It was all the way back in ’07, and let’s just say ladybirds aren’t all that common during winter. More like none-existent. I mean, where would they live when the snow reaches over a grown man’s knees?

Needless to say, I got rather fascinated. Or obsessed. Whatever comes first. I followed the damn thing around with my Nikon D50 for three hours. In my bedroom, up the curtains, over diverse DVDs, around a couple of lamps, down two floors, up one floor. I thought the kitten ate it more than just a few times, as she was also hunting it down. Just with claws, sharp teeth and the kitten-ish playfulness that could be the end of every small animal she came across.

After a long hunt, the ladybird actually managed to get to the living room and into my mother’s hair. At least it stayed there long enough for me to take some (not too good) pictures.

And after that I’m fairly sure the cat ate it.

I’ve been unable to update during the last few months, because of laziness, the worst internet in the world, travelling and more. But here they are, the last two weeks of my time in China. I’m so unprepared – I still have two more laaarge boxes of stuff to send back home, and I’ve been too lazy for the past two weeks to just buy in some strong tape and send them off. Needless to say, I have a lot to do.

I’m going to write about my small backpacking trip around the south of China with Monique and Nicole when I get back home (because I want to post pictures at the same time). We travelled to Hong Kong, Macau, Guilin, Yangshou, Xing Ping, Chengdu and Leshan, and I have tons of pictures and stories. In Hong Kong, we went to Disneyland – and I took so many panda pictures in Chengdu!

Also, I have a really bad cold. The throat-rasping, lung-spitting kind. Suits me well for standing over a half hour outside in cold, rainy weather and minimal clothing while trying to hail a cab. Damn the Chinese for not having a queue system, or manners enough to let the person who hailed the cab drive off in it. Every time I managed to get the attention of a free cab, some damn person came running from the side, jumped into my cab and drove off before I could protest. And that happened several times.

Manners isn’t the greatest thing with cab, metro and traffic culture in general down here, so I get happy every time I see the governments campaigns of behaving. Lately, there’s been “metro guards” in the larger metro stations during rush hour. They force the people to cue up on the sides so people can get off before the others get on, only to fail miserably when the train doors open and the Chinese get into a desperate (no, not kidding) frenzy of getting themselves as fast as possible into the train (while elbowing, kicking and screaming) – ignoring the people inside the wagons just as desperate attempts to get out.

It’s the same thing for the seats too. “The battle of the seats”. Be one second too slow, and someone else has put their ass down in the seat you were targeting. If there are free seats when the door opens, you’ll see people diving to get them. Even if there are old people needing them nearby. I don’t see people giving away their seats very often down here. It’s much more common to really pretend like you aren’t paying attention, so you can keep the seat to yourself.

I stood at People Square for a while last week, just observing. Every time the people got forced to stand in a queue (and the queue sneaks and the ones who still didn’t get it got scolded and sent to the back of it), they’d break it and start running towards the doors as soon as they opened. I’d say amusing, if it weren’t for the fact that I have to take that damn metro reaaaaally often during rush hour. I’m going to see if I can tape it sometime before I leave. We’ll. Otherwise I can just ask to borrow some videos from friends.

On another topic, it’s also really warm here now, but the temperature changes fast.. It goes from sunny 35 degrees Celsius to 25 and raining so fast that around 20 to 23 degrees seems icy with the air condition on in the metro.

I’ve never been a morning person, I won’t even deny it, even though I have my days. Today, I got up, got some tea and breakfast, and started studying my Chinese characters for the chapter 1~30 test (a whole book) without a complaint. Except talking a tiny bit to my flatmate, I was more or less studying the entire morning, just writing strokes and remembering different characters. And I actually felt quite good about it. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that?

I feel much better in general – I guess all bad moods come to an end (and then return later, but hey). Had a long talk with my mum yesterday, and she provided a quite good solution to my school-tiredness problems. So, since I obviously aren’t going back home, I’ll go travelling instead. Sure, I’ll “waste” a whole lot of school money on not being there, but I think seeing both culture and other parts of China will be a good experience. It’s not like I’ll have another chance to see it any time soon. =3

Travelling plans are still being created, and there’s some plans about maaaybe going on a trip to Japan, but we’ll see. That, and I need to get my ass into gear and post pictures.. Maybe next week.

Completely Unrelated;

- Making Latex Clothing. I want to try this sometime!

It’s been raining on and off for the last two weeks, with just a bit of sunshine in between. Not that I’ve been outside that much this week, but I’m hoping to get a bit more active since it’s I’ve only got three months left here, even though I’m still hoping to shorten it down to one.

I’m a bit annoyed today actually. I’m getting crossed information from my school. The EF section in Norway tells me I can’t get any money refunded for quitting my course to months prior to the actual end, the school itself told Monique that it’s possible to get money refunded if we decide to go travelling for a month – as long as we have a regular (and not intensive) course, which I do, and students with previous experience say it’s supposed to be possible to get money refunded. So what’s the difference between taking long, non-paying break, from going home a while before? I’m confused.

