Lost in Translation

Where has the last month gone?  I can't believe it's been over a month since I wrote my last blog entry, and it took a reminder from my mum to write another entry (thanks mum!).

For those who have been following the journey so far, a quick update of the last month.  Xmas was a strange experience and not simply the fact that I was away from family and friends, but because in China, Xmas is simply another work day.  So I went to work! OK, I went to work in the morning then I had a 3 hour lunch with a friend, then left early to go to dinner, so there wasn't much work done.

Here is a photo of Xmas night dinner.  It was like a gathering of the United Nations - Singapore, Canada, Australia, USA, UK, Russia and Ireland.  And a big turkey dinner! Boxing day (my birthday) was another work day.  Again, went to work, had lunch with the boss, then went home early and a quiet drink with the neighbours at a local.  I was coming down with a cold, so it was a very quiet night.  Home by 8:30!

Let's skip to New Years Eve, and was I was introduced to a new NYE custom.  A group of us were invited to a Spanish restaurant by our friend Gina (I hope you're reading this Gina!) to celebrate the New Year - Spanish style.  What happens at midnight is you eat 12 grapes - 1 grape each strike of midnight.  And you are supposed to make a wish for each grape.  Have you ever tried to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds?  And as you can see by the photo, my grapes were not exactly small, so I failed.  Next time I'm going to request smaller grapes.  But it was a great night, which finished for me at 4am.

The last few weeks it's been back to work (oh, and planning my trip back to Australia on 31st January).  I've spent a few days in Tianjin, 2 weeks in Nanjing, then back to Beijing before flying out to Australia next week.   Everyone in China is getting ready for the Chinese New Year (on the 9th February).  One of the most important days on the Chinese calendar.  Almost everyone goes home to spend time with their family, so it is also one of the biggest travel days of the year, when big cities like Beijing and Shanghai see a mass exodus of people.  Just the thought of moving 1.3 billion people is mind boggling.

Anyway, I don't really have that much more to report so I thought I would share some of my favourite "Lost in Translation" photos that  I have taken in the last 8 months since coming to China.  As I've come to understand, things get translated literally (Eg.  Rocket in Chinese is translated to "fire sword").

 The first was taken at the JinJiang Inn in Guangzhou where I was staying for 3 weeks while preparing for the launch of our latest station.  It didn't taste fierce, in fact it tasted just like it looked - sweet.

This sign is in the lobby of my Mandarin school.  It reminds people that you must go and register when you arrive in China, at the "Pubic Security Bureau".  What exatcly are you registering?

 We held a Digital Music Test in Xi'an back in August, and this sign was at the registration desk.  I think it should have said something like "Sign in here".

 I'm sure I have mentioned it before, but it's common practice for most people in China to spit.  Yep, a good clear of the throat, then hack up on the pavement.  The government even tried to ban it before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  As you can see by this loosely translated sign "don't spitting at anywhere".  Trust me, no one pays attention to no spitting signs.

One of my new favourite "lost in translation" signs I snapped this week at a food hall in a shopping centre in Nanjing.  I am still yet to work out exactly what it should say, or even what it is.  I think it could be marinated, or stewed - but not urinated.

And finally, this last photo was on the wall of my bathroom at my hotel in Nanchang.  I had to look twice to make sure it said what it said, and definitely a laugh out loud moment.  I'm sorry, but I think I will skip the background music this time.

I was thinking, if you were fluent in Chinese (both reading and writing, and speaking) and good in English, there is an opportunity to work as a sign translator.  Mind you, if someone came in and fixed all these sign, what would I have to post on Facebook every week.