The Great Wall of China

 Ni hao!

 We had all been looking forward to New Year's Day when we would be visiting the Great Wall of China. We set off by coach in the afternoon.

 I brought some cereal to eat for my lunch on the way: I had recently discovered cereal on sale in the Students' Supermarket and it was nice, although slightly different in taste to the cereal I'm used to - slightly sweeter, I think.

 We drove into the mountains and the scenery was lovely; also, it was striking how fast the landscape changed once we got out of the city, from busy and metropolitan to wild and sparse and rugged and beautiful.

 Here are some of my photos of the Great Wall excursion  some are of the Wall itself and some were taken from the Wall looking down into the valley. Enjoy!

Graffiti

The lovely April

 I bought a lovely wall hanging of the Chinese Zodiac at a little shop at the base of the Wall, then we went back in the coach to BNU, very cold but so happy to have seen one of the most incredible structures in the world.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Hello from China!

 Hello, world!

 I am writing to you from Beijing! It is my second day here - I arrived early yesterday morning after what was by far the longest journey I'd ever made in my life. 

 I'd been to some amazing places - Barcelona, Montpellier, Paris, Brussels - but I had never been outside of Europe before Friday. So it feels like a milestone in my life, to have travelled this far, to a new continent!

 First I flew from Manchester to Amsterdam, then from Amsterdam to Moscow. I had a bit of a wait in Moscow Airport so I had a look around. There are a lot of near-identical licence-frees selling chocolate, Russian stacking dolls, wooden Santas and little painted boxes, which I may be tempted to buy on the way back. 

 I then flew on to Beijing. This last flight was seven hours long, which is shorter than those of some other people I've spoken to, but still it was a lot for me to cope with, considering the longest flight I'd been on before this trip was probably about two hours long. I tried to sleep, which was difficult, and at one point I woke up suddenly and spilt my cup of water all over myself, which was not a very nice experience. 

 But at least I had an amazing new book to read: Origins, the third in a trilogy of books called the Fourth World trilogy, by the brilliant Kate Thompson. I heartily recommend these books; they are about what makes us human and where we came from, and they contain some very out-there ideas that will really make you think. Thank you so much to my Mam and Granma for getting me this wonderful book.

 Finally we reached Beijing and I was able to say I had been in the two biggest countries in the world (by land area)  in twenty-four hours, which is pretty amazing. My world has suddenly got a lot bigger.

 I got a taxi to the accommodation at Beijing Normal University, and as we were driving along I got my first glimpses of China through the windows. It was very snowy, and there were trees that looked new to me, which were quite pretty. I also saw two magpies, which I will take as a good omen. I was a bit surprised to see magpies so far from the UK. 

 I slept for most of yesterday, then today I met my room-mate  also called Elizabeth, and some of the others on the Study China programme. We ate together in the University canteen; I had some kind of meat with rice and it was very nice. 

 We ate with chopsticks which was a bit of a challenge! When I tried I couldn't hold them properly, but one time I picked them up absently-mindedly after we had been talking and started eating and I realised I could do it! Must have been in my subconscious somewhere.

 We then went to a little supermarket and it was amazing - it looks from the front like a small shop but inside it's really big! I bought some lemon cookies and they are delicious, some bread/cake that looked interesting, and some coconut-flavour Ferrero Rocher-type things which were also very nice. 

 Tomorrow we have our opening ceremony, which I am looking forward to. It is so amazing being in China, and I can't wait for the lessons to begin! I am studying Mandarin Chinese as well as a module on "China's Economic Development and Current Issues," which should be fascinating.

 Beijing is beautiful, especially at night with all the lights, and I hope to be able to upload some photos soon.

 Thank you for taking the time to read my blog,

 Thank you especially to my brother for sending me the very first Chalet School book which I had wanted for ages to be able to read but couldn't get hold of.

 Thank you to everyone who has sent me lovely, kind emails - computer access here is difficult at the moment but I will reply to each of you individually when I can.

 Love to you all,

 Liz x

The night before

 Hello!

 A bit about me: my name is Liz, I am eighteen and I am a student of French and Spanish at the University of Manchester. Since April I have also been studying Mandarin Chinese at night school, and I am fascinated by the Chinese language and culture.

 So when I received an email telling me about the Study China programme, which is managed by my university, I thought it looked like a wonderful opportunity, and I applied to take part in it. After sending off the application form, I had a telephone interview, and then I got an email telling me that I had been given a place on the programme!

 I was amazed and delighted. Not long afterwards, I found out that I was destined for Beijing, which was the city I had been hoping for, so I was even happier. The whole thing is so amazing - even now, the night before I am due to set out, I still cannot completely believe that I am actually going to China.

 I have never been outside Europe before, so this will be a big journey for me not only in terms of distance but also in terms of the difference in culture. I will get the chance to explore a country and a way of life unlike any I have ever experienced, and that will, I feel, broaden my horizons and teach me more about the world.

 One of the reasons why I applied for Study China was simply to go somewhere completely different to anywhere I'd ever been, and China promises to fulfil that wish. It will be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I feel so lucky and privileged to have had this opportunity. Thank you, Study China!

 So, the plan is that I fly out tomorrow, get there Saturday and have a day to get my bearings before the programme begins on Sunday.

 I can't wait to go to China, but I am rather nervous - this is the furthest from home I will ever have been, and the longest period of time - three weeks - for which I will ever have been away. I am really hoping I won't get too homesick, especially as I am staying over Christmas. However, I have been promised a second Christmas when I get home ♥

 I hope you enjoy reading my blog and joining me on my adventures! It promises to be the trip of a lifetime!

 Liz x