Hi all. A few things in today's post:
1) Chinese Internet. If ever I've wanted to pull my hair out about Chinese Internet, it's now. Every site I visit regularly and every service I use is running slower than ever. Even checking my e-mail is impossible sometimes. Over the year and a half I've lived here, the government has steadily tightened the noose on Internet services, and I really hope it doesn't keep getting worse. (Do you hear me, China? Please stop this madness!) This is why you're not getting any pictures on the blog today.
2) Qing Ming Festival. Tomorrow is Tomb-Sweeping Holiday, in which people clean up their ancestors' tombs and burn paper money, paper furniture, and other paper amenities for the spirits to use in the afterlife. We have a couple days off from classes.
3) My New Boyfriend? Yesterday my Chinese friend Jessie asked me randomly what I would do if I got $10 million. I told her I would invest some of it to be used for future housing, retirement, or children's education. With the rest of the money, I would set up a charitable foundation with a board of directors to decide how the money should be spent. As soon as I mentioned "charity," her face lit up and she told me her real reason for asking. She had been watching a Chinese dating show called If You are the One. The contestant on the show was an American-born Chinese trying to decide between two young women. He asked them both the money question, and neither girl answered with "charity," which was the answer he was looking for, so neither one got picked. This means the man is still available, and Jessie wonders if I would like her to call the show to see if she can get me an introduction to this man. Ha.
These have been your random thoughts for today. See the previous post for pictures from my parents' visit, and stay tuned for more.
1) Chinese Internet. If ever I've wanted to pull my hair out about Chinese Internet, it's now. Every site I visit regularly and every service I use is running slower than ever. Even checking my e-mail is impossible sometimes. Over the year and a half I've lived here, the government has steadily tightened the noose on Internet services, and I really hope it doesn't keep getting worse. (Do you hear me, China? Please stop this madness!) This is why you're not getting any pictures on the blog today.
2) Qing Ming Festival. Tomorrow is Tomb-Sweeping Holiday, in which people clean up their ancestors' tombs and burn paper money, paper furniture, and other paper amenities for the spirits to use in the afterlife. We have a couple days off from classes.
3) My New Boyfriend? Yesterday my Chinese friend Jessie asked me randomly what I would do if I got $10 million. I told her I would invest some of it to be used for future housing, retirement, or children's education. With the rest of the money, I would set up a charitable foundation with a board of directors to decide how the money should be spent. As soon as I mentioned "charity," her face lit up and she told me her real reason for asking. She had been watching a Chinese dating show called If You are the One. The contestant on the show was an American-born Chinese trying to decide between two young women. He asked them both the money question, and neither girl answered with "charity," which was the answer he was looking for, so neither one got picked. This means the man is still available, and Jessie wonders if I would like her to call the show to see if she can get me an introduction to this man. Ha.
These have been your random thoughts for today. See the previous post for pictures from my parents' visit, and stay tuned for more.
Your internet is slow too, huh? I read that some of it might be related to the earthquake in Japan. It damaged some underwater internet cables, and so traffic to overseas sites is slower than normal. All I know is that it's infuriating!
ReplyDeleteI read that too! Something about Unicom's cables being damaged. I think that is part of the problem, but the main thing driving me batty lately has been the Gmail and Google slow-downs, which I think are more deliberate.
ReplyDeletehi alison! it's good to read your blog...and hear how you are doing! i'm glad you are staying...it is clear from you words that your heart is truly joyful there and you have been given a work to do that is filling you with peace, hope and love. take care dear sister.
ReplyDeleteI like this Jessie girl. Now if only she could be a bit more realistic...
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon!
ReplyDeleteJessica -- What's unrealistic about this?? Haven't we all been set up with a TV dating show contestant at one time or another?