Ni hao!!

Hope everyone is good! Its November 17th here~ woop woop! 1 more day till my birthday!!! We have plans to go to KTV (big karaoke bar across the road from my house) and then go out clubbing! Can't wait!!

This week seems to have gone super fast, I guess its all the childish excitement I have stored for my birthday!!!

LAST WEEKEND: Last weekend I decided to go out on the town Friday and Saturday night, as I hadn't been out in ages!! My friends reccomended a bar named Xiu Bar in the business area of Beijing - and I am glad that they did! It was incredible!! It was a band from America singing covers of all the recent songs, but they were the best cover band ever! and they danced with such energy! The whole place was packed, and everyone loved it! I am tempted to go back this weekend for my birthday!!!

Also this weekend I met up with my friend Brenden and our new friend Frankie, who we met at the gym! He is chinese, but lived in the UK for 3 years - so likes to practice his English by hanging out with us. :) I'm sure he also likes our company a little too. lol. He invited me and my friends to a international singles party. The date 11/11 is incredible lucky for single people in China and as the date was 11/11/11 everyone was going crazy!! This party was for single people to (and I quote) meet their wives and husbands?! I was dubious that I would meet my future husband there.. but I went along anyway! And I was right, .. i did not! lol. There was around 200 people there, but they were all so timid and shy (just like me - which would never have worked. hah). Me and Brenden spent our whole night watching them attempt to flirt. They are so shy, it was extremely painful to watch! So different from a singles mixer in the UK!! So me, (being me) drinks a few too many free wines and gets up on the dancefloor (which no-one else is on by the way) and I boogie by myself - with 200 people watching! I then have a little chat to the host, who has a microphone and convince him into handing it over to me! At this point I am shouting (mcing) over the music things like "Put your hands up for Beijing, I love this city" etc.. and the host has a really hard time of getting it back! hahahha! I also shout things in my limited Chinese such as "I am a teacher" and "I do not speak Chinese". lol. :s

TALKING TO LOCALS: The Chinese who speak English are desperate to practice speaking with you, its quite sweet - if not sometimes a little annoying! Me and George, with big hangovers went out for lunch the other day when the restuarant owner got all excited to see us - and got onto his mobile phone. He telephoned his friend who lives 20 minute cycle ride away that he had to come and speak to us!!! Bless him!!! He was an old fella... who said he hadn't spoken English for 15 years. He was smiling from ear to ear, and said that we had made his day! bless! He said he works 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week as a security guard! Made me feel bad for complaining about working long school days :s

BUS - The bus drivers continue to hate me. A while back I mentioned that some try to close the door in my face (I don't think its deliberate.. think they just haven't seen me - but I've never seen it happen to anyone else :( .. they also refuse to stop at any stops that aren't official!!!! You can be running towards the bus, but it won't stop for you!! Today Katie laughed at me because the bus by our school drove past me even though I stood in the middle of the road, and looked pleadingly at the driver! The road was empty?! but he refused and drove around the corner to the bus-stop. We didn't make it in time, therefore we had to wait for the next one!!!! :(

RAIN: It properly rained today for the first time in ages. Apparently it never rains in Beijing - just a little sometimes, and me and my friend Eduardo call it "Government rain".. a little rain in the morning, which we suspect has been orchestrated to keep Beijing looking green! haha


Hope everyone is good! Keep me posted what is happening in the UK.

Love Love Emma.x