China Girls Abroad

 

Rainbow scarf
I was knitting a scarf at the end of the summer when it was still warm in England, my German friend saw it, laughed and couldn't help asking: ‘Isn't it a bit too early to make this?’  ‘No, no, no,’ I said: ‘In China, we have an idiom, which is “repair the house before it rains”.’ Actually, what I didn't say was I love the colours of this scarf so much, it’s just like a rainbow, a rainbow of dream in my heart. 
 
Dream… Do you still remember the aspiration or goal you used to have? Are you one of those who also think it’s too late to think about the dream? Do you also think life is good as it is now, stable and simple, while secretly you feel so bored and admire others who can still follow their dreams.

Paula singing

Paula Fummey cuts an unusual figure for a soul singer. We met first at a large charity concert in Govanhill. Next to me on the front row, a wheel chair suddenly arrived. Seated in it was a large, very imposing, black woman with a huge blue St. Johnstone football scarf round her neck. She told me she was down for the concert, and I assumed she was one of the audience. Then at the very end, the compere announced: “and now tonight’s star attraction—the Scary Saint lady herself, Paula Fummey!” The spotlights went on, and she sang.

 

 

When she speaks, she has a broad throaty Perthshire accent, but the sweet voice that came from her with its mixture of blues, funk, and soul transfixed the audience. By the time she sang “Stand By Me”, the audience were indeed all standing, clapping, singing and calling for more. Where did she learn such an extraordinary command of music?

 

SunshineI was asked what I learned coming abroad to study, and I thought of a Chinese girl’s words on Weibo: “the most important things I learned is not better English, nor a degree, but the ability to survive in any place in the world without knowing any one; and the simple belief that you should happily take a bus to pursue your dreams, and don’t change them for expensive cars. These two things will stay with me for my whole life.”
 

If I am lucky enough to find this kind of girl, I am sure we can accompany each other to walk around the world, and toast each other, getting drunk in our life stories.

  

Dragon couple 

I am a self-taught artist, with a lot of help from friends along the way. I first started working with clay at the age of 14 at the local art school on Saturday mornings and I never looked back.  I have managed to continue working with clay, one way or another, ever since.

Rubbish, we are coming!My name is Andreia Hozhan, I am a Portuguese by nationality, Chinese by blood, Scottish by university, International by spirit!

 

EURO TRIP

A high school friend and I went on a Central and Eastern Europe Trip. After having a rough route planned, we got to Prague and realized that instead of Inter-railing (travelling by train from one city to another), it would be a lot more fun and a lot cheaper to hitch-hike. And that’s what we did... Yeah. With one bag pack each, there we went, starting in Prague and finishing in Zagreb, we travelled through 11 cities! We didn’t book any hostels in advance, and we stayed with friends’ and CouchSurfed! We loved meeting everyone who hosted us and who showed us around Europe! Would definitely do this again!