this week

Hi! 

Firstly must make my apologies for not writing here all week!! It's been quite busy with studying and trying to get in some sight-seeing etc! The work is quite hard, we have 20 new words to learn each day and 1 or 2 short essays. But it's really good to learn so intensively.

Hmm what did I do this week then? Oh yes, Me, Erica and Michele went to a huge market on Sunday, did some haggling in chinese (very funny!) and got me some bargains!! We spent all day there, so we got some lunch from a street vendor in the market - they told us it was rice with veg, tofu and beef, but it turned out to be beef liver.....yucky....

Went out for lunch the other with some people from my friend Erica's class. I sat down and said hello, then realised that none of them spoke English! We tried really hard to speak in Chinese, but it was the most stilted conversation ever! It's good to practice though.

Went to the Zoo with Erica on Wednesday to see the giant pandas: really cute :P

Today we went to wangfujing to this food market thing to have lunch...we tried loads of different things - but not the scorpians on sticks.....maybe next time, or not! Was really nice though.

Some of us are going to a un-restored part of the great wall on sunday. Erica's host family said that they would take us there, it's really kind of them. Will put some pics up when I get back.

Great Wall Of China

As you can see (pics below), we went to the Great Wall today, it was really good, but a long way up! One of my friends counted over 1,000 steps just to the wall, but as you walk along it it's actually really hilly! Spent some time walking across the top and taking pics, then came down again. But we didn't walk down, there is a toboggan slide which goes all the way down the mountain....I know you won't believe me but I'm not joking!! It was so much fun, but we didn't go that fast, because Kevin's one was broken and kept stopping! Fun though...

Went bowling this evening with some friends, (pic above: Me, Michele, she's australian but lives in london, and Erica, she's from USA) And I have no idea why this text is underlined....but I can't seem to get rid of it...

Bei Jing Kao Ya

Just got back from having peking duck (bei jing kao ya - mum you should remember these words i did teach you them!) It was sooo yummy!! Here are some pictures above. (on the left is Jay, he's from Inner Mongolia, and on the right is Candi, he's from Indonesia)

We had the first day of lessons today, after the test yesterday I was put in the 2nd from bottom class, everyone is really nice and the lesson was fun. We learnt some conversation about going to see beijing opera and eating peking duck etc not very interesting for you!

Yesterday I went with some friends to explore some of the centre of Beijing, we had some traditional noodle soup (i honestly don't know what some of the things in it were, but it tasted good!)

Going to the great wall tomorrow on a class field trip, really looking forward to it. will put some pictures up when i get back!

Nat xx

My room...

Comments

Ok I have changed my settings, so you can leave me lovely comments now :) Sorry about that! xx

Arrived!

Just to let you know that I'm here now! Plane journey was fine - not too much turbulence, just the way I like it! I managed to buy myself 2 subway tickets to get to the uni in Chinese, I think they understood me :) Got to the uni about 3pm (chinese time) and got sorted out with accommodation. Lots of people arrived today, because several courses start in the next few days, so all the single rooms in the main accommodation were taken, but they sent me to another building, which is a hotel on campus, also used for the students who they don't have enough rooms for. But it's still really close and it's quite nice so it's all good! I think that's all I have to say today, not very interesting I know, but it's mainly been travelling. I will put some pics up soon when I get myself organised.

Nat x

Leaving Tomorrow

Hi everyone!

I'm leaving tomorrow, my flight is at 17.40 from Heathrow, Terminal 3, flight no. CA938 (just in case you want to know :P) I will let you know when I get there!

Speak soon, Nat x