Second Day: Lecture, Heaven's Palace and lake

This night was plagued by my jetlag. I woke up at 4 and could not sleep anymore. So I was writing my blog about the First day offline that I just posted before. In general it is not easy to write a google blog since all google services are officially blocked in China. So it takes some effort to feed you with news and pictures :)

At 6.30 we got up, and I realized that we have a tiny garden in our room (!) Our room is in the basement, so we have no window, but we have this little garden looking thingy behind a glass wall (check out the pics).
After having breakfast (some pastry that I bought the other day), we headed towards university where we had a Tai Chi lesson (looks a bit like yoga to me) outside with a Chinese instructor. We had lecture afterwards of a Chineses teacher who has spent  20 years in the US and 20 years in China. He gave us interesting insights abour how economy actually works and he explained us the Chinese economy model. He made interesting remarks and compared the transition phase from a government controlled economy towards or more or less free market between the countries China and Russia. Whereas in China the transition still takes place, Russia tried to convert the economy within no time (and unfortunatley had to learn a lesson out of that).

After this course we had lunch at some place close to the university. For 2 € I got really full. We had dumplings, soups and other things and I have to admit it was really delicious :)

In the afternoon we went to Heaven's palace. It took us a while to go there with the bus because traffic is really horrible. However, this palace was amazingly huge und beautiful. It is a park that compromises several buildings and it takes hours to walk around (I guess we walked for 7, 8 km).

In the evening we took the opportunity to go to the lake where there are dozens of bars and restaurants to have some dinner. I have never seen so many colors and smelled so many different flavors at one place. Food there is overpriced, so after walking around for quite a while we only had some snack for 2 €.
What I disliked was that waiters and shop owners are very pushy and try to get you in the bars, but we always resisted and went on. There are also some women trying to lure you by saying "there is a ladybar, come with us". Well, that is obviously a strip bar I suppose, but could also be a trick maybe? It was just weird to be asked to come with them all the time we were walking around. We refused of course and went home by cab. Now I am writing this blog (it is 23.00) and will go to bed soon!

First Day: Arrival, first sightseeing and meeting with the class

Today we arrived at 5.20 morning, went to the hotel, however we could not check in. So Artan (my roommate) and I just dropped the luggage and went out. Everything is really different here, many small shope inside, but also outside selling fresh vegetables and fruits, but also all kinds of other stuff. I did not expect such markets to be around every corner. Furthermore, you can have dinner in so many different places that it is really hard to choose a restaurant!

Artan and I decided to find the university (UIBE) where we have the lectures. It is only 15 min. from the hotel away. It is a huge complex of buildings and enrolls 20.000 students (a small university for Beijing standards). We had a walk around there to find the meeting point for class meeting later on and found it after half an hour eventually. We checked out the students‘ cantine and went on to watch some Chinese students doing sports on the soccer field. At this point we realized how tired we are after this long flight so we headed back to hotel to learn that we need to wait another our (till 11.30) till our room was ready.

After a 2 hour sleep we went out at 14.00 to find a restaurant. We found a really good place for lunch opposite to the UIBE, but since we dont know Chinese, we simply pointed at the pictures in the menu. So I ordered (surprisingly) very spicy noodles with chickenliver, chinese dumpling and a cake. It was really delicious, eventhough I would not have ordered chickenliver if I would have knew that in advance J. After our culinary experience, we went back to pick up other class mates from the hotel and went to UIBE together to meet with our dean and our teacher at 18.00. A Chinese lecturer gave a short and friendly introduction and we got to know our program for tomorrow. We will visit some Austrian companies, have Tai Chi lesson in the morning, and a lecture. Furthermore we will visit Heaven’s palace ;)

First post from Beijing

After arriving at 5:20 at the airport and finding out that we can't check in the hotel yet, my roommate Artan and me decided to have a walk around and check out the UIBE University complex where we ll have our lectures :)

I am back! New Destination: Beijing

Well guys, it has been a long time since my last entry. In the meantime I was busy with university and other stuff (a lot of organizational issues for future trips, but pssss I won't let you know now where I will go next year, it is still a little secret for many of you).

I am going to Beijing this time! (I have never been that far, oh good god that will be a massive jetlag)
Most of you will wonder why my link is still "goingtosiberia.blogspot.co.at"... Well, I don't change it since this is the link that you saved on your browsers and notebooks, right? :P
Guys, also don't be confused about my title picture which shows the centre of Omsk in Siberia... just don't associate it with China and you'll be fine :)

So what am I doing in Beijing?
I am going on a field trip, organized by my university. All my colleagues from my study program participate as well (46 students + professors). This field trip is not about having fun and enjoyment only, but we're rather bound to a tight schedule including several company visits, mostly at Austrian companies, a visit at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and a visit at the Austrian Embassy in Beijing. Furthermore, there will be lecture taking place and even an exam at the end, compromising our learnings from the company visits, some papers and the lecture in China.
Besides these great opportunities to get to know to a great network of people who do business in Beijing and, there will several small excursions to the most important sights and monuments in, and around Beijing...