Kinda reminds me of exactly how clever my previous school was with giving information too.

Njeh. I’m having a good time right now though. Me & Monique, one of my flatmates, are currently eating an early dinner at Abbey’s Road, my favourite place after Boonna Café and before Café Gino. Gordon Bleu. <3

And now, completely unrelated to the post;

• Pay the writer! A comical, and logical, video rant by Harlan Ellison. From the feature documentary, “DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH”.

Just a link, since I can’t get into youtube.com at all at the moment. :)

I came around the 25th of September, left China again during December for 3 weeks, and now we’re already at the end of February.

It’s a bit weird, really, but I’ve almost not written anything at all about the things I’ve seen and experienced. It’s been so much! People don’t behave like back in Norway in general, both in a good and in a bad way.

Good stuff; The Chinese are so hospitable! (One of my previous room mates definitely didn’t agree to this one, but still.) They’re kind, helpful, and eager to strike conversations whereas my fellow Norwegian people in most cases would never strike up a conversation about nothing in particular while standing in the check-out queue in a grocery store. I’ve also had some people follow me around for quite a while to help me find places whenever I’ve gotten lost.

Bad stuff; Too much curiosity (seriously, getting stalked while shopping clothing or groceries is not fun, and trying to “discreetly” peek from behind shelves is extremely creepy), incredibly impatient people (compared to the South-American and South-European people, Northern-Europeans are incredibly impatient, but seriously – the Chinese in the subway are unfortunately way worse), street sellers (Bag? Watch? Dvd? Plada? lookie lookie! You want sexy massage?) and beggars – I’ve had beggar children HANGING on to my leg to get money, even though I clearly stated I didn’t have any change to give (and my chuckling Canadian-Chinese friend definitely had, but they didn’t bother him).

I guess my reason for summering things up so soon is that I might go back home two months before planned, for reason I won’t share. I love Shanghai though, the mood, the way warmer temperatures, the culture, the ooold culture, the food, the club scene, and so much more. I’ll definitely come back, I just don’t know when yet.

First I had a jet lag, then I got ill – and then I got ill again. I believe I’ve spent most of the month sleeping in my spare time. I also think my internet connection has sunken into hibernation or something, since it’s too slow for me to even upload pictures to my blog. There are so many pictures I’d like to post, and I at least want to have pictures on my posts.

I’m looking forward to the Chinese New Year and such, since it starts tonight, and I’m hoping to see the dragon dance. The celebration seems to already have started with fireworks two days ago. It sounds like there’s a war going on outside my window. It’s already incredibly noisy compared to New Years Eve in Norway, so I’m hoping for lots of firework shows this week!

And of course I seriously hope it’ll start getting warmer soon – it’s going to be cold walking around in cocktail dresses when going to the different clubs. Which, by the way, is the only thing I’ll probably do during the holiday. Party, I mean. I’m looking forward to it in one way, but it’s too bad most of my friends won’t be in SH.

I haven’t even posted the pictures from my December TFP – or rather Flickr Photo Meet up. It was incredibly fun and I also got some new Chinese friends. The pictures are of course out on Flickr (just not on my profile), my SHStuff profile and on facebook, but I’d love to put them out here too.

I’ve also done a TFP (also a meet up of sorts) in Thames Town, an hour or so outside Shanghai. The place is quite charming, and it’s too bad there are so few people living there. I wish I’d remembered too take some pictures around me. I haven’t seen too many of the pictures from this session though, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing the rest.

I’m also searching for new TFPs. I only have two TFPs coming up during February, and the dates are not set yet, so I’m looking for new people to work with. Feel like working with me?

I need more dresses though. Seriously. I should get shopping, but it’s no fun when it’s so cold outside. I’ve also managed to get myself a job – as a hostess. No, not the Japanese kind. The job is to distribute product samples and to welcome, pose and take pictures with guests. Agency name is French Touch, anyone have experience with them? I haven’t gotten an assignment though.. And no assignment = no money. I’m looking forward to it at least.

And on to the curiosity – if you’re staying in SH, are you planning on clubbing? And which club are you in that case going to? I’m not 100 % sure yet, but I think I want to go to Muse tonight!

And I’m so sleepy during day time I have problems staying awake. Not agaaain. Oh well. I’ll have to turn it around during the weekdays because of school – I can’t afford to loose more days than I already have. Tomorrow’s Monday so I only have one class. Shouldn’t be to hard to attend. I just need to put on multiple alarm clocks to make sure I actually wake up on time.

