Monday, February 14, 2005
We are now reaching Budapest, hope you enjoyed your flight
And so it was only the rest of the AIESEC International team who started laughing or did we just actually get on the wrong flight instead of Bucharest? Eventually, the flight stewardess announced that we have just landed in Bucharest, Romania. *Phew* We almost thought we were on the wrong plane and didn’t have the right visa with us.
That was just the start of yet an amazing reception in the land of Dracula… as we were welcomed by around 15 members from the Congress Committee with a serenade and a taste of a traditional Romanian cake. This one was all happening at the airport where we almost felt like we were received back in our homes.
Just 10 minutes away was the conference venue, so we can hear the planes taking off and landing. As we thought we had enough of the great reception, the food was even more amazing with a very filling Romanian dinner, and the surprises just kept coming. It was followed by some singing from the Congress Committee as we enter and “formally open” the temporary office of AIESEC International throughout the next 2 weeks.
Right now is just the great weather, with just –2 temperature compared to an extreme of -15 before just the day before we arrived. 2 days to go before the rest of the 150 delegates are arriving here in Romania and definitely it’s going to be more exciting than what it has already presented to us.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Chinese New Year in Rotterdam!!!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!!
For us in AIESEC International, the celebration started two weeks ago with the program I just stated in my previous post. Then we commenced tonight with making some dumplings on our own.... yes, as you can see I enjoyed making it as much as eating loads of it. :) It's never hard using chopsticks for as long as you're desperate to grab the food accordingly.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
2 weeks ahead of Chinese New Year Celebration
It's been a week now since we celebrated Chinese New Year at the AI office, thanks to our dear Chinese member Cliff who organized a weekend festivity around the Chinese culture. I have wanted to update my weblog with photos, but will keep you with some suspense as I am collating these photos for now.
Chinese New Year is officially going to be celebrated on February 7, and since we're busy preparing for the International Presidents' Meeting in Romania we had to celebrate it ahead of time and indeed get a chance to immerse in the Chinese culture, even for just a day.
January 29, Saturday
10am at the AI office-table tennis competition
12nn- tour around China town and eat at one of the finest Chinese Restaurant in Rotterdam
130pm-go around China town and buy stuff for Chinese cookout at the house
3pm-Liv joins the group in preparing for the dinner(yeah, it's a Saturday so I woke up late to catch up the early agenda)
6pm-starting to cook one of several dishes.... definitely a Chinese lauriat
7pm-people started arriving, but not yet finished with cooking
8pm-a talk around Chinese culture and getting to know the meaning of our Chinese names
9pm-people are hungry and finally every dish is ready to eat or ready for the hotpot
Chinese Dinner
Pineapple rice
Shitake Mushrooms with Oyster Sauce
Chinese Hotpot-cooking it your style with fish, pork, vegetables, tofu
And so I thought the day was over....
Unfortunately, our TV at the house is so "hi-tech", my magic didnt work with providing some free karaoke through my magic mic. Yet that did not stop people from really wanting to sing as Cliff had made his research around a karaoke about 15 minutes from the house. 10 people from different countries suddenly invading what seem to be a for "Chinese only" karaoke still manage to enjoy performing on stage with great songs. Yes, you read it correctly. As the people who had to sing had to go on stage along with 30+ other customers. That also meant waiting for so long before your next turn as each table take turns with 3 songs each. There were 4 tables, and as the only foreign group we couldn't sing with them at first since was all Chinese songs(it's not like karaoke in Philippines where even Chinese songs can be sang since it's not written in Chinese characters). It was either we just wanted to sing or we just really badly wanted to sing. :) We were there til about 4am just as the place was closing down already, to think that I thought I would only be staying til 1pm. hahaha!!!
January 30, Sunday
9am Finals for the table tennis at the AI office(sleeping beauty didn't wake up and neither could she play... I am not really a morning person on weekends so I missed watching it again)
12nn Chinese hotpot... still a lot of food to eat from previous night
4pm Chinese Movie-A World Without Thieves
It's a very nice movie depicting the two faces of China:one that we think China is and the one were most people in China are; the developed Beijing and Shanghai and the rest of China catching up with such development; the smart, fast paced, opportunists people and the innocent, laid back and naïve people.
