PHOTOS!!!!!! From the last 3 months...yes thats how long i've been in China now!! WOW. The times gone so incredibly fast!!
So i shall start at the start and work up to now...
First i'll give you a brief introdution for my friends here in Kunming, so when you see the photo you'll know, and i dont keep explaining.
Ok...Dana (Isreali) is my friend since Vietnam, we met traveling, and our paths crossed again in China, and we both decided to stay teaching in Kunming, she's certianly a character! She left to continue travelling last weekend,before returning to Isreali after 1yr travelling. BYE DANA, HAPPY TRAVELS!!
Nico, (German) i met while i was staying at The Hump, the backpackers in Kunming, before i found my house. He lived in a small city not far from here, studing Chinese for a year, and his Chinese was amazing, from what i could tell. Nico was great, always smiling, optimistic and up for fun adventures. He returned to German when the world cup began. See you in Germany Nico.
Matt (English), met Nico when they were both in Laos, and when he came China we all met. Matt is now living in Kunming, teaching too. We catch up on a regular basis, he's great for a chat, and i'm sure you wont miss his great huge white smile in the photos, one of those amazing smiles that (for my liturature buddies, the description of Catsby's smile, my favorite quote) you cant help to grin in return to.
Max (German), my closest friend here, studies (sometimes) Chinese. We met durring the World Cup in the western bar here where we all watched, Chapter One. We, (and many other crazy football fans, or people there just for the party) spent many hours in Chapter One, playing trivial pursuit, cards, Uno, and drinking beers waiting till 3am, waiting for the games. Chapter One has become our lounge room, and a group of us meet there every other day to continue our traditions that began durring the world cup. Back to Max... He's leaving Kunming tomorrow, returning to Germany for a month holiday, I'm very sad!! BYE MAX, THANKS FOR FUN TIMES, I'LL MISS YOU!!
The group of us who meet regularly...basically 'The Germans' (I seem to have become and honourary German this past month). Pia & Tim, Stephan, David, Lena, oh and Lars (but he's Norwegian). What can i say... They are all great fun and lots of laughs!! They've made my experience in Kunming what it is!!
Oh then of course Owian & Solomon, my great house mates. Owian's from Sydney & Solomon American, we all get of really well, enjoy hanging out together, and even seem to have the same taste in movies...occationally. South Park is always a favourite, Solomon bought the entire box set!! Our social lives sometimes get rejected with the prefered alterative of hours of South Park!!
I hope i havn't forgotten anyone!! SO now for the photos, in which these wonderful people we star.
A cute little kid who lives at the school one of my friends,a Gap person, who taught in a town near kunming.
Some Chinglish for you!!
A trational pagoda, near where i work, and i believe this one is real.
The view from the Hump, very fitting, with the traditional sytle Chinese gates and then the modern city biuldings (the gates however are only 1 year old...so)
The out side of my apartment block. Basically all chinese apartment blocks look like this. And just the other day i realised for the first time how dull and grey the city is. The buildings are all browns and grey, never painted. The only colour provided by neon signs and billboards. Well thats China.
Close up, mine is the one above the clothes. 2nd floor in our terms, 3rd in Chinese, they count Ground as 1.
Although there are a lot of modern apartments going up, like this one, on the corner of my block.
My house... or should i say apartment, as nobody in Chinese cities have houses.
Beautiful big kitchen, i enjoy to cook these days, although its only ever eggs, fried veggies, pasta, toast or rice pudding, but its a good way to get some western food.
Chinese style bathroom. You might say, ewwwww, however you get use to it very quickly. I dont even think about the fact i cant sit down to take a shit anymore!! hehe!!
Matt, Nico, Dana, random, me, in Speak Easy, the only western 'night club' in Kunming, a regular hang out, usually good music, either to dance or chill.
Dana, Nico, me, at Dana's house, she made us lovely Isreali style dinner this day.
Me and Matt with some random Chinese in a Chinese night club... i know i've discribed them before, quite an experence thats for sure!
Dana, Inka, Matt & me, at a resturant...this is a funny story. We aquired a special card which meant with 4 people you could pay about $1.5 and eat as much dessert as you wished. However they were weird Chinese, drink desserts, so most were disgusting! We spent an hour or so constantly ordering new things, the waiters were a little distressed. I dont think they counted on foriegners, with no sense of 'losing face' when they started that promotion. We had a good laugh, although felt a little guilty, and then very sick.
