Valentine's dad

OK, I am a bit behind. Let's pretend it is yesterday: August, 27^th. 

Congratulations pappa! My dad turns 59! Hurra!

About my dad:

- He is 30 years older than I am hence he was 30 years old when he got his first child (me!).
- He got married 30 years before I did.
- He got the honor to shout Glad Midsommar and to great the boat in a microphone every year on Ingmarsö. (As seen in the red jacket above.)
- He loves birthday and christmas gifts to the extent that we have all wondered if he might not actually be three years old!
- He loves to have a clean and nice home where everything has its' place (still unknown how he could stand living with me for 18 years…)
- The nicest compliment he gives is to compare whatever he is complementing on with a sausage. (See the comment to The King in my heart below!) It started with Tasty as sausage (Gott som korv) but can now be used to anything!
- He loves his folkboat, and he actually did pretty well in the Folkboat "World championship" Guldpokalen.
- He has five sisters and brothers and one of his sisters came to the birthday party yesterday thinking it was his 60^th birthday! Ha ha! (Yes, they're just half siblings, but still…)

Next year we will turn 90! Look out for the big 90 year old party!

Yesterday was also Chinese Valentine's day. I might be blind but I didn't see the slightest sign of any romantic couples, hearts or flowers. None on the way home, none in the supermarket and not even in the couch at home! I guess one Valentine's day per year is enough. Besides you can have your own valentine's day whenever you feel like it and don't have to wait until the shops sell stupid pink heart shaped candles…

Subscapu... eeh whatever!

You know how, when you haven’t slept enough, your eye lids start to wink really rapidly. Well, since yesterday I have the same thing in my shoulder. It is a little beneath the shoulder, on the front – just under the boney bit on the first soft part. And unlike the eye, you can totally see this! It is so weird! I haven’t come to that part in my Grey’s anatomy medicine studies so I don’t know how to diagnose it. After some quick internet research I’m thinking it could be connected to the subscapularis muscle…?

 

 

Stockholm vs Rio vs Ulan Bator

Today I saw a picture of an old friend in Swedish newspaper Metro. She was climbing. I also checked out some pics from another friend’s summer: sailing, archipelago and nights that never go dark. Mmm! Maybe there is a bit of attraction with that wonderful country up in the north after all.

 

Frankly, I would be more nervous about moving to Stockholm than I would if I moved to Rio de Janeiro or Ulan Bator. There it would be just another expat life. Different of course, but a life I’m used to. Moving to Stockholm would be so much more expectations. Friends, life, family – I know how I want life to be if I live in Stockholm and therefore it would be so much scarier. If I don’t feel at home in there, where would I then feel at home? In 2000 I moved away from Stockholm. Since then, the last 9 years, I’ve lived 1,5 years in Stockholm. Things, friends, lives change in 9 years…

 

PS. I’m reading Lapidus’ Aldrick fucka upp so I know what a gangster city Stockholm has become while I’ve been away!

 

 

 

Below follows an important news item about Chinese people's exercising habits

They have started running! I don't get it! In November I ran outside once. People stared at me as if I was mad and a girl even laughed when she saw me. (After that my four months winter flew started so, I guess they were right...) Something has happened! The other day when I biked my 20 minutes to work, I saw seven people running. Two expats but the rest where Chinese. One wore a dress but she was running with a friend and it was obvious they weren't running for the buss. Either way, in the time period since I arrived to China and up to a month ago I have probably seen seven runners in total. Now I see them everywhere!

My theory is that it must be connected to the expo. Everything is "in preparation for the Expo 2010": not only buildings and metros, but also the Chinese; their neighborhood, lifestyle, customs, manners - all should be westernized and boring-ized... So I guess they have been told to stop with that silly dancing in the parks and go jogging instead like the westerners. 

Yoga for loosers

You know yoga is bad for you when you crack your neck at the first exercise - the exercise when you should sit on your bum while tilting your head to the side. 

