The WUST

Day42

2009-04-15T21:11:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-13T08:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-13T07:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

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!

Day35

2009-04-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

I wake up in the morning but today much earlier because there is a one day adventures camp for us. At first because is so near to our APPG TT2 so I hope today will rain so that I can study at dorm but later after thinking much I realise staying at the dorm will only make me think of more stuffs like missing my parents so I decided to enjoy this camp. We were suppose to meet at 8am but ended up only Hweeping’s group and I reached only, all the others were late. In the end, everyone reached at around 830am and the whole camp begins, we were all divided into groups including the other groups from other modules. This is the time where I start to interact with them more and try to know them. This whole morning we had lots of fun together though I am in a group of not much ECE people but I enjoy myself in the camp. In the afternoon, we brought some of the students to one of our canteen. Finally, I have the mood to eat something and I eat a lot today. We sit quite close to the other groups of student and we did chit chat. Then later, they all went to our dorm and see, they told us our dorm is really like a hotel. One of the students even tell me that the teacher was actually so smart asked them to go our school near to the end of the programme not at the beginning of the programme therefore they will not compare and complain until they get use to it then they realise the living condition as compare to us is lousier. I try the ice cream here today, the China ice cream taste the same as Singapore but is cheaper over here. I try the China brand ice cream called YILI, it taste nice but less thicker flavouring than the normal Wall ice cream we eat. We eat ice cream because today we heard that our TT2 is postpone to another day after the school reopen, we were all so happy that we can finally relax a bit more. During the programme got many high elements that I never tried before all I did try here. The moral of this programme is to test your trust within your groups, willingness to take initiative and willingness to take risks. That is what a leader is requires to do. During the evening after the programme we took lots of photos and I love Hweeping’s group. They are people who work hard at the beginning and also play hard but after everything. I think that is why their parents trust them so much. Lastly, I miss my daddy and today is his birthday. Daddy I love you! Left with 7 days I will be back to Singapore!

Day34

2009-04-06T05:16:00.001-07:00

Today, I wake up in the morning I started crying for my new day. To me life here is torturing and sad because I missed my family and boyfriend really much that I think if the time continue and the day past so slow I will turn mad. I keep studying to numb myself not to think of them that much but my emotion cannot be controlled. What should I do for today to kill my time without crying and missing them? I prefer to be in Singapore really way more than here do. I ever thought that whether I can ask teacher to go home earlier. I cannot be crying every day right? To me though I am counting down to the day but it seems like is so slow that I cannot wait. This morning I try to study with Sasi and Hweeping. I realise that not only me who miss home so much that I cry but Sasi do. She and me, we kind of regretted coming here. We do ask ourselves why we come here. Today, I really have a battle with my emotion I tried to controlled but failed. Today, I decided to go Tom house to visit; the main reason is to let time past faster followed learning of their cultures. I called my mum today and I really cannot control my tears I cried in the phone, I know my mum is heartache but she just keep telling me that I must be strong, hold on, must “Jia You” because I only left with 8 days and we let you go this trip to train you to be independent. You know to me all these words are so encouraging that I cry even louder and louder. Sasi was beside me and comforting me to calm down so I can tell my mum about the trip to Tom’s house. I must really thanks Sasi and Sasi must hold on like my mum and your mum said is 8 days more. I know Hweeping also missed her parents a lot but she chose to keep inside. Tomorrow is my dad birthday I do not know whether I will cry but I will try my best to control my emotion so he will not worry. I love you Mummy! Daddy I love you too! Left with 8 more days and I will be back to Singapore. The day finally past!

Day33

2009-04-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

Today I wake up earlier than yesterday, in the morning I am thinking what should I do to improve on my mini project and how to do some of the questions in the TT2 practice paper? Therefore, I wake up earlier hopefully I will not keep thinking about it in the morning if I continue to sleep. This is China no matter how much I try not to think of my family I will still think of them, I really miss them a lot. I keep telling myself time will pass faster but no matter what I just think that time goes so slowly. Now I finally understand why people said going to over sea to study is so tedious and hard. This trip only a month I have already felt that so much of missing them. What I used to see when I look outside the window is totally a different one now. This whole afternoon I did not do much just doing so house chores, packing of my own luggage and doing the group report. I realise I brought so much clothes here that I never wear next time I think I will not be bringing so much clothes over sea. Today, Sasi make me feel like she is a bit stress so she went out with Hwee Ping and group today hope she will be fine soon. At night, I am going to chat with my family because I miss them so much, through this trip I finally know how important to me is my parents. Yeah! Left with 9 more days and I am going back to Singapore. Daddy and Mummy I miss you all.

Day32

2009-04-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

I am going to relax this Saturday however, in the morning I still do some of the IS homework like group report and individual report. I have very hardworking dorm mates like Hwee Ping and Sasi they work very hard so that they can play at the end of this trip. I really envy their persistent and determination to do finish their tasks first because they spend the whole day in the dorm. This morning after talking to my brothers I think I miss them a lot till I cannot control my tears, I am wondering how long will 10 days take? Is it fast or slow? After doing some of the homework, approximately 1 plus in the afternoon, I went out with my group, Yongxin and Wenhao. We just take a bus to the Si Ji Guang Chang that Jayden said, so we took 901 from opposite the bus stop we always took to Lu Xiang, we did not know the exact place so when someone said we reached the destination, and we just dropped there. Later, we realise that Si Ji Guang Chang is actually something like a park for outdoor activities, such a cold day how do we have mood to play outdoor activities? Then, we just continue to walk to till we saw a shopping centre called Jiang Xia something but is a very old supermarket so we decided to ask people where is the nearest shopping centre and they said we need to take a minivan to go there which cost us about RMB5 per person. After that we went down to asked the uncle we want to go Xing Xin Lu is how much? He replied just a dollar a person. Is it the person we ask just now in the shopping mall want to help the minivan uncle to earn money? We reached a place with a very big KFC brand on; we all said here at least got KFC to eat. In the end, we did go to KFC but just to wait for Benson to blurt his hair and to eat Chocolate Sundae ice-cream. On the way to the hair cutting shop, we eat lots of cakes and muffins because that street is famous for its cupcakes and muffin. We came across a shop selling a bread taste like donuts but inside got red bean paste, it taste delicious then follow by small cakes with honey on it, we order 1 Jin is like RMB8 when the person pour the cakes into the bag we then realise is too much. At night, we went to Hu Xuan again and we had our dinner there as usual and shopping. Overall I realise that actually going out, the time pass faster than staying at dorm alone. Anyway I will never forget to count the number of days I am going to go back to Singapore. 10 more days and I will be back to Singapore! I miss my daddy, mummy, brothers and boyfriend.

Day31

2009-04-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Time is getting nearer to the day I am returning to Singapore. This morning we have APPG lesson but is a simpler one is to check our theory paper 1 and to fully understand from Chapter 1 to 4. I feel tired this morning and do not feel like moving around because is like going to do the same thing again but I know that is for our own good as we are having a final theory test 2 soon on Wednesday. I have got 81 marks for TT1, I am happy with it that is mean the effort I use to study did not go to waste. After the lesson from today afternoon till Monday afternoon then I will have lesson. This is great! Therefore, I will have more time to do my IS and to study the TT2. Additionally, more time for me and Yongxin to go shopping. This afternoon, Yongxin and friends went out today but as I always said I must finish my works and study before going out do I will not feel that I have got something have not finish then at the end rushing for it, is not that I am nerd but I do things in that way. So Jayden I am not a nerd okay! Anyway I stay back at dorm to my Individual Project and chat with my siblings because I miss them a lot. After talking to them I feel that I miss them a lot more. However, to be frank I miss my boyfriend a lot is just a reality when you are over sea you often miss someone more than the others. Obviously, I miss my mum and dad the most, and my dad is going to have his birthday when I am not in Singapore I really miss him, because every of his birthdays I will always be around and give him a kiss. Daddy Happy Birthday and I miss you so much hope you will have a great health and will not get sick so easily. I am going to study now hope at the end of today I can understand APPG. Left with 11 days and I am going to go back to Singapore! I will hold on!

