Day42

Yeah! The last day of this trip and I am going to see my family soon. I wake very early in the morning waiting to go home and today I am so excited because my daddy going to treat me a meal in Singapore. Approximately 8am the teacher starts to weight our luggage; my luggage is so big I guess is going to be overweight. Lucky in the after weight my luggage is 26.3kg which does not exceed 30kg. I am also shocked to know that someone luggage is 40kg. Before leaving the school, Tom came to send us off I know I will miss him a lot, he did not cry but I think going to. Then, we went to Wuhan airport to catch the flight at 315pm.Since we got sometime so we decided to have lunch but all the food in the airport was all so expensive so we plan to go GuangZhou airport to have our lunch. We boarded the plane. After reaching the GuangZhou airport, we rush to do some administration for our next flight back to Singapore. Then Hweeping’s group and I we rush to the nearest fast food restaurant to have our lunch, and then rush to the meeting point, however we wait for 15minutes still no one around we fear we might be misunderstood the teacher instruction then we called him. We then realise they have boarded the plane that time is 655pm and the plane going to be flying off at 710pm. We all were so afraid that we might not catch the plane because from the checkpoint to the plane there is a distance. Suddenly, someone use a tour around the airport car to pick us up at the checkpoint as usual you have to pay for everything in China and it costs RMB10 per person, we realise we do not have RMB so he suggest giving them SGD12. In the end when we on board the plane we got scolded by some people but is lucky that we manage to on board the plane. When the plane reached Singapore our people were all shouting because you left your family for so long and when you are going to see them you will feel really happy. We went to get wine and finally I saw my daddy, I did not cry but just too excited to see them and I miss them a lot. So BYE BYE to Wuhan and Tom!

Day41

Today, we have got nothing on so we prepare to sleep a long day but obviously we did not because we are all used to waking up early. Therefore, I wake up to do two days journals and also some editing for my individual and group report. After that Hweeping and groups we are going to the Lu Xiang and have buffet lunch and to buy some stuff. The buffet is high class and it only cost RMB48. The dishes taste delicious especially the fried fish, biscuits and fried noodles. The fish is boneless and soft; the noodle tastes like western noodle and the biscuits are like Chinese cookies but taste nicer than that. I hope if in future I come Wuhan can have that buffet but hopefully the price still the same or decrease will be better. Later, we went to get some food stuffs for our parents and rush back to the school to have photo taking section. We took cab because we thought we are late but in the end we are not. We reach there on time but lots of people still not there. At around 5pm, we have a closing ceremony at the school of foreign language is a simple but fun one, this time we interact a lot especially with Tom because maybe is the last time we saw him so we fear we will miss you a lot. Approximately 730pm, we have fireworks in school but suddenly the security came and stop us from playing but later they agree. This firework is really pretty and this is the first time I can see firework that close to it because normally in Singapore the area will be bounded. According to Tom if they want to have firework they can actually have that everyday but to us is like so long or even special occasion then can see firework so treat it like something very grand which to them is not. After the whole ceremony, we all went out to have dinner with him at KFC; this is our last KFC over here at Wuhan. I realise their KFC normally at night they got limited meal to chose because Tom said here is a remote area so not much people will come so in order not to waste food they only cooked a little of it. Lastly, 1 more day, I will be back to Singapore!

