Alright. So after being absent for what felt like eternity I have some catching up to do. So first of all, I got back home, actually to the day 2 months ago and have been feeling misplaced since then. It's like I don't quite belong here anymore, it felt especially hard finding back into a life that everyone around me and that knew me seemed to be expecting. Which wasn't a good fit anymore after my experiences in China. So I felt torn, on the one side trying to find a new role here in Gerlingen on the other side not wanting to dissapoint anybody. I am still not satisfied by the result so far, but as I booked my flight back to China for May, 30th I don't really feel the need anymore to make a bigger effort in that direction. Yes, you did read correctly. Though studies won't start til fall, I didn't want to wait any longer to get back to the country my heart feels part of. So I hooked up my former agent to see if there is any other nice hostfamily out there that might need a Cultural Aupair to stay with them for 2/2,5 months during the summer. And there they were. A family with 3 kids in Shenzhen. And I was hooked. Booked the flight in no time and shocked all of my family and friends. Which didn't really bother me too much because I felt like hugging the whole world after making that decision. So right now I am busy getting my whole life here in Germany wrapped up within a couple of days, working 8 hours daily at a daycare here in my hometown and taking care of a Chinese's friends little 2 year old, who, as his mom is on a 2 weeks business trip to Shanghai, needs a 姐姐 to be with him after his daycare ends. Which leaves me with actually no time to get stuff done haha. But also no time to sit around and think too much. So I'm fine with it. Though it was quite tough til last week Saturday, when finally the weeks of intensive Chinese studies paid of taking the HSK Test (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi aka International Chinese Level Test) in Erlangen. I'm glad I was able to answer all the questions so smoothly, which left me with a good feeling that the certificate that I'll receive in 45 days will read the words "passed" on it :-) but, as everything is possible and nothing is for sure, so I won't open up that bottle of champagne just yet. Though I feel like having myself a glass everyday thinking of how lucky I am getting the chance to go back to China and spend the next 4 years of my life there. I do feel blessed!

So as Chinese New Year is coming up at the end of the week, and most Chinese are already off work, traveling to their places of birth or better said where the oldest family members live. The Chinese word 老家 laojia covers it all. As for my hostfamily, they are staying at home over New Year's hosting all sorts of 3rd and 4th grade relatives basically everyday. Which means that all 3 fridges and freezers as much as all the storage room in the house is overflowing with all sorts of either already prepared dishes, meat, vegetables, fruits and candy. And I thought the fridges couldn't get anymore stuffed than they already were. I was obviously wrong on this one.
So with a morning's notice aka 2 hours, my hostfamily let me know that they would take me to the only place close to Chengdu where especially the kids could have fun playing in the snow. So after gathering my stuff for our overnight stay there, our driver headed West of Chengdu, where we arrived at our hotel after a 2 hours drive. In the little village that did not have snow yet (I was sort of confused) we bought all sorts of snow toys and sleighs, snow boots and hats. After getting all set up for our day in the snow which was scheduled for the following day, we got back to our villa (as family friends and the driver had to be covered, too, we just got the biggest house the hotel offered all together) and heated up our whirlpool outside. Me and my groupies aka kids between the age of 4 and 71/2 hang in the black water (apparently some super healthy minerals - I call that dirt). But honestly, I doubt that this was anywhere healthy for those little muchkins, this water was HOT. Like almost to hot to get inside. And it was quite a challenge to keep them entertained, as all the fun like diving, splashing etc was not allowed. Understandable that after sbout sn hour and a half we all agreed on taking showers and getting ready for dinner. Oh, and btw, while I kept those 3 alive in the whirlpool the other folk was devouring in wine and spicy meat. And that's what you later call holiday with your kids. Oh well, no judging, right :-)
So for dinner we headed to a huge town square where we had an out-of-this-world barbecue. Tons of food on sticks and in addition a few whole rabbits. Gosh, my whole stomach was basically only protein filled. I got offered a sweet wine like hot beverage but after the first sip knew I wouldn't be able to take another. Man, was that sweet! Like disgustingly sweet. I have no idea how they were able to empty glass after glass of that potion. So while the adults kept getting warm from the inside, me and the kids grabbed the microphones that laid out be used for public karaoke and had a blast singing. Luckily they had about 2 English songs and also the only 2 Chinese songs I am able to sing. Which very impressed the Chinese around me. Huh, you didn't think I was able to do that!
