Note to myself: Just do it.

Recently i tried some stuff with ps to do something on a drawing chu bei did of me. i wanted to check how i would 'design' or play with an illustration and of course i wanted to fiddle a bit with the buttons of the adobe software. after a while i knew what i wanted to try, that was to seperate the drawn lines from the white of the sheet first, to paint then some colorful motivs on the background and put the drawing back on the sheet.

sounds easy and like a job of a few minutes.... since i was not able to do that (or because its too much work the way i would do it) i did a completely different thing with the goal: colors.

it took me then almost 2 hours and im still not satisfied with it, so i see it as not finished.

here it is

Afterwards i could interpret that i did this regarding the movie "Das weisse Band" - nothing in the light, story in the shadow... its late and i drift off.

however, once i was in the photostudio with a chinese friend, zhouhanlin, she already finished her study of photography and had to shoot something for her job. i was invited to join and i got to get the experience how it is to use the camera in a studio! i did some shots but didnt really have a plan so i talked a lot with the 'models' (our friends) and fired away here and then. i like the following picture the most from all shots.

中国朋友 - Chinese friends

I would like to make a short introduction to some friends a got to know recently or longer ago.. chu bei (paypay) & yue lin (angela), last week we spent some days together and it was really great, since chu bei is very into photography and also a real busy guy at the university and yue lin is a beautiful girl who likes to get photographed. we went to a little exhibition downtown, there were some pictures of of the girls angel & angela, shot by chu bei. some days later we have been to a lecture about analog & unmanipulated photography at Ningbo University which is quite far away from Wanli university, it was a taxi ride about 40 minutes. Of course we were late and the lecture already begun. it was all in chinese but i got a instant translation of the most important things from yue lin.

Angel, Yue Lin & Chu Bei

Kevin is a guy who studies chinese language. if i remember well this study includes historic chinese and new literacy - but im not sure now, maybe its bullshit - but he is studying english as well, for sure. his chinese name is he xiaping. He might be one of the best english speaking persons in Wanli even though here and then it gets confusing talking to him. we like to call him kevinem because he is into hiphop, rap and everything where pants are worn under the ass. of course also basketball.
A really nice guy who helped some of us out when we actually needed it and he has the heart at the right place.

We play tennis since i got to know maggy and her friend whose name i will always forget.

They invited us to play tennis again and again and as i remember the only activity we did together was playing tennis and having dinner once. Anyway they become good friends and they are nice to hang around with or to play tennis with.

However, they are all nice poeple and im looking forward to seeing them this evening at the dinner of Fredriks Birthday. And im glad i met you!

Maybe it is yet a nostalgic moment cause i see there is only a month in china left the future. and how the hell did that 4 months pass?

What is the difference between a big school and a big school?

Today I had a chat with Fredrik at a cup of coffee in the cafe where we usually go. We started talking about the difference in languages since there was entering a couple of japanese, a young lady, probably a student and an older man with shirt and intellectual appearance. Both seemed to be very balanced and well educated, something that might be special to see in China (at least for our conception of balance & education).
Unnecessary to say that chinese people „hate“ japanese, as they say, and the reason is easy and not to understand for a foreigner like me: „because of history, you know“. I dont know if the reason they name most of the time should just hide a kind of envy. To discuss about that is equal to enter in a never ending cycle.
I tried, I was misunderstood and at the end I was taught.
Anyway, the japanese couple beside our table began to discuss something and we were happy that we were able to distinguish chinese from japanese.
We as very beginner in learning the chinese language have a bit of a clue how this language works:
'daxue' means university and 'xue' just means school. If you put the caracter for 'big' (in chinese 'da') infront of 'xue' you get a 'big school', a university.
An other example could be shown from a question form. 'Bu' is the negation and it works like the following formula: verb + 'Bu' +verb. Translated it would sound like this 'do you see or you dont?', 'do you go or you dont?', 'do you like or you dont',....
As I know there is no word for 'without', you are supposed to by-pass it and replace it with a sentence where you use 'not have'. Or lets put it this way: dictionary says 'without' is same word as 'not have' but if you use it you actually say 'not have' in chinese. Confused?

