A For Alex

It isn’t in my best interests to exaggerate my cooking abilities - I don’t want to come back, cook and disappoint people, though I’ve already been booked for Mushroom Rice (hi Esther!). So with the intention of painting a fair and objective picture of where my culinary skills stand, I present (cue grand entrance) … Corn and Pineapple Hot Dog Porridge (Unpleasant) Surprise.

It all started when I burned the porridge. Seriously, how does one burn rice when there’s tons of water and there was the requisite swirl of the pot? Don’t ask me; ask those chao da grains lying in the bin.

Sometimes, it just doesn’t pay to be adventurous. I bought a pineapple hot dog today from the university provision shop, diced it into little cubes and dumped it into the pot, along with some corn kernels. When the porridge was done-ish, I took a taste and urgh! There was this artificial pineapple flavour with each bite of the hot dog cubes and because I was so industrious and cut the dog into so many pieces, the flavour permeated throughout the porridge.

Thankfully, there was the saving grace of the sweet corn kernels which added some nice bite and crunch to the mix. The tag team trio of sesame oil, soya sauce and Japanese rice seasoning valiantly tried to mask the pineapple taste but despite their best efforts, I had to fish the diced dog pieces out. I ate the rest of the porridge quite happily though. What can I say, I’m (rather) easy to please.

I haven’t been updating cos I went along with my church friend on her trip back home. She lives in a town called Huang Shi, or Yellow Stone, about 2 hours away from Wuhan. It was a good trip, because it gave me the chance to see how people live. Yeah, there are a few inconveniences like no water after 7pm and no street lights, but really it was comfortable and the warm hospitality certainly smoothed over any bumps.

We visited the town’s lake, the highlight of which was finding this stall where you get into a plastic bubble, they blow it up and you can walk on the water (technically)! Haha, technically because it only took a few steps before we lost balance and collapsed in fits of laughter.

I got to meet most of her family members and they were all very nice and welcoming. Her grand-dad cooked up a feast and watching them tuck in and joke with each other made me miss home, family and weekend dinners together. I took a family portrait for them and another one with just the adult ladies cos three of them look so uncannily alike!

We also took a hike and climbed up what seemed to be 60 degree steep hills to get to this cave with stalactite formations. The colourful lighting made it a little weird and creepy - I didn’t want to think about what would happen if I got lost! My favourite hands down was the formation that you could hit musical notes on!

I think in all, the trip reminded me of something that I had been thinking about, that God has been speaking to me about. How much money you have really isn’t the most important thing; so many other things that we regard as important are really not that important after all. It’s so easy to get caught up with this world and what everyone tells you you should want and chase after, that I’m thankful for these timely reminders from God and just pray that I will be able to live accordingly.  

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26

More pictures here

Gorgeously printed, velvety matt finish and utterly essential for keeping in touch (in my approximation of the matter)…

Moo Minicards, lovingly printed with lovingly taken photos from yours truly. They arrive next week! 

Sorry for the absence of updates but I was in Xiamen, and was a little tardy in updating. What can I say - with the company I had, the trip couldn’t be anything short of great.

Day #1: We fly to meet each other in Xiamen. You know that you’re landing in the Fujian (Hokkien) province when the plane drops mid-air and the passenger behind you says, "Jialat." Haha. Based on recommendations online, I had booked a hostel on the Gulangyu Island, the prettier and cheaper equivalent of Sentosa. We lugged our barang to the hostel, which was breezy and Mediterranean, with a DVD player that we used well and friendly staff. We explored the island, which has no cars on it, giving the place a distinctly laidback feel. We walked to the beach, tried the local fish balls (very soft texture, but tasty) and "worked out" at the senior citizen’s exercise corner.