Day30

2009-04-02T05:35:00.000-07:00

I wake up early in the morning at 645, it really make me mistook that I wake up too early because usually I wake up at 715 for APPG lesson. These few days, we are rushing for IS after finishing APPG. This morning, we did an evaluation form on this trip about how we feel. I came across these few questions. Do you think this trip worth for recommending? Two months is it enough? I will recommend this trip to many friends only if they can cope with stress better than I do and also only many of your friends are joining this trip. This is a trip that requires many good friends to be around because when you feel stress and pressure they will be around and that you can go shopping with them. But like friends you just know you cannot speak out your thoughts as a friend you are close to. This is reality. Two months is not enough for studies but too much if it is for relaxing over here. Later, we have our IS lesson today we learn about the Taoism, I think compare to the Confucianism, the Taoism not as practical as the Confucianism. They study on the nature but in Singapore this is not too practical. In this busy city like Singapore I think we apply the thoughts of Confucianism more that looking and thinking what the nature thinks. I discover that China people do not believe in other religious but in themselves however in Singapore we have many different religious and almost every one of us believe in one like me I am a Christian. In the afternoon, we have IS lesson again, is tiring to have the same lesson for the whole day. However, I think that the noon time one is more interesting because of the video clips. In Singapore, we adopt some of the ideas when someone is getting married like sending of betrothal gifts and choosing of auspicious date but we did do much stuff according to the Chinese cultures like installing of beds, what we must put in the newlywed couples room, through this lesson we know that. After the lesson, I went back to dorm, later went to gym and study APPG test. I hope times can pass faster so that I can return to Singapore to enjoy the food now. Yeah! Left with 12 days more we will be back to Singapore, our homeland.

Day29

2009-04-01T03:59:00.001-07:00

Yeah! Another day has past, to me now time like running slow. I hope I can go home as soon as possible. Life is getting more stress here because is getting to the end of many things, test, mini project, and journal and IS report. Today morning we have our China History lesson for IS, the teacher taught us lots of interesting stories in the lesson like the Mong Mother moved house to three different cause Mencius is a boy who love to learn a lot and when he go different place to stay he tend to learn different things but the first two place he went he learn stuffs that her Mum think is no need for his future, at last they moved to a place beside the school that is where Mencius study and become a scholar. Reading so many stories about Mencius and his mum, I realise his mum play an important part in his mum that is why we said your parents will do the best for you. This trip make m learn that without parents especially my mum I will not have learn so much in my life and will not know what is right and wrong. On my way back to dorm after the APPG lesson, I asked people whether they will miss Singapore or not, one of them said no, Singapore more stress than here do, at that moment I was asking myself am I too harsh to myself? But if you feel stress here no one around you then what can you do? But the workload here is more than that when we are in Singapore, don’t they feel stress? I keep asking myself am I too negative? My answer is no, I really feel stress and I miss everyone in Singapore. I cannot because of coming here, then study less. We keep changing our timetable but lucky everything ending soon and I can be more relax after everything, hopefully I will not cry anymore because of school work over here. Lastly, 13 more days more, I am going to be back to Singapore! So jia you to myself I can get over this tough period!

Day28

2009-03-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

We have our APPG lesson again but today are the last formal lesson for APPG, so we are rushing our last chapter which is chapter 7. This few weeks we keep rushing our lesson so is kind of stressing and we did not have much time to study the chapter then the next chapter came plus IS and interaction. Moreover, we are new to this environment; things are really running tough for me. I do not know what other think but I know back in Singapore I can cope the stress easier because my parents, friends and boyfriend are there. To be frank if I am given this opportunity to come again I doubt I will do so maybe this is what I feel now at the next moment I will change this thought. Tomorrow is our IS days and is going to continue for the following day after tomorrow. Now! All of us are busy studying APPG Theory Test 2 and rushing our mini project. I hope I can finish all my tasks before Friday. Before I go to the mountain and fortress trip, I know China is famous for that but other than these can we have a different trip like shopping more? Though this is a learning trip, now I cannot wait for the day to come when I am going to go back to Singapore. Anyway, our room is nice and everything is alright, is just the trips and the workloads here is stressing but is already enough for the reasons why I wanted to go back home so much. After APPG lesson, I did not do much stuff. I just went running, stay at my dorm to rest and to study for my Theory Test 2. Hopefully, I can score better in Theory Test 2 than Theory Test 1. Yeah! Another day is going to over! I am going to go back to Singapore in 14 more days. I miss Dohby Ghau, Plaza Sing, the Indonesia Grill Chicken Rice!

Day27

2009-03-30T04:58:00.000-07:00

Today, actually we were suppose to clean up the mess that we make yesterday at the party but at last not because the guys had help us clean up yesterday. I did not know until this morning I thought Huiping woke up late, so I keep calling her then I realise that. Today, is the APPG lesson, I tried my best to study as much as possible before the lesson. Finally, I am a little ahead but later I am behind again because I am stuck in the lab6 part B. Mr Ma teaching us chapter 6 the whole lesson and mostly on the lab 6 part B, explaining how we should do the program so that we can understand. This program is hard to understand and do, but I will still try hopefully I can finish by tonight. In the noon time, I did not do something much but just a photo essay. Food got many varieties so is a never ending photo, so I will keep adding photo especially of delicious foods and of my favourites. Today is just keep doing APPG till the mini project ends, chapter 7 finishes and lab test end. I was thinking when we go back to Singapore like already going to the school starts? I will be seeing the same people here again. This whole China trip is actually fun and interesting because China got so many things can explore and for us to explore. But when I feel stress I will miss my family and boyfriend because last time in Singapore they will be around for me but now not. This trip I have learn more personal control by not going out so often until I finish and study my works. I really really miss Singapore everything even the Orchard road! And is 15 more days to go I will be back to Singapore my homeland!

Photo Essay(The least(cannot be eaten) to the best food to me)

2009-03-29T09:23:00.002-07:00

To me the best food is the food that I like and can eat everyday is the muffins, milo and bread with peanuts butter.What I want to say is that everyone has different taste for their favourite kind of food.

The fried banana is the best with the sweet and different sauces on is perfect.

The best food I have ever ate, is mild sweet outside and crispy, inside is chewy.

I will never miss any of this when I saw it.

The corn dumpling is so nice that we bought 4 times of this.

Its cold but this dessert will make you feel tempted even the weather is cold.

I think their fried noodle taste delicious and the on the stick taste like Singapore food the fried prawn something...

One of the best food here.The dumpling but I still prefer Singapore because the filings here like nothing inside.

I love lotus soup and lotus, therefore I like that.

Like japanese type of cake.
The scallop super delicious plus the garlic sauce even best!
Finally, ther is one thing taste like Singapore!

The most spiciest "satay" I have ever have, one meat stick = one cup of milk tea.

Too spicy the potatoes.Everything here is so spicy.
Everyone eat all this as breakfast is very nice but too unhealthy and oily.

It looks like pancake but is not is sweet and make of rice.

McDonald the best! I still prefer Singapore one though.

The international fastfood restaurant, we thought the rice is chicken or butter rice but its plain one. Overall the chicken is still tenders and nice.

The soup pot is the best!

The mushrooms pot dann delicious with rice the best.

This is the best noodle I ate in school and only cost RMB5 is worth the price.

The vegetable can be eaten only, the fish too much bones and the chicken cannot even see meat.

The rice look delicious at first but taste less and less delicious when you eat more bites.

Its only vegetable can hardly see meat and egg.

The whole meal does not taste nice the vegetable like just took out from the fridge.

The noodle taste like putting peanut butter into it.Peanut butter plus noodle?

