WorldToChina

      Though I have left Chengdu for almost one week, I am still thinking of those places I’ve visited. Among all the spots I’ve been to, Jinli Street is the most interesting one. It’s not only a beautifully innovated ancient street, but also a street with delicious snacks and with pacific atmosphere.

      There are regular performances of face-changing, fire-spitting and puppet show staged in the Jinli Street.

      In ancient times, Jinli Street in Chengdu, was one of the busiest of commercial boulevards of the Kingdom of Shu. It is thus known as the “First Street of the Shu Kingdom.”

     Renovation of the street was completed at the end of 2004. Visitors from all over China and abroad gathered here in this ancient street to relax. I am particularly fond of going there with some friends. It’s quite a pleasant leisurement.

     Jinli is only one of the numerous places worth visiting in Chengdu. That’s why the city is ranked as one of the ten most livable cities in China, I think.

      The new semester has started for about 3 days. As it might be the last term in which I can securely stay on campus havin’ regular courses, I want to have a over all plan for this term, so as to make the best use of my limited time.

      I’m not goin’ to have the post graduate edcation, which means I will have to find a job from my senior year on. I don’t want to stay on campus any more. Maybe one day I will be regret for my giving up further education, but now I’m not interested about it at all. Many friends and teachers tried to persuade me to take the post graduation examination. They think I am a quick thinking student, and can easily get high marks in exams. But they are not clear about my feelings. I’m totally tired of study after stay at school for more than 19 years (since my kindergarden age).

      In order to get a job smoothly, I think I have to bend myself to the reality that certificates count in the personnel market. Thus I should take some exams to get those passports before I write my resume.

      In April, I will take the MS Office Test and the  English Contest For College Students. Hopefully those would add some credit to my value in my future boss’s eyes.

      After the final exam, I think it’s time for me to have a Japanese Level 4 Test. Some day in the future, I will take the Level 3. Then B4 graduation, we will take the TEM 8 exam to get a sound certificate for English majors.

      I think that will be enough. Or maybe, I will do something more in order to get a so called decent job. Actually, I’m not quite picky about my future career. I think decent job makes no difference in making you sick of listenning to others and deaf to yourself.

      This is the third day I am back in NWPU. This is my second term of junior year.

      The first day, I was surprised by the snow continueing in ShannXi when I was still on the train. That day I wore myself out by taking and changing buses to reach the far remote new campus. Miraculously I dragged my big heavy luggage up to the sixth floor on myself! And I didn’t even take a nap until 10:30PM! I am a miracle! Hah Hah~! But being a miracle is rather tiring and chanllenging.

      The second day, we only had one lecture that day. I spent all the rest time washing clothes, socks, shcool bag and myself. Then I had self study with a classmate in the evening. I worked like a robot!!!

      Today, all the accumulated snow disappeared all in a sudden. The bright bright sunshine is really a surprise to all the humankind in Xi’an. ( As to other places, I’m not clear.) For the whole day, we were attending courses and doing assignments.

      What a junior year! Tiring but wonderful. I think it’s much better than having nothing to do but killing time and idle around.

      Only several hours left before my leaving home to Xi’an. This time, things are quite different. My dad sent me to the bus station. He drove me there. On the way to the station, he asked me to have a look at my hometown. Thus, we drove around the centre squre slowly and talked to each other. I’ve never found the way to the station so short, as if our talk is endless. Or maybe our talk is indeed endlesss.

      I bought the ticket at the book hall to get to the train station. My dad came to me to send the comb I left on his car. And my little sister followed him too. I said to her “remember to write to me.” She seemed about to burst into tears, so was my dad. I turned my face. And said goodbye to them.

      When I was sitting on the bus, he waved to me in the waiting hall. The glass windows prevents his words. I couldn’t hold myself anymore. Tears ran down my cheeks. I hide it to make sure he could see. He left after I give him a sign…

      I cried all the way to the station. I find this time things are totally different. I find myself no longer confused and aimless. I will do my best this term and the terms after. I want to give respect and love to my dad by taking action.

      Tomorrow, I will get on the train heading for Xi’an. Gloomy I am now, writng my last post in Chengdu.

      I went to meet some of my old friends today. One of them is studying in Shanghai presently. The prosperous city makes him a little bit different from us and himself three years ago. Undeniably, he is much more mature than before and his view sight is deeper, or say, realistic.

