Hi guys, its been almost 11 days since I'd last updated the blog. I didn't even realise this delay until it was pointed out by Bimal, so you can thank/blame Bimal for this blog being written.

Before I start, I have to say that I am very upset by the lack of comments on the last blog - is this perhaps an indication that you find the blog boring and have given up reading it? I hope not, but don't hesitate to make any criticisms (constructive or not) on my writing.

This has been a quiet week (as weeks in China come) and it suddenly dawned on me that I've been here for about 6 weeks. That's quite a scary thought, considering that my stay is only around 4 and half months. Time is just flying by and I'll be back in the UK before you know it.

Commiserations to my friends who are India cricketing fans - I would make some witty remark, but if you saw the England performance against Israel, you know that I have no right to do so!

As I said before it has been a quiet week - partly due to the uncertainty of my financial status due to the loss of my wallet, partly due to tiredness and partly due to The Sopranos.
I always spend a lengthy period of time, talking about the programs that I've watched, and if you remember, at the time of the last blog, I was struggling with 24. Since then, I have given up on 24 and started on some of the best TV I have ever seen.
To any fans of The Godfather, Goodfellas, etc - this is the most fun, gripping series you will ever see. It has now changed my lifetime;s ambition from being rich, to being rich and a mafiosi!

In terms of food, sadly, for the first time this trip, I ordered a vegetarian meal and found a piece of meat in it. I knew that this was an inevitability at some point during my stay in China, but I had so far been lucky.
I have also discovered this amazing Japanese chain called Ajisen Ramen. I have heard that this chain is franchised worldwide (just not in the UK) but I think that I have fallen in love. For this place, think Wagamama, but more authentically Japanese.
My cooking has progressed, to the extent that I purchased a new wok the other day, which I used for the first time yesterday.


The weather is quite strange at the moment. From being bitterly cold and windy, just a couple of weeks ago, it now alternates between tropical humidity and long spells of rain. I heard that its been snowing back home, I feel for you guys.

This week, I have also found a local Chinese student to practise Chinese with. Following my frustration with my ineptitude at the Chinese language, I took the initiative of putting up posters in the Chinese dorms, looking for a local student/victim to practise my Chinese upon. The result has been 3 to 4 texts a day, from Chinese students, in normally quite hilarious English, advertising their merits as a teacher. I did the right thing, and picked the first student to reply, and had my first private Mandarin lesson on Thursday.


Mum and Dad are going to be visiting China in a couple of weeks time, so I will be spending the weekends with them. Its quite exciting for me now.

Basketball keeps getting better and better, and now, we are playing with and against Chinese students, and matching the poorer ones for skill. Who knows, I may be the first Indian in the CBA!!!!
The international students also had a football match against the staff and we got beaten 4-1. I maintain that the reason we lost, is because we wanted good grades in our summer exams, not because we were abysmally poor.


There's not that much else to say really - I hope that everyone has a good week and a good easter. And please, feel free to leave comments (you don't even have to register to do so)!


Missing you all lots,

Lots of love,

Nihal