Like fear factor

Day26

2009-03-29T09:23:00.001-07:00

Today is considers a free day because we only have a BBQ party at night and the rest of the time is for us to do our own stuffs. I woke up quite late in the morning around 9am, in the morning Yongxin, Wenhao and me we went jogging. The weather is cold and all of us wear shorts to jog so lots of people is looking at us, they must be thinking we are mad, even when we running that time got people from the top looking down to the track. However, I think we did not burn much fat although we jogged for ten rounds because we did not sweat much due to the weather. The weather is considers better than yesterday, yesterday the temperature suddenly drop so much is 8 Degrees Celsius. Then, Yongxin and friends asked me to go out to IT mall because they want to buy Thumbdrive I choose not to go in the end. I still have many stuffs never do like photo essay I have not get photo from YaLun and Yongxin. Anyway, thanks YaLun yesterday when we eat he keep taking photos for us. Tomorrow I will submit the photo essay. The whole afternoon I am solving my own APPG Miniproject and study Chapter 5. However, I still cannot figure out how to do some parts of it. At around evening time, we went for the BBQ thing, the party at first was kind of boring but later when we start to interact with the China students it become more fun and interesting. I do not eat pork, beef and mutton so the whole party I am eating chicken and the bread. Though the BBQ chickens were salty but it taste like the one in Singapore I miss that taste so I think I ate 8 to 9 pieces of that and the BBQ breads were small and cute, it taste a bit sweet so I like it a lot. I know one of the China students called Di Guar, her Chinese nickname so cute and sweet right? The students here are friendly and more open than we think they are and than us. I enjoyed the party a lot hope next time we have more opportunity like this. Dave is a good leader because he can lead people very well like where we should go and what we should do, just now he even returns to dorm to take torchlight for us. Thanks man! Anyway, counting down to the time we going back to Singapore is 16 more days! I enjoy being here but I feel more like going home! My pictures at the party I am going to get from ZhiHui soon. I am not overcooked the chicken wings Queen ZhiHui!

Day25

2009-03-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

Why everyday must write journal then I can sleep. I do not have the habit of writing journal everyday so this is really a tough task to me. Anyway today we have to meet in the early morning at 815am. Yeah! At this today is shopping day and not seeing mountain, trees and Lake Day. I am wondering since Wuhan is an inland province why do they have so many water areas? How the water eventually become lakes? However, usually is we late not the bus uncle late but today is different is opposite. Moreover, today weather is unusually cold, the temperature suddenly drops and even raining. Most of us never bring umbrella so we were all hiding at the school gate there where the guard normally stand. So after about the tour guide said 10mins but it seems like 20mins to me the bus finally came. We took the bus to Han Kou there the Wuhan Jiang Tang Gong Yuan which is considered quite near to Yellow Crane Tower. However, end up we did not walk through the park because the weather is too cold and we all think that if we really finish walking we already turn into ice. Therefore, we went to the second venue where we suppose to go Jiang Han Lu Bu Xing Jie to shop, that side sells lots of branded goods like Nike, Adidas and Converse. We begin with eating a fast-food restaurant called the Dicos, teacher said is a International brand but Singapore do not have but it makes me think of the KFC chicken and Long John rice in Singapore. Truly what the tour guide said all came true there is people approaching us to ask whether we want to buy fake branded sport shoes and obviously we were all remind not to so in the end we did not. Then, we walk to many places and got one shopping centre sells really nice Portuguese egg tart, it is more delicious than our school sell. We saw the shop that we usually eat our cream puff called the “beard papa” here. Later, we meet everyone at the same place at 3pm and sadly to say today trip end here. Suddenly, someone suggested going to somewhere near the Yellow Crane Tower to shop they said the stuffs over there to shop is more than the Bu Xing Jie so we went there, after alighting at nearby the Yellow Crane Tower I am kind of regret going because the weather is too cold we were all freezing but later we did not, there are lots of things to shop the converse shoes, the fake porter bag and many more. We bought lots of stuffs. Lastly, Dave brought us to one food street for dinner, he was like the leader said like we meet 8pm then we all gather here outside this food street then we all listen. I think this is call leadership. Truly, the foods were all so nice, the dumplings are better than the previous ones I ate got soup come out. They got sell the dumpling with corn inside, scallop, rice and many more. The sweet chewy but I forget the name is crispy and sweet, chewy so delicious I think I go back Singapore this and the peanut butter bread were the two things I miss. Last but not least, today meeting was good news to me because teacher said like we are going back to Singapore soon. I still miss Singapore a lot and now I know how people stay abroad for such a long time feel. I know the feeling is just a simple word “miss”. I love Singapore, we kids are living in the heaven that is so comfortable that we do not know what is poor. Singapore I am going to be back in 17 more days! Daddy so not fair eat steamboat never wait for me!

Day24

2009-03-27T05:57:00.001-07:00

Same time, I wake up at 715am because I still need to have more revision on APPG. Today is APPG theory test I am nervous and really scare I will fail this test. I do not want to retake APPG again because yesterday I have got APPG timetable and is from 5pm to 6pm too tiring. I must pass this module and at least a B if can A will be better. I think I will work harder for this and next week so I do not have to rush at the end of the trip. Today journey to the YangTze Optical Fibre And Cable Company Lte was short not more than half an hour we reach already. The environment of that company is clean and tidy totally different from the one we saw at the making steel roll that company, is also quiet at that place. We learn how to make the optical fibre today is actually from a huge rode of glass into a very tiny strip of hair size optical fibre by melting it and using the advance technology. Nowadays technology is getting more and more advance around the world especially in a growing country like China. I think China is a good in setting up business in future, here got huge population and is getting more prosperous each day. Different colours of the fibres actually help to differentiate different type of fibres so if you need to use it is easier for you to get it. Will the glass rode makes into the tiny optical fibres break easily? According to the person, the tiny is however more flexible and not break easier than the huge glass rode. Also, ISO said that a guarantee of 25 years is to be given to every optical fibre. Then we have our APPG theory test 1.Time fly so far we are at near to the end of our week 4 but because of that I am kind of happy because I miss my parents and boyfriend. This theory I hope I can pass because I got put in lots of effort to study. I am very nervous about the theory test at that moment but after I finished I feel more relief because we have already pass two important tests left the last one and mini project. Lastly, we eat at KFC for dinner again! Its Friday of the fourth week which means I am going home soon and Saturday and Sunday are both free from school work day. Yeah! 18 days more and I am going back to Singapore! McDonald and KFC in Singapore I miss you!

Intercultural Readiness Self Assessment

2009-03-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

Open-mindedness: 60(Self estimation), 80(Target at the end of the trip)
Be open-minded and learn from others, the world is so big, there is so much knowledge we can gain from others through this world.

Respect for other beliefs: 60(Self estimation), 80(Target at the end of the trip)
This can be done by interacting and communicate with people of different religious and countries.

Trust in other people : 40(Self estimation), 70(Target at the end of the trip)
This can be done by trusting your friends that you lend her any of your stuffs she will remember to return to you.

Tolerance for discomfort: 50(Self estimation), 70(Target at the end of trip)
This can be done by trying not to compare and thus you will not complain but try to adapt to the environment because as time goes on you may get use to it.

Tolerance for ambiguity: 40(Self estimation), 70(Target at the end of trip)
This can be done only when you try to adapt to this environment since you are already at here.

Patience: 60(Self estimation), 80(Target at the end of trip)
Learning to be patient and wait for others when the teacher teaches the topic that you already know.

Sense of personal control: 70(Self estimation), 90(Target at the end of trip)
When you have to study for your test or need to finish your work but your friends are all going out, I must have sense of personal control to finish all my works before I can go out to play.

Interpersonal skills: 50(Self estimation), 70(Target at the of trip)
Be more open and try your best to interact with as many people as possible, maybe at the end you may find someone of a similar character as you do.

Willingness to tke initiative: 40(Self estimation), 80(Target at the end of trip)
This can be done when your friends do not understand the lesson of you understand better take the initiative to teach her or when teacher ask question no one answer, you may take the initiative to try to answer the question.