      He said, the girls in his school put the criterial whether the man have house and car at the first place. He looked very depressed.  When asked why. He talked his anxiety out. He is worrying about his future. He plans to continue with the post graduate study after graduation. He is worrying about how to get a job which is good enough to support him with a house and a car.

      After parting with him, I feel depressed than ever. He is in a city more developed than mine. He is in a school more famous than mine. But he is still worrying. What about me? What should I do to get prepared for my nasty future? Will be left on the street with no job, no money and no place to go??

      Only two days left before my unwilling return to the isolated school. Compared to Xi’an I love my hometown much much more than my description. There are lots of things and leisurements in Chengdu which could hardly be found in Xi’an. I love this city and the way of life people living in it follow.

     The most popular intertainments are tea drinking and majiong.

      Teahouses in downtown Chengdu can be found here and there. They cater to tea drinkers, old and young, who come to meet and have a chat about everything ranging from trivial chores to political debates. Teahouses, which were much popular in ancient China, add to the city’s perception of leisure and an ancient flavor. But tea houses in parks appeal most to elderly people. For over ten years, this group of people come to the park every day. Usually they bring tealeaves themselves and the teahouse provides boiled water. For each of them, one yuan is sufficient for their stay here a whole day. 

      Visitors to Chengdu said that the sound of mahjong can be heard at every corner of the city. It’s not an exaggeration.

      There is a popular saying among senior people which sounds pretty appealing in local dialect. It can be literally translated as “if we enjoy nutritious food and happy entertainment, we make good use of social insurance which can be drawn from the bank when the people go to a certain age”. This saying shows Chengdu people’s contentment about their plain but happy life. And I am one of them.

      i went to see my grandma today. the weather is much more better than yeaterday. rain stopped, sun came out of the abundant clouds for a little while.

     i planned to go to the public cemetery to pay respects to my mom. but an old shocking news turned me down to the hell. it’s not until today i have been told the death of my  uncle. he was killed in a car accident. because it’s the time when i was having exams, they didn’t informed me of the bad news.

      i’ve been living with my uncles and aunts since my mother’s death. it’s also a traffic accident. i changed my mind on the way to the cemetery. i don’t think i could bear the crule reality.

      now, i am sitting in front of my friend’s computer. after giving up the motion to go there, i got on a bus here to throw away all the bad bad things…

      Today it starts to rain again. the temperature drops again. woke up late in the morning at 9:30. i had my brunch at 11:00. then went to meet old shool-mates. we three got together and did some cooking. what a fun!! i found we are closer to each other than ever.

     In the afternoon, we asked five boys out to play billiards. none of our girls has ever played that before. however, the gentle men are considerate enough to appease us, and waste their time to company us. they are much more mature than before.

      In the evening, we had a dinner with many strangers who were invited by a brother. many of them were males. the most thing they had during the dinner was wine. at the end of the dinner all of them had  red faces and high voice.

      actually, it’s not the first time i had this kind of dinner which is none of my business and only means noise during my meal. and i have been told several times that it is a necessacity for one to be sociable. i still can’t understand why Chinese have to drink so much wine to communicate with friends. and at the same time they are only shouting nonesense to each other….

      The Lantern Festival, marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations, falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, usually in February or March in the Gregorian calendar (February 23 this year). As early as the Western Han Dynasty, it had become a festival with great significance.

      “Guessing lantern riddles” is an essential part of the Festival. Riddles are written on a piece of paper and posted on the lanterns. If visitors crack the riddles, they will get a small gift. As riddle guessing is interesting and full of wisdom, it has become popular among all social strata. 

      Eating the rice dumplings (called “yuanxiao” or “tangyuan”) is another tradition on the day. That is why the festival is also known as the “Yuanxiao Festival.” The small dumpling balls are made of glutinous rice flour with rose petals, sesame, bean paste, jujube paste, walnut meat, dried fruit, sugar and edible oil as filling - boiled, fried or steamed.

      For a colorful night, in addition to magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Most families spare some fireworks from the Spring Festival and let them off in the Lantern Festival for the “last craze”.

      i went to the grand temple fair the day before yesterday. i can still remember on that day i had a quit high expectation. however the result is much disappointing. cause’ we went there during the day time. thus all the lights were off. what we could only see was the great crowd of people.

      anyway, we couldn’t wait there for the light to be on. there was no seat for tourists. we had some snacks then left with a quite regretting mood. what we’ve wasted was not only the 40RMB, but also our great interest of having fun… we should have waited until the night..