help this world become more acceptable to live in, a little more peacful and understanding.

But i am more focused-inward as of late, and i'm not sure how to direct the energy outwards; to be honest, i'm not sure if i want to in the first place. It's always a prime necessity for me to have something concrete to look forward to. A date, that's all i need. Just a month and number to tell me that on this day when the sun rises, this event will happen that will break free from the shackles of routine. At least for a day, a moment. And right now that day is September 30th, when at 19:20 the plane will be taking off the runway of Urumqi Airport, transporting me into the next stage of my life, exactly 1 year and 3 days ago when i left Canada as a naive, single girl, ready to immerse herself in what Urumqi had to offer. Well, i gues you could say i immersed myself in ways i never thought possible, and now here i am, still naive but i'd like to think a little less so, but married, so anxiously awaiting the next leap. Life is a series of leaps and steps, isn't it? But we constantly move forwards, it's that inevitable thing called time. However, we do sometimes crane our heads around to remember our past jumps and strides. It's like the West African adinkra symbols, the one that stands out in my mind is the Sankofa, where a bird is flying in one direction with its head looking behind him. The symbol represents the importance of learning from the past.

I've been reflecting a lot recently on my past and what steps and leaps i've taken to reach this point here. At some points, i've called my condition (if it's even that) as 'being antsy', but i don't know anymore. I feel that i'm more aware of time and the boundaries that are associated with it, and how i don't want to idle. But perhaps i should listen to someone who long ago, once said to me when i was rushing around, headless chicken state, doing what i, for the life of me, cannot remember now but seemed at the time so extremely vital and important: "Chill, Bon. In God's time."

Also, I will adhere to the advice of an 18-year old i was working with last year, who dared me to do something everyday that scares me or that makes me feel joy inside. Today i will write and paint and play music.

And if we're talking dates, today is a celebration in itself: it's our one-month wedding anniversary!

Am i safe anywhere?

I have one little boy, JiaLun, whom i teach now on a voluntary basis every week. He was part of my group of kids that came twice a week for some good old fun and games in English. The other students' level of English were significantly higher so i was always trying to cater to the different levels yet trying to maintain a fun and conducive learning environment.

We made banana bread a few weeks back which was, of course, a huge hit. This week, however, one of them went on vacation in Korea, and the other started regular school again (did you know every child starting from high school in China must attend a mandatory one week military training where they get to learn how to fire their OWN gun?), so I got some one on one time with JiaLun.

He has impressed me with his vast memory and his ability to pick up new words. Above all, he is so very keen and eager to learn. Brilliant! It motivates me to see him so motivated. The most significant improvement that i've seen in him these past few months is his level of confidence which has been soaring. It says a lot when you can witness that in anyone, but particularly within a child.

Have been more conscious about trying to be safe on the streets as there are many cars, trucks, tractors, bikes, horse+carts, that sort of just appear out of thin air when crossing the road. Even when walking to one side of the road, you can never know when a moving object will suddenly turn a corner into your path or if it will suddenly be heading straight for you (even on a one-way street!)

This is how dangerous and unpredictable Urumqi streets are: I was walking this morning, lost in thought (as usual) when suddenly this humongous piece of plywood from a store sign fell right in front of me, causing it to break into a dozen pieces and the dust to rise in my nostrils. I looked up and saw two workmen hacking away at this building, no protection on, and no signs or fenced area to warn pedestrians of falling objects, nothing. You really just have to fend for yourself here. It would save many people a lot of grief if there were some magic herbal medicine that one could take where extra eyes could be grown at the back, side and top of your head. It would do one of two things: prevent more accidents or have drivers/bikers drive even more recklessly. Come to think of it, it would probably do both. Back to square one.

tick tock tick tock

Haven't been so inspired to write lately since not much has happened, however i do want to... I have been doing a bit of this and that in preparation for our wedding in September and our grand exit to Hong Kong straight after (5 days to be exact). Our plan is to spend a few days in Hong Kong and then fly out to Vanuatu, where we will have our honeymoon - extremely exciting! We've booked a sailing voyage on a tall ship where we get to participate in the actual sail and navigation. It was even voted by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the top 25 greatest trips in the world! http://www.sorenlarsen.co.nz/V223_Vanuatu_Discovery_2005.htm

Also planning to do some diving. The largest accessible shipwreck in the world is situated in Santo, Vanuatu, called the SS President Coolidge ship, a luxury liner during WW2 that struck an American mine and sunk just off the coast. Apparently this wreck is so fascinating that several dozen dives are recommended to just 'get a feel' of how amazing it is! I must get certification first, but the more research i do, the more i think it'll be worth the hassle, even if i have to spend a few days in Santo to get certified. There might be a chance that i could squeeze in an open water dive course in HK before we set off... currently exploring options.