Day #2: We crossed over by ferry to Xiamen Island and headed to Xiamen University to check out the campus, touted to be the most beautiful in China. The campus is interesting because of the variety of buildings, from old ancient Chinese buildings, to European style dormitories, to towering modern structures. All this, set in tree-lined avenues, landscaped gardens and ponds. We then headed into town and head out in search for the sushi buffet that I had read about online. Chinese building numbering did not help at all. We walked up and down for about an hour and all the while my face was getting blacker, because I was looking forward to sushi A LOT. But, just when we decided to give up and headed to find some other food at a nearby shopping centre, we realised that there was a Japanese restaurant in the building… it wasn’t the one that we set out looking for but it was GREAT! SGD30 (a bomb in China) for anything on the menu, all cooked fresh for you. I was so happy I nearly cried. Seriously. Wuhan food does this to you. With happy tummies, we walked around the shopping centre and ended off with a McDonald’s sundae for me and a peanut soup for him. We headed back to town and went to the first of Jovine’s recommendations - Sundance. It was a nice big cafe, with dim moody lighting and chill music.

Day #3: We headed to Xiamen again for local breakfast and went to Xiamen Botanical Gardens to gaigai. We walked around, looking at the different plants, talking and feeding mosquitoes. We headed to Xiamen Uni again to look for the second of Jovine’s recommendations - Le Pure Cafe. This cafe had a very international flavour, it felt like you were sitting in the living room of a very well-travelled person. We head back to town and walk around this outdoor wet market where we spot… Peking Duck for 25RMB!! Unbelievable. We buy a duck, some extra bread, longans and head to the waterside to dig in. It was oily, fatty and GOOD. But a bit jelat after all that.

Day #4: We had initially planned to go to the Hakka earth houses in Yong Ding, but the trip was either too expensive or the roads were under repair so we decided to spend a lazy day together. We had breakfast at Xiamen again, and bought some tea after having the chance to sample. The girl that was helping us out said that Wenzheng looks like he could pass off as a local, but I couldn’t. I can’t really remember why, but anyway it’s funny cos I’m Hokkien and he’s not. We sat along the pedestrian shopping street and talked… We headed to Xiamen Uni one last time and did some shopping around there then went to the last of Jovine’s recommendations - Brown Sugar. The cafe was situated on the roof top and had a homey style, but oh my goodness, the cheesecake!! It was light and had a great crunchy crust of almond biscuit and sugar. yum!! We came to the conclusion that Jovine rocks. Haha. We headed back to Gulangyu for xiao long bao and watched Shawshank Redemption.

Day #5: Where did all the time go!! We packed our bags and had a simple lunch of local fare before taking the bus to the airport, having lunch and said a tearful goodbye.

I’m so glad that we got to spend these 5 days together, it felt just like I’d never gone.

Yesterday night was the school-organised party for new foreign students… It started out pretty boring with a number of speeches.. followed by a Malay couple dance (with the girl dressed inexplicably in a sari!), an African mass dance and then general drinking and dancing. It was fun to see so many foreign students all in one place, and you’d have to laugh when you see the Asians standing around watching the Africans shake their booty. That’s cultural differences for you.

Lugged my big camera around and took photos. The best thing about carrying a DSLR around is that other people who are into photography just come up to you and identify themselves as fellow photographers. Met a Rwandian and a Chinese guy who are both into photography.. Maybe we’ll go on a photo outing together, with the school photography club.

Johannes came fashionably late to the party in a kilt!! Which is pretty hilarious. Haha. Matches his hair perfectly. Drinking beer yesterday made me sleepy, the alternative to giggly, one out of the very varied outcomes of when I drink.

Click on the collage above to see who I’ve been hanging out with!

Simply put, I thank God for today.

I went to Wuchang Church this morning… I was 15 minutes early but the church was already packed and it seemed like worship was already underway. As a first-timer, I was ushered upstairs to the first row in front of the preacher and it was then that I realised that the worship leader was teaching the congregation how to sing the hymns that were lined up for worship. It was cute because it started with him singing the melody in doh-re-mi, with the entire congregation enthusiastically echoing and he would give pointers as to the meaning behind the song and the corresponding singing style that would best suit the hymn. After the tutorial, worship started proper and then the pastor preached a sermon about God’s grace and knowledge. I can’t really understand a lot of what he’s saying because I don’t really have much Chinese religious vocabulary… but I like the enthusiasm of the church and the cosiness of being in a small church!

