The Wedding Site

Here are some photos from the wedding site.

At the beginning we planned to hold our wedding on the beach where close to the buffet bar. In the end we chose the lawn because it's easier to walk than the beach, and the green of grass with the decorations makes it looks nicer. I also considered the rental fee of lawn is 1/3 cheaper than the beach.

This picture was taken from the room of Karin when we were having make ups in the room. The wedding planner started to decorate the site from 10 a.m. I choose white and green as the main color because I like white as it looks clean and green is the favorite color of Martin. My mom complained we didn't use red color because red is the traditional color for Chinese weddings. However we had a western style wedding.

Hello from Phuket

Hello from Phuket. We started our honeymoon in Thailand since 23th. The Internet in the hotel is slow, so I just try to update few photos from our wedding.

The wedding was done very smoothly. While our stay in Sanya, it rained most of the times except our wedding day and the day before. We also got some help from the friend whom works in Kempinski hotel and introduced by Jens. We had so much fun with our family, friends in the 10 days in Sanya. But there were also some small accidents happened. When we came back from breakfast on the next day when we arrived, we found the glass of our room is broken without any evidence. The hotel changed room for us then. Another accident was our bus hitted a car the day after our wedding when we took our guests out for boat touring. The other car was damaged and luckily no one was injured.
Our wedding started on 17th at 5 p.m. I started to have the make up at 1 p.m in Karin's room. Here are some photos when I was preparing in the room with the make up girls, Nini, Karin and my mom.

The Internet is too slow so I will stop for today. When I go back to Germany I will try to update all the photos in a photo gallery, to share them with you and friends. By the way, which program can you recommend for the photos?

Leave on Tomorrow

Tomorrow we will fly from Frankfurt to Munich to meet Karin and Gerhard. Then we fly together to Beijing, Mianyang, Sanya. After Sanya Martin and I will go to Thailand to have our Honeymoon.

I will try to update the photos I am going to take along our trip. See you soon:-).

I Love You

" I love you" is the most beautiful words in the world. It means so much to the person who says it and to the person who hears it.

Chinese people are conservative at express their loves. I never heard my father said " I love you" to my mom. Even though we know how much he loved her. It's not so often to hear this between Chinese families, friends and relatives. Nowadays Chinese lovers say it more to each other. They are just different to western cultures.

Tomorrow I will not go to school as we will be leaving on Saturday and I want to use tomorrow to get our stuff packed. Besides, I also can not concentrating myself to study before the day leaving for China. Karin and Martin both suggests me to stay at home. So Great!!!

It was so sweet in today's class when my classmates hugging me to say goodbye and sending me their wedding wishes. And I got a gift from each of them.
I asked them to write down " I love you" in their mother languages. Can you tell all of them in which languages? Of course the English one is not hard to find and number 3 is my language.

7 Months in Germany

I have been in Germany for seven months and four days. It sounds like not so long, but I feel like I have been here already for years. In China we always complain time pass too fast, because life in China is changeable and unexpected. Germany is on the opposite. Life in Germany is organized, expected and everything planned in advance.

But we can not always compare them. They are two countries one is on the west, one is on the east; One is developed, one is still developing; One is capitalist society, one is socialist society. Both countries have their own advantages.

Many Chinese in Germany think China is better because of the delicious and various food, because of the bigger development space for their own careers; And many Chinese in Germany like Germany more because of the better living environment, less pressure from work and interpersonal relationship.

I like both countries, now I have two families they are living on both sides. It would be good if Martin and I can live in both countries every half year(well..I know it' just my dream for this moment). But at this moment it's good for us to live in Germany so we are closer to Karin and Gerhard, then we are able to meet each other more often. In China, my mom has my sister, brother and my nieces to accompany.

These days I am thinking if I should start to write blog in German, even though just some simple sentences. Two months ago Karin told me that she and Gerhard have spent a night read all my blog entries,since they want to know me more and they want to know how I am thinking.

I love Karin and Gerhard. This is the biggest gains for me that I came come to Germany to get to know them. I have been feel lucky to met Martin and then to met my parents in law. Their love to me just as much as the love my parents gave to me. They are the best parents in law.

In the 7 months, besides the support Karin and Gerhard have given to me. Martin has putted a lot of efforts to help me. From the beginning our apartment searching, moving, purchasing furniture, taking me out to know the environment, applying for my long term residence visa, finding German school for me, find a job for me, buying a car for me and again and again to practice with me to drive on German roads. If I say moving from China to Germany was not easy to me, but taking me to integrate into the new country was even harder to Martin.

Now after these months, I am getting more independent. I try to adjust myself to the new things better.

