We have a house!
I’m happy to inform all of you that me and my boyfriend are moving! We will be moving about 8 meters along the street to the family’s old house. The two-storey house was built in 1979 and my boyfriend used to live there when he was a kid. During recent years it has been rented out to two families, but starting from 1st of November, we will hold the keys. I’ve been living with my boyfriend and his family since beginning of the year. It’s been an interesting experience, actually much easier than I thought. But as an independent Finnish woman I need a place where my word counts. My…
Common questions in China and an interview
Pottery in Jingdezhen Today my guest post 5 common questions Chinese ask foreigners in China was published at China elevator stories. When you move to China you will quickly realize that Chinese are very interested in who you are and what you do. If asking complete strangers various questions isn’t familiar in your own culture, you might feel a bit strange during your first weeks in China. Just remember that they don’t mean any harm, it’s often just small talk or they want to learn more about thinking and customs abroad. When you prepare your trip or move to China, you can also prepare for all the questions you will…
Wow, I just became an interpreter
Interpreting between Finnish and Chinese while eating cake and chocolate cookies, could have been a dream one year ago, but was completely true just last week! From Monday to Friday I interpret for a Finnish teacher who was helping out at a social enterprise, the Emmaus Bakery. The bakery was founded by Huiling, an organization that offers services and job opportunities for mentally disabled persons. I’ll tell you more about the bakery soon, but first we will take a look how my week of interpreting went. I had accompanied customers before to wholesale markets, but last week really put my Chinese skills to a test. Interpreting isn’t easy as you…