Day40

Today, we have to leave Tom house and back to our Wuhan school. We wake up as usual packed our stuffs; later have breakfast with his parents. I do not know how you think of his parents but to me they are like my parents and they think for me too. I think is because yesterday morning we eat very little because we used to be like that in Singapore, his dad went to the city to get us breads and are all Hala. They are too thoughtful thought that we are not getting used to taking porridge in the morning so bought lot of bread. The bread taste delicious but they still have porridge in the morning. Tom’s mother yesterday promises us to cook the green pepper with the Tou Gan in the morning which I love the most. After that, his dad brought us tea and Chinese biscuit as a gift back to Singapore. I will never find a second place which parents are so nice to the child friends. They treat us like their own children like Tom too. To Tom’s parents and Tom really a great thanks and big heart. After breakfast we went back to the bus interchange and board a bus back to Wuhan. In the bus I realise something along the way back to Wuhan they do picked up some private customers to earn more money. The bus is later becoming more crowded and stuffy, they even smoke inside the bus, because is raining the bus was complete close with no gap open and on air conditional so the smoke was trap inside, the person did asked the people to stop smoking but once only then later no more. It was around 5pm then we reached school, we meet Tom at 530pm to go Hu Quan night market and have dinner together. We went to school canteen and have dinner and headed towards the market, on our way Tom’s “girlfriend” join us. In the public bus I thought Chinese girls are much conservative than Singapore girls whose we are more western like? One of Chinese girls who I saw in the bus though with so many people crowding around, still sits on the legs of a guy. Nowadays, Chinese girl becoming more open and open in their thinking. Our group of people try to get what we want and get back to the dorm because are rushing our time as there is a briefing at 930pm. We rush back at 830pm and reached here just in time 930pm. According to Mr Chua we are going to be very busy the next day. The trip to Tom’s house is worth every cents of money actually is more than the money. This trip is the most meaningful trip in Wuhan for 42 days. The school should organise staying at the China student house. Yeah! We are getting home in 2 days time!

Day39

Our group of people wake up early today because Tom going to bring us a one day tour around the city which is opposite of his house, An Hui. Before going to the city Tom told us lots of information of the city especially shopping part which he said only got a big shopping centre that is smaller than Wuhan. Early in the morning the parents of Tom already wake up to prepare breakfast for us. Tom told us actually his parents wanted to prepare something special for us but we went Tom’s house is to have a “taste” of their lifestyle therefore we took their normal breakfast which is porridge. The porridge is plain in taste but inside contains green bean and peanuts, it taste really special. The dishes that we have a type of seasoned long bean and fried peanuts with salt are the most common dishes they have in every morning. Then, the salted eggs and tea eggs are freshly made because they seasoned the salted themselves and the chicken eggs were lay by chicken is rear by themselves. Last time I used to think that rural life is bored without entertainments and everyday doing the same things but as I try out I realise that is actually more relaxing and not that stress as Singapore do. After breakfast Tom’s dad rent a car to drive us cross a special bridge built across Yangtze River. The bridge is so long, in Singapore our longest bridge as compare to them is nothing. I realise that Singapore is too small, China is so big and the world is enormous. We went to the city of An Hui and begin with visiting their temple and followed by shopping. Tom is a good translator, he told us about the tower which is built during Qing dynasty and designed by the Zhu Ge Liang using the Ba Zhen Tu. I have my first time of picking lot to know our family safety and love life. The temple is a peaceful and cosy place which is the only place I hope to go again. Tom suggest that we should buy some souvenirs for our relative if we want to so we ended up in a short shopping street and in one of the Chinese Traditional biscuit or cakes shop. We try lots of stuff like one of their famous cake which is like muffin and lots of different types of biscuits and sweet. Actually, we like the “muffin” a lot more that the biscuit but later we decide to get some of their sweets because the duration for the cake to expire is four days only and this is the3 days before we are going back therefore it is not appropriate for us to do so. As we heard that Tom’s mother love that ‘”muffin” we all bought him lots of that to bring home to her mum. After all these, we went to one of the shops to eat lunch as we going to have very late dinner for today. I realise Chinese people love spicy and hot stuffs even their noodle also spicy but as compare to Wuhan the foods in An Hui taste better and more healthy is less oil and salt especially what Tom’s parents cooked. Around 3plus, we went to the zoo which is near to Tom’s aunt house, did you realise everywhere in An Hui Tom got someone he know? The zoo is a small but it has lots of different kind of animal. The animals inside the zoo make me feel that they are sad and I think every one of them looks pitiful to be kept inside the cage. Since is a small zoo so Tom tells us that it is likely the animal are angry because not much people visit the zoo until the vacations so they might not have money to buy foods for them. Then, we went to see the TV by using the lake water to form the screen according to the people is that the musical fountain was there every day is for them to relax and is free. I feel amazed by the fountain because the scene is grand when the water “dance" with the music. In fact, we actually do not want to go over to the main entrance of the fountain to see, we wanted to stand far from the musical fountain because near Tom’s aunt house we are able to see the fountain but not clearly in order to see clearly we have to walk a long distance but last minute we decide to go because we may not be back again. Though after we reached one minutes the musical fountain ended, we have no regret because the fountain is pretty. After that we quickly rushed back to Tom’s aunt house because we fear that the parents of him might be hungry waiting for us because after that fountain is already 815pm. So we took two cars from there to his house. We took a government car which is again a new experience, did you realise that if that the drivers in China heard the horning sound produce by government car they will always give way to them? In my opinion, the government officials in China are like “emperor” if anyone joins the government work they are considering the “biggest”, everyone must give in to them. Today dinner is cooked by Tom’s parents. Surprisingly, the father cooked though the mother cooked too. Tom’s family gives me lots of surprise and different view of China people especially different from that in Singapore. Not all male Chinese are male chauvinist. I love a family like this I even envy them though I am in a happy family like them too. The dinner dishes is all their hometown dishes which all the An Qing people usually cooked for dinner and some dishes especially for special occasion like chicken and duck which taste a thousand per cents nicer than that in Singapore and I know their parent already choose the most nicest meat around the drumstick for us. Their warn welcome and everything they did make me feel so guilty as we did not pay we just eat at their house and even sleep at his parents room. We keep toasting and talk a lot about what we eat in Singapore. All the dishes were so nice and healthy, you know the Chinese preserve and salted sausage we eat in Singapore is red one but the original colour is not red is they put colourings that is why is red? In Singapore, we think that we have healthy lifestyle but actually we are not. After that, all of us went to Tom house the salon and make our hair which in total cost RMB250, thanks the auntie there waiting for us till 10pm then commences. Yeah! Is left with 3 days to Singapore, we must jia you Sasi few more days.