When we come back from the wedding, it will be another new start. I wish then I can be doing better.

The Eyesight

When we were little, my father told us how important to protect our eyes. I have been proud for our good eyesights in our family, until two months ago when I went to the traffic aid course had my sight tested.

With my Chinese driving licences, I am allowed to drive in Germany for the first 6 months, then I need to change it to German licence by passed the theory and road exams. After registered in the driving school for the exams, the first course we were required to take is a 4 hours traffic aid course. Then the eyesight test were carried out firstly.

From the tester's word, the result of my eyesight was:" schlecht!", which means in English “very poor“. At that time I thought they made mistake because of the language misunderstanding, or at least my sight is not that bad that I needed to wear a pair of glasses.

Until I got my first glasses, no matter how Martin pursue me to accept the truth for my bad sight. I still couldn't believe how and when my eyesight got this bad.

But these days I can obviously feel how hard to recognise people without glasses when they are only 20 meters far.

Am I old? or I didn't protect my eyes so good? I believe my sister and brother will not to accept how I look like in this photo.

Luxury Goods

Couple of days ago there's an news says now China becomes to the second luxuries goods consuming country after USA. I noticed in Frankfurt most of the luxuries shops have Chinese speaking shopping guide. When Martin and I were buying our wedding rings in one of the shop, we asked the German sales woman why all the shops have Chinese guide, she told us because many big customers are Chinese people.

In China especially the big cities, there are more and more shopping centers have been built up. Wearing famous foreign brand clothes, bags, watchs are status symobl to many people. Patheticlly is Made in China is not even recognizable to many Chinese rich people. They feel proud by wearing LV, CHANEL and Gucci etc. foreign luxury goods.

The luxuries goods in China are much more expensive than in Europe, but Chinese people's average salaries are much lower than Europeans. So many Chinese try to ask their friends or acquaintances to bring goods from abroad.

I don't like to bring too many things because of the limitation of luggage; Also because of the laws at the airport custom. Then I refused the requirements from some acquaintances whom asks me to bring expensive things for them.

But I still bought two Versace bags for my brother in law Caohui. For him to send out as gifts to friends or business partners.
This lady bag I bought in an outlets here near by Frankfurt at the price of 409 EURO. I searched on the internet for the price in China, it costs at least four times more. This briefcase I bought for 270 EURO. I don't know the price in China, but it should be at least double prices more.

Breakfaft and Dinner

As usual, this morning we cooked breakfast in the late morning to get our weekend started. The contents are always the same-eggs, bread or rolls, sausages. Fresh rolls are one of my favorite German food. In the two years, we never changed the way how to eat breakfast. This is one of the moment I love most. Martin made steak for our dinner. In German:"Das war sehr lecker".

Weekend

Last couple of days I wrote all the posts in evening after I finished my German class. Today I want to write today's entry earlier as it's Friday.

Germany started to get cold already. Now it's 4:00 p.m and outside temperature is only 16 degree. But we are going to Sanya and Thailand soon to spend 20 days under the sunshine, so I will not complain at this moment.

So, this weekend is going to be the last weekend before our wedding vacation. Then we will just stay at home to prepare some things for the wedding.

However, on the weekends to stay at home just with Martin is one of the things I enjoy mostly. We get up late, slowly make breakfast, drinking coffee, watch TV ...no work, no study, just to be lazy.

10 Days left

Today I shopped the whole day. Now I am tired and regreting I spent too much money. In the photo are the gifts I bought for friends and family these days.There are more people I need to bring gifts back, but the luggage is already full. Buying gifts is one of the thing making me headache mostly. Friends, family, relatives, family's friends etc. ......

Chinese National Holiday

The Chinese National Holiday starts tomorrow, this year they have 8 days holidays, this includes one day's Middle Autumn Day.

From the Chinese government to normal Chinese people, all of them are immersing into the happiness of 60 year's foundation of new China and the happiness of long holiday. Even my mom attended the Opera performance which organized by the local association to celebrate the 60 years foundation.

This morning when I got up log into MSN as usual try to talk to the friends in China, I found most of them are offline. All the friends who are working in out of hometown were going back to their parents for reunification.

Since I moved out when I talk to friends or family in China, what they said most frequently is:" these days I am so busy". The whole China looks like a booming market. People are like hectic ants always so busy, they are busy for the families, busy for working, busy for making money, busy for making relationships, busy for changes..........

Compared to China, the life to many Chinese in Germany is too calm, too quiet, too organized. But when many people go back to China, they say they will miss the quiet environment in Germany again.

Human beings are complicated, right? I will see how I will feel this time when I go back to China.