Willing to take risks: 40(Self estimation), 80(Target at the end of trip)
Do not be afraid of trying new things which is a bit risky, you may end up in a better situation than this.

Sense of humor: 60(Self estimation), 70(Target at the end of trip)
When communicate or interact with other people, try to be more humor others many think you are more friendly however do not joke at the wrong time and situation.

Curiosity about other cultures: 60(Self estimation), 70(Target at the end of trip)
Curiosity about other cultures may help you to learn and respect others cultures and religious. Moreover, Singapore is a multi racial country when you learn about it, as in doing so you will not end up offending others cultures.

Comfort level with strangers: 30(Self estimation), 50(Target at the end of trip)
This can be done by taking a step forwards or initiative to know others.

Day23

2009-03-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

Yeah! It is thursday! I love it because this is week four which means two weeks more I am going back to Singapore. Life is really stressful but I know teacher rush all the lessons are for our own good so at the end of this trip we can be more relax is lik in Chinese we called "xian ku hou tian". I am rushing lots of stuffs this week miniproject for APPG, lab test, theory test and next week one more theory test. This week journey for the Saturday we are going somewhere at Han Kou, I am excited about it and on sun we have a BBQ interaction with the China friends here. Hopefully, I am braver to talk to them more. Today, we have our IS lesson because Mr Ma legs is not in good condition especially due to the cold weather, however to be frank I am not doing my IS but revising for tomorrow APPG theory test. After doing more practices for the APPG, I realise I can do more of the questions but as more and more new chapters coming in I fear I cannot understand. In the afternoon, I did not went for the lunch I stay back trying to finish my IS the self evaluation form. I manage to finish, as more and more homework I finish I can have more free time and so I am going to rush finish all my stuffs. After lunch time, we had our APPG lesson, this time we did the theory trial test, I manage to finish the entire paper on time within an hour though got lots of mistakes, I pass the paper. After APPG, Yongxin, me and Wenhao we went to the gym again, I do not understand why gym is colder than the outside weather? Is it they never on heater? Every time after running in the gym, I went out I feel hotter. Yeah! I am going back to Singapore in 19 days time! Prata, MeePok, Laksa and Satay wait for me! Daddy I want steamboat too wait for me!

Day22

2009-03-25T09:18:00.002-07:00

Today, we have our APPG lesson, we going to learn chapter 5, heard from friend who did the lab 5 had said that this lab is hard to do. After teacher helping us with the tutorial 5 I know that the lab test I would not be able to finish by today. After looking it through it make me more confirm about that. I did study chapter 5 in the morning before I go to school, hopefully I can understand what teacher teach today but it seems opposite. Later, after our lunch we did the lab theory trial test paper. At first I thought I will not be able to do it but after trying and after seeing teacher answer I realise I pass the paper. I feel less pressure but I still will continue studying. After the APPG lesson, Yongxin, Wenhao, Jayden and me went to the Hu Xuan night market. Today, we ate something like the KFC but are cheaper than KFC by a lot a meal costs like RMB6. Then I also ate something like waffle called the Ke Ke Dan Zai, it taste like waffle and is crispy. Later, we went on to shopping. This time I try my best to budget like China people do, in the end I cannot because they can easily know we are not China people because of our accent and we cannot understand their accent too. In Beijing if we want to get the stuffs at that price they will sure give you but here if you want that price even you budget till mad, they still refuse to lower the prices; end up you may even get scolded by them. HuXuan night market is a nice place to shop but now I am looking forwards to HanKou. The people over here said that HanKou stuffs are more expensive. Last but not least, I am going to be back to Singapore in 20 more days! Daddy must wait for me I want to eat Singapore steamboat too.

Day21

2009-03-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

Today, I woke up in the morning quite early to study APPG again. I feel very nervous and scare what if I fail my test and what will happen if I fail my test? Many questions came across my mind making me really stress and worried what will happen if I fail my test? I cannot afford to fail so I keep reading the book hopefully during test that time I would know what to do. It is lab test, holding on to the paper, before flipping open the paper I feel so nervous that I almost want to cry and just walk away. After I started doing I realise is actually quite okay for me as I think I can do the question, keep doing till the end of the program. I can debug and get the program working however until a certain step it stop and the program said I put at the wrong place of the statement. I keep trying putting at different place but cannot so in the end I have got little problem and I summit. Later, the teacher review the answer is by using try and catch method. In the afternoon after school we went to the night market again. Yongxin and me we try lots of the food there, dumpling our favourite, the burger and a egg and sausage wrap inside a prate skin all taste delicious, China street food have it very own style. Though the food is oily, it tastes really great! BUT I miss Singapore food so so so so so so so so much. I also spend lots of money on T-Shirt their clothes are cheaper than Singapore by a lot I think probably because China produce in a large quantity that why is cheaper than the Singapore goods moreover in Singapore goods are usually import but here they manufacture themselves so is cheaper. Last but not least is the topics that we talk in the meeting make me feel that this week till next, is going to be a tough and tedious week. We are rushing our work now but I will work harder to understand the APPG. I am going to go home in 21 more days. Singapore I will be back soon!

Day20

2009-03-23T08:29:00.001-07:00

Today is a bad day, the weather was so abnormal, and it rains after so many days of not raining. Thus, the temperature was low and the wind keeps blowing. Yongxin and me we shared a small umbrella; our umbrella could not block the strong wind. Today is APPG lesson, to me APPG was a difficult subject is hard to understand the concept though I have try my best to keep practising however when there is a different question I will not know what to do. We are preparing for the APPG miniproject so Mr Ma just going through the other topics to help us understand better. Lunch time, Yongxin and I went out to the supermarket to get some groceries; I bought a lot of food to bring back to Singapore. Obviously, must get food that Singapore does not sell. This already hints you how much I feel like going home. I already prepare my luggage to return to Singapore. Later, APPG trial lab test, to be frank I totally do not know how to begin. I feel really stress about it that in the end I cried. I got study but why I just could not apply it in the question? Lucky, got my friends around, they teach me and console me. Now I only know how to do the trial lab test hopefully tomorrow lab test question won’t be very difficult. So I can conclude that today is a bad day with a bad mood and emotion. I am going back to practise now. Singapore! 22 more days I will be back! Yeah!

Day19

2009-03-23T08:10:00.001-07:00

Today, I wake up in the morning counting down to the number of days that I am going home. I miss my bed, parents and boyfriend. The hotel room was comfortable and most importantly, it got heater so we got warm water to bath. Later, we eat our breakfast, again that restaurant, the most delicious dish on the table I think is the soya bean milk, it taste thicker than the one we drank on the cruise. After breakfast, we went to back to WuDang Mountain and today we are going to the Peak of Wudang Mountain using the cable car. We went to queue up quite early in the morning however there is lot of people earlier than us so we were quite behind. Before reaching the queuing place we took 50 minutes to the destination which I think if it was to be in Singapore from my house 50 minutes can reach Changi airport. We waited in the queue suddenly there was a woman putting a small boy into one of the space between the our queue since it was a small boy we did not care much but later a gang of people came joining into the boy in the queue. The tour guide was furious about it she called the officer over there to help but the woman still insist they already stand there very long, suddenly all our friends start jeering at them because we know the truth. Later, the woman left but the little boy with another group of people approximately 2 of them. As I get nearer to the cable car, we saw the cable car was high up to the other mountain, they cable car will not stop to wait for you to sit, you must run in and sit. Yongxin and I sit into one, we thought is kind of fast just to the top of the mountain however actually there is two more mountains on top of the mountain we saw. Upon reaching the mountain, we still have to climb lots of stairs before we finally reached Wudang Mountain so it is tiring to go there. The peak of the mountain is cold but the scenery was fantastic. I was thinking last time how the Wudang people got so much energy to climb from one mountain to another? They won’t feel tire? After taking some picture, we took the cable car again, this time we went to hereby the place to eat our lunch, is called the “vegetarian Feast” is all vegetable some of it is even so cold that is like just took it from fridge. Due to the bus driver having appointment at 10pm, we rushed to the bus and take our ride home. We all were sleeping in the bus; I am thinking again the bus driver won’t feel tired? If he does how he keep himself awake? I think he is really amazing also because he drive at the wrong direction of the road. Anyway, we must really thanks to bus driver , he must be exhausted.

