Monday, April 30, 2007

Placidly Quiescent


When I focus my eye-lens to far edge of the hill-stations, the changes were already been able to moisturize my gray matter. The lovely-hills surrounding us have already been painted by a fresh green layer of virgin leaves. As I focus my eyes near to the surrounding there were no differences either, the skeleton-trees look vividly verve with his new virgin leaves glistening and shining when the morning sun reflects through it every day. There were beautiful flowers everywhere, birds were chirping everywhere with many of them busy feeding their offspring’s. The grounds along with meadow were completely green no matter students were busy playing football everyday. The environment and surroundings were melancholy and dormant as the days become hot and long. The environmental and climatic changes were already there and we were simply waiting for it to happen gently and placidly. The weather has already started to become warmer and the Chinese students have already changed their old but warm uniform with the light ones that looks them smarter like a business professionals. The environment looks lucid, beautiful and clean. Many trees, shrubs and herbs along with birds were showing the rapid changes. The days are hotter as we have already started to wear light shirts but again the climate of the Nanjing sucks sometimes as it’s not predictable no matter I always manage to see the five days weather forecast of BBC.

Fujimiao Trip always remained wonderful trip no matter how many times we went there. The wide giant gates along all the way in every corners of city with long and wide roads, the beautiful temple located at the heart of the city, the man-held and goat carriages, the narrow stream with motor-boats and of course the crowded but seamless peoples. It looks like typical Chinese city in all aspects from peoples to architectural design and from fancy shops to huge artistic gates. Sometimes we stand at the small bridge that’s in the centre of city and watch the motor boats as it pass through the gentle streams in-between the big mansions along sides of it. Walking through the streets of Fujimiao was fun as there were sales and many shops everywhere; sales girls were smiling and clapping to attract attention of new costumers. Fujimiao is one of the best places in Nanjing that looks like perfectly and incredibly china, a place where the history meets with future.

It was a fun in one afternoon as we were roaming around the Fujimiao when we were lost for fifteen minutes as we were not able to trace out the main road as there were many roads that look similar crossing each other. However, it didn’t take a long time to trace our bus stop. The day became more colorful when few sales girls in the shop were crazy to take pictures with us. As usual, the McDonald was always waiting for us.

The following day we went to Shinjekou, the day was hotter but again it seems that I was the only guy to wear the half-t-shirt except few fashionable girls who were giving me accompany. The coffee and pizza after a long time was delicious change for my tongue in the hot afternoon that we were expecting and waiting for a long period of time. We really enjoyed the place as we spend long time to eat and enjoyed peeping busy and populous Ladi at the heart of Shinjekou.

As we were walking in the heart of Shinjekou we were completely amazed when some sales girls approached us. At first, it was confusion as we couldn’t understand the information that they were trying to communicate. Later, a smiling sales girl was persuading us for our photos so that she is going to print it. It was a promotional campaign of portable photo printing device of Canon. Finally we were happy to see our photos printed for absolutely free without a single penny.

There was a mini New Year celebration program in one of our mate’s room. The countdown for this time was Nepali New Year when all of us (Nepalese) were already gathered for the momentum. It was a co-incident that many of the countries in Asia including Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Bangladesh have New Year on the same day. But the amazing and interesting fact was that each countries has different numbers for new year and some were lagging far behind and some were in the mid-way and others were already ahead. It was again complex mathematical and historical artifacts regarding the issue of New Year. But in terms of number Nepal is already 57 years ahead of the English date. We started with soft drinks and few light snacks. As usual, the coke was something I could enjoy with nuts and crackers. Nepali music and English music were already hitting hard so that we can dance in the congested small place inside the room with tiny speakers at the centre of the room. That was enough to light the cigar. Eventually, it was wonderful evening for remembrance without Nepalese food. Later we mixed up with other guys who were also celebrating it and convey the New Year wishes..!!

On one evening we invited our new friends Ruan and her friend Daisy for dinner. Amazingly, the dinner was like a tough expedition without any ambitions for my friend Tony as it was too hot and spicy. The foods were messed up. The girls were confused too as they couldn’t figure out our choices and couldn’t explain ingredients in detail. We were very choosy on eating. We were even awkward and couldn’t say what we want and the girls were completely nervous too as they couldn’t communicate well. It was even the new place for them and place was too crowded and the food was smelling everywhere. Nevertheless, it was again a new experience watching other people eating instead of us eating and enjoying.

Later in the same night, we roamed around the 1912 street and enjoyed colorful night at A8 and Scarlet. The place was too crowded and DJ Jack was playing rap and dance songs. We were simply moving here and there as the environment was pleasant and we don’t have to worry about heart-beating cold. All of us enjoyed whole night dancing and drinking after a long and hectic week-days. The smoke, colorful lights and people all were matching perfectly better than before as the external environment was better than ever and we use to take a periodic break at some intervals and roam around outside to have a fresh air. Earlier in the morning, it was a painful time after being nocturnal despite of beautiful weather and placid morning. The streets were deserted, there were few peoples in the wee-hours in the morning and few shops were open. We pass through Narrow Street walking in a gentle breeze that was refreshing us, surprisingly the girls were greeting but again some of them were staring as usual. Finally, we make our way quietly to the school and took rest whole-day.

I had small misunderstanding with my new-roommate. As we couldn’t settle the issue, so I refused to stay with him and moved to my old-room. No matter, it was a new experience for me and I learned something new from that room but amazingly I can feel happiness in my old-mate face and mind when he saw me back. The old-room was not lavish as the one I was staying on however I could feel something better than that as physical things always doesn’t give happiness. There was a peace, mutual understanding and a sense of open-ness and transparency between us that was more important than any other objects in the vicinity. I find it’s the person that makes the room more beautiful rather than the physical things in the room. The room looks deserted, however it was quite, sober and a simple; identical to my room at my home without many techno, fancy and expensive gizmos.

As the sun was becoming stronger and stronger each day, we used to stay on the shade of green trees that’s everywhere in the vicinity as the environment and landscaping was design with careful planning. Sometimes, we move around basketball court and watch the Chinese students being crazy of basketball in the hot sun. The soft and cold winds make us feel cool in the day. The ice-cream and cola became the bread of life again. The students started to wear half-shirts and it seems that cold frozen days are far behind and is never coming very soon. The tennis mania continues and we were playing with schedule and were enjoying the wonderful time playing in every evening before supper. Finally, the third-last course was finished and I was so crazy that I wrote the C program to count the number of days to go back and all of us laughed but enjoyed program counting for the days to go back.

Spending time with friends from Arab with Arabic-tea was something exciting that used to happen frequently in our Yemen’s friend room. As they start to murmur about their culture and politics. I listen to them very cautiously and inquisitively. Eventually it became a lecture of regional politics, geography and religion. Enjoying the coffee and evening walk in every day became the essential part of the life.

The last week of the month was horrible and stressful as we have a long seven days class consecutively. They were adjusting our holidays for two consecutive weeks so we were busy attending class even on weekends. It was too boring and monotonous. But finally it’s over now and all of us are ready to start a long and exciting holidays from the beginning of the next Month.

Reminiscently the month was placidly quiescent with subtle change and was successful in writing words fewer than ever before.