Hip Hip Hoorate, it's 2008!

Happy New Year!

It’s 2008! My oh my, last year just fleeeeeeeeew by! When we take the time to look back on a year gone by we get a sore neck (looking back has its downside), but we realise how many memories and experiences we’ve added to our humble collection along the way. Here’s a short trip down memory lane.

Plane, Train,
Beijing, Came.
Smog, Fog,
Work, Jobs.
Teach, Reach,
Sun, No beach.
Boats, Moats,
Candles afloat.
Walls, Malls
Great and small.
Spit, Spat,
Stop n’ chat.
Stir-fry, No sky
Chinese wonder why.
Hong Kong
Family ‘So Long’.
Friends, Trends,
Wonder, no end.
Bikes, Hikes,
Flying Kites.
Ni hao, Tell me how,
Say hi, don’t bow.
Gym, Dim Sim,
Try to keep trim.
East, West,
...Oneness

Anyway, back to 2008...
Rachel, our friend from Adelaide, has been and gone after a quick trip to Beijing over the Xmas week. It was great to have some Aussie company. Rachel and Michelle went to the Great Wall together and struck it lucky – seeing snow on the wall. Ok, there wasn’t much...but it was there! They also visited the Forbidden City...and of course went shopping/got their nails done...massages...need I say more?!

For Xmas Eve we had a big buffet dinner with friends at a nice hotel restaurant complete with a Chinese Children’s Carolling Troupe, a Chinese Santa, a lucky draw (in which 3 out of 7 on our table won prizes inc wine, a tea-set, and a Sony PSP...although Michelle and I ended up empty-handed *sob,sob!), and lamb chops.

The children were so cute singing carols to a CD backing, trying to imitate the English words and succeeding about half the time. They were quite serious and professional but we managed to get them laughing with a few ‘whoo-hoo’s.

If you really want to hear them sing then just press play:

This Santa had come bearing gifts from afar – all the way from the East. (Actually he was the restaurant manager...but don’t tell anyone – shhhhhh!). Sounds a bit like a Christmas story we know.

And of course the night was also a PARTY!

The Christmas spirit was found around Beijing in different forms, but none quite like at this place called ‘The Place’. It has the biggest outdoor overhead digital TV screen in the world. It’s quite awe-inspiring and wow-inspiring. Certainly a neck-strainer.

You can get a tourist's ant's eye view of it by playing this video from Youtube (and there's more on the right). Gotta be seen to be believed (well now I'm going overboard!).

And this pic was also taken there. Nice one Michelle!

Next week I begin a new teaching job (a day job – yay!), and on Mon the 7th I finished up the evening work I’ve been doing, which has been great. I’ve had a mostly good run with my teaching work.

But recently I also discovered the dark side of Beijing, or should I say Korea. As you know I was working at a Korean Kindergarten that should be named Chaos Kindy, but isn’t. Like I said in the last blog, I got out of there as soon as I could. Since then I’ve been trying to chase up my salary, and I must say - it’s been quite a chase! Excuses, lies, just plain denying me pay...the wicked witch kept trying to work her dark magic. We (yes, even with Michelle and Rachel in force), faced a visit to a police station, invitations to take our matter to court and more obnoxious behaviour as we did battle. We uncovered lies and cover-ups, and stared into the coldest eyes we’ve ever seen. And this is cutting the long story short. In short though, I’ve been denied 3-weeks pay without reason (that’s enough to get me back to Australia!). But I’m not giving up. Whahahahahaha! (And yes, I will be coming back!)

Even my workmate from London faced the same thing as he went to collect his pay the day after our little Armageddon. Now’s he’s joined in. We’re hoping for Aslan to bring a quick end to Narnia’s long winter. I’m telling you, I don’t know how these people sleep at night.

Anyway, always look on the bright side of life right?

So to end, here’s some more Chinglish signs to bring some cheer (thanks to Rachel for these)!
This one was found in a cable car heading up to the Great Wall. Apparently when they say ‘scratch’ they mean graffiti (of course!!!).

And this one was found at the Forbidden City...

This is China.

Dig it.



Ps. If you ever want to see our photos enlarged just click on our photo album link to the right.