THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL

 Right, if some murderous thingy had happened yesterday night, I bet half of the World could be excused thanks to the same event - who was not watching the Olympics opening ceremony? 

Right, Mr.Bean won cheating. WTF?

Honestly, I was waiting indeed for Danny Boyle's show. At first, I saw a happy green place, with hard-working but smily farmers - and I was like WUT? But then Boyle's style came out, and I was glad he portrayed a rich humanity, reflecting his Trainspotting view more than the latest Slumdog's style. A colourful reality that is a result of beastly impulses, neurosis and controversies rather than an outcome of sympathy and loooove. My mother kept saying how beautiful and encouraging was his view, a positive insight of mankind's best - sorry, where did you see that? For at least the first half I saw destruction, a progress that claimed a really harsh payment in both environment and social relationships. Few men looking up their future, pretending it'd be bright for everyone else, that instead came out to be our own destruction: a tough analysis, a criticism of today's world. The inferno-like kilns embedded the metaphor, and I was both delighted by the insight and scared that the whole ceremony would have kept this path, not really in line with the Olympics' morale.
The message, to me, was crystal clear: if we really want to forge a brighter future, we can't forget our past mistake, neither we should hide them. The future is built on our past, regardless of how bad were our actions. A reflection on what hopefully is going to be our past, and as our ancestors worked hard for a dream we should as well forge our hopes into reality, create peace from war, and mould new principles, from a muddy now to a bright tomorrow. Like the Olympic circles lifting up from kilns. 

One ring to rule them, One ring to find them, One ring the bring them all...

away from Mordor-like kilns?

A ceremony embedding both seriousness (who else would tribute NHS? That was awesome) and a lot of fun. I have never laughed because of a ceremony - I felt amazed, concerned, renewed, informed, but never amused. Starting from a 40 feet tall Voldemort, passing through super-heroines with Mary Poppins's shape, till the kiss that pretty much shut the whole room down.

I laughed my ass off watching that. GO MARY!!

Compared to the we-have-to-be-seriously-awesome-goddamn engaged by Beijing few years before, this was much more relaxed. Take it easy, man. It quite sounded like a message to Asian-feeling driven nations: okay, you gotta be perfect and disciplined, but a laugh sometimes? 

For someone constantly divided between her western inheritance and a deep love for Asia (aka, me) this was too much of a comparison. Two different thoughts crashing together, a serious clash of civilisation brought on within four years time and in a neutral stadium. Which one will be victorious, taking up the lead of the world? Discipline and greatness China-style or Enjoy-it-and-it'll-be-better UK way?

NONSENSE.

 It's not wrong, it's not right, it's just different. A concept that perfectly applies in this context, and it's confirmed by athletes' behaviors I've seen so far. Cultural differences pushed far away for a fair competitions. The greatest thing I've seen was a Chinese swimmer hugging a USA competitor; a warm hugh to genuinely congratulate for her triumph. SOWHAT? That's the awesome Olympic feeling. 

I'm just sorry for the Korean fencer kicked out twice by Italians...lol

LAME

Shit just got real. 

AFS Korea does exist!

Which completely destroyed my dreams of becoming AFS Korea founder. I'm kinda joking about the issue, but deep deep inside I was sad indeed. I still am. Slowly this stupid idea was starting to overcome every realistic future prospective, and creating an AFS office from zero was truly becoming a dream I would have done everything to accomplish.

So, now, I find myself again being at the mercy of the waves, with no goal, no ultimate purpose to pursue, no vaguely precise plan ahead. I'd say I am screwed.

YAY!

Luckily there's still DPRK that needs an AFS office. 

加油！Fighting！ 

God, I'm seriously getting Drama addiction.

STRAWBERRIES ON A PERFECT CAKE

Use your imagination. So far I can say that the best cake I've ever tasted it's an english carrot cake, with fresh carrot-ish flavor mixed with the perfect honey-like savor given by brown sugar, that literally melts in your mouth. Inside the dough is so soft and bubbly, doesn't stay long in your stomach, and after a perfectly satisfying piece you feel as light as a cloud.