Day18

2009-03-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

I packed my bag till very late yesterday and today need to wake up so early. As usual, I brush teeth and bath then rush to the bus. Today journey is 6 hours, last week we took 4 hours of bus journey my knee cap already so painful, now 6 hours which parts of my body will ache? The whole journey I slept in the bus not even going to the toilet. We went to have lunch, the lunch was not nice but I know we should not compare because at least we have lunch there is lots of people outside the whole dying of hunger. One of the guys went into the toilet of the restaurant and they said it was a “legend”. The toilet did not have doors and the guy was urinating the other guy kind of push him away. Someone shitting can be seen. Upon reaching Wudang mountain I can see from everyone faces, is mountain, lake and trees again. I think they were thinking what is the different between three gorges and Wudang Mountain? It is the same. The weather forecast saying today will rain but in the end it did not rain and we waste RMB1 to buy the raincoat. We took bus to the mountain even taking bus to the mountain need 20mins. China is really a very big country and Wuhan is a huge province. We went three levels and everyone got its story. Now then I know you cannot take picture of the god’s statue. There is also lots of staircase and also there are lots of mountains. The Shi Fu there also performed their “Wu Shu” for us to see. Jayden told me actually there is “Qing Gong” but step on the water show on drama is too exaggerating. Later, at night we ate at the same place and to the hotel. The hotel room is more comfortable than the cruise. I enjoy myself but I think there too much mountains, trees.

Day17

2009-03-22T08:11:00.001-07:00

Today,I wake up earlier to bath and prepare to see my result. Around 8.30, Wen Hao message Diyana saying that the result is out. Yongxin, Diyana and me we rushed to our laptop to see our result. While I am anxious to see my result, the website cannot be loaded, thus making more and more nervous and yesterday night everyone was worried about their result. The window appeared and I got a GPA of 3.29. I am quite sad about this result because my GPA had dropped by 0.35 which is a lot. This is also the first time I got my result my parents and boyfriend around; no one can console me except my friend. I always said I will work harder next semester but it seems like I have not. I know other people result and they did than me. This morning we still have APPG and I still do not understand much about APPG so I asked Kang Liang to teach me, he teach me step by step and sorry Kang Liang I have a lot of problems to ask, thanks too because I understand more in the end. In the afternoon, I think everyone hope that teacher will release earlier so we can packed the luggage to Wudang trip. Around 4, Mr Ma release us but I did not packed our luggage instead I went shopping with Yongxin. We went to the Hu Quan night market, is Hui Ping and friends told us about this place and they said the stuffs there were cheaper than outside. We eat dumpling again but this time it test much much much delicious than the one we ate previously, the skin of the dumpling is much crispy and the meat is more tender. Then, over there we shop like crazy and mad because the stuffs are cheaper by a lot compare to LuXiang. We also tried our best to budget so as to get the best price but some of the shop keeper said that if we want to cut down the prices they can don sell us. We walk out of the shop but no one chase us back. I think I should learn more from the China people over here see how they budget. Last but not least, we took a van home but I feel like the van uncle cheated our money, he said take cab to dorm need RMB30 but I asked our friend only cost RMB25, I learn smart next time I will ask friend first before I take any van but lucky the van uncle was very friendly, he asked us our feeling about Wuhan.

Day16

2009-03-19T05:13:00.001-07:00

Today, the whole day APPG, the teachers said only if we study fast now then at the end of the trip we will have time to go out to play and shopping. I feel really scare now whether I can do score for my APPG because to me is kind of hard to understand, I have no confident in doing well for this subject. Also, tomorrow I am getting our last semester result I feared I might not be doing very well. Looking at the APPG make me think of the COMPRO, though teacher said is easy, I just could not understand the concept seeing my friend do it like so easy. Mr Chua said correctly I should spend one and half hour everyday to study for my COMPRO. After morning APPG lesson, we went to eat lunch, Yongxin and I bought lunch and went back to the dorm to eat, I eat fried rice I ate that before is taste really nice, Yongxin eat something like taste Singapore prata. This is another new food I have taste from China actually China food does not taste as bad but it will be better if it have lesser oil and salt. After lunch, around half an hour later, we went jogging, is part of my lifestyle to go running like 3 times a week. I think I am really fortunate than many people here, I can use the tracks and even the gym to run. The students in this school cannot use the facilities like gym unless they got permission. After bathing, we went back to APPG again. Every time I go APPG I will feel very stress, our class people do very fast and understand faster than me. Hopefully from now on I keep studying so that I will be able to catch up. During our APPG lesson we keep talking about the release of result tomorrow. I think everyone feel scare now. After, the APPG I went home to study. Bye! Going to study more hopefully I will understand.

Assignment 1

2009-03-19T04:35:00.000-07:00

To: Mr Chua Tji Leng
From: CHON KHOON FONG, S10062175E
Name of programme: Overseas Immersion Programme, Wuhan, China, Wuhan University of Science and Technology
Subject: My Learning Plan
Date: 20 March 2009
1. Learning Objective
The aim for me for this trip is to get to know more friends from China, to know the cultures of this country and to gain more knowledge of China geography through real life experiences. Therefore, at the end of this trip I hope I can answer or will be familiar with some of the histories of Wuhan, China. Before going to this trip, I have already know some history of China such as the battle between Cao Cao and Zhu Ge Liang, Zhu Ge Liang is better in military strategise because he can read the weather also about the history of Kang Xi. Therefore, I went here I want to find out the stories behind the three gorges, how China people manage to build lots of things I would like to experience like farming and many of their gestures too. My parents used hard earn money to pay for the cost of this trip and this motivates me to learn more, I would not want to pay that much and learn nothing at the end of this trip and also the teachers motivate me to learn more as they describe more about this country China and Wuhan. I would like to return to China again in future to do business here as I get to know more people and use the knowledge on how the China people operate their businesses.
2. Focus of Inquiry
The focus of this trip is to get to know and understand the inner sides and gestures of the people here. I choose this area as only through real life experiences then you can deepen your knowledge about the cultures and gestures. In order to set up a business here, I must first find out their cultures and thus to start communication with them; through this I can also know how “cunning” a China businessman can be, to be so successful. Additionally, the history of Wuahan I can always research online but the actions and cultures I must experience it. Moreover, electronics stuffs I can always research and in Ngee Ann we have already study a little of it.
3. Questions for Investigation
What inner side or gestures or cultures you want to know? How different is their cultures from Singapore? Do you prefer their cultures or Singapore cultures? In your opinion, what do think of these gestures, will it help you in your future? Which one is your favourite culture and you would like to experience it again in future? Do you think knowing all this cultures during this period is enough to you to use in future? Why?
4. Development of Global skill
The three global skills I want to improve on are willingness to take initiative, willingness to take risks and curiosity about other cultures. Firstly, I have hesitated to choose willingness to take initiative because I am shy and timid. I feared I cannot manage the tasks. However, I chose this because in China everyone is new to this environment only by taking initiative to volunteer then you will learn and experience new things. Secondly, I have chosen willingness to take risks because in Singapore when you want to try new stuffs with a little riskiness your parents will not allow, Iwe are known as “the flower in the greenhouse “cannot go out of it, so going to a new environment without parents around I hope and willing to take risks to learn and experience new stuffs. Subsequently, I have chosen the curiosity about other cultures, in order to know China cultures are already very difficult. China is so big. There are more than a thousand of ethnic groups. In order to know one of it is already so difficulty what is more saying about every single one. Therefore, I would like to know their cultures one by one each time I go different parts of China. Also, in future knowing their cultures will help me a lot if I am to set up a business here.
5. Learning Strategies
Firstly, I will research using internet and go library. Before I reached Wuhan, China I will have some research in the library on the cultures which is the surface of the China, then I will use internet find and dig into the deeper side of the China by reading China people blogs. Secondly, after I reached Wuhan, I will go out more often especially take more public transport to see what the people do or their action in the public. Also, through interaction programme with the students here, I can ask them those questions about the life here and we can have home visits too. Lastly, is to listen to the tour guide or the cultural informants when they were on the bus taking us touring around Wuhan and also touring around we are actually trying new experiences.

