Friday, August 29, 2014

11:00 AM - No comments

~adult skills~: The Dreaded Phone Calls

Whether you’re applying for a scholarship, treating with customer service, or ordering pizza, at some point you’re going to have to call other people. And this will inevitably lead to (dun dun dun) interaction. For a lot of us, that can be really intimidating. I can wander around a store searching every shelf so I won’t have to ask a clerk, or waste precious battery on my phone looking at a map so I’ll be spared the agony of choosing an innocent passerby to flag down. I hate feeling like I’m being obtrusive, and the only thing I hate more than that is feeling like I’m being obtrusive on the phone. There’s something profoundly terrifying about casting a signal into a great void, and not knowing who or what is going to pick up on the other side.
admitting old, overused memes can still be on point is the first step to progress. for looking into the cat's face, we see our own.

But here’s the black-on-white: learning how to do these things is a necessity, and honestly? It’s going to make a lot of things much easier for you. Remember that it’s your needs and problems that are going to be met by doing these things: you’ll nail that scholarship, change that order, get that pizza, and all to your greatest satisfaction if only you dare take that step.

 It’s hard, though; I’m not going to pretend it isn’t. But the more you do it, the more you’re able to develop a strategy for dealing with those things you hate to do. Under the cut are some tidbits from mine.

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

10:00 AM - No comments

The 四一一

Knowing myself and my capricious habits quite well, I've been setting up a little bunker of posts to keep this blog running. If nothing else, I will probably be super busy once I get to Shanghai, which is within the next 10 days (!!!).

Back in July, before I even knew that I would get to go to Shanghai, a friend and I went on a trip to Beijing together. I've written several posts about my experiences there, and I'm scheduling one for every Monday. So for the next month and a half, in addition to all my new and shiny observations from the City-on-the-Sea, you can also expect some tidbits from North Capital, thrown in all higgledy-piggledy like so. Variation. It's good for you.

So, what else is going on?

  • Re: yesterday's post, I'm trying to apply for the financial support I'm entitled to from the Swedish state, but to do that I need someone from SJTU to fill in a form for me. I've been emailing and calling all manner of departments at SJTU, and no one is even answering. (*:･ﾟ✧CHINA✧･ﾟ:*) Are they still on vacation? I'll probably have to get everything done once I'm in China, and hope it works out for the best. Otherwise, I'll have barely enough money for food each month. Uuugh.
  • Haven't started packing at all, since part of my brain still hasn't accepted that I'm going to be leaving my house for 10 long months. Made a meager start by stacking 20-something books onto my bedroom chair, for future appraisal and suitcase-stuffing. We'll see which books make the final cut (and which clothes, as a result, do not).
  • Trying desperately to play as much Skyrim as possible, since I'm going to have to abandon my console save file and make a whole new one on my computer, just when I was starting to get somewhere. Move to Skyrim instead of Shanghai y/y?


Tuesday, August 26, 2014

7:54 PM - , No comments

Culture Shock: Dealing with Chinese Agencies

Applying for my scholarship has, honestly, been one of the most awful, gruelling things I’ve ever done. Partly it’s my fault: I’m bad at dealing with stress and uncertainty, especially when they’re all mixed up in a noxious cocktail. And partly, it’s because the Chinese system operates very differently from what I’m used to.

Quick recap of my situation: Along with a team of two other girls, I won a Chinese language competition and (I believed) a nice, juicy scholarship. I had much to learn in the radio silence that ensued. For about a year, I had no idea what I was entitled to, how to get it, or who was in charge. There seemed to be no information to be had, and nobody who could tell me where to turn. It did a real job on my nerves. But somehow (read: the neverending patience of my mom), some kind of clarity was finally gleaned from this ordeal, and I’ve learned a lot, too. Here’s a look at what to expect when you’re dealing with a frustratingly obtuse Chinese agency.

Don't let this be you.

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Thursday, August 21, 2014

9:21 PM - No comments

欢迎光临 (" 'sup, nerds")

Yo!

Name's Sophia, I'm 18 years old (allegedly an adult) and I'm moving to Shanghai, China in two weeks!

Dang.

So, recap: in a number of days that I can count on both hands and one foot, I'm going to travel across the world to study Chinese for one year at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. This blog is going to be all about my magical adventures as a huge dork in a strange land. I just need a stretchy yellow dog.

Since I enjoy blogging and have made a number of moderately (un)successful attempts in the past, what better moment would there be to start again? This way, everybody who wants to stalk me can do so, and I can keep myself occupied when I arrive in Shanghai alone and friendless, erm, I mean while I'm adjusting to my new life.

In this first post I'm going to set a goal for this blog: to post consistently until my year in China is over. This might mean every other day or it might mean once every other week, only time will tell. Besides my daily escapades, I'll try to keep the blog updated with stuff about China and the Chinese language, as well as some advice posts for people who might be in a similar situation. Also expect some general dicking around; you have been warned.

If anyone, on the off chance, is wondering who I am, here is a recent photograph:


But I ask you to please respect my true identity:


OK then, looks like we're ready to roll. Bookmark the page and refresh it 200 times a day. See y'all later!

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