The only other western girl in the class left after ten minutes when we did the pretend-you-are-a-rope-and-use-yourself-to-do-a-halvslag-om-egen-part-exercise. I think it was her first time. Even I was better than her. But leaving a class just cos you are not so good? Plenty of the Chinese girls didn't make it either. How would you then ever become any better? I stayed, the neck felt better and the rest of the body a tiny tiny bit less stiff than it was when I got there. Completing what you aimed for while being an obvious looser or giving up - that's the question. 

The King in my heart

My colleague told me that when he thinks about a certain chairman, it is like the sun in his heart. Then he asked me how I feel in my heart when I think about my king. Eeeh... 

Zhou Enlai was the premier minister and the 2nd after Mao during many years. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhou_Enlai) He was born in Haian so there is a huge memorial, a museum and a reconstruction of his Beijing home in central Haian. We took the time to visit the memorial and it struck me how  my colleague and I both read the same biographical texts but how different we must have perceived it. Just as I know that a lot is glorifications - even lies; he knows that this is what happened and that Zhou was an amazing god father of the country.

Above the memorial as a backdrop to my colleague, the factory representatives and me.  

Bird on a plate

The further from the bigger cities you go, the weirder the food and the less do they speak English. The above proved true after the 7 hour trip to Haian. And the funny thing is that even their Chinese is so different from that in Shanghai that my colleague from Shanghai couldn't understand the men we visited from the factory when they spoke their local dialect. 

At dinner, among many other weird things, they served bird. And no, I'm not talking about a chicken. This was small sparrow/blåmes sized birds that must have been grilled whole which made their bodies crinkle in to a foetus position. If I make a ring with my thumb and my index finger, that's how small the little birds were - whole. Only the back of the bird was eatable and all together it might have been half a teaspoon of food on each bird. Sometimes, it is just not a good time to say no. So I ate and smiled!

Factory visits

I feel very lucky to get the chance to have a look at factories. Not only is it interesting in itself with China being the factory of the world and all, but it is also great to get the chance to see the machine that does the glued seams in ski jackets. At least if you're a bit of a technical clothes production ski nerd...

Some pics to show you the beauty of my job. Top: Sewing room number 4. Second: I'm checking jackets being produced. Third: The glueing machine! Bottom: A mountain of winter jackets. (The down jackets are filled with down by hand. Everything is done by hand!)

Med students

I would like to announce that Gustav and I have become half time medical students. We take our studies quite seriously, sometimes studying up to four hours per day! Not only have we learnt important medical terms and how to treat patients. We also know that the defibrillator which is used for people whose heart stopped beating, usually starts at 150 volts and never goes above 300. And the university we go to? Grey's Anatomy! Just like Karolinska I believe but maybe a bit more relaxed...

A day in numbers

Sitting on a bus between Nanjing and Huaian. It is too dark to read and the seats are too uncomfortable to try to sleep in. So will sum up the day. Literally. 

Today's travel time:
Home – Shanghai Station by taxi: 30 minutes
Shanghai Station – Nanjing Station by train: 2 hrs 20 mins
Nanjing to Factory outside Nanjing return: 2x50 minutes
Nanjing – Huaian by trashy bus: 3 hours (2 so far)
Totally 7 hours and 20 minutes. Efficient working day!

1
I've seen one beautiful bridge surrounded by green landscape and beautiful hills.
I've seen one nuclear power plant surrounded by factories.
I've passed one car accident. 

2
I've been traveling through two thunderstorms.
I've seen two pool tables placed outside on the side walk and some guys playing pool (biljard) around it.
I've visited two factories. 

3
I've seen three sleeping water buffalos.
We were just overtaken on the highway by an open truck with a very high heap of hay (höstack). At the top of it sat three guys. Road safety anyone? 

6
Six monthly salaries, is how much a worker in the factory producing skiing jackets, would have to spend if she bought a ski jacket herself. 

18
I've been annoyed with Chinese driving/crossing the street – manners 18 times.

39.5
This is how hot it was when we got off the train in Nanjing at 11 in the morning. And it only got warmer.

 

Youghurt

After two weeks of a non-youghurt diet I start to realise the reason why I became allergic. Nina's food minus youghurt equals half the amount of food. I probably used to consume almost a liter of youghurt per day! So now I don't know what to eat. Anyone has any suggestions, please! For now I have changed the youghurt to a more diversed diet of knäckebröd, fruit and coffee. 

