The blue houses & co.

There are many blue small houses all around the campus, and i was wondering what they were for. So now i know, they put all the waste from the campus in there. It is maybe 2m^3 full with this unsorted waste (most organic), that someone has, after the house is full, to drag out. Not such a pleasant work. And after they pile it on the small truck which is already
overloaded, there is some remaining trash all around the house and on the walking way. Many insects and well, bit smelly! Hum, not the best way to deal with this problem.
So by the way, the Waste Problem: you might know that it is very common to have a quite big amount of waste pickers and scavengers in developing countries. So for me it is very common
to see some in Brazil (mostly collecting Aluminum cans), or even in Germany (collecting glass or other bottles which they just change for money in the supermarkets machines) sometimes.
But this poor people here, i was reading there should be millions of them. And i see many around. The other day, shopping, someone distributing advertisements here, and 10m ahead, someone collecting them back from the people.
On the town nearby, i think the waste collection does not work that efficiently, and going for dinner somewhen, on the side road of a very busy street/pedestrian way, there it was the waste bin, and the many opened plastic bags of waste around. They were opened because a very old lady, with bare hands, was searching for some paper, metal or plastic (and the thing is, first there is not so much left, since people already sell what is valuable, and there is so much organic, it litters, it stinks....).
I am always deeply sad to see these things, but here i guess nobody seems to care about it. So asked when the waste was going to be collected/sweeped, no one knew.
Anyway, i am still sorting my waste, even though i really don't have so much, some plastic wrapping and tee bags and a few other organic. (and hair and dust!)

The main point here which would solve some problems (or at least contribute to it) is source separation. It should not be so difficult to teach people that, is it? It is also necessary to think about solutions including the waste pickers and scavengers, they depend on the waste of other people, this is sad, but it is the reality.

Student's life

Who said that student's life should be good?!?! A bit of a hard time is always ok, but i am happy i had to undergo other circumstances than the ones here. Students have to have a lot of discipline. And not so much of freedom.
The small dormitories are for 2 or 4 girls. (i am lucky i am alone). The guys are never allowed to come in.There is place only for bed, table and a small wardrobe. Two collective washrooms for a entire floor (something of 60 rooms), with 6 toiletts each (and always at least 1 or 2 of them is broken), and 2 big washing basins, 8 water taps at all, where you are supposed to do everything: laudry, washing dishes (thou you are not supposed to cook - which means boiling some noodles - everybody does it!), washing hair, "shower".
There one or two washings maschines in these rooms, but they are not working, because it is vacation! (i still have to figure out how to use them!)
The electricity of the dormitory is turned off at 11pm (lucky me again, until now this not apply to me!), the main door of the dormitory building is closed at 10.30pm.
Hot water has to be collected (that's why the big thermic bottles..) from a room nearby, and this can be done only in some specific time during the day (from 11 to 12 if i remember well, since i never do this). And the shower room is only open from 12 to 18.
Good things: there are supermarkets, beverage stores and hairdressers inside the campus.

Week II - part II

Friday (24.08), decided to stay at home, doing guess what? Reading. Very interesting papers, but some with quite a strange english. Strange was also the fact that someone called on my cell phone, and I couldn't, obviously,understand him, so there came messages, which i also could not read! After i wrote that i can only understand english, then the questions came: my name, how old, what i do, where i am from. So first i asked where did he get my number, and i answered some of the questions. Somehow maybe he lost the interest, and didn't call or wrote anymore, which is pretty much ok for me. It is nice that people want to make friendship, but i don't feel confortable about so much encroaching......
In the evening went with Mr. Luo and Miss Zhang for dinner, had delicious dumplings, and this special chinese salad. When we got out of the restaurant, i could observe other similarity to Brazil: the party is outside! Tables on the walksides, people talking loud and drinking beer, and eating. Eating eating eating, this is something really people do here. (Another observation is that they discuss a lot when they are ordering the food, maybe like, asking how it is prepared, or if everything is really everything fresh, i don't know...). After that i managed to convince the students to come to this pub with me (was it warm beer, louzy food, bad movies!).We were the only guests, it is not really typical for people here. Well, and the prices are also more closer to the American/European standard. Ah, Closer was the name of the movie we could choose to watch! Special service. Liked the movie, made me think a lot. And, after some beers and still full (chi bao le!) from dinner, just gave up going back to the lab. While reading in bed i felt asleep with the book in my face!
Wednesday and Thursday (22-23.08), some routine is always good. Reading a lot, doing some literature research, finishing writing the report about the scientific research from last semester.
Thuersday, had dinner in the other restaurant of the campus. Also went "outside" (this means cross the big road) to copy some articles and parts of books. Had the courage to eat something from these food sellers on the street. Very good actually, made of eggs, looks like a "hamburger", and then, while preparing to cross the road (i always hate that), big surprise: almost stepped at huge rat. So again, always watch your step here! Evening in the lab doing this and thats.
Wednesday, finally got to walk a bigger round in the campus. Big and still many things being constructed. One interesting thing: you don't see so many cars, in fact there are not so many parking places as well. There are at least 15 bike-parking places, and there are maybe 1000 bikes all around. There is also a relatively big stadium, and many many playgrounds. If you ask if people is playing ping-pong, no, they are playing basketball. They seem to like it a lot here.

