blowin in the wind

So today I was told by Jasmine I wouldn’t be teaching and Emma and Caroline wouldn’t be working so we could all go to a seminar.. yes we wernt too sure either where we were going, or what to do, or why, but thought we’d just go with the flow and see where we’d end up! Jasmine had asked for my portfolio so I wasn’t too sure whether I was going to show it or something but she ended up just wanting it to look at again!! We got on a little mini bus with a few others which was a pretty bumpy ride… at one point I turned around to see Caroline on the back seat lifted in the air fully off her seat because of a bump in the road! Haha

When we got there it was like a storm had just started, the wind was blowing us everywhere.. the seminar was outside as well. There were red carpets leading to a big stage, there were balloons surrounding the stage that kept popping in the wind and plants that had blown over. We finally grabbed a goody bag which contained a free scarf. The seminar ended up being a little show with some dancers, a male singer and then some people in suits talked for a while. After it ended we were led inside and upstairs and we found a few of the dresses our class made at uni being displayed.. the dresses were made from a Chinese fabric made from milk invented in Ningbo. We also met the man who is the owner of this fabric company, a journalist, and a few English people. Over here if you see a western face you have to talk to each other, the conversation usually goes “YEYYY an English person” the lady I talked to turned out to be from Pudsey near Leeds… small small world!

Some girls seemed a bit obsessed with Caroline, we couldn't get them away!

And we found our flag!!!

I couldn't decide whether the camera took the picture at the right or the wrong time!!

These are some of the girls milk dresses from uni 

It was lunch time and we were taken to a hotel restaurant where the food was delish.. everything looked beautiful. It was a buffet and they had a bit of everything...

china's next top model

Monday morning I woke up and decided instead of the confusing bus I would try and walk to the company, I eventually found it after about half an hour. I was just finishing my designs throughout the day, creating different pattern swatches etc. At the end of the day Lindsay came to check my designs and saw a dress that I had drawn was very similar to a dress that they had bought. She has told me to develop some sets from the dress I have designed because on Thursday we will decide on which fabrics to use, to make a pattern for it, and hopefully create a sample.

Tuesday I had a lesson about fashion brands but instead of the lesson the students had to create an outfit inspired by a brand of their choice. They chose someone out of the group to get their photo taken by a photographer in a studio; me and Laura teach the same lesson so we both went together to help. While I was there I only saw brands like Givenchy, Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, or Burberry used. I think when a lot of them looked at Givenchy they only had recollection of when Audrey Hepburn wore a Givenchy dress in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and not the modern style – there were lots of tiaras, buns and long black dresses! A lot of them had not thought about the poses they wanted to use so we had to improvise, and also show some pictures from magazines. Some of the girls looked slightly terrified when they were getting their photos taken bless them… half way through we were led to the make-up and hair room and were told to advise with hairstyles etc to match the clothes. One girl said she was ‘Vivienne Westwood’ style so I got her hair put in a high pony and backcombed… And so on and so on…

We are getting a little fed up with the food over here because there are only a few things we have found we like.. beef and peppers are yummy with egg fried rice but we had that last night, and I have had far too many burgers to count, plus for breakfast I have found a custard bread which is loverrrly but I cant just live on three dishes! So we decided to get some pizzas as our happy helper (Jeremy) was popping round so he nipped to pizza hut for us… our savior!!!

Dumplings

Today we went to Jasmines house to make dumplings, they had vegetable and pork ones and veg and egg. I am not used to having just one thing for a meal though, what I mean is im used to having lots of things on my plate such as a Sunday dinner I have to fit a roast potato, Yorkshire pud, veg and meat all on one fork… So I seem to get a bit bored with just one thing, they were nice though and making them was fun. Don’t think they were impressed with our ‘creative’ dumplings in fish, dolphins, and tomato shapes etc…

We also went to a little market near Jasmines home

little bit of sight seeing and a chinese head massage

Caroline and Emma had to work today but me Laura and Kate wanted to go look around the city, Jeremy a friend who we met the other night came too to show us the city, he knows it very well so it was really good he could guide us round..

Papped in the city

A bridge in 'Moon Lake', there are gardens surrounding a lovely lake.

I love the artwork on the walls, around every corner there is something different to look at.

Hidden treasures

Spot the odd ones out...