Now, figure out what's your favorite cake. Imagine the first bite after a long stressing day - it feels like heaven. And when the perfect topping meets the perfect cake... well, your day is complete.

That's pretty much how an university student feel when finally gets is first (pardon the pun) First in your academic career. That's a goddamn good feeling. Especially after your first essays have gone so badly that you were seriously questioning your mental capacity.

Yes, it feels like strawberries on a perfect cake. 

Fondant au chocolaté...

and Carrot Cake. Now you know how to make me happy.

SPRING ALL OVER

This, is why I love this place so much. It's full of life, art, experiences. Leeds and its students always know how to properly surprise you and make your day. May it be that spring is really around us? I have never seen a sky so blue and beautiful, and grass so soft and full of colours. It's just magic.

This, on the other hand, is why I regret to be in England. Something that really, really, reaaaaally makes me feel sorry for these poor english girl, with not enough money to dress properly. Shame.

OH,SO CHRISTMASISH!

Officially, I came back on the 8th. Sincerely, it's just since yesterday that I fully realized that i cannot call Italy "home". I always write about my need of "leaving DA Country" because somehow I felt it like the place I belong to. Now... not really. Ah. It's nice to see again my family, have Christmas with them, but please, not more than two weeks. I genuinely reckon more than that gets unbearable. 

Officially, I came back on the 8th. Unfortunately, thanks to tonsillitis and these six-days-of-fever, I spent three days in coma and the other six praying for a fast healing miracle. Off course, it didn't happen, or I'd be finally out of this building. 

Officially and Sincerely, I'd like to be in Leeds. There was Christmas in the air, a smell of chestnuts, hot chocolate and marshmallows allover the city centre and in every single café. There were lights and decors in every street (obsolete and pretentious, not at all nice) but there were. And it was getting into the snowy weather, which was annoying cold and slippery but really Christmasish.

Christmas All made in Leeds...

There was the German Market - were sellers were speaking bulgarian, romanian and italian - dozens of small stands with tiny useless gift. With sweets, food, beer, beer, beer, muller wine, honey. Hand-crafts. Tons of chocolate (only have liqueur inside. So choose well, or you could get gianduja and whisky), candy floss, crepes, nutella. Flows of Nutella. Sweet and sour candies, colourful popcorns. Christmas-themed parties, sales, alcohol sales.

Yes, I kinda miss my english Christmas. I dare say it was more challenging, and with no present owed to someone, I felt the heart and the true meaning of this festivity. We were just a bunch of friends that loved being together...maybe no christmas feast, maybe no christmas tree (at least not the usual one), no decorations nor gifts, just a lot of smiles, drinks, and parties altogether. Just the joy of being together. 

Here... I'm driving crazy looking for a nice gift for each of the 15 people that will eat here on the 25th. I'm pushing myself in order to bear my mother. I'm trying to teach my sister english because I have to, and Italian to my host-sis also because I have to, though I should study for my exams at some points but who cares. In a couple of weeks, right after Christmas, I'll probably have to go again to Florence, and do the classical tourist trip with the exchanges, but I just wanna go back home. Back to Leeds. I hope there will be a little of its Christmas charm once I'm back in January.

RUN OTLEY, RUN!

Any englishman has heard about fancy dress, and had surely been in one of those massive theme parties. They're actually amazing parties, though are an excuse for girls to dress up in the bitchiest way possible without being persecuted by horny kids (me as well, LOL) and for boys to be even more stupid, if possible (?).

Lets face it: the little tiny child inside us is always grateful when we just have fun without thinking "OMG, this is so stupid, it'll ruin my status quo!".

Ghostbusters working in parties too.

In Leeds, they do much more.

Picture it: late '80s,  some extremely bored mid-aged men, dressed up, laying on the steps of a house that was supposed to hold the party of the year. Instead, it turned out to be shitty, and everybody is just chilling out by that time - which, to me, is not what people are supposed to do in parties.