Week II - part I

Tuesday (21.08) evening. After a long day in front of the computer, here i am again, not feeling keen to continue working right now, need some break, and while i drink some beer and listen to music, to try relax a bit, i can dedicate myself to these memories a bit....So, just had some "hot" noodles at the restaurant. Somehow i am not so lucky with the dinner "upstairs". It works like this, in the first floor there is always rice or steamedslu bread with many different dishes, with meat, tofu or only vegetables. Upstairs they have noodles and some fried rice. It is definitely better to eat downstairs, but the point is, at 6 there is sometimes no food anymore. Normally the students go to the many small restaurants around, and it is not so much more expensive, maybe we should that as well. But it is necessary to plan some more time, since you have to walk some more meters. (i wanna a bike.....)

Today was a special day, wanna know why? I realized i was wrong about the shower. I tought there was no such a thing here, but, indeed, there is. It was just not working, because it is vacation now. (like many other things, there is no reason to keep things running for the few remaining students, they should find some other solution!). So, back to the shower, it is a HUGE shower room, like those we see in the movies where the prisioners shower all together, and then something happens...there is place for probably 100 girls. And it is not so far away from the dormitory. Marks are bought with some guy who looks like a gangster, one costs 3 and 10 for 25 RMBs. I would never do this, but it is pretty easy to fake them! Bad news are, they shower only work from 12 to 16, day yes day no. Well, one can not have everything! But the water is warm. What else...

So, yesterday (Monday 20.08), since there was no electricity in the laboratory from 9 to 16 (it is also quite normal, sometimes they let you know it, sometimes not) me and Hailian decided to do some SSS (sports, shopping, sightseeing!). We went to the Beiling Park, and to get there, interesting walking under the bridges.

The park is amazing. So many people, mostly the elderly and some handicapped, doing exercises. Also people sleeping in some shadow, biking or doing tai chi chuan ('Supreme Ultimate Force') or playing this tipical chinese instrument (i wish i knew the name).

This is the biggest park around, and here i think most people can really forget that outside the city is big, loud and sort of polluted. It is a world for itself, with many specialthings, not easy to describe, and not possible to see all them in 3 hours.

Walked and walked and walked, and we haven"t been everywhere. In the middle of the park is the Qhing Zhao Tomb, Unesco patrimony. Fried noodles for lunch in on of these very tiny restaurants where you have to go through the kitchen. I have to get used to the fact that when i ask for water, i get warm water.

After some rest, visited the Hang-kong University old campus. Well, it is old, but it has something. I liked it a lot, with the many trees and other green areas, the uncountable round tables everywhere, where the students probably could play cards or eat during the breaks or in the evening. There are even some of them under the grape trees. The buidings are much more closer to each other, and you have everything you need in the blocks around. In fact, it would be much better to be living there, speacially because of the park, which is on the other side of the street.

By the way, streets. There are plenty of big avenues, with 6 railways, and it is everytime an adventure to cross them. And the shopping was afterall reduced to visit some 2RMBs store. Yes, this stores i also know from Brazil, where you can buy 200 different products, that you probably dont need, for only 2 RMBs. I tried to be moderate and bought only 5 things. One of them was a set with these magic metal puzzles......Almost melting and tired from the day, we took the afternoon off. I did some literature research/reading in some books/proceedings from Hailian while we cooked soup at her dorm.