The plane trip, though way too long, was actually rather pleasant this time. Except for 15 minutes on the last flight when a kiddo started screaming. My first plane ride from Norway to Amsterdam, 2 hours, was with KLM. We boarded around 45 minutes after the actual boarding time because of delays, but KLM’s service is impeccable – even with a stuffed air plane. Besides, the dessert was apple pie. Need I say more?

The two hours I was supposed to spend at Amsterdam was more like an hour because of the delay, and I literally had to run through the airport because I needed to recieve a second boarding pass from Korea Air’s service desk. There was some kind of trouble with the seating charts (or something) while I was still in Norway, so I couldn’t get all of them at once. I’ll say it was “just my luck” that service desk 8, which I needed to go to, and my gate was completely on the opposite end of the gate I arrived at. And the lady behind the desk obviously was not at all in a rush. Stressing. Getting on board the plane afterwards was great though. Especially when I found out that the plane was almost empty. There must have been one, maybe two at most, people at each row – and some of the rows had five seats. I got a two-seat row completely to myself. Korea Air even provided a small bag with warm socks, sleeping mask, tooth brush and paste. That’s one thing you definitely don’t get on economy class on KLM’s flights. Korea Air’s the new favourite. 10 hours flying felt like nothing at all.

The air port in Korea (no clue which side) was pretty much like every other air port, except that I needed to take a metro train from one side to another. I went directly to the gate and then spent the two waiting hours (or, the remaining one and a half hour) watching Gossip Girl and eating candy. Because everyone needs a break from travelling. xD

I was quite tired when I got on the very last plane, which by the way also was almost empty because a lot of the other passengers’ flights had been delayed. I don’t remember much of the flight though, except that the food was horrible and that I slept during take off. I didn’t realize we were in the air before we were already an hour into the two hour flight. The air looked, to me, as if it was standing still. The customs didn’t take an hour like last time I entered China either – there was only me and and one other person in the “foreigner” cue. They didn’t insist on scanning the luggage either, it must have taken me less than 15 minutes to exit the airport.

I might have forgotten a whole lot of my Chinese during the last three weeks, but even in my half-asleep state I managed to get on the maglev train and then communicate where I was going to the taxi driver. And I got a good, non-crazy taxi driver too.

Oh and I’ve got a new flatmate again! ^^

The last few weeks have gone incredibly fast, and I have problems understanding that it’s already December. It feels like it’s still September, but also like I’ve been living for ages and ages in Shanghai. It’s only three weeks until Christmas, and I’m not done with all my gifts either – I’m planning on buying everything in Shanghai since Norway is far too expensive for me right now.

Which brings me to a second topic; I’m going home for Christmas, although only for about 2 weeks. I’m really looking forward to seeing my friends, family and cat again, but I’ll be missing the ones of my friends in Shanghai who’ll be going home for good only at the same time.

Also, I’m already getting a Christmas feeling. I’ve already loaded the special Christmas songs over on my mp3-player, and get hyper every time I see Christmas decorations.

Boonna Café seems to be rather known around Shanghai, although I’m not sure if it’s for the nice atmosphere, the western styled food or the speedy wireless internet. Maybe all of them.

I’ve been sitting here for the last four hours and while I’ve been sitting here there’s been at least 14 people with laptops here. Counting the seven whom currently are sitting here, of course, and not myself. With me it’s currently 8 people with laptops, and a few without compys.

I feel very boring for just sitting here, but I don’t have much to do today except homework – and going home to geek and work on my characters just isn’t too tempting.

Now, some food. Yum. Carbonara.

Now, if you don’t know what a TFP is, it’s short for Trade-For-Portfolio, or Time-For-Print as the Wikipedia says it. It’s when a photographer and a person, doesn’t need to be a (aspiring) model, decides to take pictures for practise. It’s free and both parts get to use the pictures to promote themselves as they please, as long as they agree on which terms between themselves.

^{(Photo; David Li)}

Now, I’m not really trying to build up much of a portfolio, although I think everything with photography is really fun. What I want is to remember what I’ve looked like, so that I can look back when I turn 60 and show the rest of the family how pretty I used to be. So that I can remember my ageing process, from a 10 year old to 50, and not just in bad snapshots and second annually studio taken family photos. I simply want good, maybe even themed photos. Perhaps that’s the real reason why I love photographing. Because it makes it easier to remember the past as it were, and not just in blurry thoughts and half-forgotten phrases. Or maybe it’s because I’m a bit vain. (Who isn’t?)

Anyway. We (the photographer, the wife, their cute kiddo and me) went to take pictures in the 1933 building in the Hongkou district. It’s an old butchery with an extremely impressive architecture. It was very fun and the photographer was very kind (he even explained bits of the Chinese culture for me!). His wife put make-up on me, and I think it was rather interesting to see/feel someone work on my face for around 30-45 minutes. It’s a bit creepy that the worn down building used to be a large butchers place though.

^{(Photo; David Li)}