Until the classical douchebag stands up shouting a loud Fu*k off!, catches the closest girl and runs to the nearest pub to get hammered; and once he's done there, he gets into the next pub, and the next, and the next, and the next. HE is the only hope last for all the party people, and HE lighted the idea that the party could yet go on, just changing location.  The whole house shook while a bunch of dressed up drunk people tried to catch up the douchebag, rolling down the stairs and jumping in the garden...

Result: people running like morons in the middle of the street, swinging from pub to pub, drinking loads of beer and, off course, dressed up in the weirdest and yet most genius way you've ever seen.

(I damn love it )

The Otley Run usually starts from Woodies, in far Headingley. It crosses the whole student district, passes through the University of Leeds and ends up at the Dry Dock, after 3 miles and 19 pubs where every participant is obliged to order a drink. Rules may change, but usually it's set that participants should have a different drink in each pub; non-alcoholic options are available, as well as charity collections to help as many people as possible to end the run. And off course: fancy dress!

Leeds people and students here in general surprise me with their fantasy and their imagination. Ideas I'd never have, that could be either genius or dramatically stupid and incoherent. Some of my block mates wore like crayon pencils, and the result was simply amazing: a dozen of colourful guys, covered with cardboards of the same colour and a massive "crayon" written on their chest. AMAZING.

 Blurred for privacy matters.

Or the "Rubik cube" run: each person had to wear in many different colours in different combinations, exactly like a Rubik cube looks like. Once the run started, we had to exchange clothes and accessories in order to wear just a single colour by the end of the route! HELL YEAH!

We're going to have another Otley Run for L.'s birthday. It's going to be during Halloween time so... if you see some Santas, Christmas Trees or Rudolphs around Leeds don't be scared and just join us! :)

N I N E T Y

Exactely. 90/100.
I may say I'm officially a Leeds International Student!
It feels amazing, you know. Finally, after a whole year of sacrifices, hard study, homesickeness and moments of "why-the-fuck-am-i-still-in-italy" the day has come! I can officially consider myself a UK student, and in september I'll be finally out of here.
I thought I was going to feel and be like when I understood I was gonig to spend a whole year in China but - it's somehow different. Maybe cos I still have two italian months. Or maybe cos England is not such a challange... dunno, I guess after China nothing can be as hard as it.
Or, better, I just have to wait: tic and chills will surely come as soon as the departure gets closer ;)

I still have a lot to do:
1) Understand whether I DO HAVE an accomodation or not
2) Find a flat if point 1) is not as I hoped
3) Understand what the hell is the National Insurance Number
4) Create point 4)
5) Have my government loan after having achieved point 3) and 4)
6) Buy nice heels
7) Find a plane and get there
8) Find a job
9) START MY NEW ENGLISH UNIVERSITY LIFE :D

GOING FOR IT

So.
My name's Saya. I've been in China during my 12th grade, as an exchange student with AFS. I chose China because... well, honestly, I wanted Japan so badly. I was so fascinated by it that I convinced my self that the whole Asia was like a bigger Japan: that's why China was my second choice, followed by India and Thailand. Such a big mistake, but I have to thank the younger-and-stupid-myself, for the unwanted chance to discover such a great and amazing culture.
I've been through lots of problems, offcourse, mostly because of how much AFS China sucks. On the other hand, I learnt to take care of myself without anyone's help. Big change, from spoiled teen to responsabile kid! Unfortunately, my chinese didn't improve as well...Instead, my english got much better :D
And now, I can't live without it: not being able to speak my favourite language 24/7 it's awful. Being without my worldwide friends is not possible, and be obliged to stay in such a narrow-minded place it's absolutely awkward. Nobody can understand what I've been through in China and, most of all, nobody cares, nobody's interested.
No big deal. Not whining anymore. Instead, I chose to apply to a Uk college. I got accepted and this september, if my finals are okay, i'll be studing in Leeds. And by 2012 I'll be back in China. I cannot wait to be able to watch things from a different point of view and highlight aspects of daily life that in my country I cannot even notice.
It's gonna be awesome.