...therefore, expect pictures from:
- Temple of Heaven
- Summer Palace
- King Roast Duck (restaurant)
- Wangfujing Food Street
- Forbidden City
- The Great Wall
- UIBE (University, where there is the lecture)

Stay tuned ;)

Summary of the last days in Omsk

I have not been very eager to post anything new since I was busy during the last days in Omsk with organizing my trip back home as well as with the Russian exam at the language school and farewell partys. As I am writing, I am sitting at home in Austria already and look back to the last weeks as if it was the most interesting time in my life. It is the point of time in which I realize how far I really was away and how great the cultural differences actually are in comparison to Austria. It is also the point where I find myself in an extremly wealthy country where everything seems to work perfectly and where it is easy to live in. I have not seen my country like this before! But, how much energy and effort people need to keep things that perfect and stable? Could it be that many of us sacrifize to much of their life to make things that perfect and to earn more and more money? I don't think so, but I think that most people in the world try to improve their lifes, but it really matters in which country you try, it seems to me at least.  Maybe it is corruption that hinders the money flow to build up new infrastructure and to make thinks really better (of course we have corruption in Austria too, no doubt). So maybe it is something else that makes a difference? Certainly, a lot depends on equal distribution of wealth and certainly not every country is fair in this respect. But since I am not an expert, I stop my thoughts here and describe what I really have seen during the last days :) Pictures of course too!

After the last classes on Monday and Tuesday last week, we eventually had the Russian exam on Tuesday evening. The exam incluced a writing task, grammar test, listening comprehension as well as a speaking task. This exam was a little tricky, especially the grammar test, so I tried to be prepared accordingly and as it turns out, I received really good grades. But of course, in order to become fluent and close to perfect, there is a lot to do in the future (speaking about myself). It is just one step in a long process of becoming familiar with Russian language.
Just right after the exam our teachers were surprising us with self-made cakes and other Russian sweets. IOur teachers were awesome, but also eager to teach us. Anyway, that evening continued at the Karaoke bar in the city centre, where booze was served till also the shiest ones were singing. There were a lot of people: Austrian participants, Japanese ones, the Summer School organisation staff and others. It was a lot of fun and the only night we went out for quite long.
The next day, wednesday, we received the language certificate from the university and we went to the restaurant together with the teachers and the Summer School staff.
Thursday I was cooking for a friend (I really like cooking) and after my last Salsa dance lesson in Omsk, we were hanging out in a little theme park close to river Irtysh. We had a walk there and enjoyed the view as well as the sunset from above the ground (big wheel!).
Friday.... the last day of my trip. Still a great day! We (7 people) went to the traditional Russian Sauna. It was a seperate place where we as a group had our own Sauna, showers, relaxing room and also a small wooden pool (looks like a huge wine barrel). There we also could order tea, but what was more interesting was the Russian tradition in a Sauna. People beat each other using perch tree sticks with leaves on them! That was weird but also fun at the same time. It is said that it is good for the skin to use thes perch tree sticks. And if you are gentle you can even leave this place without a scratch. Great! (Little note for Finns who may read this blog: It is a mixed sauna, but everyone is covered)

And now some of the pictures:

After the exam with our three teachers

Karaoke bar "Abcento More"

Best singers in our group

Last salsa dance lesson (Thank you Masha and Olga)

Walking in the park

River Irtysh in the back

On the Big Wheel

Novosibirsk trip

On thursday evening I went by night train to Novosibirsk. Going via night train is an interesting experience indeed. Despite that it is not that easy to sleep (cars are open, no seperate train within the cars), it is comfy in a way I did not know before. For example you can get hot water in the train to have a cup of tea, you can enjoy reading books (like I did, a book with stories in Russian) or you just enjoy the view as long as it is not dark. The travel by train took about 7-8 hours and I arrived in the morning at Novosibirsk. There I went to the hotel, just opposite to the station, and left my luggage in the room. Luckily, the hotel is very close to the centre and there is even a metro station close by. The hotel itself was better than expected. Usually I would go in a hostel, but because of price differences it felt very cheap for me to stay in the hotel so I took the opportunity and benefitted from the better safety of my luggage.
Walking through the streets of Novosibirsk while observing the surroundings was an adventure for me as a European. The city centre is vivid and full of people, attractions and full of little modern monuments (such as a traffic light monument, an internet monument and so on). I suggest that after 2-3 days you have seen most of the sights in Novosibirsk (including churches). I myself went to the Lenin Monument, the Opera, traffic light monument to a gallery and two churches and went through the aisles to enjoy city life.

Pictures:

The train station in Novosibirsk looks like a palace

Lenin monument

Hotel building to the left just opposite to the station

Mc Donald's?

Metro

St. Alexander Nevsky church

Metro

Umbrella monument

Ilussion gallery

Metro (note the top symbols from soviet times) 

Nikolai chapel

My birthday and "talent" show

Yesterday (12.08) was my birthday, so we had a little party at the Ukrainian Restaurant "Shinok" in Omsk. I invited my new friends who I met here in Omsk from the university as well as students who participate in the same language program as I do and some people who I met during some of the excursions.
The atmosphere was great and I am really happy to say that I have made a good choice. The kitchen and the service were doing a great job so I really enjoyed my Ukrainian Borsh soup.
A little note: Consider typical stereotypes that many people created about Russia and you would think that vodka is present at any kind of party. In fact we only ordered wine and beer which fitted to the dishes we chose.

Really nice: Unexpectly I received several birthday presents: 2 books full of Russian stories (actually for children with big letters, so just right for me to practice reading as a beginner), a beer glass with a Russian idiom written on it, Kazakh chocolate and a book for praciting writing in Russian.

Find the pictures below and scroll down to read more about today (13.08)

My new friends and colleagues from the language program and other events

Tasting perfectly made Borsh soup with home mad bread and Smetana (Sour cream)

Today after classes we had a little "talent" show at the university were we had to briefly show some of our talents. Some read poems, one played the piano, some sang songs. Quite soon in the beginning of my trip in Russia, organisers of the summer school were asking us what are our hobbies so they found out that I play the drums. And of course they pushed me to show something, so I had no choice but to actively participate, but it was really good fun at the end :) Furthermore I was dancing Salsa, well, only after 2 lessons of practicing it was not looking that professional, but still a good experience.