So this week was supposed to be a quiet week of studying, occasionally meeting friends, and preparing for my trip. My last week of repose before really getting busy with going to China and my exam. That’s when I got a call about an unexpected couple of days of work, so for the past few days I’ve been working during the day and studying during the night. I vaguely recall some sleep time in-between as well.
I love it! People often see me as a disciplined person, but there’s a trick behind it. See, I’m never more efficient than when my schedule’s full, I’m almost stressed to tears, and I barely have time to eat and sleep. Wacky hours help too, such as studying till 6 AM, sleeping till 12 AM, wake up stressed out because half the day’s gone, repeat. (I’ve been really good these past weeks though, sleeping around 2 AM and getting up around 8 AM.) So in addition to working and making some extra money, I have also studied nearly as much as I would’ve without working. All this makes me feel productive, which makes me want to study more, and it just becomes a hectic, rewarding cycle. I guess you could say I create the right conditions for me to become disciplined. Of course, none of this would be possible without my trusty caffeine pills, which I know sounds really scary but is really healthy. If I didn’t have those, the coffee I would have to drink would probably burn a hole in my stomach. Hey, I can’t help that if given the opportunity, I sleep like a baby, as in at least 11 hrs per night.
The people I work with also happen to be the best ever. Lawyers are by default highly competitive, intelligent people with a certain mindset, and when you stick a bunch of them together, problems can occur. I’ve sometimes thought that Law would be the best profession in the world if it weren’t for all the lawyers. Mind you, I still think it’s the best profession in the world, but some things surrounding it could be better. These lawyers are smart, focused and ambitious, but they’re also relaxed, fun and easy-going. And everyone’s so incredibly nice! I feel really lucky for getting this opportunity, and I’m really, really going to make the most of it.
OK, enough gushing. Had to be done. They’re awesome and I’ve had such a good time this week, even though I haven’t slept more than 6 hours per night since Sunday.
I’m really gearing up for China now. Mentally, that is; physically, I haven’t even packed yet. But I’m trying to fully comprehend the fact that I’m going to be on my own for a whole year in a strange and foreign country, and what that will entail.
I think it’s interesting how my expectations differ from those of other exchange students. Most people have sky-high expectations and wonderful images in their head, and can’t wait to experience all the amazing things that await them. I’m much more realistic. My parents’ warnings are certainly a significant reason, because they’ve lived there most of their lives and are worried already about me being alone there for a year. Another reason are my own, albeit limited, experiences with PRC (People’s Republic of China) Chinese, which gives me an idea of how completely different the culture and customs are. The third reason is my own memories of the huge contrast in environment and living standards compared to the West, but I’ll probably be a little stunned when I get there anyway. Sure, you can remember and imagine a city with 12 million people, traffic noises day and night and distinct odors here and there, but it’s another thing altogether to be smack in the middle of it.
So I’ve heard a lot of cautioning from my parents lately, about everything from the food to traffic to personal safety. I asked my Mom a while ago why she only talked about the negative things, and her answer made perfect sense: she doesn’t need to tell me about the positive things, because I’ll discover them by myself. It’s true, whereas the opposite would be decidedly less pleasant. I’m aware that I’ll probably still get disappointed and experience a few nasty surprises, but hopefully they won’t be as many now. And this way, all the positive things will be even better. So please understand: I’m thrilled to death and incredibly excited about going to China. It still feels a little unreal, but I’m convinced I’m going to have an amazing year. And you guys know me – I’ll be jumping up and down with excitement over everything and anything, despite my somewhat sober attitude at the moment. I just want to be as prepared as possible.

I also had sushi dinner with Mathilda Tuesday, which was awesome. We went to our friends’ sushi place, and she spoke some Chinese with them. She might think her Chinese is rusty, but her pronounciation is really flawless. I’m convinced it’s because of all the singing she does and for those of you in Sweden and Uppsala this fall, if you see anything with the word artymoves on it, don’t miss it. I can’t recall ever seeing a better live performance and the music’s so good too. (I know this turned into an ad, but I’m saying all of this for free. They’re just that good.)

Me motioning “13” by putting up ten and then three fingers half a meter from Mathilda’s face –
Mathilda: “12?”
Later, after explaining that she’s effectively blind without her contacts –
Mathilda: “You look really good!”
Me: “Yeah, but that’s cuz you’re blind.”

Music: Liz Phair - Extraordinary