This is 'Shilin' Stone Forest, one of the major tourist attraction near Kunming, as you can see it's very beautiful. We (Dana, Uday, Max & me) went there last week, after talking about it for months. With dana leaving, we finally went. The best thing was that since we have 'connections' here, we found the back way to the forest, which meant we actually went to a different place to where all the tourists go. This was great cos we didnt have to pay the $22 entrance fee, and we were the only people in the place, extremely rare for China. The place itself was incredible, picturesque, amazing rock formations, views, everything, and it was great to be out of the dullness and greyness of the city and amongst nature once again. We spent a very enjoyable day wondering through the forest.
Max, looking cheeky, with a wreath of leaves on his head i made. He wore it all day, and looked ridiculous but cute, the Chinese people we came across stared just a little more than normal.
Ok that will have to do for now. I have to go to work...
There are many more to come!! So in the next few days i'll try to get them all up.
Hope you're all well, enjoying Aus winter! hehe
Oh i'd love to see some photos of stuff you guys have been doing!! Email me some if you have!!
Love and miss you all!!
A cute little kid who lives at the school one of my friends,a Gap person, who taught in a town near kunming.
Some Chinglish for you!!
A trational pagoda, near where i work, and i believe this one is real.
The view from the Hump, very fitting, with the traditional sytle Chinese gates and then the modern city biuldings (the gates however are only 1 year old...so)
The out side of my apartment block. Basically all chinese apartment blocks look like this. And just the other day i realised for the first time how dull and grey the city is. The buildings are all browns and grey, never painted. The only colour provided by neon signs and billboards. Well thats China.
Close up, mine is the one above the clothes. 2nd floor in our terms, 3rd in Chinese, they count Ground as 1.
Although there are a lot of modern apartments going up, like this one, on the corner of my block.
My house... or should i say apartment, as nobody in Chinese cities have houses.
Beautiful big kitchen, i enjoy to cook these days, although its only ever eggs, fried veggies, pasta, toast or rice pudding, but its a good way to get some western food.
Chinese style bathroom. You might say, ewwwww, however you get use to it very quickly. I dont even think about the fact i cant sit down to take a shit anymore!! hehe!!
Matt, Nico, Dana, random, me, in Speak Easy, the only western 'night club' in Kunming, a regular hang out, usually good music, either to dance or chill.
Dana, Nico, me, at Dana's house, she made us lovely Isreali style dinner this day.
Me and Matt with some random Chinese in a Chinese night club... i know i've discribed them before, quite an experence thats for sure!
Dana, Inka, Matt & me, at a resturant...this is a funny story. We aquired a special card which meant with 4 people you could pay about $1.5 and eat as much dessert as you wished. However they were weird Chinese, drink desserts, so most were disgusting! We spent an hour or so constantly ordering new things, the waiters were a little distressed. I dont think they counted on foriegners, with no sense of 'losing face' when they started that promotion. We had a good laugh, although felt a little guilty, and then very sick.
This is 'Shilin' Stone Forest, one of the major tourist attraction near Kunming, as you can see it's very beautiful. We (Dana, Uday, Max & me) went there last week, after talking about it for months. With dana leaving, we finally went. The best thing was that since we have 'connections' here, we found the back way to the forest, which meant we actually went to a different place to where all the tourists go. This was great cos we didnt have to pay the $22 entrance fee, and we were the only people in the place, extremely rare for China. The place itself was incredible, picturesque, amazing rock formations, views, everything, and it was great to be out of the dullness and greyness of the city and amongst nature once again. We spent a very enjoyable day wondering through the forest.
Max, looking cheeky, with a wreath of leaves on his head i made. He wore it all day, and looked ridiculous but cute, the Chinese people we came across stared just a little more than normal.
Ok that will have to do for now. I have to go to work...
There are many more to come!! So in the next few days i'll try to get them all up.
Hope you're all well, enjoying Aus winter! hehe
Oh i'd love to see some photos of stuff you guys have been doing!! Email me some if you have!!
Love and miss you all!!
1 comment:
leils sounds like great fun and good experince... love dad
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