User Comments - wildyaks

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wildyaks

Posted on: 藏传佛教
December 27, 2007 at 1:01 PM

Nice picture of the Yumbu Lhakhang, where back in history Buddhist scriptures fell from the sky... at a time when people in Tibet practiced another religion now normally referred to as Bon

Posted on: The Dice Game
December 27, 2007 at 4:01 AM

We played something very similar with cards... I love those games. I am a good bluffer... I was just recently introduced to a card game played all over Chengdu, so I am told. It's called something like "gang ge'er yan". The first charachter gang is supposed to be 刚, the yan is 眼, as in eye. I was told that if you don't get a lead in the game, you can just stare and watch as you lose... Anybody can provide the name in characters? I tried "stare" for the "ge'er", but can't find anything slightly matching...

Posted on: The Dice Game
December 27, 2007 at 3:25 AM

Great! I love games. I love playing games with friends - that's when their true character comes out... I have yet to listen to the podcast.

Posted on: New Year's Song
December 27, 2007 at 3:23 AM

Great signing, Ken and Jenny! 我也已经学会了这首歌! (Wo ye yijing xue hui le zhe shou ge!)

Posted on: The Dice Game
December 27, 2007 at 2:51 AM

So we are into gambling now...:-). I have never seen people play dice around here, but cards are totally in. Just got introduced to a game lately. Easy to lose money, easy to win..

Posted on: Dorm Life: Late For Class
December 27, 2007 at 2:48 AM

Hey Jenny, How about 初中 and 高中? Where I live - countryside of Sichuan, about every student lives in dorms from Junior Middle School onwards. And, wolson, in China it seems to be four to eight people per dorm. If you have one psycho, then there are still others to balance dynamics a bit. When I studied at university in Chengdu, I used to hang out a lot in the dorms of my friends. It's community living of the intensive sort. We had a lot of fun. But I was actually glad to be able to go back to my room sometimes and close the door...

Posted on: #30
December 26, 2007 at 10:07 AM

Something wrong with the download, here.

Posted on: Dorm Life: Late For Class
December 26, 2007 at 6:59 AM

Jenny, 你在什么地方长大了?你怎么都没住过宿舍呢? 我觉得在中国长大应该要住宿舍，是不是?

Posted on: A Present from Santa Claus
December 26, 2007 at 2:48 AM

liansuo, merci viu mou! Und Dir ou äs guets Nöis!

Posted on: A Present from Santa Claus
December 25, 2007 at 3:35 AM

The Swiss also have Santa Claus coming earlier in December (6 December). The two things are quite unrelated. And on Santa Claus Day there is no need to give gifts. Our traditions differ a bit from the Dutch. Here is what happens: Santa Claus come on the night of December 6th together with his helper and his donkey. They go around knocking on the door of houses where children live. Santa Claus has this big book in which he records all the good and bad deeds of the kids during the year. So then he refers to the book to either reward the kid with nuts, mandarines and chocolates - if the kid has behaved well - or he leaves a stick for the parents to discipline the kid - if the book says that it's a naughty kid. In the worst case scenario he threatens to put the kid into his big sack (in which he brings the goodies) and take the kid with him... I used to be really scared of Santa Claus. Anyhow, normally it is quite harmless. The kid recites a verse for Santa Claus and is rewarded with said nuts etc. And that's all. There is just this sense of anticipation on the night of Santa Claus. Christmas is Christmas. Of course we celebrate that too. That's when we get gifts. And it is the Saviour Jesus (das Christkind) who is the giver of the gifts, not Santa Claus. For us the Christmas season starts one month ahead anyway. We celebrate Advent. Starting on the first Sunday in December. No gift giving, just the lighting of candles, special Christmas cookies, getting ready for Christmas. Now that I don't live in Switzerland anymore I have all these fond memories of celebrating Advent, the sense of anticipation, of festivity in the air. Now that I live in China I get to experience some of this around the Chinese and/or Tibetan New Year. The festivity mood is quite similar. The getting together with friends and family and all that