Indeed, I am once again in China. And again this is rather short visit but it is refreshing to have a holiday and spend it in China. This time I have been able to see two new cities, Beijing and Guangzhou – of course it would take much longer time to actually see and experience them completely but even a short time will give you a nice view for those two cities. So different when you compare them to each other; Beijing is traditional, historical and much more “serious” city compared to Guangzhou or Shanghai. Guangzhou is then following much more the style Shanghai has already shown me, glorious, sparkling city full of lights and action. What is missing is the numerous high-rising buildings across the city, which you come familiar in Shanghai.

When boarding the plane in Beijing, the weather was just like in Finland – windy and cold; a real Autumn weather, beginning of the Winter. Three hours later you walk out of the airport in Guangzhou to the evening weather and experience something warmer than Finnish Summer. In the Southern parts of the China, it is feeling like people are much happier and joyful – the service is given with a wide smile compared to the Beijing. Must be the weather? Service is always very punctual and perfect in China but in the South, it has the additional joy in it. Makes a Finnish person to smile widely too.

It is amazing how you get used to the little things, how you will be remembered when you return to the lobby the next day to have again some tea while you will read the emails. How they remember which kind of tea you liked – maybe it is uncommon for a foreigner to drink traditional Chinese tea or maybe foreigners are still a little bit rare in here. Or then it is my ability to surprise people by being able to say Xiexie (Thank you) – at least I surprised someone at the breakfast who wasn’t expecting that from me.

Fangfang is giving a lecture at her college, she is teaching Mandarin for exchange students. And me. I will take a taxi from the hotel to meet her at the college when her classes are over, it should be in one hour – I am well prepared as I have the address written in Chinese, I shouldn’t find myself in some other city for example.

There is always the same peaceful feeling coming to me when I return to China; when you are in the environment where you are truly a foreigner, where you cannot understand any written text or spoken language. When you can experience everything as new and learn new things all the time.