I had a great time at our pre-Christmas party on Friday with my classmates (photo above), I ate delicious Korean food yesterday at my Finnish friend’s place and spoke to my family members through skype. I have my Christmas Tree and chocolate. But it’s not the Christmas I want. Christmas used to be magical time [...]
I just came back from the new HSK level five exam. I think it went ok, but I don’t want to be too optimistic and then be disappointed if I don’t even pass. I will get the results in month and will let you know how I did. Or if I don’t, you’ll know I [...]
Tomorrow will be the first time I try the new HSK exam. At the moment I have old HSK 5 level certificate and now I’m trying the same level on the new HSK. In this post I want to share how I prepared for the test and hope it to be helpful for other learners [...]
I have been very satisfied with my compulsory courses at the Sun Yat-Sen University, but I can’t say the same about my elective courses. I have to electives this term, Cantonese and Chinese calligraphy. The major problem on both of those courses is that there are way too many students in class. Cantonese course There [...]
The comprehensive course (综合) or intensive course (精读) in other words is the most information packed course we have at the Sun Yat-Sen University. We have intensive classes three times a week which makes up 27% of our total class time. The course includes new vocabulary, new grammar, reading, exercises and occasionally writing short essays. [...]
For some animal lovers the Yuehe Flower and Bird Market (越和花鸟鱼艺大世界) might be a paradise. Lots of different pets from cats and dogs to turtles, birds and squirrels. But to some animal lovers from the West it might be a terrible place. Too many animals in cages too small. Kittens looking sad and waiting for [...]
Usually I update about my daily life to my Finnish blog so my family and friends could read what is going on in my life. But yesterday Alexandra and Kelly asked me on Twitter how I have been doing these days. I decided to open a window to my boring life for all of you [...]
Update: My teacher gave me 89 points! Last time I wanted you to rate my spoken Chinese, now I let you to take a look at one of my essays in Chinese. I was really surprised when I got 89 points from my first essay at writing course (写作课). And even more surprised when [...]
In China if you have to apply or register to something, it usually includes a lot of paper work and going from place to place. Getting into Sun Yat-Sen University isn’t hard for foreign students, but it can be a hassle. Here’s how it happened with me this summer when I applied to the undergraduate [...]
My first week as a Chinese language undergraduate student is now over and I’m really happy I chose to study at Sun Yat-Sen University! The teachers are educated and know what they are doing. They are prepared for class and have a clear plan for the whole course. The courses are interesting and challenging. My [...]
During these few days I have been trying to register to the Sun Yat-Sen University. Trying meaning there are lots of other student doing the same thing and it’s just not possible to do it in one day. I will hopefully have everything ready today afternoon. Already in high school I dreamed about studying in [...]
Today I will answer some questions related to learning Chinese. I have been learning Mandarin Chinese for three years now and I’m on elementary level at the moment, going strongly towards intermediate. Here are some questions you typed to your favourite search engine before ending up to my blog. Can I trust Skritter? Seems like [...]
Let me start with a story from last spring. An Italian young man came to China as an exchange student to study Chinese. He and his fellow classmates enjoyed having fun on the weekends and usually headed to bars in downtown Guangzhou. He noticed that he got a lot of attention from Chinese girls just [...]
I visited Tai O fishing village last Tuesday while I was waiting for my passport in Hong Kong. If you want to see a different side of Hong Kong you should visit this charming place on the Lantau island. You can take the metro to Tung Chung station and take a bus number 11. You [...]
Two weeks ago I wrote about the Chinese supermarket experience and I would say that going to a Chinese bank is an interesting event too. I have an account in ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), but had some problems with it. When someone tried to transfer money to my account the bank said [...]
During day time the area around the north gate of Sun Yat-Sen University is quiet and peaceful. City worker sweeping the ground. Family members taking photos of each other. Small girls running around. Boys practicing roller skating. Schoolkids resting after school day and wondering what to do.
Still smiling few hours before scam number 2. Trying to act like a real expat! Earlier this week I told you how I ended up buying my camera in Guangzhou because the prices were the same (or higher) in Hong Kong. Other reason to do that was that I got fooled really badly while trying [...]
On Tuesday I compared the prices in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The conclusion was that even though there are rumors that cameras are cheaper in Hong Kong, there’s no need to rush there to shop. In the comments Mike reminded us that there are cheap stores in Guangzhou too, but you just have to know [...]
Here’s the Xiadu Street (下渡大街) that begins next to the apartment building I’m living in. It’s a shortcut to Lujiang metro station (鹭江站). Unfortunately I can’t see this village from my window, but when ever I walk through it, it reminds me of my first home in China in the Nanting village (南亭村). Lots of [...]
Buying camera in Hong Kong (if you live in Guangzhou like me) just isn’t worth the trouble. I noticed this last week when I was trying to buy a DSLR camera there and got fooled twice! Luckily I didn’t lose any money and it was almost fun to see what kind of tactics the sellers [...]
Life in China is full of surprises and adventure. Even when you visit the French supermarket Carrefour and head to it’s meat section. It’s not problem if you’re not sure what to cook or which ingredients fit together. You can just pick one ideal-meal-package that includes all the meat and vegetables you need! In Finland [...]
Air quality changes a lot daily in Guangzhou. So if you were worried about burning your self in the sun (because the sky is so blue), don’t worry the sky is back to normal! The photos was taken yesterday when the air quality was reported being moderate. I also went to Carrefour yesterday and spent [...]
Aimee from chinatravel.net contacted me last week asked if I would like to make an interview with them to their China Travel Blog. Of course I said yes and now you can read it here: Living & studying in Guangzhou: Finnish blogger Sara Jaaksola explains why life’s a dream in China You should also check [...]