The question came up.
Do you think the Chinese language can be as specific as English when it is about a certain subject for example in science?
I surely do not know but Im really curious about that, how accurate you can determinate and define the differences in things.

Our conclusion:
For now it seems like japanese are drawing with tiny brushes to make sure every stroke is in the right place and chinese is painted like a contemporary illustration done with one bucket and it says 'daxue'.

random news VS. whats going on?

what happened?
we went to a beach on the weekend, we got to know a really nice french man who inspired with some great pix to put some effort to fix my 50mm, i fixed my 50mm lens, i got the booklet/catalogue from the shooting , i got a book from zhouhanlin (kate)-the photographer girl- her final work on the university, we have a exam on thursday (tomorrow), further there will be a party in laowaitan on friday because some guys will leave china and go back to sweden or whatever.. sad to hear for those who stay.
my girl told me she managed to sell my guitar, im rich again.

that was written last wednesday if i remember well, and this time i'll throw on the blog, just to save the site from my laziness. maybe this kind of diary writing is going to be posted more often in the future..i like it.

more news since that is also: inter milan won the champions league, i got 80 points at the last exam (yes!), helene has a blog as well now, we bought finally tennis rackets, bayern lost the champions league, i got my first tie and nothing even more boring to tell.

in the next episode you learn how to burn a bridge after passing it without being a bastard, a pyromaniac or steven seagal!

The racket is broken after 2 days..

About a meeting

"On wednesday there is a meeting at the government and it is organized by the government." James, the man who makes everything possible (no matter how......), asked three foreigners to show up at that date.
So, today Sandra, Federigo de Svezia and I went there..
you know, when someone tells you that you are going to watch a new action movie with lots of great actors, expensive cars and so on but at the end instead of that you get a theater performance acted by 13 years old kids, while you are filmed by a local TV. Maybe they are talented and give their best, but still it is not the same what you've expected. So what are you going to say when they ask you questions from which you can tell they just want to get the proof they are good, unique and that they have reason to be proud? You lie. Straight in the face.
..well, we went there and we figured out really soon that the location was a kind of a museum, people were expecting us and welcome us really formal and friendly. After a while we recognized a camera team is joining us.. taking pictures of us... filming.. and interviewing: How many cities have you been in china? Do you travel by yourself or with a friend as a translator? Did you have some trouble while travelling?
Do you like China? Do you like this place? What do you thinkg about the Chinese Government? What about their service?
We knew it was all about representing the foreign face for the TV.

Anyway, we've seen a historic temple, exchanged some contacts, got to know some people, got a free thermos bottle and too much money to pay the taxi. Hao de!

Dong Qian Lake - Fotostream

I was trying to write something about the last day of holiday, beginning with a introduction of the translation programs and the difficulties to use them in the right way, if there is one... but it didn't came as expected.

The "Good Morning, first of all a Photo..." post was inspired by Kwerfeldein.de, I think it is one of the nicest ways to start a posting :)

On monday, Fredrik, Emilie and I went to Dong Qian Lake in the near south of Ningbo. Nice weather, ocean breeze, suntan and beeing tourist - everything captured with our cameras.

(fredriks picasa: http://picasaweb.google.com/hanfre79)

"Fritz has taken some more ping-pong in their bags" / "Fritz hat etwas mehr Ping-Pong in ihren Taschen genommen"

