Okay, both Helen and I have decided that we shall try to update blog as often as we can, but seriously we don't know what we can write about. So we shall just try~ Plus it was a busy week for me. For example, I spend yesterday washing flowerpots and other things, Autoclaving them blah blah blah. Today, I spend it watching my RO and mentor battle a sheep. Yes, a sheep. They rear one in the crop field, and they're trying to battle it for some saliva. I know, weird. But they still do, in the process, i heard the sheep snore. Guess it got tired of struggling as well. Then use liquid nitrogen, trust me it's cold enough here without the nitrogen. We're spending our nights watching movies that we got from the public system here, and depending on whether our mentor need our help tomorrow, we shall plan a trip. We intend to go back to Xidan again (My Korean wholesale and DVDs) for of course shopping. It's either that or we'll get stuck in the lab again. Peking duck is on Sunday, which is long awaited. But all is not confirmed. While i'm typing this, my mentor is stoning in front of the laminar flow hood waiting for samples to be due, i'm updating this at 5pm, time to leave, but Helen's still not here. The samples are to wait until 5.30pm. Before we can start on anything else... how bored can that get. Well, we have a weekend update ready but we're not posting because it's on my laptop and the computer in the lab is not willing to read thumb drives, so basically there's nothing we can do about that, until one of us has got time to go to another place to update. Since we're in different lab, i don't know what's going on upstairs (Helen's lab) so that part you guys have to ask her, but i heard alot of HPLC, here in my lab, it's PCR all day long. But there's a bit of a difference, we're creating a library of things, i have no idea what, so don't try to ask me.... That's it, BYE! Off to green house for sample collection
16:55
Tuesday, 21 October 2008 21 October 2008
Went to visit my plants today, I planted on Culture Media (NA) last week. And well due to the environment and 'special' issues, it wasn't done in a BSC. Surprisingly, out of the 6 dishes that we planted, only 2 have got tiny moulds in it, and it's due to the seeds. It was quite a success, my mentor says that we should be moving it out in about 4 more days. I took a photo of it! Which is the wrong example cause I planted them too close together. But still, it's not that bad. I'm currently doing PCR and while it's runing I'm taking the time off to blog about it. Haven't done this for quite some time so my memory is seriously failing, only ELISA is in my brain right now. PCR, the only thing that comes to my mind which links is the pregnancy kit thing. Which I suppose is the right thing to think about. Went to attend a lecture by a professor from Netherlands just a few minutes ago, reason why I came back so early? Because 1, my mentor's sleepy (a whole night of train ride), 2, I don't know what he's talking about... Guess it fits, it's PHD level around here and we're like high schoolers, really hard to understand. Well, it's about time that I go for lunch, things are starting to get busy around here. Projects are all starting, so I don't think there's going to be alot of updates but we'll try.
10:58
Monday, 20 October 2008 20 Oct 2008
Today was quite a boring day, spend the time running PCR. No one was free to bring us out to lunch so we're off on our own. Currently deciding if we should eat in the school or outside, since we're out of breakfast. If we went out to buy, that'll mean it's too dark outside for us to go eat anywhere else. It's not exactly a tough question but we have lots to think about.
13:20
19 Oct 2008 - A Unique Place To Tour!
We woke up early again this morning, but instead of the normal tour that everyone expect us to go, we took a trip to the local hospital.Wondering why? Nah, we're not down with any weird disease or vomiting like crazy. I happen to be down with a cold, might be because I'm not used to the sudden change of weather during noon and nights, it gets quite drastic around here. And Helen, she's itching… We don't know the reason at first but the doctor says it's because of allergy so there. It's quite an interesting place, messy, noisy, and stinky even. Oh, did I mention that I did a blood test? It's for blood count, to see if my cold's infectious, but it turns out all right. As for Helen, well we still don't know what she's allergic to but I serious suspect that it's the blankets. That patch of yellowish unknown stain there is possibly infectious. Let's not change the topic about hospitals; anyway, they have different departments in various places quite far from each other too. We ended up in different places and the poor senior who brought us there have to run up and down to meet both of us. This trip to the hospital took us nearly 3 hours to completely finish what we're supposed to be doing there. It's quite a terror and a pain for both of us; I don't ever want to go there ever again. Let's just hope the medication that I have works pretty well, if not I'll have to start on the antibiotics that I brought from home. I guess today will be spend by us in bed or watching DVDs that we bought yesterday while shopping. Somehow, I'm tempted to go chew on that hard but nice buttered bread, tag if you want me to bring you a packet. It taste really good as compared to the ones we have at home. Did took photo of the hospital, it's too complicated to start with, all that people and old lady trying to cut your queue giving you stupid excuses like "I'm old" or "I'll faint after a blood test" (when they haven't had one at all). What can you say? You're in a foreign country so I just let one or two pass, then for the rest, I'll just pretend that I didn't understand what they're saying. Which again brings me to another topic which I would post on another day because right now, I'm too tempted to go chew on that bread and also at the same time go watch "Fly Daddy, Fly" Lee JunKi!!!!!! Okay, I'm over my top, would you believe me if I tell you I'm high on Chinese medication?