In the evening i tried to learn some Chinese. I figured out i really need to be more consequent in studing it. "Fleissarbeit". Learn, write, repeat, repeat. The four tones are just SO IMPORTANT. I also need to get used to the word order in the phrases. It is quite simple and interesing. The question pronoum always come at the end, you dont say what do you like, you say _you like what_?I am very glad that the grammar is not difficult at all, i just need to understand better how it works with the "particles".

Sunday (19.08) after my last post, we went for dinner nearby, something different. Huoguo- chaffy dishes. Delicious, i ate a way to much. Observations from restaurants until now: people is loud. And they drink a lot of beer. It is nice to see that it works just like everywhere, in one table the "women", end of 30ies, maybe single, having fun. In the other table the men, maybe collegues from work, all with a cigarret in the hand, and don't even start with beer, but with these strong wine. In the other table 2 couples, the guys maybe talking about cars, the girs about their dress. People is people everywhere! :-) (dughhh!)

Had a funny "accident" when going back to the lab. Since it rained some days ago, and the road is not asphaltiert, and what i tought it was dry, showed up not to be. Famous Feet in the mud. At least i was wearing my flipflops, and the other students could laugh a bit. Digestion while watching Bourne Ultimatum. Good programm for a hot sunday evening.

Continues later!

PS. Hey, i did wash my feet just right after the accident!

Second Weekend!

Thursday evening 16-08-07

-War-

I have tried everything, i burned this smelly sfuff, i fixed the door net, i was careful not to open the window without the net, i fighted them everyday and night, and for sleeping, i covered myself until the hair,and they were always there. Bastards! They even bite me on the nose! urghhhhhhhhhhh....................

So today i came earlier than usual, cause I wanted to finally work on the 2 pending works for Weimar. I sit on my table, make a coffee, prepare everything, and when i look up to the ceiling, i see them, the enemy! I don't know where they come from, but there are least 30 of them, some are quite big! I declared war! If someone could see me, would probably thing that i am completely crazy.I climbed the window and the bed to kill them, i was throwing things
against the walls, and finally, i guess i got them all. Now i have all these dozens spots of
blood and dead mosquitoes sticked on the walls. My goblet! Two hours of my precious time later, i am tired and irritated. I was possessed about killing all them, and i will kill them again tomorrow. But there must be an easier way.Hum, it also be good if stops raining. :-(

Maybe i should just stop complaining and go sleep. Tomorrow is brand new day, perfect to start being more effective with my tasks!

Friday 17-08-07

Reading:

Books:

- Solid Waste Management for Economically Developing Countries, by L. Dias et.al

- Municipal Solid Waste Management, by C. Ludwig et.al

- Integrated Solid Waste Management, Tchobonoglous et. al (i am planning to buy this one here!)

News on the web:
-Chinese Environmental NGOs Called on to Play a Bigger Role

-SEPA Calls for More Public Involvement

-China Sets Renewable Energy Target

- Carbon Challenge

And literature research
@ scopus/science direct and scholar.google.
Found some interesting peer-rewied articles, just need to get to them!!!!!

Saturday, 18-08-07

Non-scientific reading.

In the Frankfurt airport there were not so many good options for English books. Among Danielle Steel, Tom Clancy and Dan Brown, i chose Paulo Coelho, The Zhair. Shame on me?!?! It took me two evenings to read it, and I am glad i had finished. Now i can buy some of the English books sold in the bookstores here, Hesse, Kafka, Hemingway. And for 1/5 of the price.

Lunch and walking around the town near the University Campus (Zheng Liang Cun). Checked prices for sending packets to Germany. Discovered an interesting Pub - American Pie - Warm beer, cold food, lousy movies, in this town, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Should go there someday, not because of food or beer, but the movies they show for free everyday at 7pm.
Ordered new glasses, since i didn't bring mine, and i did start to have some headache because of so much reading. A perfect service, very simple store, but the offer you some fruits, then they measure your diopter (thanks God it was the correct one), and they say they call some hours later. In fact, they come to your place to deliver the product! And it was also possible to handle a bit, from 190 to 150 RMBs. Good good deal.

Then we wanted to download some movies from the internet, but there was no electricity at the lab. This fact is quite very common. It is just bad, e.g, for the experiments, since the online measurements and the stirring stop.

Again some more walking around, had my hair washed and cut, very interesting experience. The drying was not so effective, and my hair had more volume than before. They like this here, and i would die to have the waveless Chinese hair. I also noticed that most of the hairdresser here are men, not women as i am used to.