Original

Wie versprochen, mit dem besten, einzigartigen und fehlerlosestem Übersetzungsprogramm das Google zu bieten hat, vom Deutschen ins Englische zu Computer gebracht. Natürlich will ich es dem Übersetzer, ich nenne ihn mal Fritz, nicht all zu leicht machen. Fritz kommt beim Chinesischen leicht ins stottern und vor allem wenn er chinesisch ins Englische übersetzt. Das kommt dann einem Sauerkraut mit Meeresfrüchten und verschiedenem Obst gleich. Um Fritz nicht bloß zu stellen, wurde in China ein Artgenosse nachgebaut, sein Bruder, wenn man so will, ich gebe ihm den Namen PingPong. PingPong weiß seinen Bruder zu retten, denn er zieht die Aufmerksamkeit auf sich, das manifestiert sich durch das geschriebene Englisch. Tatsächlich kommen Sätze dabei raus, die kein Komiker hätte erfinden können. Sätze die Goethe erblassen, Churchill verstummen und Einstein doof aussehen ließen. Denn alles hat seinen Sinn und damit auch jedes Wort seine verschiedenen zwiespältigen Bedeutungen. Im Gesprochenen finden sich plötzlich Wörter, die für jegliche Adjektive Synonyme bilden. Zwar kennt man die Wörter, doch sind Sie das Maß der Dinge für den alltäglichen Sprachgebrauch. Sie sind entweder convenient oder delicious. Ich weiß nicht ob Fritz da etwas mehr in die Trickkiste gegriffen hätte, für PingPong scheint es schließlich angenehm zu sein.

Aber was ich damit sagen will ist: PingPong ist gut, aber Tennis ist besser. Fritz weiß das nicht, denn er spielt Basketball.

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Origano (German to Chinese and then to English)

As promised to provide, with the best, unique perfect program, Google translation into English brought from Germany to the computer. I certainly hope it's translated, I call him Fred, do not do easy. Fritz is the stutter easy access to the Chinese, especially when the Chinese translated into English. This is a cabbage, seafood and various fruits. Fritz provides not only is a copy of the same race, his brother, if you like, I gave him the name Ping Pong. Ping-pong to know to save his brother, because he drew attention to itself, it is itself embodied in written English. In fact, the sentence out of here, comedians will not be invented. Set Goethe pale, silent but Churchill and Einstein look stupid. Because everything has meaning, so every word of all kinds of ambiguous meaning. Suddenly found that his words are synonyms of adjectives. Although we know it, but it is a measure of things you use every day. They are either easy or delicious. I do not know it because Fritz has taken some more ping-pong in their bags cross the border, it seems finally comfortable.
But I will say is: ping-pong is good, but tennis is better. Fritz did not know, because he plays basketball.

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Original (German to English)

As promised to offer, with the best, unique and flawless translation program that Google has brought into English from German to computer. Of course I want it to the translator, I call him Fred, do not do all too easily. Fritz comes to stutter slightly at the Chinese and especially when Chinese translated into English. This is then a cabbage with seafood and various fruits like. To provide not only Fritz was in China a replica conspecific, his brother, if you will, I give him the name PingPong. PingPong knows to save his brother, because he draws attention to itself, which manifests itself through the written English. Actually come out sentences here, the comedian would not have invented. Sets the Goethe pale, silent, Churchill and Einstein did look stupid. Because everything has a meaning and therefore every word of his various ambiguous meanings. In spoken suddenly find words that are synonyms for any adjectives. Although we know the words, but you are the measure of things for everyday usage. They are either convenient or delicious. I do not know if Fritz had since taken a little more in its bag of tricks for PingPong, it seems finally comfortable.
But what I'm saying is: PingPong is good, but tennis is better. Fritz does not know that because he plays basketball.

Guten Abend, erstmal ein Foto...

oder auch mehrere Fotos. Letzte Woche hatte ich das Vergnügen in das Büro eines Fotografielehrers geladen zu werden. Ich wurde begleitet von einem schwedischen Freund und einem aufgewecktem jungen Chinesen, dessen Englisch hin und wieder eine Fragezeichen aufwirft, ansonsten aber einwandfrei ist. Hinter seinem englischen Namen Kevin verbirgt sich der chinesische He Xiaping. Wir hatten uns durch das "Shooting" kennen gelernt. Kevin, Fredrik und Ich gingen in das Gebäude 52, in welchem wir Prof. Jiang antrafen. Wir tauschten uns mittels Kevins Sprachkenntnisse aus, plauderten über dies und jenes und bekamen schließlich einige Arbeiten des Professors zu sehen und nachfolgend praktische Tipps. Der Professor und passionierte Fotograf Jiang geleitete uns dazu noch in sein Equipment Raum um uns verschiedene Kameras, Objektive und technische Spielereien zu demonstrieren. Die guten Stücke waren umgeben von faszinierten Kinderaugen.