Day38

I wake up early because we all meeting Tom at 8am to set off to An Hui. We took a bus 907 from opposite our Wuhan School. Along the us journey, I saw lots of familiar place like Hu Quan and the teacher want us to go to the IT mall. Finally, after around 40 minutes we reached the bus interchange which we need to take a 5 hours bus ride to An Hui. Tom said we are lucky today because we just need to wait for 10 minutes to on board the bus, sometime Tom need to wait like 1 hour to on board the bus. We took a long journey to here so we must spend the time here wisely. After reaching we took a cab around 3minutes and according to Tom are like the starting price for the cab is RMB4 for a certain distance if we took a longer ride over the distance each time the price jumped is 4 dollars. We later took a boat about 10 minutes, we are so lucky because we reached at 350pm, the boat will be off at 4pm, otherwise we have to take like 30minutes for the next one to arrive. The boat is an old one inside but it moved really fast surprisingly the first feeling if this boat is will it break down on the way? Later I realise really a stable one. Tom’s parents are really nice to us, they treat us really well. When we reached they treat us fruits and drinks, they really welcome us. I realise we are like a very special guest to them, their whole villages look at us and said hello like warmly welcome us. They are so nice to us that I do not know to describe. We explore their house, we got a very big surprise by their bathroom is like 5 stars hotel bathroom, even the light like got different function when you on different buttons, one of the buttons is for light heater. We saw chicks and chicken, this is the first time I saw that in real life. Is a open eyes experience and I think is a blessing to come here. Then we went to see the cotton since is not the season for the cotton so they was not any worker, inside the factory there is a small farm according to them they plucked the vegetable from there then cook immediately at the kitchen in the cotton factory. We learn how the cotton is being process taking out of seeds through a machine here, which is surprisingly quite advance. Then, the cotton is being sucked to the other room into a machine and compact. We saw lots of machines which we think are very advance. Later, we have another lifetime experience, normally we just sit in the bus see the entire farm but today we went into it and Satish and Sebby even try out to farm. I finally know what is the yellow flower is called the You Cai Hua is used for making the cooking oil. We also walk into the inner part if farm and touch the flower is like the air inside is so fresh, if I am to live here for life I will because everything is relax here and everyone treat us so friendly. After that we went to Tom’s primary school, though the class room is small but the students there are like brother and sister are so cute and friendly. Lastly, the dinner we have is like emperor feast they bring us to their motel and have dinner the room was so luxuries and even the chief of the village is here to have dinner with us. This is where we apply what we learn in the IS module the China teacher taught us table manner, we must wait for them to sit first then we sit. The dishes are so delicious, I have the fish dish which does not have fish bone inside the fish we can have the whole piece not like the Wuhan fish we have which are all bones. We have a traditional chicken soup with deep fried rice inside; the dishes are all so delicious than what we eat during the tour around Wuhan. In the feast the people here keep toasting us making us feeling really embarrassed like we are ‘VIP’. We toast them back too, I know they toast because is kind of their cultures on how they treat their guests. Thanks to Tom’s parents we really love this place and they make me think of my parents too. Yeah! 4 more days we are going back to Singapore!

