My adventures in China

Faked idendity photo

We must, my roommate and me, do identity photo for administratives necessities. As we haven't found a photo booth, we decide to go to a professional photograph. The shop seem to be a familial business, a man and his wife welcomed us, their son is playing Counter-strike in front of the clients, it's normal... The shop-windows contain a graphic card and a camera which cost 10 times its real price. The font for the photo is a whitish sheet a half teared and the lighting seem to be a building site reflector.

The most funny arrived, after the photo have been transfered on the computer, that the font is change for a uniform white and that the color balance is calibrated, we have been retouched with Photoshop even if we asked nothing, the proove in video.

  

American Break

Even if chine and United States have stong commercial  and financial relations, the gouvernement don't prefere one of the twice candidate because of the little difference between them. However, the population have a really preference. Base on a chine daily poll (ips source), 75% of Chinese people want that Obame will be elected. As well, this rate is base on people who surf on the internet and are often young and educate, but it's show the Obama tendency. He is young, ambisious, and come from a minority, he is for chinese people the american dream and he is like an example for us. The chine is suffuring the same problem because of the 55 minorities in the chine Popular Republic, it's explain the feeling of Chinese.

chine wait the name of the next american president without panic, howevere this election is historic! America is a political, economical and military power and the present mundial super-power. And currently with; on a internationnal front, the capitalim and the ultra-liberalism are bad, that the ecology is not a preocupation but necessary, on a national front; the bad second bush mandate whith a doubty election and the Irak war which is contest, Obama can do something! We rely on the mentalities evolution about racism which were and be a real problem in america. I wish that the Bradly syndrom will not appeared again, for this one, he did't be elected however he has so many point in the rate because of his skin color.

Many Americans are confused, I can speak with some of them in chine. A black president, a new politic for a new world, it scared but it's attractive. The world look observed americans electors and they known it. I wish that a historic event will happenned, I wait, with impatience, the issue of this election.

Road in chine

"What's about chine, is it different?

That's the question whose many people ask to me, natural curiosity sure, but I don't really know what I can answer! I often give my blog address with a little resume of the situation which contain so many elements... Paradoxical you will say to me because of the big differences between chine and France but It's very difficult to resume it in some second or some minutes!

That's why I will create a category named "What an amazing chine" where I will tell what's surprises me as an European boy. It's difficult to life by rote because we understand, discovers everyday things which amazed, fascinated or feed up us.

For this note I will speak about car.

From our arrived on Beijing we take the highway to Tianjin. All it's good, subway are new because of the Olympics game and very clean. Suddenly I see on the left side, a man wearing yellow clothes cleaning the floor from scraps. Like we still were in Beijing I was thinking that to keep the clean of Beijing. I didn't think good, during all the trip, we had seen the same men with any protection... In France the security of this agent is important and we try to make sensitive driver, it's very not the same in chine!

I can't resist to put this picture, it's a road-sign which have each toll. Geek will understand, not other people :)

Another thing which surprise me, it's the horn. Every time the bus cross a vehicle, it horn. I really didn't know why.

When we arrived on Tianjin, we often take a taxi. No expensive and there are very everywhere. A Chinese taxi don't drive fast without too acceleration and he very like horn. He used it every time he can , when he drive cross a car, a cycle or a walker to inform of his presence. The drive code is very anarchic, everybody change of way as they like, turn without indicator. May be it's an option on car.

Finally, we can imagine that Chinese are fond of their car, except that it's a luxe (fortunately because of their number!) some Chinese does all they can to don't be steal of their car as we can see on this photo. We really don't understand why, if somebody have an idea, say it!

My flat at Tianjin

A 4 bedroom flat, that the goal of Fabien and Stéphane during their 3 first month in chine, and I can say that the mission is accomplished! A surface of 167m² in the town center near a food street, a Carrefour and the subway, that's top! It's furnish and we pay 5 500RMB/month.

Even if we are in a calm residence we heard car horn (Chinese are fond of this) because of the none-existent insulation and make us anxious for the winter. The flat seem to be empty and it's true! We don't have the time to decor it but we will have a beautiful watter fountain soon in the living room.

I have no taken so many photos but I have make a video, it's more representative. I will take some photo of the outdoor if someone ask me (I think it's already ask!) and the easier to my opinion is to come here!  The flat is clean and ready to be dirty! It's can be a good idea if you come before the 15th November because we won't have warming before this date, and we feel cold! Human heat is welcome!

Désolé pour les commentaires qui ne sont vraiment pas riche de contenu, je ne suis pas habitué à ce genre d'exercice;)

Agrandir le plan

Notre appartement vu du dessus./Behind view of our flat.

 

I'm sick!

I'm very sick since 2 days, a big cold very tiresome and my dolirhume appeared to be helpless... The pace adaptation is more difficult than I think because of my bad night, which are, in face, cycle of sleeping about 4 or 5hours. So, I made 2 "nights" per day.