Das Treffen fand aber bald ein abruptes Ende da Herr Jiang ein beschäftigter Mann an der Universität ist.

Ich verließ das Gebäude mit neuer Motivation und ein wenig Unsicherheit, hatte mich der Professor doch eingeladen ihm einige Fotos per mail zukommen zu lassen.

Mit einem Chinesisch auf Krücken verschicke ich meine 6 Bilder. Einen Tag später kommt die Antwort, ein 6 zeiliger Absatz aus reinem Chinesisch. Ich verstehe "Hallo", das Datum, mein Name sowie einige Wörter, wie "ist" und "haben". Ach ja, 50mm konnte ich auch verstehen da es nicht übersetzt war.

Weil ich keinen chinesischen Kontakt in einen meiner Chat-Programme online fand musste ich zu Google-Übersetzung greifen. Nachfolgend sieht man mein Chinesisch auf Krücken, das mit der Übersetzung endgültig zu Fall kam, und weil es so lustig war, wird der nächste Eintrag von Google ins Englische übersetzt.

"Hallo Lehrer,

Ich bin ein Student aus.

Meine Fotografien sind zu klein, ist die Auflösung nicht gut, sorry!

Grams schreiben Sie Ihre Meinung zu diesem so gut?

Mein Chinesisch ist nicht gut, sorry!

Auf Wiedersehen

Klar"

Nun, so komisch diese Sätze auch klingen mögen, das wirklich absurde ist, dass der letzte Satz in keiner Weise einen Fehler aufweist und somit perfekt übersetzt ist.

Klar am Ende klingt auch seltsam und ist nicht die falsche Variante von Karl. Nein, mein Name ist im Chinesischen mit dem phonetisch nächsten liegendem übersetzt. Armin wird zu A Ming, da ich auf das A verzichten möchte, bleibt nur noch Ming, das im Deutschen mit "Hell", "Klar", "Weise" übersetzt werden kann.

Die gezeigten Fotos sind die letzten, die ich bislang gemacht habe. Es sind Versuche, wie die meisten Fotos von mir, einige schmücken einen Proberahmen, der das Bild und den Effekt verstärken soll. Weiters glaube ich geben diese Bilder einen neuen Stil für mich vor (der aber nix Neues ist), den ich sehr mag aber vorsichtig einzubringen versuche... mal sehen.

Lao Wai Tan

Jetzt wirds aber mal Zeit die Sprache zu wechseln.. Dieser EIntrag ist nur Hinweis auf einige Bilder von mir in Picasa. Letzten Samstag wurde Geburtstag gefeiert. Von wem? Einer Austauschstudentin, aber nicht wichtig. Wir, das ganze Ausländerpack, waren eingeladen spät abends nach Lao Wai Tan zu kommen um uns dort zusammen den Festlichkeiten hinzugeben. Tanzend, trinkend, sich schreiend unterhalten, sinnfrei Müll redend, sich kaputt machen, trinkend. Die Kamera war stets ein guter Freund und Begleiter an jenem Abend. Viel Spaß beim Zappen.

