August 15, 2007

So quite a bit has happened, but I forgot most of it already. haha. So I'll try to go through a run-down with what has happened lately.

Research wise, I basically got a lot done. I'm getting some data, that is something but still sort of useless since I don't having any of the docking data. Mainly just waiting around for my simulations to finish. Taking about 21 days for them to run. Trying to get one job for one of my simulations working on a UCSD cluster, but haven't been able to get my job script working. Well that's to be expected since I'm not a CS major and I'm having trouble contacting the people in UCSD about it. So yeah, that's about it for research (the short version at least).

Now something I really wanted to talk about was how recently the blogs were removed from the PRIME website. I've had a lot of time to reflect about this, and it's something I feel I would like to express, and I feel many other students feel also. Although I understand the reasons why they were taken down, I feel that this should have been foreseen - referring to the reason of safety and personal information in the blogs. Talking to past people about the program, apparently this sort of personal information in the blogs have surfaced before; not safety wise though from what I now, but there might be. Anyways, these blogs I feel were created solely for the PRIME program since I felt like I was indirectly asked to make one. So I made a website and a blog just for the program. Even though it was not in the requirements, I was under the impression that it was sort of expected from us in an off the record way. And now that the blogs have been taken down for reasons that I thought were obvious, I am quite disgruntled. I don't believe I was ever mad, but I do believe that before and still now I am irritated. So yes, I just wish such an obvious thing like PERSONAL information in PUBLIC blogs would've been considered earlier in the beginning of the program. So that is my schpeel about this topic.

So Ryan's gone from the program, a little sad about it. I thought it was quite sudden how he had to move out. Basically, the night before he moved out, he just told me he was moving out. It was quite sad how sudden it was. At least he's still in Beijing.

And now since the program is over, I guess it's time for some thinking about where I am. So I have learned a lot. I guess everyone does that. So I'll make it short. blah blah blah Bl- blah blah BLAH! haha Going into this program in the beginning, I would've like to go down under in Australia, just to go down under, or go to Japan since for the whole school year before I was in a Japanese lab, and at least I would've had some connections in Osaka. And in my first couple weeks in China I have to admit that I was quite envious. But now, I don't think I am since a lot of what I have learned has come from a different side. Instead of just being exposed to a new culture, I have been exposed to a, I don't know... ghetto lifestyle. My bathroom floor floods all the time. I am used to being splashed with some funky China puddle water stuff all the time. Stepping on spit. Seeing little kids take little cream or brown colored poops on the streets (man I wish I had pictures of these things. I just saw one today!). People laying on China streets. Almost getting hit by cars all the time and always getting honked at. Now looking back at what I've just written, this does make China look pretty bad. But I don't think that's necessarily the right way of thinking at it. I think this is just one way of seeing how much I've been blessed with, and something that I have always taken granted before in my life. So I think living in would at least I call a "ghetto" environment for my high American standards has taught me a lot. And this is why I'm now happy for being here in China

Back to what I've experienced. Saw the new Harry Potter movie in a real Chinese theater. It was okay; lots of technical glitches though with the movie. The theater was in this huge shopping building. I think it was about 5 floors. I finally found out where people our age spend their time other than internet cafes in China. They go to the freaking arcades! Never knew that. The shopping there was really expensive; about American price for stuff. Got some LEGAL dvd's there - 300 and City of Angels. Watched them, and I got to say I am a little irritated since they censor stuff of the dvd's. Mainly the nude/sex scenes, but I still got to say that I am annoyed since I never asked them to censor or cut my movies. I just feel like my movies have been violated in one way or another. So lesson learned, don't buy legal dvd's here in China. Who knew? haha I think it's interesting how rude people in China can be, even in the rich areas like this high class shopping mall. When we left the theater from the fifth floor to get out of the building, the elevators got packed. Well so when I got on the elevator, where I was one of the first people to get on, like usual the elevator became overweight and wouldn't budge. So people just stood there for awhile not wanting to get off. Out of courtesy, I just got off the elevator out of free will to help everyone out and waited for the next one, even though I was one of the first ones to get on the elevator. I mean I don't mind getting off; I just think it's I think odd how not even the rich people in China have much courtesy, like the last people onto an elevator to get off so that it would move.

Did some more shopping in the Wu Dao Kou street earlier too. Sort of like Silk Street, but more for locals. Got a pair of fake Aeropostale shorts for $7, and got some good gel pens there for about 10 cents each. If anyone needs stuff there, you can tell me if you really want to. Hey, it'll just be a fun excuse for me to go shopping. haha

Found a random mall underground in the Tech district by my place. I know, a random mall that I never knew existed. But in my defense, it was underground. I usually don't look underground for a whole mall. haha Lots of expensive stuff there. Apparently there's Playboy shoes. Wanted to get some, but they don't have them in my size. Dang it. I plan to go there and do some shopping. Wow I love shopping. I finally found a decent Hello Kitty store there. So going to buy a lot of stuff there. Not for me of course, but for friends back in the U.S. Plan to go back there tomorrow and buy some stuff when I watch Transformers with a co-worker there.

So what else has happened? Went to English Corner again (a place where Chinese people go to practice their English on Friday nights). I basically went there because I wanted something to do and I was pretty much bored out of my mind in Beijing. Just wanted to listen to people and laugh how people crowded around people with light skin (denoting that they're Caucasian). Weren't that many foreigners there as last time. Out of curiosity there though, I wanted to see how long it would take to build a crowd if I made it known that I was American. So started speaking, and then lost count. But I was told I was able to make the crowd in about 1-2 minutes supposedly. Planning to go back there again this Friday to try it out again.

I finally got my trip after my work at CNIC ends arranged. I expect it to cost a little over $1000. This is in U.S. money, not RMB; so that's quite a lot. First going to Xi'an for one quick day to see the terracotta statues (the statues of a chinese army). Then going to Chengdu, for some good old food and tea houses. Apparently there are a lot of "beautiful girls" there as I'm told by locals here. Eh, don't really care, got a girlfriend back in the U.S. Then going to Huang Long and Jiu Zhai Gou. Two nature areas that are supposed to be really beautiful and famous. A lot of Chinese film scenes are filmed there, such as the lake scene in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon where they fight is in Hang Kong. Then, I am going to go to Yangtze River cruise. And FINALLY I get back to my roots in Shanghai. Planning to do A LOT OF SHOPPING THERE! HAHAHAHAHA And I'll finally be able to understand people there in good old Shanghainese. Zei wei Beijing and nong hao Shanghai! hahahahahaha So excited! I will finally be able to UNDERSTAND PEOPLE! And people will at least have some fashion sense there. So obviously, really excited for my trip and getting out of this forsaken, boring city called Beijing. I wish the program was in Shanghai, but that would never happen since probably no one would be able to understand sanghai eiwu there.

So soon until the program is over. So soon until I'm in Shanghai. So I can't wait.