Two partners in love and crime is meets in the train this farmer boy who believes he is living in a “world without thieves” as he is going back to his hometown with his hard earned money. This was just the contrary as not only was he actually befriending one of the greatest thieves in town but also attracts the other group of thieves when he shouts that he has 60,000 yuan but believes that no one would rob him.
I would highly recommend you to watch this film, especially if you are one of those who live in a world with thieves where life is not as simple as we thought it was when we were younger.
It was indeed a very great celebration not only tasting great Chinese cuisine, but also knowing the meaning behind our names in Chinese, talking about Chinese culture as well as seeing a movie that shows just what the China that is right now in a world of fast development and for some Chinese people, it's still a World without thieves.
Chinese New Year is officially going to be celebrated on February 7, and since we're busy preparing for the International Presidents' Meeting in Romania we had to celebrate it ahead of time and indeed get a chance to immerse in the Chinese culture, even for just a day.
January 29, Saturday
10am at the AI office-table tennis competition
12nn- tour around China town and eat at one of the finest Chinese Restaurant in Rotterdam
130pm-go around China town and buy stuff for Chinese cookout at the house
3pm-Liv joins the group in preparing for the dinner(yeah, it's a Saturday so I woke up late to catch up the early agenda)
6pm-starting to cook one of several dishes.... definitely a Chinese lauriat
7pm-people started arriving, but not yet finished with cooking
8pm-a talk around Chinese culture and getting to know the meaning of our Chinese names
9pm-people are hungry and finally every dish is ready to eat or ready for the hotpot
Chinese Dinner
Pineapple rice
Shitake Mushrooms with Oyster Sauce
Chinese Hotpot-cooking it your style with fish, pork, vegetables, tofu
And so I thought the day was over....
Karaoke time!!!
Unfortunately, our TV at the house is so "hi-tech", my magic didnt work with providing some free karaoke through my magic mic. Yet that did not stop people from really wanting to sing as Cliff had made his research around a karaoke about 15 minutes from the house. 10 people from different countries suddenly invading what seem to be a for "Chinese only" karaoke still manage to enjoy performing on stage with great songs. Yes, you read it correctly. As the people who had to sing had to go on stage along with 30+ other customers. That also meant waiting for so long before your next turn as each table take turns with 3 songs each. There were 4 tables, and as the only foreign group we couldn't sing with them at first since was all Chinese songs(it's not like karaoke in Philippines where even Chinese songs can be sang since it's not written in Chinese characters). It was either we just wanted to sing or we just really badly wanted to sing. :) We were there til about 4am just as the place was closing down already, to think that I thought I would only be staying til 1pm. hahaha!!!
January 30, Sunday
9am Finals for the table tennis at the AI office(sleeping beauty didn't wake up and neither could she play... I am not really a morning person on weekends so I missed watching it again)
12nn Chinese hotpot... still a lot of food to eat from previous night
4pm Chinese Movie-A World Without Thieves
It's a very nice movie depicting the two faces of China:one that we think China is and the one were most people in China are; the developed Beijing and Shanghai and the rest of China catching up with such development; the smart, fast paced, opportunists people and the innocent, laid back and naïve people.
Two partners in love and crime is meets in the train this farmer boy who believes he is living in a “world without thieves” as he is going back to his hometown with his hard earned money. This was just the contrary as not only was he actually befriending one of the greatest thieves in town but also attracts the other group of thieves when he shouts that he has 60,000 yuan but believes that no one would rob him.
I would highly recommend you to watch this film, especially if you are one of those who live in a world with thieves where life is not as simple as we thought it was when we were younger.
It was indeed a very great celebration not only tasting great Chinese cuisine, but also knowing the meaning behind our names in Chinese, talking about Chinese culture as well as seeing a movie that shows just what the China that is right now in a world of fast development and for some Chinese people, it's still a World without thieves.