We visited the 'Ancient Library' and found a family to join in the picture with! I even got to use my nus card to get a discount on entry!

Some creepy man kept following us round though, he’d come up to me and Kate and offered us his houses in Shanghai and Hangzhou to stay and really wouldn’t take no for an answer! Seriously there are some freaks here, he was walking round on his own with a briefcase, we really didn’t want to imagine what he had in there! Making an excuse to leave as we saw a toilet nearby and he followed, “I think I like you, you make good impression on me, I hope we can be friends, you can give me telephone number” ahhh scary! 

The attention to detail on everything was incredible, I especially like the carvings on the walls.

Passageways through the lake

The ancient buildings were beautiful, there is too much to look at here.

Don't know who this is, I'm guessing one of the owners of the library. Just thought he was the funniest looking out of the lot!

So after the library we were starving, Papa Johns was calling us! Afterwards a chinese head massage was in need, it was like nothing I've ever experienced.. We got sat in chairs in a row and got shampoo squirted and water poured on the back of our heads, the man started foaming it up on the top of my head and then it started.. The thumping, slapping, pulling, and vicious neck massaging! I got led to the lay down sinks.. we definitely need these in England. Then back to the chair where my real massage would take place, I got a head, shoulders, and arm massage all in one. It was surreal the things they were doing to us, they definitely hit my funny bone!

I think they were all a little excited.. and we got a photo with everyone.

"Cheeky Cheeky"

Yesterday I went to the company, I sat with the designers on my own desk and could really get on with my designs all day… My illustrator skills are going to be tip top! I wanted to try and get back on my own instead of having to get a lift and Angela one of the girls who works at the company said she lived near where I am staying so I got the bus with her. She started writing down which bus stop, bus numbers, and names of places down for me for if I had to get it on my own – very confusing though! It took two buses to get home and we got off the first bus and walked to the other bus stop for the next. People were whizzing by on motorbikes and a few actually got off their bikes to stand next to me at the bus stop!! (crazy people!!) Im quite glad I don’t understand a word anyone is saying round here or I would probably be more concerned haha. Angela kept changing her mind on the bus I should actually get on which was a bit worrying.. Luckily I saw the number 1 bus which I know passes by where I stay, so I hopped on it and it was all good thank god! Home safe and sound.

We had decided to visit a steak house for tea, I quickly got ready and we got the bus to Tianyi square.. it was very yummy grub, just what the doctor ordered! After tea we fancied a few drinks in Lao Waitan… Me and Kate got in one cab, the driver was literally insane repeating everything we were saying “Lao Waitan, Lao Waitan” “Cheeky, Cheeky” in a really high pitched voice! It was so funny!

Evil Chihuahua!!

This morning I had a terrifying car journey with an evil chihuahua! Lindsay came and picked me up in the car and the chiwawa was sat on the front seat so I slipped into the back and it started growling and barking like he was going to bite me, it jumped on to Lindsays lap and trying to bite her she was terrified with her arms in the air flailing around she was scared to death! We had to pop to the shop and get some food for it to keep it entertained, I was just glad the thing didn’t jump into the back seat!

Lindsay cant actually speak any English but we have to talk to each other through ringing TongTong, it does take a while to understand anything! I found out we were going to Lao Waitan for a photoshoot for the summer collection. First we visited hair and beauty and met everyone then we got into a minibus with all the outfits filling the back seats.

The set was outside in-between Lao Waitan and Ningbo bridge, the model was from Brazil and spoke very good English. It was nice to talk to someone normally and not reallllly slow! I was told I should try and match the dresses and outfits with shoes, bags, hats, and other accessories. I put my own headscarf on her with one of the dresses which they seemed to really like.

After the shoot I said I had to get the bus back, I will never get used to all the people that stare at you around here, I have been told that for them its the same as us seeing a unicorn! While I was stood at the bus stop to come back one man stood straight on front of me just blatantly staring, I was on the phone to Kate at the time and I said to her why is this man staring at me like I'm in the circus or something??? She was like say hello! We have found if you just wave and say hello to people like this they get really embarrassed so to anyone who looks from now on I just say hello.. They usually shy off!!

Later we went for a mexican and after found a little Indian jewellery shop, I found a little bargain ring and necklace!