chapter four, page twenty eight:

The weather forecast has been threatening with bad weather, but thank God it had been good throughout the week.

It was a continuation of exercising and stretching for Jonathan. A one round run around the track in school at 7.30AM, and a two hour badminton game at night.

(Flashback) The day before, he headed out to Xing Hai Park with some of his friends. The main goal was to look for the big book as it is called.

Lunch was done at hometown recognized Yoshinoya, it was chicken with salty vegetables that were surprising nice already. Already.

He took the tram to Xing Hai Park, and walked around and finally came to the big book and spent most of the day there playing, taking weird pictures. It was really high up and curvy, and almost hard to stay stable.

chapter four, page twenty seven:

(Flashback) The Thursday weekly was typical, starting off with the weekly interim presentation for the project that he had been working on. The presentation went was alright, and without a doubt, still needing refinement and more.



After lunch, he attended yet another talk just like the week before by one of the professors in the school on Branding, Marketing and Advertising, fortunately, there was a translator this time around, her English was interesting to some extent. She went, “Google: gogo, Coca-cola: coco”. And fifty percent of the time, she was coming up with her own translation. Even though the professor talked a lot, she merely went “the this design is the professor lin made”. But it was a job well done for the other fifty percent.

Dinner was done outside at the city area at a Western Restaurant, Bulldog Steakhouse. It was a birthday celebration for a classmate postponed from the previous day. Finally he had something new to eat, even though it was too small a portion and attached with weird topping, it was still satisfying to his tongue. The meal was then accompanied with two ice-creams shared by three others.











Friday, he woke up early to prepare sandwiches for lunch as he was heading out to the Discoveryland Theme Park. It was a pirated version of a Disneyland, from entrance atmosphere to inside, but obviously the happiness from Disneyland could not be found in this theme park. He did not give any reason to miss any ride, and hopped onto the first warm up which was a spinning machine.









The spinning machine was merciless, spinning 360degrees, forward to backward and increasing in speed.

(Diary) The spinning machine was great! I was sitting next to Jiamin, and we were chatting along the whole ride. It was definitely hard to speak when we were turned upside down when the blood rushed to the head. Unfortunately I could not see anything because I had to remove my spectacles. The seat was also a little too big, I felt like I could almost fall out when it overturned me. In fact, I think my leg did shift past the divider on the seat. Chew Yin and Sharon were screaming their heads of behind me, it was really funny.





The group of us then went over to the next ride, which was milder so that everyone would take. I thought this one was more of a starter than the spinning one. Anyway, this one was also spinning round and round, getting faster in the air, and almost slightly tilted. I took a video up there, and watching it back makes me feel the spins again.



After which, Chew Yin, Jiamin, Sharon, Alice and myself headed over to the “real” roller coaster. This one was one of my first sitting on, because the legs were dangling in the air, without the usual base where one can actually put pressure on the legs. I have to admit this one was scarily thrilling, the first moment it went up to the highest point and zoomed down like nobody’s business, I was semi-closing my eyes and screaming. Yes, my first time screaming for real, not for fun. I can still feel that rush in me. Recalling what I saw on ground, it was funny to see people’s leg dangling up in the air especially during the 360 turns.



The next ride led us to yet another 360 degree turning thing. It seems almost all rides involve 360. This one was slightly boring for me, although the rest on it felt really dizzy on it. In fact, I forgot to remove my spectacles before going on it, and I started fiddling and taking it out while being spun around. It was also my first time not holding on to the bar, but waving to my friends on the ground.

When we got off, a parade started, something similar to that of Disney’s, with the main character marching out, leading the troupe and princesses on high platforms dancing and waving at us. Obviously, the character was an unknown thing, something that looked like a pirated Sonic the Hedgehog, with curvy hair. Princesses that were most probably made up. Weird.



After this, we headed over to one of the rides I never thought I would ride. The suicidal tower, where we were shot up 50ms high and dropped down again. But really, it didn’t feel that scary, I was actually enjoying the view up there, too bad it brought us down so fast. It should have rotated us 360 degrees to see everything first! Or rotate to see everything and suddenly drop it without completing a full round.



