Beibei Revival

It's time to make an attempt to revive this blog. Many people have written to me, asking what has happened to me and the blog, and asked me to keep writing. Thanks for your encouragement :) Here goes!

A few months ago I applied for a Chinese government scholarship for studying Chinese for one academic year. And happily, I was one of the four lucky ones from Finland who got the scholarship this year. But to my surprise, I was not able to remain in Kunming to continue my studies,but had to move to Chongqing, a city north-east from Yunnan.

But to cut a long story short, that's what happened and here I am, once again beginning a new stage in my life, starting all over again in a new place.

And I am really happy to be here, after the westernized Kunming, filled with foreigners, it now feels like I am 'back to China'. The school, Soutwest China University, is located in a small, small town called Beibei, about an hour's drive from the massive metropolis of Chongqing. And Beibei has welcomed us with open arms, and with many smiles.

I'm living in a wonderful flat in a new apartment building complex, on the 18th floor, overlooking the ever-present fog that hovers over everything here. What's funny about the place is that as we obviously need some help to climb up to to higher floors, there are lifts in the building. But as this is somewhat a luxury around here, we have to buy separate 'tickets' every month to allow us to use them. I now have a little card with my picture on it, with a big print “Lift Passenger Certificate” on it. Every visitor has to buy single tickets costing 0.5 yuan at the gate instead.

China!!

Keep checking in for more Beibei stories...