Day15

2009-03-18T09:08:00.001-07:00

I think my journal is getting shorter and shorter each day. Today again is the WUST teacher teaches us business. The lesson is boring however I think the teacher explains everything clearly using simple English. The slides were easy to understand so I think is quite interesting though is boring. Maybe they can improve by using some games to make the lesson more interesting, this is also the second china teacher I saw that speak English really well. After the IS lesson in the afternoon, the teacher want us to go to the IT mall which is near to Lu Xiang. I find that the price of the thumbdrive brand like Kingston is the same price or even more expensive than Singapore, some of the international brands electronic stuffs are even more expensive than Singapore. However, some unknown brand, I think is china brands, the electronic stuffs they sell is quite cheap like a phone called the “i apple” the function is almost the same as the “iphone”, the “iapple” costs only like SGD$100. Last but not least, in the end Yongxin and I from the IT mall we plan to go Lu Xiang, on our way there, we saw a lots of “hidden” shops inside the street thus we decide to go into one of it, in the end we saw lots of food stall, there got lots of BBQ stalls, deep fried food stalls and in the end we chose the fried dumpling, the first fried dumpling were not bad, they are different from Singapore because they use the sour vegetable, later we bought another bowl of fried dumpling taste really very delicious and do you know six dumplings cost how much? Only RMB1, later we went to another shop to try the dumpling this time this taste even more delicious. Yongxin and I plan to return to the shop again. Then, we walked out of the sheet, on our way to Lu Xiang, we smell something stinks is the fried “chou tou fu”. Yongxin and I after much consideration, we decided to buy and try, This is the first time I taste “ chou tou fu”, in the end we realise actually “chou tou fu” taste delicious. Overall however I think the second stall the dumpling taste the best I love it, I miss Singapore dumpling.

Day14

2009-03-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Today, we got a trip to see how the steel is being made. The bus journey is again very long. Mr Chua said to China people a 2 hours bus journey is consider very short. I think that by the time I am back to Singapore, from Changi Airport to my house takes like 1 hour I think is so long but now I think is short, compare to here is nothing because in China from province to another took at least 4 hours. We went to se3e how the metal roll is being made, it is interesting and warm there, I wonder how the people who work can stand the noise and heat, I think need a lot of deterioration. However, no one explain to us we just see a piece of metal became a roll; the whole process took around 10mins.Later, teacher bring us to go shopping at the Lu Xiang, we have our lunch there, pizza hut where we regretted going in. The price of the dishes here is almost the same price as Singapore but the serving size of the salad Yongxin bought is so small so is not worth it. Then, we went on to go shopping; actually we did spend lots of money these few days so in the end we did not spend much money today. Lesson in the afternoon was kind of bored and every time teacher teach I would not able to understand I must go dorm and study then I know how to do. Lucky tomorrow is IS lesson so we do not need to rush for our APPG. Last but not least, Yongxin and I getting poorer so we decide to buy instant noodle and bread for our lunch and dinner so we can save more money. I am so tired now is time for me to go. Bye!

Day13

2009-03-17T08:00:00.001-07:00

Day12

2009-03-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

So tiring in the morning, we all sleep quite late last night. We need to do lots of homework, got three journals to write and APPG Lab2 to do. I still have not done my assignment one too. There is a lot of stuffs clamp together I need to do. I am so stress now. I think is still my own fault I should do my homework every day. I miss my home now, I want to go home. Today, the whole day we have APPG lesson, I understand part of it only. I really fear that I might fail my test this coming Friday. This few days I might stay up quite late to do my homework and to study. Today APPG lesson was taught by Mr Ma, he teach really well because he use a real life example to teach us so we can understand the computer programme or the statement. However, I think the screen is too blur and behind cannot really listen to what he said. During lunch time, we went outside the school to eat fried rice. Then, we went back for the APPG lesson, Mr Ma thought us chapter 3, he taught so fast that within an hour and a half, he finished the chapter. I did not understand chapter 3 so I have one more chapter to study. After class, around 6pm we went to the club house next to our dorm to have interaction with the China students. They were so open and friendly than what I think they are, they can sing well and dance very well. I remember one of the China girls lose in the game, she needs to use her butt to write some Chinese characters to let us guess, and she did not hesitate se just do it. For me, I would not be as daring as her. We also get to try their foods, it taste delicious especially the round fried dough with vegetable. I realise normally module like language, normally there are more girls in that class than guy, while for module that need a lot of calculation usually majority are guys. I know of the girls in the party, I hope we can have more this kind of interaction is really fun.

Day11

2009-03-15T08:34:00.002-07:00

Pic1.2

Pic1.1

Early in the morning we were being awake by the songs played by the speaker, we were to eat our breakfast on the cruise, the food on the cruise was not delicious, the appearance even the taste were not nice at all. Only the soya bean milk taste the nicest, I drank a cup then went back to my room to shower because early in the morning they did not have any hot water until after breakfast then they have it. I miss the food in Singapore so prata, chicken rice and many more. After that we all slack in our room till 10 then we reached the destination and change to a smaller boat. We use the smaller to tour around, the scenery was very beautiful, there is lots of mountain, and they got a story behind some of it. I wonder how they can live in such a place, without much entertainment, how they can spend their whole life there, just by planting the flower. Did anyone climb up so high to reach the peak of the gorges before? How they do it? How the gorges being form till it so beautiful, some of it so high that make me so surprise. Then, we change into a smaller boat; the smaller boat tells me lots of thing not only the scenery but the story behind the men who pull the boat, now they wore clothes but last time they did not wore clothes, the boat too heavy they pull till they bleed. This makes me guiltier because my mum after her work asked me sweep the floor I am very reluctant to do so but other people in China really work very hard to earn every cents of money. I am too blessed. Later, we went back to our cruise room to have our lunch. Approximately 7pm, we went to the Temple, we bought some oranges outside the temple, it taste very sweet however, when we return to eat then we realise the oranges not sweet at all. In order to reach the top Temple, we need to climb lots of stairs. Now I know, the pic1.1 is called the ‘yin’ carve and the pic1.2 is known as the ‘yang’ carve. Last but not least, after our dinner at the cruise, an incident happened, our bathroom door was lock from the outside inside cannot be locked thus Diyana want to bath that time we need to locked for her, then Yongxin and me we went down to get the oranges that we bought just now leaving Diyana alone in the bathroom. We realise only when our friend called us saying Diyana crying. Through this incident I have learn that I should be more responsible for anything that I do. Sorry Diyana!

Day10

2009-03-15T08:34:00.001-07:00

This morning we wake up very early, we never even have much time to bath but I still bath. This is the first time; I went to see the three gorges, quite excited about it. I have many thoughts about the scenery and the cruise, hopefully the cruise will not be dirty and the scenery will be beautiful. Never did I think that the bus journey actually took us 4 hours. The whole bus journey only has two toilet breaks. Thus, take a long nab so we will have more energy for the later part of the trip. Through the bus journey, we also see lots of beautiful sceneries like lake and a yellow kind of flowers along the road. There is also lots of farm, this is the real life experience is not from picture or from our Geography textbook. I have a fun and interesting time exploring China. Through this trip I hope I can find out what is the name of the yellow flower. Later, we went to eat our lunch. The lunch is the best lunch we had throughout this whole week. The dishes test great better than the one we ate n school and it has lesser oil and salt, however you know this is China and I am use to Singapore dishes so I think it is kind of oily. Later, we went to the dam, the dam makes many China people proud, is so huge in size thus it is hard to build and cost so much money to build such a big dam. It makes me feel proud to be a Chinese. Now I understand why many people said that China is a good place to expand your business, China becoming more prospers. Lastly, we went to eat dinner at the same place we eat lunch, after dinner many people complain the dishes are not nice. Mr Chua said this “Do not be so picky remember this is not Singapore, we must learn to adapt to other people country now.” I agree with it but it is hard as we are in Singapore for such a long time. After going to China, I realise we are really like the flower in the green house, is time for me to grow up.