After service was over, I spoke to the pastor that I met online and while talking to him, got to know a local girl who is around my age. We quickly exchanged phone numbers and a while later, she called to ask if I’d like to go and walk around with her, since I didn’t have any company. It was a great morning spent with her, walking to this little street called hu bu xiang that has many little street stalls that serve up to 30 types of xiao chi. She treated me to a very varied and substantial meal, including fish soup noodles, fries, salty dao hui, glutinous rice with dou pi and meat and sticky muah chee texture balls. Yum! She really was so warm and friendly and hospitable! She said that many of her friends aren’t Christians and there aren’t many young people in Wuchang Church, so she really believes that it is God’s arrangement that we met. (Zing, I’m not sure if you’re reading this, but she used the phrase "zhu de an pai", exactly like your (my?) brother!) We met her friend as well and walked a bit more around the area. It’s always nice to meet new people who are as happy to meet you as you are to meet them.

During a friendly ping pong match with my Italian friend Daniela, this African guy was standing by the side watching us. I asked him if he’d like to have a go, and through that small step, I met Narisu, who’s from Nigeria and is getting a Masters/Phd in law in Wuhan Uni. I really like his attitude about learning Chinese - he’s so willing to absorb and learn, and there is an excitement to him that is really contagious. So often speaking and learning Chinese, we just think of the phrases, but don’t stop to appreciate how computer is electric brain, how pictorial the chinese language is, and pointing out those subtleties to him reminded me that Chinese is beautiful. Anyway, Narisu seems pretty like-minded and we had a good time tonight eating more street food, this time barbecued lamb and man tous, and walking back to hostel together. Who’d have thought that I’d get to know a Nigerian in China.

I’m glad that God brought these people my way… and I think He’s answering my prayer for friends in a different way. Maybe if I were hanging out with the Europeans all the time, I would be only speaking English and may end up compromising on my own preferences just to fit in. Instead, I’m meeting local students and local people and international people who may not have been the first choice in my mind, but may turn out being better in the end. So I thank Him… for these people, and for enabling me to be at my friendliest.

Pardon the poor photo stitching. You get the point!

My larder!

Staying near the Equator makes you think that nowhere on Earth could possibly be hotter than this. But well, we’re wrong. Shanghai and Wuhan are hot and occasionally oppressively so. The air is thick with humidity and pollution, and add to that the warmth of a jostling crowd at the Bund and what results is a heat that cloaks and chokes you. The worst of the summer heat is already over but if anything, it makes the arrival of fall and air-conditioning so much better appreciated.

The Chinese have a custom of filling themselves with dishes (or liao) and only serving rice at the end of the meal. This was explained to me as filling yourself with the good stuff and topping up to make yourself full with rice… But another reason is also that rice is seen as a poor man’s meal, if you were rich enough, you could afford to fill yourself with food that costs more. This "ostentatiousness" extends to their choice of attire, namely pyjamas in the middle of the day! David puts this down to wanting to show that you’re rich enough to sleep until the afternoon without having to work.

Before I come across sounding like I’m not having fun or that everything is sad and dreary… I am enjoying being here… Not that I’ve done anything super fun or gone anywhere gorgeous, but because of the novelty of the situation… I’ve never flown somewhere before, taken cabs by myself, spoken this much chinese ever… and I’m enjoying this novelty while it lasts! and, while it was a bit lonesome gallavanting alone yesterday, I’m seeing these situations as a means to an end… The ends of trusting God more (and He has been coming through for me big time!), improving my Chinese and becoming more independent.

I really thank God for the people that He’s put my way, from the taxi drivers who were quite friendly and who could understand me, to David who was a great host, to the Danish girl I talked to over dinner, to the Chinese stranger who made conversation, to the quiet Wuhan Uni staff who met me, to the English speaking student affairs dude, to my Viet, Singaporean and Korean room mates! I thank Him that the Chinese has been going ok… and that He’s been helping me through the past few days and will continue to help me in the time to come!

Some photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/entrospeck/tags/shanghai2006/show/         (Click on the photos to see the comments)