On July 20th, me and a bunch of other people from Fudan as well as Chris (trainee from the US) took the train from Shanghai to Beijing for July National Conference. Poor and predictable logistics resulted in three people missing the train. :O So the beginning of the train ride was not so good, but then it was a great sharing between members about the problems of AIESEC Fudan and the possible solutions. We also did goal setting for the conference. In the morning we finally arrived and got welcomed by Allen! Then off to Tsinghua University for CSR day. There there was Jeff! (HEC) Jonathan and Antoine! (Laval) Big Quebec meeting hehe. The chair of the conference was Araz, past MCP of AIESEC Canada. I wasn't particularly excited by the CSR stuff, but it was really fun to catch up with my fellow Quebecois. I found it particularly amusing how the Unicef woman was comparing all the China numbers to Africa for the dramatic effect.
Then we took a 2 hour bus to the resort in the outskirts of Beijing. Very nice and peaceful resort in the mountains. The evening started off with Global Village. Me and the 3 other Québécois, as well as Kendy were representing Canada. The four of us agreed that we had never been so patriotic towards Canada. We never celebrate Canada Day in Canada! It was hilarious, way too many Canada flags that me and Jonathan had brought. I got to catch up with a bunch of AIESECers I hadn't seen since I was last in Beijing in May.
I was quite disappointed with the parties. Fudan people told me "the first evening of the conference you have to rest because of the long train ride" WTF lol. So the parties usually last until 11 and they consist of AIESEC dances. Then all the Chinese people go to sleep or go to infamous "room parties". So on the first evening there were only the foreigners left in the plenary room, some of them way too drunk.
One funny moment of the conference was when they talked about the LCP meeting and how they decided the national priorities together. Last year the priorities were decided by the MC alone and imposed to the membership. Then Bob (Fudan LCP) was asked to go up on stage and talk about his experience and said "finally, we have democracy in China". Good thing government officials weren't present because they would think AIESEC is corrupting the minds of young students. AIESEC isn't registered in China because if it registered as a NGO the governement would have too much power over it, and it needs to stabilize its finances to register as a company.
I found it quite annoying how the 06/07 Review was all about numbers. But I was quite happy when Araz announced the new measures of success of AI for LC ranking, which now include more than just number of exchanges: it also includes number of members with exchange and leadership experience as well as quality of AIESEC experience. Canada will probably go up in the ranking.
When asked to share about matching experience, one girl said "I can't match her to India because she likes to eat meat." Isn't it sad how even in AIESEC some people are that misinformed and not culturally open enough? :(
So let's talk about those infamous room parties. They have different "levels" of room parties. Basically they have some games and when you lose you get "punished". The punishments being truth or dare kind of dare. So low level is something like kiss him on the cheek, while high level is just plain awkward like switching your underwear with someone else or getting a guy hard... Luckily I didn't participate in those, mainly because I really don't see what's amusing in that. I prefer just chilling in a room chatting with people. Chinese people are generally quite prude, but when they're behind closed doors and feel safe they can be very wild.
Chinese AIESECers are also very intense in LC meetings, or maybe it's just Fudan. I thought Laval's 1-2 hours long LC meetings were very long, but Fudan beats it a lot! One night I was in a room and they were doing LC meeting at like 10 and I was just kind of sleeping cause it was all in Chinese and was waiting for them to finish so we could party. 11, still talking about LC stuff, 11:30, 12, finally at 1 they left the room to continue the meeting somewhere else so I could sleep hahaha. It's good to see that the conference inspired them and brought them closer though. Fudan needs some spirit.
The last evening of the conference was DLD! The game was one we had done in Mexico which is really boring for the people doing it but that's the point and they learn a lot from it. Then the MC, NST and LCPs had a play in different acts spread around the venue. But it was in Chinese so I couldn't understand. What a pity, I really love that stuff and it looked really fun. Then it was the drinking competition. I competed with THU because poor Florent and I don't know who else were the only 2 members left from their LC at the conference but it was teams of four. We lost though. The internationals won.