But back to here, these days have been sort of a blur as i'm living in anticipation for the future whereas i should perhaps take some time to relish in Urumqi's delights as the month-long countdown begins.

Matt hurt his wrist yesterday after a tumble during a soccer match with local friends. My heart was racing, as i saw the whole thing from the sidelines. He got up too soon though, started to stumble towards the wall (and me, i rushed to him the moment i saw him trying to walk) but then when i thought he was reaching out to hug me, he slipped through my arms and landed on the hard concrete floor. The sound of his skull hitting the ground was insanely scary, it actually echoed in the room, and i just instinctively dropped down to him and cradled his head to see if he was conscious. I can't quite remember it exactly, but i think i was screaming for someone to get help and at the same time using my colourful repertoire of obscenities, although directed at no one in particular. He had blacked out for a second, but was quite dazed and disoriented. I don't believe i've ever had a scarier 10 seconds in my life, where a million thoughts flashed across my mind in just split-seconds. It left me bewildered even after things had calmed down, how so many thoughts can actually pass through your mind in such a short instant. An incredible feeling, but something that i don't need a repeat of. We went to the hospital just down the road from us and took an xray of the wrist, but thankfully nothing was broken. The only visible damage done is the nice purple bruise on his left eye and some scrapes and bruising on his legs and arms. The bruise on the eye looks like someone did a bad eye-shadow job on him in bright purple. I'm trying to convince him that i should get out my makeup kit and make the other eye match, just for the sake of symmetry. For some reason, i'm not having any luck yet.

Enjoying the tail end of Xinjiang's summer, anticipating fall (which i'm told is very short lived), followed by the winter's frost but by then we shall be safely away in hot humid HK. I've been thinking, i will miss wrapping up in my thick sweaters and pulling on my heavy woolen socks. And even that feeling of breathing in the icy air where your nose hairs freeze and your tears trickle down your numb cheeks, i will truly miss that.

THANK YOU!

To my dear childhood friend whom i used to build blanket forts with and hide in crawl spaces to avoid tyrannical brothers with, thank you so much for the beautiful gift you sent. It means a lot to me. I hope you are enjoying your journey, we shall meet soon. xx

Zaijian Urumqi, Foon Ying Hong Kong!

It's official, and it's officially out in the open for public consumption (although it's mighty difficult to keep anything secret in Urumqi): we're moving to Hong Kong!

Land of expensive clothes with sewn-on fashion logos, steamy dim sum dishes in clattery restaurants, business people scuffling in between buildings of the stuffy concrete jungle like lost beheaded ants or lemmings (what an image), etc etc.. well, that's the stereotypical picture i have of HK. From a comparably semi-passive Chinese city like Urumqi to busy busy Hong Kong it will be a feast for the senses indeed.

Matt was head-hunted and offered a new job there as Regional Director of Asia-Pacific for a German renewable energy company. Job description: to start up an Asia-Pacific branch from scratch by conducting market analysis, developing a strategy to enter the renewable energy market through mergers and acquisitions, setting up good relations with government officials, and whatever else that may come along. I've been given permission to speak on his behalf and say he is very excited to be given the opportunity to start something new and harvest invaluable experience. Since there is absolutely no presence in Asia at all, it was up to us to choose a location to be based in. We were thinking HK in the back of our minds just because it is very convenient to be able to fly out to other destinations even for a long weekend, for me to go back to school and find work, for me to improve my Cantonese drastically, the fact that I have some relatives there, and the draw of a multitude of things to do which we were quickly running out of in Urumqi. And so with the go-ahead from the Germans as a good strategic place to set up office, it's off to Hong Kong we go right after our Xinjiang wedding! Couldn't ask for more perfect timing really.

What i find so interesting in this new development is the fact that I was so close to going to HK as an English teacher last year, until Urumqi finally won the debate in my head as somewhere more remote, culturally diverse and exotic. I will never ignore my gut instincts - ever! Look what has happened in the past 9 months! I'm no longer surprised at the turn of events in my life where things seem to naturally follow suite in good order, kind of like fulfilling the full circle of life that is meant to happen. Sequences of events happen at their own pace, not really quickly, but at a rate where life is never boring. And now it's time to move on, to start our new life together in a new place, meeting new people and seeking new challenges and adventures.

When my mom heard about us moving to HK, she was amused at the fact that her daughter is following in her own footsteps, completing that 'circle' analogy that we've referred to on numerous occasions. From Hong Kong, my mom moved to Canada, met my father, got married and settled in Canada. I've gone to China, met my husband, got married and am (at least for now) settling in Hong Kong.

