there's something in the air..

.. makes you wonder if you're breathing in air or smog.

the week has been a blur of festivities ranging from hanging out at 南锣鼓巷, travelling across 望京 looking for a badminton court, meeting thomas' incredibly nice chinese colleagues, discussing, worrying and then re-evaluating the job at Savills, having a rain adventure in 三利屯, and of course, being forced to walk up & down 26 flights of stairs.

i know better than to let this week go without appreciating the little things; like learning the bus system, knowing the best spot to stand on the subway, and finding home on a white and orange sofa. cannot believe i will join the throng of workaholics next week!

so long, farewell..

i wish not to say goodbye.

it is said the world over, and repeated too many times, but time really just flew by. cannot even begin to comprehend how this experience will affect me in the future, whether directly or indirectly. to have people from all over the world flock to Beijing, for the purpose of learning the language, and by so, understand that little bit more about the intricasies of the Chinese culture. we are different from each other in so many aspects, but yet like-minded enough to want to learn. to know. to share. i have made so many new friends; some close enough to randomly give a call wherever they may be in the world, while others make a memory of my time at BLCU. it almost feels like stolen time, because everyone comes together for too short a time just to steal a few good moments.

today was the last day of class. in room 210, we shared our experiences with our three teachers who painstakingly taught us with more patience than you and me combined.

郭老师, 我最后明白为什么您觉得我们俩的想法很像. 有很多事情, 虽然遇到困难, 我们都能做得好. 我希望未来也能坚持克服什么困难, 然后可以一起分享我们的亲身体验. 董老师, 您教得真好. 老师上课很精彩, 所以我们同学从来都不觉得无聊. 我们的口语水平很快就可以提高是因为有您的关照. 封老师, 我们都觉得您对同学们真耐心呀! 因为您的皮肤白白的, 所以穿着红色的衣服真相配.在我们的心里, 老师们已经留下了很大的印象.我非常感谢!

flowers, thank you cards, little notes, and even a class video can only add on to the colourful experiences we had in the classroom, and out of it. funny how 3 months can do so much. doing an intensive language course is like going on a holiday with a 100 other strangers, only to find that they are the brothers and sisters that God forgot to give you. maybe one day our paths will cross again, in Beijing, or in another part of the world. for now, i wish all of you the very best.

(the sweetest, Beijing kaoya dinner, joyful jess' birthday, toothy tomo's birthday, at Mutianyu Great Wall of China, at Bei Hai Park, limestone cave before Shidu, night out at Pyro's & Propaganda, all smiles, Olympic Stadium Birds' Nest for China Athletics Open, spell BLCU at Inner Mongolia desert, the best classmates, farewell dinner at Conference Centre, acting stupid at Tian Tan, exploring Tsinghua & Beijing Uni on a bicycle)

the jump

Shi Du (十渡), dubbed the Guilin of the North

your heart pumps too fast, your pulse rocks your insides, your hands tremble ever so slightly. on your left, friends clutch at you, undecided between the anticipation of an exquisite adrenaline rush or the tiny possibility that this might actually hurt. on your right, the tiny platform beckons menacingly at you, the last step on solid ground before you plunge headfirst into a seemingly endless drop. you laugh your fears away, half-wishing you could turn back and walk down the safe route. sensations numb your brain, a heady rush consuming your entire self. it is already your turn. you say your goodbyes, smile your bravest smile, and drag your feet to the plank.

images flash through your mind.. barely registering.
Him. dad. him. home. Peter Pan's Wendy. the mountains ahead, the river below. girlfriends jumping after you.

you lift your hands up at your sides, titanic-style.

for a moment, you are on top of the world..



and then you start falling.




good thing the scenery was quite a sight, even with cloudy weather.