The flat is not yet totally cleaned, the living room, 2 bedroom and bathroom are not cleaned. Totally, we will have clear during 3 days and it's very not a luxe.

We begin to "consume" in the flat, a kettle which were used to make cleaning hot water make actually tea, I ask me question about the drinkable of water after it is porridge, the answer is yes. We want to buy a fountain, here for 600 RMB, you get a high. Design human size foutain, integrate fridge, giving hot and cold water. Indeed, because water is not directly drinkable, we buttle of water consommation is very important. I have readen a article which oblige me to stay careful about water bottle, I don't want to drink insect aromatiz water (I'm a player but not anymore):

http://www.aujourdhuilachine.com/actualites-chine-la-qualite-de-l-eau-en-bonbonne-une-nouvelle-fois-mise-en-cause-3915.asp?1=1

Hot water is finnaly here, but in very few quantity and the using  of water source at the same time is about 1 because of the low pressiure; an organisation must be prepare to made this situation not hard to live.

Finnaly, we will go to a ceremony today for new arrival student at university, presenting it, admistrative modalities and visa/resident card question.

A big cleaning session

When I wake up, I have a strange sensation, first because light were on, like when I gone to bed, and because outdoor it is night, It appear very unreal and I have directly ask the hour to my friends, It was 18h Pm... Ok, I have slept very well!

We didn't be able to resist to start the cleaning of the flat which is very very dirty. Bathrooms and kitchen are black of crass from floor to ceiling, we have to clean up all the flat! They had been clean up with energy and we can actually take a shower into them(when we will have hot water). My friends says that they're not very efficient and not punctual, normally it will be ok on tomorrow.

 

After these efforts we went to mac do on 2h30 am, for 8 RMB so approximatively  80 euro centime and eat a menu for 25 RMB, which is wealthy for a Chinese people. I will try to don't go bed too late so 4:00 am, local hour to take the rhythm.

My First day in chine

What I can say about my first day in chine...? The first thing which chocked me is the pollution, it's everywhere!  On the road, the drivers very loves the klaxon and drive as they want but with slow speed. Some engaged people get scrap on the road, the could be on a 4 ways, no problem! For my first time, I have eaten something that I don't know what is it. In fact, we cannot speak with barman because he only speak Chinese so we choose random food, so funny. One the other hand, I feel annoyed because I cannot communicate with Chine people in the restaurant or in Carrefour which is at 5 minutes from my home. We have finished in a good club, even if a friend said to me that it's not very extraordinary, it's better than French club excepted on musique which is very special... To finish, the live cost, it's not derisory but very accessible for us and it's a real pleasure! A very great day, a beatifull flat, a super evening, so what else?

So Happy in paris

There are mails that we are happy to receive, I think that a mail from Stephane it one of these, received on 2 september at 7:21 pm. I have received this mail when I was in the RER, came back from the work to go on Paris. I was so much happy, that I wanted to kiss my travel neighbours, or not, the should think that I'm crazy!

I thought that I have  directly understood what is happenning, that we can have an appartement in chine out of the campus. It's mean that we can live in collocation, that we can receive people who want to come in chine, that we can organise parties and especially we won't live in a very small university bedroom that have no private toilet and shower, to sum up my desire of go in chine come back again! This news was celebrate with Cyril with a great aperitif!

a undecided travel

Since the 5 august my vision of this trip has changed. Indeed, I had the motivation but my friend Guennadi give me a bad new, from this year, we can't have a logement outdoor the university.Yet we have chosen this city because it is the only one where we can live outdoor the university. What's the interest we can ask you, I will explain to you.

First we want to be, my 3 friends and me, in collocation, so 4 bedrooms. If we take a 200m², we paid 7 000 yuans so 1000$. If we divide by 4 we obtain 250$ per person. If we live in the university, it is a room about 25m² with 2 bed, shower and toilet shared, curfew at 11pm and far way the town centre. So there is a big difference!

That's why I was sad during few days. Moreover, the information is arrived without justification (besides pupile in France have not received any mail about that), we had at this moment no more informations about this prohibition! Now we know that is is the authorities who fear about the foreigner during the Olympics Game. Our local liable say that the normal situation will probably come back after competition.

I have not buy my plane ticket because of that and I don't take the time. It is one week remaining before the end of the OG finish. So we will wait, but if this prohibition is not retired I will hesitate to do my tripe because I have no choosen this plan. However, I stay confident and I hope that the situation will change to do this unforgatable experience.

We are your friend...in chine

One more element show to me that my leav is coming soon, 4 of my friend went to Pekin on 17 july. The roommates Guennadi and Cyrille, Stéphane and Fabien arrived the day after at 8:41 am on the Pekin's airport.

All is good at the moment, the will lived at the Hebut's University campus during these 2 months. After that, they can choose between stay here or found another flat in the city. The second solution is the best because the campus have bad specification like curfew at 11:00 pm.

The excitation grow more and more when they show to me what they are doing there. I'm like a child at Christmas before opening his gift! Guennadi will post his photo on his flickr, I give you the address.