Without a doubt, the following ride was also a 360 game. It involves a compartment that is rotated around on the base, and the people sitting within have to spin it more. I was spinning like crazy. Anglia was screaming her head off, and unfortunately Jiamin gave in and puked, opes. I suppose Jamie was enjoying it secretly.

The last ride for the day was done at the Viking boat, which swung like a pendulum up down up down. I was pretty much bored on it, but feeling gross because I just had a slice of bread before going on it. The people who went on the boat were waving frantically to those on ground.



Unfortunately, the rest of the rides required a certain number of people for it to start. We waiting quite long for them, but no one came. Sigh. We ended up going for mild games just before the day ended. The merry-go-round.

It was his first time sitting on a merry-go-round. He did not find it that interesting though, just being able to sit on a fake horse bouncing up and down seemed stupid to him. The day zoomed to an end, and he was back at the hostel, back to reality, no more “Disneyland” as it was meant to be.

chapter four, page twenty four:

Badminton seems to be the most famous sport here in Dalian. Every evening, the roads would be filled with people playing badminton.

The night was spent playing badminton with three other friends. It had been a long time since he last touched the racquet, or exercise, or play a single sport. The last time he played badminton was at least four to five years ago when he was still in his lower secondary school years. He enjoyed himself playing in such weather, he believes he would not mind exercising more in such weather than that of Singapore’s.

chapter four, page twenty three:

The weather over in China has been really unpredictable. Arriving at 8degrees, and rising as high as 25degrees over the last few days, it decided to drop back down to 12degrees again. His friend said it was “some sort of a north wind”.

(Flashback) Project work on a Saturday, the whole time was spent in the dormitory exploring ideas for the design project. Jonathan and his group partner started working on study models for the new student lounge space. He thinks, and knows, that further work has to be done.


(Flashback) That Sunday was Mother’s Day. He decided to call back home to sent his wishes to his mum as well as talk to his family. It has been a long time since they last heard each other’s voices. Their only way of communication was through instant messengers.

Apart from that, the day was settled with catching up with three weeks works, unfortunately it was almost unfruitful. He could proudly say he did work, but in shame, slowly.

The day was as usual, back to school, learning 3D modeling.



Lunch was settled at a 拉la面mian restaurant. Despite his very frequent complains about food, Jonathan has been engaging with it quite often. From 烤kao饼bin夹jia肉rou to 手shou 抓zhua饼bing to snacks and fruits, and he has to admit the local snacks are still oily and salty, but unfortunately nice.




GEMs module resumed this week after the previous Labour Day break. The class today was conducted by a new lecturer, Mr. Piao. His movements and semi-face and hair reminded me of him as an Asian version of Jim Carrey. The lesson today was interesting for Jonathan, it was a screening of two videos about China. The first was about their life and how things are carried out in China, the second video about the opening of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. After having watched the videos, he has hardly any comments, but wants to applaud for their perseverance, perseverance in ideologies, culture and everything.


During the night, he happened to pick up the Handbook for Singapore Students booklet given by the Dalian Polytechnic University during the first week to read. He came across the follow:

“目mu 前qian 大da 连lian 有you 两liang 处chu 地di 方fang 不bu 对dui 外wai 国guo 人ren 开kai 放fang 一yi 长chang 海hai 县xian 和he 旅lv 顺shun, 旅lv 顺shun 是shi 局ju 部bu 对dui 外wai 国guo 人ren kai 放fang，对dui 于yu 不bu 开kai 放fang 地di 区qu，未wei 经jing 许xu 可ke 外wai 国quo 人ren 不bu 得de 擅shan 自zi 进jin 入ru。”

Translation:
“There are two regions in Dalian which are closed to alien entry; they are the Lvshun District, and Changhai Country. Lvshun District, which is partially open for aliens. For forbidden regions, aliens are not allowed to enter without valid permits.”