Fresh Imported Goods: general

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

10:00 AM -

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?

Thursday, August 21, 2014

9:21 PM -

general

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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!