Have been researching online about places to live in HK, things to do, see, eat, visit. All very exciting and all VERY unbelievably expensive. We just received several books in the mail today which we ordered off Amazon, one of them being "Living and Working in Hong Kong: The Complete, Practical Guide to Expatriate Life in China's Gateway". Anxious to go through it later. But it looks like we'll have to forfeit our 'grand palace' here in Urumqi, where we have 3 EXTRA bedrooms, bathrooms (+jacuzzi) in exchange for a flat the size of our current kitchen. Makes for more intimate space with the mister, which truthfully, i don't mind one bit. Despite all the giddiness and excitement of moving to a new place, it's mulitiplied tenfold because this will be our first home as newlyweds. Plans and checklists are being made. Number one on the list is, of course, air conditioning.

On another note, I saw a man peeping out of a sewer hole today, kinda like a groundhog would out of his hole checking to see if it was nice weather. I didn't notice at first, he blended in so well. Not even a minute later, I saw a woman carrying about 50 frozen vacuum-sealed hot dog weiners (!) down the street, wagging her behind as if she were some waitress carrying a tray of expensive, breakable glasses.
So bizzare. So random. So China.

Will i miss these obscure sites when in HK? Don't know, maybe, probably, although i hesitate to admit it. However i'm sure there will be more random, eccentric things that will tickle me on a day to day basis, different to the things here, but still at a highly entertaining standard. Can't wait really.

The last of this, the first of that

Yesterday we played frisbee for the last time before we leave for our trip (in 6.5 hours!), sharing food with friends afterwards at an outdoor night market, packed our suitcases which we finished this morning. I'm aware of the fact that many of the daily things i do will be the last time i do them as an unmarried woman. The last time i'll have my hair cut, the last time i'll cut my nails, the last time I go swimming, the last time I make breakfast, the last time i buy milk, the last time I take a bus...

As there are many lasts, there are also quite a few firsts that i'm very much looking forward to. The first meal, the first plane ride, the first swim, the first kiss...

China's parting gift to me as i leave her borders for the last time as a single woman was having my wallet stolen in broad daylight yesterday while walking from a food stall to the bus stop. It was the first time i've ever been pickpocketed but hopefully it'll also be the last.

Bon Voyage a nous!

countdown...

I can't sit still. It's hot, I'm sticky all over, I'm antsy to get on that plane. I can't even think straight to write a proper entry i'm so excited. My mind's a mish-mash of hyper-elevated thoughts.
Bonn

Knowing that something is so wonderful in front of us, it's like being a kid and your mum says you can visit the toyshop tomorrow, but in some ways you'd rather be told tomorrow because the waiting wouldn't be as difficult. It's 1:49 pm now but it was only 1:37 last time I looked.
Matt

A part of us now

"Today we got our rings made, yayyyyy!! They are very cool!!!!" exclaimed Matt.

They are simple gold bands with the word "LOVE" in Uyghur writing inscribed on it, date on the inside.

It is making us so giddy and we've ben talking about what it means to have something be a part of you for life. What a feeling.

4 days until we leave for our trip. 21 days until we are legally married.

Even though we knew from the beginning, and that's no exaggeration, that we would be together for life, feelings of absolute joy and utmost happiness washes over me as we declare to the world our eternal union.

why is a grapefruit called a grapefruit?

For those endearing people who want to do their best at making our whirlwind stopover in Canada enjoyable, i declare there should be GRAPEFRUIT JUICE at every dinner table. It was once available in the supermarket just downstairs from our flat, but for some reason or other, it's no longer stocked. A real shame. And right now, right this moment, i'm really really missing grapefruit juice.

Mahabat

Have been in Urumqi for 3/4 of a year now, and i'm about to be launched into my 'old world', full of 'old friends' 'learned experiences' and 'past memories'. Since my arrival here, i've created a 'new world' for myself, full of 'new friends' 'new experiences' and 'new memories'. These two worlds will soon converge, and i must make a conscious effort to remain aware and sensitive of both sides, both needs, both wants and both misleading traps, all the while keeping my own well-being on the front line without compromising my morals.

When has growing up become so intricate? Where relationships, gainful experiences, pleasant memories, best friends, random strangers, haunting pasts and yet-to-be-revealed predicaments are all weaved into a thick fabric and stuffed into the hollow cone of a human body? Sometimes i wish we could all come out with a new slate, just off the conveyer belt, unmarked and unused, still smelling of that new-fresh-product-smell, like the cars you buy firsthand before you drive it out of the lot only to have it depreciate dramatically in value the second your back bumper enters city-terrain. But we wouldn't be who we are today if we had to keep starting fresh every few years, i realize that. Still, is it such a crime to love someone so much with every fibre in your soul, to want something to yourself so much that you have to come to terms with things that had nothing to do with you before a certain quantified time? No, i don't believe so. But i also believe that love shouldn't be a selfish act of limitation, rather one of acknowledgement, appreciation, and perpetual awe. I'm learning, I'm growing, but most importantly, I'm becoming the ideal Me i had envisionned for so long.