“When the buffaloes fight it is the grass that suffers..”
– Laotian Proverb
Luang Prabang literally means “Royal Buddha Image”. It consists of 58 villages and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was listed in 1995 for “unique and remarkably well preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage, a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries, including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries.”
“You know, you teach. You do not know, you learn..”
– Laotian Proverb
Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the history of the world. From 1964 to 1973, the United States dropped more than two million tons of ordnance on Laos to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail and try to stanch a Communist insurgency—more than was dropped on all of Germany and Japan during World War II.
None of this was foremost in my mind while I was dipping around the pools at Kuang Si Falls.
“I once had a thousand desires, but in my one desire to know you all else melted away”
– Rumi
Brunei Darussalam is one of the oldest kingdoms in South East Asia (at least according to Hassanal Bolkiah, the current sultan). If you scroll to the absolute bottom of this one there’s super cool videos of me snapping my friends and followers how much I was sweating. That’s what you call a treat ❤
“Keep the general goal in sight while tackling daily tasks.”
– Chinese Proverb
That’s what I was thinking the whole way down from where we started at Avatar National Park in Zhangjiajie (where the “Avatar” movie was filmed).
“New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Shanghai doesn’t even sit down, and not just because there is no room.”
– Patricia Marx
What can I say about Shanghai other than it has 50.000 % more colour than Beijing, 60 % more night lights, and the Bund.
“If you want to know where the Great Wall is, it’s at the bottom of people’s hearts.”
– Chinese Proverb
It means: if the people make a concerted effort, and their wills unite like the Great Wall, the people will overcome all troubles together.
Other than that, this post isn’t about Chinese proverbs or uniting to overcome obstacles, it’s about my second visit to The Great Wall of China (first visit – click here).
”I was over that in about 15 minutes, to be honest…”
– Jess, about the Terracotta Warriors
The Terracotta Warriors were on my bucket list and when Rachel, Jess, Nero and I ended up planning a trip to Xi’an together during the one holiday we got from our teaching job, it was primarily to see them. At least for me. It never dawned on me that it might not be as interesting to the others *lol*
”One of my students realized he could clap too, like I do when I want them to be quiet. That was the moment the line between student and teacher got wiped out… This kid… His face… It was like he… like almost FERAL.”
– Joshua Cremer
How do I sum up five months living and working in China? I don’t even know where to start…
I can sum up one night of work Rachel and I had to do, where the Chinese aid told us:
“You have to go on stage and maybe teach, maybe singa song, maybe teach animals. We have cards with colours, maybe sing a song, maybe Baby Shark, maybe? All foreign teachers sing Baby Shark, maybe we have cards for colours and cards for animals and maybe ten minutes before the play you sing a song…”
“Building the Great Wall thousands of workers suffered; when will the end be of Meng Jiang’s lonely crying.”
Chinese Proverb
I have finally seen the Great Wall of China with my own eyes… Some in my group found it underwhelming. I didn’t.
“When I was in Moscow I saw Lenin… and he’s in good good nick for being over 100 years, but he still looked rank. He was just sent off to Pyongyang to be re-pickled.”
– Joseph
I have arrived in China and I’m fine. Internet is shit, but my fellow teaching interns are awesome. We’re a good group.
I can’t log on to Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram or WhatsApp though. Trying to get around it, but it might be six months…
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