There was a gossip box and a wish box at the conference and of course almost nobody was putting stuff in it. So me, Jeff and Yifan had fun filling it with gossip about the MC. I also put in the wish box that I wanted to see Fudan spoon on stage with Daniel (Shanghai Director). My wish came true the last morning! But I didn't see it because I shamelessly skipped morning plenary to prepare mine and Jeff's "Cooperating with Canada" session for that morning.
All in all, it was an average conference. The sessions weren't so exciting since I couldn't understand half of it, but it was good to bond with the members. I didn't feel like I was part of the MC team at all though. But I got closer to Fudan members. :) They're so lovely.
So the members left on the first bus and I said goodbye to everyone. I took the second bus with the MC because I wanted to stay in Beijing for a few more days to do sightseeing. We went for dinner with the MC, Araz and some Indian AIESECers who were visiting to promote India. Then they went for a foot massage but I just watched since last time my back hurt for three days. Then an intense night of KTV again until 4 AM to go see the flag rise on Tian'anmen Square. I was so tired that I didn't even notice the flag was going up and it was all over in what seemed like an instant. Thursday and Friday were spent sleeping a lot and talking with the numerous people in the apartment. I was supposed to go to Antoine's birthday party on Friday evening but ended up Skyping with Nicole! Was so good talking to her. Especially since I didn't feel so well in Beijing because of the individualistic atmosphere in the apartment.
Then Saturday I met with Jonathan to go to Temple of Heaven. I was so pissed that they wouldn't give me student price because I'm not a Chinese student. WTF is this new rule?!! So the place was pretty expensive for China and really not so exciting. I felt like I was visiting it only because it's famous. Then we met up with Kendy and other trainees to go for Peking duck, but it was so expensive that we went somewhere else. Then we went to beer garden close to the MC apartment. Beer is so much cheaper in Beijing than in Shanghai! Jonathan was pretty drunk and making a fool of himself. Some of us then went to KTV (again!). Foreigners alone at KTV is quite weird. It's basically a bunch of people who sing English songs really badly or who pretend they can sing songs in Chinese. We kept asking the staff for some Chinese songs we know but don't know the title haha. And there was no AC so we were sweating like pigs.
On Sunday I went to Lama temple with the trainees before taking the train back to Shanghai. It was a short escapade in Beijing and it was fun to spend some time with Jonathan and Kendy, but I was glad to go back to Shanghai because I feel more integrated there.
Back in Shanghai, I had the chance to listen to more AIESEC problems. On the first of August, we were supposed to go to Alina's goodbye party but we (well more like Bob) ended up having to do some crisis management again. So finally we went to KTV (again!!!) me, Bob, Jingle, her friend and Linda. It was good to spend some spontaneous non AIESEC time with them. I'm becoming quite a Maiba hahaha. We stayed until 6 AM.
On Friday the 3rd there was a dinner party for some trainee's birthday and to welcome Daniel to Shanghai. We cooked some dumplings and other stuff. It was a fun party with many people. Me, Mark, Bob and Jingle ended up sleeping at Logan's place. More bonding hehehe!
The next day I had lunch with Tess from Western because she was in Shanghai for a week before heading home to Korea. It was fun seeing her even if I only saw her for one hour or so. Yash was leaving the following day because of visa problems so we went for dinner at an Indian restaurant. Very good all you can eat Indian buffet and unlimited beer for 85 RMB! With a little Indian dancing hehehe.
Sunday was KTV for the 6th time or so for Logan's farewell party before he headed for his internship in India. One more goodbye forever for me. We then went for dinner and then spent the night at Jingle's apartment watching movies.
The only time I've ever been to Pudong was to extend my visa. I now have a tourist visa until September 16th.
Gossip: Jingle and Bob are now a couple "giggles". I think I'm becoming very childish.
In the last two weeks I have been working a lot on Canada-China partnership. Me and Daniel met with a couple of Canadian organizations and had Skype meetings with the Canadian MC. Hopefully next summer we send way more Canadians to China. The ones who are here now seem to be having an amazing cultural and professional experience.
I get along very well with Daniel so it's a good thing since we share this small apartment, which also happens to be crowded with members who sleep here because there is AC contrary to their dorm.