13:10
18 Oct 2008
Waking up at 8am, finally our first weekend! After a quick change, we're on our way out to town!But things is not as easy as you think, in order to reach the famous town area of Xidan, we have to take a bus down to the train station, then take train 13, then transfer to line 2 then again to line 1 before we finally arrive at the shopping paradise. Our first destination was a stuffy building where things are not as cheap as what we think, so we decided on window shopping instead. Brunch was taken at Mr. Pizza which is almost equal to Pizza Hut, BUT it took long enough to arrive, we're hungry! Window shopping continued after food. Our next stop was the National Centre for the Performing Arts but just the outside, it's a lot like our famous durian shell only, it's smooth. Next stop, which is really close by, Tian An Men. It was very crowded but still very nice, we saw the famous photograph and I have to say it's quite different from the history textbook that we once stress over. Dinner was at Wang Fu Jin, steamboat! A warm meal in a cold night, want to know what we had? Too bad, we're not sharing! Well, that's about all for the day… We walked the dark path back to our hostel, and the night here are seriously cold, and it might have something to do with the fact that we're on fragrance hill/mountain…
13:05
Thursday, 16 October 2008 16 Oct 2008 - Tour of our room!
Today is our 4th day here in Beijing, Wondering if our lives is good? Well, to tell you the truth! It's NOT!
We have lived 3 days without water in the toilet. And we actually have to apply for a water card and electricity card, which is something like a pre-paid bill for usage. Can you imagine 3 days without water? Can't shower, can't go to the toilet, can't wash your things… it's basically a horror. But we finally manage to get it done today, Hooray! Well, we're having good complexion now, but that's no secret. Just use ice and rub it on your face every morning. It's what we do, the water in the public taps are freezing cold, worst than ice I believe. But what choice do we have, to be clean or to withstand the cold. It obvious which one we choose. From what we're told, we can only use the heater from 15 Nov onwards, which means it is cold nights for the both of us… As I promise, here are the pictures!
This is my side of the room, and this is Helen's side of the room! Oh, but this is not the main point! Let's take a look at what we're sleeping on! I should say that this is the best part… or the 2nd best actually.
See the thin layers? But that's not all; let's have a close up view shall we?
I believe I don't have to mention the "goodness" of it all. But from what we heard, these blankets were borrowed from somewhere else the next batch of students coming here might even have to bring their own blankets along, so there goes the burst for 20kg luggage weight limit. Next, I will be showing you the proudest moments of our stay here… or at least the proudest till now. It's the photos from Day 1! As we got a brand new hostel, where no one has lived in before, there's quite a bit of cleaning that we have to do. So, I took the before and after photos of the toilet. Which we both think is a classic! Please note that none of these photos have been edited (other than re-size)
This is what it looks like when we first step into the room! I'm hoping we'll have the same reaction… Now, let's move on to 4 hours later, the same place, the same things…
Both of us feel very proud of ourselves at these results, it feels better than drinking cold soda on a very warm day. Well, I hope the tour of our room was enjoyable.
Serena
14:24
Wednesday, 15 October 2008 15 Oct 2008
It's my turn to update! I shall be very simplified in this, Day 1 = Horror but still fun Day 2 = Interesting Day 3 = Labwork It's a different experience from back home but still enjoyable (the above does not include the weather). We should be uploading photos very soon, which is once i move my own laptop into the office. Currently i borrowed from my mentor. People here are very nice, they try to help whenever they can. Provide information when needed, help to settle the administrative things that needs to be done. Can say it's been alot easier with them around. :) Shall update again with photos next time!
Serena
16:51
15 October 2008
By the time we reach the apartment it was already 4pm. The person in charge show us to the room to my horror :o the room is really dirty. Drainage in the bathroom is blocked. As what the person in charge said it is a new apartment so we 2 have to do all the clean up. By the time we finish is already 8pm the sky is very dark. no chance go out so stay in room eat cup noodle. weather here - in the afternoon not really cold only at night or early in the morning very cold. Bath with ice water, got heater but no hot water no choice bath with ice water. Suppose the teacher should come at 8.30am but he is one hour late. Walking distance from the apartment to the school is abt 20 min. When we reach the school they give us a letter then we go police station register by the time we are done is around 12pm my friend and i went to the a near buy shop to buy our daily use. The deptment store don't provided plastic bags they charge u at 0.30rmb for one. Then proceed for lunch. i ate fried rice very oil. Then we walk back to our apartment distance abt 25 mins walk. Put down our things return back to school. Teacher ask us to see him at 2pm but he is late again. Haha... Then we are apoint to different deptment. I'm arrange to botanical dept. They due with plants and fruit. First day in the dept they didn't ask me do anything. Tat is why i can email u. Haha.. In our room there is no internet n no Tv. No pic at the moment. Ya! People here is rather friendly.