Ze german grammar

Whenever a Swedish person meet a German dito the following conversation is likely to occur within an hour:

 

S: - I actually studied German in school.

G: - Ja, sicher?

S: - Yes, but I don’t remember anything. I mean, I can’t speak.

G: - Zats a shame…

S: - But I know An Auf Hinter In Neben Uber Unter Vor Zwishen!

At this point the German just looks at the Swede with a very confused expression (see Germans usually don’t need to learn silly rhymes to remember their own language, but Swedes never seem to get that…) Any normal Swede would now continue with the other two and then realize she doesn’t have a clue which one is which, only that they somehow have a connection to accusative and dative.

 

If that certain Swede for some odd reason would be me, I would also start singing on the tunes of Twinkle Twinkle Little star: “Durch Fur Gegen Ohne Um – Genom För Mot Utan Om.” This usually does not make the German any less confused!

Hair cut

After my terrible hair cut experience last time (When the guy cut my already thin hair thinner, too short and then styled it to look like a used cleaning mop – Yes it did result in me crying when leaving but I think that could have been connected with me just being generally unstable and mentally disturbed even before the hairdressers…); this time I decided not to go back to the same place. Feeling mentally stronger and prepared to take a weird hair cut if it happened, I opted for a little place just in our neighborhood. I paid 38 kuai for a guy who actually spoke a bit of English (although very limited) – compared to the whopping 180 kuai at my last place. This guy actually listened to what I said (using English, Chinese and sign language) and the haircut was modest and perfectly fine. Picture proof of a tired, Monday-morning Nina with only slightly shorter hair above…!

 

Gustav also had his hair cut at the same place. He was probably not just as pleased as you could barely see a difference and as they gave him some sort of fringe looking thing – but I thought it was fine. He left for Hong Kong this morning so unfortunately no picture proof of him.

102

Yesterday on Aug, 15th my grand mother should have turned 102 years old. But on Mothers Day this year she flew up to heaven. So take care of your mothers! Above a picture of my grand ma, mum and me taken about five years ago and of grandma and me almost 30 years ago.

Strömmad

Now, this will be a difficult post to write in English so excuse the Swenglish below…

National newspaper Svd writes that Spotify can be introduced in China within the near future. (http://www.svd.se/naringsliv/it/artikel_3341865.svd) The article reads: ”Den (Kinesisk version av Spotify) ska förse musikälskande kineser med strömmad musik till datorer och mobiltelefoner.”

In the choice between using English words in the Swedish language like they are vs to Swedify words I am totally on the Swedify-side. I prefer to write mejl rather than mail and so on… And where there is a Swedish word I can’t really see the point in using an English one (betala vs paya/pejja). But the word strömma - a direct translation from English stream. I am undecided. Maybe because I’ve never seen strömma being used like that before. Strömma musik… S-t-r-ö-m-m-a…

Well, got to stick to principles. From now on I will only “strömma musik”. Just waiting for Spotify to come to China and I will strömma all day long…!

Ooh, just to get the grammar right… Would it then be Att strömma – i går strömmade jag – jag har strömmat? Or i går ström jag? (Could be confused with electrocuting oneself...)

The truth?

Chinese lesson. Long Mei teaches my colleague Alice and me twice a week. Long Mei is around 60 and she has lived quite an interesting life - as you would expect from anyone in that age having grown up in China. Long Mei recalls:

In primary school, my teacher showed us two pictures from America. On the first picture was an American family eating breakfast and their toasts were brown. We felt so sorry for the Americans not being able to eat white bread. Brown to us was mouldy or dirty bread. Only much later did I realize that brown bread is healthier bread.

On the second, there was a group of young American wearing jeans with holes. Now I know it was fashion, but back then my teacher cried when describing the poor conditions in America where people couldn’t even afford mending their clothes.

Morakot - you are no longer welcome!

I take everything back! No, I don't want the typhoon to come to Shanghai! It has now hit our neighbouring provinces and it doesn't seem like such a cool storm after all. 118 km per hour will probably be more frightening than great when you live on the 14th floor!