Day9

2009-03-15T08:33:00.001-07:00

Times really fly, so fast we are already here for 8 days. In the morning, I thought of the past few days what have I did? Will I miss this time and memories here when we go back to Singapore? The answer is I will miss this place very much and I think is all because of friends. Through friends, I did gain a lot of new friendships and even when I did not understand some of the lecture today, they will try their best to help me. Today lesson on APPG I did not quite understand, even till now I still a bit blurred about it. Teacher I hope you can speak slower so I can write down notes on what you said. Lunchtime, we went to eat at a different canteen; I find the food there better than canteen two. Thus, I bought a plate of fried rice, however I saw how they cook I think I will drop a lot of hair after I eat that. They like pouring the MSG inside the fried rice, so much that when I eat I feel the rice very salty and even feel thirsty. After eating lunch we went to buy windbreaker, at first we walk the wrong way we walk into a street, the surrounding quite dirty with lots of dirty water in brown. After we called the teacher, we manage to find the correct place. Then, Yongxin and I managed to get each of us a windbreaker. Additionally, today temperature was unbearable cold; the wind was too big that I wear three jackets, thanks Minghan for lending me one of his jackets. I feel so tired now and tomorrow need to wake up very early to make sure all my stuffs is packed properly, good night sweet dream. I still need to do my APPG Lab 02.

Day8

2009-03-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

I think the journal is getting more and more boring because for this whole week till this Thursday I am having the normal lesson. Today early in the morning surprisingly I am not the first to wake up, it was Diyana who was alway6s late the first to wake up. Today, we have our IS lesson in the morning and afternoon. I have my presentation in the morning. I think I did not do very well because I cannot explain in my own word and even add some opinion in the presentation. Moreover, even though I read before the presentation slides but some of the words I still pronounce wrongly or I need to ask Jayden about it in the mid of the presentation, I know I should not asked him in the mid of the presentation because this is no manner. Our group also did not have a full presentation on the food. Hopefully, the teacher will not give us very low marks at least a C or a B. Suddenly, in the mid of other group presentation, a group of China girls come and find our teacher, then we were called out, actually the girls think that the interaction between the schools, our school group only consist of guys so they hope to make friends with us, the girls. Therefore, we exchange our email address and contact numbers. I think they are very friendly and gentle as compare to the china people in Singapore. I know one of the girls is from Guangzhou where we change our flight there. I hope to see them soon and they even said we can ask them along to go shopping. Later, after we are back from lunch, the presentation is getting more boring because everyone has almost the same slides and history, I am getting restless and everyone was not listening they were all playing games. Lucky, the teacher releases us early. Tonight, we did something meaningful, we help the guys to clean the dorm, and the cleanness makes me feel successful. After such a tired day, I finally can sleep. Good night!

Day7

2009-03-15T07:28:00.002-07:00

From today on, I will not said I brushed teeth, because is already my routine. The first lesson I have for the APPG, the new experience of this subject make me feel really refreshing, refreshing because I am able to recall and have a better and deeper understanding of C programming. APPG to me is a hard subject because I did not have a good basis from the C programming (Compro), however after you do many times and understand the concepts; you will eventually know how to apply. This is also the first time I did not know how to do I need my friends to help, last time I use to asked my brother. After doing APPG assignment for several, I beginning to know how to do, it is according to the procedures. Lunch time! I went to eat fried noodle from the stall where I eat my dumpling. The noodle is delicious, though is a bit dry. This also the first time in Wuhan I taste the chicken got chicken taste. Later, I went back to study APPG, why must we have lesson for the subject the whole day. It is bored. In the afternoon, this is the time when I finally know how to do the APPG Lab 1, Benson teach us how to do. Last but not least, at night Yongxin and me, we went jogging in the gym. I never ever think that China’s province like Wuhan school will have gym, though many machine spoil but at least they still got a gym. There, we just drink orange juice today and must only but Minute Maid brand. I begin to like China, especially Wuhan. I still want to explore more about the school, cultures and the foods most importantly the people. Bye! I am going to sleep now.

Day6

2009-03-15T07:28:00.001-07:00

Today, I wake up in the morning heard one shocking new, our ECE is going to the three gorges. I am very excited about it. Today lesson starts very early at 8 though that was the normal timing for our lesson to start in Singapore, however we had had a long time did not wake up that early so we force ourselves to wake up that early. This time our girls are not late. Yesterday night, Diyana cannot sleep because she drank a cup of mocha. We went for our history lesson it was boring, shocking and funny. The boring part obviously is the history; the shocking part is our china teacher can speak English eloquently; it is funny because some cultural of them like dance is funny. One of the histories about the most famous war is The Red Cliff; I have heard that from my daddy before is on the burning of ships (also known as Huo Shao Lian Huan Chuan in chinese). All the histories cultures on the food, the food are mostly fish, this is due to Wuhan is 40% surround by the YangTze river, thus making Wuhan a more of a well-known selling fish dishes city. During the lunch time, we went back to our dorm for lunch but we did not really eat because we think that sleep is even better than eating thus I just ate a bread and went to sleep. Later, around 1345 we went back to study again, this time we were to do some IS report, is a long report and we got many different opinion some people think that writing on the food is more important but some of us think that the histories on food are not important. However, I think is important so in the end we still wrote some. Last but not least, today we went to eat the snacks food on the street, I ate the dumpling, so hot and delicious. In my conclusion, I taste something new and I am so happy. Bye!

Day5

2009-03-15T07:27:00.002-07:00

Today, we can wake up late. Yeah! I sleep till 0800; I walk towards the TV to take the remote control, to be frank this is the first time I on the TV because I believe China programmes and channels are too boring. In the end it is actually quite interesting and some of the programmes are funny. Today, I finally know why my mum teach me and force me to do house chores, without my mum I would not know how to wash clothes, mop floor and sweep floor. This morning I did all the house chores, finish washing all my clothes. In the afternoon is the fun time, we went back to the same shopping centre we go on the second day, Lu Hui Guang Chang. We took a van to the shopping centre, the van owner approach us and asked us whether we want to take the van or not are RMB4 per person. At first, we are reluctant to take the van, we fear the person might send us to somewhere we do not know, however we still took the ride because today is 38 woman day in China. We went there to eat our lunch, we realise the foods there are all we do not know and see other people eat, it seems to be oily. Therefore, we decide to eat Macdonald, my favourite fish burger. Later, Yong Xin and I we went manicure designs are pretty most importantly it is half the price of Singapore. Then, I went to shops for bag, I went to lots of shop finally came across a pink bag, everyone know that shopping queen like to budget price. My ‘rewards’ today is a pink bag and blouse. Last but not least, we eat our dinner at one of the fish balls stalls near to our school, the soup looks delicious but I did not eat because the MacDonald serve in a huge portion I think their regular size is our large size then our large is their super large size, say till here I am going to sleep now. Oh ya! I still remember our meeting but there is nothing. Bye!