Hamas

What was that * sign in the other post? It's about the restaurant we eat in like everyday and we don't know the name of. Their specialties are muslim dishes, what means they are muslims. The dishes are great, there are a lot of different noodle and rice dishes and other things I didn't even try out yet. However, as we went there everyday, in the beginning of the school with the time we wanted to communicate with the owners (a family about 10members), but it was difficult to find the right way to understand each other because our chinese was and still is too poor and so is there english. Only thing I understood was "Pakistan", "Afghanistan", "Iran", "Libya" and so on and every word was said in combination with his thums up. He didn't stop anymore, there were more countries he like obviously. I agreed with a smile and I agreed as well when he said "Saddam Hussein" (thumbs up) and "Hamas" while imitating a machine gun. I thought it is the best for our relation.. and he confirmed with thumbs up!

A shooting

Last week, when I went to the "Hamas place"* (it is a oriental restaurant) a chinese guy asked us if we wanted to be part of a shooting at the campus, it is for the university he said.. I just agreed, because I didn't think anything about it. Next time we met, he told me it is about a shooting for a chinese company that sells clothes to italy and there will be a professional photographer with his crew. After these news they made me speek to a friend of the orginasators and she told me everything takes place in the historic center of Ningbo. I was stunned. I was thinking about a shooting with some students in the campus, but now it was totally different.. the only thing I had to do, was looking for a tall girl that wants to join the shooting and to wear blue jeans at the set. Viyaleta joined, that was perfect! About the jeans.. I had only that old looking ones with the fixed whole in it. Who cares, they will notice when it is already too late: and that is when we meet.

We met, they picked us up and drove us there. After some make up the shooting began, everyone was friendly and the atmosphere was really pleasant, so we were not so nervous.

Trying jackets and changing again, posing, smiling... done! To the next background. The more we went into the center called Lao Wai Tan the more shootings we saw. Everywhere there were girls and boys dressed up extraordinary clothes in the aim of very professional cameras. It seemed that it was all about the size of the lenses between the photographers.
We were done at lunch time, so we ate together and went back to school.

The pictures: Viyaleta ready to be shooted; me after shooting; Laoshi Wang, friend of the organisator and our friend as well; Mr. Chenyin, General Director of the company; once again myself, I was in the mood to try some things in this style.

Monday at Moonlake

It was a sunny monday, not a usual weather for ningbo. I forgot about the holiday so i went to class. I didn't figure out on the empty streets of our campus or the silent and free space in the coridors. But i figured out when i stood in front of our class facing the empty chairs. Oh, yes, they are in Shanghai.... damn it!
I thought it would be not a bad idea to study beside the little lake at the library.
After some chinese reading & writing i met charles and fredrik to have picnic lunch together. It was really a holiday feeling now. We decided to go to the famous moonlake in ningbo and take some pictures there. We had a nice walk through the park, we've seen some fishers, some fishes, a girl who selled jewels that was taken afterwards by the police, some tourist on funny boats and a lot of nice things to capture the camera.
After some shots we left the area and we were attracted by a small alley that seemed not to end. It was really traditional and rustical with some dogs discovering the foreigners fragrence.
Out of the alley we just needed to eat something. We sinned. There was a McDonalds, we were young and stupid and we had to money. So we did it! But it felt so good.
With bad conscience in our stomach and a good feeling even though we were looking for a cab. No free cab at this time. No why. That means walking again until there is a spitting, sweaty and taxi driving angel who is willing to take us to wanli university. Charles found him and nobody knows how. No how. Just found.
It was a nice day and i enjoyed also that I went to class in the morning. I studied, had fun, did some pictures and I was relaxed in the evening. Olride.

Hallo erstmal...

dies ist mein erster blog und ich freue mich dich lieben blog zu begrüßen und auch dich, lieber leser. ich werde hier ein buntes wirrwarr von fotos, erzählungen, tagebuch hochladen um mich später daran erinnern zu können und meine erfahrungen teilen zu können. inspiriert wurde ich von einem freund, der ähnliches auf www.fredrikgoestochina.blogspot.com macht. ich hoffe den blog vom staub der zeit und der faulheit meiner selbst auffrischen zu können, hier und da soll ein beitrag kommen, von wichtigem bis zu banalem, worüber man vielleicht gerne tratscht...
also, bis bald!