Check out SvD.se if you want to learn more... http://www.svd.se/nyheter/utrikes/artikel_3327985.svd

I am happy

This is a good China day! Why?

1.My brother called to tell me he liked the blog. Thanks! I like you!
2. I got three different planned vacations approved on Friday. It was a close call, but some sweet talking and I'm all good to go for Japan. The sweet talking also involved the other ones joining to Japan... You are up for a surprise!
3. Seems like we will be a group of people joining for Japan. Counting down the days - 129...
4. The four week stomach issue is over and problem solved. I am allergic to the youghurt here. No wonder I didn't get better when I cut down on all other foods and only ate youghurt and knackebrod!
5. According to today's Shanghai Daily a yellow typhoon alert is issued for the typhon (named Morakot). It "could be updated to an orange or even red storm alert during peak periods today and tomorrow." Still waiting...

Shame on me for forgetting! Yesterday, was the one year anniversary of the Beijing Olympics opening and it was the first ever Chinese National Fitness Day! I celebrated with a frantic 1,5 hrs in the gym!

Above: Two guys that caught my attention today...

Typhoon

The weather forecast predicted a typhoon which was supposed to arrive from Taiwan yesterday. It has been a bit windy and we did have 20 minutes of torrential rain yesterday, but still no typhoon. I have never experienced one so I'm waiting eagerly. Today is sunny outside so it looks like we will have to wait...

Above a picture from Thursday last week when we had really heavy rain. Some roads flooded and the one on the picture is taken from Gustav's office. People waded in knee high water!

En helt (o)vanlig dag med Nina

Don't you just hate those articles about people where they follow the person during a normal day? They are so pretentious! X wakes up at five in the morning, she does Tai Chi for two hours, bakes some bread for her family's breakfast, puts the four kids on the bike to kindergarden, bikes the 15 kms to work and is there at 8. And so on... Although I doubt that they always live like that, it doesn't stop me from feeling slightly lazy and unambitious.

So just to make you feel the same I would like to give a quick recap about my day... Just any ordinary day in Nina's life...

The alarm goes off at 6.30 and by 7.10 I have biked to work. I am 20 minutes early to my Chinese lesson! (Cross in the roof!) As of last week my colleague Alice and I have classes in the morning. Our teacher Long Mei is amazing and I'm very keen so 1 1/2 hrs passes quickly. Did you know that Stockholm in Chinese (pinyin) is Sideyigeermo?

I spend my day at work trying to figure out the limit value according to different environmental instituitions of nonylphenol ethoxylate and other weird chemicals. (I guess this is why no one so far has written about MY ordinary day. Deh deh!) But I actually also discussed our new collection for intense exercise with a cool new anti-odour function (fully sustainable and certified of course).

After work I bike through the pouring rain to my singing lesson. I absolutely love it! One hour of Do re mi and endorphines are up even though sugar is low. So meeting up with Gustav for dinner at some little restaurant. I'm sick of rice but I stick to my risotto anyway. At 20.45 our 90 minutes hot yoga class starts. Hot as in 40 degrees in the class room! A few mental pep talks with myself along the way and I stumble out 90 minutes later, proud that I didn't faint. On the way back home on the bike, I see a woman selling cats in cages. The same kind of cages they sell chickens in. I conclude that if I were to try to buy one, she would probably give it to me in a bag, neatly chopped up. I decide not to. Home at 10.56 pm and before midnight I will post today's post on my blog...

Problem solved?

Haven't been able to update any pictures for a long time as blogspot is blocked. So I need to go via proxy and when doing that, I simply don't get the little "upload picture tag" to pop up and become visible. But now I have found that I can upload via mail! Amazing! So adding a picture and will email this off and see if it works. Fingers crossed and holding my thumbs...!

The Main Principle

"Cadres and the public should stick to the principle that stability overrides everything."

Quote from Shanghai Daily abt a month ago in regards to the riots in Urumuqi.

Keeping this in mind, suddenly, the policies and the twists and turns of the Chinese government become less of a mystery and more of a natural outcome given the Main Principle.