Day4

2009-03-15T07:27:00.001-07:00

Today, is a tour around day around Wuhan, we were suppose to meet in the early morning around 0745. As usual I did not eat breakfast. The first place we go is Wuhan Dong Hu, is seriously a very cold place and it took us around 45mins to reach there. In the bus, the tour guide talked a lot about the history of Wuhan and the place most of the tourists will go place, one of the fact is that Wuhan is actually very cold during the winter, even colder than other cities in China and in summer it is hotter than other cities in China. Thus, people there were known as the ‘kang ri fen zi’ (anti-Japanese) the ri is not stands for the ‘ri ben’ (Japan) but the tai yang (sun) the’ ri’. Additionally, I also know that government is now going to build Wuhan into a better and a more prosper country. Therefore, the whole journey to the Wuhan Dong Hu I have a deeper understanding about Wuhan. The moment I alight the Wuhan Dong Hu, a breeze just blew onto me, is winter and is the breeze, is so cold that I shivered. Later, we take a tour around using the mini bus as we were told to gather at the entrance after an hour and Dong Hu is too big if we were to use walking but the bus tour is not cheap, it cost me RMB20. We took a lot of photos at the lake the most beautiful scene is however I think the even distance and the height of the trees make it looks like the scene in the Korean drama. Later, we meet to go to the Hubei Provincial Museum. The museum is so bored to me, but I did learn something, in the pre-Qin period, chariots were the most important military equipment, and were also one of the signs of military power. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, as one of the Five Powers in the Spring Autumn Period and one of Seven Powers in the Warring States Period, Chu was said to possess ten thousand chariots and one million soldiers. One of the most popular ornaments is the sword of Gou Jian, the king of Yue, late Spring and Autumn Period, length: 55.7 cm, unearthed from Tomb 1 in Wangshan , Jiangling in 1965. Lunch time! We meet to eat some popular street snacks I did exchange the money to buy the card but after I saw Ming Han eating the squids I decided to refund the card and take the money back. Therefore, I did not eat lunch. Last but not least, we went to the Yellow Crane tower. I did not listen what the tour guide said but got one Chinese character called the ‘er’ written by ~ was said that it looks like the Chinese character is being written by the ~ but many people said it looks like Chinese character ‘wo de niao’. After that I just keep climbing up the hill cause I want to see the while view of Wuhan. Then we went to take picture near the bell, I am so shock that even ring the bell also need money. I think that china people will do anything cause of money that is a fact for majority of the Chinese. I can say I will not now but in future I do not know. After the whole day of learning and experiencing the history of China I am proud to say I stand on a thousand years old historical building! After this we went back for dinner and tomorrow no school is the happiest thing ever! Bye!

Day3

2009-03-15T07:24:00.001-07:00

So tired now, feel like sleeping, today I think very negatively because I think this place do not suit me. Today is a study day so bored, I did not eat breakfast in the morning then I went to class. We really sit there do not much stuffs but suddenly someone went into our classroom, one of our school directors. He talks to us and asked us how we feel, I feel like rising up my hand and said I want to go home. After the speech, he left then we continue with our presentation on History and Cultures of Singapore present by other group. They surprise me with their presentation slides is so perfect I thought they came here to play only but they really make the effort to do everything so well. After this group is us to present I am so scare because I think my slides not enough lucky teacher said our presentation is after lunch. So I have been rushing for the presentation for the lunch time. It stressed me out and this make me more feel like going home. Teacher you are late again! But I do not mind hopefully I do not need to present, we end up not presenting too. During the break at 4 plus, we went to find food I saw my friend bought some buns which are cheap but the sausage bun the sausage so small they still cut into half and the other one was hard like the stone. After school, we went to KFC and eat dinner; I did not eat in the end as I think outside food is so expensive compare to school one. 2030, we have our meeting and I am off again, bye!

Day2

2009-03-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Today is our second day, early in the morning I feel so cold yesterday night I did not sleep properly because I still cannot adapt to the environment. At that moment I got the urge to fly back to Singapore. Early in the morning we are to eat breakfast together in the canteen, we got this privileged we just need to pay RMB5 we can eat whatever food in the canteen though I was taught that was canteen one but I do not know the canteen till this moment, the second day night. I miss my family, my boyfriend, my friends and even my bed. However, I do not eat the breakfast because i have already eaten something in the morning. I never eat the food but sit inside the canteen with my friends, the food looks delicious. I am kind of regretted eating breakfast in my dorm. The breakfast got different types of ‘bao’, example, man tou(plain bao), xiao rou bao(small da bao), fried flat bao(prate with meat inside) and more. I still need to pay RMB5 for the breakfast. Later, we went back to our dorm and need to gather at our building downstairs at 930am cause, yeah! , we touring around the school, on the way it was so fun yet weird, it’s fun because we are busy talking and playing with our friends, passing through Wuhan University engineering block, Law and Literature block, library, our study block Foreign Language block and many more. The one that make me have a deep impression is the basketball court not at the field but near to our study block because a lot of people gathering there playing basketball. That makes me understand why China people play so well for their basketball but why they cannot win America? Then, follow by the sea view or river view is so beautiful and pretty but is a bit cold there is a good place to ‘emo’. However, I feel really weird when people keep looking at us in a weird way as if we are alien, why they look at me? Is it because I speak English or my dressing? Last but not least, our favourite shopping time we went to a shopping centre there in Wuhan, I did not remember the name of the shopping centre but before we went there we are given instruction on how to go, so we went outside to ask the security and they told us to take 901, in the end, we stand at the bus stop wait for the bus but is all fully packed so we keep waiting for the next, suddenly our ‘stars’ appeared, teachers, Mr Ma, Mr Chua and wife so we keep following them. As the bus driving we saw a lot our Ngee Ann Poly friends, then we were laughing at them dropping at the wrong bus stop. The auntie that collects ticket money is so fierce. I think the bus ticketing system is not very efficient but the auntie really professional, she knows who is suppose to drop at which stop and who just enter the bus. After reaching the correct stop, we still follow the teacher but they keep stopping like do not want to guide us through the road to go that shopping centre. Later, our most ‘bluff’ but super nice teacher, tell us the way through. Don’t tell you who the teacher is, you guess? We went to a lot of shops then eat MacDonald and I realise MacDonald is not HALA. They sell pork. Then we meet at the shopping centre entrance with our ‘rewards’ with one big bear. Teacher, you are late too. After, we take bus home, alighting at the correct stop. On the way, we saw a lot of road stalls; I am trying my best to budget but fail to do so because the people look like they know I am foreigner. After this, teachers want to meet us at 2030 which is now! Bye!

Day1

2009-03-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I go to Wuhan so I am nervous and scare especially I never leave my home, loves and parents for such a long period before. The moment I take a pen and fill in the OIP application form, I am already challenging myself. The moment I step in I commence to think of how will I be in Wuhan? What I need to do? Not simply just learning what we learn in Ngee Ann Poly but like what Ngee Ann Poly’s phrase: “We give you the something Xtra” we are learning more than the books can teach. In the morning, as usual we were to register and check in to get on to the plane. The moment the plane flew above the ground I feel scare because my challenges had just commence. The moment I look high up from the sky down to my country I realise my home was so small and my country is just like a small diamond therefore I know the challenges in front of me are tough and tedious. I sleep the whole journey, suddenly there is an announcement from the stewardess that awake me but I cannot understand or listen clearly what message the stewardess wanted to convey? This makes me think why they do not want to learn more and improve their English? They got no time? Am I the only one who did not understand the announcement? Therefore, I ask a guy beside I think that was the first time I talk to him, Wen Hao. Then, we reach Guang Zhou Airport, is a huge airport but the weather not as cold. After that we reached Wuhan around 6 plus going 7 evening. The first challenge came: “how can I adapt to such a cold environment?” Till now I still shiver. We thought the journey to the WUST is approximately 1.5 hrs but the bus driver only took 1 h. This is because or maybe I think is china driving rule those who drive slow must horn them cause the bus driver keep horning. Lastly but not least, the 1 hr journey I cannot get to sleep because the road is too rough keep going ups and downs though it is all the express ways. This makes me think that China got money to organise world event “Beijing Olympics 2008” why they got no money to build road?