Thank you, 2010, you have been my friend.

The end of 2010 has arrived and it's strange to think that I've already done 10 whole years of the new millenium. It's also horrifying to realise I'm now in my 20s. Horrifying because now I have to be some sort of grown up...something I am NOT prepared for at all!

Anyway, looking back, 2010 has been an awesome year. Obviously it's not been perfect because that's impossible, but I've managed to see new things, meet new people and get closer to people I already knew.

I started the year in Beijing:



had a little trip to Xi'an:



an even littler trip to Pingyao:



popped over to Sanya, on Hainan island, in July:




then flew to a little country called England later on in July:



then flew to an EVEN LITTLER country called Scotland late late in July:



then a while later moved to Cambridge, in October:



I am so so grateful for the year I've been given. It's been a happy one and I think I've changed a lot.

BUT on with 2011!
I've made some NY resolutions. I haven't made them for the past few years because I'm awful at keeping them, but I've become a bit more self-disciplined (mind you, only a bit, let's not get excited) so I thought I'd try my hand at resolving:

• Get fitter- I've started this resolution by...quitting the gym...nice! But only cause I can't afford it. And this might actually spur me on to doing some exercise as opposed to thinking "well I'm a member of a gym, so I'm being healthy, right?". I am also going to try harder to get to rugby training and do badminton AND try some jogging. PHEW.
• Do more work- Less time on 4oD for me and more time in the library. No more last minute all-nighters! I'm going to be good this year!
• Blog more- but I'll try and make it less me-centered as I'm not off in any exciting foreign countries this time. I'll try and make it a collection of funny/interesting things I've learned/heard/seen and other tidbits.
• Be wiser with my money- this is going to be the big 'un but hopefully will be made easier by the fact that I HAVE NO MONEY! I'm going to have to become super frugal, but I'd also like to try and eat fairly healthily, so this means less trips to cindies, less biscuits (which will also help with the first resolution) and more veg and stuff. I might try living a fairly veggie lifestyle cause meat is expensive mate!

I'll keep you updated on those if I can remember.

So I'll finish by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR and I hope your 2011 is filled with excitement and adventure!

Autumn Days When the Grass is Jewelled..

Autumn in Beijing is gorgeous: glorious sunshine, it's just the right temperature, the leaves turn that golden-red-brown colour and there's a feeling of relief after the horribly smoggy and humid summers.

But autumn in Beijing lasts about 2 weeks. And then it's ON with the relentless winter. FUN.

Anyway, so the other weekend, Dadbo and I undertook the task of de-pearing our pear tree. He was the adventurous one who climbed into the tree to reach up, past the spiders, to the highest pears. So my job was to catch the pears and decide if they were fit for consumption. So whilst I was standing around waiting for the next pear, I was struck by how beautiful autumn is. There was a slight chill in the air, the sun was shining and it was very peaceful. And there was that incredible mossy damp smell from all the flora of the summer.

Autumn makes me think of fruit from trees, blackberries, being able to wrap up warm but not getting that sting on your uncovered cheeks, rainbow trees, bonfires, that exciting first term of school, walking through leaves, Warminster Carnival and my birthday! And the song Zorbing, by Stornoway, reminds me of autumn.

I hope YOU, yes YOU, person reading this, have a lovely autumn too. :)

Freshly Squeazed Start (from concentrate...)

Since the year 12 trip to the Bath Universities Fair, I've been very much looking forward to being a student. I saw some, slouching along in their casual clothes, clearly not too bothered about dressing to impress (which in year 12 was quite a big thing), on their way to something exciting. And I thought I'm going to BE one of those people. All casually stylish and awesome and studious and slightly scruffy!

It reminds me a bit of how, before starting year 7, I saw the South Wilts Girls and I thought I'm going to BE one of those people! All stylish in their kilts, hanging round Salisbury after school, being all cool and grown up! And when I arrived, my kilt was awkwardly long, my hair was insane, I had braces (essentially, I did not look at all stylish!) and I then discovered that all my friends were going to be catching the earliest possible train home. Which meant no hanging around in Salisbury after school for me!

So, perhaps my dream of being a cool, effortlessly stylish, studious and sophisticated student may not come to pass...(i reckon the slightly scruffy part will happen though!) But in the end, thats not mainly what I'm excited about.

It's going to be another fresh start. New stationary, new home, new friends. The unknown brings a feeling of fear mingled with excitement. Fearxitement? For those who don't know, this is where I'm heading:

Homerton College, Cambridge. (Hehe, I won't be living in this lovely building- to the left and slightly behind the photographer would be West House which is where the majority of first years live.)

Anyhoo, I guess I'll have to see what my uni experience brings, cause it'll be different to everyone else's. Luckily, I'm not the only one going through the first year- I have lots of people who've done it before that I can turn to, and a fair few people who are starting on the same day as me. And I think I'm going to try and go into thinking positively- ready to accept whatever and whoever comes into my path. Unless that thing is a life of crime. THEN NO! But anyway, bazillions of people have started uni before. So shhhh Jessie, stop making a fuss.

I guess I might try and give something TO Homerton as well. Perhaps! (Again, unless that thing is...I dunno...a broken window...or an unexpected crop of magic mushrooms...) I've got all these wild plans to do volunteer work and joint he rugby team and learn to punt and join the CU and join the Tea Society (Teasoc, to those in the know) and GET INVOLVED. I'll be shattered by the end of the year. Oh, and I suppose I should maybe do some studying as well.

So anyway, you'll be hearing lots more about all this jazz when I get there. At the moment, life is in the stage of preparation. Note to self: must get numerous passport photos taken for moving day. Ugh.