It is one thing to be interviewed by Vrij Nederland and another thing to have my pictures taken, but who expected my face on the cover?!! Shocked! Happily I didn't had my eyes closed ;).
Last weekend I went to do some shopping for my trip back to the Netherlands. It is always the same riddle for bargaining. Actually I still enjoy the game of bargaining. Especially when they start giving me many compliments about my looks and how smart I am ;) hehe..
One example:
me: "how much does it cost?" vendor: "because we are both Chinese, I will give you a good price.180RMB!" me: "what? 180RMB? This is not a Chinese, friendly price? Give me a lower price!" vendor: "so, how much do you want to pay"? me: "50RMB". vendor: "that low? No, I can't do that". me:"I can't go lower, I always pay this price, this is my final price". vendor: OK, because you are so beautiful, I give you a lower price, 80RMB! lowest price". me: OK, because you think I am so beautiful, I add 5RMB more, 55RMB!" vendor: No way, 5RMB extra? That's it? Please? What about 90RMB? You are so nice and tall!". me: OK, because you think I am so nice and tall, I add 5RMB more, 60RMB final price!" Vendor: Ahhhh, only 60RMB? OK, last price 80RMB, we split in the middle". me: "Nope, my last bid was 60RMB, only because you think I am so beautiful ;) ( walking away already)". Vendor: "ok ok, come back, come back...60RMB then, you are a good bargainer" me: "thank you for all your compliments ;)"

Chinese people are preparing for Chinese New Year now, which starts on the 26th of January. Trains, buses en and flights are overbooked. Did you now that during Chinese New Year, this is the biggest human migration globally? 23 million people will be on the road to gather together for the Chinese New Year's eve dinner with the family. I will also be on the road and will be in the Netherlands from the 23rd of January!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR~YEAR OF THE OX

A New Year has just begun. In China, Chinese people don't really celebrate New Years, but this year it has been a little bit different, cause government announced a 3-day holiday for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd to be a national holiday (actually the 3rd is a Saturday, but China still see this as an extra off day, don't ask me why! )
It is actually very interesting how China government arrange the national holidays. Since the beginning of 2008, the Chinese government decided that people shouldn't have the 3 golden weeks ( Chinese new year in Feb, May day in May, Labor day in Oct) anymore and that more spreading of the holidays would be good for tourism, the Chinese economy and spreading of the migrants who all wants to go home during these weeks. So one day they just decided to change this. They announced that people should also celebrate "forgotten" festivals as moon festival, dragon boat festival and Qing Ming. I guess this is a good step, cause many young people don't know much about these Chinese fest.
In December, when I was trying to book my ticket for Malaysia I was thinking about the national holidays for 2009. Last year only the 1st of January was a national holiday. After searching for more info about the holidays, without any luck, I assumed that the government will just do the same as last year. Mistake! In China, don't just assume! (I try to tell myself that everyday :) ) At the last moment, exactly the 11th of December, the Chinese government announced in the newspapers the holidays plans for 2009! The 2nd is also a day off!! Couldn't they let me know early? No actually they can't. In China things are decided at that moment, very rapidly and without any warning. Always expect the unexpected, even till the last moment. So this time again, China keeps me on my toes!

p.s Chinese New Year start on the 26th of January