Skiing in China

Chinese Word: Skiing 滑雪（Hua Xue）

Phrase: 说起来容易，做起来难

  （shuo qi lai rongyi, zuo qi lai nan）It’s easier said than done!

This Past weekend I went skiing for the first time! Four other students and I arranged to go to a ski resort about an hour away from Jinan. I always imagined that skiing wouldn’t be that hard but I realized pretty quickly that it looks easier than it actually is. I think this is a truth with everything in life! When I was attempting to ski I fell down more than 10 times!  The next day my whole body was sore, I don’t know if it was from my attempt at skiing or falling down too many times!

            There were a lot of people at the ski resort this day because there was a skiing festival. I was interviewed by the local news channel as well as the friends that came with me! So I was on the news in Jinan! I had a friend who was riding the public bus, he told me that he heard my voice but couldn’t find me. Later he realized it was me on the news! I also ran into my Chinese Language teacher and her daughter at the ski resort. Her daughter has been skiing for three years. In the pictures below you can see her daughter teaching me how to ski. I appreciate her effort but I think it will take many times for me to learn how to ski.
 Christmas is just a few days away and it was really a pleasure to be surrounded by snow.  I could feel the Christmas spirit everywhere!

LINK TO WATCH ME ON THE JINAN LOCAL NEWS:

http://v.iqilu.com/2011/12/18/3712968.shtml

MY CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHER AND HER DAUGHTER

MISCELLANIOUS PICTURES

CULTURAL FACTS ABOUT CHINA:

On December 22^nd in China there is a holiday called 冬至(dong zhi). It is the shortest day of the year. This holiday celebrates the winter solstice. On this day everyone eats dumplings (饺子jiaozi).  On this day I went to eat dumplings with my Chinese language teacher and we were both surprised at how many people were at our usual dumpling restaurant. We had to wait almost an hour for a table, but it was worth wait!

Christmas Eve in china is called Ping An Ye (平安夜). The ping in ping an is the same sound as pingguo （苹果）. Ping guo is the Chinese word for apple. So every Christmas Eve many people will give apples to their friends and family.

DECORATED AND PACKAGED APPLES FOR CHRISTMAS EVE (平安夜)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
圣诞快乐！新年快乐！

It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas!



Chinese Word: 下雪 (xia xue) Snow

Words of wisdom: “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.”~Buddha

Christmas is just around the corner. Even though I am in China I can still feel the holiday cheer all around me. Last week it snowed for the first time this winter in Jinan. The same night, it also snowed in my hometown.

The first two pictures below are a few of the holiday decorations located at the city center.

The two pictures below were taken two days after it snowed on top of the mountain, 金鸡岭 Jin Ji Ling, located right next to the college campus.
 

 I have been in Jinan for a little  over three months and I have yet to talk about my classes that is because they  have all  been relatively easy. All of my classes are with the other international students except for my Chinese class. I am the only student in my Chinese class because I was the only student to study Chinese before I studied abroad.  I am taking intermediate Chinese right now.  Most of the time I only have homework in my Chinese class but since the semester is coming to an end I have final papers in all my classes. So it has been a blessing that my friends and I have found the perfect place to study in Jinan, Starbucks! The picture below is a picture of two friends of mine studying with me at Starbucks.

During November one of my teachers combined my class with her other class, so we could have the opportunity to have classes with her Chinese students. Below are some pictures of the dinner we (the Chinese and international students) all had in our classroom.

The pictures below are from a going away dinner we (all the international students) threw for one of my friends, Benjamin.  He had to return home to France to be with his family, so we had a celebration in his honor.  His sudden return to France really made me realize that the semester will soon be coming to an end. It is such a bitter sweet realization. I will deeply miss all the friends I have made this semester but I will always have these priceless memories. I have made a resolution to enjoy the time I have left in Jinan. Life is short and time is fleeting.

A Chinese Tea House

 Chinese Word: 茶 Tea (Cha)

 “Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.”  ~Author Unknown

Today in my blog I would like to share with everyone my experience at a Chinese tea house. China has a very rich tea culture, but as time passes there are fewer tea houses and more coffee shops. I believe this is definitely because of western influence.  Generally speaking I believe that many Americans do not take the time to appreciate tea. There are so many wonderful and delicious teas. I personally like to drink hot green tea and oolong tea.

When all of the international students and I were at the tea house we had the privilege to drink Gong fu tea (工夫茶) and Pu er tea (普洱茶).  A tea master, who was gracefully skilled in the art of the tea ceremony, demonstrated how to pour and taste the various kinds of tea.  Below are pictures from my experience at the tea house.  Also please follow the links below to see a video of the tea ceremony and the procedures of the tea ceremony step-by-step. I found the tea house to be very relaxing and welcoming. It is the perfect place to go whenever you would like to sit with friends or even if you just feel like sitting and thinking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/SrlOBbC4l2U/

The Tea Equipment

  

The upside down cup in the picture on the right side is actually filled with tea. The cup and tea is place in this position to allow the aroma of the tea to stay in the cup when the cup has been lifted.

Our Beautiful Tea Master

In the picture on the left you can see that she also has an upside down tea cup that she twisting. She was demonstrating that in order to let the tea flow from one cup to the other and save the aroma of the tea in the upside down cup, one must slowly twist the upside down cup and lift. Finally lift the cup to your nose and enjoy the elegant fragrance of the tea.

When tasting the tea is it customary to take three sips.