Thursday the 9th was the monthly alumni mixer at Barbarossa. Sabrina, trainee at CIIC was there and it really reassured me to hear that she had a good time in the end and appreciated what I did to try and fix the problems. I didn't feel quite as bad and I'm glad she enjoyed her internship in the end. :)
Last weekend was supposed to be a transition weekend for the 2 EBs. I was really excited because I was expecting the kind of fun turnover weekend I've experience at Laval. But only the new EB came and it was all year planning. Really boring. And it was raining. We went to ChongMing to do it but didn't visit the place at all because we spent the entire time in the hotel. What a waste of money. I was grumpy but tried not to show it too much. I was particularly disappointed because I missed a Mexican party at the Mexican trainee's house (oh how I miss Mexico!) and also a trip to a water village. At least the new EB is a bit more prepared and my feedback was somewhat useful. But when we came back Rearn came over and we watched Les Choristes. Rearn is so sweet. He's supposed to come to Canada after his semester in California this fall. I hope he does because he is a very good friend. It was a good end to a not so good weekend.
Last Wednesday we met with EDC in Shanghai. The guy happens to be an alumnus of AIESEC Canada. It's always fun meeting with alumni because they are so helpful. It was also Bob's birthday so we had a surprise for him. Jingle took him to the park near Barbarossa while we watched hiding in the trees as he ate a cake with Japanese sauce thing in it. Then we all came out and gave him his real cake. It ended up in a cake fight as all birthdays seem to end here. Then Linda and Jingle decided to disappear and to turn off their phones to play a trick on Bob. The rest of them all went back home. So Bob stayed there waiting alone worrying if Jingle was pissed. That's probably the most boring joke ever and such a bad end to a birthday. I hope I never get this trick played on me because I really wouldn't find it funny. But apparently here for someone's birthday you have to make sure you do something they remember, for the good or the bad. ;)
Thursday Charles came back to Shanghai! I went with him to sign up for French courses at l'Alliance française. He's all excited about Paris since he went there. I'll wait and see how good he becomes because he seems to change his focus all the time hehe. Yulia, the trainee who talks too much, also came back for two days before catching her flight home. Charles and her get along very well because they both talk too much. I felt a bit left out around them. I haven't had quality time with Charles since he's back. I'm lacking real, non AIESEC related conversations with people. It's a good thing Allen came back yesterday. I missed him so much! We all went to a party for Yalai's birthday. There were a lot of people and it was a fun party, but I spent a good part of it outside catching up with Allen.
Today we finally had a cleaning lady come clean the apartment, although she ripped us off since we're helpless laowai. Finally my feet don't get dirty walking around. Yes we could have cleaned it ourselves, but by comparative advantage it's better to have someone else do it because time is money. We also got liberated from the overtalking hehe.
This might be my last weekend in Shanghai because when I come back from my trip we plan on going to a beer festival. Most of the American trainees are leaving this weekend. It's too bad I didn't get to see Simon again.
Tomorrow I'm taking a 42 hours hard seat train with Chris to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province. The other day we were arguing on MSN over if we should take soft seat or hard seat to save 100-200 RMB.
Interesting excerpt:
[17:54] Julie in China!: Ill make my reason the cultural experience rather than the money
[17:54] Julie in China!: because having my bum hurt for 100 kuai just doesnt sound good
[17:54] Chris-克里斯-كريس: ;)
[17:54] Dan - in Shanghai!: hard seat is very chinese: smoke on your clothes
[17:54] Dan - in Shanghai!: old men
[17:55] Chris-克里斯-كريس: lots of families around you wanting to chat with you in various degrees of Chinglish :D
[17:56] Dan - in Shanghai!: crying babies opposite you for 48 hours
[17:56] Julie in China!: the ultimate chinese experience!
[17:56] Chris-克里斯-كريس: MP3 players al the way :D
[17:56] Dan - in Shanghai!: 48 hour battery?
Then maybe we will go to Sichuan or Yunnan. We haven't planned the rest of the trip yet because he just came back from the States today. We're not going to Tibet because it's too expensive since we have to go through a travel agency because the government is scared of foreigners causing trouble and those agencies charge a lot. But the trip should be just as good! You'll hear all about it when I come back to Shanghai on September 2nd.
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