Queuing in line and Chinese people are an interesting combination. Interesting is also Google Analytics that tells me by using which keywords you arrived to my blog. Among those keywords and phrases there are also lots of questions. I decided to answer to some of them because you were clearly looking for an answer and [...]
I just read he’s just not that into you last night and it’s a great book! I also recommend the movie for someone who is looking for the right one or is dating the wrong one or just for pure entertainment. I started thinking if there would be a China edition of this book, how [...]
Guangzhou isn’t the most polluted city in China (Linfen is) but it’s not known for clean air either. Recently I have paid attention to the blue sky, but I’m not sure is my memory short or have there really been a change. The picture was taken yesterday when the air quality was reported to be [...]
Look! I can actually see the Pearl River from my window. Finding an apartment to live in isn’t easy, and it can be far from easy when you are renting in a country that is still new to you. It was quite easy to find my first home in China, but because the room [...]
Holiday in Finland have been absolutely great. First Finland won ice hockey world championship on May 15th and then today was my little sister’s high school graduation (check out the photo!). Besides my sister I also have two younger brothers. I still haven’t figured out how to call my brothers in Chinese and be clear [...]
Before coming to Finland I spent almost five days with my friends in Hong Kong. I had been there before, but just for a short Business trip and saw only glimpse of Nathan Road. This time I was prepared to find out what Hong Kong really is and if I like it or not. Someone [...]
Points: listening/grammar/reading/comprehensive Yesterday I got the results from my third HSK exam. I bet most of you know about HSK, but the rest of you should know that it is official Chinese Proficiency Test. There is two versions of the exam, old and new, and they are quite different from each other. I took the [...]
Photo by Daniel Mohr Finland had the parliamentary election a week ago and it have been all over the news. I don’t mean just national papers, but also abroad. The third biggest party is now the True Finns and even I am truly a Finnish person, I can’t agree with some of the party’s values. [...]
One of my favourite blogs Confused LaoWai wrote about his Chinese proficiency according to Lingomi’s PRG scorecard for Mandarin Chinese. Looks like Neil is doing very well! Even though my Chinese isn’t quite there yet and it’s hard to rate one’s own progress, I wanted to try too. Writing Characters I have learned about 500 [...]
Many foreigners don’t like Guangzhou. Many Chinese learners think there is no point to study Mandarin Chinese in Cantonese Guangzhou. It does make more sense to study Cantonese in Guangzhou (which I’m doing by the way), but Guangzhou isn’t a bad city to study Mandarin either. I can answer in a simple way that in [...]
After spending my first spring in a dorm at the campus I wanted to have a real home. I rented a small apartment, meaning one room, from the nearby village and quickly started to call it home. I loved the place for many reasons. I could cook Finnish food, I had a big roof to [...]
During my first year in China I met and studied with lots of people suffering from culture shock. A few never got it, most of people recovered after some time and for some it was too much. With this post I don’t want to criticize anyone and it’s completely natural to feel frustrated when moving [...]
Last year I wrote that my Chinese pronunciation sounds like my boyfriend’s. That is because I mainly speak Chinese with him and less with other people. So this time you can actually hear how my putonghua (Mandarin Chinese) sounds like! I know it is far from standard Mandarin because I live in Guangzhou and [...]
When thinking of pirate and fake products two things come to my mind. It’s kind of wrong and it’s cheap.But things aren’t so black and white as I have learned while living here in Guangzhou. In the picture a traffic policeman is not arresting the guy for selling pirate products, he is buying a fake [...]
Living abroad isn’t all excitement and adventure. Sometimes it’s like I never left Finland. I have days when it’s raining outside and my fridge is full, then I don’t have to go anywhere and I can spend the day with my morning robe. I can be lazy and get bored when the Internet connection is [...]
Last year during Chinese New Year I was travelling and kind of missed the whole celebration. New Year’s eve I was in a train from Beijing to Pingyao, on Lantern Festival I saw fireworks in Guilin (see the picture). This year I spent the most important holiday at Guangzhou with my boyfriend, my mother and [...]
Skritter is an unique website to learn how to write Chinese and Japanese. Besides writing you can also practice tones, pinyin and meaning of characters and words. I honestly think that it’s one of the best tools out there to learn Chinese. You might have noticed that I have a Skritter ad in my blog [...]
Photo by Marco Bellucci First I want to thank everyone for leaving comments, joining the discussion and sending emails. I would like to know little bit more about you and that’s why I created this poll. As you can see, you can choose multiple options so check all the boxes you think describes you. [...]
UncategorizedThe Chinese concept of face is something that I struggle to understand sometimes. It seems to create so much pressure on people when they always have to keep in mind what others are thinking about them. In the mind of Chinese people my boyfriend is a bad guy. He is really eager to work and [...]
Last September I told that Chinese men are the reason I love China. This time I tried to make a more serious and longer list, but it was surprisingly hard. It is hard to list all those little things that the life in here consists of. And when I thought of one thing, I always [...]
When I first came to China I was traveling in Beijing, Pingyao, Xi’an, Chengdu and Guilin. I thought that all the time I have to be out experiencing everything, including Chinese food. But soon I realised that my situation was different, I was going to live in China. After that I relaxed and started reading [...]
I think I improved a lot in my first year in China. My spoken Chinese is absolutely much better. In seven months I also got from failure to level 4 in Elementary-Intermediate HSK. But right now I don’t know how to improve, I don’t feel like studying and I spend my days more stressing about [...]
Christmas package from home I have never been really homesick. Even when I was a kid I always went to summer camps and visited relatives without urgent need to go back home. The only exception seems to be last summer when I was in a hospital. At that time I really wanted to get back [...]