Day37

Today, I wake up early because I am to have an APPG mini project demo to Mr Ma here, I will be free for the rest of the days. The demo was a fast one and I hope that I can score well. Later, Sasi’s group and I are celebrating Sasi’s sister birthday. Happy birthday to her! After this, we all went out to enjoy ourselves. Therefore, we went out to shopping. Additionally, one of the main reasons we are going out is to get Tom’s present because we are going for home visit and we think that though Tom keep saying do not buy present but getting a gift for them is a must because we are going other people house. I think this is a fruitful trip than just staying at the dorm. After much consideration we decide to get a tea and honey for them. After getting it, we set off to Hu Quan night market which I think the street food there is delicious. This time I have a more interesting find out on my way to Hu Quan which I never have before because normally YongXin and group go we took cab but now we walk to the night market which Sasi’s and group always do because by taking bus and walk there they can save more money than taking cab. I mixed with different group I realise they got different style of life. In my opinion, I still prefer Sasi and group one because they save lots of money and by walking I have learnt lots of stuffs and see lots of different food. On my way to Hu Quan I taste lots of local snacks and I bought one of it home, it tastes like You Tiao but is hard and sweet one but Sebby tells me is common in Malaysia to have that I do not know what is the name of it. Suddenly Tom called and he inform us a bad news that we maybe will not be able to go his hometown. We reaches Hu Quan I like the Tour guide there I brought them to eat all the food and I tried the fried noodle there is nice and delicious. I tried and learn to bargain though I know I am not good at it, I bargain a full set of sport wear for Satish from RMB140 to RMB80 but I know I still lost to Dave he bargain to RMB70. Later, this is my first time took a bus at night with so much stuffs that we bought at Hu Quan night market to the dorm. In the bus there is a seat the China people keep asking me to sit when I ask them to sit; today I really have a different thoughts of the China people. Thanks everyone in Sasi’s group I learnt a lot from you all and thanks for all the thanks and concern. On the MSN, Tom told us that we can go his house. We are all overjoyed. Yeah! 5 more days I am going back to Singapore! Mummy you must get well soon!

Day36

Today, I am allowed to wake up late because got no lesson. I stay at the dorm most of the time doing some IS work and washing of clothes. I still hope very much that the time will pass faster. During lunch time, Hweeping they all went out for lunch I did not because I am trying to finish the food I bought. I heard from them that the school bus use to have the clothes at the side but now is all taken down, though I never went out in the afternoon, these few days I can open the balcony door. Since I am a person who is scare of cold so if I can open the door which means the temperature is nice. I realise this few days the temperature is changing and did not raining I think the weather become hotter. Hopefully, by the time we going back to Singapore the weather will be hot so that we can short pants, I think the only things that we miss here is the cold weather. I spend my time with Hweeping and Sasi, I realise that they are people who I think is like me. Sasi and I are the youngest in our family so we are being dote the most by our parents so coming to this trip to me is a tough experience because I did not know how to cope with the stress given. After this trip I think I did learn something that my brothers always want me to learn and my parents always protect me till I did not learn which is independent. I know in future there is more to come but I guess at this moment if you asked me if I have another opportunity I will come again I said I will not unless someone who is very close to me comes too then maybe I will think. Counting down now! 6 more days! Yeah!