Nothing

The last few days, and probably for the rest of this week, have been and will be quite. I really need to conserve money, given I don’t have a job yet. And I have to leave the country every 40 days! Flights aren’t that cheap. I’m of to Hong Kong for 3 nights on the 6th Feb. Looking forward to that.

I’m thinking of going to Mongolia in March, and possibly Singapore in April. But those trips depend on if I get a job.

I got to go to the city the other night…was great to see Shanghai at night…so many lights…..but it sux though, cause at 2230Hrs, the building lights switch off….and all you have left is street lighting. We were at a pub type restaurant….the food was shite! Anywho….as the guys got drunk, I left to get some night shots before the lights were off….I got there on time, and was an awesome sight.

But that night I saw one of the saddest things I have seen. In Shanghai, there is a lot of modernity and extravagance. But also, around you, there is poverty….especially in the city. As I walked up the stairs of the Underpass to arrive at The Bund….on the steps, was a lady, shaking back and forth. I just got a glimpse of her face. It was disfigured. It was a horrible moment. I got to The Bund, and started taking photo’s. As a typical human being, I forgot what I had just seen.

I stayed there for about 20 mins before the lights went off, and headed back to the pub. I had to go via the underpass. On my way to the underpass, some lady offered me “lady massasge” and sex! “Buyao” I said….”I don’t want”….and continued onto the underpass. As I walked down the stairs, this time with my camera around my neck, I remembered the disfigured lady. She was still there, shaking and almost pleading. And she saw me. We were eye to eye, and at that point, I almost felt like collapsing and crying. For she straight away covered her face with her hand. As if she was ashamed to have me look at her. Her face is horribly disfigured. Imagine having to feel like that. Ashamed to face the world. Imagine having to live that. It was a sudden realisation of how lucky I am. Even as I type this, I am haunted by that scene. This poor lady with no help from anywone. One hand missing, a disfigured face. Shaking and begging on the steps of the underpass to The Bund….in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

I’ll prob spend the rest of this week trying to do my assignment to the course…onto Assignment 2 now, but I’ve been procrastinating. 8/10 for assignment 1…though only questions for that one. Then on Friday, SW and I are lucky enough to be heading off to Beijing….it’s going to be even colder than here. Apparently there is going to be a -14 when we’re up there!! But can’t wait to see the Great Wall, and forbidden city and Tianamen Square….should be cool. We went and bought some “real fake” clothes the other day to keep us warm….So North Face jackets and stuff…..you really just can’t tell that it’s fake….

Hopefully my photo’s during the trip are better, cause this week’s photo’s have been really really crap.

That’s it for now…of too wash dishes….

Zai Jane/Hooroo