As it got late, we headed back to our house, where the adults too the kids for another round into the whirlpool. I, at that point, had enough. So I was more than ready to head for a night sharing my king size bed with little Amy. But who thought that a 5 year old could basically claim a bed that size all for herself?! This little girls was moving like I would in gymnastics class, changing her position every 5 min, spreading her little body all over the pillows. So that night was only semi relaxing. If at all. I did get excited thought the next morning when we finally left to spend some time in the snow. Together with tons of other Chinese - literally no foreigners but me - we headed up the mountains, first in a cable car and then in a bus. But let me tell you, what expected us there was maybe the size of 3 soccerfields of snow. And that's what they call the most famous place in Sichuan to ski. Hahaha. Good one.
We had fun anyway though. Sledding, snowball fight, building a snowman and riding a snow mobile. Kids were totally thrilled, so their fascination grabbed me, too. Amy, like the days before, was clinging to me, so I had the pleasure of standing in line for like an hour to take her to go potty. Surrounded by a great smell.
So when it was time to head back down to the village, we all were pretty exhausted and tired. But happy and had a funfilled day. So on our way back home I guess everyone, even my hostparents, slept in the car. I for sure did.

So to give this whole passport renewing and entry adding in Beijing a real good purpose, I packed my bag on Dec, 27th including a bikini (as excited as I was to wear for the first time) and my recently bargained fake Ray Ban sunglasses to be all set for our one week long vacation on Bolifushi. Haha, you might think now, where the h*** is this place. But by adding Jumeirah Vittaveli Hotel in the Maldives you should get the idea. Oh yes folks, you read correctly, my Chinese hostfamily was really taking me with them to go 'outside play' (as Chinese loove to say) aka hanging out on an island in the Maldives with gorgeous sea and sealife, white sand and terrific weather. I did feel extremely lucky. Especially as I knew that, as this hotel, hosting guests from all over the world, would for sure have some sort of New Year's Party and fireworks. Neither one would I have found in China, as 元旦 aka Silvester is not found in the traditional and beloved lunar calendar of the Chinese. So they stay pretty unimpressed by Dec, 31st.
But after not experiencing the Moonfestival at all, and Christmas being sort of off that year, I was eager to have myself a blast and a glass of champagne for New Years. Period.
So as my hostfamily planned to take the ferry from Macau to Hong Kong, I met at Shuangliu Airport early morning of the 28th with 5 of the family's friends to fly with them together to Hong Kong to meet my hostfamily and head to Male from there. As the friends included a small 4 year old girl, I spent the time we had to wait in the airport in Hong Kong waiting for my hostfamily playing with little Niuniu. How adorable this little kid. Though after spending almost a whole day playing with her I was ready for my hostfamily to finally arrive and our flight to The Maldives finally departing. Rex and Amy acted like total strangers at first, but after a few minutes of warming up I had my two little munchkins back :-). That's when I realized how much I've been missing them! So when it was finally time to board, I was overly happy to find myself the only person being seated in the No. 56 middle road which meant I would be able to strech my whole 1.75m to get, as much sleeping on an airplanes allows, some time to rest. Sure enough that was as hard as I expected as the free seats next to me were used by my company to give themselves a little break from their kids aka Ronja, would you please watch them while we catch some rest?! My pleasure. Smiling face. Always keeping in mind the great time I would have as soon as we would get to our place. So after 6,5 hours and 3 hours earlier (thanks to the time difference) we arrived at this ridiculously small airport in Male. Having gathered all of our luggage and verrifying that we didn't try to smuggle any pork inside this Moslem country, we were already expected by staff of our hotel including a boat getting us there. So while we took the 20 minutes roller coaster alike boat ride to our island, my eyes got trapped by the millions and millions of scaringly bright and huge stars filling the sky over the water. And I knew we were heading for a great time there!