Category Archives: Shiyan

Chinese Lantern Festival

If you thought the Chinese New Year celebrations were the biggest and most visual event of the Chinese new year, like me, you would have been mistaken. I’ve experienced Chinese New Years in England, Brunei, Malaysia and South Africa, and … Continue reading

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The way the wheel turns

So, I’m ending my ‘holiday’ the way I started it; isolated and spending too much time in my room. The school will commence again on Monday. I’m as apprehensive about it as I was when I came here in September … Continue reading

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Two Butterflies / Liang Zhi Hu Die ( 两只蝴蝶 )

Here’s an English version. It retained the melody, but the words are not the same as the Chinese version or that translated below: The lyrics below comprise the following: – The Chinese Characters If you can’t see it, install a … Continue reading

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Like The Mouse Loves Rice / Lau Shu Ai Da Mi ( 老鼠爱大米 )

Ok, the Pinyin and literal words are my own translation efforts and thus might not be 100% accurate. Grab the songs (right click and “Save As”): 老鼠爱大米 ( 女 ) – Female Version 老鼠爱大米 ( 男 )- Male Version The … Continue reading

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Thank god for different cultures

Yesterday morning I was listening, over the internet, to a Cape Town based radio station, KFM, and heard “Bodyrockers – I like the way”. Just what I needed as a pick-me up. I downloaded the song and listened to it … Continue reading

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My momma always use to say…

Well, there you have it. Stupid is as stupid does and tonight, stupid did just that. My best intentions not to contact Lara lasted less than 24 hours. Although, I have to add, she SMS’ed me this afternoon. So I … Continue reading

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Holidays

Oh, I forgot to mention… Yesterday I arrived for my early classes. The ones I hate, because I have to get up really early which is really difficult because it’s really cold. So there I stand, 500 layers of clothing … Continue reading

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A big old “Ho Ho Ho”

Christmas in Shiyan, the Hubei Province of China, was big. Huge. Massive. Saturday and Sunday, apart from being weekend days and sunny, which in itself is reason enough to bring anything with a cell-count of more than 2 to the … Continue reading

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The winds of change

As if to try and blow away the heavy layer of dust I have on my mind, the wind is blowing in Shiyan today. In fact, in the nearly 3 months I have been here in Shiyan, this is the … Continue reading

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Cauldron of Emotion

The moon light has dimmed somewhat and the rose petals have wilted. Beyond the basics of any given language lies an entire mine field of miscommunication or, at least, frustratingly slow communications of seemingly basic things. As I have tipped … Continue reading

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