Greetings from the happy traveller!

As predicted, Chinese government does not want me updating my blog. This update was made by email to a friend, as I have not yet had time to figure out how to circumvent the system (although a kind Chinese friend of a friend has given me instructions).

There is so much to write about, and all of it is positive. The worst thing happened this far is that I misread my map and got out of the metro on the wrong stop. It took me two minutes to realise this and get back on the metro. Which, by the way, is ultra modern compared to the metros of west: air-conditioning, sliding doors and costs only 2 RMB (0,25 EUR). Everything seems so modern here anyway, all the new cars and mobile phones and buildings. The economic growth is really apparent, at least in the big cities.

I think the best thing so far in China have been the people. They are incredibly kind. Walk around with a map, and someone will be there to ask if they can help. When you tell them where you're going, it turns out that they don't know the area but they will go and ask someone local in Chinese. Forget your brand new iPhone in a restaurant, and they check who it belongs to and call people on your phonebook with the same surname to find out which hotel you're staying at. Mention a friend that you're going to his hometown, and he'll organise his parents to greet you at the airport and show you around in the town and take you to their home for real home-cooked Chinese food. It has all been INCREDIBLE.

So I have spent about a week in Shanghai and half a week in Beijing now. The conferences have been excellent - interesting, stimulating and have convinced me that I want to stay in science. It is just too damn interesting! Also the conferences have yielded a couple of job offers, one seriously worth considering. I will be flying to the States later in my gap year to see their incredibly well-equipped institute and to give a seminar. Very exciting! And for the shorter scale, I managed to promise I would fly to the Philippines to another institute and write a review there. This will be happening already in September! I don't think I can even express how happy this makes me! The conference attendance has truly been a stepping stone for me, and I definitely made the right choice coming here and paying the travel out of my own pocket! And there is still a couple of days of conference left...

After Beijing I will be headed west. I have found a group of American students who are staying in China for a week after the conference and have planned to travel around. I decided to team up with them for a few days to get outside Beijing. The travel plan is still slightly up in the air, but the first destination is Datong and the Hanging Temple near Mt Hengshan. Looking forward to seeing the areas outside the big cities!

I'm not certain where and when I can update this blog again, so don't be worried for me if the updates are rare!