Bought some more small things, basically "plastic stuff" (chopsticks, plates, cups, and so on). Went to KFC and had coffee. Hum, not good at all, but it was also nice to observe that people, even thou they have so many nice restaurants around they go to this, that is per se "the" fast food chain in China, even stronger than Mc Donalds. Like people say, taste you can't discuss, you lament.

Sunday, 19-08-07

Prof. Raninger was planing to go to a beach down to the south, and would call me, but i guess he probably gave up. Slept until late, but could not stand the "workers" laud noise outside anymore. So, on friday, when i open the door, there is a role in front of it, i still don't what they had to fix, but it was in almost the entire first floor. They worked yesterday and today, and thou everything is still a mess on the corridors, it is finished. I have heard a very
interesting phrase: In China, everyday is a working day. There is no such a thing as weekend, not for most of the working people. Amazing. The country that never stops!

So, since today is Valentines day in China, e got my husband some presents:

He is a geologist, and likes stones! I thought he might like these ones, still don't know how to take them! :)

Here you can read some interesting story about the origin of this Double Seventh Festival.

This and thats again.....

tuesday, 14-08-07
Busy day, meeting with Prof. Raninger and some definitions of theproject tasks. Mainly i will work on 4 different topics (more about that later), which makes the work really interesting and not boring at all!I already have 100Mb in collected literature and other readings. If you think it is not much, wrong, it is a lot. I read 2 papers today, and i need to be getting faster!Problems still not solved: internet connection in my office and money withdrawning from the credit card. [:(]

Pleasant dinner in the evening with collegues. Really nice and traditional restaurant downtown.(Forgot the name!). Had these delicious dumplings, also some lamb, calmari and special chinese salad. Also some beer and green tee.
(hum, bad, i had all the names in pinyin, but since i am not using my computer, the text editor here does not recognize the accent characters, so i will have to write it again later.)


So the typical aquarium in the restaurant, where you can choose your food, and the typical architecture.

It is interesting to observe the similarities, in some sense, of some aspects of the daily life of people here and in Brazil. I somenow imagine myself leaving here for a longer period of time..........

We talked a lot about China and some problems it is facing this evening. There is just not words to describe what is going on in this country. Well, you probably all know well, but it is somehow different when you feel it here. People work hard, they destroy in on day and rebuild things in the other day. Countryside is migrating in mass to the cities.
It is soo many people, for example, as i was told,waiting in lines of 2-3 hours to get a place at a restaurant, or, not being able to get a taxi, because they are all busy, or, facing shopping center so crowded, that they have to struggle to come in a store, and fight to get to buy something! They are building, everywhere, in the highs and towards the countryside, expanding, taking people their home for few money, to replace forstores, shopping center, offices. And everyday more and more people come to the cities, to try a betterlife. And related e.g. to these facts (more people living in cities, construction and production fever) there is always a greater and greater energy hunger, and, there is always more big piles of waste being generated. And all in all, this is all taking China to invest in renewable energy (in 2006 NDRC approved the Renewable Energy Law), and biomass has a great potential in this mix. Waste is here considered a biomass, and the perspective is that many anaerobic digestion plants for the generation of biogas will be constructed, also with the good deal of CDM financing and CERs trading. I am very curious and anxious about how things will develop in this sector here, since it is also known that sometimes and in some regions it takes too long for decision makers and stakeholders to put their hands on work and really make things move. In this case there is still a lot of knowledge to be transfered.

Anyway, after the nice dinner, we did some joyride, not so long, but it was possible to take a glance at Sy by night. It is beautiful, with all the lights and buildings, colours, sounds and smells and so many people around, in the squares and other public spaces, in front of the small restaurants and bars, in the cars, also spinning around (and indeed, driving like crazy and honking all the time). Again, more about the places later.

Wednesday, 15-08-07

Reading and reading. For those who think i only write on this blog, it is not true, i do work!
It is still bad not to have internet in my room.

In the late afternoon - further talking with the Prof. More infos....


Dinner in one of the many small and cozy restaurants around the campus. I learned that there are more than 3000 medium and big restaurants in Sy.
And maybe 3 times more of the small ones !!!!


Hey, these is what you might find on your way home:


Thursday, 16-08-7
soo many things to do, one week that i am here!
Had to take the time to go downtown, and finally i could get money at the Bank of China. 2 hours and 4 RMBs later, finally got to the university.
Rainy day again, and foggy/smoggy. Visibility something like 10 meters!